09 15

$4.
00
SEPTEMBER 2015
Woods-N-Water News
Michigans Premier Outdoor Publication
Use
BIG BUCK
BEHAVIOR
To Your
ADVANTAGE!
September
SALMON
Are You Ready For
Deer Season?
Plus...
Fall Hot Spots

Trolling Smart
Squirrel Hunting
Going Weedless
River Fishing Newbies
WOODS-N-WATER NEWS OUTDOOR WEEKEND
Sept. 11-13 Eastern Michigan Fairgrounds Imlay City

www.woods-n-waternews.com Like us on facebook
Follow us on
STOP BY TODAY FOR INCREDIBLE OFFERS AND

UNBEATABLE SERVICE.
STOP BY TODAY FOR INCREDIBLE OFFERS AND UNBEATABLE SERVICE.

STOP BY TODAY FOR INCREDIBLE SALES:
OFFERS810-653-0490
AND
5605 Davison Rd., 4 miles east
UNBEATABLE SERVICE.
CHAPMAN'S SPORTS CENTER

5605 DAVISON RD
LAPEER, MI
CHAPMAN'S SPORTS CENTER
of Downtown Davison
Open 6 Days: Monday - Friday 9am-5pm;

Saturday 9am-2pm
www.chapmanssports.com
Add your own message by selecting:

Dealer Messaging
Add/Upload your dealerships JPG logo
by your
selecting:
Logo Layer
Add
own message
by selecting: SALES: 810-653-0490
Dealer Messaging

of Downtown Davison
Edit/Change your dealership information

Saturday 9am-2pm
Add/Upload
your
dealerships
by selecting:
Dealer
Name JPG logo
by selecting: Logo Layer
Edit/Change your dealership information

by selecting: Dealer Name
5605 DAVISON RD
LAPEER, MI
END OF SEASON SALE!
SALES: 810-653-0490
of Downtown Davison

Saturday 9am-2pm
SEPTEMBER 2015 - WNW NEWS
SAVINGS OF UP TO $2,500 IN FACTORY

INCENTIVES ON SELECT LUND MODELS
By Tom Campbell ... Field Notes
Outdoor Weekend
ts September and that means its time for

the 29th Woods-N-Water News Outdoor
Weekend, scheduled for Sept. 11-13 at the
Eastern Michigan State Fairgrounds in Imlay
City. The objective of the weekend is to
celebrate our outdoor heritage and we have lined
up an outstanding event for showgoers starting
with great outdoor retailers, educational displays
and exhibits over 220 in alljust about every
type of product for outdoor enthusiasts. Add a
boatload of entertainment from jumping dogs, to
wild animals, artistic chainsaw carvers, historical
civil war encampments, a living history center with
flintknapping, primitive skills, blacksmithing, a
1794 traders camp, Native American storytellers/
dancers, a Camp Chili Cook Off, seminars, a gun
auction (Sunday), a waterfowl calling contest, a
kids archery range and lots of food, refreshments
and puppieslots of puppies. There is so much
happening at this years event theres not enough
space to write about it all, so check out the special
insert in the middle of this issue and at
outdoorweekend.net.
Seminars For Serious Deer Hunters
Weve put together a great event this year and

are really excited about our tremendous deer hunting seminar line-up. One of the best deer hunters
in the state, Fred Abbas ((A-Way Hunting will top
past seminars with this years seminar on Using
Buck Behavior To Your Advantage. They will
cover almost all aspects of hunting big bucks, even
in pressured hunting areas. Check out Freds article
in this issue on page 20. If you want to improve
your deer hunting attend one of the seminars.
The hottest topic in the deer hunting community is land and habitat improvement and we
have that covered at our seminars with one of the
best known Michigan experts, Tony LaPratt. Do
you want to consistently harvest trophy whitetail
bucks? Is your small acreage hunting property not
living up to its full potential? Is your property in a
SEASONS
Now-Dec. 31-Michigan Pure Hunt Application period

Now - Sept. 30 Crow season
Sept. 1-10 Early goose season Zone 1 and Saginaw,
Tuscola, & Huron Counties
Sept. 1-15 - Early goose season Zone 2 and 3
Sept. 15 - Nov. 14 Ruffed grouse season
Sept. 15 - March 1 Squirrel; Fox and Gray season
Sept. 15 - Nov. 14 Fall turkey season (permit needed)
Sept. 15 - March 31 Cottontail/Snowshoe season
Sept. 19-20 - Early Antlerless Firearm
Sept. 19-20 - Liberty Hunt (youth hunt)
Sept. 19 - Nov. 2 Woodcock season
Oct. 1 - Nov. 14 Archery deer season
Oct. 15-18 - Independence Hunt
MJC
ARCHERY
MJC
ARCHERY
MACOMB
OAKLAND
19744 15 Mile Rd
Clinton Twp. 48035
3001 Rochester Rd
Royal Oak, MI 48073
586-791-4600
248-589-2480
high pressure hunting area? Then you wont want

to miss Tony LaPratts seminars!
Of course we couldnt have a great deer hunting seminar line-up without Mr. Food Plots, Ed
Spinazzola, the author of two books on the subject
and a new DVD. Ed will offer insight into improving your deer hunting land with his incredible
seminar.
New to the seminar stage this year is Ed Flanagan, who will introduce new advanced bowhunting products and methods on a descriptive deer
language that has evolved. Ed believes his seminars will enlighten all bowhunters!
Country Smoke House Field Dressing
Continuing with incredible deer hunting seminars and a continuation of the deer hunt, what do
you do once your deer is down? Learn the proper
field dressing and skinning demonstrations of big
game by Steve and Sue Francis and family, owners of Country Smoke House in Almont. Their
seminars have been so popular they will be back
again this year along with venison cooking demonstrations. The seminars have turned into sort of
an everything you need to know about what to do
after you shoot your deer! Steve and family will
also be giving butchering tips demonstrations, big
game cooking and tips on sausage making. You
wont want to miss these presentations on Saturday
and Sunday at 1 p.m.
Air Dog Championships
Milt Wilcoxs Ultimate Air Dog Championships return this year to Imlay City. You can see
the best of the best when these jumping dogs and
their handlers compete for the championship.
First-timers are welcome with open jumping taking
place Friday (Sept. 5) only from 5 7 p.m. With a
small amount of knowledge, you will be ready to
mount the dock. Any breed or mix may enter. Also,
there is no limit on the age of either handler or
dog, as long as they can both safely compete. For
more information go to http://ultimateairdogs.net
Whats New In Ice Fishing?
Franks Great Outdoors, leaders of the popular

winter sport of ice fishing will have numerous displays at Imlay Citys event. The newest ice fishing
products will be on display. Plus, product representatives will be on hand to give you expert advice.
Whether youre a die-hard ice angler or new to the
sport youll find what you need and some incredible deals!
So Much More
Back again for the fourth year is the chainsaw carving contest. Four of the best carvers will
compete for cash prizes with showgoers having the
opportunity to buy the winning works.
The Waterfowlers Area, sponsored by Freeway Sports Center of Fenton, will offer exhibitors with boats, blinds, calls and decoys for the
waterfowler. The Michigan Ducks Unlimited will
be hosting a waterfowl calling contest for kids and
adults, check out For more information:
www.ducks.org/michigan www.
Attractions, seminars and demonstrations are
not the only new items; we also have a host of new
vendors joining the weekend, vendors with knowledge not only in products, but also in all aspects of
hunting, fishing and the outdoors.
Terry McBurney, Woods-N-Water News
staff writer, will answer questions and offer free
With over 220 retail vendor exhibit spaces, showgoers are bound to find something they need!
appraisals about sporting collectibles, especially
vintage fishing tackle. Bring your old stuff to the
weekend and let Terry give you an idea of what its
worth. He is also interested in purchasing items for
his own collection.
Commemorative Bucks of Michigan-the official scorers for record-book big game-will have
scorers in Imlay City. Patrons can bring their deer,
bear, elk or turkey mounts to the show and have
them professionally measured. Many successful
hunters will have their trophies on display at the
CBM booth under the big tent.
Living history; Reg Pettibone and his family will teach Native American culture through
interpretive dances and artifact displays of the HoChunk nation on Saturday and Sunday.
Outdoor writer and author Dennis Neely will
be on hand answering your black powder shooting
and black powder hunting questions. He will have
his 1794 River Raisin traders camp set up and
will be your guide to learn the value of wilderness
necessities, price beaver pelts and compare todays
hunting gear with the trade guns, linen and leather
clothing and shelters used long ago. Learn the
unique mix of fair-chase hunting, old-style muzzleloaders and American history.
The Outdoor Weekend encampment will also
feature Pat and Joe Schnur, naturalist and primitive
skills instructor, who has lined up a great group to
demonstrate primitive skills and will have a special
focus for kids.
The 8th Arkansas - 22nd Michigan Civil War
reenactors authentic encampment was a big hit
when introduced a few years ago and will be back
in Imlay City, offering an opportunity to visit living history.
The Outdoor Weekend Puppy Area will again
have hundreds of puppies to pet, photograph and
buy. Most major hunting breeds will be represented. If youre interested in selling quality, healthy
hunting breed pups call 810-724-0254 or check out
www.outdoorweekend.net for the rules and regulations and registration forms.
The Camp Chili Cook-off on Saturday, September 12, features teams competing for $750 cash
with judging at 3:00 p.m.
We look forward to a great show, welcoming
back old friends and making new ones!
Show hours are Friday, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.;
Saturday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5
p.m. Imlay City is located between Flint and Port
Huron; the Eastern Michigan State Fairgrounds is
on M-53, a half-mile north of I-69 off Exit #168.
Admission is $8 per person and kids 12 and under
free and free parking. For more information check
our website www.outdoorweekend.net or call
810-724-0254.n
Award Winning Authors

part of 29th Annual
Outdoor Weekend
page 39 and page 110
Using buck
behavior to your
advantage
Fred Abbas ...page 22
HUNTING
DECLINING
DEER NUMBERS!
Call for new
management strategies
John Ozoga page 8
DNR reports
2014 deer hunting
down across state
page 12
Monty Browning...
Bowhunting a passion
Darryl Quidort page 26
Enrolled in bowhunting
school of hard knocks
Randy Jorgensen page 32
"A Fall of Woodcock"
Jerry Dennis page 34
Bow Season FEVER
Tom Lounsbury page 46
Camouflage painting
Kenny Darwin page 48
Are you ready for
DEER SEASON
The new Michigan
Zone 3 deer rifle
Joe Delaney page 80
Decoy spreads for early
goose season success
Ryan Walker page 84
Four shotgun type of guy!

Rick Fowler page 86
Fall seeding foodplots
Ed Spinazzola page 95
Turkey Hunting...
A fall first
Joe Bednar page 97
Walk, Stalk and Call
Bushytails
Never give up - never quit
Jacob VanHouten page 102
Is your dog ready for
the hunting season?
Charlie Linblade page 105
Black Powder Hunting...
Beneath dusty,
buffalo-hide moccasins
Dennis Neely page 106
A dog training
assistant is helpful
Len Jenkins page 114
FEATURE
ANR teaches teachers how
to bring Michigan's outdoors into the classroom
page 16
SEPTEMBER 2015
$4.00
Woods-N-Water News
Lake Huron's Gem...

Port Austin Marina
Capt. Fred Davis page 40
Keeler Society honors
Anson Morgan
page 65
Outdoor Adventure
Center open for
business and fun
MDNR page 68
OUTDOOR WEEKEND
Special Pull-Out Section
page 73-76
K9-Field First Aid
Bandage application
and bleeding
Jeff LaHuis DVM page 92
Four osprey chicks
have GPS backpacks
page 104
Sporting Collectibles...
The Greatest Antique
Tackle Show on Earth
Terry McBurney page 124
FISHING
SEPTEMBER SALMON
Mike Gnatkowski page 14
Start boat maintenance
before the season ends
Mark Martin page 20
Another state record...
quillback carpsucker
page 28
THE PLUG BITE
Mark Romanack page 36
Hooking new anglers on
RIVER FISHING
Jim Bedford page 44
Late summer Bass Skipping
Buck Mallory page 51
Next Bite...
Size does matter
to walleyes
Gary Parsons/Keith Kavajecz
page 56
Great Lakes run
BROWN TROUT
Bill Ziegler page 60
"Trolling Smart"
Electric motors
Mark Romanack page 70
Use
COVER
PHOTO
By Robert Peltz
To Your
This might be the last

boat I ever own!
Dave Mull page 88
Fall hot spots
Mark Sak page 96
Over 20 million fish
MDNR page 100
Weedlessness in the
Wolverine State
Robert Dock Stupp page 122
OUTDOOR NEWS
Second case of CWD
page 10
Help prevent the
spread of oak wilt
page 29
Prevent bear problems
page 87
BOW offers
fly-fishing workshop
page 101
Four arrested related to
buying and selling black
bear body parts
page 108
DNR mourns loss of
F/LT Arthur Green
page 114
Exercise provides DNR
training on Asian Carp
page 114
U.P. antlerless deer hunting
regulations for archers
page 118
GUNS/AMMO
Gun Chat:
Custom Revolver
Lee Arten page 64
OPINIONS
Saginaw Bay walleye
regulations changes
Michael Veine page 116
Are the alewives covered
under the Public Trust?
Tom Matych page 116
Gun Control...
Just one question
Tom Carney page 117
Wildlife Cooperatives:
We need community
Anna Mitterling page 117
Protecting does
from hunters...
terrible management
Richard P. Smith page 120
PERSPECTIVE
Michigan Meanders...
CIRCLING
Tom Huggler page 18
DNR highlights
accessible recreation for
25th anniversary of
Disabilities Act
page 30
FIND AN ADVENTURE
Paddling the urban wilds
Jonathan Schechter page 62
DEAR FISH DIARY...
BUG WARS!
Mental meltdowns
not acceptable
Ron St. Germain page 66
"Wilderness Warriors"
Tricia Croney page 72
Inventive 13-year-old
constructs fish cart
Betty Sodders page 90
Outdoors in the
Golden Years
George Rowe page 94
DEPARTMENTS . . .
Trophy Page. . . . . . . 112 Classifieds . . . . 128-129
Letters-Op-Ed . . . 117-120 Real Estate . . . . . 130-145
River Fishing Newbies
Sept. 11-13 Eastern Michigan Fairgrounds Imlay City

www.woods-n-waternews.com Like us on facebook
Perhaps the best

fishing of the year
Jack Payne page 82
BLACK POWDER
SHOOTING SPORTS
It might make a '10'
Dennis Neely page 77
September
Deer Season?
Make A Wish!
Superior trout fishing
Richard P. Smith page 81
Follow us on
www.facebook.com/woodsnwaternews
Declining deer numbers call for

new management strategies
Deer populations in North America are declining, probably
most noticeably in the Upper Great Lakes region, Northeast
and Southeast. Many factors are involved, but the primary
reason is steadily decreasing newborn fawn survival rates
and resultant lower annual deer recruitment...
contributing to a decrease in deer harvest rates.
eedless to say, this is in

sharp contrast to circumstances only a few decades
ago when wildlife managers were struggling to find a
solution to the widespread
problem of too many deer.
My how fast things can change
-- especially when dealing with adaptable critters such as white-tailed deer
and coyotes.
In the eastern United
States, predation by coyotes (especially of newborn
fawns) has clearly been
identified as being one of the
most important reasons for
reduced recruitment of deer.
Also, some studies have
shown that a reduction in
coyote numbers improves
fawn survival rates -hence recruitment -- but
that continued coyote
control over large areas is difficult, if
not impossible.
Likewise, habitat modification,
such as providing better fawn hiding
cover and/or more alternate prey for
coyotes, designed to improve newborn fawn survival rates, have not
produced encouraging results. To my

knowledge, there have been no studies
to investigate the value of improving
nutrition for pregnant does, especially
during late-term gestation.
Management Controversy
This current problem is magnified by the fact that deer management
strategies have not kept pace with
changing times.
South Carolina researcher John Kilgo points out the
following: Antlerless harvest programs in many states
were designed during the
1980s and 1990s to control
deer populations that were
increasingly overabundant at
the time. These liberal harvest limits were largely
set prior to the widespread establishment of
coyotes in the region and prior to the
knowledge that coyotes could substantially affect recruitment.
The decline in deer numbers has
fueled controversy among members
of the public, as well as politicians,
wildlife managers, and even deer
By John Ozoga
One study found that

coyote predation of
adult female deer can
represent a greater
percentage of mortality
than hunter-harvest or
vehicle collisions. Rick
Baetsen photo
Currently, the UP deer population is as low as its been in the past 50 years,
and undoubtedly will continue to decline during the next decade, even in the
absence of antlerless deer harvest, and even following winters of only moderate severity. Rick Baetsen photo
researchers. Most arguments revolve
around the merits of coyote control
(some even advocate bounties) and
reducing antlerless deer harvest rates
as a means of increasing annual deer
recruitment for hunting purposes. Others suggest that coyotes in residential
areas benefit management, because
they help control deer numbers when
other methods such as hunter harvest
fail.
coyote predation of white-tailed

deer? Thats a question recently addressed by researchers in New York
and Pennsylvania.
Investigators involved in the study
speculated that predator control was
not necessary, in order to curb declining deer populations caused by
low newborn survival rates. Instead,
they offered the following: Declining recruitment, regardless of the
cause, simply needs to be offset by
increased adult survival of the breeding population, which potentially can
be addressed via reduced antlerless
Two recently published studies,
harvest rates. Second, reproductive
one conducted in the lower Northrates and adult female survival rates
east, the other in the Southeast, used
(excluding mortalities from hunting
population modeling data for their
respective regions to generate various or winter weather conditions in the
Northern range) are relatively stable
deer population scenarios to investigate the interaction effects associated across space and time. Therefore, the
effects of management actions should
with declining deer numbers, coyote
be relatively predictable when trying
control, and reductions in antlerless
to offset reduced recruitment with indeer harvest.
Its not particularly surprising that creased adult female survival through
reduced antlerless harvest.
these researchers reached somewhat
Specifically, the researchers
different conclusions and management
implications, as is often the case when used population simulation models
dealing with a behaviorally plastic to evaluate combinations of low
species such as the white-tailed deer -- newborn fawn survival rates, severe
winters and low adult deer survival
not to mention the clever coyote.
rates to determine the effectiveness of
altering antlerless deer harvest rates to
The Latest Studies
The Northeast Study
Can managers compensate for
New deer management page 10
784 N. Van Dyke Road

Imlay City, MI 48444
810-724-2357 Office 810-724-5341 Fax
www.southern-truck.com
NEW BOSS 8 & 9

VBX SPREADER
7-month deferred payment

program. Financing available
upon approved credit.
TOUGH PLOWS FOR
HALF-TON TRUCKS
NEW
HTX
VISIT US AT THE WOODS-N-WATER NEWS OUTDOOR WEEKEND!
NEW BOSS
PUSHERS IN
STOCK!
MORE BAD NEWS...
New deer management:

from page 8
stabilize deer populations.

These investigators concluded
the following: Our results suggest
increased deer mortality from coyotes
can be addressed through reduced
hunting harvest of adult female deer
in most circumstances throughout
eastern North America. However,
specific knowledge of adult female
survival rates is important for making
management decisions in areas where
both neonate and adult survival may
be affected by predation and other
mortality factors.
The authors also suggest that
increasing the proportion of pregnant
females will result in more fawns and
a swamping effect, overwhelming coyotes with potential prey and
resulting in increased fawn survival
rates.
These researchers acknowledged
that their deer population models
are not valid in the extreme Northern range. Certainly, in those areas,
winter deer mortality could limit the
ability of reduced antlerless harvest
to compensate for increased newborn
fawn mortality due to any cause.
Its important to note, for example, that the Northeast model will not
apply to the Upper Peninsula (UP) of
Michigan, where prolonged winters
of deteriorated deer wintering habitat
have not only contributed to heavy
winter deer kill but also to excessive
newborn fawn mortality. During the
past 20 years, UP deer populations
have declined from an average of
more than 40 deer per square mile to
around 10 deer per square mile, even
though antlerless deer harvest rates
have been extremely low.
In this northern Michigan region,
forest and wildlife managers have
finally recognized the need for serious management of deer wintering
complexes in order to curb this downward spiral in regional deer numbers.
Currently, the UP deer population
is as low as its been in the past 50
years, and undoubtedly will continue
to decline during the next decade,
even in the absence of antlerless deer
harvest, and even following winters
of only moderate severity.
The Southeast Study
10
In contrast to the Northeast report,

studies conducted under the direction
of Michael Chitwood in central North
Carolina indicate the following: Our
results indicate that for low-density
deer populations with heavy predation pressure on neonates, protecting
adult females from harvest may not
be a magic bullet.
Chitwood and his cohorts conducted their study at Fort Bragg
Military Installation, where monitored deer density and deer hunting

success declined sharply commensurate with coyote density increase.
Given the lack of data for the region,
one of their primary objectives was to
determine the importance of natural
of natural mortality factors of adult
females, They employed population
modeling, using deer reproductive/
survival statistics for the area, to
evaluate various management options
(i.e., what if scenarios) that include
predator removal strategies.
These researchers concluded,
given that hunter-harvest at Fort
Bragg is now minimal, adult female
survival should be at its maximum -but it is not. Instead, they found that
coyote predation of adult female deer
can represent a greater percentage of
mortality than either hunter-harvest
or vehicle collisions. Likewise, even
though adult female harvest was low,
newborn fawn mortality remained
high.
In fact, quite by accident, they
verified the killing of four radio-collared adult females by coyotes during
a study of newborn fawn survival. All
four does were pregnant and carried
vaginal implant transmitters, designed
to signal birth of fawns. Instead,
when checking the anticipated fawning sites, they found that all four does
had been killed by coyotes within less
than four hours prior. These observations indicated that coyotes could be
a significant source of mortality for
adult female deer in the areas, but
they could not determine if any of the
does were killed while in the process
of giving birth.
They also determined that estimates of newborn fawn predation by
coyotes might be inflated due to other
factors. For example, abandonment.
This type of behavior, and resultant mortality, has been observed in
other studies of nutritionally stressed
pregnant does. As a result, Chitwood
believes that estimates of newborn
fawn predation could be inflated because of abandonment -- which in my
view is often the result of nutritional
shortage.
In areas with greater deer density
and heavier female harvest quotas,
Chitwood and his co-workers suggest it is more likely that reduction in
female harvest could have a greater
impact on adult female survival rates
and might contribute to deer population stabilization or even growth.
However, their findings clearly
demonstrate that population modeling
data in any given region might not
apply equally to all areas even within
that region.
Authors of the Southeast study
conclude the following: Coyote
Michigans second case of CWD
The Michigan departments of Natural Resources (DNR) and Agriculture

and Rural Development (MDARD) have confirmed a second free-ranging
deer in Meridian Township (Ingham County) has tested positive for chronic
wasting disease (CWD), a fatal neurological disease that affects whitetailed
deer, mule deer, elk and moose. This second case is a 2-year-old male found
less than a mile from the initial positive female deer, confirmed this past
May. Genetic testing is being conducted to see if the two deer are related.
Finding this second positive deer is disappointing, however, not unexpected, said DNR Wildlife Division Chief Russ Mason. We will continue
with our aggressive surveillance throughout the summer and fall. With the
assistance of hunters, we hope to determine the distribution of this disease.
To date, 304 deer have been tested in the Core CWD Area. Only two
have tested positive for CWD.
Upon the finding of the initial CWD positive deer, the DNR established
the CWD Management Zone consisting of Clinton, Ingham and Shiawassee
counties.
Additionally, the Core CWD Area consisting of Lansing, Meridian, Williamstown, Delhi, Alaiedon and Wheatfield townships in Ingham County;
DeWitt and Bath townships in Clinton County; and Woodhull Township
in Shiawassee County, was created. Feeding and baiting of deer and elk are
prohibited in the CWD Management Zone. Mandatory checking of deer will
be required in the Core CWD Area during hunting seasons and restrictions
will apply to the movement of carcasses and parts of deer taken in this area.
Michigan has a long tradition of hunter support and conservation ethics. Now, with these CWD findings, that support is needed more than ever,
said Steve Schmitt, veterinarian-in-charge at the DNR Wildlife Disease Lab.
Because hunters are often familiar with the deer herd locally, one of the best
things they can do to help manage this disease is to continue hunting and
bring their deer to check stations this season.
In the Core CWD Area, there is an unlimited antlerless deer license
quota and the deer license or deer combo licenses may be used to harvest
antlerless or any antlered deer during firearm and muzzleloading seasons.
Additional deer-check stations will be established in the Core CWD Area
and the CWD Management Zone to accommodate hunters.
To date, there is no evidence that chronic wasting disease presents any
risk to non-cervids, including humans, either through contact with an
infected animal or from handling contaminated venison. However, as a precaution, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization recommend that infected animals not be consumed as food by either
humans or domestic animals.
The DNR asks that the public and hunters continue to report deer that
are unusually thin and exhibiting unusual behavior (for example, acting
tame around humans and allowing someone to approach).
To report a suspicious-looking deer, call the DNR Wildlife Disease Lab at
517-336-5030 or fill out and submit the online observation report, found on
the DNR website.
DNR staff will continue with road-kill collection in the Core CWD Area.
To report road-kills found in the Core CWD Area call the Wildlife Disease
Hotline at 517-614-9602. Leave a voicemail with location information and
staff will attempt to pick up carcasses on the next open business day.
Editors Note: At press time the DNR announced a third deer tested positive for CWD. DNA tests show its from the same deer family as the other
CWD deer. More information on CWD, including Michigans CWD surveillance and response plan and weekly testing updates, are available at
www.michigan.gov/cwd.
removal may need to be implemented
in conjunction with the protection of
adult females because of the possibility of increasing fawn survival, which
appears to be the most important vital
rate in the Fort Bragg deer population. Because of the trade-off between
cost and effectiveness of coyote
trapping, reducing female harvest is
the most cost-efficient and logical
strategy for managers to implement.
Conclusions
Its important to recognize that
those involved in the studies voice the
same associated concerns:
management will need to consider
the possibility that some deer populations might be so sensitive to hunter
antlerless harvest that antlerless

seasons should be suspended, which
could have important implications
on hunter satisfaction, retention and
recruitment.
This problem of declining deer
density must be more intensively
studied. And as is usually the case,
further study will likely yield a host
of differing proposed solutions
geared to meet specific effects and
concerns that vary from one area to
the next.
Meanwhile, in Michigans UP,
winter weather and quality of deer
wintering habitat govern deer welfare
and abundance reducing or eliminating the antlerless deer harvest will
have minimal impact on deer population size.n
315 FPS
NEW
2015
Made in
aMerica
starting at $499.95
www.ParkerBows.com
spend more time

not more money
GRAND VALLEY SPORTING GOODS............... ALLENDALE
JAYS SPORTING............................................... GAYLORD
ADAMS ARCHERY.............................................. MILAN
DROPTINE ARCHERY & OUTDOORS.............. ALMA
RABER BAY OUTFITTERS................................ GOETZVILLE
HUNTERS SHACK ARCHERY............................ OSSINEKE
NORTHERN MICHIGAN FAST CASH................ ALPENA
BROWNS SPORTING........................................ GOODRICH
NORTHWOODS WHOLESALE.......................... PINCONNING
HOG WILD ARCHERY........................................ BELLEVILLE
ARCHERY UNLIMITED...................................... GRAND RAPIDS
VF SPORTS........................................................ PORT HURON
BOWMANS OUTDOOR..................................... BROWN CITY
HILLTOP SPORTS............................................. GREENVILLE
THS SPORTING CENTER................................. PORT HURON
ARCHERY SPOT................................................ CAMDEN
AL & PETES....................................................... HASTINGS
BARES SPORTS............................................... SAINT CHARLES
ARCHERY WORLD............................................ CARO
BOBS GUN & TACKLE...................................... HASTINGS
COUNTRY WOODS............................................ SAINT JOHNS
WILD JOHNS...................................................... CASS CITY
LONG RANGE.................................................... HOLLAND
JTS ARCHERY................................................... SAINT JOHNS
JAYS SPORTING (CLARE)............................... CLARE
RUSTIC ENTERPRISES.................................... HOWARD CITY
TWIN PONDS..................................................... STANTON
MJC ARCHERY................................................... CLINTON TOWNSHIP
SCHUPBACHS SPORTING GOODS................ JACKSON
TOP GUN SHOOTING SPORTS........................ TAYLOR
HICKS OUTDOORS.......................................... CLIO
BROOKS ARCHERY INC.................................. KALAMAZOO
GAUTHIERS ARCHERY...................................... TRAVERSE CITY
EDS ARCHERY & SPORTING GOODS............ CLIO
GOLD STAR II.................................................... LAKE ODESSA
GRASMEYER BROS. LLC.................................. TWIN LAKE
BULLS EYE ARCHERY...................................... CUSTER
HUNTERS DEN................................................. LAPEER
WHISPERING PINES ARCHERY........................ VERMONTVILLE
WILLIAMS GUN................................................. DAVISON
LINWOOD SPORTING....................................... LINWOOD
SCHAFERS........................................................ WEIDMAN
HALES TRUE VALUE........................................ DOWAGIAC
FRANKS GREAT OUTDOORS......................... LINWOOD
GOLD COAST..................................................... WEST OLIVE
ARROWHEAD ARCHERY.................................. EATON RAPIDS
SHOOTING RANGE & ARCHERY CTR............. LIVONIA
VANS ARCHERY................................................. WHITMORE LAKE
GOLDSTAR OUTDOORS.................................. EDMORE
CAPTAIN CHUCKS............................................ LUDINGTON
BASS PRO
BAY ARCHERY................................................... ESSEXVILLE
TOTAL FIREARMS............................................. MASON
CABELA'S
SUNRYS ARCHERY & OUTDOORS................ FENTON
KRUIZINGA ARCHERY...................................... MATTAWAN
DUNHAM'S
BECKERS.......................................................... FOWLER
R & M SPORT..................................................... MC MILLAN
GALESBURG HARDWARE............................... GALESBURG
ARCHERS ARCHERY......................................... MIDLAND
Visit a michigan Dealer near You to check out Parkers Full line oF crossbows!
11
DNR reports 2014

