Woods - Water News

JANUARY 2015
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A Squirrel Grand Slam Early Ice Walleyes - Cautious Aggression New To The Game
Hog Bucks In The Snow Lower Back Pain In Dogs Holiday Waterfowling Boat Safe
Tungsten Is Hot On The Ice Bear Hunting With Hounds Michigans Freshwater Cod
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JUNE 20
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Michiga
EARLY SE
ASON
MUSKIE
S
Number One Crossbow

Nontypical Buck Revoked
pparently antler envy has stuck again. The

Board of Directors of Commemorative Bucks
of Michigan (CBM), the official scorers/record keeper of the states big game animals,
removed the state record non-typical crossbow buck
taken by Jamie Beattie of Owosso back in 2012. His
buck had a net score of 186 4/8 inches and his photo
with the buck appeared on the cover of the June 2013
issue of Woods-N-Water News. The big buck was taken
legallyjust taken on a fenced game ranchthen entered fraudulently into the record books.
According to CBM, The evidence provided to the
CBM Board of Directors included pictures of the animal
within the preserve and testimony from the game ranch
employee that Beatties buck was not harvested in a
fair chase manner that is consistent with current CBM
policy. The official rule is that only Michigan deer, elk,
bear and turkey taken legally under fair chase circumstances are eligible for the CBM record book which
is designated by state statute as the official big game
records of Michigan. Beattie reported that he took the
free ranging buck with a crossbow while hunting in
Shiawassee County during the 2012 whitetail deer hunting season. Beattie signed a CBM score sheet attesting
to these facts.
This is by no means an indictment of game ranches,
it's just that most national and state scoring organizations require a fair-chase mandate, deer enclosures have
the opportunity to produce deer with older age class and
larger antlers, pretty simple.
So, now the new number one non-typical whitetail
crossbow entry is Larry Hensley with a buck taken in
Monroe County in 2011 with a net score of 183 4/8.
I understand the fascination with antlers, we all love
SEASONS
Now - Dec. 25 - Middle Zone regular goose season

(Canada, snow blue and Ross)
Now March 1 - Squirrel season statewide
Now - March 31 - Rabbit season
Now - Jan. 1 - Archery deer season
Now - Jan. 1 - Ruffed Grouse hunting
Now - Jan. 1 - Zone 3 (parts) pheasant season
Now - Dec. 14 - Zones 1 & 2 muzzleloading deer season
Now-21 - Zone 3 muzzleloading deer season
Dec. 13-14 - Middle Zone: ducks, mergansers, coots
season
Dec. 22-Jan. 1 - Late antlerless deer season
Dec. 27-Dec. 28 - South Zone: ducks, mergansers,
coots and goose season
Jan. 17-Feb. 14 - South Zone: late goose season
Jan. 1-March 1 - Bobcat hunting Units A, B, & C
Jan. 1-Feb. 1 - Bobcat hunting Units D
Jan. 1-Jan. 11 - Bobcat hunting Units E, & F
Now-March 1 - Fox (red & gray) hunting statewide
Now-Jan. 31 - Raccoon hunting statewide
Now-Jan. 31 - Raccoon hunting statewide
Now-Jan. 31 - Raccoon trapping statewide
Now-March 1 - Coyote, fox (red/gray) trapping statewide
Now-March 1 - muskrat & mink trapping statewide
Now-Feb. 1 - Bobcat trapping Units A & B
Now-Dec. 31 - Catch and keep large/smallmouth bass
season all Great Lakes, Lake St. Clair, St. Clair/Detroit
Rivers.
Now-Dec. 15 - Muskie fishing Lake St. Clair, St. Clair
and Detroit Rivers
MJC
ARCHERY
MACOMB
MJC
ARCHERY
OAKLAND
19744 15 Mile Rd
Clinton Twp. 48035
3001 Rochester Rd
Royal Oak, MI 48073
586-791-4600
248-589-2480
big bucks, big antlerswhat I dont get, is how they

can control your judgment, your integrity, your honesty.
Certainly this isnt the first buck to be removed from
CBMs records and it wont be the last. Regrettably
its creating an atmosphere of suspicion in our outdoor world; bucks seen on our cover, Facebook, or the
web are presumed to be wrongfully taken. Sportsmen/
women have more laws, rules and regulations guiding
their actions than any other segment in society. And we
should take pride in the fact that we self-enforced our
conduct under the laws afield and on the water.
Preliminary Firearm Deer Harvest

According to the DNR, DNR biologists estimate
ns Prem
ier
Outdoor
Publicat
ion
that, compared to
2013, the harvest
FISHING
was down approximately 30 to
CROSSB
40 percent across
STATE R OW
ECORD
Deer M
the Upper Peninanagem
ent Sta
rts Wit
sula, decreased
HEALTH
h
Y
F
Gearing Up
perhaps as much
A
W
N
Archery Re For Great Lakes Sal
Scau
lea
mo
Snorkeling;ses Buggy Whip Bass n Lyme Disease Pre
as 10 percent
Planting Per
Great Way
ennial Foodtions
www.wood To Study Fish High Action
Plo
Crankbaits ts
s-n-watern
in the northern
ews.com
Lower Peninsula, and was
down about 5 percent in the southern Lower
Peninsula.n
101
In September of 2013,
Tim Sterk of Dorr had
only one wolf visiting
two of his six bear
bait sites daily. In
September 2014, he had
13 wolves visiting all six
of his bait sites, completely taking over two
of them. He had nine
bear cubs in 2013 on
cameras. This year he
had zero cubs and only
one year and half old
bear. You think these
wolves only damaged
the deer population? All
six of his baits are in a
five mile radius of each
other near Pickford.
Tim Sterk photo
How do I get my deer, bear, elk or turkey

measured and entered into the CBM state records?
Commemorative Bucks of Michigan (CBM)

measures, records and maintains the official records of
Michigans trophy deer, bear, elk and turkeys. Measuring is free! Most hunters arent sure if their newly
harvested animal is trophy class or not. They know its
big but how big is it in terms of scoring? The answer is
to get it measured for FREE and then youll know.
Deer and Elk and Bear Know-How
The first thing to know is the drying period.
Antlers on deer and elk along with cleaned skulls of
bear require a 60 day drying period before they can be
officially measured. (A minimal amount of shrinkage
takes place during this time) Make sure you maintain
the skull plate on deer and elk thats the skull bone
connecting the antlers.
CBM uses the Boone and Crockett scoring system
that in general uses length, width and thickness of the
rack along with symmetry to come up with a score.
Therefore, a rack that is long, wide, thick and pretty
even on both sides will score the highest in the typical
category. Non-typical racks involve irregular antler
configurations. Bear scoring is done by adding length
and width of the cleaned skull
Lets Talk Turkey
Turkeys are a little different. CBM uses a measuring
system that combines the length of the beard(s) and
the length of both spurs to come up with a CBM score.
There is no drying time required for turkeys.
Make it Official
Next contact an official CBM measurer. Many
people can measure but only CBM trained and certified
measurers can enter scores into the record book. Any
official measurer in the state can measure your trophy.
Usually its best to get one close to where you live.
Another option is to bring it to the Michigan Deer and
Turkey Expo held in February near Lansing. There are
contest fees involved when you do it this way but you
gain admission to the show for the whole weekend.
After your trophy has been measured and it

qualifies for entry into CBM records you will go
through the entry process. The fee for entry is $30
and you have the option of allocating that money to
a one year membership, in which case record book
entry is free. (Most people choose this option because
all entries are free for members as part of their membership.)
After official entry, the hunter will receive a certificate suitable for framing, an annual patch. The current
year entry will appear in Buck Fax Magazine and as
well in the next publication of Michigan Big Game
Records which comes out about every three years. The
entry will now become part of the Michigans permanent records.
Some people say, I dont care if its in the record
book, I know how big it is. The advantage of having
your trophy recorded in the permanent records is that
long after you are gone there may be some children,
grandchildren or great-grandchildren that can point to
the book and say, Great grandpa got one back in 08
that made the record book!
10th Edition is Coming in September, 2015!
The final piece to the puzzle is to buy the book.
CBM is on a schedule of producing a new Record Book
every three years. The 10th edition of CBMs Michigan Big Game Records will go into production at the
close of the 2014 scoring period that ends on March
31, 2015. The new edition will include the addition of
all entries entered in the 2012, 2013 and 2014 scoring
periods. Michigan Big Game Records comes in both
a softcover version and a collectors hardbound version.
A special pre-publication sale is on now through May
31, 2015 with a projected delivery date of September,
2015. Order yours today by going online at www.
michiganbiggamerecords.com. Special Pre-Publication
Sale ends June 31, 2015. Softcover $25 (Save $12)
Hardcover $40 (save $15).
HUNTING
HOG BUCKS
IN THE SNOW
Kenny Darwin page 12
WHITETAILS
SPREADING DISEASES
Cover Story..."Holy Crap"

11 year-old harvests trophy
Jerry Lambert page 19
John Ozoga
...page 22
Thumb hunter bags

15-point giant
Lane Walker page 26
Gun Chat...Christmas gun

Lee Arten page 71
Cover Story...Veteran
tags monster buck
Guest Column...Bill Green

My Target Buck
page 78
Deer Calling
Tom Lounsbury page 88
Double Back Buck
Marc L. Yenkel page 42
FISHING
Hottest Fishing ON ICE
Mike Gnatkowski page 8
SUPERTANKERS
10-POUND PLUS WALLEYES
Kenny Darwin page 20
Michigan's freshwater cod

"gets no respect"
Bill Ziegler page 28
COVER
BUCKS
Supertanker Walleyes page 20

Jacob Rizkallah (top-rt) page 35
Valerie Hansen (bottom-lt) page 34
Ross Weeks (bottom-rt) page 19
ULTIMATE FISHING
SHOW DETROIT
Special Show Pull Out
page 51
ALASKA
An angler's paradise
Mark Romanack page 60
Cover Story...Passionate
Huntress Successful
Bear hunting with hounds

Betty Sodders page 62
"New to the game..."

Tom Carney page 36
Lower back pain
in sporting dogs
Jeff LaHuis page 41
A 'Grand Slam' of squirrels

Darryl Quidort page 16
Liberty Hunt...Get more

kids involved in hunting
Jeff Pendergraff page 46
FEATURES
Sporting Collectibles...
The Snyder
Multiplying Reel
Terry McBurney page 80
Winter Walleye
Mobility is the Key
Mark Romanack page 30
First Ice...
Great fishing
George Rowe page 86
Tungsten is hot on the ice

Mark Sak page 40
PERSPECTIVE
Comfort is Catching
Mark Martin page 50
Early ice walleyes...
Cautious Aggression
Gary Parsons/Keith Kavajecz
page 66
Great Lakes Insights...
A book to bust your cooler
Dave Mull page 76
Latest/favorite ice lures
for specific species
Robert Dock Stupp page 82
$3.00
-Water News
Michigan Meanders...
Seasonal memories
Tom Huggler page 14
New Year's Resolutions
with the help of your dog
Len Jenkins page 32
Help Feed The Hungry
Sportsmen Against
Hunger Program
page 44
Outdoor Safety/First
Aid Confession of a
mishap on a lake
Jonathan Schechter page 48
Hunter rescues hikers
Richard P. Smith page 72
SUPERTANKER
WALLEYES
Take a boating safety class!

Capt. Fred Davis page 73
DNR advises not to move

firewood between parks
page 29
TRAIL CAM PHOTOS

page 92-93
BLACK POWDER
Traditional Black
Powder Hunting...
As it should be
Dennis Neely page 57
OPINIONS
My politically incorrect
views on fixing Michigan's
deer hunting problem
Tom Antor page 72
Is it time for a change?
page 73
DNR still making mistakes
page 75
Dear Fish Diary:
Merry "Carp-mas"
Ron St. Germain page 84
Wolves
kill more
hunting
dogs in the
U.P.
Richard P.
Smith page
65
Reward for
tips on
wolf
poaching
cases
page 87
Holiday Waterfowling
Kenny Darwin...page 55
DEPARTMENTS . . .
Trophy Page. . . . . . 68-70 Classifieds . . . . . . 94-95
Letters-Op-Ed . . . . . 72-75 Real Estate . . . . . . 95-104
MORE
MICHIGAN
TROPHIES
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OUTDOOR NEWS
MDNR and USFS partner

to protect oak trees from
KILLER FUNGUS
page 90
Follow us on
www.facebook.com/woodsnwaternews
Chassell man was arrested

and arraigned Wednesday in 97th District Court,
Houghton County, on a six-count
warrant after a lengthy undercover
investigation by detectives with the
Michigan Department of Natural
Resources Law Enforcement Divisions Special Investigations Unit.
Danny Loyd, 56, was arrested
on a warrant authorized by the
Houghton County Prosecutors
Office. A search warrant also was
served on his residence and place
of business by Special Investigations Unit investigators and District
1 conservation officers that resulted
in the seizure of a number of items.
Loyd was arraigned on two
counts of selling bear parts, one
count of carrying passengers for
hire without a certificate of inspection, one count of advertising to
carry passengers for hire without a
certificate of inspection, one count
of conducting a taxidermy business
without a permit, and using a computer to commit a crime. Further
proceedings will take place in the
97th District Court of Houghton.
During the course of the investigation Loyd sold bear meat and
organs to undercover investigators,
which is prohibited by law. The
investigation also established that
Loyd had been operating a charter
fishing business utilizing a vessel
that had not been inspected and
found to meet the required safety
standards. Area conservation officers also had received complaints
regarding Loyds taxidermy business, which was unlicensed.
The illegal sale of black bear
parts supplies a market for the illegal parts and provides a financial
incentive for poachers to take the
animals during closed seasons, in
excess of established limits and by
unlawful methods, said Detective
Lt. Jason Haines. There is a black
market for black bear parts in Asia,
where the parts are used for medicinal purposes.
The Special Investigations
Unit plays a vital role investigating
and arresting major violators, and
its cases often include interstate
and international violations, said
DNR Law Enforcement Division
Chief Gary Hagler. The units role
in the Law Enforcement Division
is to use undercover investigations,
the latest in technology and forensics to apprehend poachers and others who are illegally commercializing fish and game in our state. The
unit works with our conservation
officers to build strong cases and to
protect our natural resources.
Anyone with information of
the illegal commercialization of
any Michigan wildlife or fish or
any natural resources violations is
encouraged to call the Report All
Poaching hotline at 800-292-7800. All Poaching (RAP) Line to report

he had found a dead elk. ConservaFor more information, go to
www.michigan.gov/conservationofficers tion officers from the DNRs Gaylord
Customer Service Center responded
and located the 4x4 bull elk and deDNR charges Waterford
termined it had been killed by a single
man with elk poaching in gunshot.
After a lengthy investigation by
Montmorency County
the officers, a suspect was identified and a confession was obtained.
A 51-year-old man from WaterCharges currently are under review by
ford, Michigan, has confessed to
the Montmorency County Prosecutor.
killing an elk on the opening day of
Good old-fashioned police work
firearm deer season, according to
by our officers brought this case to a
Department of Natural Resources
successful end, Lt. Jim Gorno said.
conservation officers who investigated We continue to encourage the public
the incident.
to be diligent in watching out for our
A deer hunter hunting in Montnatural resources. Without the hunter
morency County north of Atlanta
calling the RAP Line to report this
Nov. 15 contacted the DNRs Report
case, it could have gone unsolved.
Conservation officers continue to

investigate a number of poaching-related incidents involving elk in northern Michigan. Anyone with information regarding any incidents is asked
to call the DNR Law Division at the
Gaylord Customer Service Center at
989-732-3541 or the 24-hour RAP
Line at 800-292-7800.
Any fish, game or natural resources violation can be reported to the
DNRs RAP Line or with the online
reporting form, available at the DNR
website
www.michigan.gov/conservationofficers
Information leading to an arrest
and conviction is eligible for a cash
reward funded by the Game and Fish
Protection Fund. Information also
may be left anonymously.n
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DNR arrests Chassell man on

charges of commercializing
bear parts and more!
HOTTEST
FISHING
ON ICE
he winter of
2013-2014 was
one for the record
book. Anglers got
on the ice earlier
than anyone can
remember and there was still
good ice in April on many
southern Michigan lakes. Unheard of! The winter
of 2014-2015 is starting out the same way.
Make sure the
auger blades are sharp and charge up
the battery for the flasher because its
looking like this will be another banner year for Michigan ice anglers.
got to be considered one

of the top bluegill lakes in
Michigan for ice fishing. Its
incredible the number of slab
gills this lake pumps out.
Anglers had to use caution
last season because the ice
was hit-and-miss throughout
the season, but when you
could get on the ice it
wasnt difficult taking
a mess of bluegills for
dinner.
One of the keys to Hamlin Lake
being such a prolific producer of big
bluegills is the predator/prey relationship that the lake supports. There are
lots of bass, pike, walleye, catfish,
dogfish and other predators to keep
the number of stunted bluegills down.
That leaves plenty of food for those
that remain. There are weed beds
and deep water where bluegills can
Mike Gnatkowski
Hamlin Lake
You hate to keep extolling the

same destinations every year, but if a
location is hot, its HOT! Thats the
case with Mason Countys Hamlin
Lake. 5,000-acre Hamlin Lake has
The shallows of Munuscong Bay can be hot on first ice for a smorgasbord of
perch, walleye and pike. Mike Gnatkowski photos
Hamlin Lake is consistently one of the states top winter bluegill lakes.
escape predators though. Those same
weed beds produce a bounty of insects
that gills can grow fat on. Winter
and springtime when the bluegills
are spawning is about the only times
anglers can locate and target the big
slabs, too. Otherwise, they can be difficult to find.
During a normal winter, you can
get on Upper Hamlin and the bayous
by Christmas. Last year was not normal, which might be good because the
population didnt get hammered on
like usual. Look for gills in the 6- to
10-foot pockets in the weeds northeast
of Wilson Park. Even before the bite
starts there, brave souls venture out
on thin ice on Indian Petes Bayou to
catch buckets of hand-sized bluegills
in as little as two or three feet of water. Good catches can be made on first
ice in the bayous along the east shore
of the lower lake.
Catching a limit on first ice isnt
rocket science. Jumbo wax worms,
over-sized bobbers and four-pound
test will work then, but as winter
progresses micro-tear drops, spider
web-thin fluorocarbon and a sensitive
flasher are need to continue to catch
the pug-nosed bulls.
For bait, tackle and fishing reports
contact Hamlin Grocery at (231) 8432058 or on line at
http://www.hamlingrocery.com.
had neither.
Last year the ice fishing on
Saginaw Bay was not good, claimed
Ernie Plant of Franks Great Outdoors
in Lynnwood. Not because the fish
werent there, but because we only
had about two weeks of good walleye
ice. There were pressure cracks and
we only had shore ice for much of the
year. There was some perch fishing
and pike closer to shore, but no walleye fishing until late January or February and then it only lasted for a short
period of time. Plant said better ice
conditions existed on the east side of
the bay where anglers could get out to
17 to 20 field water, but even there the
ice didnt last for long. Good access
sites on the east side include Sunset
Bay Marina and off Thomas Road.
Plant said that given good weather
i.e. cold, fishing could be gangbusters
on the Bay this winter. We should
have good fishing if we have some
cold and good ice, exclaimed Plant.
Theres a tremendous walleye population in the Bay Area now with lots of
15to 20inch walleyes. Most winter
anglers access the Bay off the western
shore, which provides quicker access
to deep water. Anglers can gain access
to the ice at Linwood Beach Marina,
Coggins Road, Nayanquing Point,
Linwood Road and Bay City State
Park.
Fishing begins in 12 feet of water,
Saginaw Bay
but quickly transitions to 15 to 24 feet
The determining factor about
of water as winter deepens. The best
whether ice fishing is going to be
walleye fishing is found 4 to 5 miles
good on Saginaw Bay has nothing to
offshore and getting there requires
do with the number of fish. The Bay is some form of transportation. Anglers
loaded with walleyes right now, but to need to be ever mindful of pressure
get to them you need cold weather and
Hottest fishing on ice page 10
safe ice. Last year eastern Michigan
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Hottest fishing on ice:

from page 8
cracks and ice conditions. Jigging
spoons like Swedish Pimples, Do
Jiggers, Rattlin Buckshot Spoons
and Jigging Rapalas produced limits
of walleyes that will average 2 to 4
pounds and fish up to 8 pounds are
common. Most anglers sweeten their
lures with the minnow head. Dead
sticks take eyes during midday when
fish are somewhat neutral, but cant
resist a wriggling live minnow. Hot
bites occur early and late in the day,
but fish can be caught at midday by
avoiding groups of anglers.
For fishing reports, tackle and ice
conditions advisories contact Franks
Great Outdoors at (989) 6975341, or
online at www.franksgreatoutdoors.
com.
Lake Cadillac
10
One thing Cadillac, Michigan

usually has his cold weather, which
produces good ice. We had pretty
good ice last winter, said Jim Schafer of Schaefers bait and Sporting
Goods in Cadillac.
Schafer said that ice fishing on
Lake Cadillac has not been red-hot in
recent winters, but he feels the lake
is poised for a big comeback. Guys
still catch some pretty nice bluegills,
but it seems like the bigger panfish
now are sunfish, he said. 10-inch
trophies are taken from Lake Cadillac every winter, but the average is
going to be between 7 to 9 inches.
Schaefer said the bigger catches come
from the lakes deeper east end, but
good catches can be made anywhere
around the lake where you find weed
edges or holes in the weed beds that
exemplify a hard bottom.
Lake Cadillac is known for pumping out a few giant northerns every
winter, though most keepers will be
just legal. I know of one 41-1/2-inch
pike caught last winter, said Schafer.
The northerns patrol the weed lines
everywhere around the lake. Spot tipups and keep moving until you find
a hot area. Both shiners and suckers
will tempt Cadillac pike.
Perch are making a comeback,
offered Schafer. Theyre not near
the size they were a few years ago.
I think a lot of that is because of the
lack of mayfly larva. The lake was
treated with copper sulfate to control
swimmers itch a few years ago, but
now that they arent treating for that I
think youll see the mayflies and the
perch rebound.
Walleyes are available, but not in
the numbers during the lakes heydays. The bass population has just
exploded in Cadillac and I think that
has something to do with the walleye
numbers being down, claimed Schafer. Still, hit the steep drops around
dusk off from Sunnyside Drive down
to the old Reserve Center and off
Chestnut/Linden Streets and Schafer
you can catch some respectable walleyes on Jiggin Rapalas. Walleyes up
to 25 inches are not unheard of.

While Lake Cadillac might not
be hot for any one species, its one
of those kinds of lakes where if you
take the family, spend a day and put
in your time, youre bound to come
away with a nice catch of something.
For bait, tackle and fishing information contact Schafers Bait &
Sporting Goods at (231) 775-7085.
For lodging and accommodations in
the area contact the Cadillac Area
Chamber of Commerce at (231) 7759776 or online at www.cadillacmichigan.com.
Lake Charlevoix
I joined Dave Trudell on Burt
Lake almost a decade ago for a day
of ice fishing. We caught some of
the biggest perch Ive ever caught
through the ice. So, I called him to
see how the perchin had been on
Burt Lake. The last two or three
years the bite has been very sporadic, claimed Trudell. The perch
really got exploited during the last
couple of falls, overfished and the
walleye have really been hit or miss.
Ive have been driving up to Charlevoix in recent years. It has better
numbers of walleyes than Burt and
better quality fish.
Lake Charlevoix spans over
17,000 acres so theres plenty of
place for fish to roam, but Trudell
said there are some very specific
spots for walleyes. A lot of people
concentrate right off Young State
Park and off the mouth of the Boyne
River, he said. Theres a good flat
there holds some walleye schools and
theres good access. Because the
water in Charlevoix is so clear, the
bite is often short and sweet. Even
a little traffic will scatter the fish,
but when its good it can be frantic.
Ice conditions on Charlevoix can be
iffy so anglers need to use caution.
Its often the third week in February
before safe ice conditions exists on
the north arm of Lake Charlevoix,
according to Trudell, so anglers need
to use caution.
A safer bet is the lakes south arm,
which is shallower, more narrow and
freezes earlier in the year. Trudell said
anglers concentrate off Ironton at the
entrance to the lake arm in 15 to 30
feet of water near a landmark locals
refer to as Holy Island. The lake narrows there and concentrates walleyes
migrating further up the lake. First
and last light can be good for walleye averaging 18 to 22 inches and
larger. Favorite baits include Jiggin
Rapalas, Rattling Buckshot Spoons
and Swedish Pimples. Another area
diehard walleye anglers key in on is
in Lock Bay right off Charlevoix. The
20 to 60 foot depths there can be hot
for walleyes and jumbo perch.
For information on lodging and
amenities in the area contact the
Charlevoix Chamber of Commerce
Great winter angling on Saginaw Bay is not a question of fish, but a question of good ice.
at http://charlevoix.org/ or call (231)
547-2101. For bait and tackle try
Toms Bait & Tackle in East Jordan at
(231) 536-3521.
Fletcher
Floodwater
Last year the pike fishing was

just phenomenal, boasted Dean Robinson of the pike fishing on Fletcher
Floodwater in Alpena County. Robinson attributes the good pike fishing
to consistent ice conditions and to
the fact the pike in Fletchers have
enjoyed good spawning conditions
in recent years. Ice wise, we had
an early start and the ice stayed all
winter. The DNR has been regulating the water levels to help the pike
spawn and I think its really made a
difference.
Robinson made a point that half
of 9,000 acre Fletcher Floodwater
is only three feet deep or less. You
figure in the fact that they begin
drawing down the lake another two
feet on October 1, and then you have
a foot of ice on top of that and it tends
to concentrate the pike in the winter
quite a bit. Robinson said the pike
relate heavily to emergent weed edges
because thats where the panfish and
baitfish take refuge. Green weeds also
are still producing oxygen. Some of
the deepest water remains along the
old river channel. Both come close to
shore right in front of Jacks Landing.
Most anglers spot tip-ups for pike,
but jigging can often out produce
tip-ups. Fletchers is an awesome
jigging lake and Id rather catch pike
jigging anyway. Fletchers is known
to give up some very nice crappies
and bluegills, too.
For lodging, bait and tackle and
fishing reports contact Jacks Landing

at 742-4370 or online at
www.jackslanding.com.
Munuscong Bay
Winter and good ice comes early
to Michigans UP. First ice can be
really good for walleye, pike and
perch in the northwest corner of Munuscong Bay in an area referred to as
Fowlers Bay, stated outdoor writer
Tom Pink. Fishing can be good on
the southwest side too off an area
called The Birches. In either location,
were talking shallow water, 2 or 3
feet at most. Pink said that footlong jumbo yellow bellies are common on first and last ice. The perch
favor wigglers; minnow and wax
worms on tear drops. The west side
of Munuscong tends to be better for
eating-sized walleyes and northerns
that routinely push 10 pounds. Try
between Dans Resort (http://www.
dans-resort.com, 906-647-8753) and
the mouth of the Munuscong River.
Dans Resort offers lodging, live bait
and easy access to the ice.
Pink said that bigger eyes are
available later in the season in 5 to 12
feet of water near the shipping channel. Jigging with your typical walleye
fair and dead sticks will produce
walleye up to 10 pounds then.
Pink told of a unique fishery that
develops above the Soo Locks for
whitefish and menominee on Mosquito Bay. A snowmobile is a must to
reach the fishing grounds and caution
needs to be exercised, but ice anglers
make good catches of both species
that will average 1-pound up to 3 or 4
pounds. The whitefish and menominee like wigglers and wax worms.
Target 4 to 10 feet of water.n
11
HOG
BUCKS
D
By Kenny Darwin
ecember brings falling temperatures, snow,

blustery winds and opportunities to slam
dunk the largest buck of the entire year.
Many Michigan archers are finding that
buck hunting is more productive around
Christmas than early October and the opportunity to zap a hog is very high. This is a time
when the woods are quiet, the craziness of the rut
and army of orange clad hunters during gun season
is a distant memory. December is a perfect time to
pattern large bucks and entice them kissin close
for an easy shot. This was the case with hunting
pal Brian Smith when he had two shooter bucks in
Dave Summitt
arrowed this
monster hog buck
last year after
the bruiser made
predictable trips
to bait sweetened
with apples and
Kaytees nut and
fruit bird seed.
12
Brian Smiths buck was in excellent condition following the rut and sported 10-points that scored in
the 150s. The hog was traveling with another buck and the duo established a feeding pattern that
Smith identified using a Stealth Cam. Kenny Darwin photo
range at once.
Smith settled into his tree stand a full hour before sunset, readied his TenPoint crossbow, slipped
toe warmers into his boots and hand warmers into
his fingermit gloves and leaned back, relaxed and
tried to forget about the busy holiday season. His
hunt actually started a few days earlier when his
Stealth Cam G42NG scouting camera revealed a
pair of shooter bucks. One was a heavy beamed

8-point and the other had white tines and 10-points.
Thats when he stepped up his bait program, put
down fresh corn daily during lunch break and
sweetened the pie with Kaytee cherry scented
bird seeds and bits of chopped apples. The bucks
responded by raiding the dinner table just as the sun
touched the horizon. Smith continued feeding the
bucks, enticing them from the distant alder swamp
and soon they offered excellent photos 30 minutes
before darkness. Smith was chomping at the bit
to hunt but the wind shifted from the north and he
didnt want his scent to blow into the liar of the
sleeping bucks. During the night fresh snow fell and
by noon the wind switched to southwest and Brian
made his move. The entire time he was on stand he
remained sharp yet daydreamed about the big buck
images from his Stealth Cam.
From the tangled brush Smith noticed movement as a wide set of antlers ambled over the ridge
directly toward the bait. He could feel his heart
pounding as adrenalin rushed through his veins
and he clutched the TenPoint with both hands. The
adult 8-point was first to the chow and soon Smith
could make out the tall white tines of a second approaching buck. It was his prize 10-point and the
beautiful buck waltzed past Smith at 15 yards as
he centered his Scorpion red illuminated cross hair
on his broad chest. The bruiser was moving toward
the 8-point with his head low to the ground when
Smith gave him a sharp mouth grunt that stopped
the monster in his tracks. Now the buck was at
full attention, broadside with ears cocked forward,
looking directly at Smith. He tried desperately to
avoid looking at the big rack but while he centered
the crosshair on the animal he could see the gorgeous rack in the corner of the scope. Thwack!
Went the crossbow and Smith saw the big buck
jump skyward, kick like a mule and scamper for the
brush like his tail was on fire. As the trophy crashed
through the woods Smith stood up in time to see the
buck bulldoze into some small trees and fall nose
first next to a log in the snow.
Smiths big buck is a classic example of a new
trend becoming popular among Michigan deer
hunters. Come December when other hunters are
no longer baiting savvy archers are finding shooter
Late season is highlighted by bucks rejoining

family groups. Often trophy bucks will join
forces, roam together, eat and rest together.
like Santas rain deer. He was living on private land

next to several subdivisions and would only come
out to play during the wee hours of night when the
city was asleep. When snow came I replenished my
food sources and Stealth Cam images indicated he
was slipping into a pine forest during broad daylight. I set out a bucket full of corn, cut up apples,
sugar beets, carrots and dried cherries on a mild
day with wet snow was falling. Slate gray clouds
swept close to treetops and light diminished as I
climbed into the tree stand, readied camera and
cleaned the lens with handkerchief. Thats when I
caught motion to my left and before I could turn
on the digital telephoto camera and get it to my eye
the huge buck was running into my lap. I got off a
couple shots but the smart deer, hair covered with
wet snow and unbelievable rack caught my movement, switched ends and disappeared. After looking
at the pics I could see the bruiser had me pegged,
looking straight up at me with surprised look on his
face. His rack was at least two feet wide with tines
14-16 inches long and main beams that were over
30 inches. His massive rack looked dark against the
white blanket of snow.
I sat in the stand until dark and came back the
next day at noon to check the camera. The bait was
hit by several deer, including a big 8-point but not
by the monster. I spent several days baiting, checking cameras and soon it became obvious the huge
buck was on to me. I never saw him again. The lesson I learned was when you have a big boy coming
be ready to kill him on the first hunt because if he
sees you, has a close encounter or knows you are
after him, he will vanish, disappear like smoke in
the fog.
There are several advantages to hunting in
December. You can get permission on new hunting
ground, fewer hunters are afield, bucks are regrouping, bucks are establishing feeding patterns, nasty
weather can be used to camouflage your approach
and exit from stand sites, deer are relaxed and willing to approach food sources.
Now, what is the best food to use?
Well, it is certainly my recommendation to use
corn. Shelled whole kernel corn works like dynamite to flush old bucks from area haunts. However,
just about any food will work and I like to mix it
up once Ive got a big buck interested. If you slice
apples a buck will rush to the site to beat other deer
to the aromatic fruit. Over the years Ive found deer
have different taste and if you hit on a hot menu
stick with what works. Dont overlook these: sliced
pumpkin, sugar beets, ear corn, diced carrots, soy
beans, bread, candy and more. Looking for a way
to drop holiday calories? Take extra food to the
woods and watch as deer charge samples of candies, cake, bread, stuffing, candy cane and more.
One reliable trick Ive learned is to spice up kernel
corn with cherry or apple flavoring used to make
cakes. I order concentrated flavoring online. A drop
or two of LorAnn Oils cherry flavor extract in a
50 lb. bag of corn will bring bucks running like no
other. One lesson Ive learned about bait is deer
are feeding opportunists and they like plenty of the
same food you enjoy. Ive got one large doe that
absolutely goes bonkers over peanuts mixed with
popcorn. Her boyfriend sports a 150 inch rack and
this buck will kick and horn away the rest of the
herd to get at carmel corn treats.
Perhaps the best deer bait a hunter can use is
bird food. So, how many of your pals bait with bird
seed? Most dont understand the power of scented
bird foods. Im lucky because I have several friends
Busted! Author was not prepared for this

Booner buck with perfect rack, wide spread,
tall tines which charged close, spotted the
author and blew out of Dodge.
who feed deer year round and they also put out
food for birds and turkey. If I hit on a new apple
strain I get samples to them and they report on
results. Same with and other deer food, I give it
tests run with friends that can actually observe how
deer respond. Well, it has been my experience that
deer prefer bird seeds that are flavored. My favorite
deer bait is Kaytee Nut and Fruit bird food which
has plenty of delicious seeds, berries, nuts and
dried cherries that gives off a strong cherry aroma
that draws deer at super long distances. This is the
candy I use to bring em in, draw bucks from unbelievable long distances and the mix that brought the
Summitt 160 buck kissin close for the shot. Doubt
my word? Just buy a bag, open it and get a smell of
this dynamite big buck magnet. Now, youll get the
picture loud and clear. I mean once you get a whiff
youll have to ask if your deer bait smells better.
The trick is to continually replenish food
locations, keep the bucks coming and rather than
spending long hours on stand waiting, hoping a
buck will eventually show himself: guarantee success by using modern electronics to tell you when
and where to hunt. Oh sure, there are those who
want to go hunting just to smell the leaves, hear
songbirds and simply go afield to enjoy the many
gifts of nature. Fine, but there is a growing army
of Michigan hunters who would prefer to avoid
unproductive outings, stay indoors when winds are
howling and cold temperatures can turn deer hunting into a bitter cold, boring outdoor adventure.
What about you? Are you finished buck hunting for the year because you dont have the skill to
getem rockin? Do you know how to locate and
kill mature bucks when most hunters are busy with
Holiday shopping? Are you missing out on the
hottest monster buck hunting month of the entire
season? Maybe you need to step up your baiting
program and get a Stealth Cam scouting for you
24-7. The results could show you the hog buck of a
lifetime.n
bucks by placing modern trail cams over food

sources. Some are setting up over stubble corn
fields but many more are experimenting with new
spots, placing bait in new locations and monitoring the food with digital cameras. If no good bucks
show up on camera hunters move to a new location
and start fresh. The idea is to locate a dandy buck,
tempt him close with food, and capture his image
on a scouting camera and then set up for a hunt.
Smart archers do not take random stands. In most
cases they do not go afield until they find a buck
worthy of hunting on camera.
This was the case with the monster 14 point
super buck that Dave Summitt arrowed in Ingham
County last year. The bruiser avoided Summitt
throughout the season but when snow fell, temperatures dropped and the monster buck made regular
visits to Summitts food supply. He did not hunt the
brute until his Stealth Cam G42NG indicated the
buck was feeding come sundown.
Truth is, bait is perhaps the deadliest buck
hunting tool when winter weather arrives and deer
go on a feeding spree. Bucks that are worn down
from the rut are putting on the feedbag and develop
a predictable pattern of feeding and resting. The
scouting camera tells the story. Alerts hunters of
big buck behavior and smart archers dash to the
woods the instant they determine where big boys
come to dine and what time they will show up for
appetizers.
I know some hunters are dead against baiting.
At one time I scoffed at the tactic because it did not
produce the larger bucks I wanted to kill. But come
ice, snow and winter conditions the table turns
and baiting can be the key that unlocks the door to
trophy buck success. Ive learned baiting tricks the
hard way because I refused to use bait. But when
I nailed down a Booner and made every effort to
shoot him with camera, capture his image on film,
thats when I resorted to using food. Wow! What I
discovered is winter baiting is the best way to get
quality buck photos and my hunting success for
wall hanger bucks absolutely soared.
With fond memories I recall an outing to
Washtenaw County in search of a perfect 10-point
that would score in the high 180s. He was a stud
buck, huge and his rack towered above his head
13
Humbly, I Give Thanks For Another Good Year...By Tom Huggler
Michigan Meanders; Seasonal memories

Its time to take stock of the
year gone by, and lets start
with the 2014 weather: brutal
winter, warm spring, wet
summer, perfect fall.
How strange! What gives?
with our memory whenever we make

weather comparisons.
At any rate (and while still fresh
in my mind), these are the memorable
events of 2014:
Winter
aking sense of Michigans

weird weather patterns is like
trying to explain the aging
process. We know our bodies have changed over the years, but
we cant quite put our finger on such
things as (1) how much earlier we
now get out of bed, (2) how much
colder we have become in winter, or
(3) how often we have to rest these
days when splitting firewood. See
what I mean?
Trying to define what appears to
be odd weather events is no easier.
Was last winter really the worst weve ever had?
For example, was that December 21,
2013 ice storm, really the worst one of Day, July 4 and Labor Day?
I hunted years ago. With respect to
our lives? Was last summer the only
While trying to make sense of
how communist governments offitime we remember such a string of
such anomalies, I recall the wise
cially distort the truth, he said, Our
idyllic-weather holidays: Memorial
words of a friend from Ukraine where history is uncertain. And so it is
January is a tough month for

the songbirds that flock to our feeders. Now that the juncos and jays,
titmice and doves have come to rely
on the handouts, we dont dare forget
to replenish the feeders. Naturally,
the food chain follows, or so prints
in fresh snow insist. Here a squirrel came for spilled sunflower seeds.
There a coopers hawk caught a sparrow. The bad news: As the snows
pile up, deer creep into the yard to eat
our shrubbery. The good news: We
are treated to a panorama of wildlife
from the windows.
Those expansive windows, however, claim the occasional bird that
tries to fly through them even though
we apply warning stickers. A certain
male cardinal exhausts himself by
perching in the naked lilac bush and
assaulting the glass for an hour or
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dent would have been a certain winmore each day. This has been gountil
Dec.
24th Collection
nerClothing
on Americas FunniestNow
Videos.
ing on since October, even withand
the
John
Deere
Summer
blinds down and the drapes pulled. As

I write, hes hammering away at his
own image.
BAD Road
AXE kills offer clues to local
CARO
REES
Another winter oddity is the fawn wildlife populations. As a young
989-269-9249
989-868that starved to death in our front yard
hunter, I remember lots 989-673-8400
of dead
in early March. I say fawn because pheasants along rural southern
this was obviously a late-born deer, LAPEER
Michigan roads. Today, though,
the
SAGINAW
MARLE
perhaps the very animal we saw
feathered fatalities have been reBURTON
810-664-3798
989-791-1234
810-346earlier, on August 16 to be exact. Wet
placed by wild turkeys and
Canada
810-742-3364
from birth, we watched him wobble
geese. Raccoon and deer road kills
on spidery legs after his mother who
remain ubiquitous; coyote and crow
ran down the driveway. Now it is
road kills less so, perhaps due in
March and the doe we think is his
large part to the intelligence of those
mother punches through more than
species. Driving throughout the
a foot of snow while the little one
state, if I cant identify an animal
struggles to keep up. Later, the fawn
from its highway smear, I often stop
finds the shelled corn I put on bare
for a closer look. Last summer, for
ground under a protective spruce but
example, I discovered the remains of
apparently doesnt have the strength
two mink near bridges along the same
to eat. I find his frozen, 40-pound
stream although the road kills were
body the next day.
two miles apart.
I have never heard of a deer
That got this old trapper to thinkstarving to death in southern Michiing maybe its time to take down the
gan, and yet here is proof that it can
No. 1-1/2 Oneida longsprings from
happen. The incident prompts the
the barn peg where they have hung
kids and I to spread a little corn along for 40 years. I dont know of any
the long driveway for a couple weeks neighborhood boys who trap anyuntil the snow finally melts. If you
more, which is a shame because fur
also decide to feed deer, be aware
prices are on the rise and trapping is
there are limitations, as spelled out on the best way to learn about animal
Page 60 in the hunting and trapping
behavior. A schoolboy trapper with
guide.
a mink to his credit used to have the
same reputation as the kid who went
10-for-10 from the free-throw line.
I no longer play basketball, but
On a lighter note, we have a
maybe I could catch a mink?
little house dog we rescued from the
animal shelter and that my daughter named Sparkle. At about 25
pounds the black-and-white Sparkle
Luckily I am home the day the
looks like a miniature Holstein but
county hydro-mower shows up to
is actually half-beagle, half-terrier.
destroy wildlife habitat along the
She loves to chase anything that runs
road shoulder of my property. I have
away, including the pesky fox squirencountered his work before: ditches
rels that visit the bird feeders.
and edge cover shorn long before
If I whisper Squirrel, Sparkles ears the July 15 earliest mowing dates,
fly and up and she rushes to the winugly amputations of tree limbs that
dow where she trembles in expectalook like a Bull Run aftermath. Years
tion of a good chase.
earlier a county crew sprayed Brush
Slowly, quietly, I open the door
Killer that denuded more than 400
and the race is on. With a 20-yard
feet of tree-lined highway.
head start, the squirrels are too fast
I apologize for the rant, but
for Sparkle to catch although one
wholesale destruction of this nature
time the jawsBAD
of death
came dangeris not
acceptable. To his credit, the
AXE
CARO
REESE
BIRC
ously close when one bushytail opted county worker says he is only doing
989-269-9249
989-673-8400
989-868-4165
to scramble
up the kids swing set
his job. BAD
As a tax-paying
landowner,CARO
AXE
REESE989-6
with its plastic-coated
struts instead
however,
that job does not include
BAD AXE
CARO
REESE
BIRCH RUN
989-269-9249
989-673-8400
989-868-4165
of a nearby apple
tree. The squirrel
taking
such liberties with my land. I
LAPEER
SAGINAW
SAN
89-269-9249
989-673-8400
989-868-4165
989-624-9356MARLETTE
BURTON
kept slipping
down the struts mere
ask which
tree limbs are a danger
to
LAPEER
SAGINAW
MARLETTE
810-664-3798
989-791-1234
810-346-2761
810-6
BURTON
yapping Sparkle
public810-664-3798
safety and then remove 989-791-1234
them
810-742-3364
LAPEERinches from the SAGINAW
MARLETTE
CAROSANDUSKY MARLETTE 810-346-2761
BAD AXE
BURTON
until,
with
a
Herculean
effort,
it
myself.
I
like
to
think
the
new
No
810-742-3364
10-664-3798
989-791-1234
810-346-2761 989-673-8400
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15
A Grand Slam of squirrels
ntering the fall woods carrying a small bore flintlock

rifle in search of squirrels is
a slow paced kind of hunting
experience. Quietly slipping
through brilliantly colored
maples to search the
branches of the big, bronze
leafed oaks for game is a
relaxing pastime. Using a
flintlock muzzle loader slows
things down and puts the
world back in order. This
kind of hunting is best savored alone. Being alone allows you to clear your mind.
Alone you are free to
hunt as you please.
Knowing I will
have only one shot
causes me to build my load with
precision. Forty grains of FFFG
black powder is carefully measured
out and poured down the bore of the
.40 caliber Kentucky rifle. A lubed
patch is placed on the muzzle and
the little 98 grain round, lead ball
set over it and pushed into the bore.
The excess patching is cut off flush
with the muzzle. Then the ramrod is
used to push the ball down and seat
it firmly on the powder charge. All
thats left is to place a small amount
of fine black powder in the pan and
close the frizzen. Placing the hammer

on half cock for safety, I slipped into
the woods with a meal of squirrel and
dumplings on my mind.
A squirrel has it all when it comes
to avoiding danger: keen eyesight,
excellent hearing, and quick
reflexes. A hunter needs to
be at his best to catch them
unaware.
Hearing the peculiar
sort of purring whine a gray
squirrel makes, I moved in
the direction of the sound.
Moving slowly and quietly along through the trees,
every sense alert for
game, is a pure form
of hunting. The sight
of a black squirrel
sitting on a low tree limb surprised
me. I had approached within 20 yards
before seeing him. Slowly raising the
rifle, I rotated the hammer to full cock
and settled the buttstock firmly into
my shoulder. My rifle has a double
set trigger, so I set the hair trigger
as I aligned the iron sights. While
concentrating on the front sight, I
barely touched the trigger. Crack! A
flintlock has a slower lock time than
a modern rifle. It actually takes the
bullet longer to clear the muzzle. For
accurate shooting it is important to
By Darryl Quidort
16
follow through by keeping the sights

on the target and cheek on the stock
until after the shot. A cloud of white
smoke rolled out in front of my sights
after the shot blocking my view. I
didnt even see where the squirrel
went.
After reloading, I eased forward
to find my squirrel lying dead in the
fallen leaves under the tree. I admired the jet black coloring of the fur.
Blacks are a color phase of the gray
squirrel and they have become quite
plentiful in recent years in this area.
Rather than messing up the pretty
squirrel by stuffing him in my game
bag, I laid him on a fallen log by the
trail to be picked up on my way back.
A short way down the trail I saw
two red squirrels chasing each other
through the woods. Although the
diminutive red squirrel is considered
by most hunters to be too small for
eating, when one stopped near me I
couldnt resist the challenging shot at
the small target. Another crack from
the flintlock produced another squirrel.
After that I wandered the fall
woods for a while trying to stalk within range of several squirrels which all
gave me the slip. Finally, I eased up
on a gray squirrel which was feeding
along on the ground. The offhand
shot produced a clean kill.