deer hunting harvest
down across state!
Several factors added to decline...
wildlife managers working on improvements
NR reports 2014 deer hunting

harvest down across Michigan
Several factors added to decline; wildlife managers working on improvements
The Michigan Department of
Natural Resources recently issued a
Michigan Deer Harvest Survey Report
on the 2014 hunting seasons indicating
that roughly 615,000 hunters statewide
harvested a total of roughly 329,000
deer. The harvest represents a drop of
15 percent from 2013.
Wildlife managers report that
regional declines in deer harvest were
greatest in the Upper Peninsula, where
the overall harvest was down by nearly
36 percent.
The DNR said several factors
including back-to-back years of severe
winter weather that depleted the deer
population in some parts of the state
contributed to the decline.
When the number of hunters is reduced in a given year, the deer harvest
potential naturally is reduced, too,
Frawley said.
Across all hunting seasons, 84,099
people hunted deer in the U.P. in 2014,
down about 19 percent from 2013.
deer hunters who did get to their camps

and blinds found the snowy conditions had put many deer on southward
DNR Director Keith Creagh said
seasonal migration paths early. Hunters
that like Michigans deer population,
who altered their strategies to follow
the states deer harvest numbers have
risen and fallen in an ebb-and-flow pat- those paths fared better.
Despite the challenging conditern since the early 1960s.
tions,
firearm deer hunters in the U.P.
The number of deer harvested
harvested
14,734 antlered bucks, with
hit a low in the early 1970s at below
41,415
taken
in the northern Lower
100,000 statewide, Creagh said.
Peninsula
and
49,110 in the southern
With mild winters and changing forest
Lower
Peninsula.
conditions, deer populations then rose
Across all 2014 deer hunting
and hunter harvest climbed to more
seasons,
nearly a fourth of hunters in
than 400,000 by the late 1980s.
the
western
U.P., and 14.6 percent in
After tough back-to-back winters
the
eastern
U.P.,
harvested at least one
in the mid-1990s, the harvest followed
antlered
buck.
Statewide,
the percentthe population steeply downhill, but
age
jumped
to
26.9
percent.
rebounded again to nearly 600,000 by
the end of the decade. Since then, deer
In the Upper Peninsula, winter
harvest has remained below 500,000
started early with more than 3 feet
since the early 2000s.
of snow on the ground in some areas
before the Nov. 15 opening of fireStatewide, 41 percent of hunters
arm deer season, said DNR wildlife
harvested a deer in 2014, compared to
DNR deer program biologist Ash- 43 percent in 2013. Roughly 11 percent
biologist Brian Frawley. Though not
ley Autenrieth said U.P. deer-vehicle
as severe as the previous season, this
of deer hunters harvested two or more
collisions tallied 2,961, down 22 permarked the third consecutive rough
deer of any type. Less than 4 percent of
cent from 2013. Crop damage permit
winter for the deer population in the
hunters took two antlered bucks.
kills were down to 1,664 in 2014 from
U.P.
About 20 percent of deer hunters
1,745 the previous year.
Frawley said that much of the
harvested an antlerless deer and 27
These two factors indicate a drop percent took an antlered buck.
regions drop in deer harvest can be explained by those conditions. The heavy in the overall deer population, AutenAcross Michigan, 39 percent of
rieth said.
U.P. snowfall, for example, made it
hunters said they were satisfied with
The winter severity index, crop
challenging sometimes impossible
their overall hunting experience, with
damage permits and deer-vehicle ac for some firearm deer hunters to get
the highest satisfaction in the Lower
cidents also were down in the northern Peninsula, Frawley said. Those are
to their camps. Given the conditions,
many decided not to hunt; others, after Lower Peninsula.
numbers we want to build on as we
experiencing the effects of the two
work to provide a positive experience
previous winters, decided not to buy
for hunters in every part of the state.
In northern parts of the U.P., firearm
licenses.
Other population, harvest factors
Michigan deer hunters spent 8.8 million days afield last year. DNR efforts
to improve the deer population affected
A Michigan
the harvest numbers as well. Those acDeparttions include:
ment of
To protect more does in the U.P.,
Natural
the Michigan Natural Resources ComResources
mission restricted the number of deer
employee
management units open to antlerinspects a
less deer hunting to three areas in the
deer at a
southern part of the region.
check sta Recently, at the urging of hunters,
tion during
the NRC decided to remove for this
the 2014
fall the ability of hunters in the U.P. to
tag antlerless deer during the archery
season.
season with a single or combination
MDNR
deer license.
photos
For the long-term, DNR and hunter ef-
Natural Cyclical Movement
Snow, Snow And More Snow
Other Population Indicators
Pockets Of Success
12
Several factors contributed to a lower deer hunting harvest in 2014.
Overall Deer Harvest,

Hunter Satisfaction
forts continue to improve deer habitat:

A U.P. Habitat Workgroup reconvened in January, focused on improving and conserving critical winter deer
habitat, offering technical assistance
and incentives to private landowners.
A Mississippi State University
multiyear study on the role of predators, winter weather and habitat on
whitetailed deer fawn survival in the
U.P. is continuing, aided by the DNR
and Safari Club International.
Reasons For Optimism
Although the overall number of

license buyers was down from 10 years
ago, an increased number of people
younger than 14 years old and people
older than 50 bought a hunting license
last year. Overall, 12 percent of license
buyers were younger than 17 years old.
The DNR continues efforts to meet
changing hunter demographics by
promoting hunting to younger hunters
and female hunters, whose numbers
are rising.
Across Michigan, about 57 percent of hunters supported antler point
restrictions on buck harvest that were
implemented for the U.P. and about 63
percent of the hunters who preferred
to hunt in the U.P. supported the antler
point restrictions.
The DNR offered all deer hunters the option to voluntarily report
information about their deer hunt via
the Internet. More than 4,200 hunters responded. Next, a questionnaire
was sent to 58,857 randomly selected
individuals who had bought a hunting
license, but had not reported harvest
information online. Respondents who
promptly responded became eligible to
win a firearm or a bow.
Questionnaires were returned by
29,035 hunters (a 51-percent response
rate), providing additional valuable
harvest and experience data.
Moving forward, the DNR and
the NRC will continue to talk with the
public regarding their ideas on more
measures that potentially could be
taken to further improve deer hunting
in Michigan.
For more information on the 2014
deer harvest report, visit
www.michigan.gov/deer.n
Celebra
t
i
n
g
70 Yea
rs!
Our 15th Annual Winchester Truckload Sale
and Hunting Kickoff Sale!
Sept 18-19-20
EXTREME
SAVINGS
throughout
the store!
Register to win a
FREE
Sportsman Package
- WEEKLY!
(no purchase necessary and do not need to be present to win)
Stop by our booth at the
Woods-N-Water News
Outdoor Weekend
Pre-ordering your ice shanty at the show will

get you the best deals and guarantee you
wont be left out in the cold this winter!
$5 OFF ANY PRE-ORDER
MADE AT THE WOODS-N-WATER

NEWS OUTDOOR WEEKEND!
Come see
whats new for
the 2016 Ice
Fishing
Season!
M-13 LINWOOD, MI
WWW.FRANKSGREATOUTDOORS.COM
989.697.5341
Enter for a
chance to win
a FREE Yeti
Cooler!
13
September Salmon
Just about the time the maples and
aspens are beginning to show a hint of
color King salmon will begin nosing up
Michigan streams and rivers. In some
streams, Chinooks begin showing up in
early August, but the main run in most
rivers begins right around Labor Day.
hile just about every Michigan stream

or river gets at least a token run of
salmon, West Michigan rivers get
an inordinate number of the salmon
because thats where many of them
are hatched. Rivers like the Betsie,
Platte, Big and Little Manistee, Pere Marquette
and Muskegon produce hundreds of thousands, if
not millions, of smolts. West Michigan rivers and
streams offer ideal spawning habitat for salmon.
Biologists are realizing that from 50 to 80 percent
of the salmon found in Lake Michigan may now
be the result of natural reproduction. These are fish
that have been spawned and nurtured in a specific
river that will return to that river to spawn two to
four years later.
The naturally reproduced population of salmon
has been steadily climbing, especially over the last
decade or so. It was more than a decade ago when
the last dam relicensing contacts were renegotiated
on rivers like the Muskegon and Big Manistee. One
of the good things that resulted
from that was an agreed upon
flow from the dams would be
discharged at run-of-the-river
By Mike Gnatkowski
14
levels instead of wildly fluctuating peaking and lowering. When

levels were quickly raised or
lowered, salmon smolts that could be found in the
calm water along the edge of the river would often
be left high and dry. With run-of-the-river and more
consistent flows, more salmon smolts survived and
the population has flourished. Just the Big Manistee and the Muskegon rivers alone are thought to
be contributing more than a million salmon to the
fishery annually.
Habitat improvements on many west Michigan
streams have exposed more gravel to spawning
salmon. Dam removal has also made more spawning habitat accessible on several streams.
Chinook salmon have been the real benefactors
from natural reproduction because the fingerlings
and smolts only spend six month or so in the river.
Coho salmon, like steelhead, remain in the river
for a year and a half before heading to the big lake.
Even marginal streams can produce good numbers
of chinook salmon. The only problem tiny salmon
have in rivers like the Grand and Kalamazoo is the
gauntlet of predators they have to evade while making their way to the lake.
Mature kings begin converging on natal river
mouths in August. Pier anglers and small-boat
fishermen can capitalize on the schooling kings
before they enter the rivers. Pier anglers can catch
pre-spawn kings on bait and spoons from the break
Dick Pulse of Fort Wayne. With a bronze King from the Big Manistee River. Mike Gnatkowski photos
walls. The most consistent fishing is during lowlight hours or after dark. Kings will inhale alewives,
night crawlers and spawn and will smash glow-in
-the-dark spoons.
Anglers in small boats have a field day when
kings begin schooling in the drowned river mouth
lakes that exemplify West Michigan. Manistee, Pere
Marquette and Muskegon lakes host flotillas of
boats when the kings are staging in the drown river
mouth lakes. Standard lures are J-Plugs and Silver
Horde cut-plugs trolled slowly on long leads on
downriggers. Platte Bay is famous for producing a
phenomenal for Coho in late September and October. Red dodgers and flies are proven combinations
for the silvers.
Salmon bite best when they first enter the rivers. The longer theyre in the rivers, the more their
digestive systems shut down and the less inclined
they are to eat and the more intent they are on
procreation. But that doesnt mean they wont strike
a lure or well-presented bait. The instinct to feed is
still strong and lures can invoke reactionary bites if
presented properly.
Platte River
The Platte River near Honor is one of the few

rivers that gets a substantial run of coho salmon.
The reason is the MDNR makes huge plants of
cohos in the Platte to insure that there are enough
returning salmon to supply eggs for the states
hatchery program. Portions of the river are closed

during the fall and there are lure restrictions so be
sure to check the fishing regulations.
Cohos seem to be more aggressive than chinooks on their spawning runs. Pre-spawn cohos
will chase down in-line spinners and crunch them.
Gaudy streamer flies will draw the wrath of surly
cohos, too. Look for cohos to fill the deeper pools
and use in-stream cover while on their journey
upstream. Check the Michigan Fishing Guide for
special regulations and closures on the Platte.
Betsie River
Little Manistee
The Little Manistee is one of Michigans most

prolific rivers for natural reproduction. The river
has exceptional habitat, excellent water quality and
produces exceptional numbers of chinook salmon,
steelhead and even coho salmon. The coho population is really taken off in the Little Manistee,
claimed Central Lake Michigan Management Unit
Fisheries Biologist Mark Tonello. Coho salmon
need consistent water temperatures and levels to
spawn successfully. Unlike chinook salmon, which
only spend six months in the river, young cohos
spend 18 months in the river before heading out to
the big lake. Therefore, its critical that river temperatures remain cool during the summer months in
order for coho smolts to survive.
The Little Manistee River has such good
natural reproduction that the MDNR relies on it as
one of its main sources for chinook salmon spawn.
A weir near Six-Mile Bridge blocks the upstream
movement of salmon and egg harvesting operations
take spawn from mature Kings and Coho in early
October. Steelhead and brown trout are passed
above the weir to provide a fishery upstream. Some
early-run chinooks that run during the summer
make it past the weir before it is closed around
August 15. The river downstream of the weir to
Manistee Lake is closed to fishing from September
1 to November 14 each year.
In 2012, the MDNR harvest 12,327 chinooks at
the Little Manistee weir. In 2013, 6,427 Chinooks
were harvested, which mirrored the trend seen in
Anglers try their luck near the mouth of the Sable River north of Ludington in September.
Lake Michigan of fewer, but bigger fish. Other
salmon harvest weirs in Michigan are located on
Medusa Creek near Charlevoix, on the Boardman
River in Traverse City, on the Platte River near
Honor (upper and lower weirs), and on Swan Creek
near Rogers City. Coho salmon eggs are taken at
the upper Platte River weir, and Chinook salmon
eggs are taken at the Swan Creek weir.
Anglers will find good numbers of earlyrun
Kings in the lower Little Manistee River before
the weir closes on September 1, but landing them
in such confined quarters is another story. With the
population of naturally reproduced cohos building,
anglers will find good fishing for silvers and steelhead above the weir after November 14. Exciting
action can be had off the mouth of the Little Manistee near Stronach in Manistee Lake, but the area
has been prone to closures in years past so make
sure the area is open to fishing.
Big Manistee River
The Big Manistee River, from the town of

Manistee upstream to Wellston, is one of Michigans premier salmon streams. Thousands of king
and coho salmon make their way upstream each
fall to waiting anglers. kings begin their journey in
late August through September. Cohos begin entering the system in late September through October.
The Manistee River changes dramatically from
its confluence with Manistee Lake upstream to Tippy Dam. In its lower reaches, the bottom is largely
sand with little substrate for spawning. Still, this is
one of the best areas to intercept salmon on their
upstream migration. Anglers will find good access
just above Manistee Lake at Insta-Launch Campground and Bridge Street. There is a long stretch
of river between the City of Manistee and the next
upstream public access at Rainbow Bend. Schools
of bronze-colored kings pack into holes and runs in
this section of river in early September. A preferred
method is to back-bounce with spawn or roe either
behind a weight or under a bobber. Even though its
common knowledge that salmon quit feeding once
they enter the river, salmon will inhale a chunk of
skein spawn. Kings will also slam a wiggling plug
that blocks their path upstream and casting in-line
spinner and stick baits excels when salmon are
packed into undercut banks and woody structure
during midday hours.
Anglers will find additional access at Bear
Creek, Horseshoe Bend, Blacksmith Bayou and
High Bridge. Gravel and spawning salmon are
more common here, but there are plenty of deep
runs and undercuts that will hold fresh-run salmon.
From High Bridge to Tippy Dam the Big Manistee

is almost solid gravel and is the final destination for
the majority of the salmon. Once the spawn is over
in November, dead carcasses stacked 10-fish thick
can be seen in calm pools. The dead and decaying
salmon provide vital nutrients to the river and food
for the next generation of smolts.
Coho salmon can be hit or miss in the Big
Manistee, but when its good, it can be very good.
Cohos seem to cluster in the area near High Bridge.
On certain days they can be extremely receptive to
gold/orange spinners. When active, its not uncommon to have several Silvers chasing your spinner
with the most aggressive fish grabbing it and shaking it like a dog with a bone. But like most spawning salmon, the Cohos can have a Dr. Jeckle/Mr.
Hyde mentality.
Pere Marquette River
The P.M. River might be the most prolific

salmon producer in the state. The upper reaches
near Baldwin and its tributaries offer miles and
miles of prime spawning gravel that is covered
with salmon during the spawn. The flies-only
section is very popular with fly fishermen, but the
dark salmon there are largely disinterested by the
time they reach the upper river. Catch them then
requires lining the salmon, where a long leader allows the fly to swing into the salmons open mouth,
and is common practice.
Kings are much more receptive to striking
when entering the lower Pere Marquette up to
Indian Bridge. The river here is largely sand with
deeper holes and runs that loads up with kings
headed upstream in September. There is a long
stretch of river between US-31 and Scottville that
is difficult to access. There are numerous long
undercuts and in-stream structure that salmon relate
to. Floating spawn under a bobber or casting spinners can be dynamite for pre-spawn Kings. The
Custer Bridge offers good access for bank anglers.
Muskegon River
Long, deep runs and pools characterize the

Muskegon River between Old Womens Bend and
Maple Island all the way to Mill Iron Bridge. Its
perfect water for dropping back plugs or backbouncing spawn from a boat. Silvery kings begin
filling pools and runs beginning in mid-August
and runs are strong in early September. Salmon
numbers have been improving in recent years with
increased natural reproduction. The lower Muskegon River might be one of the best-kept salmon
secrets in the state.n
Anglers will find schools of king salmon in the

lower river in late August in the area known as the
Meadows just upstream from Betsie Lake. In
past years, low water levels have prevented salmon
from moving up the river, but now that Great Lakes
levels are up the Betsie should see more salmon.
The slow, deep bends there are the perfect location
to drift a chunk of skein spawn under a bobber.
Kings will inhale spawn even though their stomach
atrophies and they are physically unable to swallow
once they enter the river. Casting with crankbaits,
stick baits or big wobbling plugs can draw jolting
strikes here and where the river enters Betsie.
Another focal point is downstream of the old
Homestead Dam site to US-131. The river here
is fairly easy to wade in this stretch and salmon
congregate in the deeper holes and under the cedar
sweepers. Chucking spinners near the cover can
draw arm-wrenching strikes from ornery kings.
Look for fall rains to trigger runs of fresh fish that
are more willing to bite.
For information on bait shops, amenities and
lodging in the area contact the Benzie County CVB
at http://www.visitbenzie.com or call 800-8825801.
15
ANR teaches teachers how to

bring Michigans woods, water
and wildlife into the classroom
ne might think, after

nine months in the
classroom, the last
place a teacher would
want to be in the summer is in school. But
for the last eight years, the Michigan
Department of Natural Resources has
been luring school teachers back to
class for a week not as teachers, but
as students.
The Academy of Natural Resources
(ANR), the DNRs conservation education program for educators, brings
teachers to the Ralph A. MacMullan
Conference Center at Higgins Lake for
a crash course on natural resources.
The program is designed to help teachers incorporate the concepts of resource management into their lessons.
There is a long tradition of natural
resources and environmental education
in Michigan, which began its teacher
education back in the 1940s with a program run by the Conservation Department the forerunner to the modern
DNR in conjunction with six state

universities. But the universities began
dropping out, and when the DNR was
split into two agencies in the 1990s, the
program went over to the Department
of Environmental Quality.
Kevin Frailey, education services
manager for the DNR, created the
academy in 2008. Sixteen teachers
attended. Since then, the ANR has expanded and broadened its curriculum.
Our goal now is somewhere
between 55 and 60 teachers a year,
Frailey said.
The program features seven different tracks, three of which are offered
in any given year. This year, the ANR
offered Nature Quest; Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM)
from Nature; and Forests, Fields and
Fins (FFF).
Nature Quest is an introduction to
the flora and fauna of Michigan, with
sessions on amphibians, insects, birds,
trees and geology.
The STEM session looks at incor-
Teachers, armed with dip nets, help collect specimens during an electrofishing demonstration on the Au Sable River. MDNR photos
porating its components into natural
resources management.
STEM is the big push nationally,
Frailey said. Kids need to have those
four components for the jobs of the future. So we brought in a lot of outside
instructors to make those connections
like robotics.
Teachers attending STEM sessions
are challenged with using those disciplines to solve natural resource-management problems, such as designing
road crossings for wildlife or creating
remote sensing devices to detect invasive species.
Engineering is laced all through
natural resources, Frailey said.
Forests, Fields and Fins, which is
the core class of the academy, shows
teachers how the DNR, as an agency,

manages Michigans resources, Frailey
said. It is among the most popular of
the seven tracks, in part, because it
offers teachers hands-on experiences
with natural resources. Instructors from
various DNR divisions Law Enforcement, Wildlife, Fisheries and Forest
Resources take teachers into the field
to show the workings of resource management. FFF participants will help
net fish, trap small mammals and visit
logging sites.
Individuals in all tracks work on a
final project with roughly five teachers to a group and make presentations
on the final day of the academy.
Karen Shineldecker, who teaches
science at Baldwin Community School,
16
took the STEM track at ANR last year,

but came back for Forests, Fields and
Fins this year. She said the outdoor
recreation/natural resources track is
what her students are all about.
My biggest obstacle in Baldwin
with my kids is, Why is education going to help me? she said. They love
the outdoors, but they dont see the
educational connection to outdoors. If
they realize there are job opportunities
in this later in life, they can connect.
I think this program with the
DNR is phenomenal. If you come
away from this with just one thing you
can introduce to your students, its a
great thing.
Torrey Wenger, a high school
and middle school science teacher
in Bloomingdale who described the
academy as summer camp for teachers, said the program will help her
integrate what she knows into the
classroom. She said she chose FFF
because she wanted to see more of
how the DNR operates, and shell
definitely attend the ANR again in
the future.
Most academy students are science
instructors, but Elisabeth Sochacki,
who attended Forests, Fields and
Fins, teaches middle school English
at Assumption of the Blessed Virgin
Mary School in Belmont. She said her
involvement with students in Salmon
in the Classroom and in a local
walleye-rearing pond project has
paid dividends in language arts as
well.
Their writing scores went up by
a significant percentage, she said.
I had kids that checked out in sixth
grade. They came alive. They reconnected with the whole purpose of
education and school.
Kids need a reason to write, a
real-life experience, she said.
Most academy instructors are DNR
staffers. Craig Kasmer, the interpreter
at Hartwick Pines State Park, taught
classes in all three curricula. Kasmer
taught forest biometry measuring
forests in terms of trees per acre, or by
height and diameter, for instance for
the STEM curriculum. He taught tree
identification to Nature Quest students.
And he offered a basic introduction to
forestry, including visits to a harvest
site and a saw mill and a lesson about
forestry tools, to those on the FFF
track.
The tree ID class was especially
well received, he said.
Its needed, Kasmer said. Even
a lot of biology teachers said they
never really got tree ID.
The DNR regularly enlists the aid
of outsiders to help at the Academy of
Natural Resources, too.
Jon Gray, an eighth-grade science
teacher, served as facilitator for the
FFF curriculum. As the chairman of
the education committee for the Safari
Club International chapter in Novi
which contributes $10,000 annually to
help underwrite the cost of the academy Gray says the program dovetails
with both his goals as a teacher and as
a conservationist.
A former National Wild Turkey
Federation Educator of the Year who
also devised the DNRs program allowing students to design the annual
turkey hunting patch, Gray said his
mission is to help teachers understand
how they can take the knowledge
theyve gained back to the classroom.
Gray enlisted the aid of Tom Dale
to teach a session on aquatic invertebrates this year. A retired science
instructor at Kirtland Community
College and former education director at the Marguerite Gahagan Nature
Preserve in Roscommon, Dale volunteered to help teachers net and identify
insects on the Au Sable River.
Dale said he attended a similar
natural-resources class back in the
70s and it was a turning point in my
career.
I made up my mind I was going
to find a way to repay the favor, Dale
said. This will carry over into their
classrooms. Im still talking about it
after 40 years.
Evaluations of the academy by
participants are phenomenal, Frailey
said. We have a lot of repeat customers. The teachers love it.
As a bonus, Frailey said participation in the ANR satisfies teachers
requirements for continuing education.
They can enhance their professional
development while spending a week in
Michigans north woods.
Applications for next years
Academy of Natural Resources will
be posted on the DNR website in early
October. For more information, visit
www.michigan.gov/anr.n
Zakia Jackson, left, and Karen Shineldecker help remove fish from a gill net
at the Academy of Natural Resources on Higgins Lake.
17
Michigan Meanders ... By Tom Huggler
efore we owned bird dogs,

we hunted slowly. We
hunted deliberately. You may
remember the drill: Walk a
few steps and then stop, hoping to unnerve a grouse into
flushing. Maybe you, too, zigged and
zagged through the cornfields of your
youth, while peeking down the rows
for a sneaking ringneck.
After we bought the dogs, we let
them figure it out, more or less. The
better ones hunted by objective and
seemed to have a plan. One exceptional setter I owned actually surveyed cover for a long moment, like a
basketball coach plotting Xs and Os,
before committing to the game. The
18
connected us to them. My friends

often accused me of leading them on
death marches. Surely, we walked
past grouse and woodcock, quail and
pheasants. Doubtless, we contributed
to range problems with some of those
dogs, especially the pointing breeds.
Now that were older, we hunt
more slowly again. We no longer
run through covers, chasing dogs that
chase birds. Once again, we have
a plan, and the plan involves keeping the Brittany in close and hunting
a spot thoroughly before leaving it.
It has taken many years, but weve
finally learned to conserve our energy
and that of our dogs, too. In a sense,
were back to where we started.
Having a second pointing partner helps the hunter come full circle.
How what was suddenly is once more.

Circling.
Nowhere is this realization truer
than with our beloved dogs. In the
fall of 1993, I bought Sherlock, a setter puppy. We were filming a grouse
hunting video that year, and Sherlock
went everywhere with me. I was
looking at the footage the other day
and theres Sherlockall puppy legs,
chasing after me, hanging onto me
and muddying the back of my trousers
as I pushed through a swamp somewhere in northern Michigan.
A couple of months later, he made
his first point, stick-pinning a covey
of quail in Kansas. It was a clumsy
stance, if you can call it a stance at
all. When Sherlock ran into that wall
of bobwhite scent, he slammed to a
haltthose long, puppy-wonderful
legs wrapped around each other like
a barbershop poletrembling, eyes
wide-open, wondering what this was
all about and what to do next.
Fifteen Octobers later, Sherlock
made another awkward point. His
once-high tail drooped and his old
legs quivered, and he lay down while
I stepped ahead and flushed the pair of
woodcock. I killed the first bird and
in my own clumsy attempt to recover,
missed the second. It was a slow-motion hunt, the truck still in view over
my shoulder. Sherlock hunted
so close to me that I didnt use a
bell.
In spite of hearing that was all but
gone and eyes that were going, my old
partner had given me yet another gift.
Yes, I keep getting puppies and
keep starting over, but I no longer
hard-charge like in the old days. Circling.
Circling takes many forms and the
Bird dogs help us to fully enjoy the bird-hunting life. Tom Huggler photos
longer we hunt birds the more evidence of it we see. Weve all experinose knows. And so we trusted our
This evolution I call circling. Id say enced dj vuthat been there, done
dogs and we followed them and we
full circle except thats an oxymoron. that sense that creeps into consciousness when we score a rare double or
shot plenty of birds over the years.
Besides, were not ready to retire the
But all too often, we hunted too
guns and the boots. Not yet. But we witness a remarkable retrieve. But
hard, too fast. We raced through
are coming around the big, wide bend, circling, to my mind anyway, goes
beyond dj vu.
grouse woods and pushed our dogs,
and isnt it odd how certain things
stretching the invisible elastic that
repeat themselves along the way?
Circling occurs when you visit a
certain aspen grove that was recently

cut and the new growth is exploding
and the flight woodcock have found
it. You hunted this same bird factory
forty years ago when it was clearcut
the first time. Over the years you
have watched it grow in and out of
productivity; once again, the good old
days are back.
My first gun was a .410, but Dad
soon realized it wasnt enough power
for pheasant hunting and he presented
me with a 20 gauge bolt-action Mossberg. As I recall, that gun accepted
three shells, counting the one in the
chamber, and it had a safety tang that
you could flick red or green with a
thumb. The 20 gauge evolved into
a Remington Wingmaster 12 gauge
pump, which I shot for many years.
Then I discovered double guns and
started back down the ladder with
over and unders and side by sides
in 16 and 20 gauge. Now I shoot a
28 gauge for everything but
pheasants.
If I was a better shot, Id likely
reach all the way back to the .410.
I circled back to the guns of my
youth because they are lighter and Im
not as fast on the mount and swingthrough as I used to be. Maybe someday as I look through the ragweed for
a dog on point, Ill be armed with only
a camera. But not yet.
I read somewhere that if a person
lives long enough, he gets to see it
all happen again. A friend of mine,
who loved to fish for steelhead, was
cremated when he died. One day in
October, his brother took some of my
friends ashes and added them to a
spawn sack.
He asked me to do this, the
brother said. He wanted to go fishing
one more time.
That got me thinking. If I was
cremated, someone could sprinkle
some of my ashes with bird shot and
take me hunting one last time. True
to form, though, they better load two
shells because they will miss with the
first one.
Only then will I have completed
the circle.n
349.00
Starting At:
IRISH SETTER WING

SHOOTER BOOTS
$
MUST PRESENT COUPON. Expires 9-18-15
219.95
CLASSIC BURLY
RUBBER BOOTS
149.95
SHOW SPECIAL:
GOOD ONLY SEPT. 11, 12, & 13
AT THE WOODS-N-WATER NEWS
OUTDOOR WEEKEND
69.95
TITAN GOLIATH SD
CLIMBING TREE STAND
Model 81119
299.95
I-7
FISHING TACKLE
GRAB BAG
5521 N. State Rd. - Davison, MI 48423
4 miles North of Davison at State & Coldwater
I-69
(810) 653-4771
E-Mail: grabbag@tir.com
DAVISON
COLDWATER RD
RICHFIELD RD.
POTTER RD.
DAVISON RD.
Open 7 Days - Mon.-Fri. 9am-7pm;

Sat. 8am-6pm; Sun. 8am-5pm
*all sale items limited to stock on hand * pictures may not be exactly same as product advertised
Model 1rx4h022bfr
39.95
Model
BTC1XR
MAN CAVE
29.95
CROSSBOW
BAG TARGETS
BROWNING RANGE
OPS TRAIL CAMERA
$
89.95
starting as low as
Expires 9-18-15
INCLUDES QUIVER, ARROWS, AND 4X32

SCOPE AVAILABLE IN
CAMO OR PINK CAMO
Expires 9-18-15
BUSHNELL 10X50
BINOCULARS
M-15 STATE RD
BARNETT RAPTOR FX
Expires 9-18-15
See us at the 29th Annual Woods-N-Water News Outdoor Weekend

September 11th, 12th and 13th in the Blue Building!
19
The author, Mark Martin, steers his Lund

during a late summer outing. Unseen to the
eye here is that he has already started his
boat maintenance for the year so winterizing
will be easier once winter arrives.
Start boat maintenance

before the season ends
There are many processes you should start now thatll

save you frustration and money later on...By Mark Martin
ts now late summer... The waters cooling,

recreational boat traffics down and the fish
catching is better than ever. The last thing you
would normally think about is winterizing your
boat for the season at this moment.
Part of the responsibility of owning a
boat, howeverwhether it is a large craft or basic
rowboatis properly caring for the vessel and its
accessories to prevent breakdowns or premature
wearing of parts well before they occur. And if you
start the process now, the tasks wont collect and
come all at once when the lakes freeze over.
In short: Although it may be months before
you tarp it up and tuck it into the far corner of the
garage, there is an array of boat maintenance tasks
you should start at this time thatll save you frustration and money later on.
In summary, do not let gasoline set for a month

without additives mixed in!
Grease And Oil Is Good
This is also a good time of year to get the oil

and oil filters in 4-stroke outboards changed out, as
well lower units lubed and the grease in all moving
parts, including trailer bearings.
Changing oils out now will help you determine
if there is a leaky seal or gasket before putting your
rig to bed for the season. Find a bad seal now and
you can have the problem fixed immediately, which
lessens the chance of damage to gears and seals
once the weather turns frigid. And adding fresh
grease to all the zerk fittings on your outboard motor will fill grease ports to the max will squeeze out
any water that may have entered and will keep more
from entering, freezing, expanding and causing
damage.
As for trailer bearings, they are also overlooked
Todays gasoline is most definitely not the same
pieces equipment when it comes to keeping them
substance your grandfathers used. The overall
properly lubed.
processing of it as well the added ethanol makes
Appropriate trailer-bearing maintenance is a
it much more volatile; thus it turns for the worse
no-brainer for me as I put on thousands of miles per
faster than ever. Nowadays, month-old gas is conyear towing my boat tournament to tournament. But
sidered very-old gas and starts to turn south after
that time. As for that added ethanol, it will deterio- even if you only tow a few miles to the boat launch,
the grease within the housings needs to be changed
rate fuel lines and create chaos (major damage) in
out every season, not just more added. This is
outboard motors.
because grease not only breaks down with age,
Because this is the time of year trips to the
but every time you launch, some water will
water are fewer and further in-between, less gas is
enter the housing and speed up the decomposing
being run through the outboards of my Lund, it is
process.
also the time of year I start adding fuel additives
Completely remove and then replace the lube
to the tank every time I fill up. And starting this
surrounding and within your trailers bearings every
practice early on rather than the very last fill-up
guarantees the treated fuel will run through the lines year in the late summer/early fall and youll save
yourself from a major towing catastrophe in the
and interior of my Mercury outboards.
future.
Overall, there are many brands to choose from
when it comes to fuel additives, and most all work
very well. What I like to use, however, is an additive that not only stabilizes the petrol, but also
A dead battery, by far, is the culprit of botching
cleans fuel injectors and counter-acts the ethanol.
more fishing trips than any other piece of equipI also make sure the additive itself is new because,
ment. And now that the weathers cooling, having
like gasoline, these chemicals will sour with age.
high-quality batteries that can keep a full charge,
And as an added bonus, outboards that have stabistart outboards and run electronics is more imporlized fuel running through them and been cleaned
tant than ever.
of their inner gunk will be much easier to start
On board my Lund I have four Optima marine
during that first trip next spring.
batteries. One is a cranking battery for starting
Add Additives To Gas
20
All Charged Up
my outboards, as well having plenty of power in reserve for running my Lowrance sonars bilge pumps
and lights. The other three are continuous draw
for my 36-volt bow-mounted and tiller-mounted
electric trolling motors.
What I like about my Optima marine batteries
is not only that they are maintenance-free, but I
can get three times more charges out of them than
standard marine batteries. (FYI: The procedure of
charging, by far, is the hardest thing on marine batteries.) And if I am in a remote area and am unable
to charge my batteries during a fishing trip, I will
get up to three-times more use out of them in-between charges.
For those of you that do not have maintenancefree batteries, however, make sure you pop the tops
off and confirm they are filled with water to the
point of just covering the interior grids. If the waters low, or worse yet gone, fill them with distilled
water, which has no minerals in it that will collect
onto the grids and ruin the batteries. (Hint: One of
the best tools for filling marine batteries with water
is a turkey baster. Just dip the tip into the jug of
distilled water, fill, and then place the tip over the
batterys fill hole and squeeze. The job is done spill
free!)
Odd Jobs
Little things mean a lot when it comes to boat

maintenance. Light spritz of oil or silicone here
and an inspection of wires and tightening of screws
there will go a long way.
I like to lightly oil or silicone on the hinges of
all my boats compartments this time of year so that
it can penetrate into them and ward of corrosion.
I also go around and, with screw driver in hand,
tighten all the screws holding down my accessories
and the like. (Bouncing around in waves or when
being towed will cause screws to loosen on their
own.)
And speaking of bouncing around in waves
and tightening screws, one Item I rarely have to
do any maintenance to are my Smooth Moves seat
mounts. These seat mounts are spring-loaded shock
absorbers attached to the bottom of my boat seats
that have saved my body from severe injury when
motoring in high waves.
Without them, I am not sure I would have been
able to stay in the fishing business as long as I have.
Seriously.
Overview
Dont put off boat, motor, and trailer maintenance until the last minute. Start the process now
and youll find the chore of winterizing your rig not
only easier, but much better for your equipment in
the long run.
Start mixing additives with your gas now, as
well change all oils and grease. And completely
change out the lube in your trailers hubs. Make
sure your old batteries are up to the task of holding a charge. If not, replace them with high-quality
maintenance-free units. Youll find all of these tasks
well worth what little time and effort they really
are.
Mark Martin is a walleye tournament pro and
Ice-Fishing Vacation/School instructor who lives in
SW Lower Michigan. Visit his websites at
markmartins.net and fishingvacationschool.com for
more information.n
CARBON ICON NEW
STOP IN AND SHOO T

PRODIGY
PowerShift FlipDisc2 technology

and field proven Binary cams
loaded onto a lightweight
durable carbon riser,
delivering
99
performance
$
and power
G.
PK
BOW
with every shot.
N EW
Its time to shift

your thinking.
The aptly named Prodigy marks
the beginning of a new era with the
introduction of PowerShift Technology.
479 99
BOW PKG.
An incredibly
adjustable bow perfect
for archers of all ages, sizes and
skill levels. The Fuel features
a rock-solid riser for supreme
durability with BOWTECH's Binary
Cam System for maximum
precision and arrow speed.
The Fuel is anything but average.
699
DRAW LENGTH 26.5- 30.5

WEIGHT 3.2 LBS
AXLE TO AXLE 31
BRACE HEIGHT 7
LET OFF 80%
IBO SPEED 335
DRAW WT. 50, 60, 70
DRAW LENGTH 25- 30.5

WEIGHT 4.2 LBS
AXLE TO AXLE 32
BRACE HEIGHT 7
LET OFF 80%
IBO SPEED 343
DRAW WT. 50, 60, 70
FUEL
DRAW LENGTH 18- 30

WEIGHT 3.4 LBS
AXLE TO AXLE 31.5
BRACE HEIGHT 7
IBO SPEED 320
DRAW WT. 14-70
NEW
YOUR CROSSBOW HEADQUART ERS !

STORM
RDX
STEALTH
FX4 NEW
In redefining compact crossbowds, the
Stealth FX4 is driven by a supercharged bow
assembly that fires an arrow up to 370 fps.
Its stock assembly featuring the FSB stock
SPEED 370
and fluted aluminum barrel making a
rock-solid crossbow that's built like a tank, DRAW WT. 185
WEIGHT LBS. 6.8
but maneuvers like a luxury automobile.
FUSION 6
NE W
SPEED 370
DRAW WT. 165
WEIGHT LBS. 7.7
An adrenaline-fueled machine built for the hunter. Powered by

radical new RDX Technology, measuring an incredible 10" axleto-axle when cocked, and delivers its 400-grain carbon arrow
at a blazing 370 FPS with 122 foot pounds of kinetic energy.
Crossbow Friendly!
COMPOUNDS
CROSSBOWS
TRADITIONAL
50 YARD
INDOOR RANGE
DRAW LENGTH 26.5- 30

NEW
WEIGHT 4.1 LBS
AXLE TO AXLE 32.25
BRACE HEIGHT 6
LET OFF 80%
IBO SPEED 356
DRAW WT. 40,50, 60,65, 70,80
CHANGE OR GET LEFT BEHIND...
FR EE
2 HOURS RANGE
TIME WITH ALL
NEW BOW PURCHASES
BOW INSPECTION
AND TUNE-UP
FR EE
47979 Van Dyke Shelby Twp., MI 48317
WITH PURCHASE OF
NEW STRING & CABLE SET
(Between 21 & 22 Mile Road on west side of Van Dyke)
(586) 566-7991
MICHIGAN HUNTING &

FISHING LICENSE AGENT!
WWW.MORARCHERY.COM
Store Hours: Monday - Friday 10am- 6pm Saturday 10am - 5pm NOW OPEN! Sunday 11am - 4pm
356 FPS
Without a doubt the smoothest,

vibration free two track bow youll
ever shoot. PerFX System allows
the bow to have a rock solid wall and
eliminating cam lean. There has never
been a 6 brace bow as forgiving.
SYNERGY
The Synergy is defined by "Shootability."
Delivering an unparalleled shooting
experience, it is a true hunter's bow that
leaves nothing to sacrifice with an incredibly
stable geometry thats perfect for
both hunting and 3-D.
DRAW LENGTH 27- 31

WEIGHT 4.4 LBS
NE W
AXLE TO AXLE 33.5
BRACE HEIGHT 7.375
LET OFF 80%
IBO SPEED 325
DRAW WT. 50, 60,65, 70,80
THE WORLDS MOST SHOOTABLE BOW
RANDYS HUNTING CENTER LOCATION INSIDE MOR ARCHERY

W
E
N Over 200 Smith & Wesson guns In Stock for Special One Day Event!
Door Prize Drawings throughout the Day!

Special Pricing on many S&W Models!
Factory Smith & Wesson representative
will be on hand to answer any questions.
(at the Shelby Township Location)
Gun Giveaways
Every Hour !!!
FREE S&W MP SHIELD 9mm

FREE S&W MP9 FULL SIZE
FREE S&W MP15-22 RIFLE
FREE S&W BODYGUARD 380
FREE S&W 642 38 SPECIAL
FREE S&W SD9VE 9MM
Randys Hunting Center

FOR ALL YOUR HUNTING AND SHOOTING NEEDS!
NOW
OPEN
47979 Van Dyke Shelby Twp., MI 48317
(586) 566-7991
RANDYSHUNTINGCENTER.COM
721 E Huron Ave. Bad Axe, MI 48413
(989) 269-4867
SALE EVENT
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19
10 A.M. to 4 P.M.
FR EE
21
COVER STORY...
Hunters today are much more educated in their sport

than at any time in the previous 150 years, and so is
the technology that most embrace. They also are
educated in deer behavior, so does that put deer
at a total disadvantage? By Fred Abbas
o, not at all, simply because

despite our knowledge and
desire to be successful a certain sequence must fall into
place. For example, a hunter
has watched a big buck all
summer long entering and leaving a
food plot and knows exactly which
trail the buck has been using. Finally
the season arrives and the hunter is
waiting in ambush, but the buck never
shows up because he had changed his
travel pattern. The hunters mistake?
He allowed the buck to control
the situation. The simple solution was
to mow a trail starting in late summer that the hunter wanted the deer to
22
follow. Deer are creatures of habit and

that habit could have been instilled
in the summer, plus deer are lazy
and will always take the path of least
resistance. While there are no guarantees that live animals will follow
the script, you do put the odds in your
favor.
As many readers are aware, my
son Greg and I are inventors and we
own A-Way Hunting Products and AWay Outdoors Invention Consulting.
We invent hunting products and we
invent hunting tactics. Ironically, all
of the products that we have invented
and now sell in our business were
never initially meant for the consumer, they were for the most part solely
The author with one of his many trophy bucks taken and all of his tactics begin and revolve
around deer/hunter communication in one fashion or another.
The authors son Greg took this beautiful buck as it came in grunting, taking its
time to loudly sniff each scrape, and repeating the process over and over again.
to give us an advantage over the big
Michigan bucks that we love to hunt.
As our knowledge and experience in the field grew we realized we
needed to invent different hunting
aids for the many different situations
that have created a problem for all
hunters, especially since these hunting aids did not exist on the shelves of
your local sporting goods stores. Once
invented it didnt take long to notice
that what worked on mature bucks
easily worked on all other bucks.
Some of these products have become
extremely deadly on big bucks, and
thats exactly what we were hoping to
accomplish.
All of our tactics begin and
revolve around deer/hunter communication in one fashion or another. We
needed to first open a dialogue with
bucks before we could ask them questions. The best starting point is in the
late summer time frame near or over
food plots, or some other favored food
source where deer are most apt to
congregate. Every one of our 24 food
plots are planted exclusively with a
variety of forage products offered by
the Whitetail Institute.
Starting in mid-August we create several small mock scrapes, along
with using any existing scrapes on
each farm that we hunt. The scrapes
are scattered near the trails that the
deer use to get to, or return from these
food sources. This is the first phase,
now we could ask questions through
our actions.
In about a weeks time we should
receive partial answers through a
bucks physical reaction. For instance, our actions come in the form
of using what are probably the worlds
most powerful deer attractant scents,
they are designed to work for up to
five days or longer, through rain or
shine in the scrapes and on the licking
branches. We constantly change up by
using different scents on each visit to
keep the bucks interested and curious.
The expected bucks counter-actions
will come in the form of expanding
the scrape. In time each deer run will
become so well defined that they will
tell us exactly which trails the bigger
bucks use, where his bedding area is
(by back tracking), he will also tell us
how big he is by the size of his tracks
and how heavy he is by how deep his
hooves sink in the dirt. This is what I
mean by opening a dialogue.
Mock scrapes and scrapes in
general are not as seasonal as the vast
majority of old school hunters believe.
These scrapes are the equivalent of
our internet to deer, and bucks are
capable of scraping all year long,
its simply a form of communication to them. If I had to choose one
tactic over the rest it would be mock
scrapes, we utilize them all season
long.
Like most hunters our favorite
time for scent use is the all-important
pre-rut/rut time frame when the
thoughts of every buck (of age) turns
to reproduction, and of course like
every hunter out there, we also use
doe in estrus type attractant scents.
Use buck behavior page 24
STOP BY AND
SEE US AT THE
WOODS-N-WATER
NEWS OUTDOOR
WEEKEND!
23
Use buck behavior:

from page 22
But unfortunately there are highly ineffective times for scent use. The first
(and worst) happens to fall during the
early part of bow season where we
have very few tactics to rely on, and
the second falls after the rut. If you
were to add both time frames together
you will discover it covers a significant portion of our total deer season.
If ever there was a problem that
needed a solution, it was this one.
After much trial and error we discovered certain patentable characteristics in proprietary synthetic scents
which led to the inventing of SheDuction. Its role is to specifically
cover these two dead periods with its
ability to heighten a bucks sense of
curiosity much beyond normal, (the
stronger the smell of the scent, the
stronger the attraction to a buck), and
it all came about because we focused
on a deers strong sense of curiosity tinged with a dominant bucks
territorial instincts. Nobody has ever
merged these two known buck behavior patterns together, until now.
We have always considered curiosity as a weakness that any hunter
could exploit. Consider this, 75
percent of deer attractant scent use is
geared strictly toward a bucks sense
of curiosity, and the other 25 percent
is pre-rut/rut related doe in estrus type
scents. Each has their time and place.
Two years ago I was able to take a
huge, gorgeous 11 point buck that had
been nocturnal. I had spent considerable time bow hunting him when he
finally made a critical first mistake
by responding to a mock scrape with
much too much aggression. Overkill, was my first impression when I
discovered what he had done. This
buck had just given up more information than he probably intended, and
it would ultimately get him killed the
very next morning. He spent considerable energy destroying big branches
off of the same tree that held the licking branch above our mock scrape.
He continued by kicking dirt 20 feet
away and finished his tirade by making his own scrape near my scrape.
His message was clear, actually it was
more than a message, it was a strong
statement. He was telling the world
and any local or neighboring contenders that this was his territory and his
intentions were to stick around and
answer to all challengers.
I knew timing was critical being
so close to the rut. So I created another scrape near his scrape, informing the aggressive buck that his challenge has been accepted. My hope
was to force him into another mistake
that hopefully would stall him long
24
enough until shooting light. You will

never shoot a mature buck unless he
himself makes a mistake. I sprayed
three different powerful scents in the
scrapes knowing that the buck could
not possibly decipher their message.
This is the incident where the inventing of a new tactic called Cluster
Scrapes was born. Even before
daylight I could hear a buck grunting, then as more daylight filtered in I
could see the shape of a big body, he
was going from one scrape to another
sniffing so loud that I could hear him
from 75 yards away. Legal shooting
light had finally arrived and the buck
not realizing that he had just made the
worst mistake of his life was slowly
ambling toward his bedding area,
down the same trail where I was on
stand waiting for him.
Fast forward to last years muzzle
loading season. We hunt in several
different Southern Michigan counties
and on eight different farms, by the
time we rotated back to the same farm
where I took the big buck, the second
rut in December was about to kick
in. Earlier in the season we scouted
this farm and found some mild scrape
activity on the same scrape where I
took that big buck the year before.
Nothing to write home about though,
which led us to believe that no new
dominant buck took over the territory which is what usually happens in
farm country.
What we found this time on that
same scrape absolutely shocked us.
Broken branches, dirt spayed all over
and this new buck even opened his
own scrape near our scrape, an exact
duplication of what we had found the
year before. We normally pull our
trail cameras early to avoid the temptation of checking them and to avoid
disturbing the area. On this hunt we
would depend on the sign left by the
buck. We found plenty of tracks that
indicated the culprit was a good size
buck and based on the large tracks
Greg choose to hunt this area. I was
working a buck on a different farm.
Since we didnt know if this
new buck was nocturnal or not Greg
decided not to take any chances and
would use the cluster scrape tactic
again. He then refreshed each scrape
with a different scent. The next morning Greg positioned himself on a
high vantage point about 125 yards
away from the scrape site. Gregs
muzzleloader is a custom (made in
Michigan) Ultimate Firearms in 50
cal. with 180 grains of magnum
Triple 7 pellets and a 300 grain
Hornady SST bullet, topped with a
3x10 power Swarovski scope. We not
The author has always considered curiosity as a weakness that any hunter
could exploit. Consider 75% of deer attractant scent use is geared strictly
toward a bucks sense of curiosity...the other 25% is pre-rut/rut!
only use these guns exclusively during our regular rifle season here, we
have taken these super accurate and
powerful guns to Africa where we
used 200 grains of triple 7 pellets and
astounded the PH (guide) by dropping
several big game animals at 275 yards
on average.
After the hunt Greg related the
story to me how he had witnessed an
exact replay of what had happened to
me the year before. The buck came
in grunting, taking his time to loudly
sniff each scrape, and repeating the
process over and over again until
Greg could plainly see through the
gathering light that the buck was a
definite shooter. Here is where the
story goes off script and takes on an
odd bizarre twist that you only hear,
or read about. As Greg was lining up
his cross hairs behind the big bucks
shoulder a movement caught his eye,
suddenly another, even bigger buck
entered the picture from behind the
first one and shockingly charged and
gored the other buck with his antlers
and chased him off, thus inadvertently saving the first bucks life.
The bigger buck began to do exactly what the other buck was doing,
he went from scrape to scrape sniffing loudly then amazingly he ended
up broadside over the same scrape
where the other buck was standing.
Once Greg got over the shock of
what had just transpired his hunting

instincts took over and he lined up his
cross hairs on the new buck. The big
buck fell a short distance later, but he
would leave us with some lingering
thoughts. Was he the buck who aggressively left his calling card, or was
it the smaller buck that left the sign?
Only time will tell, but what we do
know is that there is another possible
future contender in the neighborhood.
For more information: A-Way
Hunting Products, A-Way Outdoors
Invention Consulting
www.awayhunting.com or (989) 4353879; Whitetail Institute Of North
America, www.whitetailinstitute.com
or (800) 688-3030.
Fred once again is sharing his
vast knowledge of Michigan big buck
hunting at this years Woods-N-Water
News Outdoor Weekend, Sept. 11-13
at the fairgrounds in Imlay City. If
you love deer hunting, you dont
want to miss this highly informative
seminar. Fred speaks from unparalleled experience and has the proof to
back it up, he is Michigans number
one ranking trophy hunter with 56
bucks in the record books of Commemorative Bucks Of Michigan, with
the majority taken with a bow, and is
the only hunter in Michigans history
to tag four trophy book bucks in one
season, 1990, the last year Michigan
had a four buck limit.n
FAMILY OWNED &OPERATED - KNOWN FOR OUR SMILE &HONESTY
State
Licensed
Michigaen
Stat on
Champi
One Stop Drop Off Meat Processing & Taxidermy Next Door!
Guaranteed your own deer back!
We have the cleanest processing facilities in Oakland County!
30 YEARS EXPERIENCE
Save $$$ By Bringing Your De-Boned Meat To Be Made Into Sausage!

venison jerky mild or spicy
venison sticks mild or spicy
cheddar snack sticks
jalepeno snack sticks
cherry cheddar sticks
fresh Italian
venison hams
cheesy brats
breakfast links/bulk
apple maple sticks
apple maple summer sausage
cherry cheddar summer sausage
Boneless Deer Processing: all done by hand NO SAW packaged &

labeled double freezer wrapped silver skin off no chip bone
Cherry
Cheddar Sticks
Summer Sausage
w/Jalapeno &
Cheese
Venison Sticks
Mild or Spicy
Summer Sausage
Mild or Spicy
Apple
Maple Sticks
Summer Sausage
w/Cheddar
Venison Bacon
Venison Ham
(248) 889-0300 www.djmeats.com
AIRPORT RD.
WILLIAMS LAKE RD.
WILLIAMS LAKE RD.
D.J.s Meats
DUCK LAKE RD.
M-59
3444 N. Duck Lake Road (One Mile North of M-59) Highland, MI 48356
Open 7 Days a Week OPEN SUNDAYS Hours: 10am-6pm
MILFORD RD.
US 23
8 miles East of US 23
8 miles West of Airport Road
Professional
smoked or fresh brats

summer sausage mild or spicy
summer sausage w/cheddar
summer sausage w/jalepeno
venison bacon
25
Monty Browning
BOWHUNTING
A Passion For Life
onty Browning is well

known among traditional
bowhunters, not only
for his hunting accomplishments but for his
wonderful story
telling ability. Although he is
a quiet, modest man, when
it comes his turn to tell a
hunting story he has a great
talent for drawing the listener
into an adventure. You feel
as if you are there with him,
rushing out of control down
a wild Alaskan river
in a partially deflated
raft overloaded with
moose meat and antlers. Bowhunters
crave that kind of adventure.
A humble, confident, hard-working, Southern gentleman, Monty is,
in short, the nicest man you could
ever hope to share a hunting camp
with. Throughout his lifetime, he has
been a passionate bowhunter. I guess

he could be called an old school
bowhunter, as he has hunted all over
the world using simple, traditional
archery equipment. Although he has
taken a tremendous amount
of game, and has set several
world records for big and
dangerous game animals,
Monty has never sought
fame through equipment
sponsors, advertising, or
free hunts. He pays his own
way and prefers to hunt with
chosen friends or in
solitude.
Monty Browning
graciously accepts speaking engagements at various traditional bowhunting banquets and get-togethers. After
each presentation the question is
always asked, When will you write a
book?
Well, Monty Browning has written
By Darryl Quidort
26
Monty shows a huge Alaskan moose that he took with a traditional bow and arrow.
a book, and
he has done a
top notch job
of it. His
great story
telling
ability has been
carried over into print
in his new book, Bowhunting A Passion For Life. This book
is not simply a reprint of previously
published articles, nor is it a book
about Monty Browning himself. In
his Forward, he writes, This book is
a collection ofdreams. What I have
tried to do is transport the readers to
where I have been and to help them
see what I have seen. I want them to
feel the cold wind and the warmth of
the campfire and to smell the smoke
and almost taste the bacon and the hot
coffee. I want them to feel the fear
and to thrill in the flight of an arrow
and to share in the dreams.
Throughout the book there is no
mention of tine length, antler spread,
or record book scores. Those things
have little to do with Montys reasons
for hunting. Monty doesnt always
display the latest and greatest fashions
in modern hunting clothing or feel the
need for high tech electronic gizmos
for hunting. The pages of his book are
filled with good old fashioned woodsmanship and adventure, not advertisements for equipment or clothing
manufacturers.
There are hunting trips for deer,
elk, caribou, bear, and mountain lions
where Monty describes newfound
excitement and the joys of hunting
different species in new places. He
enjoys the people he meets and hunts
with, as well as the game he pursues.
To him hunting is about much more
than the taking of game. After a successful hunt there is no chest beating
or silly victory dances for the camera,
only respect and admiration for the
game and an elation that comes from
adrenalin laced high, fueled by his
lifes passion for bowhunting. After
a successful caribou hunt he writes,
I dropped to both knees in thankfulness of the gift that I had been given.
It was a beautiful bull, white-maned
and the polished antlers wide and well
shaped.
A picture really is worth a thousand words and Monty wanted a color
picture on each page of his book. He
may have missed a couple of pages,
but some pages have two or three pictures. And, they arent just pictures,
they are
photographs;
Photographs with
a depth and
clarity that
the viewer
can get lost in
as he studies
them.
If you
enjoy dangerous
game, close up, youll enjoy Montys
hunts for Cape buffalo in Mozambique, Africa. The hunting tales read
like the old Africa of Hemingway
and Ruark. Monty doesnt hunt from
a blind at a waterhole, he tracks
buff through head high grass with
sweat burning in his eyes and insects
swarming around him. Browning
makes running pell-mell into a herd
of Cape buffalo, while carrying only a
longbow and arrows, seem like a good
idea. The man thrives on adrenalin.
His archery equipment is almost
always a simple longbow, some of
them hand crafted by himself. For
dangerous game, Cape buffalo or
grizzly bear, he uses a heavy longbow
and a solid fiberglass fishing arrow.
Large feathers make the heavy arrow
fly straight, and turn it into a devastating close range missile. On a hunt for
grizzly bear, when a huge bruin was
only 27 feet away, Monty writes, The
90 pound bamboo longbow came
back like a childs toy in one fluid
movement. As the string slipped from
the heavy leather-covered fingers the
1300 grain arrow thumped from the
string. For a brief moment, time stood
still. For the next seven nights I would
awake and in my mind see those big
feathers spinning toward the bear.
Yikes! Browning seems to seek
out the most exciting adventures.
Although Monty writes about
hunting all over the world, much of
the book takes place in Alaska, the
last great American wilderness. He
hungers for the solitude of the Great
Land. Those who know Monty know
that he is a deeply religious man. He
knows, without a doubt, who he is
and where he fits into this world. He
writes about his search for peace and
solitude on a 105 mile river float hunting trip that he did solo and the full
month that he spent alone, camped in
a wilderness valley in Alaska.
Near the end of the book there
Bowhunting page 28
229 W. 5th street-
I-7W.
5 5th streetPinconning
229
2
blocks
east of light off
exIt 181
M-13
3 mPinconning
Iles 989-879-1110
blocks
of 6am
light
off
to 10pm
everyday
easteast Open
www.northwoodsoutlet.com
I-75
exIt 181 2
M-13
relax in Style!
free paddle
3 mIles
kayakS
989-879-1110
99
Open 6am to 10pm$139
everyday
e$ast99
39
While supplies last-No rainchecks-Not responsible for printing
errors-Cash and credit cards only
People drive from all over Michigan to save at Northwoods!
229 W. 5th street-
I-75
Pinconning
2
blocks
east of light off
exIt 181
While supplies last-No rainchecks-Not responsible
for printing M-13
3 mcards
Ileonly
s 989-879-1110
errors-Cash and credit
Open 6am to 10pm everyday
eatossave
t at Northwoods!
People drive from all over Michigan