As I placed the gray into my game
bag, it occurred to me that we have
four kinds of squirrels here and that I
had taken three of them. With a black,
red, and gray in hand, I only needed
a common fox squirrel to complete a
Grand Slam of our local squirrels.
It was something I had never accomplished.
Suddenly, my leisurely hunt had a
goal. I was already planning a photo
of the four of them lying in a row
beside my squirrel rifle as I moved on
in search of my final quarry.
Several tall white pines bordered
some large oaks along a ridge. A fox
squirrel was seen jumping from an
oak into a nearby pine tree. As I quietly searched for him I was surprised
by a large fox squirrel as it circled
around a nearby pine and froze on my
side of the large tree trunk. An easy
shot. Quickly leveling my rifle, I shot
at the close range squirrel before he
could duck away. As soon as the rifle
cracked I knew that I had rushed the
shot and hadnt followed through as
required with a flintlock. The rodent chattered his disapproval as he
escaped up the tree.
Grand slam page 18
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17
Grand Slam:
from page 16
To my surprise, the original quarry
I had been stalking came down a
tree only 10 yards away and began
rummaging through the leaves on
the ground. I was amused to notice
my hands shaking with excitement
as I tried to quickly reload the rifle
without drawing his attention. Once
loaded, I again hurried my shot. I
missed him too! I was falling apart!
Maybe the Grand Slam goal
was putting pressure on me.
While heading back toward the
truck, a squirrel came running across
in front of me. Stopping to sit up, he
made a perfect target. Crack! Another squirrel for the pot, but it was
a gray. Still no fox squirrel. They
are the most common and the largest
of the four kinds, and I couldnt hit
one.
Crows were raising a ruckus up
ahead of me. Moving toward them,
I saw a squirrel barking at them from
a low limb. A fox squirrel! One last
chance to attain the goal. But the distance was long and the squirrel was
The black squirrel before he disappeared. Darryl Quidort photo

again. There would be no slam for
me today.
When I went to pick up the black
squirrel that I had left to retrieve later,
I couldnt find it. I looked around.
Wasnt that the log I had laid him on?
Then I noticed the black fur scattered
around near the log. As if to add
insult to injury, something had eaten
nervous. I had to take the shot offhand and from where I stood. White
smoke obscured my vision after the
shot and I didnt see where the squirrel went. I walked quickly to the tree,
hoping to find the fox squirrel lying
there. My rifle is certainly capable
of head shot accuracy at 35 yards,
but apparently Im not. I had missed
my black squirrel!
Have you ever laughed out loud
when all alone in the middle of the
woods? I certainly did that day. My
afternoon had evolved from a leisurely squirrel hunt to the challenge of a
Grand Slam goal and ended up with
a big joke.
I smiled all the way home.n
Unlocking Value in the U.P.

Graymont Supports WINTER RECREATION
Proud to sponsor the Millecoquin

Lake Winter Carnival Poker Run
Maintaining continuity of trails throughout the project area
February 26-28, 2015
Continued public
access for outdoor
recreation in nonactive project areas
Providing
Provide safe and enjoyable route around the

active area with consultation from trail users
ECONOMIC STIMULUS
to the Region
18
Creation
of Year
Round Jobs
PHOTO BY
STEPEN KING
Increased
Demand for
Goods & Services
Creating a place to
WORK, LIVE, & PLAY
Relocation of trails
passing through active
project areas
Reclamation of quarried areas to enhance winter

recreational activities & wildlife habitat
Will occur
in parallel
with mining
development
LEARN
Will occur with

consultation
from winter
recreationists
MORE
rextonproject.com
Holy Crap!
11 Year-Old Harvests Trophy...By Jerry Lambert
lands Co-op because of the large plots

of thick swamp and mucky lowland. The
Co-op currently has three thousand acres
enrolled.
On the morning of the 16th, Ross and
Doug saw two bucks that Doug aged as
two and a half year olds. They passed on
these bucks to follow the QDM motto of
letting them go to let them grow. At 9:50
a.m., they saw a buck about two-hundred
yards away. Ten minutes later they saw
two does being pushed by the same buck.
Doug whispered to Ross, Its a shooter.
Ross agreed!
The buck was pushing the does
through two small food plots that the
Weeks had planted in the swamp. Ross
dialed the scope on his 50 caliber muzzleloader from four-power to nine-power.
The big-antlered buck stopped in a clearing ninety yards from the stand in a quartering away position. When Ross touched
the trigger, the gun barked and the buck
kicked like a mule. Smoke filled the air.
Although they could no longer see, Ross
told his dad that he thought he heard the
buck crash to the ground. Doug was cautious, so they decided to wait for at least
an hour before looking for the animal.
Two friends, Andrew and Jim, assisted
in the search. Doug had Andrew get into
the blind with Ross while he and Jim went
Ross Weeks took this huge 12-pt. hunting with his dad on Nov. 16 in Jackson Co.
to look for the deer. The buck only went
fifty yards and Doug waved for his son to
get down. He then yelled out, There is
seven points on one side! The other side
was still buried in the swamp grass.
Doug used his phone to video Rosss
reaction. Heres what an eleven year old
says when he walks up on a monster buck
that he shot, Holy crap!

To preserve this moment in time,
Dougs brother, Dan owns Natures Pride
Taxidermy and is going to do a full-body
mount of the buck. I wouldnt be a bit
surprised if future visitors dont have the
same reaction as Ross when they see the
preserved trophy, Holy crap!n
he whitetail fraternity is quite aware

of the trophy potential of Illinois,
Iowa and Kansas. Some of these
states have specific counties that
have built a reputation for outputting
trophy class bucks such as Pike County,
Illinois. If I were to pick a county in
Michigan as the top county for annually
producing top-end bucks, the nod would
go to Jackson. Last years (2013) biggest
archery buck was taken here by Scott
Vogt (175 2/8 P&Y pts.) and the current
State Record firearm typical was shot in
Jackson County in 1996 by Troy Stephens
(198 B&C pts.).
On November 16, 2014 another Jackson County bruiser hit the turf. Elevenyear-old Ross Weeks shot a monster seven
by five, 12-point on the second day of the
Michigan deer firearm season. The young
hunter actually saw eight different bucks
on November 15, but elected to pass on all
of them because of the rich trophy potential that the region is well-known
for.
Ross was hunting with his father,
Doug, on the families seventy-five acre
parcel. The two-hunters were positioned
in an elevated shack located near a
lowland swamp. In fact, Doug started a
Quality Deer Management Co-op in 2010
and named the group the Lost Low-
19
SUPERTANKERS
SLEDS, HAWGS, PIGS, GATORS, HAWGEYES...
MY FAVORITE NICKNAME FOR TROPHY SIZE

10-POUND PLUS MONSTER WALLEYES!
Brandon Conner of Lyons

proudly displays a trophy
walleye taken ice fishing.
Conner likes to use Northland Tackle glow Buckshot
lures that he jiggles and the
lure makes a rattling sound
drawing predatory fish
from long distances.
all them what you want:

Sleds, Hawgs, Pigs, Gators,
Hawgeyes -- but my favorite nickname for trophy size
10-pound plus monster walleyes is Supertankers. Maybe
I love the term because it sort of
describes Great Lakes vessels traversing waterways that serve up
unbelievably huge fish. Supertankers are monster fish,
walleyes with eyes bulging
like a plumped out goldfish,
teeth like a German Shepard
attack hound and enough
girth to make them difficult
to slither through the average
ice fishing hole. Now Im
not talking about some
average 8-pound plump
hen or eater fish, Supertankers are monsters of the deep, fish
measuring over 30 inches long and
have a chest that makes Dolly Pardon
look like a little girl. Supertankers rule
the Great Lakes, roam offshore reefs
and gulp down forage minnows by
the fistful. In many ways they are the
ultimate freshwater predator.
Supertankers are different. They
strike like a starving Pit Bull and
chomp down on the lure with an arm
jolting strike. No, they dont peck at

the bait like an eater fish, although
when the bite is slow they will vent
or slurp the bait and the strike is
identified by a downward bent rod
tip. Supertankers rule Michigans
freshwater oceans, they are the apex
carnivores feeding on just about any
fish that swims. Stomachs are
often bulging with shiners,
perch, chub, goby, shad and a
variety of fishy food sources.
The window of opportunity to battle a Supertanker
is very short. Sure, a few
are caught on annual spring
migrations, some come to net
during late fall but the
best time to catch a monster Michigan walleye is
during the dead of winter.
The best time to catch a walleye long
as your leg comes after your New
Years party. This is the time when
huge walleyes are putting on the feed
bag in preparation for spring spawning chores. Ice fishing produces the
largest walleyes of the year and the
hot fishing action can become very
addictive.
It all begins when a huge red band
shows up in your electronics, signal-
Kenny Darwin
20
ing a large fish is coming into the

strike zone. Sometimes they charge
the bait and crush spoons or offerings
tipped with minnows. More often
they slowly creep into striking range,
stalk kissin close to presentations and
attack at lightning speed with a toothy
gulp from below. Once in a while they
follow presentations up and down and
eventually smack the dancing lure
out of frustration. It is a heart breaking experience to have a Supertanker
eyeballing your hooks only to see the
monster turn and disappear off your
electronics. This happened to me.
It was a brutally cold winter day
with bitter howling winds as we made
our way to the 18 ft. bank, drilled
holes and began jigging for walleyes.
At lightning speed a huge red band
appeared on my Vexilar graph. I began
twitching the lure, worked the big fish
off bottom and stopped the lure tipped
with lively minnows inches from the
monsters mouth. But he turned and
swam back down and I followed him
up and down with the lure several
times until the fish disappeared from
sight. Thats when my fishing buddy,
Brandon Conner, from Ionia let out a
war whoop and yelled Fish On!
I grabbed camera gear and rushed
to his shanty just in time to see him

doing the walleye boogie dancing
around his ice hole fighting a big fish.
Suddenly the Supertanker swam past
just inches from his feet like a Great
White shark circling prey. Brandon
kept pressure on the hog until it nosed
into the hole and his fishing companion, Joe Bauer, from Lyons slipped a
gaff under its gaping gills. Both men
let out cheers of joy as the 11 lb. 12
oz. sled flopped on the frozen lake
surface. I snapped photos of the monster fish with a Northland Tackle lime
green glow Buckshot dangling from
is lip. I then placed camera inside my
Icearmour suit and rushed back to
the comfort of my wind break. My
fingertips were numb as I put gloves
back on and began fishing but there
was another frantic scream from the
tiny shanty.
This time it was Joes turn to do
battle with a huge walleye. I rushed
to the shanty and watched the short
battle as Joe leaned on the rod and
pulled the brute to the ice. Soon a
second monster walleye was dancing
on the ice around Conners shanty.
This fish was more greenish colored
but it had all the qualities of a trophy
Supertanker; length, girth bulging
the ice, thumped his head on the rock

hard surface, then laid sideways in
the hole as I worked to manipulate his
head toward the hole. He suddenly
came true; violently shook his gills
sprinted a few feet toward bottom,
stopped, stood vertical on his tail,
opened his gaping maw and shook
his head like a lip hooked steelhead.
The motion caused my lure to shake
loose and suddenly my #2 Do-Jigger
popped out of his mouth. I could
easily see his big black eye as he
lay motionless, acted stunned by the
entire ordeal then disappeared into the
emerald green depths with one violent
sweep of his broad tail.
For an instant I felt a deep sickness in the bottom of my belly. This
fish was a monster, perhaps over 12
pounds, bigger than my prize winning Saginaw Shiver Winner but in an
instant all hope of landing the behemoth vanished. For several minutes
I was speechless, dizzy, pissed and
I gazed across the frozen ice pack
in disbelief. I didnt feel like fishing
and it took several minutes for me
to shake off the image of the record
fish swimming into the depths. But
thats the way the square ball skids in
Supertanker fishing, one minute you
are high as a kite from the exhilarating experience of icing a trophy fish,
the next minute you are pissed and
depressed because the fish of a lifetime is waving good bye to you with
his powerful tail.
Michigan fishermen are; lucky
to live in a state with a rich fishing
history and abundant opportuni-
Slipping a big walleye onto the ice can be a difficult task. The author prefers
to spud holes on an angle and use the slanted ice as a landing platform. Some
fishermen use a gaff and they slip the tip under the gill or through the lip and
pull fish out of the water.
Don Bolt of Laingsburg loves catching big fish and this large male walleye is a
clear indication he is willing to travel far from shore, brave cold weather and
use tricky fishing tactics to ice monster fish. Kenny Darwin photos
ties to catch Supertankers. Ive seen
huge fish taken on many lakes and
streams but by far the majority comes
from the Great Lakes and connecting
waterways. Likely hot spots include:
Lake Macatawa, Muskegon Lake,
Bays de Noc, Saginaw Bay, Lake St
Clair, and Lake Erie. Last year some
dandy fish came from the Saginaw
River, Saginaw Bay, Bay de Noc and
when Lake Erie froze anglers could
get at unbelievable schools of Supertankers found near West Sister Island.
Michigans vast water resources
support rich fishery resources and the
walleye fishery is simply awesome
There was a time when my favorite big walleye hot spot was Saginaw
Bay. But more recently the stumbling
fishery has taken a giant step backward, the big fish have disappeared
and no one can explain why. I blame
commercial nets for destroying what
was once Michigans hottest walleye
fishery. Today there are a few big
fish caught on the Bay but if you are
seeking record walleyes Id bounce

to Lake St. Clair, Lake Erie or Bay de
Noc.
If your goal is to catch a record
walleye I suggest you make outings
during winter and use ice fishing tactics that produce results. Perhaps the
key to success hinges on where you
go fishing. Forget local lakes
and make the move to waterways
that are Great Lakes or connecting
waterways. No inland body of
water can produce monster fish
like the Great Lakes with monumental forage base and plenty of large
predators.
What about you? Are you ready
to try icing a Supertanker? Do you
have reliable transportation to take
you far from shore? Are your rods,
ice shanty, tackle and electronics in
working condition and ready to go?
My suggestion is to go online, locate
a Supertanker hot spot, pack gear and
go fishing in Michigan. The results
can be impressive.n
with ripe eggs and a huge maw filled

with needle sharp teeth. It was Joels
first trophy walleye and I snapped
photos with bright blue skies in the
background.
Image that, I said to myself as
I settled back into the comfort of my
pop-up wind break. Two monster fish
on the ice faster than you can drink a
cup of steaming coffee. Thats when
the huge red band reappeared on the
Vexilar and I danced my lure slightly
above the impressive mark and POW!
I had a solid strike. I jerked the rod
upward and set the hook. But as I
started to reel up my prize the fish
pulled back hard, sprinted toward
bottom and violently ripped line off
the reel drag. Now I knew I was into
a Supertanker or big fish. At first I
could not move him off bottom and
he sulked in the depths like a brown
trout hugging bottom in a deep hole.
When he started up he would turn
and sprint back to bottom, stripping
line off the reel with ease. It took me
several minutes of rod bent double
pressure to bring him off bottom and
I leaned hard on the rod to force him
toward the ice. The first time the
monster crossed inches below the
surface I almost had a heart attack
at the sight of the big walleye. He
was a Supertanker to the max complete with broad shoulders, yardstick
length body and a gaping maw. I
tried desperately to coax the fishs
head into the tiny hole as I danced
the walleye boogie around the hole to
avoid line cuts from the sharp ice. At
one point the large walleye crashed
21
Whitetails on the move...

We need to thoroughly understand the intricate aspects of whitetail social organization,
and how we can apply such knowledge in deer management -- By John Ozoga
hen I first started studying whitetailed deer
social behavior, roughly
50 years ago, we knew
very little about such
things. At the time,
wildlife managers generally berated
my efforts as being academically
interesting, but of little practical (i.e.,
management) value.
Weve come a long ways since
then, and now struggle to more
thoroughly understand the intricate aspects of whitetail social organization,
and how we can apply such knowledge in deer management -- currently,
especially as it relates to the spread
of deadly diseases such as bovine
tuberculosis (TB) and chronic wasting
disease (CWD).
During the past few decades,
research costing millions of dollars
has been devoted to determining how
whitetails contract and spread CWD.
Methods of CWD transmission are
still poorly understood. However, scientists generally agree that CWD infections are transmitted in two ways:
one is directly from one deer to the
next, the other is via indirect exposure
to prions in the environment.
Its obvious that deer exhibit a
variety of movement behaviors that
contribute to disease transmission and
spread. Because CWD is contagious
and invariably fatal wildlife managers
are concerned with limiting its prevalence and geographic spread. Hence,
understanding the intricate aspects of
deer movement behavior is critical in
deer management, especially as it applies to combating diseases.
themselves ragged.
Researchers have advanced
various hypotheses to explain the
increased incidence of CWD among
adult males as compared to adult
females. Since CWD can be spread
from deer to deer through saliva
alone, differing social habits, involving mutual grooming, as well as larger
home ranges occupied by bucks could
explain this difference. Likewise,
buck social groups tend to be comprised of unrelated individuals, meaning an infected individual could join
More recent studies by University

of Wisconsin researchers, led by Lesa
Skuldt, determined that exploratory
movements were rare for adult females and that transient and migratory
movements were rare among all deer.
However, they placed even greater
emphasis on intense harvesting of
young male whitetails and concluded
the following:
Young males are the primary
cohort making permanent movements across the landscape. Thus,
yearling males may become infected
The Wisconsin Experience
CWD was first detected in Wisconsin whitetails during the 2001

fall hunting season. The source of
the disease was unknown. In 2002,
The Wisconsin DNR embarked upon
an ambitious program of eradicating
CWD by sharply reducing deer density within a large area surrounding
the initial discovery of the disease.
Research conducted by Daniel
Grear and his associates at the University of Wisconsin showed a significant
increase in CWD prevalence with age
for both male and female white-tailed
deer. However, peak prevalence in
3-year-old males (13 percent) was
nearly twice that for females (7 percent) of the same age.
Researchers think this difference
in infection rate between the adult
sexes is likely due to their differing
behavior and social patterns once they
reach adulthood.
CWD is a slow degenerative
Typically, females form matridisease of the central nervous system
that literally eats holes in the victims lineal social groups comprised of
an older female, her daughters, and
brains. Animals that contract the
several generations of related females.
disease become emaciated, behave
Members of these close-knit kinabnormally and salivate profusely.
Once symptoms appear, most animals ship groups show strong attachment
to their established, relatively small
die within a couple of months. There
home ranges.
is no treatment for the disease.
In contrast, adult bucks generScientists suggest that directly
ally disperse to new range at yearling
transmitted diseases, such as CWD,
age, form smaller social units with
move through populations by waves.
unrelated males, occupy home ranges
That is, according to one investigator, these waves travel away from the roughly twice the size of those covoriginal site of infection by the spread ered by females, and have minimal
of infective spark individuals that
contact with females during most of
move from core disease areas to new
the year. During the breeding season,
locations. Movements can be dispersal they become more active, interact
in nature, as young deer see new home with other bucks and does, and run
Background
22
ranges, short-distance exploratory and

transient movements outside of home
ranges or seasonally migratory -- any
of which could account for the spread
of CWD.
Clinical signs of CWD are not
detectable in deer until at least one
year after exposure, and sometimes
much longer. Thereafter, infectivity
increases with age and infected deer
shed increasing amounts of infectious
prions into the environment.
As a result, even infected deer
exhibiting minimal movement can
severely contaminate their home range
with prions that may persist for years.
This means deer moving through the
infected range can contract and carry
the infection to a new location after
migrating or dispersing.
Clinical signs of CWD are not detectable in deer until at least one year after
exposure, and sometimes much longer. Wisconsin DNR photo
the group and contaminate the others
through frequent grooming (a characteristic habit among bucks).
Clearly, in the Wisconsin researchers view, adult bucks are more likely
to be infected with CWD than either
young dispersing bucks or adult does,
and thus create the greatest potential
for local disease spread. Hence, they
conclude the following:
Management strategies need
to strike a balance among efforts to
reduce deer population density by
increasing antlerless harvests, reducing prevalence and density of infected
animals in highly infected areas by removing older females and males, and
eliminating the spread of the disease
to new areas by removing males of all
ages.
and incubate the disease before they

disperseTherefore, we suggest
that management efforts within the
Disease Eradication Zone and surrounding areas include an increase
in yearling male harvest. Further, because dispersal rates among yearling
males tend to be greater in areas of
higher forest edge, we suggest managers consider targeting these areas for
removal of male fawns and yearling
males.
Selectively harvesting male
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management philosophy.
Spreading diseases page 24
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Spreading diseases:
on reducing deer movement and reducing the risk

of infection to additional animals.
The Illinois Experience
Researchers using genetic assignment tests

were unable to determine whether individual deer
stayed in one location for their entire life, or if
they made migratory, transient, or exploratory
from page 22
24
CWD was first detected among whitetails in

Illinois in 2002. By 2011, CWD-infected deer were
found more than 60 miles from the disease focus.
As of May 2013, infected deer have been found in
12 counties across northern parts of the state.
In 2011, University of Illinois Urbana-Champain researchers used a new approach to address
two specific objectives to determine the most likely
genetic source location of CWD-infected deer: to
determine the most likely genetic source location
of CWD-infected deer, and to determine whether
demographic factors or disease status influenced
the distance between genetic assignment locations
and sampling locations.
In this particular study, the investigators collected
tissue samples from 310 hunter harvested deer
from 10 locations then tested them using special assignment techniques to determine the likely genetic
source location for infected deer.
The average distance between determined site
of genetic origin and kill location was about 25
miles, but some deer traveled more than 50 miles.
Although distances were somewhat larger for males
as compared to distances for females, there was no
relationship between distance and age or disease
status. That is, regardless of age, diseased and nondiseased deer dispersed about the same distance.
Illinois deer typically disperse 25 to 30 miles,
similar to the distances found based on genetic
assignment tests, suggesting that dispersal was the
primary movement mode involved in spreading
CWD.
Although yearling males are generally the
sex-age group most likely to disperse, this is not
the always the case. In Illinois, for example, radiotracking studies revealed that 21 percent to 50
percent of the female fawns dispersed, as compared
to 56 percent to 78 percent of the male fawns.
As a result, the investigators concluded the
following: The fact that both sexes disperse in
Illinois indicates that a large proportion of each
fawn cohort and a smaller, but substantial,
proportion of yearling and adult cohorts can
potentially contribute to disease spread via
dispersal behavior.
Its also important to note that the Illinois researchers reported a higher proportion of dispersal
using genetic sampling techniques as compared to
radiotelemetry studies. In addition, their genetically
determined dispersal distances were greater than
determined via observational studies employing
radiotelemetry and tracking -- hence, indicating
an even greater risk of CWD spread as a result
of large-scale whitetail movement than formerly
believed.
Based on their findings, the Illinois researchers
recommend the following: Researchers and managers [should] combine molecular and tracking information to compile a more complete understanding of deer movementand that radiotelemetry
studies be completed in disease-free locations, or
be completed before infection. After the disease is
found in an area, research should shift exclusively
to molecular methods to focus management efforts
Concerns/Considerations
The MDNR examines thousands of deer for a variety of diseases. MDNR photo
movements. Clearly, other studies indicate deer
movements other than dispersal can be potentially
important factors in the spread of disease.
Available research data shows that dispersal
distance among young non-migratory males is
highly variable, often linked to percent forest cover.
Given data from a variety of landscapes, it appears
whitetails require at least 35 percent and possibly
as much as 50 percent forest cover to minimize
dispersal distance of young bucks.
For example, in South Dakota, Illinois, and
eastern Montana study areas, where forests covered
less than 35 percent of the landscape, young bucks
dispersed on average 17.3 miles, and one deer in
Montana traveled 132 miles. By comparison, in
other areas, where forests covered 50 to 70 percent
of the landscape, young bucks only dispersed an
average of 4.2 miles, with a maximum distance of
34.8 miles for one buck in Maryland.
Interestingly, some studies now show that
young female whitetails also are prone to dispersing as reported in the sparsely forested landscape of
Illinois depending upon a host of poorly understood factors. Females that disperse long distances
typically are fawns and yearlings, whereas does
two years of age and older tend to remain faithful
to their established home range.

Normally, doe groups consist of genetically
related animals, however, young does (fawns
and yearlings) seem to have a strong drive to
achieve compatible associations with other
mature does.
If their mothers or other close female relatives
are not available then they might disperse considerable distances to find compatible associates.
Studies conducted in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, and Mississippi have shown that long distance
(i.e., 50 to nearly 140 miles) dispersal of young
female whitetails occurs most frequently in areas of
low deer density or sparse forest cover, and sometimes is the result of intensive deer harvesting that
disrupts normal social behavior patterns.
One young doe not only dispersed a straightline distance of 61 miles out of the Wisconsin
CWD area, but traveled roughly 287 miles during
dispersal, exploratory and transient movements
during a year.
In northern Minnesota, research conducted by
Mike Nelson and Dave Mech found that 7 of 35
radio-tagged yearling does dispersed, some more
than 100 miles, from natal ranges during the fawning period (May-June). Furthermore, the dispersers
explored new areas during dispersal. Most altered
or reversed their direction while moving. In the
process, the dispersing females used areas 28 to
147 times larger than established sizes of adult
home ranges. Hence, had these deer carried CWO,
they could have contaminated a vast area.
Even normally sedentary adult does exhibit
periodic exploratory movements that could account
for unexpected spread of disease. For example, 9
of 10 adult does tracked at two mid-Atlantic sites
exhibited exploratory movements outside of their
normal home range during the rut -- presumably in
search of choice mates. Four of these does made
long-distance movements, traveling 1.5 miles to
3.0 miles beyond the boundaries of their normal
home ranges.
Adult bucks normally expand their home range
during the rut and in some cases shift core areas
of activity. Researchers theorize this is because of
annual variations in the location of receptive does
-- in either case, increasing the risk of spreading
disease.
On Northern range, many deer migrate considerable distance from summer range to preferred
winter range. In northern Michigan, some of these
deer travel more than 50 miles and congregate in
high densities during winter, increasing the risk of
disease transmission.
Conclusions
Clearly, there is a serious need to understand

the intricate aspects of white-tailed deer social
behavior if we are to initiate effective methods
to combat the spread of diseases such as TB and
CWD. Unfortunately, we are dealing with a species
exhibiting highly plastic social behavior and movement patterns which vary geographically depending upon prevailing environmental pressures. Also,
certain whitetail behavioral traits can be altered as
the result of harvest management strategies.
Needless to say, this is complicated stuff.
Even seemly scientifically-sound intentions, such
as heavy harvesting of adult does within specific
matriarchal groups, may not yield anticipated
benefits.n
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25
Hunting Is More Than A Sport; Its A Passion...By Lane Walker
Thumb hunter bags 15-point giant

A
ll hunters, both young and

old, dream about bagging a
monster buck.
Some hunters start preparing the day before hunting season, but for others,
its a year round pursuit.
Hunting is more than a sport; its
26
a passion, a way of life. Ty Colling of

Cass City is one of those hunters. He
loves to pursue big whitetails.
His love for the outdoors started
early, as he grew up on a Mid-Michigan farm. This love grew as he would
accompany his Grandpa Larry Mowry
deer hunting in Gladwin. Then a foot-
ball injury turned this outdoor lover

into a whitetail fanatic.
When I was 17, I broke my
ankle during a football game. My dad
and uncle took me to the local bow
shop to help cheer me up. I left Bay
Archery in Bay City and had no idea
how my life was going to change. I
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instantly fell in love with bowhunting, say Colling.

Colling took two big bucks his
very first year bowhunting, and that
is when a sport turned into a passion.
I love being in and admiring
Gods creation. I started to practice
and prepare the entire year. I was
fascinated with the fellowship and
excitement that fellow hunters shared.
I was hooked, said Colling.
Over the years, Colling has looked
to improve the habitat and become
the best hunter possible. During the
summer of 2014, he made some adjustments to his property. He changed
his scent control routine and replaced
and updated equipment. He spent the
spring and summer on his property
creating funnels and cutting shooting
lanes.
All his hard-work and preparation
would shortly pay off.

I knew that consistent success is in the details. Its all part of
the formula. I had high hopes heading
into the 2014 season, said Colling.
One farm in particular caught
Collings attention. There was a 2.5
year old buck that he had passed and
couldnt arrow the next year as a 3.5
year old. That buck kept Colling excited and was in his crosshairs for the
2014 season.
But that wasnt to be.
Unfortunately he never got to see
the big buck alive. He found out from
a neighbor the deer was dead, he had
been hit by a car.
I was bummed, seeing a deer
of that caliber, a deer that I had a lot
of history with dead on the roadside.
Hunting is full of ups and downs, so
I just figured I had to make the most
of the time I had and keep at it,
said Colling. The buck was a typical
8-point that would have scored in the
mid-140s.
The disappointment from seeing
the big bruiser dead faded and Colling
had high hopes heading into the archery season.
The season started slow with
Colling seeing several small bucks.
He knew the best was yet to come and
circled some dates on his calendar.
The rut was here and that meant big
bucks would be moving.
November 9 proved to be a day
the seasoned hunter would never
forget.
I headed to my favorite farm and
slipped into my treestand. The wind
was perfect and the temperature was
a comfortable but cold 36 degrees.
Everything about that morning felt
right, everything but seeing deer. In
the first two hours, I didnt see a deer.
Ty Collings
brute buck had
15 scoreable
points and a
20-inch inside
spread.
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Then suddenly I caught movement,

said Colling.
Colling saw a doe weaving
through a bedding zone and noticed
she was acting odd. She kept glancing behind her into the brush giving
Colling all the signs that a buck was
on her tail, but there wasnt. Discouraged and disappointed, Colling
started to get texts from his hunting
buddies commenting on how slow the
morning hunt was.
An hour later, Colling noticed
movement in the same location he
had spotted the doe. As soon as he
lifted his binoculars, he knew it was a
shooter. The big buck turned and was
walking directly towards him, but for
some reason hung up 80 yards away.
Colling let out two small grunts and
whispered a prayer. The buck picked
its head up and headed towards
Colling.
I started mumbling to myself,
composure & follow through, said
Colling. The buck turned and offered a 20-yard broadside shot. I
drew my bow and everything went
automatic. I let him get a step or two
past me waiting for the perfect angle.
I stopped him and watched my arrow
sink perfectly into his lungs, said
Colling. The Rage Extreme ripped
through the deer, it ran about 70 yards
before flipping over. Colling was
flooded with emotions and took a few
minutes to compose himself.
I stood there and thanked the
Lord for His blessings and then I
started making calls. There was no
way I was going to try to climb down.
I had too much adrenaline running
through my veins, said Colling.
The deer was huge and Colling
sat admiring it. He had seen this buck
before, but it was during the 2013 archery season. Last year the deer was a
3.5 year old ten-point and Colling had
encounters with the buck choosing to
pass on him. He was amazed at how
much more mass the buck had put on
from the previous year. Colling stood
admiring the buck, in awe and full of
thankfulness. He knew he would need
help, so he started calling and texting
some friends and family.
I started running, I was so
excited! I ran about 1/3 of a mile
back to my vehicle to meet my wife
and two-year old son. Over the years,
I have found that the most fulfilling
times hunting and the most memorable moments from the hunt is when
we all share in the celebration and
fellowship, said Colling.
Collings brute had 15 scoreable
points and a 20-inch inside spread.
He knows bucks like that are few and
far between, but will always remember that special November morning
when his arrow hit its mark.
While his trophy will always have
a special place, Colling will start to
prepare for next season and enjoy the
journey along the way. n
27
Michigans freshwater
cod gets no respect
ichigans freshwater cod

actually has several names
burbot, lawyer, and eelpout.
The burbot is in the codfish
family and is a close relative to the Atlantic and Pacific cod.
This fish has very small imbedded
scales and most anglers consider them
slimy. They are difficult to
get a handle on which may
lead to one of their common
names, the lawyer. Their
slippery nature and looks are
what leads to a lack of proper
respect by anglers.
When I worked on Lake
Superior as a US Fish and
Wildlife Service biologist
in Ashland, Wisconsin, I
would regularly see ice
anglers discard burbot
on the ice. These same anglers would
head in off the ice on a Friday night
and go to a restaurant where they
would readily pay about $10 per meal,
for essentially the same thing at a cod
fish fry. As a Michigan DNR fisheries biologist I was approached by a
parent of a young ice angler, who had

caught a Master Angler sized burbot.
It was determined that his daughters
burbot was not only Michigan DNR
Master Angler award size but it was
larger than many award entries I
could find. His daughter wanted him
to get her trophy mounted but he was
afraid he would be made fun
of by local anglers. I finally
convinced him this was a
desirable eating fish and was
probably the largest burbot
that would be caught by his
family in a lifetime.
The burbot is the earliest spawner of Michigans
approximately 150 fish
species, and spawns in
midwinter. Often times
burbot run up rivers from
deep colder lakes to spawn. Many
rivers in the U.P. that have a direct
connection to the Great Lakes have a
dam barrier to block these runs. One
of the few rivers I worked on without
a barrier to the Great Lakes connection is the Ford River in Dickinson,
By Bill Ziegler
DEALERS
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Erich Ziegler of Crystal Falls holding a burbot in one of Lake of the Woods
Minnesotas sleeper ice shacks, while on a walleye ice fishing trip. Burbot are
often caught incidental to other species like walleye or trout in large lakes
they inhabit. He had this one for dinner and it was excellent. Author photo
greatlakessnowplows.com bill@greatlakessnowplows.com
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Lethal tree infection caused by transport of firewood...
be present similar habitat conditions

to trout or cisco/lake herring
are required with cold deeper
waters with adequate dissolved
oxygen levels.
Burbot are often caught by commercial fishermen and they can be a
good source for persons wanting to
buy this fish. The commercial fishermen often sell them at a price much
lower than other commercial species
since they are not fully appreciated in
the market. Freshwater commercial
fishermen are restricted to the common name of fish they market. If you
notice, ocean commercial fish have
creative names like Ocean Perch (rose
fish) and Alaskan Walleye (Pollock)
that help market their product. An
appropriate and honest commercial
name for the burbot would be Fresh
Water Cod. In recent years with all
the interest in fish oils for health
supplement a large commercial fishery was created at Lake of the Woods,
Minnesota. A large numbers of burbot
were harvested for the burbot/cod
liver oil to be used in fish oil supplements. The burbot are called eelpout
in Minnesota and some Canadian
Provinces. There is a large annual
eelpout festival in Walker Minnesota
on the large Leech Lake.
Next time you are ice fishing for
lake trout, or walleye and you reel up
a burbot, you should get over its less
than beautiful looks, and take it home
for supper.n
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Oak wilt outbreaks are increasing in Michigan and the Department of

Natural Resources has conducted treatment at several state parks to halt the
spread of the disease.
Oak wilt is an introduced disease that causes rapid death of infected trees.
The fungus is easily transported by beetles from infected wood to nearby
wounded trees. Trees cannot be cured of oak wilt, and once a tree is infected
the disease can rapidly spread to neighboring trees through underground
root graft connections. The loss of large numbers of oak trees in parks can be
dramatic, both for the park visitor experience and the ecology of the natural
habitat.
The likely cause of the oak wilt outbreak at Michigan state parks is the movement of infected firewood into campgrounds, said DNR natural resources
steward Heidi Frei. Campers and other park visitors can help prevent the
spread of the oak wilt fungus by not moving firewood between campgrounds.
DNR Parks and Recreation Division staff has been working the last several
years to stop the spread of oak wilt at Michigan state parks throughout the
state, including P.J. Hoffmaster, Otsego Lake, Interlochen, Warren Dunes and
Hartwick Pines state parks; and Fort Custer, Rifle River, Waterloo, Brighton,
Pinckney and Island Lake recreation areas.
Treatments in 2014 included using a vibratory plow fitted with a special
blade (designed and fabricated at the DNRs Forest Fire Experiment Station
in Roscommon) that severs grafted tree roots, isolating healthy trees from
infected trees. Treatment also included the application of fungistats, which inhibit the growth and reproduction of fungi, and which have been used in areas
declared critical dune habitat.
If left unchecked, Frei said, oak wilt will continue to spread and result
in large pockets of standing dead oak trees, which may be hazardous to park
visitors. Some parks, such as P.J. Hoffmaster, have experienced considerable
losses. More than 100 large red oaks, including the most picturesque grove of
red oaks in the campground, have been killed by oak wilt.
For more information on oak wilt prevention and stewardship, visit www.
michigan.gov/foresthealth or contact Heidi Frei at 517-202-1360 or freih@
michigan.gov.
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Marquette, Menominee and Delta

Counties. While we were assessing
trout populations in the Upper Ford
River near the Two Mile Creek we
encountered large numbers of juvenile burbot. The Two Mile Creek is
approximately 95 river miles upstream from the mouth of the Ford
River at Lake Michigans Green
Bay. It is most likely the adult burbot
spawned near the Two Mile Creek
and came up from the Bay of Green
Bay to do that.
If an angler wanted to target burbot, the bays of the Great Lakes, especially at ice fishing season is a good
time. Typically burbot are caught
incidental to fishing for walleye,
splake, trout, or lake whitefish in the
Great Lakes and large deeper inland
lakes. Although this is a very incomplete list burbot are noted in Lake
Superiors Keweenaw, Huron, and
Munising Bays. In the U.P.s portion
of Lake Michigan, Green Bay and
Big and Little Bays de Noc are good
producers. On the East end of the U.P.
the St. Marys River, and Munuscong
Bay are good locations to catch burbot. Inland waters with a connection
to Great Lakes are also possibilities.
Houghton Counties Portage Lake
Waterway and Iron Countys Lake
Mary, Peavy Reservoir and other
impoundments in the Michigamme
River system also produce burbot.
The burbot inhabits the deeper cold
waters of these waters. For burbot to
29
Mobility is
the Key...
n the investment world there are two schools of

thought. One group takes the conservative approach, preferring to stick with the established
norm and rarely breaking the rules. The other
group lives life a little more on the edge and is
willing to take some chances in exchange for a
shot at higher rewards. Both approaches work, but
its the most dramatic success stories are most often
told by those who take the biggest risks.
In the world of ice fishing, anglers who target
walleye also take different routes in pursuit of success. The majority of these anglers take the conservative approach. Mostly they spend their time at
well-established spots fishing techniques that fall
neatly within the mainstream.
A much smaller group of ice fishermen view
winter walleye angling as a game thats mostly
about location. This group of anglers feels strongly
that investing lots of time into locating fish is the
key to icing more walleye.
The question becomes, when does it make more
sense to run and gun while fishing aggressively
and when should an angler take the conservative
sit tight and see approach? In the winter when
fish travel and feed less often, rarely does playing
it safe produce more fish! Camping out on
a spot and hoping the fish will show up
or start biting simply cant compete with
a more aggressive approach that focuses
on moving again and again until fish are
located. Location is always an important
element of fishing success, but during the
winter location plays a role that cant be
overstated.
The problem is moving constantly in
search of winter walleye is a lot
of work. Unlike the open water
season when covering water is
relatively easy, the ice fishermen is burdened
with the reality of lugging all his gear over the
ice, drilling new holes, tearing down and setting
up the shelter and then repeating the whole
process over again and again until fish are
located. To say the least, this approach is labor
intensive.
Selecting specific gear can help take some of the
work out of run and gun ice fishing for walleye, but
in the end its having a positive attitude and a willingness to work that drives success. Moving once or
twice then settling down to a wait and see approach
doesnt cut it. The run and gun strategy works best
when caution is thrown to the winter winds.
Staying mobile and being willing to move and move often is the key to zeroing in on winter walleye. This
trophy fish caught by Thom McCollum was also tagged making it an extra special catch.
Mobility Is Critical
Walleye are rarely found in lakes small enough

that walking is a practical means of covering water.
Instead walleye prefer large sprawling waters and
that means that motorized mobility on the ice ranks
as a critical aspect of success. If the gear required
for winter walleye cant be moved from one spot to
another easily, the mobility edge is lost.
Quads, side by sides, snow machines and Argo
Amphibious vehicles are not merely a luxury, but
rather a necessity for serious run and gun
walleye fishing adventures. Walking isnt
an option when the next spot could be
several miles away.
The mobility these machines provide
is invaluable, but its important to keep in
mind owning them comes with responsibility. Constantly monitoring ice thickness
and the ice condition is the only way to
insure the safety of everyone involved.
Safety and recovery equipment that needs to be on every ice
fishing adventure includes a spud
for checking the ice, 50 length of heavy rope with a
throw buoy on the end, floatation jacket or vest and
a set of ice spikes to help pull yourself out of the ice
should you end up in the water.
I keep all this safety equipment in my Argo ATV
at all times so its ready in an instant. I also carry
a two foot length of steel rod with an eye welded
in the middle. Should my Argo go through the ice
it will float. I can then cut a hole in safe ice. Next I
attach the steel rod to the winch cable on my Argo
and slide the rod down into the ice hole. When
turned sideways the rod will jam against the bottom
of the ice, giving me a solid surface to winch the
By Mark Romanack
30
Argo back up onto safe ice.