ZerO GraVitY ChairS
assorted Colors
39
39
39
Combo pack!
99
99
relax in Style!
99
#20070610
Door thermometer
Stainless steel wood
chip bowl w/ lid and
water bowl
Includes cover
Removable door for
easy cleaning
digital Game
Camera
99
SAVE
150
SAVE
00
Includes case
Electrical accessories
Reg. $ 99
2
99
99
9979
$
$
99
99
50 00
Stansport
$
Reg. $
14999
OUR PRICE
23% deet
Unscented
6 oz can
Tangle Free ProSeries Refuge

Mallard Decoys
SAVE 6 PK.
$3
24 Jack Links
Ziploc 15ct
hand
held Viewer 2 Ziploc Double
digital
Game
2 Burner
Freezer
Bags
OUR PRICE Zipper 204 Camera
OUR PRICE Premium
trail
pad
Propane Cuts 12
Reg. $ 99
Reg. $
99
00
Reg. $
24
99
13 OZ
Masterbuilt
Smokehouse
Electric
Smoker
vu50
#20070610
Reg. $
SAVE
$
Stove
Bag Pack
Blade X4
99
99
1
Reg. $
99
OUR PRICE
59
TwoaBle
50 quart bags
$ 00 aVail
$ 39 Coleman
99
Camo
Masterbuilt
Door thermometer
water bowl
Includes cover
Removable door for
easy cleaning
Directors
Chair
Reg. $
Two
52 quart
wedN
eSdaY
, bags
auGuSt 5th
99
OUR PRICE Camp Axe
SAVE
Smokehouse
Wild$Game
$ Innovations
99 00
150
Cloak 4 Micro
Digital
Electric
2
Ziploc 15ct
Trail Camera
Freezer Bags
OUR PRICE
4MP Smoker
SAVE
Battery Life
1 Year or
30,000 Images
19
YOur
ChOiCe
CamO Or
piNk CamO
99
$ 00
99
$ 30
00
20
#20070610
SAVE$
SA
SAVE
15 00
249
with
all
aVailaBle
wedNeSdaY,
auGuSt 5th
Freedom Brand
Dog-Proof
SAVE
Includes case
$
00
Raccoon
Trap
242
11
$CP Products
49 9
$
00
$ 20
Camo
Directors
Chair
59
Colors
Reg. $
99
OUR PRICE
99
99
SAVE
#7053BU
Boys Sizes 3-6
Men Sizes 7-13
Reg. $
99
SAVE
tool Set
00
$$ 99
SAVE
3 50
$ 00
5
$ 99
$1549
99
99
00
$ 99
$ 99
SAVE
23% deet
Unscented
6 oz can
15 00
9
Reg. $ 99
4
assorted Colors
00
(ARUBA 8)
SAVE
$ 20
13 OZ
99
Reg. $
OUR PRICE Series by
5999
OUR PRICE
Proline Camo
Knee Boot
Four 1.25 oz Original

Hickory Smokehouse
Beef Jerky
Four 1.25 oz Teriyaki
Beef Steak Tender
Bites
Four 1.25 oz Sweet &
Hot Beef Jerky
SAVE
15 00
Coleman
Reg. $ 99
$ 99
SAVE
SA
Carbon steel axe

head
Non-slip grip
$ 00
SAVE
#7053BU
Boys Sizes 3-6
Men Sizes 7-13
30 00
Gerson
Reg. $
OUR PRICE Ceramic
$ 99
w/ Sheath
CamO Or
piNk CamO
$ 29
Peanut Butter
Chocolate Spreads
Gallon
24 Winchester
Reg. $
OUR PRICE Machete
99
1
20
3 00
Reg. $ 49
OUR PRICE
18 blade
Belt loop for carrying
Canvas Sheath
$ 99
Firepots
Dakota Decoys
Mallard
$X-Treme
styles and
5 00 Select
colors
available
Floater
Decoys
SAVE
1999
OUR PRICE
Reg. $
19999
OUR
PRICE
$
00
SAVE
149
19
$ 29
18
$ 3 99
9 Stansport
5 Hershey Chocolate
Cutter
Buck Jam OUR PRICE
2 Burner
SAVE
are obtained using
Wildlife
Backwoods
OUR
OUR$PRICE99 Spreads &$ Reeses
OUR$PRICE99
$$ PRICE
$ $29920Propane
99
four colors
of fiber
Stove
Feeder
3 0099
Six
head
Peanut Butter
Insect
styles spin
24
59
Winchester
360 for a
Chocolate Spreads
by
OUR PRICE Series
OUR PRICE
realistic
Repellent
look
Proline Camo
199
18 blade
Canvas Sheath
15070
419
Two 50 quart bags

Two 52 quart bags
Mens 10X
Lite
Reg. $Ultra
3999 Coleman
WeightOUR
Cool
Camp Axe
PRICEBibs
Side Tray w/ Cup

Holder
99
Reg. $
13 OZ
99
$SAVE 99
Reg. $
KneeChoose
Boot
from Apple,
Acorn and Corn.
12
SAVE
99
$ $15
1999
50
420
160
Reg. $Reg.99
49$3999
$
$
99
14999 Scent-Lok Midweight Reg. 12
259PK.
American Reg. $ Reg.
OUR PRICE Camo Suit
OUR
PRICE Hunter
OUR PRICE
Outstanding
colors E-40
Reg. $ 99
water bowl
Reg. $
99
Reg. $ 99
Reg. $ 99
9
Camo
Coleman
9
Coleman
Gerson
Package includes: 39
23% deet
Includes cover
Directors
OUR PRICE Machete
OUR PRICE Ceramic
7 MP withOUR
Long PRICE Camp Axe
Includes
case
Unscented
40 Ib capacity hopper
Chair
w/ Sheath
Firepots
Jacket and Pants not
Rangefor
Nighttime
Removable
door
Choose from Apple,
sold separately
Photo cell timer
SAVE
SA
SAVE
SA
SAVE
SA
SAVE
SA
SD Card & Batteries
Acorn and
Corn. cleaning
easy
accessories Feed rate 1-30
6 oz can
Only
likeElectrical
sizes sold
$ 00
$
00 together
$
00 seconds
$
00
35,000 BTU
M-XXL sizes
Easy to relocate
YOur
SAVE ChOiC
SAVE
SAVE
Reg. $ 99
Reg. $
99
e
$
99
50 00
Hershey Chocolate
NeON BaG ChairS
19
$ 00
SAVE
SA
69
Firepots
Reg. $
Duke
Traps
2499 Jack Links
Ziploc
Double
Zipper
204
OUR PRICE Premium
#3
Double
Coil
Cuts 12
Bag Pack
SAVE
Snack Pack
w/Offset Jaw
SAVE
50
Peanut Butter
Chocolate Spreads $
29 EXIT 181
PINCONNING
Reg. Reg.
$ $199999
Gerson
OUR PRICE Ceramic
OUR PRICE
SAVE
Reg. $ 99
23% deet
Unscented
6 oz can
Reg. $ 99
OUR PRICE Spreads & Reeses
Snack Pack
$ 1999
SAVE
SAVE
99
SAVE
OUR PRICE
99 SAVE 79
$$599 199
6999 Cutter
OUR PRICE Backwoods
Insect
Repellent
Reg. $
$ 99
99
$ 99
relax
in$9Style!
9
29
$ 993
00
$ 99
79
294
$SA
99
SAVE
SAVE
SA
70 00
Walls 10X
Waterproof
Jacket & Bib
Huge
Variety
of
69
SAVE
Tree Stands
$ 00
$ 99
3
1
and
Blinds!
SAVE
$30 99
19
Package includes:
7 MPOUR
EZPRICE
Programming
50 ft. Range
SD Card & Batteries
Reg. $
99
$ 99
99
$ 00
$ 00
$
Select styles and
aVaila
5Ble
35,000 BTU
18 00
colors available
Reg. $
99
Reg. $ 99
Reg.
$
99
Reg. $
159
5
Four
1.25
oz
Original
we
Reg. $ 99
Reg.
$
99
Reg.
$
99
Reg.
$
99
dNe
Sda
Lucky
Buck
19
13999
9 Stansport Duke Traps
149 Y, Scent-Lok Midweight Hickory
259Smokehouse
39
American
Stealth P14
Moultrie
OUR 2PRICE
Buck
Jam
Beef Jerky Hunter E-40
th CamoOUR
Suit PRICE OUR
auG
OUR
PRICE
OUR
PRICE
Burner
uSt
OUR
PRICE
OUR
PRICE
PRICE
OUR
PRICE
#110
Body
Grip
5
#20
lb.
Door
thermometer
Camo
Trail
M-550 Gen2
Propane
Wildlife SAVE
Beef Steak Tender
SAVE
#7053BU
Camera SAVE
Mineral
Bites
Game
CamerasteelSAVE
Stainless
wood $Stove
00 Two 50 quart bags
$
00 Four 1.25 oz Feeder
$
00 Boys Sizes 3-6
$
00
Sweet &
Combo
Bucket
Two 52 quart bags
Hot
Beef Jerky
Men Sizes
7-13
Side Tray w/ Cup
Holder
PINCONNING EXIT 181
24999 CP Products
Reg. $ 99
69 Piece
tool Set
69
relax in Style!OUR PRICE
NeON BaG ChairS
$ 99
$ 99
29
10
$ 99
230
$ 99
19
Blade X4
15
Four 1.25 oz Original

Hickory Smokehouse
Beef Jerky Reg. $
Beef Steak Tender
Bites
Four 1.25 oz Sweet &
Hot Beef Jerky
Includes case
Carbon steel axe

head
Non-slip grip
assorted Colors
Proline Camo
PINCONNING
EXIT 181
Knee Boot
SAVE
SAVE
SAVE
Reg. $
99
Reg. $ 99
Reg. $ 49
Hershey Chocolate
69
5
3
YOur
$
00 Cutter
$
00
$
00
Spreads
&
Reeses
ChOiCPRICE
e
OUR PRICE Backwoods
OUR PRICE
OUR
Snack Pack
SAVE
69
OUR$ PRICE
$ Piece
99 w/ Sheath
50 00 $ 99
SAVE
SA
Reg. $
3499
OUR PRICE
Winchester
assorted
OUR PRICE Series by
Reg. $ Reg. $99999Coleman

OUR PRICE Machete
99
Reg. $
99
$ 99
Reg. $ 99 8)
Reg. $
(ARUBA
#7053BU
2 Ziploc Double
2499 Jack Links
Ziploc 15ct
SAVE
Freezer Bags
OUR PRICE Zipper 204 Waterproof
OUR PRICE Premium
Boys
Sizes
3-6
$ Bag
00
Cuts 12
Pack Men Sizes 7-13
$ 29
99
9 digital 9Game
hand held1 Viewer
249
CP Products
OUR PRICE 69 Piece
10 Insect
trail pad$
Camera
tool Set
99
$
99
14 Repellent
89
$ 99
vu50
Door thermometer
water bowl
Includes cover
Removable door for
easy cleaning
Reg. $ 49 at
starting
Hershey Chocolate
3
OUR PRICE Spreads & Reeses OUR PRICE
Peanut Butter
Chocolate Spreads
Combo
pack!
$ 99
$ 99
6999 Cutter
OUR PRICE Backwoods
Insect
Repellent
Reg. $
all
7
kayakS
$
99 1
19 139
2
kayakS
$
139 99150
assorted Colors
Reg. $
99 Combo pack!
19
aVailaBle
wedNeSdaY,
auGuSt 5th
#20070610
PINCONNING EXIT 181
24999 CP Products
OUR PRICE 69 Piece
tool Set
Reg. $
99
NeON BaG ChairS
99
$ 99
99
$
99
free paddle 14 starting at
NeON BaG ChairS
assorted Colors
Blade X4
relax in Style!
with
99
Blade X4
Masterbuilt
Smokehouse
Electric
Smoker
$ 99
ZerO GraVitY ChairS
hand held Viewer

trail pad
Masterbuilt
Smokehouse
Electric
Smoker
$
229 W. 5th streetvu50
99 free paddle
Combo pack!
5
Pinconning
$
99
2
blocks
east of light off
e
x
It at1139
81 (ARUBA 8) hand
held Viewer
digital Game
starting
assorted Colors
trailM-13
pad
Camera
3 mIles
989-879-1110
Open 6am to 10pm everyday 17
earelax
st in Style!
OUR PRICE
OUR PRICE
99
(ARUBA 8)
starting at
with
all
ZerO GraVitY ChairS

vu50
assorted Colors
relax in Style!
kayakS
I7
free paddle
relax in Style!
with
all
ZerO GraVitY ChairS
99

sold separately
Only like sizes sold
together
M-XXL sizes
SAVE
SAVE
$SA
Cleat on front 40of Ib capacity hopper
SAVEweighted keel to Photo cell timer

SA
160 00
Feed rate 1-30

adjust line as needed
seconds
Easy to relocate
00
50
$
20 00
599
Be sure to119
stop in and check out the huge selection
OUR PRICE
OUR PRICE such as the Barnett Raptor, choose
of crossbows,
between regular or pink camo!
Reg. $
99
99
99
449
SAVEOUR PRICE jUST
5999
EA.
13 OZ
Reg. $
44999
Reg. $
Martin Afflictor
Compound
Bow Package
$ $2 2099
349
Package Includes:
Copper John Rut Wrecker Sight

SAVE
SAVE
Trophy Ridge Whisker Biscuit Rest, Reg. $5999
Winchester
00
$
00 Round-A-Bout Stabilizer, 5 Arrow $
2 Ziploc
24
Ziploc 15ct
Double
Jack Links $
Be$
sure to50
stop
in and check out the huge selection
$
$ 24
00
60 00
7 00 Premium Sales
of crossbows,
such as the Barnett Raptor, choose
150
2
70
Quiver, Sling, Peep, Loop
60by8/14/15
Huge
Good
Freezer Bags
Zipper
204
Series
between regular or pink camo!
OUR PRICESA
OUR PRICE
OUR PRICE Thru
OUR PRICE
SAVE
SA
SAVE
SAVE
SAVE
399
12
69
599
59
44
Cuts 12
Code Red Triple
Reg.
99
$
00
00
$ OUR
00
00 PRICE Wac Em Crossbow
Pack
Proline
Camo
OUR PRICE
OUR
PRICE
PRICE Snack Pack $18OUR
OUR PRICE
Variety
of Bag$OUR5PRICE
20
5$449
Broadheads - 4PK
Buck N Does Combo
OUR
jUST
Knee
9
259
3PK
Stansport
$
99
$ OUR99
$ OUR 149
99 Scent-Lok Midweight
$ PRICE
99American
$ 39 99
$ Boot
99
Buck JamTree
2 Burner
Stands
PRICE
PRICE Camo Suit
OUR PRICE Hunter E-40
OUR PRICE
99
CamO Or
piNk CamO
1
and5 Blinds!
Reg. $
Reg. $
Choose from Apple,

Acorn and Corn.
99
$ 99
Carbon steel axe

head
Non-slip grip
Propane
Stove
Reg. $
59
Reg. $
99 18 blade
99
79
$
99
Stealth P12 Game
9
349
99
$ 99
$ $ 399
99
99

Canvas Sheath
Captures 6MP photos and up to

15-seconds videos
12 IR emitters reach up to 40 ft.
and wont spook nighttime game
Rapid-fire burst mode takes up
to six photos after being triggered
Six-button
EZ programming
35,000 BTU
74 SAVE
SAVE
SA
$ $ 00
00
10
70
$ 00
Huge
1
39 of
Variety
Coleman
PRICE Camp Axe
TreeOURStands
$ Blinds!
99
and
Reg. $
Reg. $
Reg. $
99
Reg. $
39
Select styles and

colors available
99
Reg. $
Wildlife
Barnett Quad Feeder
99
$ 99
99
19
$Big Dog 99
Tomcat Hang
Edge S Camo
Camera
Lightweight composite stock Package 350 FPS Four 1.25 oz Original
on Tree Stand
Crosswire string and cable system
Hickory Smokehouse
High
definition
camo
finish
40
Ib
capacity
hopper
Beef
Jerky
SAVE
SAVE
SAVE
21separately
Axle to Axle
sold
Photo cell timer
SAVE
SA
SAVE
SA
SAVE
SA
likefor
sizes
soldcrank
1-301.25 oz Teriyaki
rate
Four
$ 00 00
$
00 Feed
Allows
integrate
$$
00 Only
together
seconds
00
$
00
$
Steak Tender
cocking device
SAVE
SAVE
M-XXL
sizes
Easy toBeef
relocate
Bites
Be
sure
to
stop
in
and
check
out
the
huge
selection
Two 50 quart bags
Four 1.25
oz Sweet
&
of crossbows, such as the Barnett
Raptor,
choose
Two 52 quart bags
Hot Beef
Jerky
between regular or pink
camo!
Sales
Good Thru 8/14/15
SAVE
Camo
Directors
Chair
99
5$ 99
Side Tray w/ Cup

Holder
99
19
20
20
200
160
$
00
15
ColemanReg. $44999
OUR PRICE jUST
OUR PRICE Machete
w/ Sheath
$ 99
349
99
Sales YOu
Good
Thru 8/14/15
r
Sales
Good
thru
ChOiCe
CamO Or
piNk CamO
29
99
29
SAVE
$
00
15
100 00
$
00
Model 12X2H011
OUR
PRICE
11999
OUR PRICE
Ceramic
99
Diamond Infinite SAVE

Edge Compound $
Bow Package
SAVE
15 00
Reg. $ 99
9 Gerson
Care
Taker
Blind
99
299
Reg. $
Package Includes: bow, three-pin TruGlo

Apex sight, Hostage XL Arrow Rest, Octane
DeadLock Lite quiver, Tube peep sight,
BCY string loop.
#7053BU
Boys Sizes 3-6
Men Sizes 7-13
Reg. $ 99
Reg. $
30
Reg. $
79
99
1999
Reg. $
OUR PRICE
4
1
9/30/15
Realtree Xtra camo pattern
Quick-and-easy setup/takedown
Shoot-through removable mesh
Perfect for both bow and gun hunting
69 shooting width x 66 tall
$ 99
Firepots
$ 99
Reg. $
27
Less than a month after another angler accomplished same feat...
State Record for quillback

carpsucker broken...again
Bowhunting:
from page 26
is a full page
photograph that
captivates me.
Monty is gazing down a vast,
wilderness valley
toward the distant
Alaskan hills.
Far below him, a
wild river winds
down the valley
through scattered,
green spruce and
yellow-leaved
birch trees until it
is lost from sight
in the distance.
The vista appears
to be untouched by
the hand of man.
Somewhere in that
vastness, waiting
to be discovered, are Monty Browning is dwarfed by the size of the hide from his
the hunters dreams world record grizzly bear.
that Monty writes
about. The advenings book, Bowhunting A Passion
turous bowhunter is drawn into that
For Life, for everyone who hunts or
scene, and those dreams, like a moth
dreams of becoming a hunter. For
to a flame.
information go to
I highly recommend Monty Brown- www.montybrowningbook.com.n
The MDNR recently confirmed

yet another new state-record fish,
again for quillback carpsucker. This
marks the fifth state-record fish
caught in 2015 although two of
those records have been for quillback carpsucker on the same body
of water.
The state record for this species
was broken by a fish caught by Blake
Wilson of Lake Ann, Michigan,
on Hardy Dam Pond in Newaygo
County Thursday, July 16, at 11:42
p.m. Wilson was bowfishing. The
fish weighed 9.42 pounds and mea- Blake Wilson poses with his prized catch along with his
daughter, Brylee. MDNR photo
sured 25 inches.
The record was verified by
Heather Hettinger, a DNR fisheries biologist out of Traverse City.
The previous state-record quillback carpsucker was caught by Garrett Reid
of Nashville, Michigan also on Hardy Dam Pond Saturday, June 20. That fish
weighed 8.52 pounds and measured 24 inches.
This is another example of the unique fishing opportunities we have in
Michigan particularly in the northern Lower Peninsula, said Scott Heintzelman, the DNR's Central Lake Michigan Management Unit manager. More and
more people are enjoying the sport of bowfishing and this water bodys quillback
population, but Hardy Dam Pond also produces really nice panfish, walleye, bass,
pike and other species.
The DNR reminds anglers who bowfish to properly dispose of all specimens
they harvest.
State records are recognized by weight only. To qualify for a state record, fish
must exceed the current listed state-record weight and identification must be verified by a DNR fisheries biologist.
To view a current list of Michigan state fish records, visit michigan.gov/fishing.
HOT SPECIALS!
While Supplies Last!
CHECK OUT
IN-STORE SPECIALS ON
COMPOUNDS
CROSSBOWS
TRADITIONAL
MANY MORE PRODUCTS TOO LOW TO ADVERTISE!
39
99
SAVE
$30
99
99
LEUPOLD BX-1
MCKENZIE 10X42
BINOCULARS,
BX-1 McKENZIE
28
SAVE
$70
99
16 WARRIOR PRO
SINGLE LADDER
STAND LSO100
BIG GAME BOSS LITE

HANG ON TREESTAND
CR0500-S
59
2 pk /
799
SAVE
COMPARED TO
$80
$99.99!
99
msrp $109999
399
99
NO CAM HTR
HYPE DT
SPECIFICATIONS
Draw Weight 50, 60 & 70 lbs
Bow Weight 4.14
Let-off 65%, 75%, 85%
Draw Lengths 24-30
Rating up to 330 fps
Axle to Axle 32
SPECIFICATIONS
Draw Weight 15-70 lbs
Bow Weight 3.9 lbs.
Let-off Up to 80%
Draw Length 19-30
Rating Up to 310 FPS
Axle to Axle 31
If youre a hunter, a sherman

or a camper, Bens Great
Outdoors is the place for you!
99
Guns & Ammo

FOR ALL YOUR HUNTING
& SHOOTING NEEDS!
99
69 99
STEALTH CAM-P18
7 MEGA PIXEL
CAMERA WITH
BATTERIES SD
CARD, STC-P18CMD
2 PACK STEALTH
CAM-P142 7 MEGA PIXEL
DIGITAL CAMERA,
WVRDE40H
COMPARED TO
$49.99!
$20
Barnett Raptor FX 4X32

Scope Crossbow Package
SEE STORE FOR
PRICING!
SYNERGY
SPECIFICATIONS
Brace Height 7 3/8
Draw Weight 50, 60,65,70,80
Bow Weight 4.4 lbs.
Rating Up to 325 FPS
Axle to Axle 33 1/2
369
DIGITAL
TIMER!
AMERICAN HUNTER 40LB

DIGITAL BUCKET FEEDER
SAVE
STC-142PK
19
99
99
Package includes:
Crossbow, 4x32 Scope,
Quiver(3) 20 Bolts
Rope cocking device (not a crank)
Also Available
in Pink
RATING UP TO
330FPS
Barnett Recruit Compound

Crossbow Package
279 99
Package includes:
Crossbow, Red Dot Sight
Quiver (3) 20 Bolts
Rope Cocking Device (not crank)
RATING UP TO
300FPS
Michigan Hunting
& Fishing Licenses
Sold Here!
Visit: bensgreatoutdoors.com | 2424 S. Van Dyke Rd. Marlette | 989.635.7548 Store Hours: Mon-Sat. 7:30a.m. -7p.m. Sun 8a.m. - 5p.m.
We Reserve The Right To Limit Quantities And Correct Typographical And Photographical Errors. All Items While Supplies Last.
Shop Many More

Top Brands In-Store!
Sale Good Now Through Month Of September
Help prevent the

spread of oak wilt
beetles move spores from trees killed
last year by oak wilt to wounds on
healthy oaks.
Oak wilt has been detected in
Alcona, Allegan, Alpena, Antrim,
Barry, Benzie, Berrien, Calhoun,
Cass, Cheboygan, Clinton, Crawford,
Dickinson, Genesee, Gladwin, Grand
Traverse, Iron, Kalamazoo, Kalkaska,
Kent, Lake, Leelanau, Lenawee, Livingston, Macomb, Manistee, Mason,
Menominee, Midland, Missaukee,
Monroe, Montcalm, Montmorency,
Muskegon, Newaygo, Oakland,
Oceana, Ogemaw, Oscoda, Ottawa,
Roscommon, Saginaw, Shiawassee,
St. Joseph, Van Buren, Washtenaw,
Wayne and Wexford counties.
Although oak wilt hasnt been
detected in every Michigan county,
Heyd said the need for vigilance is
present statewide.
Spring is a popular time for people
to move firewood to vacation properties and other locations. During this
April-to-July period, Heyd said that
its vital not to move wood from oak
wilt-killed trees. These trees often are
cut into firewood and moved, sometimes many miles from their original
An active oak wilt disease pocket. Note that trees that died in 2014 still have
some leaves attached. MDNR photo
locations. Any wounding of oaks in
these new locations can result in new
oak wilt infections.
With the transport of firewood
and other tree-related activities, you
have to assume the risk is present,
whether you live in metro Detroit or
in the Upper Peninsula, Heyd said.
Once an oak is infected, the
fungus moves to neighboring red
oaks through root grafts. Oaks within
approximately 100 feet of each
other depending on the size of the
trees have connected or grafted root
systems. Left untreated, oak wilt will
continue to move from tree to tree,
progressively killing more red oak
over an increasingly larger area.
There are other oak problems
that can easily be confused with oak

wilt, Heyd said. Unlike most other
problems, oak wilt causes the tree to
suddenly drop its leaves in July or
August. The first step is to confirm
oak wilt is present. If confirmed, you
will be given information on treatment
options.
To report a suspected oak wilt site,
email DNR-FRD-Forest-Health@
michigan.gov or call 517-284-5895.
To get more information on the
background, symptoms and prevention of oak wilt, visit http://michigansaf.org/ForestInfo/Health/E3169OakWilt.pdf. To learn more about
other forest health issues
in Michigan, go to
www.michigan.gov/foresthealth.n
id-July marked the

end of the threemonth window when
oak wilt can be transmitted from diseased
to healthy red oak trees. Although this
time frame is coming to a close, the
Michigan Department of Natural Resources reminds residents not to move
wood from trees with oak wilt. Wood
from oak wilt-killed trees can produce
spores, which can infect healthy oaks
if (the infected trees are) wounded
between April 15 and July 15 the following year.
According to Bob Heyd, DNR
forest health specialist, oak wilt is a
serious disease of oak trees. It mainly
affects red oaks, including northern
red oak, black oak and pin oak. Red
oaks often die within a few weeks after becoming infected. Because white
oaks are more resistant, the disease
progresses more slowly.
The normal time-tested advice is
to prevent oak wilt by not pruning or
otherwise injuring oaks from April
15 to July 15, Heyd said.
He added that the spread of oak
wilt occurs during this time of year as
29
DNR highlights accessible recreation

th
for 25 anniversary of Disabilities Act
The DNRs commitment to providing accessible recreation
has created opportunities for users of all abilities to feel
the rush of a waterfall, hunt Michigan game and enjoy
camping in a variety of lodging sites and settings...
n July 26, the nation celebrated

the 25th anniversary of the
signing of the Americans with
Disabilities Act, which was
signed into law in 1990 by President George H.W. Bush. In recognition of this anniversary, the Michigan
Department of Natural Resources is
highlighting an updated listing of accessible DNR recreation opportunities
offered throughout the state.
Accessible recreation is a priority for both new and existing facilities, said DNR Parks and Recreation
Division Chief Ron Olson. We are
continuously making strides to bridge
those gaps that still exist and to provide recreational access for people of
all abilities.
One such example is the 2011
renovation of Ocqueoc Falls (Presque
Isle County), the only public waterfall in the Lower Peninsula and the
first accessible waterfall in the nation. This unique site allows visitors
to get right into the cool water using
either tiered rocks or a decked ramp
with a transfer station. Thanks in part
to grant funding from the Michigan
Natural Resources Trust Fund, the
Recreation Improvement Fund and the
Recreational Trails Program, the site
also features a wide paved trail, picnic
areas with crushed limestone surfaces,
accessible picnic tables, and benches
with cement pads to allow for side-by-
30
side seating (Ocqueoc Falls video).

The Ocqueoc Falls Bicentennial Pathway was recognized by the
National Multiple Sclerosis Society in
2013 and received the da Vinci Award,
under the environmental adaption for
working and daily living category,
by providing assistance and adaptive
technologies.
The DNR, with guidance from
the Accessibility Advisory Council,
incorporates barrier-free accommodations into various recreation offerings. Lodging structures like cabins,
yurts and modern lodges are built or
renovated to include entrance ramps
rather than stairs. Some state parks
host free adaptive recreation programs
to provide equipment rental, hands-on
experience and instruction with special equipment. DNR staff also adds
accessibility improvements like
ramps and boardwalks into renovation
plans for existing state parks,
boat launches and other recreation
amenities.
The Michigan Historical Center
administers 12 museums and historic
sites around the state; many are accessible in whole or in part to visitors
with mobility concerns. Complete
accessibility information
can be found on each sites visitor
information page. Visit
www.michigan.gov/museumsystem
for links to each museum/historic site.
Michigan state parks incorporate accessible features into recreation amenities, like this viewing platform at Palms Book State Parks Kitch-iti-Kipi (Big
Spring). MDNR photos
The Michigan DNR partners with organizations that provide accessible recreation equipment, providing opportunities for users of all abilities to enjoy
activities like hunting and shooting at state game areas and shooting ranges.
We are proud to offer these accessible recreation facilities, but we
know that theres plenty more to do,
said DNR Director Keith Creagh.
We want to ensure were meeting the
needs of all residents and visitors so
that everyone can enjoy Michigans
outstanding natural resources.
The DNR also has partnered with
organizations like Michigan Operation
Freedom Outdoors to provide outdoor
recreation opportunities to wounded
veterans and others with health challenges. Tracked wheelchairs, accessible hunting blinds and assistive
hunting guides are available (through
reservations) at the Sharonville State
Game Area in Jackson County.
In addition to the DNRs accessible recreation facilities, many municipal accessibility improvements and
new recreation projects are funded
by grants from the Michigan Natural
Resources Trust Fund, which is administered by the DNR. When evaluating grant applications, the Trust
Fund board awards additional points
to projects that include barrier-free accessibility. Aside from Ocqueoc Falls,
recent accessibility projects funded by
the Trust Fund include:
$300,000 for an accessible fishing pier at Oden State Fish Hatchery
(Emmet County)
$300,000 for accessibility improvements and modernization of two
lodges at Ralph A. MacMullan Center
(Crawford County)
$295,000 for universal redevelopment of Lakeside Park
$182,500 for a beach park and
restrooms at Lakeview Park (Roscommon County)
$50,000 for accessibility enhancements at Grace Macdonald Park
(Grand Traverse County)

$36,300 for an accessible fishing
pier at Groveland Oaks Park (Oakland
County).
Grants also are scored for accessibility and awarded under the Land
Exchange Facilitation Fund and the
Recreation Passport program. Learn
more about DNR-administered grant
programs at www.michigan.gov/dnrgrants.
For more information about
accessible recreation opportunities in Michigan, visit
www.michigan.gov/dnraccessibilty.
Contact information and the ability to
search by accessible recreation offerings are available at
www.michigan.gov/recreationsearch.
The DNR strives to offer accurate
information, but due to ongoing site
improvements at locations statewide,
the website may not always reflect
the most up-to-date information. The
department recommends contacting a
site directly to learn more about accessible recreation offered there.
The Americans with Disabilities
Act provides civil rights protections
to individuals with disabilities similar
to those provided to individuals on
the basis of race, color, sex, national
origin, age and religion. The ADA and
ADAAA also assure equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities
for access to businesses, employment,
transportation, state and local government programs and services, and
telecommunications.
The ADA 25th anniversary also
will be celebrated Sept. 17 from
11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Michigan
Capitol lawn in downtown Lansing.
Learn more at www.dnmichigan.org/
ada-25.n
ATLAS JSV
LOAD IT UP.
WORK IT HARD.
IT CAN TAKE IT.
THIS IS NO UTV...IT CAME TO WORK

Haul Mass
1250 lb Bed Capacity
1900 lb Payload JSV 3000
2100 lb Payload JSV 6000
DUMP IT
Dump Cargo With
The Touch Of A Button!
Electric Bed Lift - Standard
JSV 3000
JSV 6000
Polaris, ProStar, 570 cc, EFI Gas Engine

Kohler, 3-Cylinder, 1028cc, Diesel Engine
Continuously Variable Transmission
Low and High Range Versatility
TOW A TON
Get More Done Quicker!
2000 lb. Tow Capacity.
On-Demand True All-Wheel Drive

De Dion Heavy Duty Rear Suspension
4-Wheel Hydraulic Disc Brakes
Tilt Steering & Cup Holders Standard
Under Seat and In-Dash Storage
10 Gallon Fuel Capacity
MX-18 JoBBox
All Steel Construction.
18 cu. ft. of Cargo Space.
Hauls a Standard Wood Pallet.
35 mph Top Working Speed

1 Year Limited Warranty
ATLAS JSV. MOVE YOUR WORLD.
An
Company Brand
*See dealer for details. Document
fees & taxes not included.
See dealer for full financing
exclusions and details.
Ball Equipment Sandusky

600 S Sandusky Road, Sandusky, Mi 48471
810-648-3510
Westenbroek Mower Jenison

7670 Cottonwood Dr, Jenison, Mi 49428
616-667-5700
Wohlfeils Hardware
5818 State St., Saginaw Mi 48603
989-799-0942
Ball Equipment Richmond

68811 Main St, Richmond Mi 48062
586-430-1252
Westenbroek Mower Holland

167 N. 120th Ave, Holland Mi 49424
616-396-5733
Cedar Cycle
91 W Ash St, Cedar Springs Mi 49319
616-696-5141
The Power Barn Mason

1298 N Cedar St, Mason MI 48854
517-694-9501
D-P Equipment
10700 S Edon Rd, Camden Mi 49232
517-368-5266
The Power Barn Jackson

3481 Page Ave, Jackson, Mi 49203
517-782-3319
Als Implements
8742 Swan Creek Rd, Newport, MI 48166
734-586-8528
DEMOS
AVAILA
BLE
0% FINANCING NOW!
31
WE SHOOT TENPOINT AND WICKED RIDGE BECAUSE

THEY ARE THE MOST DEPENDABLE, ACCURATE,
AND HIGHEST QUALITY CROSSBOWS ON THE MARKET.
THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE.
RALPH CIANCIARULO
Enrollment in the
bowhunting school
of hard knocks
By Randy Jorgensen
PERFECTION
LIVES HERE.
NEW FOR 2015
POWER AND PRECISION
REDeFINED.
Up to
370/113
FPS/KE
185 LB DRAW WT
6.8 LB BOW WT
THIS INVADER KNOWS

NO BOUNDARIES.
330/96.7
FPS/KE
165 LB DRAW WT
6.6 LB BOW WT
32
THERE IS NO
SUBSTITUTE.
PROUDLY MADE
IN THE U.S.A.
tenpointcrossbows.com
wickedridgecrossbows.com
ve spent years enrolled in

the Bowhunting School
of Hard Knocks. A
school easy to get into, but
surprisingly difficult to graduate from.
With more than a couple
of decades of bowhunting
under my belt youd think I
would be at the head of the
class. Those dad-gum whitetails
have kept me from being a stellar student.
Although I blame the whitetail,
the truth is, its me. Im the reason I
havent graduated from bowhunting
school, if graduating means taking a
Pope & Young buck.
I would suspect Im not alone.
Oh, my walls arent bare, but they
surely just dont verify my ability to
outsmart a monster whitetail. So its
back to the woods, my classroom of
blunders.
My collection of antlers wouldnt
impress anybody, not that I should or
would even attempt to. Unless youre
the rare hunter whose only interest is
culling the herd of misfits.
Nope, you wont find my name in
the record books. Please dont get me
wrong, its not like I need to kill a
record buck to enjoy myself in the
woods, but just one season Id like for
a bruiser buck to turn right instead
of left and give me the shot, the shot
all bowhunters dream of, broadside,
fifteen yards. It seems every time Im
close to bagging a real brute, something unexpected happens, a doe darts
past him, or hes alerted to distant
noise. You too, may have had this
same stroke of misfortune.
Sound bitter dont I?
Really Im not.
Im just a slow learner, with the
persistence of a badger and the hunting prowess of an orangutan.
But now I know the secret to
bowhunting. As if I were struck by
lightning. As if it came to me in
dream. And its as obvious as a
Dunkin Donuts box under the seat of
my pickup truck. Simply put...its
TIME!
And it is something I dont have
enough of......TIME! To be
fair, I dont make enough
time for it.

Clearly, the most
important weapon in your
arsenal to bagging a big
buck is time.

I know that may
sound like a rather convenient excuse, but its true.
You can only get out of the sport
of bowhunting what you put into it.
So its time.
Of course that surely doesnt
mean that just because you see deer
cross at the intersection of Van Dyke
and Mound you should sit in the middle of the road and wait for them to
cross. That would simply be stupid.
It means you should take the time
to scout your hunting area, pattern
those deer and ambush them from a
well placed stand before they get to
the intersection. Take the time to
know the deer your hunting.
Take the time to understand deer
movement, study maps, watch them
pre-season and find their bedding
areas and feeding areas.
Take the time to place your treestands along those trails coming from
bedding areas to feeding areas. Dont
over hunt any one stand, mature
bucks will pattern you faster than you
pattern them.
If you have your own property
take the time to develop food plots,
and understand the type of feed the
deer are looking for at different times
of the year.
Take the time to practice with
your bow. Learn to identify shot
placement from a variety of distances,
angles and make sure you can perform that shot. Practice shooting from
the ground, a elevated stand, kneeling, crouching, simulate your hunting
conditions and make sure you can
comfortably lay an arrow into the kill
zone.
Take the time to understand wind
and make sure you not only hunt a
stand that is favorable for that wind,
but that you can get to the stand without spooking the deer on the way in.
Take the time, and make the time,
to get to your stand, so youre not

rushing to get to a stand. Surely
along the way youll be making too
much noise and create more disturbance than the deer will tolerate. And
even if it is way out of your way, be
sure to use the wind to get to your
stand.
Take the time for scent control. If
you dont you will be spooking deer
you never see.
Take the time to shower before
you go to the woods each and every
time with one of the many scent free
soaps available.
Make sure your hunting clothes
are as scent free as possible. Take the
time to care for them, using scent
lock bags and other sprays to keep
them from everyday odors deer will
instantly detect.
Take the time to know your
archery equipment and make sure it
is in good working condition prior to
every hunt.
A few years ago I had a nice high
racked buck come in, I drew and shot
at less than 20 yards, as he stood
broadside. The arrow landed low and
left of the deer, stuck neatly in the
ground. The buck jumped, ran a few
yards and stopped again. With no
signs of a hit, a clear and simple
miss. I drew again and let another
arrow fly at this buck, the arrow
landed low and left again. He trotted
off unharmed, but I did manage to
confuse him.
Later I discovered somehow my

sight pin had been altered or bumped.
Ever since, I have taken the time to
make sure everything is just right
before I knock an arrow.
Take the time to mentally prepare
yourself to sit for extended periods of
time in the stand. If you can, hunt all
day. Use every ounce of patience you
can muster. Sit still, making all
movement slow and deliberate.
Take the time to bring everything
you need to stay in the stand as long
as possible, from a pee-bottle to
snacks and water.
I hunted with Mike Weaver, from
Virginia, the number one whitetail
bowhunter in the world. Mike has
over 50 bucks in the record books,
far more than anyone else.
His secret is simple, he sits all
day, every day until the buck he is
looking for presents a shot.
Of course he is taking the time to
do all the things I mentioned previously, plus has the perseverance and
mental attitude to do it. He once sat
in stand for over 30 straight days
before he arrowed a 160 P & Y plus
buck.
Not all of us can take the time to
sit in stand for 30 plus days. But we
can improve our chances by taking
the time to plan our hunts a little better. Simply hunting for the sake of
hunting is not only unproductive for
you, but also your hunting partners.
Take your time, and enjoy your
Just once, the author would like a bruiser buck to turn right instead of left and give him the shot, the shot all
bowhunters dream of...broadside, 15 yards! Kenny Darwin photo
time in the bowhunting woods.

Maybe the buck of my dreams
will cross paths with me this

season?n
www.custom1enterprises.com
Trail Cameras & Acc.
Bear Safe Security Boxes
Custom Camera Mounts
Masterlock Python Cables
Lucky Buck Mineral
Custom Enterprises
6440 W. Imlay City Rd.
Imlay City, Michigan 48444
Email: custom1enterprises@earthlink.net
Phone: 810-683-4326
9-5 M-F
3E Series Compact Utility Tractors
Savings and Performance.
Right here.
31.1-37.3 hp engines Standard 4WD and power steering

100+ quick-attach implements available
BURTON
4135 Davison Road
(810) 742-3364
LAPEER
3120 N. Lapeer Road
(810) 664-3798
BIRCH RUN
8461 Main Street
(989) 624-9356
2,750 OFF
OR
% for
+ 1,750 OFF
60 MONTHS when you buy 2 or more implements
TriCountyEquipment.net
Offer ends 10/31/15. Subject to approved installment credit with John Deere Financial. Fixed Rate of 0.0% for 60 months. $1,750 OFF implement bonus is in
addition to Low Rate nancing and requires the purchase of 2 or more qualifying John Deere or Frontier implements. In lieu of nancing offer, get
$2,750 OFF on 3E Series Tractors. Some restrictions apply, so see your dealer for details and other nancing options. 2Manufacturers estimate of power (ISO)
per 97/68/EC.
TRC9X60814WNW-4C
1
MARLETTE SANDUSKY CARO REESE SAGINAW BAD AXE
33
A Fall of
Woodcock
Glenn Wolff illustration
By Jerry Dennis
t must have been the fog that kept

the birds in the air that morning.
A warm front had moved up from
the Gulf of Mexico and settled
over Michigan, making it seem
more like August than October.
But there were birds in the woods.
Not big numbers of them, but enough
to keep us hunting.
Hank, Doc, Tim, and I wanted to
hunt the clear-cut we call the Church
Cover, but because of the fog we
stayed in camp an extra hour. Finally
around nine oclock we loaded up
and drove to the little white church,
turnedtoonto the two-track, followed
For over 30 years, Harmon has been making effective products
it to the aspen cover, and pulled over
For over
30 years,
has been
making effective
make
your
huntHarmon
a success.
Harmon
offersproducts
over ato100 scents,
andlures,
let the dogs out.
make
your
hunt
a
success.
Harmon
offers
over
a
100
scents,
lures,
and related scent products.
The fog looked like a low ceiling
For over 30andyears,
to
related Harmon
scent products.has been making effective products
of clouds that had gotten snagged on
make your hunt a success. Harmon offers over a 100 scents,the
lures,
aspens. We decided to start on the
far
side
of the cover and set out walkand related scent products.
ing along the two-track. The grass
hung heavy with dew. Fog obscured
our view and made the trees emerge
as ghostly silhouettes. It made the
dogs uneasy. They stayed close to our
feet as we walked.
6893 SULLIVAN
ROADROAD
| GRAWN,
MI49637
49637
| CASSCREEKCALLS.COM
6893 SULLIVAN
| GRAWN, MI
| CASSCREEKCALLS.COM
Hank wasnt having any of it.
He sent his German shorthair, Bell,
into the shintangles. Shes a dynamo,
never quits. But now she went in
6893 SULLIVAN ROAD | GRAWN, MI 49637 | CASSCREEKCALLS.COM
reluctantly, made a tight circle, and
get
his
get his
get
his
attention
attention
attention
34
returned to Hanks feet. He stared at

her and said, Hey. She glanced up
and seemed to shrug. You could see
the conviction in her eyes. No birds
in there, Boss.
Then we saw our first woodcock.
It fluttered down through the fog
forty feet ahead of us. Docs shorthair
Luc saw it, too. He ran halfway and
locked on point. We walked up and
the bird flushed wild, but it barely
cleared the ferns before it dropped to
the ground again.
Thats a tired bird, Doc said.
Then another fluttered down.
And another.
Luc and Bell both went on point.
We split up and approached the dogs
and when we stepped in front of
them the birds launched. But again
they came up just above the understory, fluttered ahead a dozen feet,
and dropped into the brush. Doc and
Hank leashed their dogs and we stood
on the trail and watched.
Thirty feet away a woodcock
came down soundlessly through the
white. Another emerged from overhead and landed two feet in front of
startled Lucs nose.
Falls of woodcock were mentioned in print as early in the 15th
century. The Boke of Saint Albans
THE LEGEND IS
DNR, ITC seek volunteers to help

inventory plant and wildlife species
Volunteers are needed to help inventory plant and wildlife species
present on a portion of land at Crow Island State Game Area in Saginaw
County. This inventory is being conducted to evaluate the effectiveness
of habitat work already accomplished on the site and to inform future
management decisions.
The volunteer workday, hosted by the Michigan Department of
Natural Resources and ITC Holdings Corporation, will be held Thursday, Aug. 20, at 9 a.m. Volunteers should meet at the Crow Island State
Game Areas west gate, 200 yards from the intersection of Westervelt
and Kochville roads.
ITC Holdings Corporation partnered with the DNR, the Wildlife
Habitat Council and the National Wild Turkey Federation to implement
wildlife habitat enhancement within and adjacent to ITCs high-voltage
electric transmission corridors crossing Crow Island State Game Area.
Woody invasive-species control measures were put in place in four
areas including portions of the Stork, East, Panko and Baldpate units,
totaling approximately 100 acres during ITC vegetation management.
Some of the cut woody material was utilized to create brush rows and
piles for wildlife habitat. The Wildlife Habitat Council first certified the
ITC-Crow Island State Game Area Partnership as a Wildlife at Work
program in 2013. Plant and wildlife surveys will help characterize habitat use, and the results will be used to document Wildlife Habitat Council program monitoring efforts and inform future management activities.
Volunteers of all skill levels are welcome. DNR and ITC staff members and ecologists from Environmental Consulting and Technology, Inc.
will be on hand to review the use of field guides and reference materials
and to assist with plant and wildlife identification. Volunteers are asked
to bring binoculars, hand lenses and field guides, if they have them, and
to dress for the weather and wear jeans or work pants. Boots should
be worn, as the ground may be wet in some areas. Bring a lunch and a
water bottle.
Volunteers will be asked to sign a volunteer waiver before beginning work. Those younger than 18 will need to have a parent or guardian
signature before working.
THE PERFECT STORM

OF ADRENALINE AND
PRECISION. ONLY 10"
AXLE-TO-AXLE
370 FPS
122 FP KE
165 LB DRAW WT
WHEN COCKED.
ULTRA LIGHTWEIGHT.
ULTRA DEADLY.
BORN TO HUNT.
330 FPS
97 FP KE
175 LB DRAW WT
ABX ADJUSTABLE
STOCK FOR THE
PERFECT FEEL.
PROUDLY MADE IN THE U.S.A.
from the sky. Eight, nine, ten woodcock fluttered down around us, some
only a few strides away. Surely there
were others that we didnt see.
They must have circled above the
fog, weary from flying all night, until
finally they were so exhausted that
they had no choice but to plunge into
that white sea. It was pure luck that
four men and two dogs were there
to see them parachute safely to the
ground.
Writer Jerry Dennis and artist
Glenn Wolff are both based in Traverse City. Their collaborations have
appeared in The New York Times,
Field and Stream, Audubon, and
many other publications. Their most
recent book is A Walk in the Animal
Kingdom: Essays on Animals Wild
and Tame. Learn more about it at
www.bigmaplepress.com.n
H ORTON CROSSBOW S. COM
lists it as a collective noun on par

with a gaggle of geese and a bevy
of quails. Other old texts link it
metaphorically with a fall of snow.
Michigan writer Tom Huggler, in his
splendid A Fall of Woodcock (out in
a new edition from Skyhorse Publishers), says the term disappeared
from general use about 1430. Tom
is the founder of our bird camp and
a good friend, so naturally weve
discussed falls of woodcock many
times. Woodcock tend to be solitary,
of course, and do not flock, so the
chances of seeing them fall like snow
is remote under even the best circumstances. A fall of woodcock is
a colorful term of veneryand a fine
title for Toms bookbut long ago
we decided it had to be a biological
myth.
And yet, here they were, falling
35
The Plug Bite

The plug bite is one of the seasonal bites anglers in the Great Lakes can look forward to.
In August and September when fish like this king salmon stage near river mouths, trolling
high action plugs is one of the best ways to fill the box...By Mark Romanack
ne of the cool things about fishing in the Great Lakes is the many
different bites an angler can look
forward to. Come September, one of
my favorite ways to fish is the plug
bite that takes place as king and
coho salmon stage near river mouths in preparation
for their annual spawning runs.
Trolling back and forth in front of the pier heads
can be combat fishing to be sure, but its exciting
when salmon show up in shallow water. Even more
exciting, these fish can be caught without having to
fish with heavy gear like diving planers, copper line
or those miserably long leads of lead core line.
O
A Word On Plugs
36
When salmon come home to spawn, long lining

plugs behind planer boards is one of the best ways
to get hooked up and hooked up
Historically the plugs that have dominated the
trout and salmon trolling scene have been high action models. Baits like the famous Storm Hot n Tot,
Yakima Flatfish, the Luhr Jensen J-Plug and Kwik
Fish have caught countless salmon for Michigan
anglers. All of these lures have in common a wide,
aggressive, darting style action that seem to drive
salmon crazy.
Its important to note that when salmon are
staging prior to making spawning runs these fish are
less interested in feeding than they are taking care
of the business of reproduction. To trigger strikes
from these fish requires the use of baits that seemingly agitate the fish into striking.
Its true that other lure types will also catch
salmon at this time of year, but hands down wobbling plugs dominate the catch. Plugs dominate
at the pier heads and the same lures also produce
when the fish move into the spawning rivers.
Mag Lip
snaps, says Buzz Ramsey of Yakima. The Mag

Lip comes factory supplied with a cross-lok snap
The new kid on the block in terms of salmon
attached to the wire eye tie on the lure. I often put
plugs is a bait designed by salmon fishing legend
a snap on the end of my fishing line and connect
Buzz Ramsey called the Mag Lip. This wobbling
that snap to the snap on my plug. Fishing two snaps
bait is sort of like a Flatfish on steroids in that it has gives wondering baits like the Mag Lip even more
the same aggressive side-to-side wobbling action as freedom of movement and personifies the skip
this icon of salmon fishing. A few features set the
beat action these lures are best known for producMag Lip apart, most notably the Mag Lip can be
ing.
fished at a wider range of speeds.
Another trick to fishing plugs that is popular
The Flatfish functions best at slow trolling
on the west coast, but just catching on in the Great
speeds or in slow to moderate current. The Mag Lip Lakes is wrapping plugs with a strip of herring
can fishes effectively at all trolling speeds from .75 meat. Cutting a small strip of herring meat and usto 4.5 MPH!
ing a stretchy thread to wrap the meat on the belly
Secondly, the Mag Lip features a built in skip
of the plug gives these plugs the added advantage
beat action that empowers the bait to trigger strikes of a scent stream that on some days makes a huge
from salmon and other species. The Mag Lip is
difference.
engineered to hunt side-to-side, but this bait goes a
step further and darts outside of its normal range
of motion without warning, says Buzz Ramsey
Another advantage of trolling high action plugs
of Yakima. The darting skip beat action of the
like the ones described above is these lures also
Mag Lip is personified at faster trolling speeds and have a natural diving ability. The diving depth
when running in current, making it ideal for trigger- of plugs can be accurately controlled by the line
ing strikes from fish that have other things on their diameter used in trolling and also by the amount of
mind.
trolling lead or feet back selected.
Available in 3.0, 3.5, 4.5 and 5.0 sizes, the
Using these variables to their advantage, anglers
Mag Lip is also produced in over 40 color options
can literally saturate the water column with lures.
providing salmon fishermen with a bait for every
According to the Precision Trolling Data app the
fishing condition.
Mag Lip 3.5 and 4.5 lures have a maximum diving
Saturating The Water Column
Getting The Most

From Wide Action Lures
Wide action lures like the ones discussed above

are typically attached to the fishing line using a
cross-lok style snap. This snap allows the lure freedom to wiggle side to side.
One of the ways to get more action from wobbling plugs is to fish these baits with two cross-lok
depth of 17 feet and 24 feet respectively on 20# test

monofilament line.
Spreading Things Out
Any time anglers are faced with the need to fish

multiple baits at multiple depths, in-line boards like
the popular Off Shore Tackle Side-Planer are useful
The plug bite page 38
2015 2075 TYEE MAGNUM, 250 VERADO, 15

ELHPT PRO KICKER,
CUSTOM TRAILER,
PREMIUM GRAPHICS, WASHYDOWN, 4
SPEAKERS, COOLER, 2
AND 3 BANK CHARGER,
PREMIUM COVER,
PREMIUM SPORT TOP,
STAINLESS PROP.
$54,995.00
-$2,400.00 CATCH OF THE YEAR
$52,595.00 + TAX
2013 40 E-TEC
(BRAND NEW),
TRAILER WITH
GUIDES AND
SPARE,
TRAVEL COVER
-$525.00 COVER CREDIT
$12,475.00 + TAX
2015 1600 ALASKAN TILLER

MERCURY 60 CT
4-STOKE W/ BIG
TILLER, TRAILER
W/ SPARE AND
GUIDES, FIRE EXT.,
HORN, TRAVEL
COVER
$18,800.00
$17,600,000.00 + TAX
2015 SOUTH BAY 925
WAS
$93,750.00
NOW $79,000.00
SUPER
SPORT
W 300
VERADO,
LOADED!
$10,450.00
+ TAX
BLACK, 2015
MERCURY
25 ELHPT
4-STROKE,
TRAILER
WITH SPARE
AND GUIDES
$64,500.00
$62,100.00 + TAX
$19,950.00
-$900.00 SPRING CATCH
-$550.00 COVER CREDIT
$18,500.00 + TAX
2015 1750 REBEL XS SPORT
$21,900.00
-$900.00 CATCH OF THE YEAR
$21,000.00 + TAX
MERCURY 90
4-STROKE,
TRAILER WITH
GUIDES AND
SPARE, AFT
JUMP SEAT,
HORN, TRAVEL
COVER
MERCURY 90
4-STROKE, TRAILER
WITH GUIDES AND
SPARE, HORN,
TRAVEL COVER,
HUMMINBIRD HELIX
5 WITH GPS,
MINNKOTA 55PD 54"
200 VERADO,
TRIFECTA TRIPLE
TUBE PKG.,
PRIVACY CURTAIN,
SKI TOW BAR, LED
COURTESY LIGHTS,
TEAK STERN VINYL
FLOOR, POWER
ASSIST STEERING
$19,900.00
$19,000.00 + TAX
2008 EVINRUDE
225 H.O E-TEC
(USED), PRIVACY
CURTAIN, HYD.
STEERING, RAIL
STRIPE PKG.
WAS
$50,843.00
NOW $39,900.00
2014 SOUTH BAY 522 CRE
WAS
$33,900.00
NOW $26,900.00
MERCURY
90 EFI 4-STRK,
PRIVACY
CURTAIN,
HYDRAULIC
STEERING,
SKI TOW
BAR
NEW OUTBOARD MOTOR SALE:

MERCURY
YEAR MSRP SALE
20ELHPT
2013 $4180
$3,150
150 OPTIMAX XL
2013 $13795 $8,995
15 ELHPT PRO KICKER 2013 $3940 $2,995
9.9 ELPT PRO KICKER 2014 $3610 $2,995
15 MLH
2014 $2955 $2,495
15 EXLPT PRO KICKER 2014 $4030 $2,995
(2 IN STOCK)
25 ELHPT
2014 $5205 $4,350
4 MH
2015 $1575 $1,350
2.5 MH
2015 $1040 $895
NOW OFFERING:
GODFREY PONTOON BOATS SOUTH BAY PONTOON BOATS
US-31 North
Brutus, Michigan 49716
90 HONDA
4-STROKE, TRAILER
W/SPARE TIRE,
TRAVEL COVER,
FIRE EXT., HORN,
2 BANK CHARGER,
LOWRANCE X-3,
MOTORGUIDE
X3 45#
2014 SOUTHBAY 522 CRE (BRAND NEW)
LUND SWEETWATER
GODFREY MARINE
MERCURY
HONDA EVINRUDE
ARCTIC CAT ATV
& SNOWMOBILES
STOP IN
AND SEE
US TODAY!
300 VERADO, 9.9

ELPT PRO KICKER,
CUSTOM TRAILER,
LOADED WITH
OPTIONS AND
ELECTRONICS
PLEASE CONTACT
FOR INFO!
2015 LUND 1800 REBEL XL SS (PHOTO BOAT!)
2015 1750 REBEL XS SS (5 IN STOCK)
$32,900.00
2014 MERCURY 25
ELHPT 4-STROKE
(STILL IN CRATE),
TRAILER WITH
SPARE AND
GUIDES, BOW
TROLLING
MOTOR
+ TAX
HARNESS
2015 1600 FURY TILLER
$22,000.00 + TAX
2014 SOUTH BAY 522 SUPER SPORT (NEW)
2015 1600 FURY TILLER
$9,950.00
$23,300.00
2013 (BRAND NEW)

EVINRUDE
90 E-TEC, TRAILER
W/ GUIDES AND
SPARE, TRAVEL
COVER, 2 BANK
CHARGER,
COMFORT PKG.,
FIRE EXT.
2015 2075 PRO-V IFS/SE (DEALER DEMO)
2015 1625 FURY XL TILLER
$13,750.00
2015 1775 IMPACT SS
(231) 529-6155
FAX: 231-529-6922
MERCURY (CONT.)
6 MH
8MH
9.9 ELPT PRO KICKER
25 ELHPT
50 ELHPT CT BIG TILLER
EVINRUDE
115 DPXAF E-TEC
90 DHLAF E-TEC
HONDA
BF90LRTA
2015 $2035 $1,795

2015 $2315
$2,000
2015 $3610 $3,295
2015 $5130 $4,700
2015 $7865 $6,800
2014
2014
$12660 $8,625
$11010 $8,207
2015 $11482
$9,700
ANY SEASON
ANY REASON
www.maplebaymarine.com
Business Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00am-5:30pm & Saturdays 9:00am-2:00pm
2015 2075 TYEE MAGNUM
37
The Plug Bite:

from page 36
in spreading out lines horizontally. Stacking two,
three or even four board lines per side of the boat
empowers anglers to fish at multiple depths, to use
different lures that have different actions and of
course to experiment with lure colors.