Compared to quads and snow machines that
sink in seconds, the Argo is the ultimate ATV for
ice fishing situations.
A Word On Shelters
Large and heavy ice shelters are cozy and

comfortable protection from the elements, but they
arent practical for those who plan to cover lots of
water. The key features to consider when selecting a
portable shelter are weight, ease of movement, size
and versatility of function.
One and two man shelters are the most practical
size for run and gun fishing adventures. Larger shelters simply encourage their users to take along more
people and gear. All of which reduces the likelihood
of moving when necessary.
Other Essentials
Unless the ice is only a few inches thick, a

power auger should be considered an essential piece
of equipment for the run and gun approach. Drilling holes is a lot of work and without the help of a
power auger, chances are this essential work wont
get done. For serious walleye fishing a model that
features an eight inch auger is recommended.
Since walleye are found living in sprawling waters, a portable GPS unit is also an essential piece
of gear. Not only can the GPS be used to save the
location of productive fishing spots, mapping units
can be used to navigate to potential fish holding
structures, including those you may not have previously fished.
Also, a GPS unit is an invaluable tool for creating safe navigation routes to and from the fishing
grounds. A hand-held unit is adequate, but a growing number of anglers are using the larger models
designed to be permanently mounted on a fishing

boat. By simply mounting these units on the handlebars of their Argo, quad or snow machine with a
RAM mount or other aftermarket bracket, anglers
have instant access to fishing information gleaned
during the open water season. This amounts to a
treasure chest of run and gun fishing savvy.
The actual rods, reels and terminal tackle used
to catch winter walleye constitutes the short list in
this outlay of essentials. On the rod and reel end,
medium action graphite rods in the 24-28 inch size
are ideal for fishing in small shelters. Match these
rods with a small spinning reel loaded with eight or
10 pound test monofilament line. Keep two or three
rods handy for each angler with each equipped to
fish a different lure. Its easier to switch rods than
to re-rig various lures on the ice.
The top terminal tackle for winter walleye boil
down to three tried and tested approaches. Leadhead jigs tipped with minnows are a standard for
winter walleye. For the depths most commonly
fished, a selection of 1/8, 1/4 and 3/8 ounce jigs
will get the job done. Long shank jigs are the preferred jig style for winter jigging. The longer hook
shank puts the business end of the hook deeper in
the fishs mouth. This in turn increases the hooking
ratio and makes long shank jigs the obvious choice.
Jigging spoons are the second must have lure
for run and gun walleyes. Spoons are fished aggressively and they tend to trigger strikes from active
walleye. To achieve the built in wobble, a jigging
spoon is popped with a sharp snap of the rod tip
and then the lure is allowed to sink on a slack line.
The most popular sizes with walleye anglers are
1/2, 3/4 and one ounce models.
The most popular jigging spoons include the
Bay de Noc Swedish Pimple and Do Jigger, the
Northland Buck-Shot Rattle Spoon and the VMC
Rattle Spoon.
Jigs cover the subtle approach, spoons the aggressive angle and a third lure group covers those
fishing situations when walleye are looking for
something different. Jigging/swimming lures like
the popular Salmo Chubby Darter have quickly
become a favorite among serious walleye anglers.
The best way to describe this unique ice fishing
lure is to imagine a lipless crankbait thats designed
to be fished vertically. The Chubby Darter features
a body with a wider head that tapers to a more slender body. A treble hook is mounted both on the tail
and below the line tie attachment.
When dropped in the water these baits sink
slowly. When the rod tip is popped sharply, the
It takes a tracked vehicle like the Argo to pull a shelter this large. The comforts of larger shelters are
obvious, but they do tempt fishermen into taking along too much gear, limiting mobility in the process.
Chubby Darter comes to life creating a tight vibrating wiggle and changing direction. When the bait is
then allowed to sink on a slack line, it swims back
to bottom enticingly.
Unlike other jigging/swimming lures that sink
quickly, the Chubby Darter gives fish like walleye
time to react. Also, because this bait is equipped
with not one, but two treble hooks the fish that bite
are almost always hooked solidly.
The size CD5 and CD6 are ideal for walleye
fishing applications. Some anglers tip the back treble hook with a small minnow, but others strongly
feel the natural darting action of the Chubby Darter
is what makes these lures so deadly.
Peak Periods
The run and gun approach to walleye fishing is

a solid strategy that works because those who move
and move often are more likely to encounter active
fish. Applying the run and gun approach makes
sense, but not at peak feeding periods.
Winter walleye feed most often and most aggressively at dawn and dusk. During these peak
periods its a wise idea to be camped out on the
best fishing spot you can find. Reserve the hour
around sunrise and the hour around sunset for fishing. Avoid travel and keep your line in the water
as much as possible during these brief, but critical
fishing times. There will be plenty of time to run
when the action slows.
Once the peak times of dawn and dusk have
passed, apply the run and gun approach. Often relocating fish is as simple as moving towards deeper
water adjacent to spots that have already or historically produced fish.
Keeping A Perspective
The run and gun approach works because moving is the most logical way to make contact with
active fish. Its important to understand however
that outside of the peak feeding times, rarely will
the action be as fast paced. Instead, what anglers
should expect is to find and catch the occasional ac-
tive fish when applying the run and gun approach.

For example, if you move to a new location and
quickly catch a fish or two, dont camp out on this
spot all afternoon waiting for more action. Chances
are the fish that are going to bite will do so immediately. The safe money is to move again and
again until another group of active fish are found.
In short, moving often tends to target only the most
active fish.
Every place that produces a fish should be
saved as a waypoint on the GPS unit for future
reference. Its a good idea to take the time to name
specific waypoints for later reference. Its these
spots that when fished at primetimes often turn into
real honey holes.
Over time developing a list of productive waypoints on a particular lake creates another invaluable advantage. When applying the run and gun
approach, use these waypoints to set up a milk run.
Targeting known fish producing spots increases
confidence and also the likelihood of success.
Summing It Up
The run and gun approach is an aggressive

means of both covering water and contacting active
fish. Using motorized transportation is a key element of this strategy, but so is keeping the gear list
as functional and trim as possible. In short, the way
to make moving frequently a practical ice fishing
strategy is to take strides to make each move as
little work as possible.
Set up milk runs that target spots that have
produced before and always be willing to check
out new spots. It never hurts to spend some time in
uncharted waters. After all, thats what the run and
gun approach is all about. You never know when
youll discover a new favorite fishing hole.
For More Information:
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www.lowrance.com (GPS/Sonar units),
www.argoutv.com,
www.rapala.com or www.swedishpimple.comn
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31
Let Your Dog Help With Your...
physical activity and

By Len Jenkins our
not sit around eating
ts universally true
that we all want a
healthier and happier existence. Every year many
of us make New Year resolutions
with good intentions of selfimprovement but shortly after doing
so we break them because were too
busy. Some of these resolutions are
unattainable but some arent. Lets
focus on those that are attainable and
lets have our best friend (our dog)
help us succeed. Your dog can help
you a great deal and will remain enthusiastic throughout the year. Your
good buddy can help you improve
your health, your appearance, your
attitude, your endurance, your mental
state, and your relationships.
Many of us resolve to shed a few
unwanted pounds. This could be
done in two ways. We can increase
high calorie high fat

junk food. In doing an increase in
physical exercise were not eating for
something to do. For instance, after
getting home from work and perhaps
after supper, we can discipline ourselves to go for a short walk with our
dog who we will call Buddy. Our
goal could be to walk a half mile or a
half hour. Just keep the goal reasonable. You can always increase it and
you probably will once you experience how enjoyable it is.
Whatever it is you do, it will be
an improvement over doing nothing as was the case prior to your
resolution. Buddy will look forward
to his daily walk and he will keep
Your dog can help you a great deal and will remain enthusiastic throughout the year.
you motivated. Youll soon see that
Your good buddy can help you improve your health, your appearance, your attitude,
youre achieving your goal of shedyour endurance, your mental state, and your relationships.
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Dogs will forgive your transgressions and overlook your faults (to
a point). They dont hold a grudge
or seek revenge. Theyll forgive
you a lot sooner than most people
will. Isnt forgiveness and redemption what we all need in this harsh,
treacherous and unforgiving world
anyway?
Dogs can also help your social
life. Many people love dogs and
its easy to strike up a conversation
with a stranger because people love

to talk about their dogs. Some of
the friendliest places you can visit
are dog parks in cities where active people take their dogs for fun.
People who have dogs have a lot in
common with other people who
also have dogs. They even might
want to go walking or jogging
together as they make a daily event
a social experience. Heck, some
relationships can occur as a result
of interacting with people who love

their dogs. It can also lead to a
romantic relationship. It had happened.
So, keep your resolutions with
your dog. It will lead to better health, physical conditioning,
stress reduction, happiness, gaining
peace of mind, and contentment. It
could also improve your social like.
Buddy can help you have a very
good New Year.n
ding excess pounds, whether five or

ten, it doesnt matter. Youll also
see that youre gaining endurance
and that the loss of weight becomes
noticeable. The increase in endurance will also contribute to better
cardiac function and you might
even increase your daily regimen to
greater distances, greater time, and
greater intensity perhaps a jog.
Even if weight loss is not your objective, youll improve muscle tone
and endurance. You could argue
the benefits of exercise by going for
brief excursions afield with your dog
or hunting. Buddy will love doing
it whether hes a traditional sporting breed or not. Perhaps you could
book a hunt on a shooting preserve
since theyre open until April 30th.
Perhaps you could go rabbit hunting
and enjoy the snow.
By increasing your exercise
and outdoor excursions this winter,
youll also improve your mental
state. You can clear your mind and
view your life situation more objectively. Youll ward off depression
and the activity will help eliminate
stress, a killer that negatively impacts your health in many ways. The
activity will give you time to reflect
on your work and family dynamics in ways that will lead to greater
fulfillment. Youll soon realize that
problems are not generally as great
as they seem.
If you want to lower your blood
pressure, just pet your dog (or cat).
While doing so, you can ever talk to
your dog. Its amazing what they intuitively know. They may not know
the meaning of most of your words,
but they know how you feel. We
generally internalize everything and
as a result problems build. These
problems are more easily resolved
if we can verbalize what it is that is
a problem. Dogs are great listeners
and keen observers. They seem to
know what youre going to do before
you do it. They read your body
language and if you read theirs, communication will result. Youll have
an understanding friend and youll
never be lonely.
Dogs help you mentally and
emotionally in many ways. You always have a friend to give unconditional love. They also love to please
and for this reason you can train
them for useful tasks like retrieving and hunting. You can also teach
them frivolous things such as catching Frisbees, jumping hurdles, or
performing tricks like shaking hand,
sitting up, speaking, dancing, rolling
over, etc. Your dog will love all
interaction with you and will strive
to make you happy as he entertains
your friends with games and tricks.
33
COVER STORY
Passionate
Huntress
Successful
By Jerry Lambert
othing stokes the fire within a

passionate hunter like shooting the proverbial buck of a
lifetime. In December I spoke
to Valerie Hansen via a phone
interview, a full twelve days after she
tagged her personal best buck and the
excited huntress was still living the
hunters dream. She started with, I can
finally manage to sleep again. I was
so excited about shooting my personal
buck of a lifetime that I could hardly
sleep for the first few nights after I shot
him.
Valerie started hunting six years
ago after a friend gifted her a Hoyt
bow. At first she thought that she would
just shoot at targets because she didnt
think that she could kill anything.
Her friend urged her to give hunting a
try. She agreed to this and successfully
killed a doe. Hansen says, I cried for
seventy-two hours after I shot my first
deer but I eventually got over it and
found that I liked to eat the lean meat.
You see, I have a health condition and
I cant eat red meat. Venison is lean
enough that I can eat it. Im now totally
addicted and some would even say
Valerie Hansen took her monster buck on Nov. 20 during an evening hunt in Montcalm Co. The buck is a massive 11-point
that sports an incredible 21 5/8 inside spread and green scored in the 160s.
obsessed.
After the doe, Valerie shot four
bucks with archery gear. Her passion
for deer hunting led her to develop the
Quality Deer Management mindset
and she has become an active participant in following the philosophies of
improving deer habitat and letting the
younger bucks mature. In fact, this year
she acquired a two year lease on the
property that she shot her trophy buck
by agreeing to plant and maintain the
food plots on the land. In addition, she
improved the property by hinge cutting

timber and as it worked out she shot
her big buck as it traveled along the
hinge cut area.
I was hunting from a stick built
ground blind when I noticed the big
buck at seventy yards. I instantly
recognized him as a shooter and began
the process of opening the window and
getting my gun through the opening.
When I accomplished this the buck was
now standing only fifty yards away but
he turned forty-five degrees and I had
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his butt in my site. I then remembered

that a friend told me that if you blatted the deer would turn towards the
sound so I blatted twice and the buck
turned broadside. I then pulled the trigger and the deer jumped about two and
a half feet straight up in the air. He then
went about thirty yards and fell to the
ground. It happened so fast that I didnt
get buck fever before or during the shot
but afterwards I got all shook up. When
I walked over to him, I got about ten
feet away and just fell to my knees. I
had no idea that he was that big. I was
totally wowed by it!
Valerie shot her monster buck on
November 20 during an evening hunt
in Montcalm County. Her buck is a
massive 11-point that sports an incredible 21 5/8 inside spread. The mass
measurements are five inches at the
bases but there is some characteristic
palmation and the measurements increase to almost seven inches between
the G2 and G3 tines. The green score
measures 167 5/8 Boone and Crockett points. In addition, the beast field
dressed at 180 pounds and will yield
several tasty dinners for the passionate
huntress.
Valerie is indeed obsessed with deer
hunting. She states, The reason why
I wear the camo make up is because I
know my fair-skin would show up in
the darkened blind. Plus, I just love
camouflage. I also want to point out
that I was wearing orange when I shot
the deer but I took it off for the pictures
because I like the look of camouflage.
I took a lot of hits for this when the
pics got posted on Facebook. I want to
thank my friends, they know who you
are, for letting me hunt private property
and for teaching me how to successfully hunt.n
COVER STORY
Veteran
tags monster
BUCK
coming through. Jacob said, I moved

my stand to a pinch point closer to the
bedding area.
The following morning, November 13, Jacob was perched seventeen
feet up a tree. At 10 a.m. I saw some
deer in the front field. I then
passed on a doe and a small
buck. Later I saw another
doe and she was being
followed by a big buck. I
watched them for over ten
minutes as he was locked-up
with her. He was standing
in a small creek down in the
low land about sixty yards
away. I decided to
grunt one time lightly
behind me and that
convinced him to come towards me.
He got to within twenty-five yards
and turned broadside. I let the arrow
fly and got him through both lungs.
He ran about seventy yards and then I
watched him tip over!
Rizkallah went on to say, My
uncle Larry got me started in hunting. He showed me everything that
I learned so he was the first person
I called. He came down during his
By Jerry Lambert
Sergeant Jacob Rizkallah with his 12-point buck he arrowed Nov. 13. Left; one
of the many trail cam photos of his buck.
lunch break to help me drag the big
buck out. Seeing my uncles reaction
when he saw the big buck wasspecial. Some tears were shed.
What uncle Larry got to see was
a main-frame six by six with long,
heavy white tines. The buck has a
conservatively measured gross green
score of 181 Boone and Crockett
(B&C) points as a typical.

Sergeant Rizkallah concluded, I
changed a lot after deployment. Ive
had a lot of personal losses concerning
family and was having a tough year. I
am thankful that this was a clean, ethical kill. This is honestly a dream come
true and one of the highlights of my
life!n
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KAWASAKI
CARES:
Warning:
ATVs
cancan
be be
hazardous
to operate.
ForFor
your
safety:
Always
wear
a helmet,
eyeeye
protection,
andand
protective
clothing.
Never
carry
KAWASAKI
CARES:
Warning:
ATVs
hazardous
to operate.
your
safety:
Always
wear
a helmet,
protection,
protective
clothing.
Never
carry
a passenger.
Never
rideride
under
thethe
inuence
of drugs
or or
alcohol.
Never
rideride
on on
public
roads
or or
pavement.
Avoid
excessive
speeds
andand
stunt
driving.
BeBe
a passenger.
Never
under
inuence
of drugs
alcohol.
Never
public
roads
pavement.
Avoid
excessive
speeds
stunt
driving.
extra
careful
on on
difcult
terrain.
Kawasaki
ATVs
with
engines
over
90cc
areare
recommended
forfor
useuse
only
by by
persons
1616
years
of age
or older.
Read
Owners
extra
careful
difcult
terrain.
Kawasaki
ATVs
with
engines
over
90cc
recommended
only
persons
years
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or older.
Read
Owners
Manual
andand
all all
on on
product
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Kawasaki
also
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all all
ATVATV
riders
take
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ForFor
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seesee
your
dealer,
callcall
thethe
Manual
product
warnings.
Kawasaki
also
recommends
riders
take
a training
course.
more
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your
dealer,
ATVATV
Safety
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at 1-800-887-2887,
or go
to www.atvsafety.org.
2014
Kawasaki
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at 1-800-887-2887,
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2014
Kawasaki
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1-800-887-2887
ashtenaw County is the

home of the infamous
University of Michigan
Big House and a stellar
medical facility. Within
the Michigan whitetail fraternity the
county also has a reputation
for housing monster bucks.
In 2014, this once again
proved to be true when 28
year-old, Jacob Rizkallah,
arrowed a giant six by six
12-point.
Jacob shot the buck on
November 13, but was well
aware of the world-class
whitetail from photographs collected
via trail camera
surveillance. Jacob was pursuing
the buck with hunting partner Dan
Hughes, who he met while serving
together in the United States National
Guard. Both men still remain active
and are Sergeants in the Honor Guard.
On the day that I interviewed Sergeant
Rizkallah, he had just returned from
working a funeral; one of over 1100
military funerals that he has attended.
Camaraderie is a word that gets
thrown around a lot within the deer
hunting community and for good reasons. Deer hunting develops a spirit of
fellowship that often bonds those who
share in this passionate activity. Military veterans develop their own bond
that only they can know. These two
freedom-fighters served together in
Iraq; a destination that Jacob left for
when his son was just four days old.
Rizkallah and Hughes captured
photographs of the big buck in October and all of them were taken in the
night. They decided to watch the area
from afar and wait until the November rut to hunt him. On the night of
November 12, another cold front was
35
New to the game...
Early on in his first hunt, Marty Monsma (left) realized that he himself was in control of an aspect of the hunt he had been concerned about: safety. Right away he practiced holding up on his
shot until he was sure the birds flight patterns would take them safely away from his hunting partners, both canine and human. Tailfeather Communications, LLC photo
A
36
s Donald J. Smith of
Grand Rapids piloted his
Pilatus PC-12 turboprop
plane from Michigan to
North Dakota, part of the
intercom conversation
with his co-pilot Tim Fox
went like this:
Lets see, said Smith. With
the pheasant we can shoot males and
females, right?
No-no! Fox corrected. Just
roosters. These are wild birds well be
hunting. You cant shoot hens in the
wild.
Oh. OK.
Smith couldnt be blamed for
not knowing. Up to that point he had
only hunted on game farms where
both sexes are fair targets. Like any
kid anxious to learn, he was brimming
with questions.
The only difference is that by just
about anybodys standard, Smith is
anything but a kid.
Over the past decade or so, the
terms recruitment and retention have
been used in the world of hunting to
underscore the important of bringing
new blood to the activities. Loads of
social changes factor into this, but
basically the fabric of family hunting
traditions is wearing thin in America.
Gotta actively recruit youngsters to
participate in hunting. Got to do whatever we can to retain their interest.
Smith represents another sector of
the population that can be encouraged
to join the hunting fraternity: older
neophytes who just hadnt dipped
their toes into the waters of

available hunting activities.
Their eyes-wide-open approaches and insights also
offer a fresh look to longtimers, helping them to revisit
links they had forged and
lessons they had learned so
long ago.
At age 53 and
retired from an engineering career that was so
successful that well that allowed him to retire while in his early
50s, Smith hadnt just dipped his toes.
He had dived into the deep end of the
upland bird hunting pool. Smiths first
move when he decided to take the
plunge was to purchase a Llewellin
setter pup from Fox.
Fox is a dog trainer and the owner
of C Fox Kennels in Kent City. Smith
bought Ryder and turned his training over to Fox. By the end of the
summer, Smith had seen the amazing
progress Ryder had made in the training field and on some practice hunts,
and he was excited about the possibilities of their first hunt together for wild
pheasants. Fox has a fellow trainer/pal
in North Dakota, and the trip quickly
came into focus.
Serious, levelheaded, accomplished, clever Smith is everything
youd expect of an engineer who
has built and profited from his own
companies and also flies his own
planes. He has enough of a sense of
fun to collect classic pinball machines
and to laugh at himself. Hes also a
serious student of things hes

involved in and was probably
a bit more in tune with and intrigued by his hunting experience than a teenager would be
on his first hunt.
For example, as Fox was
cautioning him about the need
to be as quiet as possible and
to refrain from slamming truck doors when
they would arrive at a
hunting spot, Smith correctly deduced,
Because pheasants have good hearing?
Oh, yeah! Fox responded.
Their ears are huge.
I dont think Ive seen that.
Well take a look once we get
a bird in hand, Fox told him while
making a mental note to point out the
sound gathering holes, almost as big
around as a pencil, on the side of a
pheasants head. Others in the group
made sure the demonstration took
place as soon as a couple birds had
been collected.
Over the course of several days,
Smith asked questions when he didnt
understand and applied what he was
told about spacing himself when
walking, the theory of being a blocker,
pivoting on one hunter in a line of
them, special gun safety concerns
when hunting in a group or with dogs,
and so on.
One morning, the temperature
dipped to 12 degrees with stiff winds.
Smith dressed accordingly. When the
group broke for lunch after a two-hour
By Tom Carney
hike along a twisting river bottom,

one of the first things he said was, I
guess I didnt need to wear all these
layers.
Little by little he was learning the
secrets to a successful hunt; more and
more he was becoming an experienced bird hunter.
************
Marty Monsma coincidentally
also lives in Grand Rapids. Unlike
Smith who had previously done a bit
of waterfowling, Monsma had had no
experience at all with hunting. As a
child he sometimes angled for panfish
with his grandfather, Rolph Carlisle,
inventor of the brand of wooden fishing bobber that bears his name. More
recently on a trip Out West he took a
half-day fishing trip and a quick fly
fishing lesson. Thats pretty much it.
Not much history or experience
in sporting pursuits, he said.
He added, Im a 43-year-old guy
and have kind of picked my trajectory
or my mode of recreation. Its more of
a mountain-related, skiing, backpacking, climbing package, or the nonmotorized wilderness sport thing, as
he calls it.
Thats the driving aesthetic.
Like if Im buying art prints for the
house or clothes for myself, or if Im
riffing on a look, it would be a little
more fleece and a little less Filson.
So, unlike Smith, he was just testing the waters.
New to the game page 38
37
The eyes-wide-open approaches and

insights of older neophytes also offer a
fresh look to long-timers and help them
revisit links they had forged and lessons
they had learned so long ago...
New to the game:
38
letin board decoration in fifth grade.

Our teacher had a picture of a father
and son with an Irish setter. Shotguns
from page 36
on one knee with fall foliage behind
them. I always liked that photo. It
Monsma divulged all this while on
piqued my interest, so that when I had
the road down to WingHaven Lodge
the opportunity I was ready to try it.
in Providence, Kentucky, where he
He was prepared to learn what
would participate in his first quail
he thought were a number of comhunt.
ponents required of bird hunters. I
He explained why, with no famthink you have to be a good threeily history or experience in hunting
dimensional shooter as opposed to a
and with outdoor interests lying in
two-dimensional rifle shot. He also
other directions, he wanted to try bird mentions the need to have both dog
hunting.
handling and general woodsman
Partly it was just opportunity,
skill sets.
marrying a wife who came with an
Theres a knowledge of the
uncle who knew about such things.
birds. Where to find them. When. And
All of a sudden I was connected. So
what they look like, and fairly fast.
that was part of it.
Because I imagine that when you are
(Total disclosure: I am the
hunting for quail or grouse, someuncle.)
thing else might fly up, and you have
And I guess to some degree
to make sure youre not so amped up
theres some sort of aesthetic to it,
that you shoot the wrong thing.
too. The equipment interests me,
I guess Im looking forward to
and I find that true of a lot of things
seeing how I assimilate into all of
I enjoy doing, whether thats mounthat.
tain climbing, rock climbing, skiing,
Though as a former U.S. Marine he
backpacking. The equipment kind of
was familiar with firearms, Monsma
makes you want to get your hands on otherwise saw himself as a blank slate
it. Just the tools. Which is probably
in the world of bird hunting.
why I became a carpenter. You see a
I dont think I know enough to
cool tool and want to learn how to use know what I need to know. I guess I
it right.
have a question about other people
The third thing is a seasonal bul- in the area. How close we would be
to other parties. How situationally
aware I have to be about other parties or can I just be focused in on the
bird I want to shoot. If I have to be
aware of other parties, hunters, dogs,
houses, roads, power lines and if so,
how much that will affect my ability
to hit the birds when I shoot. Kind of
a safety issue.
Russell Edwards, owner of
WingHaven, knew what Monsmas
concerns were and what he needed
to learn. Soon after Monsma arrived,
Edwards assigned WingHavens
resident dog trainer Bobby Eddings to
give him an introduction to the birds,
the dogs, and the style of shooting he
would be experiencing there.
Monsmas biggest surprise came
from watching the dogs work.
I thought when the dogs went
on point, that sort of was the flush.
That the dogs scared up the birds. Or
that the dogs pointed and the birds
flew up on their own. I didnt know
you had to walk forward to flush the
birds.
Also I was pleasantly surprised
Bobby Eddings (left), dog trainer at
that
I actually hit some of these birds.
WingHaven Lodge in Kentucky, explains
Last
time I shot a shotgun, out of a
the most basic concepts of bird huntbox
of
25 shells, I think I hit one clay
ing to newcomer Marty Monsma.
At the end of his first full day of pheasant hunting in North Dakota, Donald J. Smith
is fully engaged, ready for more. Tailfeather Communications, LLC photos
target. I went in with low expectaly more difficult with more people
tions of myself as a shotgun shooter. hunting and kind of less controlled
Monsma found himself confrontcircumstances. But it wasnt really
ed by another aspect of the experitoo much harder.
ence we all have to make peace with:
On being a new hunter but not a
Hunting is a consumptive activity;
young one, he offered, Well, I think
one cannot unshoot a bird.
coming at an entirely new activity
One of the questions going on in when youre older forces you to be
my head was the question of willfully willing to eat humble pie, make a
taking a life. Ive never done that
lot of mistakes, go back to being an
before. Aside from fishing for sunfish absolute beginner. I think at some
and setting mousetraps. I was conpoint in growing older we dont want
cerned about how I would feel about
to take that risk. And you have to
the idea of taking a life.
take the risks to look stupid and make
Im not feeling much one way
mistakes because you will because
or the other. But toward the end of the its something youre new at.
hunt, I felt I needed to stop hunting
The experience at WingHaven
and absorb the experience. Needed to made Monsma a convert within
process what I had done and just sort
limits. He didnt contact Fox to get
of how I felt about it.
on the waiting list for a puppy. As a
Its interesting because I asked
small business owner he hasnt much
Bobby, These are pen-raised birds.
free time. He has even less, considThe ones that get away what hapering he also came to the marriage
pens? Do they become wild birds
game at a seasoned age, and he and
and procreate? His answer was no,
his wife Elizabeth currently juggle
they are usually dead by the end of
careers and two children under the
the day. Bobcats get them. Coyotes.
age of four. Plus there are the mounAnd so the twofold take-home for me tains and the ski hills that hes drawn
is one, getting shot by a shotgun and
to. But he hasnt completely elimigetting grabbed by a dog is probably
nated bird hunting from the table of
not as bad as getting bobcatted.
possibilities.
Second, theyre like chickens
And why should he? Tyro or not, he
raised on a farm except that you shoot carries the memories of an old pro:
them yourself instead of getting them
I had a really good morning.
at a store.
It was sunny. The fall foliage was
The next day, Monsma hunted
beautiful. It was good to be out in the
with Edwards, his dogs, and me.
fields with a bunch of guys. The dogs
On the drive home he analyzed the
running around doing what they love
experience.
to do.
I thought it might be significantI had hoped for that.n
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39
Tungsten is
HOT on the ice
By Mark Sak
here are a lot of

products in the ice
fishing world these
days. As with any outdoor product on the market, some wont make it
for the long run while others seem to
find a place because they truly work.
The latter is where the new tungsten
jigs fall. They fall fast as a matter of
fact. Ill get to that in a minute.
For decades we have hauled
around lead jigs which no matter
what anyone thinks really arent
good for us. Even with some of the
alloy molded ice jigs we would add
lead split shot which really again
isnt very good for us. But the issue
is we like fishing with light line and
when youve got a mess of bodacious
bluegills holding at 15 feet down and
a 20 knot wind blowing out of the
northwest, chances are we are wasting a lot of time wrestling that small
diameter line down our hole to get
a couple more bites before this nice
school moseys away. I often use nylon
sewing thread so one may imagine the
issue of getting 15 feet down the hole
without getting snagged on the crystals on to
the holes edge. Ive had some
For over 30 years, Harmon has been making effective products
beautiful
messes with that stuff.
For over
30 years,
has been
making effective
make
your
huntHarmon
a success.
Harmon
offersproducts
over ato100 scents,Now
lures,introduce
Tungsten jigs. Im
your huntscent
a success.
Harmon offers over a 100 scents, lures,
andmake
related
products.
clearly
three
seconds
faster getting
For over 30andyears,
to
related Harmon
scent products.has been making effective products
down to the fish. Thats a big deal in
make your hunt a success. Harmon offers over a 100 scents,
thelures,
ice fishing world. It works so well
that
the line will actually flow off my
and related scent products.
spin cast reel similar to a 5/8 oz jig on
the Detroit River. I watch it sink to
the bottom on my flasher. Reel it up
slightly above of the fish holding at
15 feet and bam, spring bobber down.
Its that easy almost every time. Most
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ice anglers will tell you its nice to get
a rhythm going. These jigs make it
easier to do that and I got the lead out
of my hands to boot.
6893 SULLIVAN ROAD | GRAWN, MI 49637 | CASSCREEKCALLS.COM
The fish have been very accepting
get
his
get his
get
his
attention
attention
attention
40
of these jigs. The jigs do

seem slightly bigger than
some of the other jigs out
there, but when I started using plastic
and saw how hungry gills will munch
a two-inch plastic bloodworm down
without a problem I had to adjust my
own expectations. Many of the Tungsten jigs have the hook positioned horizontally with the eyelet positioned at
a 90 degree angle but as I mentioned
the fish didnt mind. The fit and finish
seem to be great. I have found there
hasnt been a problem with paint chipping thus far and the jigs hold up well
to lurking largemouth that cant help
taking a lunch break.
Most companies are hustling to
put a Tungsten product out. They are
now in most big sporting goods stores
and readily found online. My favorites thus far have been the Skandia
Tapiola jig in perch and the Skandia
Pelkie jig in White Tiger. Cabelas is
bursting with tungsten now and Ill be
visiting them very soon. Im finding
the need to cull some of the jigs in
my ice box as Tungsten jigs work so
well.
Remember to be active on the
ice. Get your Jiffy drilling and knock
out 50 to 60 holes at varied depths.
A flasher will also put a bunch of fish
in your bucket faster. Move until you
find active fish and it wont be near
as cold this ice fishing season. First
ice usually provides a great bite as
fish havent seen much in the form
of food since fall so they are curious
and hungry. There is also much more
dissolved oxygen in the water early
in the season which makes fish more
active. Always remember to be safe
on the ice. Dont wander out too early
because the fish will still be there
when the lake locks up.
Hopefully Ill see you on the ice.n
Lower back pain

in sporting dogs
falls into two categories: surgical and
medical. The goal of
both is to reduce the amount of inflammation and improve the function of the
spinal cord and nerves. Surgery is usually done on either the disc itself, or on
the vertebrae. Results can vary and this
procedure is performed by veterinary
neurosurgeons due to the specialized
equipment needed. Also cost is a factor,
with most surgeries running into the
thousands.
Given the facts associated with surgery, most owners opt for medical treatment. Drugs commonly used include
some of the same ones given for arthritis (NSAIDS and Adequan). There are
also a few other ones that are more directed at nerve pain such as gabapentin.
One other treatment that involves spinal
injections of cortisone has shown to be
beneficial at relieving pain and restoring
some function. Chiropractic manipulation of the spine can also be useful as
well as use of laser therapy.
I have had personal experience with
this condition. Two of my German
Shepherds have both succumbed to this
condition. The worse thing is that it
does not affect their minds. Both Storm
and Saber had to be put down because
they could no longer walk. Some
people have asked me about the wheel
carts for paralyzed dogs, if those could
be used. Well, my experience with the
carts is that the larger dogs dont do as
well as the little ones. The large dogs
tend to develop pressure sores along
the inside of the back legs so they need
to be watched VERY closely. How
well the carts work also depends on the
personality of the dog, some dogs will
tolerate them well and others wont.
Mine would not.
I see lumbosacral disease in many
large breed working and hunting dogs,
not only the ones that are hunting, but
those that are just pets as well. This
makes me think that there is a strong genetic influence with this condition.
If caught early, we can delay, and
maybe halt, the progression of the disease, improving the quality of life. So
if you notice any of these signs, trouble
jumping, getting up from lying down,
or stumbling in the hind end, bring your
dog into the vet for a check over. The
earlier, the better since once the arthritis
and new bone have formed, it is impossible to reverse.
Dr. Jeff LaHuis is the owner of Sault
Animal Hospital in Sault Sainte Marie,
MI. The hospital offers full service and
sees quite a few hunting dogs as well
as pets, horses, and other animals. The
hospital also does wildlife rehabilitation
as well, seeing raptors and other birds,
deer, and small mammals. If you have
any questions, please feel free to call
at 906-635-5910, or visit the website at
www.saultanimalhospital.com.n
Click
On
Raffle
2015
Link
Dr. Jeff LaHuis DVM
ne of the more
common
complaints that
I receive is that of older hunting dogs that are having trouble
either climbing into/out of the truck or
standing up after lying down. Hunting
dogs (and just really active pet dogs as
well) can place a lot more stress on their
joints than the typical couch potato.
This increased activity can lead to
several joint problems as they age. Two
of the most common causes of these
clinical signs are arthritis (usually of
the hips) and spondylosis (which is an
increase in the amount of bone around
the vertebrae).
Typically, an owner will bring in
their dog complaining that he is now
reluctant to jump, or is showing signs
of pain when rising from lying down.
In advanced cases, the dog may also be
dragging the hind limbs, scuffing the
tops of the nails or may even be incontinent (urine or stool). Diagnostically,
a series of radiographs are needed to
determine if these signs are due to a hip
problem or a back problem.
If it is determined that the pain is
coming from arthritis of the hips, treatment is centered around reducing the
associated inflammation and protecting
the joint cartilage from further damage.
This usually is done by prescribing an
NSAID (non-steriodal anti-inflammatory drug) such as Rimadyl , Previcoxx,
and others, and a supplement such as
glucosamine. Another option is to give
a series of injections of a drug called
Adequan. This drug has been shown
to actually help heal the thin cartilage
that is found with arthritis. I have used
this drug quite a bit and have had some
pretty miraculous results with it! To the
point that some clients want me to inject
THEM with it! (Not sure it works in
people like it does in dogs!)
However, if it is determined that the
pain is coming from the back, there is a
different treatment needed. The spondylosis that arises in the spine causes
compression of the spinal canal and the
nerve roots. This is why you can get
incontinence with this condition- compression of the roots that control the
bowels. The cause of this condition,
termed Lumbosacral disease, is still a
matter of controversy. They are not sure
if there is a genetic component, or if
caused by repetitive strain to the lower
back. What is happening is that the last
intervertebral disc in the lumbar spine
(what would be in the small of your
back) starts to degenerate. When this
happens, that joint becomes more mobile, increasing the amount of stress on
all the other ligaments, etc. The body
does not like all that extra movement
and tries to prevent it by making new
bone. It is this new bone formation that
leads to the compression of the nerves.
Treatment for lumbosacral disease
41
By Marc L. Yenkel
Double back buck
he doe and fawn came trotting out of the swamp as

if being chased by a buck.
It couldnt be as it was the
middle of October and the rut
was not underway as yet. The fawn
made her way beneath me followed
her mother, never even hesitating
to taste the clover in the food plot.
It was a good thing I did not have a
doe permit in hand as I would have
taken a shot at the doe as she was
plump and good freezer fare. They
looked over their back trail several
times which prompted me to do the
same.
When I looked to the north
150 yards where the doe and fawn
had come from I saw a tree being worked over and a buck was
making a scrape. I didnt need my
binoculars to tell that this was a
shooter buck. (We practice QDM
on our property and adhere to an 8
point rule.) The buck proceeded to
follow the same path that the doe
and fawn had traveled. At 75 yards
out I could clearly see this was a
very large bodied deer and had head
gear to match. Could this be one of
the bucks I had watched this summer from the road three quarters of
a mile away?
Regardless, if he presented a
shot I was going to take it. I was
hoping he couldnt hear my heart
trying to escape from my chest. The
doe and fawn did not want anything
to do with him and when they went
behind me I took the opportunity
to grab my bow off the hanger
and stand up. As he slowly made
his way closer I was able to gain
control of my breathing and heart
rate. He closed the distance to 25
yards, but was facing me and behind some brush. He moved closer
at which time the doe and fawn
sprinted to the north again. I was
hoping he would not follow suit. He
turned broad side and began walking toward an opening below me at
twenty yards. When his head went
behind a sizeable maple tree I came
to full draw.
As his body cavity came into
full view I whistled at him, hoping
he would stop. No such luck. Another whistle garnered the same result. He continued to scent trail the
The authors buck green scored at 135.

doe and fawn and thus turned his
tail toward me. No shot. I looked
at the last rib, but had passed on so
many younger bucks in the past that
I was hoping my patience would
reward me with a shot opportunity.
He turned to his left and was heading back into the swamp. I was still
at full draw and had my sight pin
on him for at least 30 seconds. I attempted to stop him with a whistle
once more, but to no avail. He was
not walking fast and he was quar-
tering away so I decided to take the

shot.
The shot looked good, perhaps
back a bit, but with him quartering away it should work well. One
exception was that I saw about
one third of the arrow extending
from him as he ran off; not a pass
through. He ran off in the swamp
paralleling the woods and the food
plot to the north. Approximately
thirty seconds following the shot,
I heard a very loud crash to the
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mess up the blood trail with too

many human tracks, even though I
thought I heard the buck crash after
the shot northwest of my treestand.
After a sleepless night another
friend of mine, a tracking dog,
and the dogs owner started on
the blood trail once again. The
dog wanted nothing to do with the
blood trail which was still intact.
At the last blood the dog and his
master took off in a north east direction. After searching for the next
spot of blood for some time, I took
off looking for the buck through
the swamp to the north. I looked
under every blow down until I
reached the river and then searched
along the river for quite a ways.
I came back through the switch
grass swamp until I was at the spot
of last blood. Jeff was there also.
I remarked to him that I had not
made a pass through shot and saw
the deer carrying the arrow as it ran
off. Furthermore, I thought we had
blood on both sides of the trail for
a while.
We decided to back trail the
blood with Jeff on the south side of
the blood and myself on the north
side of the blood trail looking for
any sign that the buck had left.
Upon arriving at the swamp where
This is quite possibly the buck the author harvested on a trail camera back in July.
the buck had turned east I told Jeff
that I heard a crash to the west of
the blood trail. We both headed
west into the swamp. I went about
4 or 5 steps and discovered blood.
I called Jeff over and we again set
out on the trail. The blood trail was
very good and in fifty yards Jeff
yelled, There he is.
The backslapping and picture
taking followed as there was no
ground shrinkage and my estimate
of 130 inch buck was reality. The
unusual thing about the blood trail
was that he doubled back on the
exact same trail that he was on.
He turned east for 50-60 yards
and then did a 180 degree turn and
went back on the identical trail
until he continued west into the
swamp where he expired thirty

seconds after I shot him. Upon
examination of the shot we discovered that it was an excellent shot
and the Thunderhead broad head
had broken his opposite leg, thus
no exit hole or pass through.
I have had deer do a number
of different things after they have
been hit with an arrow or bullet;
circle back near to the shot site,
sprint straight away, or do nothing until they tip over. This is the
first time Ive had a deer double
back on the same trail before going
off in a different direction. Next
time you are on a blood trail of a
wise old buck dont count out the
old double back on the same trail
trick.n
northwest of me in the swamp.