Managing all those board lines requires a
rigging philosophy that allows the boards to be released when a fish is hooked. Rigging the boards to
release allows anglers to fight fish without having
to clear other board lines, making the board fishing
process seamless and highly efficient.
The Side-Planer board comes factory rigged
with an OR19 (orange) line release on the tow arm
and a OR16 (red) Snap Weight Clip mounted to
the back of the board via a split ring. When fishing
these boards the angler sets the lure behind the boat
the desired distance and then places the fishing line
in the front release and also the back release.
The front release features two rubber pads
designed to hold the line securely while trolling,
but also to allow the line to be tripped from the release when a fish is hooked. The Snap Weight Clip
mounted at the back of the board has a patented
plastic pin in the middle of two rubber pads. When
the line is placed behind this pin, the line cant trip
from the this clip.
This two release rigging method allows the
angler to trip the release on the tow arm while
keeping the board attached to the line via the Snap
Weight Clip at the back of the board. When a fish
is hooked and the board released, the fish pulls the
board to the back of the boat and out of the board
pattern where it can be reeled in without having
to clear any of the other planer board lines in the
Salmon fishing
legendary angler
Buzz Ramsey
designed the Mag
Lip to feature a
skip beat action designed to
agitate salmon
into striking.
water.
Once an angler fishes the Off Shore two
release rigging method, they will never use another
board again, says Captain Steve Martin of MI HI
Charters. With other boards that dont have two
releases on them, once the board is released, the
board slides down the line to the fish. This forces
the angler to rig a bead in-line to stop the board
from hitting the fish and also to fight both the fish
and the resistance of the board in the water.
The two release rigging method is simply a
cleaner and more efficient means of stacking multiple boards per side of the boat. Because the board
releases but is pinned to the line thanks to the Snap
Weight Clip, its easy to reel in the board and fish
together, remove the board and continue to fight the

fish to net.
Summing It Up
The trolling plug bite starts in August when

king and coho salmon start staging near the mouth
of spawning streams. This bite usually hits a peak
in early September and lasts right up until all the
spawners have moved upstream.
Plug trolling is one of the most dependable
seasonal bites on the Great Lakes. There are
lots of ways to catch salmon when they are found
off shore, but when these fish show up at the pier
heads, nothing beats the fish producing action of
plugs.n
ALL UNDER ONE ROOF

69 YEARS OF PROFESSIONAL & FRIENDLY SERVICE!
OVER 500 BOWS OVER 500 CROSSBOWS
STOP IN
&SHOOT A
2015 BOW
TODAY!
38
OVER 100 LEFT HAND

BOWS IN STOCK
STRYKER
141 W. Pearl Street,

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

Wed. 9-6; Sat. 9-5
3 Indoor Archery Ranges

Over 700 Bows In Stock
Over 2000 Guns In Stock
Award-Winning author
returns to Outdoor Weekend...
Lane Walker book signing
oods-N-Water news writer

and award-winning author
Lane Walker will be returning to the Woods-N-Water Outdoor
Weekend Sept. 11-13 at the fairgrounds in Imlay City. Walker has
five books in his Hometown Hunters
Collection. His hunting adventure
books are aimed at kids and preteens.
Walker released his last book, The
Day it Rained Ducks at the Outdoor
Weekend last year. This past fall,
Walker won a Moonbeam Award
Bronze Medal for Best Book Series
for Kids. Winning the award is a huge
accomplishment because his series are
outdoor, hunting based.

I was hoping to have a new
book released at the show this year,
but was unable to make it happen. We
will be there selling and autograph-
installing a passion and respect for the

outdoors. Among his favorite hunts
was when he killed a Michigan bull
elk near Atlanta Michigan in 2009.
Walkers books sell for $10 each but
will be offering an Outdoor Weekend
special for $40 for his entire book collection.

For more information about
Lane and his book series, check out
www.hometown-hunters.comn
Writer/Author Lane Walker
HUNTING SALES
EVENT
ing the first five books. I dont have a

timeline when the next book will be
released but I am looking forward to
seeing our fans at the show. We love
attending the WNW Weekend; its our
favorite of the year. I will be on hand
the entire weekend signing books,
said Walker.

Walker is also an outdoor
writer for Woods-N-Water News and a
variety of other outdoor publications.
He has written for WNW for the past
10 years and writes on a variety of
outdoor related topics.

Walkers books include #1
Legend of the Ghost Buck, #2
The Hunt for Scarface, #3 Terror
on Deadwood Lake, #4 Boss on
Redemption Road & #5 The Day
it Rained Ducks. Walker spent 20132014 speaking at schools and churches, speaking to over 10,000 students.

I love meeting kids that get
excited about the outdoors and my
books. I have had a lot of parents tell
me how much their kid likes to read
now after finding my book series.
That is a huge accomplishment, I love
promoting reading and hunting, said
Walker.

In addition to writing, Walker
is a former teacher and current principal. His love for the outdoors started
at an early age. He credits his dad for
39
Boat Smart...By Capt. Fred Davis
Lake Hurons Gem Port Austin Marina
oats cruising Lake Hurons eastern shores from the St. Clair River
along its rocky shoreline to the tip
of Michigans Thumb and vessels
crossing Saginaw Bay from northern
ports have a long awaited brand new
harbor of refuge. The strategic MDNR marina at
Port Austin has been greeting boaters with floating
dock slips for vessels up to 100 for the past year.
One of Michigans earliest harbors of refuge,
Port Austin underwent re-construction for over four
years at a cost of over eight million dollars. Funding
was gathered from Federal, State and local sources.
The all new harbor was completed July 1, 2014.
In the early phase, a Visitor Center and beachfront pavilion at Veterans Park adjoined the harbor
area. Beach expansion, picnic and playground,
walkways and a scenic turnaround were also developed. The entire parking and ramp area were reconfigured with a new layout accommodating larger
trailered vessels. This area has been getting a real
workout the past year. Dredging of the outer harbor
by the Corps of Engineers to a depth of 10 feet also
took place in the early phase.
Next, sections of the east cement dock were
rebuilt. A driven steel wall was installed and the
original dock was widened and resurfaced with
new fittings. Fuel lines and pump out equipment
were replaced. The east half of the inner harbor
was dredged to a depth of 7 feet. All new floating
docks and wall slips with new 50 amp electrical and
new plumbing to each were installed.

The entire harbor, including launch and
parking area, had to be closed for the final construction - which was hard on local anglers. The
old west dock system had to be removed including
old plumbing and electrical plus the entire dock
base and pilings. The rest of the inner harbor was
dredged and a large stone that many vessels had
encountered over the years was blasted and removed. Additional dredging near the shore area and
installation of a new ramp base and anchors for a
40
Port Austin Reef Lighthouse. Lu Thrushman photo
West Dock note view of harbor entry and lighthouse offshore. Fred Davis photo
series of floating docks with new service to each
completed the final construction.
If you come by boat, here are a few tips; from
the east a shallow reef requires you pass the lighthouse that marks it two miles offshore. Give it
a wide berth on your port and locate the #1 can. After rounding it on your port, take a southerly course
toward the harbor entrance marked with red and
green at the breakwalls entry.
From the west take a heading toward the #3
green can. When you approach it the entrance
markers are clearly in view. From the north, look
for the #1 can, pass it on your port and head south
to the harbor. The dock monitors channels 16 and
9 and will issue slip assignments once you enter the
harbor.
For those who have never visited the port, you
will find the little town delivers a variety of pleasure to help you enjoy your stay. Within a short
walk from dockside are six restaurants, a hardware
store with boat supplies, an Emporium that offers
gifts, great food including take-out, soda fountain
and an ice cream cone to eat on the way back to the
dock. If you want another choice for an ice cream
cone, turn west at the intersection and venture one
block to the ice cream parlor. As you head that way,
seeing the bakery will give you an idea for early
morning they open at 5 a.m. and have the coffeepot waiting to accompany your donuts. Step across
the street and enjoy a full course breakfast at the
Caf, they also open early for anglers. In the same
local, a Hansom Cab (horse & buggy) will take you
for a pleasant tour of the town after 4 p.m. Thursday
through Sunday.
Downtown are a full service Grocery and
Beverage store where you can stock up your cooler.
Across the street is a National Historic building
the Bank 1884 that houses a gourmet restaurant
providing indoor and outdoor dining. As you stroll
back to the dock, the Sportsmens Inn offers great
seafood and steaks, the Stock Pot has family dining
and the Landing Tavern are all sure to interest you
with a variety of choices. Port Austins Pizzeria is
known throughout the area for serving up all meals

Italian.
Youngsters, and those young at heart, will enjoy
playing miniature golf which is within walking
distance. An outstanding 18-hole golf course will
pick up and deliver you back to the dock after a
days outing. The Port Austin kayak shop, only a
short walk east of the intersection, rents kayaks, and
stand-up paddleboards to tour the shoreline by water. They will also rent you a bike to cruise around
the town by land. Go to the Farm the Farm
Restaurant for outstanding chef prepared meals and
fabulous desserts. Youll want to call them as you
head into Port Austin to make a reservation and if a
time is set, they will pick you up at dockside.
If youre in port on Saturday, dont miss the
Farmers Market, one of 10 best in the state. Pick
up fresh veggies, baked goods and handmade crafts.
Its a short stroll from the dock but bring a cart or
tote bag to haul the goodies. Live theater is offered
at the Port Austin Community Playhouse (check the
schedule). Thumb Arts Guild, made up of area artists, provides seasonal activities and offers items for
sale at many shops in town.
A groomed beach is alongside the west dock
and another is at the County Park across from the
east dock. A kiddie playground, picnic pavilion and
Veterans Park, honoring all services, are adjacent to
the west dock. For the ambitious - a catwalk leading
to the breakwall provides a scenic mile, round-trip
walk or jog. The Thumb peninsula, and Port Austin at its very tip, is a great location to see the sun
rise and set over the water. If you just want to sit
back and relax on your boat, most evenings present
spectacular views. For the early risers, a brilliant
sunrise awaits.
With the opening of the boat launch, slips and
completion of the docks, the MDNR Parks and
Recreation Division announced Port Austins harbor
will be, without question, one of the finest and most
accommodating harbors in the state of Michigan.
A small, friendly community, just steps from the
harbor, looks forward to your visit.n
GUNSMITHING
SERVICES
CASH
FOR
GUNS
WE
BUY
GUNS
CROSSBOWS AND COMPOUND BOWS
REACT 5 PIN BLACK AS805
REACT 5 PIN CAMO AS815
SALE $10999 139
SALE $11499
99
BOW
SALE
10000 OFF
BOWS
DeCREE
SALE
20-$200 OFF
MEGA
BOOM
4499
CLASS III
DEALER
reg
14499
BOW
SALE
DELTA
X-BOW
SPEEDBAG
$
1999
GHOST
BLINDS
$
19999
SUPPRESSORS
S T O R E H O U R S : M O N D AY- S AT U R D AY 9 - 6 ; S U N D AY 1 0 - 4
WRITTEN
APPRAISALS
THS SPORTING CENTER

1504 MILITARY ST PORT HURON, MI 48060
Phone:
(810) 985-4082 website: thssportingcenter.com
reg
BEST PRICES ON
TEN POINT CROSSBOWS
41
Nakina
Ontario Canada
Che
Met ck Out
a
Lodg Lake
FAC e On
EBO
OK!
LAKE LODGE AND

OUTPOST CAMPS
EXCELLENT
WALLEYE, PIKE &
PERCH FISHING!
"Fly into the Arctic

watershed for
world class
Walleye and
Northern Pike
fishing! Meta
Lake Lodge is
a time tested
full service
wilderness resort
that boasts over an
80% repeat customer base. Make
2015 the year you
visit Meta Lake
Lodge or one of
our outpost camps
and experience top
quality Canadian
wilderness
fishing."
42
CARIBOU ISLAND &

CHANNEL VIEW OUTPOSTS
Call Toll Free:
1-866-330-META (6382)
231-464-5179
5766 E. Bennet Road Free Soil, Michigan 49411
Your Hosts, John &Cheryl
www.metalakelodgefishing.com
e-mail: metalakelodge@aol.com
24 HR ELECTRICITY (GENERATOR)
WIRELESS INTERNET (SATELLITE)
SKYPE PHONE LIVE BAIT GUIDE SERVICE
HOUSE KEEPING AND AMERICAN PLANS ARE AVAILABLE
EXTENSIVE REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST
Switch to a Water Furnace geothermal comfort system.
COME SEE US AT THE

WOODS-N-WATER NEWS
OUTDOOR WEEKEND
SEPTEMBER 11TH, 12TH & 13TH
IN THE EXHIBITOR TENT
Porter & Heckman Inc.
3056 Davison Road Lapeer, MI 48446

800-445-4328 810-664-8576
www.porterandheckman.com
AUTOMATIC HOME STANDBY GENERATORS

ITS ONE OF THE BEST
INVESTMENTS IVE EVER
MADE IN THIS HOUSE.
- David Panzarella
At Generac, were happy to talk about how we invented the home standby generator category, how we make them right here in Wisconsin,
and how were available by phone 24/7/365 if you need assistance. But dont take our word for it. Listen to what our satised customers
have to say. After all, theyre the ones who made Generac the #1 selling brand of home standby generators in America. Theyll tell you that
Generac home standby generators give them peace of mind and the power to live. And that just about says it all.
Call today for a free in-home consultation.
Porter & Heckman

Inc.
Sales
1-XXX-XXX-XXXX
1-XXX-XXX-XXXX
3056 Name
Davison
Road Service
Lapeer,
MI 48446
Dealer
Here
Website www.youraddress
800-445-4328 810-664-8576
www.porterandheckman.com
List your address, city, state, place it along the bottom as shown
REAL GENERAC OWNERS AGREE
43
Hooking new anglers

on RIVER FISHING
44
idea or two below that, while it may

be in need some adapting to your favorite method, will help you get some
new folks turned on to the great sport
of fishing.
As a first step, it is important
to make sure your angler is well
equipped and properly dressed. If
your partner for the outing has his or
her own equipment make sure it is appropriate and in good working order.
Over the years I have accumulated a bunch of loaner fishing rods
and reels so I am always ready to
switch them out if I think their outfit
wont do the job. Make sure they
are dressed for the weather and have
remembered their polarized sunglasses. Knowing how important vision
is when wading small rivers I will
always have an extra pair with me that
will fit over regular glasses if necessary.
As you start out, emphasize that
the goal of the trip is just as much
or more about learning as it is about
catching a fish. This is especially true
when I take beginners trying to catch
their first steelhead or salmon. To
take some of the catching pressure off,
I remind them they we are not fishing
for pan fish but rather a trophy rainbow trout or chinook salmon. These
fish usually require some dues paying
and I will remind them of that.
While I will be trying real hard
to make them successful, some days
just dont work out with fish landed.
When such fisheries are available, it
can be very helpful to fish for steelhead in a stream where trout and other
fish can be caught. Fooling a nice
brown or smallmouth can be a real
confidence booster.
When tossing lures for steelhead
or stream trout in small rivers casting accuracy coupled with reading
Trout Unlimited Youth Camp participants casting for trout. Author photos
the water are real keys to success. I
always try to teach my new partners
the underhand, pendulum cast as it is
guided. In my fishing classes writer I still get to fish with many new without a doubt the most accurate. It
hen I reI fished with my students but people by donating a wading trip to allows the angler to follow the lure to
tired from
always gave them first water my university, conservation organiza- the target and make mid air correcmy day
unless they asked to see how tions and fishing clubs to be auctioned tions if their spinner or plug is veering
job about
off as a fund raiser. This lets me give off target or going to overshoot the
I would approach the next
17 years
mark. Some anglers catch on right
back and have lots of fun doing it.
spot. It was always a joyago I gave
away while others have trouble. I
The
goal
of
this
article
is
to
share
ful moment when a student
thought to guiding in my
hooked and landed his or her with you some of the things that have never force anyone to switch to this
retirement years. I was
worked well for me when getting new cast but just dropping my lure close
first steelhead, big brown
already teaching river fishto the cover time after time while
anglers started in river fishing. Most
trout, or heft smalling classes at my local
they are ending up in the overhanging
of the angling readers of Woods-Nmouth.
community college and
vegetation usually gets the message
Now, I have also
Water News have a fair amount of
guiding seemed like a
across.
retired from teaching
experience in their chosen methods
natural extension. But,
Reading water and figuring out
fishing, not because I didnt enjoy
of fishing. And, you have children or
the more I thought about it the more
where
fish might lay is key for any
the
teaching
but
because
of
increasother relatives and friends you would
I didnt want the pressure of putriver angler. With new river fishers I
ing administrative hassles. Utilizing
like to get started in this wonderful
ting paying clients into fish. I also
always emphasize the importance of
pastime. Hopefully you will find an
didnt like the idea not fishing while I my modest notoriety as an outdoor
By Jim Bedford
also feel their spinner blade tick the

top of a big rock as it sweeps over
it. Noting that the boulder provides
a holding spot just upstream of it as
well as in the downstream slots will
emphasize its importance in a moderately deep run. Of course, nothing
beats the positive re-enforcement that
happens when they feel their spinner blade tick the rock followed by a
crushing strike of a steelhead.
As you move upstream with
your partner make occasional suggestions on where to cast but dont
overdo it. You might mention that the
submerged log across your partner
has produced steelhead in the past.
Then note where to land the lure so
that it can be swept across in front
of the log. When your partner does
make a good cast dont hold back on
acknowledging the fact by saying
nice cast. You can then say that he or
she will soon make a perfect cast and
lightheartedly explain that a perfect
cast happens when a good cast results
in fish on.
Sooner or later you will hook a
fish behind your partner. This is no
time to gloat or tease your partner
about not making a good presenta-
Cole Pagliei with river bass.
Eddie Ellsworth with first chinook.

tion. Instead, explain that with most
river fish, a subtle difference in location can make or break you when the
fish are not very aggressive. Also the
fish may not see the offering in time
to grab it. So, the second or third
pass might be the fish catcher rather
than the first. While it is important
to cover lots of water when lure
fishing, I have a two cast minimum
rule. Never pass a good looking spot
without at least two casts. The better the spot, the more presentations
you should make. The first cast may
evoke some interest but the steelhead
wasnt ready. The next cast will often
result in a savage strike.
Getting your lure hung up on a
snag is inevitable when stream fishing. While I preach getting near the
wood or close to the bottom with
lures, it is important to minimize getting hung up. Taking advantage of
the fact that lures will draw fish out of
the cover is important. This is easier
said than done with beginners and
you can expect your partner to snag
up a bunch of times. It would not be
a good plan for you to keep fishing
while he or she tries to free the lure.
Now is the time to teach them some
tricks on freeing their lure. Remind
them that you are most likely going
to have success by moving the lure in
the opposite direction that it encountered the branch or rock. If the lure
is in wadeable water you can almost
always free it by reeling your rod tip
down to the spinner and gently pushing it off.
If the lure cant be freed and is

lost let your partner use your rod
while you get him or her re-rigged.
Similarly if your partner gets a big
tangle in their line it is time for you to
stop fishing and aid them in un-snarling their outfit, teaching as you go. If
it is really a mess, you can again let
them keep fishing with your outfit,
while you work out the tangles. This
would also be time to tell them about
soaking their line, if they are using
nylon monofilament, to make it more
limp and manageable. You can even
demonstrate on the stream by popping off the spool and submerging it
for a minute or two while reminding
them that this is best done at home
just before you go fishing.
A big advantage of fishing with
your new or less experienced angler is
that they can also learn by observing
what you are doing. Without preaching tell them why you cast where you
did, why you let the lure sink a little
bit before beginning the retrieve, why
you let your lure sweep across the
current, and why you gave line in fast
water and retrieved in slower flows.
These are just examples but any time
you can slip in a nugget of wisdom
when they ask why you did something will help them learn the sport
you love so much. And, of course,
nothing beats the positive re-enforcement that a steelhead or other big
fish on the end of their line provides.
Cheer them on without over instructing them on fighting the fish and have
the net ready.n
cover to the fish. Migratory fish have

recently left the Great Lakes and will
feel vulnerable in their new environment. Resident fish need to worry
about birds and other predators from
above so overhead cover is very important to all the fish in a river. Depth
can sometimes provide this cover but
something solid like a log, boulder,
undercut bank, or overhanging vegetation is usually better. An easy way
to get this concept across is to relate
that if the water is deep enough or
the cover is thick enough so that you
cant see the bottom or the fish cast
your lure there.
Fish also need shelter from the
current. Often the big rock or log that
provides overhead cover also blocks
the current. These are key spots for
fish to lie. Anadromous fish like
steelhead orient to the current because
they are traveling so they are always
searching for places to rest near their
travel lanes.
The submerged boulder is a great
learning tool for an angling friend
new to river fishing. I teach my partners to look for subtle disturbances
in the water surface that give away
the presence of a boulder. They can
45
By Tom Lounsbury
Bow Season
FEVER
hen August arrives I can

feel an annual bout of
bow season fever coming on, because with
summer winding down,
I know the Michigan
archery deer season which opens
October 1st isnt all that far away (and
the older I get, the faster time seems
to fly). It is the key preseason timeframe to get all of my archery equipment checked over and start doing
some dedicated shooting practice.
Ive been avidly bowhunting local
whitetails for quite some time now,
mostly with traditional archery tackle
change in the archery equipment being used. I fully took the compound
bow plunge in 2007 and immediately
decided I would go with a Made in
Michigan Darton bow.
To thoroughly review matters
beforehand, I made a trip to the
Darton facility located on the outskirts of Hale. This is when I first met
Rex Darlington, owner of the family
business and a well known pioneer
and innovator in the archery industry
(hes been at it since 1958 and Darton
Archery is celebrating 65 years this
year).
I learned a whole bunch about the
Tom Lounsbury and his Thumb 9-point buck he took at 18 yards in 2014 using a
Darton Scorpion crossbow.
46
involving recurve bows and longbows, and feather-fletched wooden

arrows. It was more than 35 years ago
when my bowhunting buddies began switching to the newly designed
compound bows, but I was plenty
happy with the utter simplicity of my
traditional archery tackle and I stuck
with it (the Allen/Jennings compound
bow that first came out in 1969 would
begin to change the face of archery
forever).
Time however, has a way of catching up to you, as do matters such as
an old shoulder injury. When you start
coming to a full draw with a highpoundage longbow and a shoulder
joint pops loud enough to spook the
nice (actually quite nice) buck you
are lining up on, it is time to seek a
manufacturing process of compounds

during a tour given to me by Darton
sales manager Ted Harpham, and I
was very impressed to say the least. I
also learned from Rex Darlington how
compounds truly function and the bow
I ended up using that October was
Dartons Pro 3000.
Getting to know that compound
bow with its sights (including a string
peep and various colored fiber-optic
pins) and a string release during the
preseason was a true learning experience, as using it was a bit different
from my long used finger drawing,
canted bow and instinctive snapshooting style. This compound bows
80 percent let-off when coming to a
full draw however, was far easier on
my shoulder issue (traditional bows
shot from a prone position. Kids are

also on a level playing field in the
energy department.
These however, are the only
advantages of a horizontal bow over
a vertical bow. The disadvantages of
a crossbow are that they can often
be front-heavy, making them somewhat cumbersome, and they are slow
to reload, making them a one shot
option. I can reload a muzzleloader
faster than I can a crossbow. Horizontal bows also dont hold a candle to
being as quiet when fired as vertical
bows. I have found certain hunting
conditions work better with one or

other of the types (horizontal versus
vertical) and I practice and hunt with
both to meet my needs (crossbows
are marvelous at static positions
such as blinds and tree-stands and I
prefer my Pro-3000 compound bow
for more mobile still-hunting applications as well as a static position).
Both types work fine for me according to my mood and hunting method
on a given day, and both are close
range hunting tools.

Last year I began using
Dartons newly developed Scorpion
crossbow which weighs nearly 3

pounds less and has an axle to axle
length 10 inches shorter than my 09
Lightning crossbow. I took a nice
9-point with it last November and
the lighter weight and more compact
nature while improving performance
clearly defines the continual evolution
of compound bows and crossbows.

All this archery evolution
aside, getting an annual bout of bow
season fever is a malady I always
look forward to and thoroughly enjoy.
For more information go to www.
dartonarchery.com.n
Make your move today...
THINK BIG
RECREATIONAL LAND LOANS
Are you looking to own a slice of the
great outdoors? With GreenStone Farm
Credit Services you can finance 20, 60, 100
acres...you pick the site and the terms up
to 30 years. Plus, when you are ready to
take the land to the next step, we have
you covered, from homes to hobby farms
and everything in between.
To learn more, contact a lending experts
at one of our 36 offices today!
800-444-3276
www.greenstonefcs.com
reach their maximum poundage at

full draw and with absolutely no
let-off) and I had a great time getting
fully acquainted and melding with
everything.

What really impressed me
was the acute and consistent accuracy
that I achieved, and at some amazing
yardages too. Using a good release
with a proper trigger was something
I discovered right away is a real key
to the consistency, besides a quality made compound bow and carbon
arrows. I would use the Pro-3000
that October to arrow a buck with an
unusual rack that I had previously
dubbed (per scouting) the Cactus
Buck. The range was 39 yards, the
furthest I had ever attempted with a
bow on a deer, and the arrow flew
quite fast and true to the mark according to the correct sight-pin. Ive
been sold on the Darton Pro-3000
ever since (when something works so
well, I hate changing), despite vast
improvements in compound bows
that keep steadily evolving each year.

Rex Darlington is definitely a
major force in this continual evolution and he places an emphasis on
advancement in cam design. What he
explained to me is that the power is
in the cam, and not the bows limbs.
Shorter limbs actually work better
(but must be able to withstand the
increased power) with cams, thus
creating a lighter and more compact
bow that is faster and quieter than
ever. Today, my 8-year old Pro-3000
is truly outclassed by this steadily
advancing technology as Rex Darlington keeps chugging away, and
Im always curious as to what he will
come up with next.

An example of this is Dartons new DS-3900 compound bow
that I recently read the specs on.
Weighing only 4 pounds and with
an axle to axle length of less than 34
inches, it can send an arrow at 355
fps. That is certainly phenomenal performance in a very compact package
and it is sending an arrow just as fast,
or faster than most crossbows.
Rex Darlington has also combined the advancing technology to
crossbows as well (Darton began
manufacturing crossbows in 1999).
Todays Darton crossbows are lighter
and more compact than ever (check
out the Rebel or Scorpion). When
Michigan first allowed using crossbows during the archery deer season
in 2009, I immediately purchased a
Darton Lightning crossbow and
was very impressed with its performance, and the advantages were
evident at the beginning. To start, a
cocked crossbow is at already at full
draw when a deer arrives and it also
offers excellent stability for shooting.
Besides the three points of contact
(shoulder and two hands) identical to
a long gun, it can be readily braced
on a rest or shooting sticks and also
47
amouflage painting camera

gear, guns, crossbow and
clothing has helped me to
get kissin close to wildlife.
I learned the importance of
camo concealment years ago
when fancy camo patterns
were not available and I would spray
paint photography and hunting equipment to help me blend with Michigans
outdoor environment. The idea is to go
unnoticed by wildlife to get close and
take photos or execute an accurate shot.
The essence of hunting often hinges
on how well you are concealed, hidden
from the sharp eyesight of wary critters
and execution of your ambush.
I learned the importance of full
camouflage when stalking big bucks
with telephoto lens that was black. On
several occasions Id get close but wary
bucks would spot the unnatural dark
object and dash for cover. Thats when
I painted my expensive telephoto lens,
Nikon and Canon cameras, and I soon
was getting excellent results because
wild critters did not see me.
I began experimenting with spray
painting guns in the early 1960s and
discovered impressive results when
hunting deer and waterfowl. Once I
hit on this hot hunting strategy I went
spray paint crazy on guns, bows,
camera equipment, clothing, face mask,
the works. It was tough for me to spray
paint my new Remington 1100, but
soon I colored my custom Herters
30-06, Benelli shotgun, and all archery
gear. I even wrote letters of recommendation to gun and archery manufacturers recommending they sell camo
equipment. Ill never forget a letter back from the
Remingtons research and
development department
telling me they would
not consider camouflaging guns because only
a few turkey hunters or
waterfowl nuts would buy
camo guns. Wow! Were
they wrong, today most
outdoorsmen prefer camo
gear because they
fully understand the
tremendous advantage
when you are totally
concealed from wildlife. Todays savvy
hunters have camo clothing, boots,
gloves and gun or bow that blends with
the outdoor environment.
Camouflage painting gun or archery
gear is a technique used by woodssmart hunters to break up the outline
of the weapon and aid in concealment.
Plus it adds a personalized touch to
hunting gear that sets it apart. Sure,
some people will tremble at the thought
of spray painting high gloss rifles, shotguns or expensive crossbows with deli-
Modern camouflage spray paint has a dull finish, comes in a variety of colors
and is wear and weather resistant. Spray your shotgun green for late turkey season. Most rifles and deer guns can be fully camouflaged by applying a
khaki base coat and using brown and dull black to create various patterns.
cate optics but using the steps below

can create a camouflage finish without
damage to the finish or optics.
I like to spray paint using a fire
wood pile as a gun rest and I have outdoor ventilation and the bright sunlight
offers plenty of light. If not, choose a
place with good ventilation and plenty
of light. If the Michigan weather does
not cooperate move to the garage or
basement, make certain you have proper ventilation. Painting gear to match
your local environment
makes perfect sense.
There is a variety of
spray paints on the market that will get the job
done like Krylon UltraFlat Camo, Bowflage
and more. My choice is
simple. I visit the local
store and grab a few cans
of Rust-Oleum Camouflage. It has a non-reflective finish and ultra-flat
colors blend with the
outdoors and provide
a waterproof bond.
Ive found that a combination of khaki,
brown, black and a touch of green
works in most fall hunting situations.
Since Im an avid winter waterfowler
the dull white is a good match with
snow and spring turkey hunters will
need to use green colors. You would
get a kick out of my late season turkey
gun, boots, hat , mask and clothing all
painted with Rust-Oleum Ultra cover
primer and paint in satin green colors.
Preparation is simple, just wipe
down the metal to remove gun oil and
By Kenny Darwin
48
begin taping. Cover optics with duct

tape and tape over ejection port, bolt,
gas ports, safety, trigger and muzzle.
The scope can be tricky and tape over
knobs, turrets, magnification ring.
I usually tape off most of the scope
and when the gun paining is finished
I remove all the tape and touch up
areas with a Q-tip dipped in paint and
dabbed on the scope. You should tape
all sights, safety, scope magnification
numbers, illumination on/off indicator
and trigger.
Some folks like to use alcohol or
acetone to clean or degrease the metal
prior to painting. I just wipe with a
clean rag. Apply a base coat of light
brown or khaki color. The idea is to put
down a light coat and let it dry. Some
folks use a blow dryer between coats to
help the drying process.
Using a stencil, cedar bow, grass,
leaves, paper or cardboard cut-out
helps to break up the outline and allow
it to blend with the environment. Effective camo patterns are endless and you
can customize your gun by using grass,
cattails and any stencil pattern. Just
hold the grass, leaves stencil against the
rifle and spray, giving the gun a grassy
pattern. Multiple stencils help guns to
blend with a larger variety of environments.
One of my camo tricks is to make
horizontal or vertical lines using a Qtip. After the gun has a base tan coat,
spray another color onto a paper plate,
soak the Q-tip and start drawing lines.
Good secondary colors include: green
and shades of dark brown. Just have
a riot hand painting lines resembling
blades of grass, cattails or branches.

You can make them narrow, wide and
they can go in any direction. As a final
touch I spray some flat black paint onto
a plate and use a Q-tip to outline camo
pattern and give it depth, shady looking
areas and make the gun look like part
of the outdoor environment.
Ive found by stepping back a few
yards and looking at your painted
project will help you identify areas
that need more work like the stock
butt, under the receiver or around the
black scope. The trick is to match your
weapon with the environment where
you will be hunting. Light brown or
khaki colored paint is a perfect match
for fall cattails at Point Mouillee or
prairie grass along on the open farms in
Saginaw County. Khaki is the color of
choice for those hunting in stand corn
or corn stubble. Deep green is ideal
when hunting in northern Michigan
cedar swamps. Mixing brown, gray
and black on a rifle can be the perfect
match for southern Michigan alder
patches and thick brush.
As a final touch I mark the safety
with bright orange Scribbles paint.
Scribbles is found in most craft stores,
I get mine at JoAnn Fabric and comes
in a variety of colors like bright red,
green, fluorescent orange and more.
I also mark my scope rings with an
orange dot to make certain my scopes
are always n perfect focus. Scribbles
are also used to mark scopes with on/
off switches for illuminated reticles.
Most crossbow manufacturers are
Camo painting page 50
INTERESTED IN SELLING
YOUR STANDING TIMBER?
CALL US !!!
Michigan Lumber and Wood Fiber is a locally owned and
operated sawmill located in the heart of Northern Michigan. We
work hard to staff the most experienced professionals and we
believe in investing in the most current technology. As a team,
our departments of forestry, wood processors, timber haulers
and sawmills are striving to provide the most efficient, professional and quality timber services available in Northern Michigan.
FREE EVALUATIONS OF STANDING TIMBER

FORESTER
Our forester has the education and experience needed to meet the specific needs of any landowner. We will meet with you to discover your goals and help you select the best harvest
method to reach those goals. (Management plans, Wildlife plans, chipping of tops, clearing
trees for food plots, ect)
LOGGING CREWS
Our seasoned logging crews use state of the art wood processors, feller bunchers, forwarders
and chippers, our mechanized wood crews are using the latest technology to provide the most
efficient removal of forest products with minimal impact to residual timber and underlying soils.
TRUCK FLEET
Since we maintain our own fleet of self-loading log trucks to haul wood to our mill, we have the
unique advantage of being able to schedule the hauling of your timber products around hunting
or weather issues.
SAWMILL
Our mill is located just north of the beautiful little town of Comins, Michigan and consists of two
modern sawmills and one scragg mill operation. A distinct advantage that we have is specific
markets for what is referred to as industrial lumber. As a sawmill, we are paying good money for
the best quality wood out there, but we also pay well for lower quality industrial timber. Another
advantage that we have is the scragg mill. This mill allows us to utilize smaller diameter material
that in the past would have been sold for firewood or pulpwood which is typically worth less
than scragg material.
REFERENCES AVAILABLE
We would honor the opportunity for us to meet and discuss in more detail how we may be of
service to you. We also encourage the land owners to visit all our operations to see what products we turn your standing timber into.
Michigan Lumber & Wood Fiber, Inc.
Comins, Mi (989) 848-2100 or (989) 848-5946 Fax: (989) 848-7252
We are your complete source for buying your timber! Our operations take your standing timber from the tree to delivered green lumber. We have eliminated the need for all of the middle
men. By obtaining strong markets for our products and investing in technology, we are able
to get the most out of every last log we process. All this means savings for us and more money
for you. We are locally owned and we live and shop in the same communities that you do. We
value our reputation above everything else. And we are committed to earning your trust and
building a lasting relationship.
49
Camouflage painting:
from page 48
smart enough to camo paint items.

However, many offer black varieties
and some items are only partially camo
painted. Painting a crossbow is tricky
business but the end product can be
a fully camouflaged weapon the deer
and turkeys have difficulty spotting.
I recommend you do not spray crossbows because the paint can get into the
working mechanisms. Instead use the
Q-tip method to dab or paint as much
of the item as possible. Shades of
brown and gray can help to conceal a
crossbow that has too much black.
Go crazy painting guns to match
different seasons if you like. I have
an ancient Benelli 12 ga. shotgun that
is painted brown to match grass and
corn in the fall, white for winter goose
hunting and lime green when Im chasing spring turkeys. At one point the
coatings were getting rather thick so I
removed all the camo paint by soaking the shotgun in gasoline and using a
tooth brush to wipe off the paint. Holy
cow!! Much to my surprise I found a
shiny new looking shotgun after the
paint was removed because the paint
coating prevents rust and preserves the
original finish. Since then I have removed camo paint with ease from guns
and optics using Goof Off. Ive found
stripping paint from a gun is easy if
50
Visit our Booth

at the 29th Annual
Woods-N-Water News
Outdoor Weekend!
you break everything down which allows easy access to barrel, scope and
anything that was painted. Goof Off is
the way to go but it gives off noxious
fumes and use with caution in a well
ventilated area.
Just rub off the paint using a rag
soaked in Goof Off. The scope is the
most time consuming and in order to
get paint from around dials or magnification ring use a toothbrush. Once
paint has been removed you can revitalize the finish with an oily rag
When I took just one outing with
a retired Marine sniper in search of
groundhogs, I learned volumes about
the need for proper camouflage to
effectively harvest game. He wore a
Gillie suit and when he spotted a chuck
would crawl across the terrain like a
panther on the prowl. At one point he
wrapped grass and ferns around the
barrel of his customized AR-.223. Of
course his face was camo painted and
when he set up on the bi-pod he could
hit a dime at 100 yards.
Hand painting your gun or bow is
very satisfying and you can mix colors
to match the season or environment
where you are hunting. Sure, you can
always send your gun to a custom dip
shop and spend a couple hundred dollars to make it look perfect. But what
Camo spray paint helped the author to conceal a shiny silver stainless steel barrel from
the keen eyesight of wary adult deer. Blued or stainless gun barrels often reflect light
like a mirror and spook game which decreases your opportunity to fill your deer tag.
about that fancy scope or the riser on

your new bow? Is it time you get out
the Q-tips and touch them up with
camouflage paint? I guarantee once
you start it is tough to quit and you
will be custom painting all your gear.
Heck, I spray paint boots, backpack,
gloves, hat and the list of items keeps
growing.
Lessons taught by fellow deer,
turkey, duck, squirrel and chuck snipers have absolutely proven that the
key to hunting success has everything

to do with the hide. How well you are
concealed, how well your clothing and
gear blends with the local environment
and how difficult you are to detect.
The important message to remember
from all of this is if you want to succeed at harvesting wild game with
keen eyesight you need to learn how
to completely blend with the environment. Hiding a shiny black barrel is a
priority!n
As the days shorten and the water starts cooling, bass

get into a constant feed mode ... By Buck Mallory
Late summer bass skipping page 52
hen
September rolls
around,
many of
the more
casual bass anglers stop
fishing, as if bass season
ends with Labor Day.
Thats a shame, because
after what can be some
serious doldrums in
August, the fishing for
both largemouth and
smallmouth on Michigan lakes starts getting
betterand continues to
stay great right up until
ice keeps our bass boats
off the lakes.
As the days shorten
and the water starts cooling, bass get into a constant feed mode, bulking
up for the long winter
ahead. They have ample
opportunity to find food,
as most of the things
they eat are abundant
and on the move, too.
Plus, its often easier to
target bass as some weed
beds stay green, provide
cover for baitand
ambush points for bass,
while producing lots of
oxygen. Other weeds
A wacky-rigged Senko is always a good choice
in the same lake can be
when skipping under docks and pontoons for bass.
dying back, now, creating an environment that
is almost void of life as they decompose and use up more oxygen than they
produce. Find the good weeds, find the bass.
The other reason September can provide awesome bass fishing is that
some lake house owners are taking in their piers and boat lifts, leaving fewer
for the bass (mainly largemouth) to hide under as they feed on young bluegills
and other shallow-water prey. Piers can be an excellent September pattern.
Lets look at pier fishing, and some of the things that make some docks way
better than others in Michigans natural lakes.
I like finding some depth around docksdocks in shallow water of just
a foot or two deep arent nearly as good as a dock thats in five feet of water.
Find a darker spot around a dock that has some depth, and youre likely to
cash in.
Really, spotting anything different about docks can be a good thing. Like
if youre in a sandy stretch of shoreline and notice a dock with some weeds
around it. It can be MONEY!
Another thing to look for with docks is how they stick out into the lake.
This is something a lot of bass anglers overlook, but as you survey docks
51
Bass skipping:
from page 51
Accurate skipping and flipping avoids creating a loud KABONG! with a lead
head jig.
52
close together down a shoreline, you

might notice a pattern where a series
of them comes out and creates a sort
of point. This might be because of
depth contours on the lake bottom
and it might just be a coincidence
where several cottage-dwellers put in
long docks to match their neighbors.
The docks that create the tip of this
point are often your best, most reliable targets.
Also, take a look at dock compositionthe materials that make the
dock. All docks can create cover and
hold fish, but the ones made of wood
seem to hold more fish. I think its
because tiny organisms can hang on
to wood and actually live in it, creating the bottom of a whole food chain
that attracts baitfish and bass. Whatever, in my experience, wood docks
generally have the most lifeand
better chances for bassthan metal
and plastic docks do.
Of course, its not just the docks,
but the boats around the docks, too.
Every bass angler who has ever
skipped a lure for a day is automatically drawn to pontoon boats. Lots of
times pontoons are easy to fish and
hold bass. Of course, its helpful to
practice your skipping so you dont

slam the back of an aluminum tube
with a -ounce jig, making a Chinese
gong sound that brings the cottage
owner steaming out of his house.
And heres a good place to interject something. Although I do my
very best dock fishing with leadhead
and titanium jigs with skirts and a
plastic trailer that Ive taught myself
to skip with a baitcaster, youre probably better off to start by skipping
tube jigs and maybe twin-tail grubs
with a smaller head with spinning
gear when you get started. Another
great lure that doesnt get a lot of
respect but that works great for dock
skipping are the pre-hooked tourist
worms you can find in many gas stations in Michigan. These have two or
three smaller hooks molded into the
plastic, skip well, and dont go KABONG! when you smack the back
of a pontoon with one. Another great
choice is an unweighted, wackyrigged Senko, a four- or five-inch
straight worm hooked in the middle.
Plus, bass grab these and tourist
worms and hang on when you skip
one back under a dock and let it waft
down in front of their noses. I used
to know a guy who skipped tourist
worms with an old push-button spincast reeland did extremely well in
The best, biggest bass youll

find when fishing docks will
be in places few others dare
to try and put a lure. Look for
these tough places and figure
out how to get to it for some
real exciting shallow water
action in September.
We are innovators.
We are Kubota.
RTV-X900 Utility Vehicle
Standard L Series Compact Tractors
21.6 HP Kubota Diesel Engine

Exclusive Variable Hydro Transmission
Front and Rear Independent Suspension
24.8 to 47.3 HP Kubota Diesel Engines

Powerful Transmission Options
High Quality, Versatile and Affordable
M-GX Series Mid-Size Ag Tractors
Z122R Zero-Turn Mower
Electronic-Shift Control with IntelliShift Transmission

Grand Cab, Among the Largest in Class
Highly Maneuverable, Featuring Kubota Exclusive Bi-Speed Turn
NEW
&
USED
21.5 HP Air-Cooled Kawasaki ER Engine

4.5"-Deep, Fully-Welded Durable, 42" Mower Deck
Patented Steering System Design for Superior Handling and
Ease of Operation
Rosy Bros. Inc.

5727 Dryden Road
Dryden, MI 48428
(810) 796-3770
www.rosybrosinc.com
www.kubota.com
Optional equipment may be shown.

Kubota Tractor Corporation, 2015
UR
VISIT OT THE
A
H
BOOT ATER NEWS
-N-W
WOODS
OOR
D
T
U
O
EN-13D!
K
E
E
WSEPT. 11-12
BUY
SELL
TRADE
tournaments.
When you start getting good at skipping, you might find that, especially
in the clear-water conditions you
find in many Michigan lakes in late
summer, a heavier jig will get more
strikes. I believe thats because when
you skip it back under something,
landing it as softly as possible, it
sinks real fast, not giving a bass any
time to think about whether it wants
to grab it or not.
How softly do you want to land
your lure under a pier? Bass pro
Casey Ashley (who recently won
the Bassmaster Classic) and I were
talking about skipping one time and
he put it this way: You want to land
it in there like a butterfly with sore
feet.
Thats soft! But consider that
youre winging a fairly heavy lure
back into, two, three and four feet of
water. A big splash is very likely to
scatter the fish; softer is better.
The kind of jig matters when
skipping, too. Just like flat stones skip
way better than round ones, jigs with
flat sides do the same. I really like the
Strike King Tour Grade Pro Model
Jig, which seems to plane on the waters surface better than most and lets
you get farther back under the pier.
As for gear, its your typical jig
stuff, although I like a fast tip on
my baitcasting rod to generate some
velocity as Im going for the underhand flip. If the water is dark enough,
I much prefer decent braided line,
which has no stretch and lets you feel
a bite immediately and haul that bass
out of there before it can get wrapped
on a post. Dark water isnt really the
norm in Michigan, though, so some
good fluorocarbon (I like the valuepriced Bass Pro Shops and Lews
brands) spooled on your baitcaster
will get the job done. If Im on a lake
where I know there are some real hog
bass, I might spool with 20-pound
test, but for most Michigan situations,
14-pound test is usually enough.
Guys with spinning gear might opt to
spool with 12-pound braid and add
a 12- or 14-pound leader of fluorocarbon. The braid comes off the reel
nicely and gives you that sensitivity
to feel bites right away.
One final note about skipping
docks, and this holds true for any
time of year: Look for the toughest
place to get to and figure out how to
get to it. Those are the places that really big bass have made their summer
homes, unmolested by average dock
skippers. Ive caught some of my
biggest bass around docks in places
where Ive had to hoist them out from
under jet skis and completely over
piers.
Its fun and exciting!n
53
Cover Story ... By Kenny Darwin
Are you ready for DEER SEASON?
he definition of luck is when

preparation meets opportunity. Lucky Michigan deer hunters would be the first to admit
that the more you prepare for
opener the more likely you
will succeed. Certainly there is no
time like the present to begin your
preparation for the upcoming hunt.
The first step in preparation is
shooting your weapon. Im a big fan
of crossbow hunting for turkeys and
deer and shoot routinely in my basement at about 12 yards. The target
and crossbow industry would probably scoff at recommending you shoot
bolts in close quarters, especially a
basement. However, my target has a
backdrop of clothing that would slow
down or stop a runaway bolt, which I
have never had. Modern targets are so
reliable at stopping arrows that sportsmen can shoot them at extremely
close range and a growing army of
archery shooters practice in an apartment, garage, basement or back yard.
After a hunt I never unload my
crossbow in the field but wait until
Im back home or in camp and take
steady aim at about 15 yards to double
check accuracy. If the sights or scope
is off you can sight-in immediately
and be good to go the next outing. The
trick is to have a reliable target that
will stop the fast moving bolt or arrow. Ive used a variety of back stops
and must admit that there are a num-
arrows, bolts, broadheads, cover scent,

no scent soap, Scent Loc suit, bow
case, what about the serving or string?
Do ya need a new scope? Now is
the time to work the bugs out of your
equipment and be fully prepared
long before you go afield. This is the
season to buy that new crossbow,
bow, automatic rifle, muzzle loader,
or sight in new ammunition. Do your
test shooting and equipment purchases
now so you can get used to the new
gear and be on target long before the
weather gets cold and masses of huntAuthor uses portable target to
ers show up at the range. Folks who
practice indoors and outside. You
rush the range the last couple days
can increase your odds of scoring
before opener are often rookies or the
this fall by practice shooting at a
kind of hunter that is unorganized,
variety of positions and distances.
constantly late and seldom fill their
It is also a good idea to make a
tag.
couple shots before you go huntI like to take my Big Green Target
ing to make certain your archery
outdoors
and practice shooting my
gear is accurate and functioning
crossbow
outdoors at a variety of disproperly.
tances and varied weather conditions.
Sometimes practicing in the wind or
rain can be a humiliating experience
requires only a one handed pull. Boy, when you get cold, shaky and your
ber of outstanding targets available.
bolts from my TenPoint Stealth cross- accuracy goes tube city. I like to hike
My choice is simple. I got tired of
using both hands and pulling my guts bow are moving fast but removing
around the local archery course and
them from the target is easy, guaranout when dislodging arrows or bolts
try to walk fast or jog between targets
from the target. My solution was a Big teed. Other good choices include the
to get the blood pumping and heart
Morrell Yellow Jacket, Block, McKGreen Target. It is about 24x24x13
pounding to mimic what happens
enzie and more.
and weighs 33 lbs. It has two sides
when you draw down on a monster
It is a good idea to practice at least buck and you slip into a high stress
you can shoot into and is made of
100% recyclable materials. This target once a week at a variety of distances
situation as massive amounts of
is for field tips only. The advantage of and make certain your equipment is
adrenalin surge through your veins.
ready for the hunt. Need new cables,
Big Green Targets is arrow removal
Training helps to control emotions
and condition your body to automatically get off accurate shots in rushed
or stressful situations.
Most gun hunters do not practice
enough. Oh sure, many go to the
range just before opener and their
gun is still shooting bulls eyes at 100
yards, whats the big deal. Well, fact is
none of us shoot enough. Most of us
practice wrong. You should practice
with your gun on a regular basis and
from positions you will likely shoot
deer.
The problem with most range
shooters is they are in a controlled
environment and they have a supersolid rest. Concentrating on hitting
the target boils down to holding your
breath and squeezing the trigger. But
LASTS UP TO DAYS
how often do range shooters shoot
free hand? In order to keep your
No messy liquids
Reactivates with moisture
shooting form it is a good bet to practice, try dry practicing in the privacy
Apply Scent up to 10 away Biodegradable
of your own home. Shoulder your gun
on a regular basis. Get your gun out
String dissipates in minutes
of the closet and aim at a target, using
its sights, and scope. Make certain
you can get the safety on and off with
little noise and become intimate with
you gun. The idea is to use a gun that
fits you properly, feels comfortable
against your shoulder and this comfort
54
www.awayhunting.com
888.289.2929
RAIN OR SHINE!
After your gun is sighted-in and accurately

shooting; try a variety
of positions like free
hand standing, kneeling
or prone. Can you hit
a 4-inch target at 50
yards? If so, try 100
yards. Author photos
gauge deer activity and pinpoint buck
hideouts.
There are several quality trail
cameras on the market that offer unbelievable quality and are affective at
recording whitetail activity. I love my
Stealth Cam G42 No-Glo Trail game
cameras that take sharp images and
videos. But dont overlook the vibrant
videos the Browning Strike Force
Sub Micro can take up to 100 ft. and
it is compact, offers a long battery
life and is a workhorse. Some hunters
swear by the Bushnell 8MP Trophy
Cam HD Hybrid with night vision
and sharp motion-sensing technology; this baby shoots high definition
videos. Dont overlook Blusmart and
Moultree A5Low glow trail cams that
have the bells and whistles to help
deer hunters to use electronics to their
advantage.
When corn is tall, in brush, thick
leaves or deep woods it is often difficult to get quality pictures. There-
fore, many sportsmen prefer to place

cameras near well used trails, along
water sources, under apple trees, open
areas and on the edge of agricultural
fields like beans, alfalfa and more.
Some make mock scrapes using
modern scents and others use trace
minerals to attract deer into camera
range. Setting up and maintaining
trail cams require woodsmanship
and understanding of deer habits in
your hunting area. Some hunters use
ATVs while scouting and getting out
cameras, by riding in an ATV they
cut down on human scent. Batteries
and photo cards are maintained during mid-day when deer are bedded.
Savvy hunters spray boots, legs,
and clothing with odor eliminating
products when maintaining cameras
to control and minimize human
interference that could alert wary
deer.
There is one aspect of deer hunting that Im particularly passionate
about, and that is being fully prepared. This boils down to practicing
with your weapon long before the
hunt. Im not talking clothing, rain
gear, food or accommodations; you
can get that organized at lightning
speed. Im talking about using your
weapon enough that you develop
muscle memory. I consider the instantaneous use of your weapon to be the
most important part of harvesting
deer. The trick to success hinges on
how much you practice, build the
specific muscles needed to automatically draw, shoot and get accurate
results. Shot placement means very
little if you are fumbling to get your
weapon ready and up for the shot. Of
course there are those missed opportunities when a dandy buck is suddenly in plain view. Now, just how fast
can you load, draw, get the sights on
the vitals and execute a lethal shot?
I hope you get outdoors soon,
practice with your weapon of choice
and enjoy the shooting fun. Learn to
be tenacious about building muscle
memory that will enhance your
shooting and help you fill your tag.
In specific terms it means working
with your weapon and all aspects of
operation. When you consider that
most encounters with dandy bucks
take place at lightning speed, you
can understand the importance of
training to automatically get off a
deadly shot.
So, are you fully prepared for
deer season? If not, now is the time
to get new gear and dont forget to
start practicing early. The results can
be impressive.n
SEE YOU A
WOODS-N-W T THE
ATER NEWS
OUTDOOR
WEEKEND!
11TH Annual
Buck Pole/
Family Event
NOV. 15TH!
THOUSANDS IN
PRIZES AND
GIVEAWAYS
1381 Imlay City Road, Lapeer,Michigan 48446
Phone: (810) 664-9800