I looked at my watch which
showed it to be 5:30. I texted my
wife, son, and daughter to tell them
I had shot the biggest buck of my
career. Then I texted some buddies to help me track in an hour. I
was hoping to find this buck when
it was still light out. At 6:00 I got
down out of my tree stand quietly
and went to the shot site. I found
blood immediately and headed
back to the cabin to meet Chris and
Steve.
Three of us made it back to first
blood and proceeded to follow it
without a problem. It was bright
red and there was plenty of it. My
confidence soared. However, at the
north end of the woods when I expected the blood trail to turn west,
where I heard the loud crash, it
turned to the east. The heavy blood
trail continued for another 50 60
yards when it abruptly ended. We
looked for another 30 minutes, but
to no avail. No blood in the swamp
to the north, none up the ridge,
and no blood in the swamp to the
east. Since I knew I did not get a
pass through shot, and we had not
found the arrow as yet, we decided
to come back in the morning with
a tracking dog. I did not want to
43
Michigan hunters can help fill food bank freezers with...
Sportsmen Against
Hunger program
ith Michigans deer season

winding down many hunters are bringing their harvested deer into the local
butcher shop to have the
venison processed and prepared for
the freezer. And thanks to the generosity of those same hunters, thousands
of pounds of that venison will end up
not in their home freezers, but at local
food banks and soup kitchens to feed
the states needy and hungry citizens.
The donated venison is made possible through the Michigan Sportsmen
Against Hunger program, a collaboration between the Department of
Natural Resources and a number of
conservation groups, designed to help
hunters share their bounty with the
less fortunate. Participants can donate
an entire deer, a certain number of
pounds of venison, or can simply
make a monetary donation to support
the program.
We had around 30,000 pounds of
venison donated through Sportsmen
Against Hunger last year, said Ray

Rustem, who coordinates the DNRs
participation in the program. Between the two buck tags and antlerless permits, some hunters are able to
harvest multiple deer but dont necessarily want or need that much venison
in the freezer. By participating in the
program, they are able to help feed the
hungry while continuing to enjoy their
sport.
Since 1991, Sportsmen Against
Hunger has helped connect wild game
processors with hunters by providing
a list of the processors that participate
in the program. Hunters can simply
drop off their deer at one of the facilities and the program will reimburse
the processors $1 per pound for the
venison that goes into the program.
Whats an average deer produce for hunters, about 40 pounds of
venison? Rustem asked. It costs
more than $40 for most hunters to
have a deer processed, so not all of the
processors time and expense is being
Since 1991, Sportsmen Against Hunger has helped connect wild game processors with hunters by providing a list of the processors that participate in the program. MDNR photo
reimbursed with the $1 per pound
they receive. They effectively end up
donating that lost profit and we really
appreciate their willingness to do so.
Barb Haveman, who runs Barbs Meat
Processing in Comstock Park, said

shes already processed five deer for
the program this year and predicts it
will pick up with firearm deer season.
There are so many people with-
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out food folks who are disabled or

are just trying to make ends meet.
Who wouldnt help somebody out
like? There are a lot of people who
cant afford meat. People are tickled
to death to get the venison.
Haveman said she usually charges
$75 to $80 to process a deer. At the
reimbursement rate of $1 a pound,
she barely meets her expenses let
alone makes a profit when she processes a deer for Sportsmen against
Hunger.
I still do it anyway, she said. It
helps so many people. It just gives
you a good feeling to help somebody.
Hunters who dont have an entire
deer to donate can participate in the
program by donating a pound of their
ground venison when their deer is
processed. Some meat processors
only participate in the Give-A-Pound
option rather than processing entire
deer, to hunters should check the list
of participating locations and what
services they offer before bringing
their deer in.
Dean Hall, the president of the
Michigan Bow Hunters Association,
has been managing the Sportsmen
against Hunger program for eight
years. Hes seen the program grow on

an annual basis.
Participation numbers and donations are getting to the level wed like
to see, but of course we hope it will
continue to be even more effective,
he said. We definitely understand
when people want to keep their deer
to feed their families, but a lot of
hunters will fill one tag for themselves
and then take an additional deer especially if they have doe permits.
As awareness of the program
spreads were seeing more participation from hunters, especially those
who have harvested more than one
deer, Hall said. Sportsmen Against
Hunger helped feed 150,000 families
statewide last year. Hopefully well
exceed that this year.
Hall said there are a handful of
areas in the state where participation
numbers are higher than others the
Thumb, southern central Michigan,
Kent County and Macomb County all
particularly stand out.
Over in Kent County, Barbs
Deer Processing really puts a lot
of deer through the program, every
single year, Hall said. The owner
and the workers at that facility put
110 percent effort into making sure
that theyre there to process the deer

that people want to donate.
There is a fear, Hall said, that
because of the reduction of available antlerless deer licenses available
in a number of areas this year, that
there may be fewer deer donated this
season. To make up for the potential
deficit, Hall said his group is making
an extra effort to reach out to landowners who have Deer Management
Assistance Permits, asking them to
remember the hungry this season
when they fill their permits.
Keep in mind two things, Hall
said. The donation of deer is very
important to feed the hungry. Its
staggering how many people are
working but remain below the poverty level and who have to depend on
food assistance.
And the second most important
thing is when you purchase a hunting
or fishing or trapping license, right
then and there you can donate a dollar to the Sportsmen against Hunger
program. If the license vendor doesnt
ask you if you want to donate, go
ahead and tell him you want to donate.
An administrative change in the
DNRs license sales system has made
donating at the point-of-sale easier

this year, Rustem said.
In the old days, the system
treated the donation as a separate
license and vendors had to go back
into the system and order the additional license, he explained. This
year, we reduced the number of steps
it takes to make a donation to one.
That makes it much easier for hunters
to donate.
Current records show that sportsmen have responded well to the
change.
We think the program will hit
around $70,000 in monetary donations this year, Rustem said. In the
past we collected about $25,000 a
year. This significant increase will
allow the amount of venison that goes
into the program to more than double
in one years time.
Knowing that the program will
provide a minimum of 60,000 pounds
of venison to those who utilize Michigans food banks and soup kitchens
this year is pretty astounding, and is
something our hunters can be very
proud of.
For more information on the
Sportsmen against Hunger program,
visit www.sportsmenagainsthunger.org.n
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45
Liberty Hunt...Get more kids involved in hunting

Formerly Called The Youth Hunt, It Started In the Late 1990s...By Jeff Pendergraff
he Liberty Hunt, formerly

called the Youth Hunt started
in the late 1990s. The hunt
was for kids between the
ages of 14-16 to be able to
have one weekend before the
regular rifle deer season to hunt deer
and they could take either a buck or
doe. The thought was it would get
more kids involved in hunting. It has
change a lot since it first started.
There are several changes that
depend on age, hunting on private or
public land and the type of weapon
used and the species of animal you intent to hunt. You should read pages 26
and 27 in the Michigan Hunting and
Trapping Digest to see what applies to
your child based on age, and the type
of hunting you want to introduce your
child to.
The Liberty deer Hunt is normally
the third weekend in September.
The first young hunter in this
article is Madison McPherson, who
is 10 years old. Her father Chuck
McPherson is an avid hunter who
began his career hunting with his
father Chuck Sr. on the family farm in
Northwest Michigan. Madisons first
hunt was going to take place with her
father, grandfather, and her uncle John

at their family farm.
Madison had practiced all summer
with her Ruger American Compact
223 rifle. On opening day of the Liberty Hunt Madison was in her blind
at 5 p.m. Madison was very intent on
getting her first deer on the first day
she had ever hunted. At 5:45 p.m.
a young 3-point buck came into the
field but never presented a broadside
shot to Madison. The buck moved off
and a few minutes later a large 4-point
buck came running into the field, but
like the first buck never presented a
broadside shot.
Madison looked at her dad and
said its OK; at least we are seeing
deer! While Madison was having a
snack, her father told her to get ready
a nice buck was coming into the
field. Madisons dad assisted her with
getting her shooting sticks ready and
Madison settled the scope behind the
bucks shoulder.
The buck was quartering away and
was about 100 yards away. Madison
took a deep breath and squeezed
the trigger on her 223 caliber rifle.
Madison believes her dad was more
nervous than she was. The buck
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dropped instantly and then got up

and ran off into the swamp. Madison,
her father, her grandfather and Uncle
John tracked the buck about 75 yards
into the swamp before they found it.
Madison was very excited and amazed
at how big her buck was. She looked
at her dad and said I guess this is the
reason I didnt get a shot at the other
bucks. After finding her buck, her
father helped Madison attached her
first tag on the gambrel on her very
first deer.
Now, there has been three generations to have taken a deer on their
family farm. What a way to start
Madisons hunting career, shooting a
nice buck and having her grandfather,
father and uncle with her. Something
none of them will ever forget!
Our second hunt involves Jake
Huspen and his father John. Jake
is 8 years old and has been looking
forward to his first hunt after hunting with his father several times last
year. Jake was a little nervous about
the hunt and the thunderstorm approaching from the west. It was 7:10
am when Jakes father noticed a deer
through the binoculars, his dad turned
to Jake and told Jake to get his gun
there was a deer. Jake thinking his

dad was making him practice again
stated Dad, I dont need to practice
this morning. His dad told him that it
wasnt a practice there was a deer in
the field. Jake got the gun ready and
slowly put the barrel out the window of the blind. Jake was watching
through the scope and was very patient with finding a good shot picture.
After about five minutes of Jake
watching two bucks, he turned to
his dad and said he thought he heard
something out of the other window
in the blind, but his dad couldnt hear
anything. Just then a doe decided to
give three blows either at the two
bucks or the hunters in the blind,
she was never seen. The two bucks
just kept eating in the food plot. The
thunderstorm was getting closer,
when one of the two bucks walked
into an open lane. Jake took aim, his
father told him to take the shot if he
felt he had it. After about 30 seconds
Jake began squeezing the trigger on
his Ruger American Compact Rifle
chambered in 7mm-08, the buck was
quartering away at 60 yards when the
shot rang out. The buck dropped in his
tracks, the shot hit just in front of the
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Madison McPherson, 10, with her first buck.

the 2013 season ended Braddock was
determined to harvest a duck.
For Christmas Braddock received
his own decoys, lines, weights and
bag. In no time he had his blocks
prepped and ready for the 2014 season. He also enjoys practicing with
his calls and teaching his little brother
Bennett the art of calling ducks.
Sometimes it gets a little loud in the
Payne house. At the 2014 Saginaw
Bay Waterfowl Festival Braddock
competed in the Fletching Division of
the Duck Calling Contest. Braddock
Jake Huspen, 8, with his first buck. Braddock Payne, 7, successful duck hunter.
called for three rounds and ended up
winning first place, after the competition he offered to give lessons to his
father.
All of these events were leading
up the 2014 youth waterfowl season
and Braddock was extremely excited.
All summer he continued to practice
calling, prepping his equipment and
spent hours setting up play hunting blinds in the front yard shooting
pretend ducks with his little brother.
When the time finally arrived, Braddock and his dad made the short trip
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to Farwell, they walked through the

woods and arrived to the pond where
he accompanied his dad on numerous
hunts before. The decoys were set up
right next to the cattails with a pocket
in the middle and a mojo teal was set
up to the right of the spread.
When the sun came up the ducks
began to fly. A hen wood duck flew
into the spread, just like the year
prior. However, this one was much
closer. Braddocks dad gave him
the OK. Braddock cocked the hammer, turned the safety off, carefully
aimed and pulled the trigger. He shot
his first duck, what an experience
and something he and his dad will
never forget. By the end of the hunt
Braddock harvested two wood ducks
and one mallard. Duck was served
for dinner at the Payne household
that night. Braddock and his dad are
looking forward to many more years
hunting together in this great state
These three hunting stories are
great examples of fathers not only
spending quality time with their kids,
but teaching them the correct way to
hunt and introducing them hopefully
to a lifelong tradition that they can
pass on to their children.
Author is Jeff Pendergraff, retired
Captain with the Law Enforcement
Division of the DNR and owner of JP
Trophyhunts.n
Grand Rapids, MI 616-538-5000

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left shoulder. After seeing the buck

fall Jake said, I got him, Jake then
put another round in the chamber and
placed the safety on. His dad told
him to watch the deer to make sure it
didnt get up, the deer never moved
and Jake put the gun in the corner of
the blind and the successful hunter
began celebrating buy giving his dad
a big hug. Just then the sky opened up
and it began pouring rain, with lightning and thunder everywhere.
Jake was very patient, enough to
wait 12 minutes for the right shot and
he was rewarded with his first ever
deer, an eight point buck.
Braddock Payne is seven years
old and has accompanied his father
to the duck blind for the past 3 years.
He is always eager to spend time
with his father either hunting, fishing, trapping or camping. After much
practice with his .410, Braddock was
able to start hunting waterfowl during
the 2013 season. Last season he was
able pull the trigger one time on a
beautiful wood duck that landed just
outside the spread. When the shot
rang out shot splashed in the water
surrounding the lone duck. The duck
flew away and Braddock didnt know
what to think but he was hooked. As
47
Outdoor Safety And First AidBy Jonathan Schechter
Confession of a mishap on a lake
he glaciers enriched Michigan with lakes of all sizes

and shapes; lakes that support winter recreation activities of every imaginable
focus ranging from anglers
staring solemnly down into dark
holes to high-speed ice boats racing
with the winds. Recreational ice related accidents and fatalities on our
frozen waters occur every winter.
Many of these tragedies result from
a combination of four factors; the
excitement to accomplish a goal
combined with poor judgment
and poor decision making based
upon inadequate information. The
fact of the matter is that anyone
that ventures onto ice even during
periods of extended extreme cold
like we had last winter must make
a personal decision to do so and accept the fact there is risk associated
with the choice to put ice between
ones boots and water.
This true tale documents an
accident involving a nature-hungry
hiker on a lake in Oakland County
The beaver lodge was the lure to trek solo across the hidden kettle lake.
early in February of 2014. Although the incident never made the
news the facts were easy to gather.
The sequence of events and series
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of missteps are not disputed. And

maybe it was just the unique photo
opportunity (or sheer stupidity)
or perhaps the fantasy of a four
figure payment for a dramatic This
happened to me! story sale that encouraged the involved party to click
some images on his camera ---after
he broke through ice and before he
wiggled to safety on shore.
That person was me.
Society and attend their seminars to

keep my skills sharp as I blend my
two professions as a naturalist and
a paramedic. And being certified in
Advanced Wilderness Life Support and having completed specialized training in the mountains of
North Carolina as a Wildness EMT
I could write volumes about the
physiology of hypothermia and
other cold weather environmental
emergencies. But on that frigidly
cold morning last February I broke
all rules and let my guard down and
ignored those four factors that are
the catalysts for ice accidents and
deaths. I was excited to accomplish
a task. I used poor judgment. I used
poor decision making and I had
inadequate information. The mercury had remained below zero for
most of the week and the ice was
solid and in my opinion NOTHING
could go wrong.
The story unfolded on

a small kettle lake with
an active beaver lodge
A break in the weather created

an opportunity to capture some
images of the snow-capped beaver
lodge I planned on using in my
former blog for The Oakland Press.
Kettle lakes are very common in
Michigan and were created by
Everyone thinks it
blocks of ice that broke free from
cant happen to them
retreating glaciers and sank into the
And up until that day I knew
soft earth as sediments gathered
it could not and would not haparound them. Many of these woodpen to me. I know my stuffso I
land surrounded lakes are producthought. After all, I scribble words
tive fishing sites and are nourished
for publication about outdoor safety by small streams and springs.
and situational awareness. I am a
I arrived in the snow covered
paramedic with over twenty years
parking lot of an isolated heavof experience, some in a busy
ily wooded Oakland County park
hospital emergency department. I
early in the morning. No one else
have assisted in ice-rescues. I am a was there and I would be the first
member of the Wilderness Medical to break snow. I always carry a
Drive-in housekeeping camp for Walleye, Pike & Smallmouth

ATV-in island outpost on Wenebegon Lake for Walleye & Pike
Train-in outpost on Goldie Lake for Pike & Smallmouth
Black Bear hunts, high success rates, area over 300 sq. miles
Limited availability remaining at both outpost camps
705-864-0201 Chapleau, Ontario / 352-503-9577 Nov. 1 - April 30

Web: www.fivemilelake.com Email: fivemilelake@xplornet.com
What If? day pack that includes

the basics; fire-starter, compass,
signaling mirror, first aid supplies,
knife, 50 feet of paracord, a bag of
nuts and berries; and in the winter, dry socks, extra fleece and a
brilliant orange tube shelter. The
hike to the lake would be only one
half mile and so I left the pack in
my jeep, strapped on my snowshoes and trekked off into a winter
wonderland. What could possibly
go wrong? Oh yes, I also left my
rescue grip ice awls that usually
hang around my neck for ice ventures back in the car for we were in
the midst of a record-breaking deep
freeze and this lake was small
and rock solid.
In 20 minutes I was standing on the lakeshore in splendid
solitude admiring the far-shore
beaver lodge through my telephoto
lens and watching a red tailed
hawk perched near the shoreline.
Coyote tracks cut across the lake.
I slowly trudged across the lake at
its widest point enjoying the raw
radiance and incredibly beauty of
this small spring fed lake. I was
not thinking about the spring.
Upon reaching the lodge I captured
images of crow tracks and coyote
tracks on and around the lodge.
The wind picked up a bit sending
dry oak leaves skittering across the
hard packed snow that capped the
lakea lake that is about 60 feet
deep. With my mission accomplished and my face feeling numb
from the cold I decided to take a
different much shorter route back
via a small hill (glacial moraine)
about 100 yards away and follow
the heavily wooded hilltop back to
the trails. All went well for about
two minutes as I continued to
trudge along in snowshoes heading
for the east shore with my camera
dangling around my neck.
And then, about

25 yards from shore
I felt myself sinking
The snowshoe tracks document the authors short route from the beaver lodge to
the point of initial breakthrough. Jonathon Schechter photo
extra weight of the drifted snow
also reduced how much weight
the ice sheet could support and my
addition of 180 pounds was that
tipping factor of extra weight.
With my legs stinging as water
froze in my pants, and my feet and
fingers already numb I shuffled
back bushwhacking through the
hilly woods with a thought that
stays with me today: PFDs arent
just for summer anymore. And

from now on situation awareness
will apply to me as well, not just
the other guy. The ice awls? They
go with me too from now on.
Jonathan Schechter is a naturalist/paramedic living in Brandon
Township and the Nature Education Writer for Oakland County
Parks. JonathanSchechter@Frontier.com n
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I was not even sure what happened until icy cold water reached
my thighs and then my left hip

as I fell forward. My left leg was
fully submerged in the water and
I could hear ice-crackling. My
right leg was acting like a brake
and was partially wedged in the
hole. I spread my arms. (At least
I got that right.) It took about 30
seconds of wiggling to pull my
left leg out of the water and another 20 seconds to roll onto my
side as water washed over the
ice and cracking continued. With
the camera still around my neck
and dry except for lens splashes
I snapped a few images. For the
few next seconds I crawled like
a fiddler crab in a sidewise manner to reach the shoreline that was
a ropes toss away but seemed to
be miles away. Finally I grabbed
onto some cattail stalks and willow
branches and pulled myself up onto
terra firma.
As I sat stunned in a snowdrift
on the shore it became obvious I
broke through near where a hillside
seep or spring fed the lake. Most
of the hillside trees were oak trees,
with the exception of where I came
ashore. Willow, aspen and cattails
were thick where I finally reached
shore. I had failed in my situational
awareness and walked straight
onto one of the thinnest sections of
icean area where the movement
of spring fed water underneath
coupled with the insulating factors
of snow drifts near the east shore
of the lake had created an extreme
hazard situation. I also remembered thick cattail stands and tree
roots near the waters edge can
slow or weaken the formation of
ice.
I had paid no attention to the
natural warnings of the shoreline
tree species and the fact that because the lake was spring fed there
are some areas that do not freeze
and the fact that ice thickness varies due to the underlying current.
I wondered too if perhaps beavers
had carved a channel late in fall
to reach their harvest site. All the
gnawed stumps said yes. And the
49
Ice fishing is not fun when youre cold...
Comfort
Catching
Is
When it comes to catching start to fall, even just slightly, the regard of catching fish becomes secondfish through a hole in the ary over warming up.
All that and, well, ice fishing is not
ice, an anglers total
fun when youre cold. Just sayin.
concentration on the
Rise And Shine
fishing at hand is critical.
Your highly-anticipated day of ice
fishing is here. Heck, you even woke

ut when you are cold, your at- before the alarm went off. But theres
tentiveness centers on warm- much to do before even getting your
ing up rather than the poslong johns on that will help you stay
sibility of a strike thats about warm all day long.
to occur.
Number one would be to shower.
Need an example?
Yeah, thats right, shower.
Take the conditions caused by the Body oils and perspiration, when left
glacial water temperature below the
on your skin, will evaporate throughfrozen facade, for one; it has every
out the day, and when that happens it
cold-blooded fish moving in slow
cools your body. Thus why we sweat
motion. A bite from a frigid fish in
in the first place. In short: Clean up
these cold conditions can be so light
and youll stay warmer longer.
its easily missed all together unless
Once showered and dressed in
youre totally focused on your line.
your first layer dont put all your days
Without a doubt, you need to give clothing on yet, or you will sweat and
attention to every little nuance ice
your clothing with become damp; thus
fishing offers up at all times.
your bathing effort will be nil and
Its all because, unlike fishcrea- void its time to hydrate.
tures born with the ability to live with
Before your first cup of coffee or
a body temperature the same as their
tea--which the caffeine in both will
surroundings us warm-blooded
dehydrate you--drink a full glass of
humans need to be in surroundings
water. The fact is our bodies need just
that allow us to keep our bodys core
as much re-hydration during the cold
at a comfortable temperature. And the months as we do during the heat of
very moment our body temperature
the year maybe even more. There
are so many reasons why that I cant
fit them all into this article, thus youll
just have to trust me on this one.
In brief: Drink water right off
the bat, and plan on drinking more
throughout the day. Your blood will
flow better to your extremities; that is,
your hands and feet will stay warmer
all day long. And eat a healthy breakfast before you head out the door. A
properly fueled body is a warm body.
Dress Code
From The Outside In
50
While mittens will keep your hands

warmer overall, and are great for when
riding out on a quad or snowmobile, good
gloves are better for tasks on the ice.
One of the biggest mistakes anyone can make when planning to stay
warm in the outdoors during the winter months is to only don a few layers
of too-heavy of clothing. Instead, its
best to wear many light layers than
one overly-stuffed coat. And as for
that last, outer layer, it should be as
wind and water resistant as possible,
yet, allow the air made moist by perspiration to escape.
Proper clothing, high-quality boots and an insulated shanty are all essential for the author,
Mark Martin, if he is to ice fish all day in comfort. David Rose photos
The IceArmor outerwear I sport
is not only a great wind- and water
-resistant outer layer, but is one of
the best-fitting garments I own.
And with all the heavy-duty zipper
and hook-and-loop openings, I can
open or close the bibs and parkas so
that just the right amount air flows
through, which will keep me dry all
day long.
Overall, the next layer inside up
top is often a sweat shirt, followed by
a lightweight long-sleeve shirt and
then a thin shirt made to wick sweat
away from my skin. IceArmors
Base Layer Poly Top, with brushed
fleece lining, is the perfect example
of the later. Its comfortable to
wear, and sweat wont soak up
into it like it would with, say, a
cotton T-shirt.
As for my legs, I sport my usual
pants under my bibs, with another
IceArmor Base Layer next - their poly
bottoms, which have the same properties as their top.
All the above-mentioned attire,
when worn together, will keep my
bodys core temperature at its peak.
And a tepid core is what allows warm
blood to flow to your feet and hands.
But of course, warm blood flowing to your extremities doesnt mean
you dont need high-quality hand and
footwear. By far the warmest, mostcomfortable boots I have even worn
is IceArmors Onyx boots. They are
super water resistant, and have removable liners for over-night drying of
any moisture.
As for hands, its a fact that mittens will keep your hands warmer
overall over gloves. This makes mittens, such as IceArmors Ultra Mitt
perfect for riding to your spot on a
quad or snowmobile, while gloves
such as their Edge Gloves great for
tasks like checking tip-up and the like.
And nothings better for keeping
body heat in ones body that wearing a
hat at all times. Again, you can overdo
the insulation value of head gear and
become too hot and sweat. And, again,

as that sweat evaporates, youll get
cold.
Moving Day
While its natural to want to

bundle up in all your clothing as soon
as you get to the lake, dont. The one
thing you do not want to do is start to
sweat while getting to your spot and
setting up the shanty. And this is why
layering clothing is a better choice
you can add or subtract layers as you
heat up or cool off.
And as for a shanty, if youre able
to have one, its a great idea to get
one that is insulated. The Otter Pro
XT1200 Shelter I use, for example,
has a fully sewn, quilted Thermal
1200 Denier outer shell, which holds
in heat from any source. And, as a
bonus, the outer shell of an insulated
portable shanty is much quieter when
its windy out than one not insulated.
This will hep you concentrate better
on the fishing at hand, too.
Comfortable Conditions
Ice fishing is meant to be fun. But

if youre cold, it will not be so. Start
your day off with a hot shower, and
drink plenty of water and eat well.
Next, dress in many light layers over
one or two heavy ones, and dont
overdress before getting to your spot.
And if youre lucky enough to buy
a portable shanty, make sure you get
one with insulated walls.
Oh, and get up and move around every so often to get your blood flowing.
Do all this, and youll stay warm all
day, and your concentration will be on
catching fish rather than warming up.
Mark Martin is a touring walleye tournament pro and ice-fishing
instructor with the Ice-Fishing Vacation/School, who lives in Michigans
southwest Lower Peninsula. For
more information concerning this
article, Marks fishing career or the
Ice-Fishing Vacation/School, check
out his website at markmartins.net.n
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HOLIDAY WATERFOWLING
S
ome of the best goose and duck hunting comes during the late season and for
many Michigan hunters going outdoors
is a unique way to celebrate the New
Year. Southern Michigan has a late duck
and goose hunt on December 27 and
28. Most duck species have migrated
south but there are still plenty of mallards available to those willing to brave the elements.
You can harvest two geese per day, four mallards
per day and this year two can be hens. Then, come
2015 there is a goose hunt in southern Michigan that
begins January 17 and runs through February 14. The
winter hunt is only for geese and you can harvest five
per day and have 15 in possession. A base license
is required along with a state and federal waterfowl
stamp. The license you used during fall are legal for
the winter season. Consult the Michigan Waterfowl
Digest for shooting dates, hours, possession limits
and more.
Christmas passed and New Year s Eve was coming when I turned on the Mojo motion decoys, carefully scanning the horizon for early morning flights.
When they appeared like a dream come true, the
sight of many birds made the scene overpowering.
No matter which way I turned, there were formations of giant Canada geese escorted by fast moving
squadrons of mallards. They crisscrossed the sky in
ribbon-like lines, circled the decoys, then cupped
wings and swooshed 30 yards away. My Benelli
Super Black Eagle II broke the morning silence
followed by the thump of a bird crashing to solid
ground. In twenty minutes I had my limit of flight
mallards. But rather than packing we turned off the
rotating duck decoys and set out full body Big Foot
goose decoys. A squadron of giant Canada geese
circled close and we remained motionless until they
cupped wings turned slowly into the wind and glided
into the realistic decoy spread. Two more shots
and I limited out with a combination of large drake
mallards and giant Canada geese that would tip the
scales at around 12 pounds each. What a hunt!
Now, isnt it about time you sampled Michigans
superb late-season waterfowling. Try it and I guarantee you will be hooked for life. Seems the fastpaced shooting fun is addictive. Many outings are
highlighted by early morning gunning action that is
top-notch wonderful.
Late season hunting is not always easy. In fact, it
rarely is; unless you follow some guidelines that lead
to success. We all know the negatives of late season
hunting: bitter cold, freezing rain, mud filled fields,
ice-covered water, fewer birds, no hunters to move
birds, birds that are skittish from hunting pressure,
and waterfowl that hole up on sanctuaries where you
cannot hunt them. But dont overlook the pluses to
this hunt as well: rain and snow concentrate birds,
fewer hunters are out so birds revert to normal feeding patterns, throughout southern Michigan birds are
available, the birds you harvest will be the largest of
the entire year offering an opportunity to take huge
geese and drake mallards highlighted by double curl
tail feathers and beautifully colored green heads.
Late-season duck and goose hunting is different
than any other waterfowl adventure, though. Special
tactics are required to outwit wary birds. Here are
some strategies that have worked for me.
Find birds and get on them. Never make the common mistake of going hunting without doing your
homework first. In order to cash in on hot late season
Place decoys where you scouted feeding birds and stay away from fence rows, trees or woodlots. Use harvested
birds as decoys by tucking their heads under their wings. Kenny Darwin photos
wing decoys should be banned because they are too
gunning action you need to follow the golden rule:
scout and continue to scout. This requires you spend effective. Well, it is my opinion that these critics do
time afield or in your vehicle following local flocks
not know what they are talking about. Like any other
tactic, there are some tricks you need to learn in
to determine their daily flying pattern. Most huntorder to make Mojo the ultimate duck slayer. Beers prefer to locate a stubble corn field where birds
sides, any sportsman is certainly in favor of limiting
are landing. Now, it is a matter of setting up decoys
his kill, not just killing his limit. Bag limits are set
before daylight and waiting for incoming birds at
their dinner table. Other hunters like to ambush birds by state and federal agencies to protect duck populations. If zillions of hunters go over the bag limit
along open water flyways.
Michigan hosts a variety of streams, rivers, lakes there is cause for concern, if not, the impact of rotatand ponds offering open water for late-season birds. ing wing decoys is minimal. I invite any outdoorsman to come hunt with me in a blizzard, freezing
If weather is cold you can find birds on larger rivers, but a January thaw can open water on lakes and rain or ear piercing howling wind, and then lets talk
about not using tactics that draw ducks. Fact is, any
ponds. These areas offer excellent gunning when
rotating wing decoy will help to draw ducks, some
birds flee the pressure of opening day and head for
roosting hotspots. The most important element in this will dive into easy range but far more will ignore the
spinning decoy and land in an area that is far from
endeavor is to scout thoroughly and set an ambush
harms way. The trick with motion decoys is to use
for birds that you have located and identified their
fully charged 6-volt batteries that will keep the wings
movement patterns.
turning the entire hunt on a cold day. Savvy hunters
Im amazed at the number of sanctuaries availuse several rotating wing decoys along with a large
able for ducks and geese. Just take a look at ponds
spread of decoys.
along the expressways and inner-city parks found
If Im hunting ducks on open water I use motion
in Flint, Pontiac, Detroit, Kalamazoo, Battle Creek,
Lansing, Ann Arbor and more, which offer protection decoys to bring life to the deks and suck birds from
the sky like a duck tornado. My strategy is simple;
from hunters, open water for roosting and availabilI use very few decoys, less than a dozen and most
ity of green grass. The other important element that
can dictate numbers of birds in your area is weather. are moving. I want them swimming, diving, splashing and the activity draws birds like no other. Im
A cold winter blast highlighted by deep snow and
finished with large stationary decoy spreads. Ive
sub-zero temperatures can send birds scurrying
south. On the other hand, warming trends highlighted sold my stationary duck decoys on eBay. Today I use
by balmy south winds can bring migrating birds back Mojo Mama Jama and Mojo Flyway Feeders. The
feeders are duck butts with a water pump that mimic
overnight.
feeding ducks. The Mama Jama is a spinning wing
The past few years Ive incorporated motion
decoy with unique keel that creates the V pattern like
decoys to my duck spread. This tactic is deadly for
mallards. My choice is a pair of Mojo magnum mal- a swimming duck. The idea is to make decoys come
lards used on stakes above full body mallard decoys. alive with motion and send ripples across the water
They are hooked up to remote control and the spinsurface to draw ducks from long distances.
ning wings resemble the action of a duck landing.
After years of experimentation Ive hit on a
Mojos realism is unsurpassed and the results have
been impressive. Some conservationists feel spinning
Holiday waterfowling next page
By Kenny Darwin
55
Holiday waterfowling:
from page 55
decoy spread that will out produce any other. I use

Mojo Super mallards, Mojo Flyway Feeders and
Mama Jama all at the same time. Of course Ill toss
in a few stationary magnum mallards with flocked
feathers. My goal is to create a duck feeding frenzy
that wild birds cannot resist. The trick is to set the
decoys close together and imitate a flock of birds
going nuts over food. I affectionately refer to my
modern decoy spread as the No fly zone because I
decoy ducks so close they are easy to shoot and few
fly away.
Like all hunting endeavors, it pays to spend time
outdoors when the conditions work to your advantage. Any wise water fowler will tell you that the
best time to be in the field is during a storm. This
is certainly true for winter duck and goose hunting.
And if I were to pick a day for hot gunning it would
be the morning of low hanging slate gray clouds
spitting rain, sleet or snow. Birds are not crazy about
flying in an all-out blizzard, but they seem to like
to use snow squalls to cover their raids on local
fields. Days that are highlighted by dark skies hanging low to the horizon are perfect for success. Ive
learned to sleep in if the sky is clear, temperatures
have plummeted during the night and there is a light
north wind following a high- pressure weather front.
These conditions cause birds to huddle tight in an
effort to keep watery roosting sites from freezing
solid.
Pinpointing food sources is the key to hunting
success. The rest can be relatively easy. Use white
camo in snow. Set out as many decoys as possible
56
when field hunting and place a string of decoys

downwind from the bulk of your spread. Incoming birds will swing upwind and follow the decoys
to the main spread. Wary geese having seen a lot
of hunting pressure can be difficult to decoy into
shotgun range. Some savvy hunters lay 40 yards
downwind from the blocks to intercept geese that
swing out of gun range from the spread. Deadly
concealment is achieved by using a layout blind.
For winter hunts blinds are very warm and comfortable, waterproof and the adjustable back support is
worth a million bucks when you want to take a nap.
Use calls, but not too loudly or aggressively. Some
winter hunters stop calling when birds are 400 yards
from the decoys. More often than not, morning
hunts are the most productive and when you overshoot or burn up a field, refocus your energies on
scouting a new hunting hot spot.
Positioning decoys to attract smart birds is
an art. Some field layouts draw birds like a magnet, while other spreads seem to cause birds to be
alarmed and they flare when they get a good look at
the decoys. Try to place stand-up heads on the outside of the spread facing toward the center, as if they
are walking to the center to join the feeding spree.
Dont make the common mistake of setting decoys
too close together. Try placing several close together, giving a few yards spacing, and then stringing a
couple decoys between each flock, to imitate family
groups. Full body goose decoys are expensive to buy
but they will often cure your problems with birds
that are decoy shy.
Last winter I joined a group of hunters on the
Grand River near Lansing. We bagged plenty of
ducks and some geese to boot. The secret to our
success was simple. Our guide found birds resting where the river forms a side channel swamp,
Flight mallards landing on a Michigan river is a beautiful

sight. Late season mallard hunts can be productive if you
locate open water hideouts that birds are using.
highlighted by a shallow sand bar. Birds preferred

to rest along the sand bar. We placed several floating
decoys in the side current and put sleeper shells and
resting full body decoys on the sand bar. The spread
looked like relaxed birds, resting between meals. We
used no stand up decoys, period. Ducks swarmed the
spread at dawn, cupping wings and landing in our
floaters. Come noon geese returning from nearby
fields would circle overhead, swing downwind, drop
landing gear and drop into decoys set near shore. We
had an exciting hunt, perhaps the best of the year.
the kind of action that you would not want to miss,
especially if you want to celebrate the coming of a
new year.n
Traditional Black Powder Hunting...By Dennis Neely
As it should be
bedded deer gazed west.

A slight, damp-smelling,
November breeze caressed
the resting, almost invisible body, tail to nose, south
to north. Ears forward,
eyes searching, the woodland tenant
concentrated on the earthen trail that
snaked between the nasty thicket and
the huckleberry swamp. A fog-like
mist hung suspended as if it sought to
defy the ancient rules of Nature and
not settle upon the wet oak leaves
that carpeted the forest floor.
Not wishing to disturb the doe, an
Ojibwe-raised hunters buffalo-hide
moccasins stepped backwards, slow,
deliberate. The chance discovery
altered the course of the still-hunt.
Safe behind the ridges abrupt crest,
the woodsman plunged deeper into
the mystique of a far-from-ordinary
The Ojibwe-style wool leggins, fashioned

after a pair used by Sir John Caldwell
in the late 1770s, began to show normal
wear by the middle of the fall turkey
season. Wild Rivertree photo
Saturday evening in the Year of our

Lord, 1798.
After a long pause, the still-hunt
resumed, diverted to the upper-most
doe trail of the steep hills eastern
slope. A dozen Sandhill cranes chortled overhead, winging their way to
the River Raisins muddy flats, freed
overnight of the unseasonable colds
first ice. A raspberry switchs sharp
talons clawed at a wool leggin. Nine
Sandhills passed over, then eight,
then eleven. Ten minutes later, Keeyonk, yonk, yonk, kee, kee-yonk
echoed in the hardwoods as seven
Canada geese flew to the river.
About then, the ridge crest made
a gentle bend to the west. Again the
hunt-worn moccasins stalked up the
rise. I inched ahead. My eyes surveyed the steep slope. The doe was
still bedded, still gazing west, less
than forty paces upwind.
Taking a cautious step, sometimes two, I watched the does head
As it should be next page
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As it should be:
from page 57
and ears. The stalk descended to two
powder-keg-sized cedar trees that
grew close together at the edge of
the hardwoods. Moisture damped
a leggin-clad knee as my fingers
pulled away soggy leaves, exposing the mossy dirt at the base of
the smaller tree. A strong moldy
smell filled the air. The larger cedar
blocked the majority of my deathly
shape.
Once seated on the wool-blanket
bedroll, I checked the Northwest
guns prime, closed the frizzen and
tucked the lock under the blousy
linen sleeve of my right forearm. A
fox squirrel crawled out on a dead
branch that projected from a red oak,
growing ten paces downhill. Two
more big strings of geese ke-honked
overhead. The doe remained in her
bed, showing no signs of concern.
Well ahead of last light, a noticeable darkness fell upon my lair.
A sudden chill tickled my nose and
nipped at my cheeks. I glanced at
the doe, then noticed tiny, silvery
moisture beads clinging to the linen
shirts upper sleeve. The dark-blue
wool leggin that covered my left

knee felt damp, too.
The haze grew thicker, and in a
few moments the mist turned to an
intermittent drizzle. Already soaked,
the cedar boughs above did little to
block the sprinkle. Not long after,
the soft patter of droplets striking
soggy leaves crescendoed into the
din of a steady rain.
I felt the lock press against the
inside of my forearms muscle; the
precious prime was dry and safe.
Water started pooling in the cupped
oak leaves out front. Then tiny rivulets spilled from one oversized red
oak leaf in particular, warning that
a scant blood trail would be washed
away in minutes.
The curtain of falling orbs turned
the bedded doe into a grayish silhouette. With great reluctance, I scrambled to my feet, crept over the ridge
and back tracked on the upper-most
doe trail of the steep hills eastern
slope.
For me, no challenge in the
outdoor world offers more exhilaration, more personal satisfaction, than
turning back the clock and romping

with the tenants of the forest. While
others crave the latest and greatest
technical innovations, the traditional
black powder hunter sheds what
is for what was and loves every
heartbeat spent in his or her 18thcentury paradise.
The creation of a new persona
that of an individual captured in his
early teens, adopted into an Ojibwe
family in the Lower Great Lakes and
who returns to white society later in
life, but cannot give up the woodland
habits ingrained in his youthhas
occupied much of the last two years.
This time-traveling adventure
has not been without frustration,
hardship and failures, for the path to
yesteryear is never easy. But among
the overwhelming benefits of such
a journey are a tremendous sense of
achievement and a deeper feeling of
kinship with those whose moccasins
tread upon Michigans soil, two-plus
centuries ago.
Through those hearty individuals writings and a smattering of preserved artifacts, these same hunter
heroes act as the modern-day living
historians guide to a bygone era.
Item-by-item the traditional woodsman assembles a period-correct
BOOKS/DVDS BY RICHARD P. SMITH
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wardrobe, based solely on historical

fact, tempered by experimentation in
the wilderness classroom.
For example, the returned captive persona, as this characterization
is called, required center-seamed
moccasins, wool leggins and breechclout, two square-cut trade shirts, a
woven sash, silk head scarf, a wool
trade blanket, butcher knife, tomahawk, Northwest gun and supporting
accoutrements.
At first this hunting philosophy
sounds a bit daft, but consider the
unbounded joy of taking to the glade
outfitted with clothing, accoutrements and a smoothbore of your own
manufacture, loaded with a death
sphere cast over an open fire.
And further, try to understand
how coming upon a solitary, bedded white-tailed deer, circling
upwind, stalking down a hillside
in plain sight, sitting a spell, then
leaving without that deer realizing
death lurked but forty-paces distant
heightened that experience in a 1798
context. Imagine the satisfaction, the
sense of achievement, the feeling of
kinship with ones long-dead hunter
heroes.
One such guide is Sir John
Caldwell who collected an impres-
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sive array of personal possessions

that reflect the Native American
material culture of the 18th-centurys
last quarter.
Sent to Fort Niagara in 1774 and
then on to Fort Detroit from 1777 to
1780, Caldwell was a British officer
in the Kings Eighth Regiment of
Foot. While at Detroit, he acted as
an interpreter and frequently lived
among the Ojibwe who called him
Apetto, the Runner.
Caldwells scarlet wool leggins,
ornamented with silk ribbons and
white trade beads, served as the primary artifact used to create the wool
leggins I wore that day. In addition,
two other surviving leggin examples
attributed to southern Michigan corroborated the commonality of the
design.
I chose dark blue wool because I
feared scarlet might spook a longbearded gobbler in spring or warn
settling mallards or geese in the fall.
But the description from the Canadian Museum of Civilizations image
of the leggins gave dimensions
that did not fit my legs. I studied a
photo of the oil painting of Sir John,
Soldiering for the King, 1780, that
hangs in Liverpool, England, and
adjusted the length in proportion to
my stature.
The scariest moment came when
the scissors sliced through the wool
fabric, after that excitement drove
the project. I pulled the wool tight
around the bare leg, tack-stitched
each legs contour, thigh to ankle,
then began hand-sewing. Once
properly fitted, I trimmed the two
side flaps to match the shape of the
Caldwell leggins and sewed on the
thin wool strap that suspends the leggin top from the breechclouts waist
support.
Next I bound the exposed edge
of each flap with hand-dyed silk
ribbonsan earthy rust color for the
front and pearl gray for the back
using a petite running stitch. On the
upper flap a hands width of ribbon
hung free, and I stitched an equalsized strip of the opposite color
behind each flap, a decorative touch
that duplicated the originals.
Adding edge beading is a tedious
task. My alter egos Ottawa-style
shot bag is edged with white beads
and cobalt blue adorns his Ojibwe
split pouch. Careful and deliberate choices enhance the authenticity and overall impression; I opted
not to add the beading to the flaps,
choosing instead to wait and assess
un
O u t d o o r Fo f
f o r k id s
all ages
O n ly
$ 9.9 9
each
An 18th-century
wool leggin is
sewn as a simple
tube that fits the
legs contours.
Excess material is left to the
outside to form
a pair of flaps, a
common design in
that era. Ribbonwork usually
denotes a Native
American influence.Wild Rivertree photo
how the wool and silk ribbon leggins withstood still-hunting in thick
cover.
When I pulled off the damp
leggins that evening, I noticed an
abundance of burrs and sticktights;
briars and brambles left small tears
in the rust-colored ribbons; and dirt
and mud were ground into the weave
at the knees and down the calves

and that is as it should be.
Give traditional black powder
hunting a try, be safe and may God
bless you.
Dennis Neely maintains a web
site devoted to traditional hunting at
www.traditionalblackpowderhunting.
com.n
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59
Fishing 411 On The Road...By Mark Romanack
Alaska, an anglers paradise

When the dust had settled on day one
we ended up catching more pinks than
we could count and four bonus silvers.
Day Two
On day two we continued to fish

in a drift boat, but the plug rods got
replaced with fly fishing tackle. On the
Kenai River egg fishing is king and
the opportunity to fish egg imitations
for rainbows and dolly varden was
overwhelming.
Our guide set us up with 10 foot
fly rods rigged to fish the locally popular bead rigs which are just starting
to catch on back home in Michigan.
A bead rig is designed to imitate a
single salmon egg rolling downstream
with the current. Rainbows and dolly
varden literally gorge themselves on
the eggs of king, coho, pink, chum and
red salmon.
The best way to get started fishing
bead rigs is with a kit that contains an
assortment of bead sizes and colors,
Mari Romanack holds a typical Kenai
River silver while Gabe VanWormer
appropriate hooks, tooth picks, strike
captures the action on video. Watch
indicators and BB shot. One of these
for multiple TV episodes appearing on
kits ranges in price from $50 to $90
World Fishing Network in 2015.
depending on how much gear is provided.
The basic bead rig starts with a
the iceberg when you visit the Kenai
and silver salmon. We fished near the
n August of 2014 the Fish10
foot
fluorocarbon leader. At the
River. Looking back, the only thing I
town of Soldotna, Alaska and in fact
ing 411 crew headed north to
terminal
end a bead is threaded onto
would have changed is adding more
spent much of our time within sight
experience a slice of Alaskas
the
leader
and a No. 6 bead hook tied
days to the adventure!
of downtown. Soldotna is a town that
diverse trout and salmon fishonto
the
line.
The bead is positioned
Because Alaska is an expensive
thrives on sportfishing and seemingly
ery. Our crew included my wife
about
two
or
three
inches in front of
place to get to and the fishing opportu- everyone in town fishes. We encounMari, youngest son Jake and
the
hook
and
held
in
place with the tip
nities are spread out over considerable tered anglers fishing from shore along
our Fishing 411 Editor Gabe
of
a
toothpick.
distance, it makes sense to plan an
the many boardwalks lining the river
VanWormer.
Up the leader a few feet a couple
extended stay. With a longer stay the
bank, drift boaters and also power
Its impossible to see this entire
BB
shot are added to the line and near
boaters.
massive frontier in one trip, but we did opportunities to do a little historical
the
point
where the leader and the fly
sightseeing, adventure trekking or just
I would describe the fishing trafour best to cram as much as possible
line
connect
a floating strike indicator
into a six day adventure. As the guests trinket shopping come into play. Also, fic as heavy, but there was plenty of
is
added.
should Alaskas always unpredictable places to fish and no shortage of fish
of one of Alaskas premier resorts -Bead rigs can be fished from an
Salmon Catcher Lodge -- our primary weather turn nasty, giving up a day or to catch. In mid-August the Kenai is
anchored
or drifting boat. Most of the
literally crawling with both pink and
goal was to target the acrobatic, abun- two of fishing wont hurt as badly.
time
we
drifted,
casting the bead rigs
silver salmon that can be seen porpoisdant and melt in your mouth delicious
upstream
and
letting
the boat drag the
ing everywhere.
silver salmon run on the world famous
rig
downstream.
The
strike indicator
We spent some time casting spinKenai River. Little did we realize that
Day one of our Alaska adventure
telegraphs
the
shot
ticking
the bottom
ners into lagoons and back eddies,
silver salmon fishing is just the tip of
started in a drift boat targeting pink
and
the
subtle
take
when
a
rainbow or
but the majority of our efforts were
dolly
slurps
up
the
bead.
focused on a locally popular salmon
It took some time for our crew
fishing tactic known as pluggin. We
to
catch
onto the fly fishing basics
fished Yakima Mag Lip 4.5 plugs
required
in bead fishing, but by days
drop-back style using an anchor to
end
we
had
boated an amazing number
hold the drift boat in the current, then
of
resident
rainbow
trout and dolly
using the current to bring our plugs to
varden
with
fish
up
to
about 20 inches
life.
in
length.
On average the plugs were fished
30 to 50 feet downstream of the boat.
The same plug rods we use back home
Day three dawned foggy and cold.
for stream steelhead proved to be ideal
This time around we were targeting
for Kenai River pinks and silvers.
Medium or Medium/Light action bait- silvers, but from one of the Kenais
many power boats set up for fishing
casting rods about eight to nine feet
plugs and spawn. On the Kenai there
in length proved ideal. Round frame
is a motor restriction that allows only
baitcasting reels loaded with 20 to 25
50 HP and smaller outboards to be
pound
test
Maxima
Ultra
Green
monoThis young brown bear is about to enjoy a meal of red salmon. Coastal brown bears are known for their fishing skills
used. Also, all outboards must be four
filament line completed the rig.
but this one preferred to scavenge up dead sockeye from the bottom! Mark Romanack photos
Day One
60
Day Three
adventure we headed to Homer to fish

for halibut near Kachemak Bay made
famous by the TV series Alaska The
Last Frontier.
Halibut fishing is a deep water
adventure played in combination with
tides and sub-surface currents. As luck
would have it our day on the water
coincided with stiff winds. Anytime
wind and Alaska tides combine, the
water is going to get bumpy.
We fished in seven foot seas, boating a quick limit of halibut, but not
without paying a price. The halibut
fishing was fun, but the boat ride back
to port was literally the worst pounding Ive ever taken on the water. The
welded hull deep V boats so popular
in Alaska may be Alaska tough, but
the ride is grueling on big seas.
Jake caught this rainbow and dozens of others just like it on the Upper Kenai River spin fishing with bead rigs.
bites, but fish up to 25 inches!
We spent most of our time anchored and side casting the current.
Rolling the bead rigs along bottom
was similar to fishing a spawn bag for
steelhead back home and I quickly
adapted. Everything was catch and
release, but our guide did prepare us
a wonderful shore lunch of pan fried
halibut. Even better, I didnt have to
catch the halibut!
Day Six
The Fishing 411 crew headed nor th to Alaska to sample silver salmon on the Kenai River. This beauty was typical
of the fishing we enjoyed as the guests of Salmon Catcher Lodge near Soldotna, Alaska.
wrapped onto the body of the bait
with a stretchy thread. Wrapping
plugs with oil rich baitfish like anchovy is popular in Alaska and all up
and down the Pacific coast. Unfortunately, this salmon fishing trick hasnt
become popular here in the Great
Lakes.
Our adventure started at dawn and
it only took a couple minutes to hook
into our first silver. Fresh up from the
Pacific ocean our fish had sea lice on
them, a strong indication these silvers
had only been in the river for about a
day.
Silvers crushed our plugs at a
rate of about one fish every 15 to 20
minutes! In the meantime, pinks literally ravaged the baits keeping us busy
reeling in fish almost constantly.
Our eight fish limit of silvers hit
the floor of the boat before the sun
had a chance to burn off the fog!
Day Four
On the fourth day of our Alaska
I concluded that the only pleasant

part of halibut fishing is sitting down
to eat those amazing fillets!
On the sixth and final day of our

Salmon Catcher Lodge adventure we
combined a little fishing with some
classic Alaska wildlife viewing. We
traveled to an area known as Crescent
Lake accessible only by float plane.
Managed by the National Forest
Service, this unique spot is home to
countless coastal brown bears that
can be seen fishing for salmon along
the shores of Crescent Lake and the
many tributaries that feed the lake.
To say we got up close and
personal with the bears would be an
understatement. At times our guide
had us so close to the feeding bears
the hair on the back of my neck was
standing up! Fortunately for us the
bears are more interested in gorging

on salmon than worrying about camera touting tourists.
Between bear sightings we
casted spinners from shore and caught
dolly varden and a few silver salmon.
Clearly this day was less about fishing
and more about experiencing some
local flavors you can only experience
in Alaska. The photos we captured
and the memories we logged put
a near perfect ending on what will
no doubt become one of the most
memorable trips of my life. The opportunity to share this great adventure
with my wife Mari and youngest son
Jake make the experience that much
sweeter.
Summing It Up
The Fishing 411 Alaska

adventure will spawn (excuse the
pun) no less than three TV episodes
to be broadcast on World Fishing
Network. Anyone who has dreamed
of fishing the Kenai River, should
check out www.salmoncatcherlodge.
com and start planning a trip.
The lodging, food, guides, scenery,
fishing and service were second to
none.n
Day Five
On day five of our Alaska adventure we would be treated to one of

the most scenic and memorable days
of fishing Ive enjoyed in my career.
We targeted the Upper Kenai River
putting in near Sterling and fishing
downstream to Skilak Lake.
This section of the Kenai is open
only to drift fishing and a limited
number of guides are licensed to
fish this stretch by the Alaska Parks
Department. An area known as the
canyons creates a fishing backdrop second to none. If the amazing
scenery wasnt enough, the fishing for
rainbows and dolly varden was stellar.
We fished bead rigs on spinning
gear and I lost count of how many
fish we boated in the first hour of the
trip. It seemed that every bend in the
river provided us with not only lots of
Its simply impossible to describe in words the beauty of Alaska. This shot from the Crescent Lake adventure gives
readers a taste of what they can experience in Alaska.
stroke models.
Our boat for the day was a 20
Willie Raptor manufactured right in
Alaska and designed especially for
fishing the Kenai and Alaskas many
other famous salmon rivers. These
welded aluminum hulls are spacious,
comfortable and ideally suited for
plug and spawn fishing.
Alaska allows only one rod per angler, so our four person crew manned
four plug rods. Two of the rods were
fished straight out the back of the boat
and two on Off Shore Tackle OR34
Mini Boards to get our plugs out to
the side of the boat.
A mixture of Yakima Mag Lip 4.5
and Luhr Jensen KwikFish plugs were
selected and all of these lures were
customized with a strip of anchovy
61
BlueticksRedbonesWalkers; An In-Depth Look...
Bear hunting with hounds

Bear Dogs: Blueticks, Walkers,
Black-and-Tans, Redbones, Plott
Hounds, Airedales, Airedale-andHound Crosses, Mixed Hound
Breeds, Half-Bloodhounds. All
know bears well on a first name
basisfrom the hot trailto the
chasethe slick treethe bay
the kill or the escape.
History of hunting bear

with hounds in Michigan
n North America, this

age-old sport centered at
first in our western states
and the mountain country
of the south. Michigan hunters and state game
officials initially thought
the state held so many vast
swamps, swales, bogs and
wilderness expanses
that hunting bears
with pack hounds was
out of the question.

Then, in the fall of 1945, Ben East,
a Michigan outdoor writer on staff of
Outdoor Life, returned from an organized bear hunt in Tellico, Tennessee.
He was impressed by the excitement
the hunt provided. Firmly convinced
that a bear/hound hunt would work
well in his home state, East found an
ally in the states leading federation
of sportsmen, the Michigan United
Conservation Clubs.
The following year, Ben East
invited Hack Smithdeal of Johnson
City, Tennessee to set up a test hunt in
Michigan. Smithdeals pack of bear
hounds were rated the best in the Tennessee mountain country
adept at negotiating spearpointed laurel thickets in the
Smoky Mountains; the dogs
now had a chance to prove
their worth in Michigans
rugged cedar swamps.
The hunt proved far more
successful than East ever
envisioned. More than l000
sportsmen registered,
far more than could
actually take part in
the trial hunt, which under the recommendation of the Department of
Conservation (forerunner of the
Department of Natural Resources)
was held in the Dead Stream Swamp
in Missaukee County. Ten or 12 bear
were chased and two were killed dur-
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Adam Bennett with his Walkers

ing the hunt. The event introduced
Michigan sportsmen to an exciting
and successful form of bear hunting.
Thus, over the years, houndsmen have
brought many problem bears to bay in
our state.
Carl T. Johnson, (deceased) successful Cadillac businessman and
active hunter for over 60 years,

organized the Michigan Bear Hunters
Association in 1946; the same year
the demonstrational hunt took place.
After the hunt, Johnson purchased
one of Smithdeals dogs. He built up
and trained his own pack with Smithdeals hound serving as lead dog.
season. This makes the illegal sale of

bears tempting and almost impossible
to control.
History of Michigans Bear

Regulations-1957 Chronology
Prior to 1925: Bears unprotectedtaken by any means.

1925: Designated as small game.
1925-1934: Statewide season during deer season.
1935-38: Closed (not to protect
bears but due to closure on deer).
1937: Not unlawful to take bear
with bow and arrow.
1938: Keweenaw Peninsula closed
at request of populace.
1939: Many counties provided no
protectiondogs and traps allowed
and continued until 1943. Counties
set their own regulations.
1939: Legislature removed all
protection from bears but allowed
commission to close counties. Laws
stayed enforce until 1965, when special bear season, October l-November
5, was established. Hunting with
dogs was permitted.
1948: Protection provided for
cubs
1952: Bear season could be open
or closed as needed.
1952: Bear trapping outlawed
except by special permit
1955: Became unlawful to take a
sow bear with cubs.
An Interview with bear

houndsman, Adam Bennett
Thirty-four year old Adam Bennett (DeTour/Goetzville/Raber area)
has been actively hunting black bears

with pack hounds since he was 18.
Presently he owns and trains ten treeing Walkers that form an age circle
complete with young pups, hounds
two and eight years of age, plus older
dogs used for breeding. He has pups,
Champ, Gizmo, Hoddie and Sky;
then his pack hounds Minnie, Heidi,
Spanky and Blue; Pepper is breeding
stock.
Bennett says, The Walkers are
family; the pups are raised inside
the house and constantly gentled so
that if another member of our team
needs to leash one of the dogs with a
black bear at bay, they can get it done
without being hurt. On one occasion,
my wife was very much pregnant and
we have a photo of her lying on the
couch, surrounded by bear hunting
pups climbing all over her.
The sport is all about the dogs
Dogs are bred for: Ability, Brains
and Confirmation
Always remember, a chained dog
learns nothing. We release them daily
to chase squirrels in our near woods
behind the house. Our dogs come
when called, heal on command. We
hunt with dogs because they afford us
great pleasure and we breed them for
intelligence. When young, we only
use a shock collar to break a pup of
ever wanting to run deer or coyotes.
Totally unacceptable! We break them
before a problem turns up.
Bear hunting over hounds is a
family oriented sport. I could not
participate without my wife. July
10th to October 24th finds her and
the boys, myself and the rest of our

group, training dogs and running
bear. I probably would be divorced
if my wife did not accompany us.
Now both boys go with us as well.
We pack the baby in and Logan, now
four, was with us since six months of
age, when we treed a bearactually,
that particular incident ran on a segment of a Michigan Out-of-Doors TV
program.
The sport requires work yearround as dogs must be fed, cared
for and routinely worked to stay in
shape; in fact, it is no different than
a duck hunter working with his Lab
throwing a dummy to keep in practice
for the next waterfowl season.
Q) While talking about your dogs,
I understand a total of six are allowed
per pack.
A) Yes that is true. I need purchase a hound participation tag being
owner of the dogs. I can just run six
dogs with me; however, I can pull a
tired or wounded dog out of the fray
and replace with a fresh dog if necessary.
When hunting a hot bear trail,
other hound hunters may pull up in
Bear hunting with hounds page 64
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In 1947, Johnson and his hunting

partners killed their first bear hunting with hounds, and since that time
were credited with the taking of some
200 bears; 20 during the fall of 1958
alone.
As late as 1948, wildlife biologists
within the Department of Conservation did not believe bear hunting with
dogs could garner public support.
But Lee Smits, a highly respected
outdoor writer of the time, wrote
a column that was syndicated in a
number of Michigan newspapers,
under the title, Bear Hunting with
Dogs Most Dramatic Method. While
praising the aspects of the hunt, Smits
deplored the total lack of protection
for the black bear in Michigan during
the 1940s.
Jack Van Coevering, outdoor journalist writing for Woods & Waters,
wrote a column published November
23, 1958 under the heading, Bear
laws in Bad Shape, in which he
lamented that bears were not classed
as big-game animals. The difficulty
over bear regulations, he wrote,
arises from the special bear hunting
seasons in September and October
under small-game license; the long
bear season for bow hunters from October 1st through November 5th and
the traditional bear hunting season
included with the deer license. Biggame hunters felt bears should not be
hunted on small-game licenses. They
say bears shot during the special
seasons should be tagged and identified. Under present laws, no seal
is required for any bear during any
63
Bear hunting with hounds:

from page 63
their pickups if they learn we are on
a bearjust to watch. Their dogs
remain at their vehicle.
Q) Adam, have you ever had a
hound seriously hurt when having a
bear at bay?
A) Sooner or later, a dog will
be hurt. We never set our hounds
cold trailing a bear. But bear hunting with hounds can be like playing
Russian roulette, and often times a
vets services will prove necessary.
Bear dogs are bred to bring a bear to
bay, and many a time I have worried while driving a hurt hound to a
vet, as though the dogs were my own
children.
Q) According to a report published
by the DNR, there have been 16 bear
dogs/bird dogs killed in Chippewa
County by wolves; one incident as
late as October 14, 2014, have you
or your dogs experienced any wolf
problems?
A) Fortunately none.
Lets talk bears

and bear hunting!
Q) Bear Country holds a true
wilderness, complete with swales,
bogs, alder thickets, cedar swamps
hounds, bears and slick trees?
A) As a group of hound hunters,
we average taking 10 bear annually.
A conservative estimate for bears
taken since Ive began hound hunting, would prove to be in the l00 bear
range. Size wise, they ranged from
the largest being over 500 pounds to
an average of 250-300 pounds.
My main worry is running game
towards a major highway where the

animal or the hounds might be hit by
an oncoming vehicle. One instance
that illustrates this point occurred
west of Detour Village where we
picked up a bear trail off Spring Bay
Road. This bruin ran 15 to 20 miles
towards the Cedarville Limestone
Quarry off Michigan Highway 134.
Fortunately, a friend of ours, was
working as engineer for the quarrys
train, and upon hearing the dogs baying, realized they were approaching
the busy road. He blew the engines
whistle in hopes of turning both bear
and dogs. And that is exactly what his
efforts managed to do. The bear and
dogs safely made the turn-around.
We ran that bear all the way back to
the Albany Supper Club owned by
my parents. That particular bruin was
probably the smartest bear we ever
ran.
One thing I havent mentioned
in this discussion is the enjoyment
received when a bear pulls off a
slick tree method of trying to fool
the hounds. He will tree prior to the
dogs catching up with him, then jump
down some distance away leaving
the tree for the dogs to jump at
while he is off and running. It is fun
to listen to the dogs until finally they
figure out what happened. There are
occasions where a bear will do this a
half-dozen times during the chase to
confuse the hounds.
A) Is there a need for bear law
changes?
Q) Alan Bennett advised; I
strongly feel a reduction in bear tags
Walkers tree a bear.

should be required. We also need better bear registration. Think about this
for a moment A trapper or hunter
is required to bring an otter, pine
marten, fisher or bobcat to a Michigan
DNR field station to have the animal
sealed. But if I kill a bear, I can have
it checked at most any Mom & BP
Gas Station/Party Store. A DNR officer in the field or a DNR wildlife biologist should seal big game animals.
Bears deserve respect.
Furthermore, the era of huge
trophy bears may be over as we are
seeing smaller and smaller bears with
the coming of each bear-hunting season. I attend DNR open meetings as
often as possible, usually driving to
Newberry or St. Ignace to voice my
opinions.
I have no idea as to when the last
actual bear count was taken by DNR
biologists. However, when I appeared on a recent pod cast presented
by Hunt Fish Journal, I broadcasted
the following statement, regarding
the process from Adam Bump, DNR
large game specialist: We do not
generate population estimates for
bears every year. Additionally, statewide bear population numbers are not
typically used for management purposes (as we manage based on three
eco-regions). However, based on
our most recent population estimates
and model projections, the overall
Michigan bear population is around
7,000-8,000 bears, not including
cubs.
Michigan Bear
Hunting Association
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Bennett has been a member of

MBHA the past 15 years and holds
a lifetime membership. President of
the Association in Tim Dusterwinkle
who can be reached by phone a
1-906-748-4935. Monica Hoffman is
in charge of membership and she can
be contacted by phone at 1-231-9298121.
Membership costs $20 and included is a subscription to Bear Hunting
Magazine along with a quarterly
publication titled, Bear Facts.
Family membership runs $30
while Life Membership costs $250.
The Michigan Bear Hunters Association thrives to protect the Michigan black bear and the sport of bear
hunting through additional research,
better management, fairer hunting
regulations and the defeat of the antis
to safeguard the sport.
It was indeed an honor to meet
and interview Alan Bennett; a family oriented man; bear hound lover;
dedicated member of MBHA; and
promoter of the sport of bear hunting
over hounds.n
Wolves kill more hunting dogs in U.P.

By Richard P. Smith only ones docu-
which were killed

in the eastern U.P.s
Chippewa County.
Three beagles were killed and a fourth
was reported missing and presumed
dead near Trout Lake on September
24. Two more beagles were killed by
wolves east of Hulbert in separate
incidents on October 5 and 13.
Another bear dog was killed by
wolves in east-central Baraga County
on October 5. When added to the
seven hounds killed in the U.P. by
wolves during August, the total loss
of hunting dogs to wolves this year is
Wolves had eaten most of his

second dog by the time he found its
mented by the DNR. remains. The fact that wolves are eating the dogs they kill is an indication
Some losses have probably not been
that the predators are hungry. Wolves
reported.
Kline said his initial reaction was dont always eat dogs that they kill.
Kline described the wolf situation
to not report the first hound he lost to
in the U.P. as pathetic.
wolves since the dog was gone and
If they dont start managing these
there was nothing anyone could do to
bring it back, but he changed his mind wolves up here, youre going to have
by the next day. Wolves had half eaten a much bigger problem than you have
the dog when Roger found the hound. now, Roger said. This affects a lot
of people. The economy of the U.P. is
By the time he returned to the scene
going to suffer along with the animals
the next day with a DNR employee,
that wolves kill.n
the dog had been totally consumed.
19. Those are the
he antis are using wolves to

get rid of hunting up here
(the UP), Roger Kline
from Grand Rapids commented during October when packing up to leave
his U.P. hunting camp for home after
several weeks of bear hunting with
hounds.
Hes only taking two of his four
Walker hounds home with him.
Wolves killed the other two. One
Walker named Ed was killed in eastern Gogebic County on September 24,
a location where no other dogs had recently been reported killed by wolves
on the DNR website.
Then on October 9, wolves killed
a litter mate to Ed that was named
Dave in southern Ontonagon County,
another location with no previously
reported wolf killings of dogs on the
DNR website. In fact, Klines Walker
is the only dog listed on the DNR
website as having been killed by
wolves in the entire county.
During 20 years of bear hunting
with hounds in the U.P., those two
instances are the only times Kline has
had problems with wolves.
Im done hunting with dogs in
the U.P., he said. Im going home
while I still have two dogs left. You
cant protect your dogs. I dont think
theres a place thats safe to let a dog
go in the U.P.
Klines comment about anti-hunters using wolves to get rid of hunting
in the U.P. was obviously directed at
hunting that involves dogs. There is
merit to what he said. The Humane
Society of the United States (HSUS),
one of the staunchest anti-hunting
organizations in existence, is leading
the charge against any form of wolf
hunting in this country. And they have
met with much success in their efforts.
There will be no wolf hunt in
Michigan this year due to the efforts
of their satellite group Keep Michigan
Wolves Protected. The more wolves
there are in the U.P., the greater the
risk to hunting dogs as well as pets
and livestock. With deer numbers on
the decline due to the last two severe
winters and a third one on the way,
wolves seek alternative prey.
And Kline is not the only dog
hunter who will no longer hunt in the
U.P. due to the threat wolves pose to
dogs. Others have said the same thing.
Besides Klines pair of Walkers, seven other hounds have been
documented as having been killed by
wolves in the U.P. during September
and October. The loss of three bird
dogs that the DNR does not have a
record of brings the total to 10. A bird
dog belonging to a hunter from Kentucky, who a friend of mine spoke to,
was killed by wolves in the western
UP and two more bird dogs that are
missing are presumed to have been
killed by wolves.
Six of the hounds killed by wolves
this fall have been beagles, all of
65
Next Bite...By Gary Parsons and Keith Kavajecz
Early Ice Walleyes Cautious Aggression

A
66
s we write this its midNovember and although

the weather is unseasonably cold, predicting what
ice conditions are going to
be over the next month or
so is only an educated guess. When
youre talking early ice, much
depends on where you are in the ice
fishing belt and what the weather patterns have been. This year, things are
looking pretty good for an early start
to the ice fishing season. That means
that theres a good chance that those
of you targeting walleyes will most
likely be dealing with fish still looking to bulk up for winter. That means
fish will be aggressive, on the move,
hunting down forage. It also means
that to be successful, anglers need to
be aggressive, staying mobile in their
search for the mother lode.
But we are talking early ice
here, and although aggressive tactics
often are the key, a healthy measure of
caution is also called for. Ice conditions are unpredictable anytime, but
especially in the early and later parts
of the season. Chances are ice has
only been forming a few weeks and
in most lakes its probably not very
thick. This is a time for travelling
light.
One way we travel light is to stick
with one-man ice shelters. You want
something that is easy to pull by hand,
but offers comfort and room to carry
all your gear. We like the Clam Legend Thermal XL. It only weighs about
60 pounds so its ideal for thinner ice
situations. Its also a very comfortable
shack to fish in as it features extendable poles to provide lots of head
room (up to 66 inches) offering you
plenty of head-room to set the hook
without banging into the roof, and its
also a great choice for taller anglers.
As for fish location, look for the
walleyes to still be in or near areas
where you were catching them right
up until ice up. Typically that puts
the fish on flats near where they will
spawn come spring, or on flats along
sharp drop-offs. Walleyes use these
steep contours as travel routes, much
the same way deer use cuts, ridges
and coulees to travel through an area.
Another main factor to the walleyes
location will be forage. Locate one of
these prime flats areas thats holding
a good amount of forage fish and you
have a prime area to start fishing.
Early ice is a good time for
aggressive actions. In most cases,
the walleyes are still putting on the
feedbag for winter (especially in a
situation where youve had an early
freeze) and theyre typically in a more
aggressive feeding mode. Jigging ac-
Keith Kavajecz knows early ice is a good time for aggressive actions. In most
cases, the walleyes are still putting on the feedbag for winter (especially in
a situation where youve had an early freeze) and theyre typically in a more
aggressive feeding mode.
tions incorporating quick up-strokes
and slack line drops are deadly early
on. Its also a good idea to pound the
bottom with your jigging lure occasionally. Its a tactic that will make a
little extra noise and often creates a
puff of silt off the bottom attracting
a fishs attention.
A trick we have used with some
success when dealing with more
finicky walleyes this time of year is
to play a game of cat-and-mouse with
them. Say you are watching a fish on
your locator but the fish doesnt bite
your offering immediately. Thats a
good time to begin raising the bait
up aggressively often several feet
jiggle it and then raise it up some
more (often having to reel in line).
It is important to watch your depth
finder to see how far and how aggres-
sively you can try to pull the fish up

and get it to bite. But this time of year
pulling a walleye up 10 to 15 feet
before it bites is not uncommon. Its
a trick to keep in mind that can often
pay off big.
So what are the best baits to use
for these aggressive actions? One
of the most productive is what we call
Glide Baits, like Moonshine Lures
Shiver Minnow, This minnow-like
jigging lure has a dramatic side-toside darting movement when jigged,
giving you great horizontal coverage
of the area under your ice hole. The
Shiver Minnow comes in a variety
of sizes and in an array of awesome
glow color patterns that last a long
time and are deadly during the primetimes of dusk and dawn when walleyes tend to feed the heaviest.
Jigging spoons are another great

choice for this time of year. You want
to choose spoons that offer lots of
flash, but also have a distinct and enticing flutter on the drop. Top choices
here would include the Clam Blade
Spoon, the ever-popular Swedish
Pimple and Acmes Sidewinder and
Kastmaster spoons. Another lure we
are anxious to put to use this season is
Clams new Time Bomb Spoon. Each
of these have their own distinct shape
and therefore feature different flash
and flutter patterns. Trying a variety of
lures will help you to dial-in the right
one to get the most bites.
A big key to success with any ice
jigging spoon is to know where your
lure is in relation to the bottom at all
times. Let out enough line to position your lure about six inches off the
bottom when your rod tip is at a set
position above the ice. Then, when
you stroke the lure up and let it freefall and flutter down, the spoon will
stop just above the bottom, provided
you return your rod tip to the pre-set
position. Hold your rod still for just
a second or so before imparting any
more action to the lure. This moment
as the spoon is at the bottom of the
stoke and still slightly spinning, twisting and glinting is where it resembles
a dying baitfish fighting off the final
death throws, and its this moment
most strikes will occur.
Now while Glide baits and Spoons
are aggressive presentations and great
at attracting walleyes from a distance,
it can also be a good idea to incorporate a bit of finesse into your plan
as well. We like to employ a Deadstick to the set-up, rigging a small jig
tipped with a minnow on a rod we set
in a second hole near our jigging hole.
Set the jig so it sits about a foot off the
bottom. Many times, you will draw
fish in with the more aggressive lure,
only to have it bite the less aggressive offering. On an LCD unit like the
Lowrance Elite-5 Ice Machines we
use, the jig will appear as a straight
line on the screen. If that line all of a
sudden gets wider, that indicates a fish
has nosed up to the jig or is biting it.
Stay aggressive with actions and
lures, but remain very cautious of
the ice thickness and your over-all
safety out on the ice. Remember, even
though you are on ice, early ice has
the warmest water and offers the most
aggressive walleyes during the ice
fishing season, making a great time to
get your Next Bite.
If you have questions or comments on this or other articles of ours
you may have read, contact us through
our website at www.thenextbite.
com.n
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67
TROPHY PAGES
Dominic Evola took his best Michigan
buck on Nov. 4 as he came in trailing a
doe in St. Clair Co.
Brendan
Feenstra
15, of
Kalamazoo
took this
6-pt. buck
with his
crossbow
in Eaton
County.
Blake Hansen harvested this nice mature 8-pt. buck in Oceana Co. on Nov.
12. It had an impressive 18 inch inside
spread, his best buck to date.
Miranda Ploeger, took her first

deer, an 8-pt. that she nicknamed Big Daddy and hunted
him all season in Monroe Co.
Alisa
Sponseller,
18, of Mt.
Pleasant took
her first buck
with a crossbow hunting
Nov. 11 with
her stepmom
and said it
was amazing!
Rick
Adlen
with his
Nov.
bow harvest, an 8
pt. buck
taken in
Macomb
Co.
68
(lt) Nick Agy

shot his first
buck on opening morning of
gun season in
VanBuren Co.
He was with his
dad. Jacob Agy
took his first
deer, this buck
on the second
day of the 2013
gun season in
VanBuren Co.
hunting with
his dad.
Jacob Martin, 15, took

two deer this season
including his first buck on
Nov. 17.
Alex
Shaw
took this
8-pt. buck
on his
Uncle
Jim's
property
in Eaton
Sarah Dickey of Warren is
Co.
all smiles after taking her
first deer with a perfect 65

yard shot on this Oakland
Co. doe on Nov. 15.
Seven year old Jared Tanners first

buck, a dandy with a 19 spread
taken in Oceana Co. after watching
him on trail cams since September.
Successful Hunt For The Pawlowski Family:
Dad with his 8-pt. taken Nov. 12; Son Kendall his
8-pt. taken Nov. 16 and daughter Sheridan her 8-pt
taken Nov. 15.
Tom Krzemien of Gaylord took this 8 pt. hunting Nov. 17.
Trevor Williams took

his first deer at 8 years
old on Nov. 30.
Cody Gibson of Elwell took this

nice 11-pt. with a 16 inch spread
Nov. 8.
TROPHY PAGES
Vincent Mazzali, 12 and his Dad Tony from Haslett shot a pair of 10-pts. on opening day from the
same blind. Tony shot his buck at 8 a.m. and Vincent shot his at 4 p.m. hunting near Owosso.
Sarah KJ
Milkey of
Grass Lake
took this
monster
trophy
buck hunting opening morning of gun
season in
Jackson
Co.
Rebecca Leonard took her first

buck with a crossbow on Nov. 9,
this dandy 10-pt. that had a 19
inch spread hunting Isabella Co.
Brett
Holbrook,
9, of
Luna Pier
took his
first deer,
beautiful
8-pt. in
Antrim
Co. hunting with
his dad
Six year-old Drake PolScott.
lins took his first deer, a
3-pt. with his 20 gauge

on November 26.
Drew McIntyre, 14 was

hunting near Port Austin
when he took this 8-pt.
during the youth hunt with
Scott Polega.
Lisa
Wiedbusch
of Macomb
shot her
first deer,
a doe, in
Gladwin
Co. on
Nov. 29.
Laura Slingerland
took her first deer,
a nice 8-pt. hunting
Nov. 16 in the Rifle
River State Recreation Area.
Stephany Arnold took her

first buck, a beautiful 10-pt
on opening day of gun
season hunting with her
father Archie a morning
neither will ever forget!
Bill Allegra shot

this nice 8-pt.
in Kentucky on
Nov.21 and it
weighed 220
lbs. on the hoof.
(lt) Six year old Autumn Pratt, with Mom

Dawn Pratt and Autumns 6-pt. taken in
Macomb Co on Oct. 1. Dawn Pratt Michigan Grand Slam Record holder, with her
7-pt. buck taken out of the same blind as
Autumn's Oct 7, 2014.
Reese
Peacock,
11 of
Shepherd,
took this
first deer,
a 5-pt.
buck in Isabella Co.
during
the youth
hunt with
his uncle,
dad and
brother.
Thomas Salbut
took this nice 9-pt.
opening day of
gun season near
Ubly. The buck
weighed 212 lbs.
dressed!
Brandon Buchanan,
11, is all smiles with
this dandy buck he
took hunting Lapeer
Co. Nov. 29.
Cody Lenters of
Three River took this
beautiful 3 1/2 year
old 9-pt. hunting
near Bear Lake.
Ryan Moon tagged this

beautiful 8-pt. in Midland
Co. opening day of gun
season.
69
TROPHY PAGES
Brian
Watson
with future
bowhunter
and grandson, Mason
with Brians
trophy Cass
Co. 10-pt.
he arrowed
Oct. 28 after
having the
buck come
into his
stand with
his bow
still on the
ground.
Once the
buck left
and bow in
hand Brian
grunted the
buck back
for a perfect
shot.
Dave DeVlaminck called this nice

8-pt. to within 10 yards using a
bleat and heat call on Nov. 9 in
Sanilac Co.
Cory Williamson of Three Rivers gets

plenty of help with his 8-pt. Cory also arrowed this coyote with his bow.
Dennis
Green of
Rockford
took this
spike
horn on
Nov. 10
in Northern Kent
Co. with
his cross- Devin Bilton, 8 of Eau
Claire shot his first
bow.
Chris
Amazeen
of Monroe
took this
10-pt. rifle
hunting in
White River South
Dakota.
Rich Gusa of Harbor

Beach took this 5-pt. in
Huron Co. Nov. 15.
70
Cathy
McDonell
from Bay
City took
this 8-pt.
the last
week
of bow
season in
Northern
Tuscola
Co.
(lt-rt) Brothers Luke, 8 and Brady, 13

Failing of Bay City each took their first
buck, a spike and an 8-pt. during the
youth hunt in Tuscola Co.
deer, an 8-pt. in Berrien

Springs while hunting
with his dad.
Julia
Mocny, 12
hunting with
her father,
brother and
grandfather
near on the
family's property near
Millersburg
took her first
deer, this
doe.
Tyler Wagley,
10 of East
Leroy took
this big bruise
buck hunting
Calhoun Co.
with Steve
Irons and it is
his first buck!
Haley Keene,
11, of Athens
was hunting
with her dad
Steve in Calhoun Co. and
also took her
first buck.
Bill Richards took

this tall tined 9-pt.
bowhunting Nov.
7 on Paul Goeddeke's private
property near
Harbor Beach.
Richele
Milostan
proved
to be a
good luck
charm for
her Dad
Allan. In
her first
season
hunting she
helped
tag this
dandy
8-pt.
Lori and Jim Derewitz of Dryden each

scored bucks during
the gun season hunting Lapeer Co.
Mark
Kazmierczak
took his
first buck,
this spike,
hunting
near Cass
City. Mark
just started
hunting in
2012.
Kieth Yorks of Evart took a pair of bucks,

a 5-pt. Nov. 15 and an 8-pt. Nov. 19.
Gun Chat: Christmas gun
wait. But it gave me the chance to talk

my folks into getting him a 20 gauge
Ithaca Super Single, like the one Id
borrowed, for Christmas. Hed shot it
a fair amount before his first grouse
season.
Ithaca made Long Tom models
of the M66 with 36 inch barrels and
a Buckbuster with rifle
sights. M66s with vent ribs
were also made. I never saw
one with the rib, but I did see
most of the others. Starting in
1965 many M66s were made
as Youth Guns. These
had 26 inch barrels, shorter
stocks and red rubber recoil
pads.
Jons gun had lightcolored wood that complimented the black
finish of the action and barrel. I told
mom and dad that a modified choke
would be a good idea and thats what
they bought. Ive seen the standard
model M66s listed as weighing seven
pounds. My guess is that the youth
model weighed just over six, about
perfect for a grouse gun. Whatever the
actual weight, Jons gun carried well,
and felt lively coming to the shoulder.
Putting a tape measure to the stock
showed it has a trigger reach of 13
By Lee Arten
Mid Michigan Chapter of

Safari Club International
Sign your
kids up
(9-15 years old) for
FREE Hunters
Safety Classes
beginning
June 1, 2015
RSVP by
Dec. 30th
Limited Seating
Call (989) 560-7288
Big Buck
presents
Night
Open to the Public
Saturday, January 10th at the Comfort Inn

2424 S. Mission Mt. Pleasant, MI 48858
Adults $25 Kids 12 and under $20 Under 5 yrs. FREE
Call 989-772-2755 or
989-772-4000 for a reservation.
For more information
contact:
Kevin Unger
wk (989) 773-1711
cell (989) 560-7288
kevinunger1@frontier.com
Bring your rack that you shot in 2014 and get it

professionally scored plus get in the FREE gun drawing
with your scored rack.
inches. Thats shorter than most of

the other shotguns here. But it fit my
brother well through high school, and
Ive noticed people of various sizes
have shot the Ithaca since without
complaining about the stock length.
Jon hunted with the 20 gauge M66
for several years and took his first
grouse with it 20 on a logging road in
Keweenaw County. It was a straight
away shot. Ive often wished, when
the grouse were flushing wild and flying crazily, that Id get one like it.
Later Jon hunted with a 12 gauge
M66. It was his main shotgun until he
acquired a Savage 16 gauge side by
side years later. When Jon came back
to Michigan in October a few years
ago we hit some of our old grouse
spots in Keweenaw County. I thought
hed want to use the double 16. He
opted to use the M66 instead.
My younger brother, Paul, didnt
hunt much. The few trips he made
with me he carried Jons M66. Since
then, the Ithaca 20 has mostly been
PREDATOR
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Trophies for Non-Members Prize Gun Raffle
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All tickets are pre-sold. Must have ticket prior to event.
REGISTRATION STARTS AT 5 PM DINNER AT 7 PM

Dinner includes two entree buffet, salad bar and dessert table
Cash Bar Free soda for the kids
used to introduce new shooters to the

shotgun. It isnt too heavy for smaller
shooters and the recoil pad keeps the
kick from being distracting.
The last time I fired the M66, it
was as a .410. A device called a gauge
reducer, or auxiliary chamber, allows
.410 shells to be fired in a 20. Mine
are made by Gauge Mate. There are
other sizes but I thought Id get the
most use out of a
20-410. My son, Ethan, and I shot up
all the .410s I brought to the range
that day. Some were fired in my
grouse gun, an over and under 20.
Many were fired from the old Ithaca
M66. We broke clays, when we hit
them, and it was like eating salted
peanuts, hard to stop once we got
started.
The M66 has some scratches and
one ding in the stock. The painted
finish on the bottom of the action is
worn where Jon carried it while in the
woods. Overall, however, its in good
shape and still ready to hunt.n
S
DECOY
BY:
Traps and Snares

Predator Hunting
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MANY RIFLES & SHOTGUNS TO CHOOSE FROM!

141 W. Pearl Street,
Jackson, Michigan
517-782-8418
HOURS: Mon., Tues., Thurs., Fri.: 9-8;

Wed. 9-6; Sat. 9-5
NOW OPEN SUNDAYS 10-4 thru DECEMBER
3 Indoor Archery Ranges

Over 700 Bows In Stock
Over 2000 Guns In Stock
63 years of professional & friendly service!
ome time ago, I was looking at

used shotguns. One that caught
my eye was a scarred single shot
.410, an Ithaca Model 66 Super
Single. It was cheap and I was tempted to buy it, for old times sake.
Not seen as often now, the leveraction single shots were common
when I started hunting. M66s
were made in a variety of
styles and gauges and a 20
figured in several of my early
small game hunting trips.
Friends had bought a 20
gauge Super Single for their
sons to use hunting small
game. They lent it to me a
few times and I missed
the first woodcock I ever
shot at with that gun. We
were hunting grouse, a
few miles past Copper Harbor, and the
bird flushed from the other side of a
small pond. It left in a hurry, making
noises Id never heard before, and I
fired a three-inch Magnum 20 gauge
after it. A bit more shell than the game
required, I thought soon afterward.
My brother, Jon, had his birthday
in December. That meant that he
missed out on small game hunting at
age 12. He complained bitterly during the year the laws then made him
71
Letters And Hot Topics In Michigan Outdoors...
Hunter rescues hikers
unters in Michigan provide

many benefits to many people,
both residents and nonresidents, through the millions of
dollars they spend annually on
equipment and hunting licenses. That
money has been used to purchase
public property that is open to everyone. Revenue provided by hunters
also contributes to the protection and
management of all types of wildlife,
including species that are not hunted,
to insure as many as possible are
present for everyone to enjoy.
Occasionally, hunters provide
more direct benefits to nonhunters as
well. One example that happened last
year in Keweenaw County involved
a bear hunter who rescued a Wisconsin couple who got lost while hiking
on the countys rugged terrain. Kent
Megill from Suttons Bay was the rescuer. He was hunting out of a cabin
at Lac LaBelle Lodge with father and
son Amos and Doug Esman.
I was bear hunting out of another
cabin at the lodge at the same time
and was acquainted with the trio. I
was hunting about 20 miles from the
lodge on woods roads, so it was about
an hour after dark on September 30
by the time I returned from an unsuccessful evening on stand. Amos and
Doug had already returned and were
sitting outside waiting for Kents ar-
rival. I joined them to find

out how they did.
Their evenings had
been similar to mine.
Kents late arrival led to
speculation that he may
have shot a bear. Kent was
using a quad-runner ATV to
travel to and from the bait
he was hunting. On other
evenings, he had been back
earlier.
When Kent
did arrive a short
time later, we were expecting him to
have an interesting story about the
evenings events, and he did indeed,
but of a much different nature than
expected. He was greeted with the
obvious question, Did you get one?
after he pulled up to the cabin and
took his helmet off.
No, he said. I just saw the
same small bear I saw before that
would weigh about 125 pounds. I let
him go.
Why are you so late then? Doug
asked.
Youll never believe what I saw
in the trail on the way back, Kent
commented with wide eyes for emphasis.
The trail Kent took to and from
the bait he hunted goes over the east
side of Mt. Bohemia and the terrain is
steep.
You know where
theres a small lake or
pond on the right side of
the trail? After getting the
expected acknowledgment,
Kent continued. I had just
gone past there when a man
suddenly stepped out in the
trail ahead of me with his
arms held out to the sides
to stop me. He was
wearing a tee shirt
and glasses.
The guys wife was with him and
they were glad to see me. Come to
find out they are from Wisconsin and
they had come to the Keweenaw to
do some hiking. They had been hiking for hours and had no idea where
they were. The woman was crying
because they were lost.
Its easy to understand why someone would be scared and emotional
under the circumstances. They didnt
know where they were and it had
been dark for a while. They didnt
have a light, food or water. Nor were
they prepared for spending the night
in the woods. They were wearing
light clothes for hiking.
Kent said that at one point the
man asked him what he was doing in
the middle of the woods at that hour.
When he told them he had been bear
By Richard P. Smith
hunting, the woman resumed crying

with the realization that they had been
stumbling around in the dark in bear
country.
Kent gladly gave the couple a ride
to their vehicle, which was parked by
Bete Grise and they were grateful for
his efforts. To get to where Kent met
them, they had to have covered many
miles. Kent didnt get their names or
where they lived in Wisconsin, but
their trip to the UP would have had
a much different ending if it hadnt
been for a bear hunter who happened
to be in the right place at the right
time.
The couple certainly wasnt in
any danger. If they had continued
following the trail where Kent met
them, they would have eventually
found their way to a paved road, unless they would have taken a wrong
turn or gotten too tired to continue. In
the worst-case scenario, a search and
rescue unit would have been activated
to look for them. Fortunately, that
wasnt necessary.
Hunters are frequently portrayed
as the bad guys when it comes to
protecting wildlife, but the opposite is
true. They do more to protect nongame wildlife than anyone else. And
sometimes they do extra good deeds
like helping lost hikers. They should
get the credit they deserve.n
My Thoughts, My Views, My Opinions...By Tom Antor
My politically incorrect views on fixing Michigans deer hunting problems
72
oacherThe mere mention of

that word makes an average
Michigan Whitetail deer hunter
cringe, and with good reason.
The illegal poaching of a trophy
buck from on or around your hunting
land can have a profound and practical impact on your upcoming season.
Conversely, just knowing you have
poachers slithering in and around your
hunting area can have an equal psychological impact on your hunting which
is getting increasingly hard to tolerate.
While poaching is an age old problem,
the way we deal with it does not have
to be. It is time to be proactive and put
forth measures that will really have an
impact and make a difference!
While I have, over time, been critical of the DNR / NRCs role in certain
deer management policies, I applaud
their efforts in the recent expansion
of conservation officer numbers and
adopted legislation to increase the fines/
penalties for these sickening crimes.
Having said that, the DNR will
be the first to acknowledge that there
is still very little they can do from a
practical standpoint to have a realistic

impact on poaching numbers. When
asked, they will still say they rely on
hunters to monitor and self-police
themselves at the grass roots level.
They have acknowledged that peer
pressure is key and I have two simple
suggestions to reach that goal.
First of all, If a person is caught
red handed with an illegally harvested deer, his (or her) hunting license or
ability to buy one or assorted other tags
should be suspended immediately! This
type of action is NOT without precedent in the criminal justice system and
I believe would be embraced by both
hunters and non-hunters alike. Think
about it, under current regulations, a
person can be caught poaching trophy
bucks and still be allowed to legally
remain in the woods with a gun or bow
up until the case is settled. These cases
can take up to a year to process depending on what county they occurred in
and this simply should not be acceptable.
Secondly, the pre-meditated, illegal harvesting of a deer should not
only suspend your hunting privileges

immediately but should also place the
offender on a public, state wide registry
as a convicted poacher if and when he
(or she) is convicted. Talk about peer
pressure this is certainly an easy and
effective way to help eradicate this
cancer and live up to the peer pressure standard championed by our own
DNR. This would not only be a great
poaching deterrent but also a valuable
asset for scouting hunting areas and an
effective tool in the search of hunting
lease or purchase options. Land values
tank for hunters if the land in question
is surrounded by poachers. The public
should have the right to know who is
living in the neighborhood!
In my opinion, the state of Michigan has unintentionally been on the
wrong side of hunter retention and
recruitment for the past several years
and has, in effect, thrown the baby out
with the bathwater in their quest to
increase participation and revenue.
For example the state has implemented several initiatives that I think
have been counter productive to the
stated goals (other than the goal of

lowering the deer numbers which, by
all measures has been a smashing success). Politics aside, lets take a look at
what I think are glaring issues that need
to be immediately addressed.
First of all, the whitetail deer season
is way too long and needs to be shortened - period! Yes, you read that right,
in the opinion of many hunters, we
need to eliminate the late antlerless season and seriously discuss what qualifies for special season status given
the incredible technological advances
of hunting equipment over the years.
Also, no politically incorrect column
on deer hunting/management would be
complete without mentioning one of the
most controversial social experiments
to datethe Liberty Hunt, or better
known as the youth hunt.
Keep in mind that we hit our peak
hunter numbers in the 1990s long
before the advent of the special youth
season when kids, by nature, chomped
at the bit and waited to legally hunt
Deer hunting problems page 74
Boat Smart -- My Thoughts, My Views, My Opinions
Take a boating safety class!
By Captain Fred Davis
The more knowledge you have, the more enjoyment youll get out of your boat.
ject many boaters ignore. Classes on
first aid, how to fuel your boat, and
what's needed to anchor or moor your
vessel are useful for all boaters.
Some subjects, like how to safely
proceed through locks, may not seem
to apply to your immediate boating
intentions, but who knows where
you may find yourself boating in the
future?
Because most instructors of boating classes are fellow boaters, classes
are conducted during the off season
in areas of changing climate, or during times of usual bad weather when
less time can be spent on the water.
These are often during months when
skippers have visions of enjoying
their boats and the classes fit right
in as you plan ahead for getting on
the water: inland lake, river, or large
body of water.
How To Find Classes

1) Look for posters at your local
marina.
2) Check with County Sheriff's
Marine Patrol officers.
3) Local Coast Guard station.
4) Call 1-800/336-2628 for the
classes in your area.
What Is The Cost?

Costs are usually just enough to
cover class material, such as workbooks. You may wish to invest in
a few extras; plotting and charting
tools are items you will want to have
aboard your boat after completing
your class. Dollars saved by purchasing proper equipment and performing proper maintenance as a result
of knowledge gained in classes will
Take a safe boating class page 75
Is it time for a change?
Dear Woods-N-Water News:

DNR matters that concern me:
1) Why are all hunters forced to
purchase a Small-Game License for
$11? I have not gone squirrel, pheasant or rabbit hunting in 20 years; if
I desired to do so, I would purchase
a required smallgame license prior
to the hunt. Is Michigan becoming
a Police State in which we are told
what we must buy in order to purchase our annual deer license? When
you go into a McDonalds fast food
Restaurant, does the clerk advise, If
you order a Big Mac you must also
order French fires? Would you buy
that hamburger if you were told you
also had to buy fries to obtain the
burger?
2) I have deer hunted the past 20

years in the Upper Peninsula. Local residents, hunters, and yes, even
DNR wildlife biologists know our
whitetails are in trouble. Last year
(2013) the Mackinac Bridge Authority declared the annual bridge deer
count was down 33 percent. This
year, prior to Thanksgiving, the
bridge count for 2014 was down by
44 percent. Add the two together and
in one year the count is down by 77
percent.
3) Once again, it is a known
fact that the Upper Peninsula and
Northern Michigan deer herds have
suffered tremendous losses the past
several years due to record-breaking
snows and cold temperatures. Sup-
pose the deer herd experiences

another bad winter season for 201415, how long will it take our northern
deer to recover? Proper deer management must include the possibility
of severe winter weather and how
it affects our current deer. We cant
wait for another tremendous loss and
then shake our heads wondering if
we have enough of the herd left to
recover. Weather must be factored
into the management equation.
There was a time when Michigan
led the rest of the states in the study
of deer science and management at
the DNRs Cusino Wildlife Center
located in the Upper Peninsula at
Is it time for a change? page 75
hy take a boating safety

class? This is a common
question along with, what
can I learn in a classroom
that I can't learn while boating?
Boating safety classes are taught
by experienced boaters, people with
years of knowledge gathered under
various conditions, eager to share
their knowledge with others. The first
thing you will notice in classes sponsored by U.S. Power Squadron and
United States Coast Guard Auxiliary
is a wide variety of people sharing a common interest. Entry-level
boaters, with little or no experience,
share the classes with old salts there
to gather new information and ideas
that evolve with changes in equipment. You'll find people interested
in exchanging ideas and form lasting friendships. If you have been
boating for a while, you'll learn new
techniques and receive updates on the
latest regulations and laws affecting
boaters.
Lesson plans and number of
classes vary from class to class but
subject matter is generally the same.
Topics include handling different
types of hulls under various conditions and how different propulsion
(inboard, I/O, outboard) cause vessels to respond in different ways.
You will learn how to recognize
navigational aids (boaters' traffic
signs). How to read charts will be
covered in detail along with instruction regarding equipment required
aboard your boat. Equipment that
should be required will be another
topic.
Lessons on marlinspike--the
use of lines, knots and splices, and
weather--what to look for and how
to recognize approaching condition
changes will be included. The class
on basic operating procedures under
various conditions is always interesting and very informative. Tips
on maintenance of your boat and
new equipment will pop up during
many of the classes. These topics
attract boaters looking for a refresher
because new ideas and technology
develop daily on the subjects.
Although less exciting than some
classes, rules of the road will be a
very informative class and every
good boater needs to know them.
Classes are offered on how to keep
your vessel under control in any condition you may encounter and how to
handle emergencies, including use of
flares and fire extinguishers.
There is a class that should
interest you on proper use of a VHF
radio that is very informative. If you
havent already noticed, this is a sub-
more than equal the amount you

spend on the course. If that's not a
big enough bonus, check with your
insurance company. Most offer a
discount for having completed a boating course.
Another bonus you receive is
an unexpected one. You meet new
friends with a common interest.
Because courses are held in your
local area, you may discover your
neighbor on the next block has a boat
just like yours or they dock at the
same marina. I made friendships that
lasted more than 20 years at classes I
attended.
Another good reason to take the
Coast Guard Auxiliary or Power
Squadron classes is you will be
invited to join their organizations.
Once enrolled, a whole new learning opportunity will be available to
you. Subjects taught far exceed those
you learned in earlier basic boating
classes. You may even find yourself
helping to teach classes a few years
later.
One of the best features of these
courses is they are offered to the
whole family. You, your spouse, and
youngsters (not recommended for
those under 16) can learn together
and that can result in great family
fun! Just think when you yell, "Get
the stern line ready," no one will go
to the front of the boat.
Although I have only mentioned
two major courses, some states offer
boating classes through their Departments of Natural Resources, and in
other areas Red Cross classes are
available. Private classes, taught by
73
My Thoughts, My Views, My Opinions...

Deer hunting:
from page 72
with dad. How is it possible that kids

participated in record numbers back
then without a special season?
Since the concept of allowing a person to hunt from the age of fetus on up
is probably going to be the new normal I would like to offer the following compromise. Youth season should
start on October 1 and instead of taking
your son or daughter into the woods in
September with a new .243, buy them a
crossbow instead and enjoy the relative
calm and natural deer movements that
occur during the bow season opener.
If we are going to have an honest
discussion, we need to determine if the
end result is actually counter productive to the stated goals of retention and
recruitment? Yes, a lot of kids have
participated in these special seasons
and in many cases have actually pulled
the trigger on that trophy buck. I understand the excitement that moment
would produce but many more kids
have become lifelong hunters without the benefit of what some claim is
nothing more than a outdoor welfare
program with patterned trophy bucks
served on a silver platter. (Remember,
this is a politically incorrect column!)
Some love the youth season and
others hate it and to be honest I fall
somewhere in the middle, but if you
look at the numbers, these liberal

policies seem to be chasing away more
hunters than are being recruited. Although I have not heard any statistics
yet pertaining to this past years hunting license sales, I predict the 2014 season will have one of the lowest hunter
participation numbers in the last decade
in spite of this years weekend firearms
openerTime will tell.
In Michigan, you can now legally
pursue the whitetailed deer from September all the way into January in a
bevy of special seasons originally
thought to increase hunter participation
and satisfaction.I would suggest this
great social deer hunting experiment,
while perhaps motivated by virtuous
motives, has ultimately, been a failure.
Just look at what has happeneddeer
numbers and deer hunter numbers have
tanked while actual deer movement in
various parts of the state has evolved
into near nocturnal patterns. Again,
what is the point of all of this?
We owe it to Michigans hunting
retailers, manufacturers, hotel/motel
owners, bars and restaurants, especially
throughout Northern Michigan to stop
the hemorrhaging of participating hunters. We need to treat deer hunting like
the economic engine it used to be by
wrapping our arms around the simple
concept that sometimes less is more!
Many years ago while attending a
deer hunting round table discussion
in Lansing hosted by the DNR and
specifically the former Wildlife Director, the merits of the late season was
discussed. When pressed on this issue,
the former director told us that if the
late antlerless season was abolished,
hunters would simply shift their calendars and harvest the deer earlier in the
year. I agreed with him then and agree
with that ideology now.
In my opinion the late antlerless
season is especially counter productive
because too many antlerless bucks
(bucks that dropped antlers already)
and button bucks are harvested during
the late season. It is a horribly flawed
season for a lot of reasons and needs to
be abolished. It is simply a lot easier to
identify and harvest antlerless deer earlier in the year and by failing to address
this issue is driving another nail in the
coffin, burying hunter enthusiasm and
retention in the process.
As you may have noted by my
demeanor, I am now an official old
geezer and have witnessed a lot of
changes during my forty plus years
chasing deer around the state of Michi-
gan. I have seen the firearms opener

morph from near holiday status to just
another day on the calendar. I have witnessed legendary, Upper Peninsula deer
camps and hunters melt into memories
as the allure of the great north woods
lost its soul along with huntable numbers of deer in many areas.
Things have changed a lot but what
hasnt changed is common sense, math
and the dangers of political correctness
injected into deer management. Lets
encourage and translate the ideas put
forth in this column into new legislation and allow these ideas a chance to
take root on a trial basis for a couple of
years and then have an honest debate
on the results!
If not nowwhen?
In memory of the Outspoken

Sportsman William Bill Moore who
dedicated his life fighting for what he
believed in as one of the most politically incorrect icons in Michigan outdoor
historyYou dont have to take it
anymore Bill n
I just want the DNR to be honest!

I want to start out saying I have
pretty much always been a supporter
of Michigans DNR. They have a
difficult and often thankless job of
trying to manage Michigans natural
resources. For every decision they
make, rightly or wrongly, there will
always be people that disagree with
them.
With that said however, I really
get tired of the DNR, every year there
is a strong reduction in the deer kill in
Michigan, and there seems to be more
and more of them, pulling out their
little black book of pre-conceived
excuses, to try to explain away the
severely reduced kill. Whether it is
heavy snow, the bad economy, lack
of snow, poor weather, mid-week
openings, disease, license increased
cost (which I strongly approved of),
or a lunar eclipse, they have a ready
excuse.
I just wish the DNR would

honestly say to hunters Hunters, we
have allowed you to shoot the hell
out of the deer herd, both does and
bucks, with a three month--anything
goes season. Deer numbers are down,
and that is just the way WE want it!
And they will stay down because WE
know best!
That would at least be honest of
them.
One figure I have seen in print
said that there were 41,000 fewer deer
licenses sold this fall. Increased cost
might be a small factor in that loss of
sales. But, if they do not come back,
not only will the DNR be a BIG loser,
so will the deer hunting heritage of
Michigan be a loser. Hunters will pay
the price of a license only if there is a
respectable chance of seeing/shooting
a deer. And thats not the case now.
Judd Knaup
Bellevue, MI
SUCCESSFUL TURKEY HUNTERS
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My Thoughts, My Views, My Opinions
DNR still making mistakes

ABCDEF will my tagged deer be
illegally tagged? Is this their way of
trapping honest citizens and writing
citations? No one could answer my
questions.
To make matters worse I was
informed by the DNR that my fall
turkey permit would not be shipped
for several weeks due to computer
error buyers can cancel internet sales
and buy another license across the
counter.
The DNR even provided a phone
number to hasten the transaction.
When I called I was surprised to
hear I Could purchase one turkey tag
per day and the total tags was
Is it time for a change? from page 73

Shingleton. It was the envy of the
nation.
4) This year deer hunting, I saw
more bear than deer. And that brings
up another topic; predator control.
Wolf and bear counts must be made
annually and both wolf pups and bear
cubs need be counted. Not including wolf pups in the final population
count makes a big difference; that
figure increases from 636 wolves
across the Upper peninsula to 12001500 wolves, when pups of the year
are included in that count.
Nor do biologists have a handle
on how many bear northern Michigan
has. They claim that they do not use
population numbers in bear manage-
Take a safe
boating class
from page 73
qualified marine training instructors,

are also an option. These classes
generally offer advanced topics. I
recommend taking a basic boating
class before enrolling in any of the
more expensive private ones.
You can find classes on the
Internet sponsored by Boat U.S. and
others. These contain good information but do not replace the hands-on
and "voice" of experience provided in
a classroom presentation.
Some of the lessons you learn in
class probably will make you wonder
why an instructor thinks you need to
know the information. In the future,
as you enjoy your boat, you may be
confronted with a situation and your
recall of the subject from a class will
help you get safely through it.
The variety of styles in boats and
their multiple uses brings a need for
more boating knowledge. It really is
a simple equation: The more knowledge you have, the more enjoyment
you'll get out of your boat.n
ment. To me that makes little sense.

When you include predation on the
list of deer related problems, it is just
one more factor serving as a peril
forth whitetail from wolf, coyote,
cougar or bear.
5) Is DNRs wildlife chief, Russ
Mason, adequately managing our
wildlife? Should U. P. cougars also
be managed? Should we have better
control of the wolf and black bear
populations? Should my son be able
to drive north for a two-day deer hunt
without paying over $70 for a license
including a smallgame-license he will
not be using? Will we still maintain
a viable U. P. deer herd 10 years from
now? Is it time for new policies and
leadership?
Harold Thomas
Owosso, MI
unlimited. Wait a minute; I

thought it was illegal to buy
more than a single turkey tag?
Not this past fall.
But now the question is will the
DNR oversell turkey licenses and
cash in on license sales while hunters
devastate the resource; similar to how
the DNR destroyed Michigans deer
population? Sportsmen have to ask
if the DNR understands the meaning
of conservation and protection of our
wildlife after seeing the deer herd
take a nose dive caused by years of
unlimited doe license sales. Now
will the DNR destroy turkey numbers
too?
Gotta wonder what they are thinking in Lansing. And what about the
2014 Waterfowl Hunting Digest that
lists a daily bag limit of four mallards
during the Dec. 27-28 2014 hunt

but possession limit is 12 ducks.
Let me see, if I can only shoot four
mallards a day, how in the world can
I legally possess 12 ducks in two
days?
How can they refer to the Department as the leader in conservation
when they make huge mistakes that
ruin wildlife populations?
Oh, if you have any DNR questions just try calling them. Their
phone answering service is confusing,
idiotichello, is anyone there that
gives a hoot? Can anyone tell me if
I could shoot unlimited turkeys this
past fall? What about Unit ABCDEF
on my deer tag, what does this mean?
Kenny Darwin
E. Lansing, MI
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I was surprised this year to see
on the deer tags I purchased cut out
areas for harvested by trap and
Unit ABCDEF. Since I tend to take
any punch out portion of deer tags
seriously I contacted the DNR and no
one could tell me why this junk is on
my license.
One DNR computer source said
the added information has nothing
to do with filling out your tag it is
simply a way for the DNR to save
money.
Well, I hope they saved a ton of
cash, meanwhile theres trash on my
deer tag. If I dont punch out Unit
75
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Great Lakes Insights...
A book to bust
your cooler
K, up front, this is not an

unbiased book review in any
way shape or form. My good
friend and business partner
Capt. Dan Keating just finished
writing his third book about fishing
on the Great Lakes, and like the first
two, it aims to help people catch more
salmon and trout. I just finished editing it for him and I want to tell you,
reading it got me thoroughly geeked
to get out and hit the big
water again this spring. In
a nutshell, Keating covers
some expert-level tactics
that help you find and then
catch fish throughout the
year. He takes a speciesby-species approach with
separate chapters for cohos,
kings, browns, lakers
and steelhead, then covers multi-species spreads
when youre hunting for a
cooler full, and no single
species is overly populating your fishing area.
He also has a chapter on understanding currents, which is something
I personally barely grasp. I think that
after reading that chapter, I have a
much better understanding of how to
identify and fish in those currents out
on the big water.
One thing weve been bandying
about is the books title. He thinks he
wants this one: Great Lakes Salmon
and Trout Fishing: Essential Trolling Tactics and Seasonal Strategies.
While the title is accurate, I thought
it sounded too text-booky, and that
wouldnt match the way he wrote the
information contained withinthe
book is a really fun read.
I countered with what I thought
was more appropriate: Great Lakes
Salmon and Trout: Year-Round Cooler-Busting Techniques, would be
more in line with how Keating reveals
charter boat secrets within the books
pages. But he reminded me that quite
a few anglers on Lake Ontario routinely release fishand he hopes to
sell some books in New York and the
province of Ontario.
Captain Keating has been chartering since he was 18, and he just turned
50. Thats 32 years of experience, and
in all those trips, sometimes running
two and three charters a day out of
Northpoint Marina on the Illinois/
Wisconsin state line, he has an impressive record. With charter clients,
he has averaged 17 fish a trip. Let that
sink in a minute
Im not sure how many trips Ive

trolled up 17 or more fish on Lake
Michigan or any other Great Lake.
There have been more than a few, but
a 17-fish average? Uh-uh.
Anyone who has seen an of
Keatings Great Lakes Angler Super
Salmon Schools has heard the captain talk about the group dynamic
of lures. Basically, what that means is,
instead of just putting down a hodgepodge of spoons and flashers
based on your favorite colors,
you must think about how every lure in the trolling spread
relates to all of the others.
Sometimes, and he points
this out in his book, youll be
hammering fish on, say, your
downriggers and inside diver
lines. Everything is catching
fish except a flasher-fly rig
you have down on a corner
downrigger. Because the
other three downriggers
are running spoons and catching fish,
you pull the flasher-fly and replace it
with a fourth spoon. Suddenly, its like
someone flipped a switch, and nothing
is catching fish anymore. What happened was you pulled the presentation
that was bringing fish into your spread
thereby affecting the group dynamic
and shutting off the bite.
Keating walks you through putting
together a group dynamic for each
species, starting with spring time fishing and on through summer and fall.
He even breaks it down further, talking about finding fish and then following them throughout the day.
He also delves into various setups, with chapters covering copper
line and lead core, a chapter on wire
line for divers and weights. He even
asked me to contribute a chapter on
the basics of fishing with meat, such
as herring strips.
Im not kidding, if reading this
book doesnt make you a better
salmon and trout angler, you better
read it again.
The book was just being readied
for the printer, so the price wasnt
established as I wrote this story. For
sure it is 256 pages longperfect
for a long winters read. Keating has
adorned it with 45 diagrams and lots
of pictures. The diagrams show things
such as how currents affect fish movement and what a good spread of lures
for various species looks like.
With the continued cutbacks of
king salmon stocking, especially appropriate for upcoming seasons are
By Dave Mull
76
TIRED OF COYOTES GETTING TO THE DEER AND GAME BIRDS
BEFORE YOU DO?
DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!
GET A NIGHT RAID AND BECOME

THE DOMINANT PREDATOR ONCE AGAIN!
Capt. Dan Keating (left) poses with his crew that included Frank Juzwik,
Caleb Weiner and writer Dave Mull on a late October trip that boated 19 trout
and salmon on Lake Michigan. Great Lakes Salmon and Trout Fishing: Essential
Trolling Tactics and Seasonal Strategies, due out this month is Keatings
third book about how to catch salmon and trout.
net. Hell also be selling it at the
Great Lakes Angler Super Salmon
Schools this show season. We have
them planned for Grand Rapids and
Birch Run, but the dates have not yet
been set. We do have one at the South
Bend Century Center in Indiana on
January 31. You can register on Keatings site.
However you get one, if you fish
for salmon, I can guarantee you wont
be disappointed.n
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the tips contained in the chapters on

brown trout and steelhead. Keating
explains how to target brown trout
on specific structure and shows how
to catch steelhead in the middle of
nowhere.
You can start looking for the book
on Amazon later this month, and it
will also be available in many places
that sell gear for salmon fishing. Or,
order it online from Keatings website: www. bluehorizonsportfishing.
77
Guest Column By Bill Green, Cass County...
My Target Buck
y wife and I had purchased an

eighty acre parcel of property in the summer of 2013.
The farm consists of twenty
eight acres of tillable, the rest
consisting of hardwoods and swamps.
The hard timber was very large and had
very little undergrowth which is great
for viewing the squirrels, not so great
for whitetail movement. Needless to
say I hunted the 2013 with only random
sightings of deer and none that I was
willing to lose an arrow on especially
after going through a bout with EHD.
The numbers in this particular area are
down but seem to be improving.
Entering the 2014 season I knew I
had a lot of work to do before the season opened. The spring was spent clearing old fence rows, figuring out food
plot locations and trying to improve
some of the old logging trails for better
access. I met with a forester and the
decision was made to do a select cut of
timber to improve the overall wellbeing of the woods as well as improve the
deer and turkey habitat. June was spent
cutting grape vines and cleaning up
after the logging crews.
July had arrived and it was time to
put out a couple of cameras to see if I
had managed to scare every deer out of
the area. You can imagine my surprise

when the very first picture I viewed
that summer was the buck I nicknamed
Hollywoodthis deer simply loved the
camera. I dont think Ive ever had so
many pictures of the same deer. There
was one picture where the buck was
actually standing on the mats that were
used to skid the logs out in the low
areas.
Everything was falling into place
and I couldnt wait for the season to
open. The only minor problem was the
logs were still in the field that I had
planned on turning into a food plot. The
trucks that hall the logs were running
4-6 weeks behind the skidding crew.
This was a very wet summer and created a lot of problems for the loggers.
August arrived quicker than I would
have liked, the plan was to have the
food plots in by mid-July. Needless to
say there was a change on the menu.
The food plots were finally completed
on August 20 and the treestands were
hung. The only thing left to do was
practice and wait.
September had arrived and good old
Hollywood continued to show himself
on the camera. There were a couple of
pictures where you could see the velvet
hanging from the antlers. On September
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largest deer with a bow this deer meant more to him than any other deer.
20 my daughter Channing I headed to
the food plot in hopes of catching up to
the buck. Unfortunately the weather that
weekend was terrible and no deer were
seen.
October rolled around and I was
ready. I spent the first week hunting
with Channing in hopes of getting a
crack at old Hollywood. On October 7
Channings patients ran out on old Hollywood as she shot her first deer with
a crossbow. This was probably one of
the best hunts Ive ever been on. It was
really neat to see a ten year old shake
uncontrollably for ten minutes.
After Channing harvested her deer
I had decided to back out and wait until

I had a daylight picture or the time of
the year was more favorable for big
buck movement. On October 27 I had
a picture of Hollywood heading to the
food plot a couple of hours before daylight. I figured the best chance would
be to catch him on the way back to his
bedding area. The plan was to wait until
I had a northwest wind and put in some
time.
November 1 I was perched in my
stand a half hour before daylight, there
was a stiff cold breeze out of the north
and I was excited to be there. Daylight
greeted me with two deer crashing to
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One of the many

trail cam photos
of Hollywood.
fear was realized when the doe started
to stomp, prompting the buck to take
two large bounds into the swamp and
out of sight. It was neat to see the deer
and I hoped hell come back out.
The doe stopped stomping and
actually settled right down. Im not
sure if she was stomping at a scent
bomb that I had placed out or if she
had indeed scented me. Either way she
had settled down, the problem was she
was moving the wrong way. I followed
her in the range finder and after what
seemed like an eternity the buck came
out of the swamp and continued on the
does trail. As he entered the opening I
settled the fifty yard pin and squeezed
the trigger. I saw the arrow hit the
buck; he bolted 30 or 40 yards and
stopped. I could see his tail spinning
but he took two more steps and was out
of sight.
I played the shot back in my mind
and everything looked good. I decided
to wait three hours in the stand. I
wasnt positive about the shot and
didnt want to bump the deer. After the
excruciating three hour wait I snuck
down and walked out and around the

area in which I had last seen the deer.
I went to my parents house and had a
little something to eat before returning.
When we returned we walked over to
where I had shot the deer and found a
lot of good sign and immediately knew
the deer wasnt going far. We followed
the trail for sixty yards and the celebration was on.
After field dressing the deer and
taking a few photos the tour was on.
I think I used a tank of gas out showing friends and family. The buck has
fourteen storable points. I had the deer
measured by two different scorers, one
green score was 165-3/8 159 net

and the other was 162-4/8 with a
156-1/8 net. Even though this
wasnt my largest deer with a bow
this deer meant more to me than any
other deer. I think it was the fact that
it was on my own land and I had put
a lot of work into creating an opportunity. I thank my brother Jimmy,
my son Derek and good friends
Gary and Chuck for helping me this
spring and summer. You learn who
your real buddies are when there is
work to be done. These groups of
guys are second to none and I truly
appreciate their help.n
The authors daughter Channing took her

first deer with a crossbow Oct. 7.
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the north along the swamps edge.

When the deer came into view for
the first time I knew it was Hollywood. They continued on through the
woods and then through the swamp. I
couldnt believe they were splashing
in the swamp when they had a nice dry
woods to meander through. After a few
minutes I saw the doe emerge from the
swamps edge, she proceeded my way.
At this point I picked up my bow from
the hanger.
The doe was now out in front of
me at roughly seventy yards, the buck
was nowhere in sight. Finally the buck
popped out of the swamp and stared in
my direction. I was thinking to myself,
Oh yeah, this is going to be good! The
doe proceeded to close the distance,
in fact she was getting too far out in
front of the buck. I worried that she
would catch my wind before the buck
was close enough for a shot. The doe
continued to circle around me following the ridge to the swamps edge to the
south of my stand. The doe had walked
by at 25 yards, the buck, however,
walked behind some brush and never
offered a shot. The two deer were now
directly downwind with no shot. My
79
An Important Historical Bait-Casting Reel...
The Snyder
Multiplying Reel
he Snyder Multiplying Reel an

important historical
bait-casting reel
Ray Carver was
looking for vintage
tackle as he worked his way past the
different vendor booths at an antique
market not far from his home in Marshal. Ray collected handmade folk art baits, as well
as lures and spearing decoys
created by Michigans legendary carver, Bud Stewart.
He had found some great
lures in the past at the antique market and was hoping
to come across something
special that morning.
Eventually,
he made his way
towards a friends
booth who also collected fishing
tackle and stopped to talk to him.
As they stood there admiring several
unusual wooden baits, Ray glanced
at the booth next door and noticed
some miniature sewing machines on
display. He walked over and picked
up several nice examples and started a
conversation with the dealer. Eventually, they got back to Rays main interest, antique fishing tackle. With that
cue, the dealer pulled out a cardboard
box that she had stored underneath
one of her displays and put it on the
table for Rays inspection. The small
cardboard box was filled with casting

reels and had been purchased by the
woman in Indiana or Kentucky during
one of her buying trips. The dealer
offered the entire box to him for just
$20. The cardboard box was crammed
with perhaps a dozen reels and sitting
on top was a highly sought after Meek
#3 Kentucky casting reel. Ray quickly
paid her the money and
walked off happy with his
purchase.
The Meek German silver
bait-casting reel was a great
find for him, and he placed it
on display in his tackle room
at home. He put the other
reels away and finally got
around to examining them
about a month later.
There were the usual
reel manufacturers
represented inside the cardboard box
- Pflueger, Shakespeare, South Bend
and Bronson - all common bait casting reels. However, at the bottom, Ray
found a small brass reel that he did not
recognize and set it aside to research.
The little reel had a jewelers mark on
its left side plate, which was stamped
G.S. in raised letters.
Ray Carvers chance discovery
happened twenty years ago in 1994.
With the help from a number of fishing reel collector friends from the Old
Reel Collectors Association (ORCA),
Ray was able to identify the reels
By Terry McBurney
80
A view of the Snyder reel showing

the stop button on the right head
plate rim and the sliding click button plate directly below it.
This Snyder Kentucky reel

discovered in Marshall, Michigan
in 1994 and was one of the first
multiplying bait-casting reels
ever made in the United States,
circa 1815. All photos courtesy of
Ray Carver
maker as George Snyder, the father of
the American baitcasting reel. The reel
dated from the early 1800s!
The fishing reels that American
anglers used in the late eighteenth and
early nineteenth centuries were single
action reels initially imported from
England and then later manufactured
in the U.S. When the angler turned
the handle a single turn, the spool of a
single action reel revolved just once,
as there was no internal gearing. The
English called them winches or
wheels, and they were made from
brass or iron.
These early devices held only
fifteen to twenty yards of horsehair or
silk fishing line and were attached to
the long wooden rods of the time with
screws, clamps or tied onto the rod
with a cord. These simple fishing reels
were used primarily to store the line
after the angler finished fishing and
not used to make casts.
Two hundred plus years ago,
fishing was far simpler than today.
Anglers trolled live bait or flies behind a rowed boat, fished from shore
or waded in a stream as metal spoons
did not come along until Julio T. Buel
patented his first spoon in 1852.
When fishing from shore or wading, the angler would strip off fifteen
to twenty feet of line and then flip the
fly or live bait out the length of the
line. This limited fishing to a small
area, and too often, the better spots on

a stream or a lake were out of reach.
Change began in the middle of the
eighteenth century when an unknown
English reel maker first put multiplying gears into a fishing reel. The earliest identified maker of a geared multiplying winch was Onesimus Ustonson
of London who in 1768 advertised
the best sort of Multiplying Brass
Winches, both stop and plain. The
Ustonson multiplying reels were relatively crude, were rough running, but
they were a big first step in improving fishing reels as they permitted the
fisherman to retrieve his line faster.
As fishing in American waters
was very good, sports fishing grew in
popularity during the late eighteenth
century and early nineteenth century.
This was particularly true in Kentucky where early settlers found an
abundance of pike, walleye, catfish
and especially the feisty black bass.
These first Kentucky fishermen also
discovered they needed better tackle
to fish with, so it was not long before
a number of local craftsmen skilled
as watchmakers, jewelers and silversmiths began to build better and
smoother running reels for not only
trolling but for casting live bait.
George W. Snyder Sr., watchmaker and silversmith from Paris,
Kentucky is recognized as having
made the first bait-casting reel with
multiplying gears in the United

States - that is, where one turn of the
handle causes the spool to revolve
several times.
Not much is known of his early
life other than he was born in Bucks
County, Pennsylvania either 1781
or 1782 and later moved to Paris,
Kentucky in the early 1800s. The
first documentation of his presence
in Kentucky was an announcement
in the local newspaper, The Western
Citizen, dated September 1, 1813,
that he had opened a watch business. An avid angler, he was also
the president of the local Bourbon
County Anglers Club. George Snyder
built his first handmade multiplying
casting reel sometime between 1813
and 1820 along with his two sons,
produced, produced only a handful of
reels, possibly no more than a dozen.
He built his first reel for his own
use, and then made other reels for
family members and friends from
the Bourbon County Anglers Club.
Later Snyder bait-casting reels

incorporated design improvements as
compared to Ray Carvers brass reel.
The pillars of his reel are positioned
so there is not enough space between
the pillars at the back of the reel for
thumbing the reel, something that
was necessary to help control backlashes. The reel foot was attached to
the reel with a bridge and a single
rivet, while later reels used three
rivets to attach the bridge to the reel,
certainly a more secure design. The
reel foot is longer than later Snyder
reels and has deep grooves stamped at
both ends so the reel could be lashed
to the rod with rawhide or cord. Some
later Snyder reels had a shorter reel
foot with a hole drilled through each
end in order to affix the reel to the
rod.
The gears of Ray Carvers reel
produce a 3:1 gear ratio while many
of Snyders later reels had a gear
ration of 4.3:1. The 3:1 gear ratio created a repetitive meshing of the same
A view of the brass reel showing the

grooved reel foot and the curved half
handle with its bone or ivory grasp.
1878. The first pertinent entry was:

1836 June 1 Geo. Snyder for fishing
reel, $8, and the second entry: 1839
Mar 16 Mr. Snyder act. Fishing Reel
$13.25. One Kentucky reel historian,
Frank Stewart, has suggested that
Brutus may have bought the $8 reel
from Snyder as a used reel and that
the second reel for $13.25 was most
likely the retail price of a new one,
which was a lot of money in 1839. A
comparable reel in 2014 would sell
for over $300 in todays dollars!
As a second postscript, on March
22, 1997 a George Snyder baitcasting reel became the highest price
ever paid for an American fishing
reel when it sold at Langs Sporting Collectibles spring auction for
$31,350! The record price for the
Snyder reel was the outcome of a

prolonged telephone bidding contest
between two private collectors. That
reel is now part of the permanent
display at the Karl and Beverly White
National Tackle Museum in Jenks,
Oklahoma, which is just twelve miles
south of nearby Tulsa. The National
Tackle Museum and the Oklahoma
Aquarium are adjacent to each other
and a great vacation destination.
I would like to thank Ray Carver
for the assistance he gave me in putting together this article. I would also
like to acknowledge Steven Vernon
and Frank Stewarts excellent book,
Fishing Reel Makers of Kentucky, an
invaluable resource when it comes to
Kentucky reels.n
ITS SPORT SHOW TIME AGAIN....

Regardless of the number of reels the
Snyder family built, the Snyder reels
represented the first step in the evolution of the American casting reel.
The Snyder reel found at the
Marshall, Michigan antique market in
1994 measures 1 -inches across the
side plates and 1 9/16-inches across
the width of the three pillars. The design of the reel appears to be an early
one as compared to other Snyder reels
and surprisingly close to the drawing
of G. Snyders Own Reel that appears in James Henshalls Book of the
Black Bass, 1904 Edition. That reel
was also stamped G.S.
gear teeth on every rotation producing unbalanced wear to the gears. The
later 4.3:1 gear ratio was improved by
adding a hunting tooth to the main
gear. This extra tooth allowed the
gears to mesh properly and produced
a smoother and longer lasting action.
These simpler design differences suggest that his Snyder reel was an early
model and possibly a prototype reel.
As a postscript to this article,
several letters have been uncovered,
as well as a detailed account book
written by Brutus Clay, of Paris,
Kentucky. The account book lists his
expenses from 1828 until his death in
Grand Rapids
Ultimate Sport Show
March 19 - 22, Devos Place
Dick VanRaalte and I will again be setting up our antique displays at both the
Outdoorama in Novi and the Ultimate Sport Show in Grand Rapids.
I will be exhibiting my Made in Michigan fishing tackle collection and offering free appraisals on old tackle brought into the show. Dick VanRaalte, from
Starboard Marine Restorations in Grand Haven, Michigan, will be exhibiting
one of his restored classic boats along with a display of vintage outboard motors.
Dick will also be answering your questions and offering free appraisals.
Bring in your fathers or grandfathers tackle box, old rods and reels, or a vintage
outboard motor. We will be happy to answer your questions, as well as offering
FREE appraisals. We are also interested in buying old sporting collectibles for
our collections. Please stop by and enjoy our displays. We will see you there.
The reels side plate showing G.S. stamped at the 3 oclock position
and the exposed end of the spool journal projecting through the domeshaped bushed bearing.
Novi Outdoorama
Feb. 26 - March. 1
Suburban Collection Showcase
81
Latest/favorite ice lures for specific species
esterday we were discussing

U. P. ice fishing and the 30
inches of snow weve had in
November and veteran ice
anglers and health etc.
The nerve of this 75-year-old
Yooper to tell me, Dock, cremation
is the only way youre ever going
to have a smokin hot body. Well, I
resemble that remark.
Moving on, lets discuss the grand
winter game we play. Add a little
bling, a little flash, and a little jigglewiggle and its magic. Yes, anglers,
like magicians, present an illusion to
the audience, in this case, the fish. A
lure can be alluring, or realistic, like
a Jigging Rap, or look like nothing a
fish would eat. Its nothing until we
manipulate it make the fish inclined
to be curious at the very least and
better yet, we can skillfully move it or
jig it or twitch it or snap it to make the
fish susceptible or predisposed to eat
it. And, in a trade off, I become a kid
again.
To the fish, when your lure feels
like something, you have made your
day. So brag its artistry in action.
Learning from the innovative
people who manufacture the stuff
that makes modern ice fishing safer
and easier and warmer and

makes us better anglers, well,
thats fun too.
In 2014 and into 2015
there are more new rods,
reels, line, shelters, and
augers on the market to keep
a curious angler busy for a
long time. However, lets primarily concentrate
on the lures for
now. But, going
a step further, lets match the lures to
specific species we want to catch (and
eat).
By Robert Dock Stupp
Panfish Lures
Perch: Workin on the chain

gang aall-a-allall-day! Never used
chains or chains hanging from lures,
until recently. Then a buddy put on a
Hali lure, made by Nils Master, and
started catching some previously fickle perch up to 11-inches. I borrowed
one, tipped it with a waxy and we had
a super perch day on the ice. The Hali
has a gold chain plus a hook on it.
Later, I was reading in an ice fishing magazine showing a lure called
the Perch Talker. Talk about bling
with its colored brass beads that not
only create a clicking and rattling
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noise but also reflect light

and color to attract and trigger perch. The main things
the flexible dropper chain
does is, with the slightest
movement, the angler came
manipulate and give the bait
his personal touch, as in pop
it up and down and jiggle
it and wiggle it.
Put on a scented
micro-plastic or a
minnow head on the treble hook and
have at it. Its made by Lindy - lindyfishingtackle.com.
Now, Custom Jigs & Spoons
makes a lure called the Pro Finesse
Drop Chain which your imagination
will tell you to attach to a Slender
Spoon or a jig head. You can also purchase a chain with an extra diamond
bling (customjigs.com.)
All Panfish: Whether it be an outing for bluegills or crappies or whatever, modern ice lures appeal to all
the senses, whether it be sight with an
emphasis these days on glow and flash
and cool, bright colors or targeting
the sense of hearing with the lateral
line which includes feeling vibrations,
heck, have fun shopping with your
feet or let your fingers do the walking.
So, sensibly speaking, why not

build a lure called a Time Bomb
Rattling Spoon. This compact, rattle
spoon works hard and quick with a
tick-tick-tick sound. Theres a brass
washer, a bead, and the now familiar
Swarovski flash of a gem eye. Add a
glowing epoxy treble hook and you
have a vertical triggering machine
for, I think, a variety of fish species,
including walleye. Theres a 1/8th and
1/4ounce size with a 12- and 8-size
treble. clamoutdoors.com
Knowing that we cant talk about
all the new ice lures now available,
heres one that caught my eye. I almost become hypnotized by jigs as if
they were diamonds in a jewelry store
window.
This little gem is called a Saucer
Grub. Its in the 2015 Ice Fishing
Guides. Noticing it in its simply design I can visualize the 1/10th to 1/32
ounce jig. Yes, the tungsten jig has a
rounded saucer head with a flat bottom. Right away I knew how it would
fall. From past experience I knew
what the Lulu Jig did. More oblong
than round but with a flat bottom (the
ones with a glow, white bottom caught
more crappies) however, it fell or
dropped with a good, sliding, swim-
Woods-N-Water
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ming action and I used it to catch

conditioned crappies on a popular
U.P. lake.
The Saucer Grub should flare
out more with more of a left and
right walk-the-dog action but with a
slower, perhaps more of a wounded,
dropping action (thats what my runaway imagination told me).Perfect!
I ordered them from: expeditionoutdoors.com
Can you take the chain off a jig
if you feel an 18-inch mono dropper
will produce more fish? Why not?
Walleyes & Pike
Horizontal or vertical? Take your

pick by letting the fish tell you which
lure to use. For walleyes, I have a
tendency to use a more horizontal
presentation mainly because the
Rapala Jigging Rap probably catches
more walleyes than any other lure.
Live bait may do better but thats a
horizontal thing too. Im also going to
try the new Moonshine Shiver Minnow this year to see how it works.
The Cicada blade bait is a sleeper.
Two popular vertical lures for
walleyes are rattlers like the Lindy
RattlN Flyer Spoon and the Northland Buck-Shot Rattle Spoon. Of
course, these are excellent in darker
water. Tip the treble with a minnowhead.
Pike are rarely fickle or negative
at first ice but on a popular border
lake like Lac Vieux Desert near
Watersmeet, Michigan and Land O
Lakes, Wisconsin, I watched with
my underwater camera as the wily
waterwolf and I played catch-meif-you-can. They would fly to the
jig and minnow and then stop on a
dime inspect and take off. A shiny
spoon changed their mood.

Two shiny new ones I will try
this year is the Yearling (livetarget.
com) lipless lure, a horizontal intriguing bait that is super shiny with 2
body profiles and 5 finishes to choose
from. The body of the unique bait
has multiple little fish stamped into
it so it looks like a school of yearling
baitfish, eyes and all. Gotta try it!
When I see a vertical, spoon-like
lure with multi-faceted surfaces I
thing of superior light reflection and
the ability to bring a pike in from afar.
Called a Spud, it has feathers on its
treble (lunkerhunt.com).
The author
caught these
nice perch with
a Hali lure and a
waxworm and
it was simply
fun.
Whitefish
Why I fish for these #@$#%&+

fish I dont know. The range of baits
and lures to use in one outing ranges
from a tiny weightless fly to a big
Swedish Pimple. Tough to predict
except to keep talking to your nearby
fishing buddies.
O.K., heres fishbrain idea
#4,692! Take a Little Cleo spoon (or
other compact spoon) and remove
the treble and replace it with a single
hook riding about 18-inches (use fluorocarbon in the thinnest size you can
get away with) below a swivel. Next,
put a #8 octopus hook riding higher
on the line. Bait the hooks with waxies or a Berkley Gulp! Minnow. Or
work the rig up high and let it flutter
slowly down near the bottom. And
pray.
Artificial Versus
Livebait For Panfish
Whatever works is a good way

to look at it. Sometimes taking live
minnows is not practical while taking
a little jar of fresh minnow heads or a

little can of waxworms is all you will
need to put on the jig of your choice.
Micro-plastic bait designs and jigs
that look like some kind of microorganism or not until it is finessed
and manipulated to swim, dart, fall
on a limp line etc. are manufactured
by many companies. Impulse Jig N
Tails (northlandtackle.com) is a great
example. And the plastic, red bloodworm that is sitting in my hand is not
like the bloodworm on the Impulse
Jig. Look for plastics that wiggle
when you pick them up and look for
cilia, hair, and that super-sensitive
tail that gives off, once again, good
vibrations.
Dave Genz is recognized as the
godfather of ice fishing. He is big
on information sharing and so is the
North American Ice Fishing Circuit

(NAIFC). Their clinics and tournaments are two-thirds education and
one-third competition. Thats right!
Did you know that we Michiganders missed out on a great learning experience last year? That is, of
course, if you did not attend the ice
fishing clinic at Michigans Croton
Dam Pond.
Next time we will discuss what you
can learn at such a clinic.n
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83
Merry Carps-mas is good news for anglers!

Asian carp invasion means you can ask for new stuff this Christmas
the same way I told you they
Dear Fish Diary... exactly
would during my presentation two and
years ago. They closely resemble Christmas tinsel as they glimmer,
By Ron St. Germain three
shine and sparkle in the sunlight with
their stunning areal display. The first

Editors Note: Ron St. Germains December
Dear Fish Column was published incorrectly, time you catch one with your face,
you might remember me telling you
the following is the corrected version.
this might happen as you are staring at
o the fisherman who has it all that lovely shiner in the mirror.
To: The politicians who constructSuddenly, you dont. Which,
means you get to open presents ed the ridiculous lawsuits against our
this year and get things for your southern neighbors to have the Chicago Shipping Canal shut down and
fishing arsenal youve never
closed off I give you My voting
had, or quite possibly, never thought
ballet, which did not include my vote
you needed until now. Asian Carp
DNA has now been found in Michigan for you. In the span of 50-years the
common carp went from less than a
waters and that changes everything.
dozen isolated private lakes to virtuBefore I move ahead with your
ally every watershed coast to coast.
Christmas wish list I want to take a
look back. This, you might say, is my It is absolutely ridiculous how you
could think that shutting down the
naughty list and my gifts for them.
To: The outdoor groups who were shipping canal would stop these fish
with so many other options for them
ruthless enough to boo me off the
to get here. Ba Humbug
stage during my power-point presenTo: Our engineers who went ahead
tations which, included a map and
and built a barrier that was flawed
a game plan of how the Asian Carp
would enter the Great Lakes I give from the onset I give you A
you Asian Carp. They are beautiful- HUGE congratulations!!! I envy you.
ly gift wrapped and waiting for you in I have often wanted to build some-
Len Jenkins
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One thing is for sure, Fishing in Michigan waters is about to change with the detection of Asian carp,
so make sure you have all the extra gear youll need on your Christmas list this year. Author photo
thing everyone would buy regardless
of whether the dang thing worked or
not. Brilliant sales tactics. How much
of the barrier parts that were meant
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bit of Northern Michigan
to keep the carp away were built in

China? You know China? The biggest consumer and importer of Asian
Carp. The country where these fish
came from. The country whose waters
are so polluted that these fish can no
longer survive so they have to buy
them back from us, the people who
are trying to get rid of them? Im so
carp-fused.
To: Our government who spent
50-billion to keep something out that
we all knew was coming anyway I
give you A bill for a refund. Cashiers check please, in my stocking.
A couple billion would do.
Now for that Christmas list
First and foremost you are going to need a helmet. You can get a
really cool one with a sweet custom
design of your own. If you protested
against the helmet law in Michigan
for motorcycle riders, you might want
to back off that thought process a bit
when it comes to boat riders. If you
think concussions only happen in
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football, hockey and soccer, youll be

sadly mistaken when a silver torpedo
launches into the side of your noggin
leaving you dazed and confused. You
could go with a bike helmet, hockey
helmet or football helmet. Your
choice!!! Just pick out your style and
put it on your Christmas list.
Second: The helmet only protects
your head, you will need face protection too. If your helmet doesnt come
with a facemask, you are going to
have to include something clever. You
wont be the first one to lose teeth
to a flying carp, just ask the southern folks who frequent their flying
carp-infested backwaters. Catching a
flying carp at 30-miles-per-hour with
your face isnt pretty, nor is it good
for you, especially if you have any
aspirations of getting a host spot on
television. Do you really want to be
the person that tells your co-workers
that you got that black eye from a
fish?
Third: Baseball umpires wear
chest protectors for a purpose, and
now you have a reason to dress just
like the big leaguers. A flying carp
will strike as quick as a major league
fastball and about as hard. You might
want to also throw in rib protectors
as well.
Fourth: So you like to stand up in
the boat eh? LOLOLOLOL Thats
a habit you might want to break
quickly. But if you cant break the
habit, you are going to need elbow
pads, knee pads and sticky shoes.

Sticky shoes? Thats right, because
without the sticky shoes you are going to be hitting the deck quite often,
AND HARD!!! The sticky shoes
will help you grip against the flooring of your boat, because the more
flying carp that reach the deck, the
more slime they leave behind. Over a
couple of hours that slime gets really
slick, like ice, like really slick ice.
Fifth: Love the carpet in your
boat? Forget about it, youll need a
few tubes of carpet remover. You are
not going to want to continue to clean
the goo and carp slime from your
carpeted surface area every time you
get back to the docks. So just get rid
of it, it will save you hours and hours
and hours of time.
Sixth: Asian Carp goo and slime
remover. It hasnt really been invented yet, but put it on your list any
way because you will need it for your
boat, hands, body and clothes. If you
dont have any, you wont need hangers because a few wallops from a flying carp and your clothes will stand
up by themselves. Its slick when wet,
hard as a rock when dry.
Seventh: Cage encasing for
your boat. If you dont want to wear
helmets or other protective gear, you
will need to assemble a protective
cage unit around your boat. Recreational boating is changing so you
need to be ready. Not much I can do
to help water skiers and jet skiers,
youre on your own. Finally though,

if you are a fisherman who has been
annoyed by jet skiers and water skiers
in the past, the Asian Carp is a good
repellent against them. One whop
from a big flying fish and they wont
be buzzing your boat any time soon.
Clearly, fishing has now become
a contact sport. You will now be
in range of a relentless pursuit of
kamikaze, mutant flying fish that
are preying on you. You will witness
first hand silvery mass eruptions as
you dodge finned torpedoes attacking you from every angle. I call it,
Mass Carp-fusion. After a day of
fishing you will know what a crash
test dummy feels like as you have
been repeatedly pelted by swirling
fish bombs. But if you are tough and
brave, you will learn to Rock and
Troll. Casting will be the least of
your worries. You must now develop
quick efficient maneuvers that incorporate ducking, swirling, sidestepping, spinning and swatting to ward
off the attack of the flying ninja
fish and avoid being carpooned. I
speak from experience as I have been
among the front lines of the battle
against these spastic invaders.
As we end 2014, we begin a new
era of fishing in the Great Lakes region. We have a new gift in the form
of an alien super fish that has now
made Michigan its 22nd state to call
home. Its a fish that does not require
expensive rods and reels to catch.
You dont need bait or a tackle box

full of crafty lures in every shape,
size and color. You just need quick
reflexes and a net. As you build that
Christmas list, you might as well ask
Santa for a new set of filet knives,
because despite what youve heard,
these fish are not bad eating, and
much healthier than any of our native
fish. If we eat them all, well then
We dont have an invasive fish problem now do we? Merry Fishmas my
friends.
Fish-a-holics Wanted!
Dont forget, Im looking to

crown Michigans biggest fish-aholic. Send me your nominees short
story and photos of their living space,
anything that would show why this
person is a true fish-a-holic. Please
include the nominee and the submitters contact information, phone
and email. Deadline for submission
is February 1, 2015. Send either by
email to (DaPhotoDude@aol.com.)
or regular mail sent to the editors at
Woods-N-Water News Magazine.
Once I have read through the submissions, I will take a few of the best
stories and write features before
crowning Michigans 2014 Fisha-holic. The winner will receive a
years subscription to Woods-N-Water Magazine to add to their furniture collection. And remember, I am
always looking for your funny and
unique fishing stories.n
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Price $125
85
FIRST ICE
By George Rowe
fishing late in the day, fishing through

dusk. For some reason, the gills
seem to bite best then and sometimes
only then.
irst ice, the old timers say,

produces the very best ice
fishing of the season. The only
obvious downside is the condition of the ice this is the time
to be especially careful. Dont
go alone but do take special precautions, like wearing a personal flotation
device, carrying a rope or wearing a
couple of spikes on a thong around
your neck. Check the ice as you walk
out from shore, stay off white ice and
make sure there is at least three inches
of good dark stuff. Now that we know
it is going to be safe, lets go fishing.
CRAPPIE
Michigan is blessed with crappie

(usually the black crappie) in many if
not most of our inland lakes and the
smaller lakes seem to be just as good
as the larger bodies of water. Up in
the Tip of the Mitt where we do
most of our fishing, crappies eight to
ten inches long are common, twelve
inch fish are caught regularly and
Master Angler fish of fourteen inches
or more are caught every year. These
Perch will really go
big slabs are often caught through the
for a small jigging
BLUEGILLS
spoon, like a Swedish ice, especially early in the winter, and
are great fun on a light rod. You
The smallest fish we angle for are
Pimple, when they are they
can
almost
always look for the crapperhaps the most difficult to catch
feeling aggressive.
pies
to
be
suspended
up off the bottom
and these relatives of the bass are a
and
they
love
structure.
That affinity
bit persnickety as well. Light very
Winter bluegills are often fairly
larva) or mousies (fly larva) or spikes
for
structure
is
why
they
provide such
light tackle- is the rule and by that we or something like those little grub
deep and they may be suspended. A
great
fishing
in
flood
waters.
Immean four pound test line, or less, tiny baits. One good friend liked to get
fair rule would be to start deep and be
poundments
that
are
full
of
old
trees
lures and small grub baits offered on
prepared to go deeper. Bluegills dont
his bait from goldenrod stalks, cutand
brush
shelter
wonderful
schools
the very lightest of wispy rods. Most ting apart the little globes of growth to really feed well in the winter. Like
of crappie.
anglers like to use wax worms (bee
their bass cousins, their metabolism
reveal a small grub.
While crappie will take grub baits
changes with cooling water and they
and are often caught by the folks fishdont eat much because they dont
ing for bluegills, they love minnows
need much. If you put something
and are thus taken by folks fishing for
good looking in front of their noses,
perch. They will also hit little jighowever, they are likely to grab it.
ging spoons, like a Swedish Pimple or
The very best technique might be to
4 Birds $85 per gun
something similar. If you will tip the
offer a grub bait on a tiny Russian
6 Bird Special $120 per gun ONLY Thru December
little treble hook with the head half
hook or tear-drop. Giving the lure a
Affordable pheasant hunting on 317 acres of
very small jigging motion is apt to be of a small minnow, you have a very
switch grass, dwarf-milo sorgrum, and corn.
For Great Pheasant Hunting
productive, especially if you give the desirable crappie lure. Unlike bluegills or perch, crappie often like their
Traditional Ringneck Pheasants Extra birds shot are free.
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lure long stationary pauses in beMorning or afternoon hunts. Bird Cleaning is available.
tween the action. If you can find some lure to be moving. Just as in summer
No Charge for Extra Birds Shot
Excellent dogs and guides - $60 per 1/2 day - $100 per full day
good-sized gills, you can have some fishing for the speckled favorites,
Dog Training Available
Steel shot loads only.
keeping the jig moving seems to be
terrific action on a little light rod.
No Membership Fees
When the little fighters get to be nine the most productive method available.
www.affordablepheasanthunting.com
We are not the biggest, we are
Fishing a minnow under a bobber can
or ten inches long and have weights
not the lowest priced, but we strive
Walkiewicz Farms
to provide the best service.
approaching a pound, they will really also be productive but the crappie are
6115 Chapin Road Deford, Michigan 48729
put up a scrap. And, of course, many apt to be so deep that you must use a
Call Paul at 734-735-7271
anglers think the bluegills are the best slip bobber.
or check out our website
www.dundeepheasantfarm.com
there is, in terms of table fare. Many
PERCH
anglers prefer to start their bluegill
Perch have always commanded
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August 15April 30
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86
No Hunting
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For information & listing of our preserves near you go to:
www.michiganhuntingpreserves.com
(989) 843-6576
Dogs with Guides Available
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Fields With Excellent Cover &
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Birds Released After You Arrive
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Clubhouse
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Extra Birds Shot are Free
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Located 17 Miles North of Lapeer
www.jankspheasantfarm.com
Goose Hunts
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Mon - Fri: 989-428-5071

Weekends: 989-670-4336
www.hotshotoutfitters.com
more attention in Michigan, winter

and summer, than anything else with
fins and that is not likely to change.
They usually arent hard to locate or
catch. They are always right there
just off the bottom and they will
generally bite. For winter fishing,
the two-hook perch rig, often sold
commercially as a crappie rig is the
easy favorite. All you have to do is
bait it up, drop it down there, wind
the slack out of the line and watch the
rod tip for the bite. You might want
to try a wiggler on one hook and a
minnow on the other, at least until
you can determine which is the more
productive. Another alternative is to
replace the hook on one snell with a
small teardrop, baited, of course.
One nice advantage of the minnow-baited perch rig is that the same
technique will often result in hooking
pike, walleye or even a trout, if those
fish are present. Anglers fishing the
larger inland lakes will sometimes
hook a big trout on a perch rod and, if
they have set the drag light and there
is enough line on the reel, they might
even land that six-pound brown trout.
If you make up your own perch rigs,
you can often get a better product
than those you can buy. Using those
little nylon line-leader connectors
and hooks with stout snells, you can
fashion a good rig and have one that
you can change quickly, setting the
hooks higher or lower. Choose hooks

with long shanks those are easier to
remove and easier to bait as well.
Perch are also readily taken
through the ice on jigs and, when the
fish are feeling aggressive, there is
no better way to fish. Again, a small
jigging spoon like the Michigan-made
Swedish Pimple is a good choice and
the little bronze-colored spoon called
Buckshot can be effective as well and
seems best at depths greater than 20
feet. Tip the spoon with the head half
of a small minnow and try just suspending the lure a foot off the bottom,
for starters. For some reason, perch
seem more likely to hit a stationary
jigging spoon than one that is moving. A good technique is to give the
jig a bounce or two from time to time
and then just let it sit there until you
see that first preliminary bump. Take
the rod in hand then, wait for the next
little bump and set the hook. This
will very often put a perch on the ice.
While perch arent great fighters, they
are fun on light tackle and when they
get to be a foot long, they put a very
satisfying bend in the little rod. It
generally makes sense to choose a rod
that is at least a little stiff for jigging.
It will help you sense those subtle
takes and set the hook well.
Some anglers disagree with the
bluegill fans and find the winter perch
the very best eating.n
Reward offered for tips in two wolf poaching

cases in Mackinac and Schoolcraft counties
Michigan Department of Natural Resources conservation officers are

seeking information on two separate wolf poaching cases that recently
occurred in in Mackinac and Schoolcraft counties in the Upper Peninsula.
The first case occurred near the Mackinac-Luce county line close to
M-117 southwest of Newberry. The wolf was found near County Road
468 in Lakefield Township Nov. 26 and died of a gunshot wound as
determined through a forensic examination. The wolf had been killed at
another location and transported to where it was dumped.
The second poaching occurred in Schoolcraft County near Gulliver in
Doyle Township. In this case, a wolf, which was part of a wildlife study,
was killed and the tracking collar was removed and disposed of. Evidence
of this poaching was also located Nov. 26.
A reward is being offered for information that leads to the arrest of
the subject or subjects involved. Anyone with any possible information
on these cases is asked to call the Report All Poaching Hotline at 800292-7800, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, or to contact their local
DNR office or conservation officer. Information may be left anonymously.
Callers may remain anonymous and still be eligible to receive a reward.
The maximum penalty for poaching a wolf is 90 days in jail or a fine
of up to $1,000, or both, plus reimbursement of $1,500 to the state for the
animal. Poaching convictions also usually include a suspension of hunting privileges for a period of four years.
Wolves are a protected species in Michigan and cannot legally be
killed except in the defense of life. For more information on wolves in
Michigan, go to www.michigan.gov/wolves.
FR NT SIGHT
Friday, February 27, 2015
Dont Miss It!
2:00 - 10:00 p.m. $5.00 Admission

Outfitters, Exhibitors, Awards and Auction
Saturday, February 28, 2015
36th Annual
Awards & Hunters
Convention
Outfitters, Exhibitors, Banquet and Auction

10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Registration
5:00 - 6:00 p.m.
Dinner (reservations required)
6:00 - Close
Live Auction
For more information, contact Joe Mulders: (989) 450-8727
Partial list of live auction items:
Check our award winning website at: www.midmichigansci.org
Friday & Saturday, February 27 & 28, 2015

Soaring Eagle Casino 6800 Soaring Eagle Blvd.
Mt. Pleasant, Michigan
Now with more room in the Entertainment Hall!
Outfitters from North and South America, Africa, Europe, Asia,

New Zealand and Australia
Trophy Animal Displays Carvings Artwork Paintings
Big Game Hunts Fishing Trips Guns Auctions
Games Exhibitors
Sponsored by:
Safari Club International

Mid-Michigan Chapter
Page 6
www.midmichigansci.org
www.midmichigansci.org
Campeau Guiding - Alvin Campeau - Reservation, South

Saskatchewan, Trophy Whitetail Deer
Campeau Guiding - Alvin Campeau - Carragana, Saskatchewan,
Trophy Whitetail Deer
Lucky Lake Hunting Adventure - Garrett Tully - Saskatchewan,
Waterfowl and Upland Birds for Four Hunters
Bell Wildlife Specialties - Daniel Bell - Harveyville, Kansas,
Eastern Wild Turkey Hunt for Four Hunters
Bell Wildlife Specialties - Daniel Bell Harveyville, Kansas - Trophy Whitetail Deer
Hunt
Whitrock Outfitters - Alaska - Brian Simpson Spring Grizzly or Brown Bear Hunt
Timber Creek Outfitters - Tim Hockhalter Archery Elk in Wyoming
Roger and Sherri Froling - Early Season Youth
Deer Hunt - Ionia, Michigan
Roger and Sherri Froling - Buffalo Hunt Ionia, Michigan
Roger and Sherri Froling - Spring Turkey Hunt Ionia, Michigan
Ken Harrison of Burch Tank - Sailing Trip to Michigans Manitou
Island
Ken Harrison of Burch Tank - 1/2 Day Lake Michigan Fishing Trip
for up to 4
J & R Outfitters - Jamey OBannon - Trophy Axis Deer - Florida
J & R Outfitters - Jamey OBannon - Asian or European Water
Buffalo - Florida
Windy Ridge Outfitters - Nick Boley - Whitetail Deer Hunt in
Iowa
Windy Ridge Outfitters - Nick Boley - Eastern Turkey Hunt in
Iowa
Double D Outfitters - Craig Schell - Mule Deer Hunt in Montana
Crosshairs Outfitters of Missouri - Mike Cowan - Whitetail Deer
Hunt
Crosshairs Outfitters of Alaska - Mike Cowan - Dall Sheep Hunt
Majestic Mountain Outfitters - Jeff Chadd - Montana - Antelope
Hunt
Central Coastal Outfitters, Alfred Luis
Our Biggest Ever!
Wycon Safaris - Wynn Condict - Antelope Hunt in Wyoming

Wycon Safaris - Wynn Condict - Archery Elk Hunt in Colorado (2)
Hidden Horns Game Ranch - Brent Fisk - Howard City, MI - Whitetail
Deer Hunt
Fish Hunt Charters - David James - Salmon Fishing on Lake Michigan
for Four
Lows Trophy Whitetails - Whitetail Deer Hunt - Falmouth, Michigan
Hunt 180 Outdoors - Matt Wonser - Southeastern Kansas - Five Day
Whitetail Deer Hunt
14 KY Gold Sapphire (1.05 ctw) and Diamond (.12 ctw) earrings - see
picture
Johan Pieterse Safaris - South Africa, 10 day hunt - Kudu, Blue
Wildebeest, Impala, Warthog
Northern Adventures Guide Service - Two 1/2 day trips for Small
Mouth Bass - Traverse City Area
Wild Spirit Guide Service - Dan Kirschner - Bobcat, Bear, and Wolf
Hunts in Michigans UP
Hickory Creek Outfitters - Jeff Brondige - Whitetail Deer Hunt in
Kansas
Hickory Creek Outfitters - Jeff Brondige - Coyotes/Bobcat Predator
Hunt in Kansas
Jim Walker, Two 1/2 Day Fishing Trips for Small Mouth Bass on the
Tittabawassee River
Lost Creek Outfitters - Greg Griz and Ginger Turner - Wyoming Big
Horn Basin, Mountain Lion Hunt
Lost Creek Outfitters - Greg Griz and Ginger Turner - Wyoming
Horseback Wilderness Fishing Trip for Two
Hepburn Lake Lodges - Arlee Thideman - Black Bear in Saskatchewan
Hepburn Lake Lodges - Arlee Thideman - Black Bear and Fishing in
Saskatchewan
Cascade Fur Salon, Cascade, Michigan - Fur Coat
Hells Half Acre Outfitters - Ronnie Davis - Southern Oregon Coast
Roosevelt Elk Archery Hunt
Rifle Columbia Blacktail Deer and Bear Hunt
Black Bear Hunt
Campeau Guiding - Alvin Campeau - South Saskatchewan - Coyote
Hunt for Two
Page 7
87
Marlene strikes again
By Tom Lounsbury
88
enjoy watching old black and

white movies and one of my
favorite actresses was the late
Marlene Dietrich, who was born
in Germany in 1904. She starred
in quite a few U.S. movies during
the 1930s and usually had an opportunity to sing with her unique voice
that offered a deep and sultry nature
to it. With Marlene in mind, I try to
imitate her inflection when I duplicate
a doe call, and when it comes to calling deer, inflection I have found after
over 30 years of deer calling, means
everything towards success.
There are a lot of deer calls
available today and something new
is always popping up, along with
instructive videos on deer calling, all
of which I think is fantastic. There
wasnt that much of a selection in
calls or information on how to use
them when I first ventured into it. For
me, it was pretty much a trial and error enterprise.
One thing I discovered early on
was that I had to use the correct deer
language during the pre-rut, actual
rut, and post rut. For instance, using
a doe in estrus call long before any
does are coming into estrus doesnt
usually work and using very aggressive and loud buck talk can
sometimes have an adverse effect. I
prefer to keep matters simple and try
to follow the mood of local whitetails
according to the timing of their typical
phases leading up to and through the
rut, as well as their ongoing behavior
I sense through actual observations in
the field.
A favorite deer call I use is the
H.S. True-Talker that is a durable
rubber tube with a soft concave portion near the mouth-piece that allows
me to cover most of the deer repertoire with simple finger placement,
and of course inflection. When the
timing is right, I like to use my Marlene inflection which is a mature
doe looking for a good time. I will
then throw in a series of young punk
buck tending grunts. This has worked
for me on many occasions by drawing
in some rather nice bucks that didnt
appreciate any young bucks moving in
on a hot, mature doe.
It was a week before the regular
firearms season, I instinctively felt it
was time to deploy Marlene and of
course with her eager young suitor as
well. And the early morning wind direction was perfect for the hunting site involving a ladder-stand I wished to use.
I always approach such locations in a
Tom Lounsbury called in this wide-framed Thumb 9-point just prior to the firearms deer season and shot him at 18
yards using a (Made in Michigan) Darton Scorpion crossbow. The Lumenok arrow (bolt) was tipped with a Muzzy
(100 grain) broadhead. Author photo
stealthy as possible manner, even in the
predawn darkness, and once in place, I
patiently wait for shooting light.
My hunting arm was Dartons new
Scorpion crossbow which is light,
compact and very effective (my young
grandchildren even enjoy shooting
it). The Scorpion combines several
admirable features of other Darton
crossbows (including a very accessible and ambidextrous safety) and it
is a very handy piece in the hunting
field Ive grown to fully appreciate.
This would all come into play shortly
after daybreak when I performed my
series of calls.
The buck suddenly materialized
into view 18 yards away, and he was
a bit riled, with his back-hair standing straight up and ears flat against
his skull. With multiple tines protruding up from wide and heavy antlers,
I could tell from the get-go he was a
huckleberry for me. I was in slow motion shouldering the Scorpion when
the bucks ears perked back up and he
looked straight up and directly at me
in an intense manner. I froze in place
for what seemed like a long time, and
then the buck brought his gaze down
to pan the area below me, trying to
locate the young punk buck he wanted

to slap around some, and the mature
doe he wished to steal away and court.
Not seeing anything, the bucks
ears flattened against his skull and he
lowered his head and began a mad,
frenzied pawing of the ground with
both front hooves. I knew it was a
now or never proposition on my part
because bucks dont achieve that size
by hanging around too long when
matters dont seem just right. He was
quartering towards me and I ran a
deers anatomy through my mind as
I completed shouldering the crossbow and placed the scopes crosshair
on the exact spot for a precise shot
placement, and I eased off the safety
and touched the trigger, all in a fluid
motion.
The buck whirled and bounded
straight away at the shot, and thanks
to the Lumenok arrow (aka bolt), I
could tell the shot had been placed
exactly where I wished, buried clean
to the fletching at the base of the neck,
and slicing through both lungs on its
way to bury into a rib on the off-side.
The deer had performed what I call
the death-dash with head lowered
and tail twirling as he quickly disap-
peared into the heavy cover, and I

was certain the (100 grain) 3-Blade
Muzzy broadhead had done its part,
but just the same, I sat back and
waited awhile. Deer are tenaciously
tough critters, and I have discovered
that it doesnt pay to make hasty assumptions.
I began my tracking job right at
the ground impression the buck had
dug up and not far from it I spotted
a heavy blood-trail, despite only an
entry broadhead-hole on the deer. It
was obvious lung blood-spray from
the bucks nostrils, and I found this to
be a very positive fact as I proceeded
carefully on. It was an easy trail to
follow for 40 yards with the buck lying dead at the end.
The wide-framed 9-point had
been a real scrapper with an obvious
attitude and featured a broken (right)
brow-tine, and I was very pleased
with all his character, while I thanked
the Almighty for such an opportunity.
I was also quite thankful that seductive Marlene had struck again.
For more information about (Made
in Michigan) Darton crossbows and
compound bows go to
www.dartonarchery.comn
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89
Michigan DNR and U.S. Forest

Service partner to protect
oak trees from killer fungus
ike American elm in the 1950s

and ash trees in more recent
history, Michigans red oak
trees are facing potentially
significant die-offs due to an
exotic and largely invisible
killer: oak wilt.
A deadly fungus that can kill
previously healthy trees within a
matter of weeks, oak wilt is spread by
sap-feeding beetles also known as
picnic beetles that introduce the
disease to freshly wounded trees. The
fungus then quickly moves through
the underground root systems that
connect entire stands of oak trees,
rapidly increasing the impact of one
infected tree.
A stand of infected trees are marked

for treatment, which involves using a
specialized plow to sever underground
root systems to separate infected and
uninfected stands of oak.
90
Oak wilt kills by interfering with the

vessels that transport water throughout the tree, said Roger Mech, forest
health specialist for the Michigan
Department of Natural Resources
Forest Resources Division. The fungus plugs up those vessels and is fatal;
if a red oak tree is exposed to oak wilt
spores, they are going to kill the tree.
It just floors me how quickly it
happens. Its dramatic.
Trees with oak wilt commonly
begin dying from the top down, since
the top is farthest from the roots and is
the first part of the tree to suffer from
lack of water. Red oaks shedding their
leaves in June or July instead of during the late fall can be a sign of an oak
wilt infection.
Although experts do not predict
the loss of red oaks in Michigan will
be on the same scale as ash trees lost
to the emerald ash borer, the impact
will still be significant in terms of
losing forested areas that provide
recreation, critical wildlife habitat and
valuable timber.
In our state parks and recreation
areas in particular, it has become a

huge issue, said Heidi Frei, stewardship coordinator for the DNRs
Parks and Recreation Division. P.J.
Hoffmaster State Park is one example
where more than 140 mature red oaks
have been lost, resulting in a near
clear-cut of the campground area.
Many state parks, recreation areas,
state forest campgrounds and other
areas of state-managed land have been
impacted by oak wilt, with the disease now widespread across much of
the Lower Peninsula and parts of the
southern Upper Peninsula.
Unfortunately, once oak wilt is
present it is nearly impossible to entirely eradicate, but opportunities have
been identified to help slow the spread
of the disease.
All signs point to the movement of firewood as a major culprit
in the rapid spread of oak wilt, Frei
said, noting that when oak wilt is
detected in a park or recreation area,
it is typically first found in or near
the campgrounds, where trees with
vehicle- or camper-inflicted damage
are especially vulnerable to infection
from contaminated firewood.
Cooperation from the public in
using locally sourced firewood rather
than transporting it will be critical
in helping to protect valuable urban
landscapes and rural forests from
the devastating impacts of oak wilt
disease and other forest diseases and
pests, like the emerald ash borer, Frei
said.
Landowners are also advised to
not prune oak trees between April 15
and July 15, when the beetles that
spread the fungus take advantage of
trees with fresh wounds to feed on
sap. Planting trees that are resistant to
oak wilt is also recommended.
Trees in the in the red oak group
those that have pointy-lobed leaves,
such as northern red oak, black oak
and pin oak are most susceptible to
the disease, Mech said. White oaks
those with rounded lobes are much
less susceptible, though they occasionally are also infected.
We tell folks that if theyre looking to reduce the risk of losing entire
stands of trees to oak wilt, increasing diversity in their landscaping and
forested land is ideal, Mech said. If
they want to plant oak trees, white oak
is the best option.
In addition to these preemptive
means of preventing or slowing the
spread of oak wilt, the DNRs Forest
Resources and Parks and Recreation
divisions have partnered with the U.S.
Forest Service to develop and implement a method of treating stands of
oak trees that are already infected.
DNR forest technician Phillip Kurzeja checks under the bark of a red oak,
looking for indications of oak wilt disease. (Inset) Sap-feeding picnic beetles
spread the oak wilt fungus to trees with fresh wounds. MDNR photos
The new cooperative effort between
the DNR and USFS focuses specifically on stopping the spread of oak
wilt through underground root systems by identifying stands of infected trees and then using specialized
equipment to create narrow trenches
between the trees, separating the root
systems.
We use a vibratory plow
equipment typically used for laying
cable and cut roots to a depth of 5
feet, Mech said. The DNRs Forest
Fire Experiment Station in Roscommon designed and built special blades
to reach a sufficient depth to literally
slice the roots, establishing a barrier
between the infected and uninfected
trees.
Considering the highly contagious
nature of oak wilt and the fact that
root systems of large oak trees can
spread 60 feet or more, all red oaks
found within the trenched area must
be removed for the treatment to be
effective.
The removed trees are cut and
chipped, burned, or sawed into lumber
to help prevent any potential overland
spread of oak wilt spores.

In 2014, the plow treatments were
completed on state forest land in
Alpena, Benzie, Charlevoix, Grand
Traverse, Missaukee, Otsego and
Roscommon counties, and national
forest land in Iosco, Manistee and
Wexford counties. Additional work
will continue in 2015.
Although the trenching method
works well in forested areas, Mech
said there are challenges to using it in
urban or residential areas.
In some cases, the plow cant be
used due to buried utilities, septic and
sewer lines, small lot sizes and other
limitations, Mech said. This method
is effective where we can use it, but it
isnt a fail-safe. Response treatments
have their limitations. Long-term success in combating the spread of this
devastating forest disease will depend
heavily on the publics support for
taking the necessary proactive measures. The two approaches go hand-inhand.
To learn more about preventing the spread of oak wilt disease in
Michigan, visit
www.michigan.gov/foresthealth.n
The vibratory plow blade used to treat infected stands of oak was specially
designed and built at the DNRs Forest Fire Experiment Station in Roscommon.
The plow cuts narrow trenches 5 feet deep to separate underground root
systems, preventing further spread of the oak wilt fungus to uninfected trees.
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91
Reader Trail Cam Photos

Send your Reader Trail-Cam Photos to:
wnw@pageone-inc.com
Heres one that may surprise you...no, not a picture of bobcat, but
a picture of a bobcat taken in Genesee county. Stewart Brown
sent us the trail cam photo.
Dale Kinkeman of Grand Haven had this very nice 8-pointer show up on trail cam behind his house in Ottawa County while he was in the U.P. hunting. Wouldnt ya know?
Craig Sredzinski captured this trail cam photo in early December

on state land in Roscommon County. Great looking black bear,
Craig!
92
Greg Bach of Hoffman Estates Illinois submitted this trail cam

photo of a great buck. Greg writes, Check out the tines (or lack
thereof) on the right side. A bruiser of a buck but Id like to know
what happen to all his tines! Thanks for sharing.
Anthony Pinto
of Livingston
County caught
this pair of
big bucks (left
and below) on
trail cam near
Brighton in
late October.
You looking at ME! Garett Van Eden of St.

Clair Shores found this on his trail cam in
Presque Isle County in November.
Russ Videan sends us another trail cam photo of a young black bear caught on trail cam checking out a feeder near Tustin.
Doug Kinkema sends us this trail cam photo of some hungry critters. The photo
was taken in Chippewa county of deer and black bear feeding together.
Steve Youman of Traverse City captured these trail cam photos on

family owned property in Dickinson county. He comments, I think
its time to apply for a bear hunt next year! Hmmm...we think so
too, Steve!
Darrell Hughey sent us this interesting trail cam photo

of a coyote chasing a whitetail spike horn. The photo
was taken on opening day of bow season.
Michael LaChapelle of Ishpeming got this trail

cam photo of this unusual buck. Hunters in the
area had never seen him before or after.
93
Woods-N-WaterNews Classified Section

MISC.
MISC.
FISHING
A TEMPUR-PEDIC MEMORY
FOAM MATTRESS SET.
Clean. Never used. As seen on TV.
Cost $1700. Sell for $695. 989-8322401. M-4-TFN
................................................
AN
AMISH
LOG
HEADBOARD AND QUEEN
pillowtop mattress set. New. Sell all
for $275. 989-923-1278.
M-4-TFN
................................................
AMISH LOG BEDS, ANY
SIZE $199. 5 drawer log chest
$199. Good quality. Lowest prices in
Michigan. 989-839-4846. M-4-TFN
................................................
LOG BUNK BEDS. $495. Amish

lodge furniture. Call Dan 989-8321866. M-4-TFN
................................................
SPEARING SUPPLIES - Ice

saws, pike & muskie spears, bunny
boots & Pike Busters, the battery
powered decoy system.
www.dream-outdoors.com
F-11-4
................................................
WANTED
WANTED - Winchesters pre 64,
Model 71s, 86s, 64s and Model 70s.
Call Don at 231-499-9891. W-11-3
................................................
TIMBER: Buying all types of timber, 5 acres or more, top price paid.
Cash in advance. Improve wildlife
habitat. Patco Forest Products, 989539-7588 after 6 p.m. W-4-12-14
................................................
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FOR RENT
REAL ESTATE
FISHING CLASS OFFERS CLOSURE: Just

looking at that maze of tackle
you "sense" spontaneously,
virtually unerringly, how each
individual component affects
the fish audibly as well as visually, and defensively as well
as offensively. Capable now of
readily adapting to any situation, not only do you feel justified in having accumulated all
those tackle boxes full of stuff,
but even about adding more
stuff to them. No longer needing to travel miles on end to
experience top notch success
while targeting any specie we
choose, ultimately we wind up
fishing more, enjoying it more.
If you've sensed that this is how
angling could and should be,
should our instinctive approach
be followed to the letter, this is
how it can be. All species, all
baits, all presentations, all in
one session, all for as little as
$45 per person. For further details 810-395-4334 Mon.-Sat. 9
am 7 pm. Instructor Larry R.
Walter, Sr. F-TFN
HOUSE ON GROOMED
SNOWMOBILE
TRAIL.
Numerous local lakes. Day or week.
Sleeps 6 to 8. Parking for trailers.
Call 989-766-2773. FR-1-1
................................................
BUYING OR SELLING?
Farms, vacant land or recreational
parcels throughout Michigan. Call
Red Barron at Faust Real Estate,
LLC 231-884-3831. RE-1-1
................................................
REAL ESTATE
SOUTH
BRANCH,
MICHIGAN,
76.4
ACRES, furnished mobile
home, central air, new furnace,
new metal roof, food plots,
apple, pear, acorn trees, beaver ponds, trails both sides,
Federal land on 3 sides, pole
barn, storage sheds, ground
blinds, tree stands, stream thru
land, $199,500. 810-793-7542.
RE-12-2
HUNTING
NORTHERN
ONTARIO
BEAR HUNTS: Booking now for
fall of 2015. Includes comfortable
cabin, boat and motor, baited stands.
Very experienced guides. High success rate. References on request.
$960 U.S. 705-869-3272 or fax 705869-6537 www.texasandsons.com
H-10-12-14
................................................
FULLY GUIDED SPRING
TURKEY HUNTS available
in Northern Michigan. This is an
all-inclusive 3 day hunt for 2
hunters and 2 guests. Your
hunt will be fully guided on over
1500 private acres, includes
meals and lodging. The first is
4/20/15-5/3/15 in Hunt Area A
and the Hunt # is 0101. The
second hunt is 5/04/15-5/31/15.
There are a limited number of
openings available. Please call
810-223-4587. H-1-3
RESORTS/RENT
CLASSIFICATION OF ADMONTHS TO RUN
(7)
FISHING
BOX MY CLASSIFIED - $5 Extra
MENOMINEE COUNTY UP 4 Bedroom fully furnished vacation

rental. Minutes from ATV trails and
state land. Abundant wildlife. 906753-4146 RR-1-1
................................................
LAKE LOUISE CAMP and
Retreat Center near Boyne Falls,
Michigan has two winterized lodges
available for rent. Close to snowmobile trails, geocache sites, North
Country Trail, and Boyne Mountain.
Each lodge sleeps 20 and contains
full bath facilities, refrigerator, microwave and spacious meeting room.
For more information
call 231-549-2728 or email
program@lakelouisecommunity.org
R/R-10-5
KALKASKA COUNTY: 4.96

beautifully wooded acres on year
round county gravel road adjoing
state land and very close to trails.
Ideal hunting, camping spot or recreational base. Driveway and cleared
site. $22,900, $500 down, $280/mo.,
11% L/C. www.northernlandco.com
Northern Land Co. 231-258-5100.
RE-1-1
................................................
53 ACRES, Variety, Farmland,
Hard Woods, Meadow Grasses, &
River/Creek, 624 x 2615 irregular N.
Branch Twp., Lapeer County,
$145,000 Just Land Sales 586-4196716 www.facebook.com/justlandsales
www.JustLandSales.com
RE-1-1
................................................
117 WOODED ACRES,
tyre Rd., Ubly, Michigan, hunting cabin, well, septic, electric,
30'x40' shed, pond. www.
thumbhomes.com/362075.
Seller will split. Osentoski Realty Company, Bad Axe, Michigan 989-712-0050. RE-9-6
35 ACRES Huge Pines, Grassy
Areas, 2 Ponds, & a Great Barn. 60%
Wooded, 660 x 1320 Irregular
Wheatland Twp, Sanilac County
RE-1-1
................................................
UNIQUE, UPDATED 2500
SQ. FT. 4 BEDROOM FURNISHED FARM HOUSE ON
40 ACRES. Pond, kennel, club
house, barns, garage, great hunting,
currently set up for horses. On paved
road north Fowlerville area. Could be
a B & B, Equestrian Center, Vineyard,
Private Hunt Club, endless possibilities. $329,900 or $1700/mo lease,
make offer. 941-320-4781. RE-1-2
................................................
150 ACRES Tuscola County.
4 bedroom farm house, 32 x
60 pole barn, out buildings, 2
ponds, river runs through property, food plots, blinds ready
to hunt, awesome deer and
turkey. $650 K, 586-634-5129.
RE-11-3
290
ACRE
WOODED
LAKEFRONT SPORTSMEN'S
PARADISE! 2000 feet on 90 acre
clear lake. 6000 feet on great county
roads. One mile from US 23 and
Lake Huron. Three bedroom, two
baths, pole barn. Wildlife haven.
9628 Balch Road, Ocqueoc, Presque
Isle County. See it at
w w w. l a n d s o f a m e r i c a . c o m /
listing/1514845 $350,000.00 Call
Dan Davenport, Re/Max Platinum,
810-599-2141. RE-11-TFN
GORGEOUS 56 ACRE RECR E AT I O N A L / H U N T I N G

PROPERTY LOCATED IN
SOUTHEASTERN WASHTENAW CTY. Approx. 22 acres tillable, 20 acres wooded, 3 large all
purpose buildings, swimming pond, 2
picnic shelters, bath house, 2 wells,
frontage on 3 roads. Offers Desired!
Call Diana at Faust Real Estate, LLC
517-270-3646. RE-1-1
................................................
140 ACRES, Wooded, Rolling
Hills, Scenic Trails, Lake, Flowing
Creek, Pole Barn & Great Hunt
Camp 1990 x 2590 irregular shaped,
Delaware Twp. Sanilac County,
RE-1-1
................................................
SEARCHMONT, ONTARIO,
CANADA. 40 acres remote - hilly
terrain, hardwoods and creek. Fish,
hunt, camp, ski-doo, quad, maple
syrup, etc. Huge whitetails. $80,000
firm. Call 231-340-0867 or
davidgroverpainting@yahoo.com
RE-12-2
................................................
64
ACRES, Three Road
Frontages. Nice Trails thru Most of
property, & Bridgehampton River,
very Scenic 1750 x 1255 irregular,
Forester Twp Sanilac County,
RE-1-1
................................................
BUCK COUNTRY! 23.77 acres
wooded with trails surrounded by
crops. 15 different bucks have been
recorded on a trail camera this fall.
One was a 15 point. For sale east of
Mt Morris MI. $213,000.00 248-8912024. RE-11-4
................................................
115 ACRES, Three lakes, and
Gated Entry. 30% Wooded. Trophy
Deer Live in the area. Irregular
Shaped Lot. Elba Twp. - Lapeer
County, $350,000 Just Land Sales
586-419-6716 www.facebook.com/
justlandsales www.JustLandSales.
com RE-1-1
................................................
Classifieds
Work!
(810) 724-0254
Woods-N-WaterNews Classified Section

HUNTING
DOGS
DOGS
ACRES GOULD CITY MI, back

40 with bought-in easement. Fully
wooded with parking / camping area,
gated entrance with new driveway.
Land is not swampy, adjoining state
land two miles from town. Great hunting, bear, deer and birds. Trimmed
trails with blinds and feeders.
Snowmobile trail head minutes away.
Asking $45,000.00 any more questions call or e-mail Debbie Severn.
1-989-624-4670 or ddsesuntan@aol.
com RE-11-12-14
COUNTRY SIDE KENNELS:

Gun Dog Training, Obedience and
boarding. Winter discounts.
www.countryside-kennels.com
989-551-7790. D-1-3
ENGLISH SETTERS Ryman

Type 2 litters due January 2015.
Males $500.00, Females $550.00.
$50 deposit required. Kalamazoo
Area 269-279-7599 or
boondocks1935@hotmail.com
Andy Johnson. D-12-2
................................................
SPRINGER SPANIELS: 100%
UK Championship bloodlines. Hunt,
trail or champion. OFA certified
health guaranteed. Ready 11-22-13.
$750 810-220-2708.
D-11-13-13
................................................
FOR
SALE
FEMALE
BEAGLES. Running-good line
control dogs. Call 517-398-0181.
D-12-2
................................................
DOGS
DO YOU HAVE A BEAGLE
PUPPY that needs starting? Call
Red Pine Kennel. 989-736-3486 or
989-254-2777. D-1-1
................................................
................................................
GERMAN SHORTHAIR
POINTER PUPS: Males
and females available. Excellent hunting dogs and superb
family pets. Close working dogs
with strong point and retrieve
instincts. Reasonably priced for
the sporting family. Money back
guarantee. Eulenhof Kennels,
Gladwin, MI.
http://www.eulenhof.com
989-426-4884 D-1-1
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It is estimated that 10% of all the fishermen

catch 90% of the fish. Regardless of which group
you fall into . . . theres a sure way to up your odds
. . . simply try new fishing waters. Fish where few
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Michigan is loaded with great fishing waters . . .
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T a x
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P.O. Box 278 Imlay City, MI 48444 (810) 724-0254
email: wnw@pageone-inc.com website: www.woods-n-waternews.com
95

96-101
120
120E.
E.Main,
Main,Edmore
EdmoreMI
MI48829
48829
www.eaglerealtymi.com
www.eaglerealtymi.com
888-967-4140
888-967-4140
BARRYTON:
BARRYTON: $20,000
$20,000 Chippewa
ChippewaRiver
RiverFrontage
Frontagew/easy
w/easyaccess
accessforforyour
yourcanoe
canoe
or or
kayak.
kayak. Owner
Owner recently
recentlyadded
addedaanew
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metalroof
roofand
andthe
thecottage
cottageisisininmove
move
in in
con condition.
dition. Call
Call Don
Don Foreman
Foremanatat989-330-5188
989-330-5188
N
EW
N
EW
REMUS:
REMUS: Hunt
Hunt &
& Fish
Fish on
on 80
80Wooded
WoodedAcres
Acresand
andenjoy
enjoyyour
yourprivate
privateaccess
accessto to
Woodruff
Woodruff Lake
Lake in
in Isabella
IsabellaCounty
County while
whilestaying
stayingininyour
your3 3Bdrm-2
Bdrm-2Bath
Bath
Home
Home
. .
To Schedule
Schedule your
your private
privateshowing
showingRich
RichAdgate.
Adgate.$499,900
$499,900
A MARINE CORPS TOYS FOR TOTS DROP SPOT!

N
EW
EDMORE:
EDMORE: 40
40 Heavily
Heavily Wooded
WoodedAcres
AcresAdjacent
AdjacenttotoEdmore
EdmoreState
StateGame
GameArea.
Area.
Included
Included is
is aa 44 Bdrm/4
Bdrm/4Bath
BathHome
Home and
andaa36
36X48
X48Pole
PoleBarn.
Barn.Call
CallRich
RichAdgate
Adgate
for a tour.
tour. $289,900
$289,900
SIX LAKES:
LAKES: Horseshoe
HorseshoeLake
LakeFrontage.
Frontage. 33Lots
Lotsand
andPole
PoleBarn
Barnisisincluded
included
with
with
this 2 bedroom/1
bedroom/1 Full
FullBath
Bathwith
withWalk-Out
Walk-OutBasement
BasementAsk
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forRich
Rich$124,900.
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BARRYTON: Very
Very nice
nice33bdrm/2
bdrm/2bath
bathwaterfront
waterfrontdoublewide
doublewidew/private
w/private
chanBARRYTON:
chanfrontage to
to Martiny
Martiny Chain
Chainof
ofLakes.
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has24X36
24X36Pole
PoleBarn
Barnforforallallofof
nel frontage
toys. $125,900
$125,900
your toys.
$234,900 - 14 Acres, Country Horse Farm
15 or 29 Acres, Barn, Classic Metamora
$435,000 - 10 Acres, Wooded, Ranch, Barns
EDMORE: Trophy
Trophy bucks
buckstaken
takenevery
everyyear
yearfrom
fromthis
this8080Heavily
HeavilyWooded
Wooded
Acres
EDMORE:
Acres
which includes
includes aa remodeled
remodeled 33 Bdrm/2
Bdrm/2Full
Fullbath
bathHome
Homeand
and24X40
24X40Pole
PoleBarn.
Barn.
which
Erv Moore
Moore for
foraaprivate
privatetour.
tour. $249,900
$249,900
Call Erv
96
LAKES: NEW
NEW LISTING
LISTINGon
onAll
AllSports
SportsLake
LakeMontcalm.
Montcalm.This
This
Bdrm/1.5
SIX LAKES:
55
Bdrm/1.5
Home would
would make
makeaagreat
greatup
upnorth
northretreat
retreatororfull
fulltime
timeresidence.
residence.
Awesome
Bath Home
Awesome
Fishing for
for all
all seasons.
seasons. $110,000
$110,000
Fishing
LAKES: Private
Private 190+
190+Feet
Feetfrontage
frontageon
onHorseshoe
HorseshoeLake.
Lake.Nice
NiceYear
Year
Round
SIX LAKES:
Round
Home and
and aa detached
detachedheated
heatedgarage
garagewith
withaabonus
bonusguesthouse.
guesthouse.Call
CallJim
Jimforfor
more
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more
$179,900
info. $179,900
STANTON: NEW
NEW LISTING!!
LISTING!! FULL
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LOGHOME
HOMEononFlat
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and2020
ParSTANTON:
ParWooded Acres.
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. Very
tially Wooded
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Richfor
formore
moredetails.
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$765,000 - 44 Acres, Barns, Executive Estate $775,000 - 22 Acres, Barn, Kingsbury School
$480,000 - 80 Acres, 2 Out Buildings
OPEN THE GATE TO HILLS, HORSES AND HOSPITALITY - METAMORA!

Highlands of Metamora - 1 Ac.............. $32,900
Steeplechase - 1 Ac............................... $55,000
MGCC-Masters Dr. - 1 Ac...................... $35,900
MGCC-Invitational Dr. - 1 Ac................. $27,000
Sutton Rd. - 2.5 Country Ac.................. $29,900
Sante Fe - 3 Ac., Natl Gas.................... $34,900
Peters Ln. - 3 to 8 Ac..........$54,900 to $89,900

M-119 - 8 Ac., On Lake Michigan........ $495,000
Casey Rd. - 23 Ac., On Flint River...... $179,000
German Rd. - 40 Ac., Woods.............. $159,900
Genesee Rd. - 44 Ac., Splits............... $289,900
Sutton Rd. - 90 Ac., Wooded............... $599,000
ale 100 WOODED

S
r
Fo ACRES AND CABIN
Tracy L. Collins
GREAT LAKES
MORTGAGE
FUNDING
989-329-0485 $299,000
NMLS# 137017
586-481-5577
www.HomeLoansByTracy.com
A LOAN MADE JUST FOR YOU

Because mortgage loans are uniquely individual, we offer a wide
range of loan programs tailored to your specific needs including:
934 BREAULT ROAD GLADWIN, MI
BEAUTIFUL WOODED PROPERTY WITH TRAILS THROUGHOUT
Rural Development Loans FHA And VA Loans

Conventional Fixed Rate Loans Debt Consolidation
First Time Homebuyers Non-Owner Loans
PURCHASES AND REFINANCES
CALL
800-387-7824
TO PLACE YOUR AD TODAY!
P.O. Box 278 594 N. Almont Ave. Imlay City, MI 48444

Phone: (810) 724-0254 Fax: (810) 724-8552
And several permanent deer blinds.Knotty pine interior,

Large 12X12 Kitchen/12X15 Dining room, with natural hickory cabinets. Unique stone bar, Vermont casting gas log fireplace. Upper level living area: 1200 sq. ft, Lower level: 1200
sq. ft. f/ entertainment, equipment, storage, etc. (2) 10X10
bedrooms with log beds. Living room, 17 X 18 and Bar area,
10 X 13. Full bath, 6 X 8. Electric water heater. All appliances and furniture included. Hunter Douglas window blinds.
Older garage on property, good for storage: 24 X 32
The kind of acreage we finance...
UNLIMITED
IG RIVER
PROPERTIES
LOG HOME 2697 W JACKSON HART This fabulous custom built log cabin
sits on 4 acres of heaven. The serene setting offers panoramic views of the gorgeous country side. 3 bedroom, 2 bath home features vaulted pine ceilings/walls,
hardwood flooring. $295,000 (MOO)
CARTIER LAKE 4187 N. STEPHANIE DRIVE BRANCH Lakefront home on
Cartier Lake also known as Little Bass Lake, 2 lots total 5+ acres and 254 frontage.
Knotty pine cathedral ceilings, skylights, hardwood, and a Quadra-fire efficient wood
burner in the living room. Kitchen has lots of oak cabinets, stainless appliances,
and Armstrong floors. 4 bedrooms, including master suite with bathroom. All season knotty pine porch and two large decks, walk out basement has family room, 2
bedrooms, full bath, 30x40 pole barn. $214,900 (ROS)
SAUBLE RIVER HOME 161 E SAUBLE DRIVE FREESOIL This home is
located on the beautiful Sauble River with 118 frontage and a deck to sit at the
waters edge. The home features 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths, there is a sitting room/
den off the master suite. The kitchen has lots of cupboards and a pass through bar
to the living room. Bank owned, sold as is, bank will consider financing with 5%
down if your primary residence. $149,000 (LOSS)
HOME ON 30+/- ACRES 10087 N PEACOCK TRAIL IRONS This nicely
wooded 30 Acre Parcel of land adjoins Federal land on three sides and is just down
the road from the snowmobile trails! 2+ bedrooms, 1 bath, cabin is all newly redone
in knotty pine and log siding interior. New hickory cabinets, insulated windows and
door wall onto small deck overlooking a cleared area with fire pit. Very secluded!
$139,000 (BRE)
HOME ON 10 ACRES 10156 HAWK TRAIL IRONS - Very nice year round
home or Up North get-a-way offers 3 bedrooms and one bath on 10 wooded acres
very close to the trail system and across from hundreds of acres of State Land!
Home offers one bedroom on the main level, nice open kitchen with large eating bar
and fireplace in the living room. Newer 24x32 pole barn with drive thru doors. Nice
fire-pit area and deck on the back of the home. $139,900 (GIL)
LITTLE MANISTEE RIVER ACREAGE 9240 N RIVER ROAD IRONS This 2.4
acres of land has 200 frontage on the famous Little Manistee River with a low bank
down to the waters edge. There is a clearing back off the main road and its all
ready for you to build or camp on. There was a mobile home on it at one time so
there is an older electrical pole and pitcher pump which the seller has never used.
$98,900 (SCH)
60+/- ACRES RIVERSIDE DRIVE FOREST SERVICE ROAD IRONS This 60
Acres has been in the same family since 1932. It adjoins 100s of acres on USA on
4 sides. There is a well-marked forest service road you take to get to it right off a
county maintained road. Well wooded with mature hardwoods and pines, it makes
a perfect hunting spot. It is also close to the Little Manistee River that is known for
its Salmon and Steelhead fishing. $74,900 (NAR)
LOON LAKE COTTAGES -5579 N BASS LAKE ROAD IRONS Large lot featuring 80 feet of frontage on all sports Loon Lake. Property features two homes that
are in need of repair. Main home offers one bedroom, bath living area, kitchen and
back porch room. Smaller second home is log sided and offers two bedrooms, bath,
kitchen with a living/dining area. $55,000 (GAL)
Hunters Call for our Acreage Parcels

5963 W. 10-1/2 Mile Rd. Irons, Michigan
231-266-8288 877-88-NORTH
www.BigRiverVentures.com Info@BigRiverVentures.com
MORE THAN LENDING

When you finance with GreenStone
Farm Credit Services, your options are
wide open. As a leader in recreational
land financing, we are anything but
typical, with unique terms up to 30
years on unlimited acreage.
Take the next step toward owning
the land you have always wanted
and contact your local branch today.
800-444-3276
www.greenstonefcs.com
Check out our website: www.woods-n-waternews.com
97
340
Contact Maurer Real Estate

at (269) 673-3800
www.maurerrealestate.com
REAL
ESTATE
AUCTION
135 Acres - For Cash Sale - 3 Parcels
BUILDING SITES - HUNTING - FARMLAND

Almont Twp. Sec 10, Lapeer Co., MI
WRITTEN BIDS DUE NO LATER THAN 4PM DECEMBER 29, 2014
PARCEL 1 - 53.05 acres m/l, 5 acres surveyed building site, 15.5 farmed. 33 acres woods plus deer
habitat. Lying West and South of access at end of unimproved deadend Farley Road.
PARCEL 2 - 60.746 acres m/l, Building site with pond, presently farmed. Lying East and South of
access at end of unimproved deadend Farley Road.
PARCEL 3 - 21.415 acres m/l, Building site with mature timber. 20-foot access owned to Kidder Road.
PARCEL 4 - All of above as one parcel. All boundaries marked with visible cement markers set pursuant to Lapeer County Circuit Court Order.
BID/INFO: MARK A. JACKSON 517-265-8138 ROD SKOW 517-263-5579
ATTORNEY/BROKER FOR TRUST
98
SKOW TRUST SEEKS BIDS. SELLER RESERVES RIGHT TO ACCEPT OR REJECT ANY AND ALL BIDS.
Land and Lakes Real Estate Co.

"Serving the NorthCentral Upper Peninsula"
Phone: (906) 387-5100

www.landandlakesrealestate.com
Land And Lakes Real Estate Is Proud To Announce Our Exclusive Partnership With LANDLEADER
14789 Ross Lake Rd., Melstrand, MI 49884,1083102
Here's your chance to own your own private lake!
Not a mudhole, this 7+/- acre lake is deep (over 25'), with 5 streams in/out of it, & large pike (a
20#er was released back), bluegill & perch caught here. There is a cleared building site with an
outhouse & 4-wheeler/walking trails throughout the 28 acres. The rolling hillsides are covered with
towering maples, hemlock, beech & spruce with cedar near the lake. The sandy soil is high & dry
with a boardwalk to take you over the marshy lakeside. It's beautiful & private here with myriad
trails, lakes & rivers & the Pictured Rocks Nat'l Lakeshore very near; State & CFR lands surround
you. Hunt, fish, trail ride, hike, enjoy the peace, etc., 'til your heart's content! Priced at $99,900
5578 Finn Spur Rd., Chatham, MI 49838 RC-158/1078630
This unique recreational complex on 33.25 acres, includes a 1216 sq.ft. bunkhouse, a
lodge which features a table to seat up to 18, huge stone fireplace, billiards/ pool table,
bar, restaurant sized cookstove, sauna & shower. The 2 story hip roof garage is engineered to hoist your snowmobiles/toys to second floor storage.. The 3 acre pond brings
migratory birds in. The property shares a corner with Federal Forest and is 1/4 mile down
the road from thousands of acres more. Price Reduced to $139,000
E8688 Onota Hill Road, Deerton, MI 49822. RH-203 / 1037077
The weathered grey exterior of this 3-BD cabin conceals a warm, welcoming interior that is light, bright
with high ceilings, skylights, large windows. The 3 Bedrooms are each large & comfortable. Wonxerful
Natural spring water is collected in a cistern and piped into the house from the hillside. The large
workshop has a studio bedroom upstairs for your company. The 40 acres can be split into 4-10s and
the area is zoned RP to accommodate a wide range of plans. Year round accessible from a county
road, yet peaceful and private. Priced at $89,900
14677 LL (Stevens Lake) Rd., Wetmore, MI 49895. WH-214/1081501
This well-maintained property has 150 of park-like frontage on Big Stevens Lake & 19 acres of forest
adjacent to Federal land. The 3-BD main house has been fully remodeled & there are 2 guest
cabins, a 2-car garage, & room to park your RVs. Big Stevens Lake is known for its huge Bluegills,
Northern Pike & Large Mouth Bass. The private dock& lawn tractor are included & other boats and
furnishings are negotiable, as well. This ideal location in the center of the National Forest provides
access to unlimited recreational opportunities throughout all the seasons. Priced nicely at $159,900
N5610 East Point Road, Wetmore, MI 49895. VW-205 / 1078222
there is no better location on the Chain of Lakes to build your dream cottage or year round home
This beautiful, vacant lot with 180' of frontage on Corner Lake has 1.21 acres, has been surveyed &
clearly marked, brushed & cleaned with a private drive & underground electricity on site. The view is
gorgeous & the lakes beckon. Bring your building plans here & live the good life on the lakes.
REDUCED BY $20,000!!! Now, at $79,995
231-652-7000
- or -
231-250-8200
WE NEED LISTINGS 40+ ACRES AND LARGER

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Alcona County, 40 Acres, Adjacent

to Public Land, Rustic Cabin
$55,000
Arenac County, 70 Acres 3,500+/- ft. Lake

Huron Frontage, Duck & Deer Hunters Dream
$280,000
Arenac County, 146 Acres Rifle River &

Saginaw Bay Access, Tri-Level House
$399,999
Arenac County, 349 Acres

2 Ponds, Blinds, Trails
$523,500
Calhoun County, 61 Acres. 3,000+/- ft. St.

Joseph River Frontage, Big Buck Country
$129,900
Calhoun County, 88 Acres

45 Tillable, Balance Wooded
$299,900
Calhoun County, 336 Acres Caretaker House,

Lodge, Pole Barn, River & Lake Front
$1,150,000
Delta County, 75+/- Acres

3,000 ft Lake Michigan Frontage, Cabin
$294,000
Chippewa County, 80 Acres Log Cabin,

Pole Barn, Pond, 20 minutes to Soo
$260,000
Chippewa County, 1684 Acres 8,500 sq. ft. Log Lodge,

Guest House, Dock on St. Marys River, Private Lake
$2,490,000
Clare County, 136.76 Acres, Private Lake

5,000 ft. Muskegon River Frontage, Adjacent to National Forest
$350,000
Clare County, 155 Acres

Rolling Hardwoods, Pond, Trails
$234,900
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Gladwin County, 158 Acres 1/2 Mile Road

Frontage, Elevated Blinds, Heavy Cover
$292,300
Gratiot County, 40 Acres

Surrounded by Ag Land, Excellent Hunting
$87,000
Iosco County, 79 Acres, Nice Cabin,

Private Setting, Marketable Timber
$190,000
Jackson County, 51 Acres Rolling Terrain,

Big Buck Country, Mixed Hardwoods
$122,400
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Jackson County, 125 Acres

Big Buck Country, Small Creek
$187,500
LD
Jackson County, 52 Acres

15 Acres Tillable, Big Buck Area, QDM
$109,900
Jackson County, 60 Acres Custom Log

Home, Pole Barn, Too Much To List
SOLD - $379,000 - SOLD
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Jackson County, 162 Acres CRP Program, 6 Elevated

Blinds, 115 Ac. Tillable, Pond, Big Buck Country
$599,000
Kalkaska County, 60 Acres Heavy Cover,

Excellent Deer & Turkey Hunting
$71,600
Kalkaska County, 480 Acres

Great Trail, Nice Hardwoods
$995,000
LD
Missaukee County, 75 Acres Pond, Creek,

Guest Cabin & 2 Bedroom House
$199,000
Missaukee County, 200 Acres

Cabin, Pond, 8 Enclosed Blinds
$329,000
Lake County, 320 Acres, 4,700 sq ft Lodge,

Outbuildings, Sm. Creek, Pond, Elevated Blinds
$599,000
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Mecosta County, 1.6 Acres 100 ft. Muskegon

River Frontage, Paved Road, Utilities
$19,900
LD
Montcalm County, 30 Acres 2,500 sq ft

Log Home, 120x70 Outbuilding
$349,000
Montcalm County, 40 Acres Church Creek

Frontage, Rustic Cabin, Excellent Hunting
SOLD - $129,900 - SOLD
Newaygo County, 40 Acres Surrounded by

National Forest, Trails, Elevated Blinds
$85,000
Newaygo County, 140 Acres, Pond

Trout Stream, 40 Ac. Tillable, Food Plots
SOLD - $325,000 - SOLD
Otsego County, 160 Acres

Private 15 Ac Lake, 6,000 sq. ft. House
$1,749,000
Otsego County, 200 Acres

Rolling Terrain, Food Plots, Cabin
$399,000
Presque Isle County, 395 Acres

Remote Location, QDM, Travel Trailer
$276,500
Schoolcraft County, 2282 Acres

Fox River Frontage
$499,000
LD
Ogemaw County, 40 Acres House, Pond,

Abundant Wildlife, Great Hunting
$139,000
Osceola County, 112 Acres,

Small Creek, Trail System
SOLD - $128,800 - SOLD
WildLifeRealty.com
www.
99
Local: 989-345-2662
Toll Free: 800-535-6520
10 miles north of I-75 exit 202
Local: 989-345-0315
Toll Free: 866-345-0315
1 mile north of I-75 Exit 212
1953 S. M-33
West Branch, MI 48661
2575 S. I-75 Business Loop,

West Branch, MI 48661
WEST BRANCH
WEST BRANCH
LOOP OFFICE M-33/M-55 OFFICE
Local: 989-728-2540
Toll Free: 800-495-2540
Gateway to Huron National Forest
3160 North M-65

Hale, MI48739
HALE
OFFICE
OVER AN ACRE! Super clean, painted, 3-br, 2 full ba, garage w/breez & wrkshp, AC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $82,900 M785477B
1.08 ACRES 3-br, needs some work, garage, fenced yard for pets/gardening, yr round . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $59,000 M785455C
4.7 AC, beautiful custom blt, 2 garages, Trex deck, 3-br, 3 ba, hot tub, walkout bsmt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $199,500 M785441C
10 ACRES, 3-br, wooded, great hunting, garage, carport & 14/20 outbldg, secluded . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $69,900 M784322R
15.8 AC, spac 3-brm Cape Code, 2 garages, workshop, wood floors, family rm, FP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $250,000 H783741B
3 ACRES, 3-br, FP, full basement, family room, lots of updates, oversized garage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$84,900 M783672R
5 ACRES, move-in ready! 2-br, garage w/wood stove, beautiful pond, rear deck, views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $52,900 M783267B
1+ ACRE, spac 3-br, walk-in pantry, appliances, country setting, deck, garage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $49,900 M783242B
2.5 ACRES, sharp 3-br Saltbox, heated garage, deck, porch, custom blinds, applian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $139,900 M783223D
5.4 ACRES, EXCELLENT LOCATION, 3-br chalet, pole barn, newer well, porch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $39,900 M782912B
HUNT CAMP OR YEAR ROUND! 2-br mob, appliances, newer furnace, 10 ACRES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $49,500 M782831R
HUNTING & FISHING GETAWAY! Near River, across from St land, 2-br, updates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $39,900 M782432L
ACROSS FROM FEDL LAND! 13+ AC, 3-br, garage, 2 stoves, knotty pine, trails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $146,900 M781903B
20 ACRES, 2-br log home, pond, open floor plan, great hunting, privacy, porch, gar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $130,000 H782274B
ACROSS FROM ST LAND! ONE ACRE, full log 3-br home, newer roof & more! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$27,900 M779757B
2+ ACRES, 3-br ranch, attached garage, deck, open floor plan, knotty pine kitchen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $99,900 M775973L
104+ AC, custom blt 3-br, garage, 2 pole barns, St land on East, trails thru-out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $370,000 M775842C
2.76 AC, spac 3-br, nice country setting, FP, AC, garage, formal dining, great views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $55,000 L749835A
91.26 ACRES! HUNTERS DREAM! 1394 when finished, wood stove, applia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $189,900 M790081B
2.5 ACRES, beautiful country setting, part bsmt, near town, some updates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $42,000 M747242C
5 ACRES! 3-br, 2 ba, landscaping, garage, coverd porch, beautiful views, AC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $92,000 M747080C
1.7 ACRES, updated 2/3-br, heated gar, lean to, knotty pine, loft area, all appliances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $82,000 M746227B
6 ACRES, lrg 4-br, pond w/fish, 50x70 deck, inground pool, pole barn w/stalls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $139,900 M757423L
WEST BRANCH! Upated, move-in ready 2-br, garage, rear deck, near Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $49,000 M784463C
DOUBLE LOT, full log 3-br home, garage, near lakes, st land, River, LC terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $39,900 M784124B
NEAR TOWN, MOVE-IN READY! Nice 2-bedroom, garage, shed, nice lots w/trees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $49,900 M784050C
3/ 4 ACRE! 3-bedroom, garage w/heated wrkshp, 2 sheds w/elec, deck, fenced yard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $64,900 M781209R
OLDER VICTORIAN HOME! 6-br, garage w/loft, screened porch, 2000 sq ft! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $45,000 M778577C
2 CORNER LOTS, 1.5 story 2-br, year round, wood stove, encl sunroom, garage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $64,900 M776995R
CITY LIVING! 2-br, garage, lrg covered deck, all applia, newer 2010 roof, updated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $72,900 M749144R
NEAT & CLEAN! 2-br, mostly furnished, affordable, nr lakes & river, getaway! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $19,900 M748585L
APPROX AC! 4-br Chalet, extensive decking, nice views, wrkshp and an addition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $94,900 M747265G
MOVE-IN READY! Updated 3-br, newer flooring, AC, deck, garage, landscaping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $49,900 L745941A
NR ACRES OF ST LAND! Cute 2-br, garage, 12x20 bonus room, mostly furnished . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $25,000 M745810R
COMPLETELY UPDATED, 3-br, wd floors, full bsmt, guest cabin, nr boat launch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $49,900 M754301R
ACROSS FROM ST LAND! 1416 Sq ft, 3-br, garage, FP, family rm, near lakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $59,900 M753184R
HUNT CAMP! Walk to State land, mostly furnished, 4-br, family room, FP, pole bldg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $19,900 M792298L
LARGE 3 BDRM, 2BA, built 2002, spac kitchen, hot tub, AC, deck, shed, newer pump . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $59,900 M792240B
NEEDS YOUR TLC!! 1-bedroom, near lakes, St lands, River, 2 sheds, rec area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $9,900 L791499A
VICTORIAN W BRANCH! Tons of updates, 3-br 2 ba, deck, AC, gar, appli, paved dr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $69,900 M790664L
NICE 2 BDRM, at end of road, nr acres of St Land & Clear Lk, garage, knotty pine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $49,500 M790413B
PRICED TO SELL! Large 4-br, needs some TLC, some updates, garage, bsmt, porch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $39,900 M790150L
CITY LIVING! 3-br ranch-style, appli, fenced yard, AC, garage, wood stove, patio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $44,900 M788298C
NICE 3-BR MANU, 3 lots, all appliances, mostly furnished, 30x30 garage, lrg deck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $59,900 M787757B
LARGE 4 BDRM, garage, fruit trees, raspberry bushes, wood & tile floors, bsmt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $89,900 M787138L
ACROSS FROM NATL FOREST! 3-br, needs TLC, deep lot, almost an acre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $55,000 L786801A
A PROJECT FOR YOU! 4-br, 1300 sq ft, needs work, applia, front deck, great area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $24,000 M786718D
OVER HALF ACRE, cute 2/3 bungalow, patio, garage, near lakes, River, St land . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $32,500 M786132R
UPDATES & GORG FINISH WORK!! 3-br, part bsmt, family rm, encl sunrm, gar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $139,900 M785803R
HOMES/CABINS ON LOTS
21 ACRES/PRIOR CREEK!! 5-br, 3 ba, in-law suite, blind, trails, rear deck, views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $184,900 M784501C
LK GEORGE! 2-br, tons of great updates, patio, views, garage, aluminum dock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $159,900 M783771R
ISLAND LK, 2-br, gar w/loft, bath & bdrm, lakeside patio, great views, no wake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $209,900 M783692R
LK OGEMAW! 4-br Saltbox, stamped patio, dock, 77 frnt, acre, great deck, gar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $199,000 M783506C
RIFLE RVR!! 10 AC, full log, 3-br, 4 ba, amenities galore, decks, porches, balcony . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$595,000 M782802R
3.5 AC - LEWIS LK! 3-br, 2 ba, deck, 32x40 pole barn, 295, small lake, wooded, LC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $115,000 M782163R
LITTLE LONG LK! 4-br, extensive decking, gorg views, stone FP, 2 sheds, 60 frnt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $159,900 H781901B
LITTLE LONG LK! Cozy 2-br, 2 garages, encl porch, covered porch, 64 frontage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $119,900 M780107R
HARDWOOD LK! 1.31 ACRES, 3-br, garage, AC, newer steel roof, deck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $149,000 M780038B
SKIDWAY LK! 2-br log home, lakeside sunroom, garage, FP, fenced yrd, full bsmt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $87,500 M776963B
RIFLE RIVER! 3-br, garage, wrkshp, updated, open floor plan, views, deck, sunrm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $159,900 M776647R
CRANBERRY LK! Cozy getaway, boat dock, some furnishings, lakeside patio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $81,900 M749638C
AFFORDABLE LAKEFRONT! FP, patio, encl porch, views, garage, PONTOON! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $54,900 M749664B
WATERFRONT LOT across rd! 2-br, lk views, garage, 2 sheds, covered patio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $69,900 M749221L
EVERETT LK! 240 frnt and 5 ACRES, 4-br Cape Cod, deck, covered porch, dock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $109,000 M745690B
20 AC & FRNT ON SAGE & LITTLE SAGE LKS! 3-br, secluded, wooded, deck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $299,000 L759898A
BIG WMS LK! Updated 3-br, 2 boats, 123 frnt, 10x28 deck, wood stove, steel roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $129,900 M791552B
100% REMODELED RIVERFNT!! 2/3-br, fam & rec rooms, garage, MUST SEE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $119,900 M791231L
1.4 AC, NO WAKE LK! Custom 3-br, covered porch, garage, FP, applia, loft, dock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $154,000 M790900C
FAWN LK! Nice 3-br, garage, large deck, nice views, all appli, move in ready . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $84,900 M755449L
HENDERSON LK! 2-br, newer roof & flooring, decks, boat dock, 95 frnt, views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $84,900 M789599B
80 AC & 1400 on RIFLE RVR! 2-br, pond, apple trees, secluded, trails, blind, fishing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $249,900 M776325R
W LONDO LK! Spacious 4-br, upper/lower decks, views, fruit trees, landscaped . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $169,000 L787658A
HARDWOOD LK! 156+ sandy frnt, 2-br, walkout bsmt, 14 boat, dock, 3 sheds, view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $159,000 M786820B
S DEASE LK! 3-br, 1728 sq ft, 2 decks, garage w/stove, furnishings, lawn equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $169,000 M786169B
LAKE ELNI! 100 frnt, 3-br, FP, wrap-around deck, views, full bsmt, dock, turn-key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $165,000 M786081B
HARDWOOD LK! 3-br, beautiful views, most furnishings, garage, 2 sheds, wood flrs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $67,000 L785732A
NO WAKE BIG WMS LAKE! 2/3-br, nice views, 64 water frntg, log cabin, shed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $109,900 M785706D
NO WAKE LK! Move-in ready 3-br, sunrm, dock, views, near all sports CLEAR LK! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $119,000 W785156J
LK OGEMAW! 77 frnt, beauti views, 2-br, loft, garage, walkout bsmt, covered decks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $154,900 M784998C
CHAIN LK!! Over 3000 sq ft, 4-br, 2.5 ba, full bsmt, deck, gorg views, 140 frontage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $139,900 L784955A
LAKE OGEMAW! 1800 sq ft, 3-br, walkout bsmt, deck/patio, 65 frnt, sandy, dock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $162,900 M784779C
BUSH LK! AFFORDABLE 2-br, garage, appliances, some furnishings, covered porch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $69,900 M784589B
WATER ACCESS HOMES & COTTAGES
4.56 AC, 3-br, family room, deck, covered porch, 2 garages, trails, appliances, gener . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $89,900 M792591B
13+ ACRES, wooded, 3-br mobile needs work, BORDERS ST LAND, garage, sheds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $59,900 M791877B
1.5 AC, tons of great updates, 3-br, 2 full ba, deck, applia, wd flrs, 32x40 pole bldg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $105,900 M791280B
15+ ACRES!! Poss 4-br, wood stove, garage, pole bldg, deck, covered porch, blktp dr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $69,900 M791089B
2.1 AC, NESTER CREEK, 3-br, garage, AC, FP, covered porch, rear deck, fenced yd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $139,900 M790635B
2.41 ACRES, spac 3-br, needs work, full bsmt, garage, lrge barn, FP, wood floors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $54,000 M790417B
10+ ACRES, beautiful custom built, 2 garages, jet tub, rear deck, FP, move-in ready . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $149,900 M789899R
15 AC, 3-br, covered porch, garage, pole barn, lrg shed/lean to, AC, updated 2012 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$125,000 H789770B
5 AC, 3-bedroom, sits back off road, 2 FP, newer flooring, deck, gar & pole bldg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $139,900 M789713B
4.92 AC, 1204 sq foot, 2-brm, full basement, garage, newer plumbing, pump, shingles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $39,900 L788451A
STUNNING PARK-LIKE SETTING, 4-br, walkout bsmt, pond, garage, 62+ AC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $249,900 M787816R
UPDATED FARMHOUSE, 1.17 AC, 4-br, full bsmt, deck, wood floors, gar, barn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $60,000 L787736A
16 AC PARK-LIKE SETTING! 3500 sq ft, 4-br, 2 FP, fami rm, den, deck, sunroom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $239,000 M787699C
GOLFERS & PET LOVERS!! 1.77 ACRES, fenced, borders Golf Course, 2-br, TLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $39,900 M787467L
FARM HOUSE!! 80 ACRES, 5-br, garage w/loft, outbldg, guest house, pond, views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $229,900 M787448R
FARM HOUSE!! 5 ARCRES, 5-br, garage w/loft, outbldg, gorgeous views, spacious! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $85,900 M791873R
REMODELED 2-BR, 2 AC, lrg garage, fenced yard, 16x16 shed, nr lks, golf course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $54,900 M787375R
ADJACENT TO ST LAND!! 18 AC, 2-br cabin, nestled in woods, great hunt camp! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $69,900 M786738R
POSS 5 BDRMS!! VIEWS, 3 ACRES, creek, pond, fruit trees, 2 FP, family rm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $194,900 M786279L
1.5 ACRES, 2-br mobile, needs TLC, garage, newer well & septic, trails on property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $24,900 M786212B
5 ACRES BACKING UP TO ST LAND!! 3-br, garage, appliances, wood stove, views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $89,900 M786126B
BACKS TO STATE LAND!! 3 ACRES, 2-br yr round or hunt cabin, FP, deck, views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $39,900 M785814R
4.91 ACRES, 2882 SQ FT, 4-br, 2 full ba, porch, deck, indoor pool & hot tub, views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $89,900 W785593J
FOREST LAKE! All sports private lake, 60 frnt, potential bldg. site, nice subd . . . . . . . . . . . . . $46,000 M780595B
LAKE OGEMAW! Over ACRE, wooded, all sports lk, nice views, poss bldg. site . . . . . . . . . . $96,900 M790612R
LITTLE LONG LK! 66 water frnt, partly wooded, nice views, potential bldg site . . . . . . . . . . . . $42,000 H763152B
15 ACES & FRNT ON STYLUS LAKE! Great hunting parcel, heavily wooded . . . . . . . . . . . . . $32,000 L755186A
SHARED WATERFRONT, 7 lots, potential bldg site, mostly wooded, paved road . . . . . . . . . . . $28,000 H784326B
WATER ACCESS W/24 X 32 GARAGE, North Dease Lake, potential bldg site . . . . . . . . . . . . . $36,000 M786155B
FOREST LAKE! All sports private lake, 666 frnt, potential bldg. site, nice subd . . . . . . . . . . . . $39,000 M790834C
10 AC, 229 ON MORRIS LK, 30X40 POLE BLDG, stoves, ba, kitc, bedrms, blinds . . . . . . $134,900 M790263L
1.37 AC & 50 WATER FRONTAGE!! All sports 172 acre Hardwood Lk, great views . . . . . . . . . $39,900 M789290B
POPULAR SAGE LAKE! Wooded lot on canal to 785 acre all sports lk, poss bldg site . . . . . . .$20,000 L789247A
S DEASE LK! 60on canal to all sports lake, potential bldg site, boat dock, wooded . . . . . . . . . $45,000 H788489B
LK OGEMAW! 1.1 ACRES, 32X64 POLE BARN, septic, well, electric, dock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $209,000 M782685C
ALL SPORTS LK OGEMAW ACROSS RD! , 4-br, full bsmt, priced for quick sale! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $44,900 M784418L
INTEREST IN LKFRONT LOT! Views of lk, 3-br, garage, shed, lrg deck, 2 lrg lots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $76,500 M784247D
VIEW OF SAGE LK! Totally updated, 2/3 bedroom, newer applia include, shed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $64,995 M783945B
ALL SPORTS FOREST LK 2-br, covered porch, newer roof 2012, fireplace, getaway . . . . . . . . . . . $44,900 M783538R
BUSH LK & BOAT LAUNCH just across road! 2-br, furnishings, deck, garage, FP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $54,900 M781909B
BEAUTIFUL LK VIEWS! Lrg 4-br, extensive decking, 2 garages, amenities galore . . . . . . . . . . . . . $169,000 M780746B
TITTABAWASSEE RIVER across rd, cute getaway cabin, storage shed, great fishing . . . . . . . . . . . $19,500 M778565C
PEACH LAKE VIEWS, 3-br, gar, heated wrksp, 2 sheds, AC, deck, walkout bsmt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $89,900 M777391L
BEAUTIFUL LK VIEWS & steps to access, 2 br, large family rm, FP, part bsmt, deck . . . . . . . . . . . . $64,500 M777233B
RIFLE RIVER! Cute 2-br, private River access, 2-story garage, covered porch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $54,900 M748071B
GEORGE LK! 3-br, view of lake, deck, 2 outbldgs, wood floors, FP, updated, 6 lots . . . . . . . . . . . . . $40,000 M747414R
WALK TO POPULAR CLEAR LK! Newly remodeled 2-br, steel roof, family rm, FP . . . . . . . . . . . . . $49,900 M784601L
SAGE LK! 2-br, lakeside sunroom & patio, wood floors, knotty pine, walk to access . . . . . . . . . . . . . $34,500 M782759R
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PRIV LK ACCESS, 330 acres, all sports, 2-br, garage, nice deck, two lots, great subd . . . . . . . . . . . $41,900 M791882R
SMALL FISHING LK access, needs TLC, 1500 sq ft, 3-bdrm, garage, pole bldg, porch . . . . . . . . . . . $59,900 M791169L
GEOR & RIFLE LKS! Updated 3-br, deck, garage, blktop dr, walk to lk, nr hunting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $77,500 M790790B
WALK TO LK ELNI/NEAR CLEAR LK!! 2-br, shed, knotty pine, FP, pond, 1.1 AC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $49,900 M790741B
FOREST LK! Beautiful 3-br, garage, pole bldg, full basement, 1.23 wooded acres . . . . . . . . . . . . . $179,000 M789509B
WALK TO ELBOW LAKE! 2/3-brm, garage, knotty pine, appliances, patio, FP, shed . . . . . . . . . . . . $59,900 M788194B
AFFORDABLE GETAWAY! LK OGEMAW access, 2-br, 2 sheds, shade trees, firepit . . . . . . . . . . . . $22,500 M787257D
JOHNSON LK ACCESS, 2-br, sunroom, wood stove, appli, furnishings, needs work . . . . . . . . . . . . $26,500 M787148D
WALK TO POPULAR CLEAR LK! 3-br, gar w/rec room, lrg pole barn, newer roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $99,900 M786999L
LK GEORGE ACCESS, 2/3 bdroom, needs work, covered porch, garage, FP, getaway . . . . . . . . . . $39,900 M786481C
WALK TO BEAUTIFUL RIFLE LK! 3-br, knotty pine, deck, 3 lots, landscaping, shed . . . . . . . . . . . . $56,000 M786270C
SAGE LK! 2-br, lakeside sunroom & patio, wood floors, knotty pine, walk to access . . . . . . . . . . . . . $34,500 M782759R
FAWN LK! Private lk access, nice 3-br, walkout bsmt, deck, over 2300 sq feet, garage . . . . . . . . . $179,900 M784971R
WATERFRONT HOMES/COTTAGES
WATERFRONT LOTS & ACREAGE
10 ACRES!! Mostly wooded, small clearing, great hunting, addl 10 acres available . . . . . . . . . . . . . $29,000 M787383C
10 ACRES! Rolling, secluded & wooded, great hunting, great recreational area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $22,900 M783220R
60 ACRES, food plots, 20 BLINDS, partly wooded, prime hunting, lrg bucks taken . . . . . . . . . . . . . $199,900 M780713L
3 ACRES, some cleared for building, county maintained road, electric available . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $16,500 M780319C
60 ACRES! Wooded, elec at road, 24x24 pole bldg w/cement floor, great hunting area . . . . . . . . . . $139,900 M780006R
5 ACRES, mostly open, on paved road, nice views, potential bldg site, near Natl Forest . . . . . . . . . $13,900 M779693R
101 AC ST LAND ON 3 SIDES!! Ultimate hunting parc, older bldg w/heat & lights . . . . . . . . . . . $224,900 M779538B
5.96 ACRES! On maintained road, potential bldg site, elec at road, countryside views . . . . . . . . . . . $18,000 H778743B
120 ACRES! Trails-thru-out, excellent huning, lots of wildlife, secluded, gated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $179,500 M776912B
10.06 ACRES, wooded, driveway, elec at road, near State lands, camping trailer incl . . . . . . . . . . . . $28,900 M778297B
WALK TO HOUGHTON CREEK, 2.1 ACRES, elec at road, nice views, bldg site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $7,900 M776054B
15 AC & FRNT ON STYLUS LK!! Great hunting parcel, lots of wildlife . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $32,000 L775186A
ST HELEN! 10 AC! Heavily wooded, excellent hunting, SECLUDED, easy access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $24,900 M748824L
87.52 AC, ACROSS FROM ST LAND, trails, food plots, blinds, rustic bldg/cabin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $174,000 M747501B
10+ ACRES, insulated 2-car GARAGE, W/heat & kitchen, outhouse storage shed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $57,900 M745040B
40 ACRES! Nice mix of trees, near 2 allsports lks, great hunting, lots of wildlife . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $80,000 H743334B
72 ACRES & LKFRONT! Beautiful, rolling, lots of wildlife, gated, maintained rd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $145,000 M763946R
10 ACRES, great hunt camp, elec at road for poten bldg site, mostly wooded . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $19,900 M762277B
TWO PARCELS, acre+ each, slopes to Perry Creek, nice bldg site, each . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $7,000 M761380-81R
2.5 ACRS ON PAVED RD & on Campbell Creek for your new home! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $14,000 M761714B
1.37 ACRS for your new home on paved rd not far from West Branch! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $14,000 M761715B
20.14 ACRES, rolling, wooded, BORDERS ST LAND, great hunting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $63,900 M763333R
HUNTERS PARADISE! 40 Ac borders St land, tons of wildlife, poss bldg site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $74,950 M763481R
20 ACRES, rolling, wooded, open area for plots, trails, deer blind, excellent hunting . . . . . . . . . . . . . $31,500 M776729R
GREAT FOR CROPS!! 10 ACRES, 420 on paved road, poss building site, cleared . . . . . . . . . . . . . $28,900 M792445L
WELL, SEPTIC, DRIVEWAY, FOUNDATION!! 3 ACRES, woods at rear, nice views . . . . . . . . . . . . . $20,000 M792331D
10.01 ACRES, paved road, gated, mature trees, incl hardwoods, great hunt camp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $28,500 M791955R
14.72 ACRES, BACKS TO STATE LANDS, mostly wooded, lowlands, motiv seller! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $26,900 M791639R
HUNT & PRIV LK ACCESS!! 10 ac, Frost Lk w/perch,trout,bass, wooded, rolling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $29,900 M790885C
10 AC, walk to Fedl land, mobile w/stove, sleeping area, furn, trails, wooded, hunting . . . . . . . . . . . $36,900 M790848B
10 AC, 229 ON MORRIS LK, 30X40 POLE BLDG, stoves, ba, kitc, bedrms, blinds . . . . . . . . . . $134,900 M790263L
24X24 GARAGE & 7+ WOODED ACRES! Paved rd, corner, some low & open areas . . . . . . . . . . . $34,900 M790214R
10+ ACRES, near Huron Natl Forest, beautiful views, mostly wooded, mature trees . . . . . . . . . . . . . $25,900 M790106R
53+ AC, ST LAND ON 3 SIDES, shack, outhouse, shed, sugar beet bin, blinds, wded . . . . . . . . . . $94,000 M789618B
30 ACRES & POLE BLDG! 200 AC ST LAND across rd, great hunting or raise horses . . . . . . . . . . . $85,000 M789151J
40+ ACRES & CABIN! 1300 on Johnson Crk, wooded, shed, wood stove, blind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$98,500 M788865G
60 ACRES! Wooded, elec at road, 24x24 pole bldg w/cement floor, great hunting area . . . . . . . . . . $139,900 M788919R
12X20 BLDG, 30+ ACRES, BORDERS NATL FOREST! Paved road, wooded, hunt . . . . . . . . . . . . $109,900 M788548R
BUNKHOUSE W/ 6.88 ACRES, 2 blinds, well, septic, AMMOND CRK frnt, wooded . . . . . . . . . . . . . $49,900 M788221B
11 ACRES, great hunting, heavily wooded, near state lands, electric at road, wildlife . . . . . . . . . . . . $27,900 M787819B
100.77 ACRES, ADJOINS ST LAND! Great hunting, lrg pond, small cabin, gated . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$139,900 M787752B
2.61 AC, LIKE-NEW, 3-br chalet, deck, gazebo, heated gar w/2 brms & ba, FP, air . . . . . . . . . . . . . $129,900 M787691L
10 ACRES!! Mostly wooded, small clearing, great hunting, addl 10 acres available . . . . . . . . . . . . . $29,000 M787378C
SURROUNDED BY ST LAND! 5 ACRES, wooded, alum shed, hunting, near trails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $17,500 M787317D
ADJACENT TO ST LAND!! 18 AC, 2-br cabin, nestled in woods, great hunt camp! . . . . . . . . . . . . . $69,900 M786738R
11.83 ACRES, great hunting, heavily wooded, 12x24 insulated bldg w/furn, firepit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $35,900 M786561D
5+ AC, 200 from St Land! 2-br, gazebo & pole bldg w/elec, deck, patio, trails, views . . . . . . . . . . . . $79,900 M786457C
10+ AC, WALK TO ST LAND! Well, septic, elec, shed w/hot water & tub, 8x20 deck . . . . . . . . . . . . . $36,900 M786070B
40 ACRES, gated, partly wooded, great hunting, lots of wildlife, great area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $69,900 M785451D
HOMES/CABINS ON ACREAGE HUNTING LANDS & ACREAGE
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100
Make Your New Years Resolution Something You Can Walk On!
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Participating broker of
46 Acres on Manistee River

Manistee County
D
OL
1,821 Feet and 46 acres on the Little Manistee River does not come along very often.
None with this type of low bank and rolling woods. Your amazing river side view
is seen from 5,000 sq ft of pure rustic luxury.
ASKING $1,495,000
132-Acre Farm
Woods & Stream
Wexford County
40 Wooded Acres
Rustic Cabins
Wexford County
5.5 Secluded Acres

Pere Marquette River
Land County
Farmhouse, outbuildings, tillable land.

MLS #14061127 Ask for Dave Pawlak
600 on private stream, adjacent to State Land.

MLS #14052356 Ask for Dan Hoffman
PM Middle Branch, low bank access, nicely wooded.

MLS #14055222 Ask for Ian Volchoff
32 Acres
Great Hunting Land
Manistee County
58 Acres
Paw Paw River Frontage
Van Buren County
40 Acres
Pastures & Wooded Terrain
Manistee County
Not hunted in 20 years, great location, great price.

MLS #14047361 Ask for Dave Pawlak
Woods, farmland, trout stream - Hunt, grow, fish!!

MLS #14024119 Ask for Tim Dykstra
Panoramic Views of Crystal Mt., 3 Bedroom Home.

MLS #1787366 Ask for Derrick Volchoff
ASKING $44,900
ASKING $65,000
ASKING $208,400
ASKING $74,000
ASKING $169,900
We have buyers waiting. Call us for a property evaluation.

Three ConvenienT offiCe LoCaTions
Grand haven
219 north 7th street, suite 2
Grand haven, Mi 49417
(616) 414-5420
Traverse CiTy
4249 Us 31
south Traverse City, Mi 49685
(231) 233-3575
aTLanTa
12412 Main street
atlanta, Mi 49709
(989) 306-0372
ASKING $229,900
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JANUARY 2015

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HUGE END OF SEASON

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Field Notes...Tom Campbell

Number One Crossbow

pparently antler envy has stuck again. The

JANUARY 2015 - WNW NEWS

Now - Dec. 25 - Middle Zone regular goose season

big bucks, big antlerswhat I dont get, is how they

Preliminary Firearm Deer Harvest

How do I get my deer, bear, elk or turkey

Commemorative Bucks of Michigan (CBM)

After your trophy has been measured and it

JANUARY 2015 - WNW NEWS

Cover Story..."Holy Crap"

Thumb hunter bags

Gun Chat...Christmas gun

Guest Column...Bill Green

10-POUND PLUS WALLEYES

JANUARY 2015 - WNW NEWS

Kenny Darwin page 20

Michigan's freshwater cod

Supertanker Walleyes page 20

Bear hunting with hounds

"New to the game..."

A 'Grand Slam' of squirrels

Liberty Hunt...Get more

Tungsten is hot on the ice

Michigans Premier Outdoor Publication

Take a boating safety class!

DNR advises not to move

TRAIL CAM PHOTOS

MDNR and USFS partner

Chassell man was arrested

Poaching hotline at 800-292-7800. All Poaching (RAP) Line to report

Conservation officers continue to

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