Website: www.raycs.com
All hunting
season, show us
your buck FREE 2015 Buck
Pole T-Shirt
only is acquired by repetition dry fire

exercises. Next you practice shooting
at targets. The goal should be to practice until you can hit a 4-inch target,
off hand or any position every time
at 50 yards. The idea is to condition
your body and learn how to shoulder
the gun, get on target fast, point the
sights on a small spot and hold them
there long enough to make an accurate shot.
One reason hunters miss easy
shots is because of bad triggers. Shotguns often come with 8 lb. trigger
pull. From a bench you can manage
a heavy pull trigger but shooting offhand is a different story. Combine a
bad trigger with increased heart rate
when a big buck suddenly appears
in range, cold temperatures, a little
wiggle and it is easy to miss shots.
The solution is to get a quality trigger
or have a gunsmith modify the trigger
to a 3-4 lb. pull.
My .30-06 has a 2 lb. trigger pull
and recently I bought a new .308
with two-stage trigger that I replaced
with a quality Timney 4 lb. trigger.
Both rifles are extremely accurate and
when the cross hairs are centered on
the target a slight touch of the trigger
guarantees shots in the kill zone.
By practicing with archery gear
or gun the idea is to draw over and
over, quickly gain target acquisition,
get the sights on the kill zone and
concentrate on shot placement. The
biggest reason hunters miss shots at
deer is because they shoot too soon,
rush the shot, pull the sights off target
and the buck of a lifetime bounds
out of sight. By practicing you learn
aiming discipline, how to concentrate
on the shot and when the moment of
truth arrives you are conditioned to
make the extra effort to accurately
aim, squeeze the trigger and place a
shot in the kill zone.
Wise hunters learn to use technology to their advantage and the end
result can produce a dandy buck.
Finding a shooter buck requires a
lot of scouting and savvy hunters
have learned to use trail cameras to
locate deer. Now is also an ideal time
to get the trail cam in the field and
start evaluating bucks on your hunting turf. This helps you to estimate
deer numbers in your area and take
a preseason peek at bucks. Plus its
fun to use video mode on modern
cameras to see bucks in motion and
better evaluate them. Videos provide
an opportunity to more precisely
age bucks because they see deer in a
variety of moving positions. Videos
are a fantastic tool for gauging the
precise antler size of bucks without
actually walking all over your hunting grounds, leaving human scent
everywhere that can spook wise old
monarchs. Some sportsmen use multiple cameras in different locations to
55
SIZE
WALLEYES
does matter to
THE NEXT BITE...
By Gary Parsons and Keith Kavajecz
56
hoosing the right size of crankbait to

trigger walleyes to bite may seem like
a simple case of match the hatch,
but we assure you, there is a great
deal more to it. Just because the walleyes in your favorite lake primarily
feed on minnows or young perch in the 2 to 3 inch
range most of the year, doesnt mean that a 4 or 5
inch bait wouldnt trip their trigger now and then.
And of course, a smaller offering may also be the
ticket on other days.
When Keith does his annual Kids Fishing
Seminars around the local schools in the spring, he
always tells the kids that Small baits catch any size
fish. To flat out catch more fish, often smaller baits
do the trick numbers wise at least. That said, there
are many situations where anglers target larger fish
(4 pound plus walleyes) and often a larger profile
bait will be the top producer.
Lure size is just another part of the puzzle
that needs to be fine tuned when you are putting
together the pattern for a day of walleye fishing,
along with color and lure shape. Shape is one of
those that is often overlooked, but a crankbaits
shape has a great deal to do with the action the bait
has and therefore the vibration it puts out. When
we were working with the designers at Berkley on
the Flicker Shad line of cranks, we always knew we
would need to also develop a minnow-style line of
baits to complete the arsenal and thus the Flicker
Minnow lures came about.
As effective as the Flicker Shad lures are, there
are times that a more slender profile will get more
bites, and when the 7 cm and 9 cm sizes of Flicker
Minnows were first introduced, the fish-catching results were phenomenal. It didnt take long however
for anglers around the walleye belt to begin asking
for more sizes of these deadly baits. So, plans began
for a smaller 5 cm version and a larger 11 cm to be
added to the mix.
The new 5 cm Flicker Minnow is a great fish
catcher. It is really the only deep diving minnow
style bait in its size category, diving to a surprising
14 feet deep with 153 feet of 10 pound test Berkley
Trilene XT let out (according to the Precision Trolling Data App). And of course, it has all the great
walleye crankbait attributes like roll rate, side flash
and tail wag too. We really put these cranks to the
test, fishing them from small waters like the glacial
lakes of eastern South Dakota, to the large waters
like Wisconsins Lake Winnebago and the Bay of
Green Bay on Lake Michigan, as well as in rivers
like the Mississippi and countless other bodies of
Lure size is just another part of the puzzle that needs to be fine-tuned when you are putting together
the pattern for a day of walleye fishing, along with color and lure shape.
water. The results were the same everywhere; the
action on these lures attracts walleyes.
As for the new 11cm Flicker Minnow; that
proved to be one of the harder baits we have ever
test and proto-typed to get the action right; right
meaning the bigger walleyes liked it. Large baits
like this not only need the right roll (and side flash)
but also the right swimming action. Finally, after
3 years of testing, we felt the bait was ready for
release.
This bigger lure was tested in waters where big
walleyes swim primarily big western reservoirs
and the Great Lakes. The 11 cm Flicker Minnow
proved to be a fish magnet, working great at speeds
all the way down to 1.4 mph and as fast as 3 mph.
With 217 feet of 10 pound test Berkley Trilene XT
out, the bait dives to 24 feet, but what is impressive is that this big bait does not pull excessively
hard making it a dream to use on boards like the Of
Shore Tackle OR-12 Side Planers. Bites are easy to
read with this set-up too a good thing since with
these lures, bites tend to come often.
If you need to get more depth with the 11s, you
can do so by running them on 10 pound test Berkley FireLine. This lines thinner diameter line lets it
go to 31 feet with 247 feet of line out.
So with all these great crankbaits available to
you, what determines which ones you use in what
situation to get the most bites? You might think it
has to do with the forage base in the water youre
fishing. Many anglers hit the water with a predetermined game plan as to what baits should work.
Thats a mistake! Our best advice; Never assume
you know what the walleyes want! If there is one
thing we have learned over all our years of fishing,
its that you need to let the fish tell you whats the
best bait to use on a given day. Thats the reason we
carry so many different colors, sizes and shapes of
cranks.
Oh sure, there are basic guidelines you can
go by, and matching the local forage is always a
good place to start. And general rules-of-thumb
like bright colors bigger baits in dirty water and
natural colors smaller lures in clear water are
good strategies to begin with. But keep an open
mind and always be willing to try something different. The plan is to fine tune your presentation to get
the best results. Say youre catching some fish with
a 9 cm Flicker Minnow in the Slick Mouse color.
On one of your lines, tie on an 11 cm Flicker Minnow in that same color and see if the bites are more
frequent, or maybe that lure triggers fewer bites but
bigger fish.
Keeping a wide range of lure sizes, shapes and
colors in your tackle box will ensure you have options. Use those options experiment all the time.
One thing most anglers dont get is the best time to
experiment is when you are catching fish! If youre
catching fish, its the perfect time to throw out some
different lures to see if you can target bigger fish, or
even more fish. Dont settle for good fishing
go for great fishing!
Good walleye anglers often dont hesitate to
experiment with color, but if you are looking to be
a great walleye angler, try experimenting more with
lure size. Changing up the lure size may just be
whats needed to help you get your Next Bite!
If you have questions or comments on this or
other articles from Gary Parsons and Keith Kavajecz, visit their website www.thenextbite.com.n
Tiny Rustic Cabins

www.woodhavenlog.com
(989) 826-8300
Starting at $13,49900
12x16 up to 12x20, Fully wired, insulated and customizable with any of

WoodHavens premium interior panelings and exterior sidings. 4 porch,
lofts, railings and other options available. Free freight within 150 miles.
Call today for your customized Tiny Cabin

989-826-8300 or toll free 888-988-7463
Financing Available
57
3-D Archery
By Lane Walker
t seems like bow season cant come soon

enough. Anxious hunters across the state are
counting down the days until October 1st.
The big problem is finding something to do
to keep occupied until the archery opener.
While nothing can ever take the place of sitting in a treestand, there is hope.
Maybe its time you consider taking up 3-D
archery.
Shooting 3-D archery can help fill the void
between hunting seasons and there are a ton of
benefits for hunters.
Health Benefits
There are a lot of great ways for hunters to stay

fit or get healthy for the upcoming hunting season.
Having good health is vital during hunting season
and being healthy should be on the top of every
hunters to do list. Whether making a long walk to
your stand or sitting for hours in your tree, there are
major benefits for being fit this season.
Three-D archery is one great way for hunters
to get in shape this preseason. There are a lot of
great health benefits from shooting archery. Shoot-
James Welch of Peck, Ty Colling of Cass City, Kyle Greenwood of Allendale, Nate Pike of Reese and Lane
Walker enjoyed the realism of the 3-D targets at the Rinehart R100. The 3-D shoot is held throughout the
United States with one stop in Michigan at the Saginaw Field and Stream Club.
strengthening your core, 3-D shooting also gives
hunters a great cardio workout. Most courses take
shooters on a couple mile walk. Shooters will be
burning calories by pulling their bow backs and
walking the course. Its a fun, easy way to exercise
all the muscles that play a vital role in successful
bow hunting.
host monthly 3-D shoots and they dont cost a lot

of money. For shooters looking for a large shoot,
Rinehart comes to Michigan once a year. Every August, a group of my buddies and I travel to the Saginaw Field and Stream Club to shoot in the Rinehart
R100. The R100 consists of 50-North American
targets and 50-African Targets. The two-day event
is an awesome way to get out and enjoy 3-D before
October 1st. There is a wide array of targets. They
Another great benefit of 3-D archery is shot
have everything from full size giraffes, lions,
placement.
tigers, deer and bears. The targets will have shootShooting 3-D targets helps bow hunters in two
ers in awe throughout the entire shoot. For more
ways. It allows hunters to see exactly where the best information, visit www. R100.org for dates and
shot is located on an animal. Targets are very realis- registration information.
tic and specific showing hunters exactly where the
Three-D Archery is a great way to get in bow
vitals are on just about any animal that is hunted. I
hunting shape, learn proper shot placement and
am often surprised to see how different you need to have fun. Shooting 3-D will make you a better
shoot a turkey compared to a deer. There are actuhunter and will give much needed confidence when
ally a lot of animals that have a different kill zone
hunters draw their bow this October. Take some
than a traditional deer target.
time and find a local shoot in your area, you wont
The second way it helps is by learning proper
regret it.n
shooting angles. There will be times when that
big buck doesnt walk in perfectly broadside, so
shooting 3-D allows hunters to see entrance and
exit shots. Knowing where your arrow will come
out is just as important as knowing where it goes in.
Hunters will know where to shoot when a buck is
quartering away. These realistic situations will help
take the guess work out of bow hunting.
The best advantage shooting 3-D will give bow
hunters is confidence. Dont undervalue the importance of confidence; there is nothing more important for bow hunters. Having confidence comes
from practice and knowledge, knowing exactly
where you are going to shoot. The more you shoot
the more self-esteem you will have when that buck
of a lifetime walks into your shooting lane. It will
eliminate any surprises and allow hunters to know
exactly where their arrow is going to hit.
Shot Placement
The full size giraffe is just one of the lifelike targets at the Rinehart R100. Shooters have to climb a
ladder to pull out their arrows making it one of the
largest 3-D targets at the shoot.
58
ing 3-D will help hunters increase their focus and

coordination. Shooting allows hunters to concentrate and work on their form and release. Hunters
know the importance of repetition, shooting 3-D
allows hunters to master their shooting form and
rehearse their release. It also helps improve your
core strength which is vital to bow hunters. Hunters need to strengthen their core muscles, shooting
3-D will help build all the muscles needed to shoot
a bow effectively. Hunters often face bow hunting
fatigue because they havent shot their bow enough.
This can be a huge factor when buck fever hits,
especially on those hunts when you have to remain
at full draw for long periods of time. In addition to
Fun Factor
The most important reason to shoot 3-D archery is because its fun. There are few activities
that hunters can do to hone their skills and have
fun. Whether youre shooting with your family or
a group of friends, 3-D archery is a fun way to get
in the woods during the offseason. Spending time
with other people that enjoy the sport is a great way
to prepare for the upcoming bow season. There are
lots of ways to find local shoots in your area. There
are various archery clubs around the state that
3-D shooting is a great way to practice and hone

archery skills during the off season. Check out
your local archery club for more information for a
shoot near you. Author photos
Dundee Corn Maze

Opening...September 11TH
thru
November 1st
Fridays 6-9pm; Saturdays & Sundays 1pm-10pm
See our website for prices & more information ... www.worldrecordcornmaze.org
Bring Flashlight WORLD
RECORD
miles of trails!
LOCATED IN DUNDEE, MI PHONE: 734-216-6230
M-50 (Tecumseh)
Dundee
RAISE
MONEY NOW
FOR ANY
OUTDOOR
GROUP!
PROVIDE A
FALL ACTIVITY
FOR THE
GROUP
AS WELL!
Cabelas
Exit 17
U.S. 23
PHERDON RD.
WILCOX RD.
All Proceeds Are Going

To Wounded Warriors
Take U.S. 23 to
Dundee, Exit 17 west past Cabelas
store,Turn right
on Wilcox Road,
First right onto
Pherdon Road to
end and follow
dirt road up to
corn maze.
YOU CAN FUNDRAISE FOR YOUR FAVORITE CAUSE, CALL FOR MORE INFO!
CALL
Sexy Pheasant Farm
"COME HERE"
YOU SEXY LITTLE PHEASANT
Preserve and Dog Training
CALL 734.216.2278 DUNDEE, MI

www.pheasantpreserve.com
Nestled in the quiet farmland of Southeast

Michigan, we are waiting to give you an unprecedented pheasant hunting experience. Tower hunts,
grassland hunts, and dog training are all available
on 957 acres of prime hunting preserve land
permitted by the Michigan DNR.
Come join in the experience that
so many others are talking about.
59
Great Lakes run
BROWN
TROUT
Provides A Trophy
Fishing Experience...
rown trout were widely introduced to

trout streams in both the Upper and Lower
Peninsula of Michigan from the late 1800s
through the early 1900s. Brown trout have
also been heavily stocked during the past to
provide near shore fisheries in the Michigan waters of the Great Lakes. A limited number of
fall lake runs have developed on U.P. streams as a
result. Great Lakes run brown trout are typically
much larger than stream resident brown trout. This
provides some potential trophy brown
trout opportunities for hardy fall anglers.
Michigan trout research biologists
have pondered why brown trout have not
more widely established themselves when
adequately stocked in U.P. Rivers, and
they have not come up with any definitive
answers. Apparently, some critical habitat
requirement is inadequate for their maintenance in most U P streams once the
stocking of brown trout is discontinued. Additionally, in recent years, the
Michigan DNR has had performance problems with
the brown trout strains available from their hatcheries. Michigan DNR Fisheries Division has made
attempts to convert hatchery brown trout to Michigan wild strains like Gilchrist Creek and Sturgeon
River with hopes of improved stocking performance and return to anglers creel. DNR Fisheries
Research Biologist Todd Wills reported that the
Gilchrist Creek brown trout strain grew well and
survived better than the Wild Rose and Seeforellen
strains in his evaluation study. His initial evalua-
Dr. Fredrick Hoenke from Marquette with a nice UP fall lake run brown trout. Author photo
tions of the Sturgeon River brown trout strain were
encouraging for their performance in two Lower
Peninsula tail water fisheries.
Declines in lake run brown trout is also related
to decreases in survival rates of Great Lakes plants
of brown trout. Many ecological changes
have happened in recent years in the Great
Lakes that could be an issue although
predation by walleye and cormorants are
thought to be major contributors to poor
brown trout survival.
Once thriving Michigan Great Lakes
brown trout fisheries in Lake Huron, and
the Green Bay of Lake Michigan have
significantly declined. Fisheries Biologists with Wisconsin DNR in the Bay
of Green Bay have had some initial
promising results with a program of
off shore stocking of fingerling brown trout. .
By Bill Ziegler
60
This UP angler caught this large fall run brown trout in

the Menominee River of the UP. Benji Wood photo
some of the river is wadable. The dam structure and

concrete flume is only about one mile upriver from
the mouth. There is no regular upstream fish passage from there according to Darren Kramer.
Neal Godby, fisheries biologist of the Gaylord
Office covers the U.P. portion of Lake Huron. He
said if there is a run in the Carp River it would
be very small. Godby noted some people have
trouble identifying the difference between Atlantic
salmon and Great Lakes run brown trout. Godby
said it is rare to catch a brown trout in the St
Marys River although Atlantic salmon are stocked
there.
Brown trout in
Lake Superior Tributaries:
Cory Kovaks, fisheries biologist in Newberry

covers the Eastern Lake Superior tributaries. He
rated the brown trout lake runs in the Tahquamenon, Two Hearted, and Au Train as poor. He noted
the Two Hearted is predominantly a salmon run in
the fall.
The Chocolay in Eastern Marquette County gets
The Menominee River on the U.P.s south west
a fair run some years. Cory Kovacs reported, The
border with Wisconsin has a fair fall run of brown
trout. Both Wisconsin and Michigan have stocked lower river is the best place to catch and has the
best access. There is a DNR river access site right
brown trout relatively heavily in Green Bay in reoff M 28.
cent years. This contributes to a decent fall brown
George Madison, DNR fisheries biologist in
trout run in the Lower Menominee River. Most
angler fish on the Michigan shore below the Hattie Baraga covers the Western Lake Superior tributarStreet Dam that is only 2.5 miles upstream from the ies. Madison reports that there is a nice fall
brown trout fishing in the vicinity of the Ski Hill
mouth at Green Bay. There is parking and angler
access below that powerhouse and dam. You might (Marquette Mountain) and upstream. The Carp
River has been stocked fairly regularly in recent
even see someone catch a lake run sturgeon while
years.
you are fishing for browns. The recent improved
Madison reports the Firesteel and Ontonagon
survival of Wisconsin DNR brown trout plants has
yielded some encouraging brown trout survival and Rivers get the best fall runs in that area. Both rivers
are annually stocked with brown trout.
improvement in that fishery.
Brown trout are present in both Lakes MichiThe next significant run on the Lake Michigan
side of the U.P. is the Manistique. This run is fair to gan and Superior. Brown trout can stray into many
good depending on the year. Darren Kramer, super- of the tributaries of those lakes and often do. If is
possible to pick them up while fall steelhead fishing
visory biologist in Escanaba said those fish show
in rivers that are noted more for other salmon and
up in the fall and stay through the winter. We do
not stock browns at the Manistique, but they return steelhead runs.
Great Lakes run brown trout provide the potenas some nice fish. The run starts about the second
tial to catch a trophy brown trout. If you can dress
week of October and the fish are in the river up
warmly and take a break from deer hunting you can
through Christmas. Kramer reports the
maland some quality fish and have many good fishing
jority of browns are 21 inches and bigger. There
sections of river to yourself.n
is adequate access on the east side of the river and
Brown trout in Lake

Michigan and Huron Tributaries:
H
YOUT S
HUNT
World Class
Whitetails
Trophy Whitetail Deer
Hunting Lodge & Preserve
A 5,000 square foot lodge located in the heart of Michigans
Northern Lower Peninsula. We are proud to offer some of the
best whitetail deer in the country. Our herd consists of several
bucks that gross over the 200 mark, with a few that net over
200 typical! For hunters we offer hunt-of-a-lifetime opportunities. Our hunts are in a heavily forested area, located along
Lake Huron with Canada just across the lake to the northeast.
800-756-5459
www.worldclasswhitetails.com
Take I-75 N to Exit 313 (M-27 North)

Take M-27 N to US-23 in Cheboygan
Take US-23 East 19 Miles To Property On Right
S
T
N
U
H
Y
H
TROP D UP
200" AN
61
The Adventure That Almost Got Away...By Jonathan Schechter
PADDLING THE URBAN WILDS
have lived in Oakland County for

almost thirty years. I wrote about
hiking and trails for the Oakland Press every Sunday for 11
years and was pretty darn certain
I knew the locations of most
Oakland County trails and places to
paddle. And before that I had a similar
gig for the very urban Observer and
Eccentric Newspapers. I was the
go-to-guy when someone wanted to
know where to put their boots on the
ground, or to paddle or even find an
equestrian trail within the rather spacious confines of Oakland County. On
a few occasions I even tossed advice
to deputies from the Oakland County
Sheriffs Department when their jobs
took them into my woodlands. And
when Brandon Fire deployed into
the nearby Ortonville or Holly State
Recreation Areas I knew the short
cuts and could read and follow the
topographical maps as others stared
at their GPS units for advice that was
not coming. And now that I work
part time for Oakland County Parks
as their Nature Education Writer, my
confidence level soared.
The day of the authors paddle was perfect. Blue skies, gentle breezes and being a weekday it was only the four of them. According to the author, it was
But then it happened. On a sultry love at first site after passing under a low bridge and finding tranquility. Jonathan Schechter photo
MAKE YOUR OWN WILD GAME

SUMMER SAUSAGE AND SALAMI !
We have everything you need to process your meat into

delicious sausage right in your own home.
COMPLETE KITS STARTING AT
1395
62
Butcher & Packer Supply Company

P.O. Box 71748
1780 East 14 Mile Road
Madison Heights, Michigan 48071
Call 1-800-521-3188
www.butcher-packer.com
summer day in the waning days of

July my confidence crashed hard and
fast.
It all started with a phone call
from two former coworkers in the
Emergency Dept. of a local hospital,
Want to paddle with us at Squaw
Lake? In my free time I function
as a contingent ER Paramedic, not a
bad skill to have when traipsing the
backcountry in search of wild places.
So when the RNs nudged me to join
them I asked the obvious question,
Where is Squaw Lake? expecting
an answer that would take me on a
journey of multiple hours. When I
discovered it was in Oakland County
less than five miles as the crow flies
from my house I fell silent. I rarely
fall silent. I am glad they could not
see my deer-in-the-headlights look.
And with a bit of hurried detective
work before tossing my kayak on
the roof of my jeep I made an even
more startling discovery. Squaw Lake
has friends, Long Lake, Cedar Lake,
Tan Lake and Clear Lake. And they
are all connected and almost hidden
away amidst palatial homes in Oxford
Township. Never heard of any of
them.
More rapid research to hide my
missing knowledge exposed some

intriguing facts. Local fishers and
folks with the DNR sometimes refer
to these glacially sculpted lakes as
the Stringy Lakes, a chain of lakes located in the upper section of the Paint
Creek subwatershed of the Clinton
River Watershed. The headwaters are
just over the county line in Lapeer
County but the lakes are in my home
turf of Oakland County. On summer
weekends powerboats, tubing fanatics and some jet skiers do their thing
zipping about in circles, destroying
any resemblance of peace and quiet
on the two larger lakes, Squaw and
Clear. But access by powerboats from
the only public launch site (DNR has
a launch site on Squaw Lake) to the
other three lakes is prevented, not by
law but by accessibility. Its tough to
take a boat through a culvert or under
a low bridge. And perhaps thats just
as well since the combined surface
area of the lakes is small; 164 acres.
The day for our paddle was
perfect. Blue skies, gentle breezes
and being a weekday it was only
the four of us. It was love at first
site after passing under a low bridge
and finding tranquility. We were the
only folks on the water but swirls in
the shallows told of bass and something slurped bugs off the surface.
I later discovered that a Michigan
DNR Fisheries survey two years ago
confirmed what fishers and residents
in the know already knew. Twentyfour species of fish inhabit the lakes,
perhaps in part because it is both fed
by small streams and springs and the
depth if variable with the deepest
basin being in Cedar Lake, 55 feet.
Diversity in lake structure and depth
and healthy emergent vegetation adds
to the quality of any fishery. And as
we paddled along though narrow
shallow channels and into small bays
rich with lily pads and cattails and
dead falls I noted activity under the
kayak and suspect that many fish are
hidden in plain sight under the docks
that line much of the developed lakes
shorelines.
If you guessing I will return to
send a jitterbug to the corner of hidden little bay a bit before dusk, you
are right. And the bay I have in mind
is only accessible by kayak. But on
this day the only fisher was a great
blue heron. Our exploration sent a
great egret into flight and turtles and
frogs plopping off logs at our approach. And that sleek dark brown
thing at the edge of log sure looked

like a mink to me.
The lesser developed sections of
the lake shore are northern style landscapes that the hand of land-altering
man forgot. A small protruding peninsula held northern white cedar and
a dead snag momentarily served as
Coopers hawk perch that exploded
into flight as I came close to shore. A
red-tailed hawk circle overhead and a
quick flash beneath the boat seemed
to scream, northern pike. And then
a wood duck took flight. I am sure
osprey and perhaps bald eagles know
these lakes too.
After reaching shore humbled and
awed, I made a final discovery. The
Six Rivers Land Conservancy has
protected a small island in the chain
of lakes. The moral: Dont let any
adventure be the one that got away.
Trails and lakes, some well-known
and some hidden in plain site are
yet to be found. Go find your Squaw
Lake. Its out there just waiting to be
discovered.
Jonathan Schechter is a naturalist/paramedic in Brandon Township
and the Nature Education Writer for
Oakland County Parks. Email:
oaknature@aol.comn
MICHIGANS LARGEST FIREARMS DEALER

BUY
WE BUY
SELL
TRADE
USED
Guns, Ammunition,
Reloading Supplies
GUNS!
Trade Ins Welcome
Guns Galore
1414 N. Leroy Street
Fenton, MI48430
We Buy
Guns!
810.629.5325
& More!
GunsGalore@outlook.com
Mon.-Fri. 10am-6pm; Sat. 10am-4pm
Over 5,000 New and

Used Guns In Stock
63
GUN CHAT: Custom Revolver?
he revolvers I have are fine

guns. Theyve been used
for plinking, match shooting, hunting, and self-protection. Ive been satisfied
with their performance in each role.
So, why do I want a custom revolver?
Having a custom revolver made
would allow me my pick of sights,
trigger, caliber, and finish. Blued
revolvers, especially older ones, look
good, but they are quick to show wear,
and the first to rust if, rode hard and
put up wet. Stainless guns resist rust
better and I like the way stainless
looks. But, my stainless guns collect
powder fouling on the front of the
cylinders and the flutes. Once there,
its hard to remove. Ive tried several
ways with less than total success.
My custom .45, a Para-Ordnance
pin gun, was finished in electroless
nickel. Its tough, easier to clean than
stainless, and looks good. I have a
polished nickel M57 that is so goodlooking it crosses over to flashy.
(No, it does not have mother of pearl
grips.) Nickel does come to mind as a
HOT SUMMER
SAVINGS!
PREPARE FOR
WINTER NOW!
Save Money And Energy
On Every In Stock Model
Since 1979
Largest Selection
Wood/Gas/Pellet/Corn Stoves
Fireplaces/Gas Logs/BBQs
Hearth Accessories, Patio and More
WE SELL PELLETS
www.emmettsenergy.com
64
Let us install a beautiful high efficiency gas, wood or pellet insert!
ROMEO
WATERFORD
70790 Van Dyke

Romeo, MI 48065
4994 Dixie Hwy.

Waterford, MI 48329
877-836-6388
877-936-6388
TOLL FREE
TOLL FREE
STORE HOURS: Mon.-Fri. 10am to 6pm Sat. 10am to 4pm Closed Sundays
finish for a custom revolver. There can

be issues with cleaning solvents that
can harm nickel plating. And nickel
will sometimes peel. (Mostly in older,
hard-used, guns.)
One of my revolvers has
hard chrome plating on the
trigger, hammer and cylinder.
Powder fouling just wipes
off surfaces that are chromed
and it is a really tough finish.
Those traits make me favor
hard chrome for a custom
revolvers finish.
Ive often used
after-market sights on
pistols and lever action
rifles. But Im generally
satisfied with standard Smith & Wesson revolver rear sights. Id use them
on a custom revolver. The front sight
would have some kind of bead. I like
the idea of a gold bead but, at current
prices, might have to settle for something cheaper. Im not sure what type
of front sight would take a bead best
but, since they were common years
ago, a little research should fix that.
I have a blued S&W 2.5 inch
Model 19 that has had the trigger
worked over. The M19 had blue wear
when I bought it and would benefit
from a new finish. It might provide the
base for a custom gun. If I decided to
go a different route, Id want a light,
smooth trigger like the M19 has on a
custom revolver.
I enjoy shooting .38 Specials,

and reload many each year. But, for
versatility, a custom revolver should
be in a magnum caliber. The M19 is a
.357 Magnum and thats probably the
minimum Id consider for a
custom job. Some shooters
would go right to a .44 Magnum but Ive never been a
real .44 fan. I have a .45 ACP
revolver. Used with moon
clips it is the fastest revolver
to reload of all I have. A
custom .45 ACP revolver is
an intriguing idea. So is
a custom .41 Magnum.
The .41 Magnum is
my favorite revolver cartridge. I have double-action and single-action revolvers in .41 but I like
them all too much, as is, to customize
them. Since I acquired my .41s prices
have gone through the roof. Finding
one cheap enough to work over could
be a problem. So, my custom revolver
may end up being a .357.
Some bargains can still be found
in .38 and .357 Magnum revolvers.
These are usually police trade in guns,
some from the U.S., some re-imported
from other countries. Many of them
have fixed sights which would remove
the need for a new rear sight. The
front sight might still need a bead, or
other work, to aid visibility. The older
I get the more I need a very defined
front sight. Several of my guns now
By Lee Arten
have orange paint on the front blade

and more will soon.
A fine custom revolver might need
engraving. Years ago, a big gun dealer
in Wisconsin stocked a lot of guns that
were fully engraved and gold-plated.
They looked great but, to me, had
crossed the line from guns to works
of art. I wouldnt want to go that far.
I have run across a couple of quotes
that Id like on a fancy handgun,
unfortunately they are all quite long. I
might need to have half the quote on
one side of the revolver and half on
the other.
There are different types of engraving and I havent decided which
type appeals to me enough to have it
on a gun, either. Norse style engraving might work, since my branch of
the family came from Norway back in
the 1880s. The Banknote style looks
good to me. Inlaid gun dogs and flushing birds look fine on a shotgun, but
wouldnt work on a custom revolver.
Revolvers I shoot a lot usually end up
wearing some type of rubber Pachmayr grips. I might buy fancy grips
(possibly birdseye maple) for a custom revolver for show. Id probably
put Pachmayr Grippers, or Presentations on for shooting.
Style, finish, caliber, sights, grips,
for a custom revolver are all fun to
consider. Maybe, one day, Ill be
able to do more than think about
them.n
Miles from the nearest power line? Cold soda?

Its possible!
Propane Refrigerators- No electricity required
Call 866-825-4013
Miller Refrigeration
Sears, MI 49679
Sunset on Deer Lake, Au Train MI
Keeler Society honors Anson Morgan

1995, Pa Keeler was the first inductee
in the NMLRAs Black Powder Hall of
Fame, and he penned numerous articles
for Muzzle Blasts, the associations
magazine. Shortly after his death in 1998,
the MSMLA established the Spirit of Roy
Keeler Society.
The society pays tribute to Keelers
many contributionslocal, state and
nationalby honoring individuals who
display the values he lived by: friendship,
sportsmanship and a passionate devotion in promoting all aspects of the black
powder shooting sports while preserving
Americas rich muzzleloading heritage.
Each spring society members select one
Michigan resident from a list of worthy candidates, nominated at-large by
MSMLA members.
Its extremely difficult to pick the
very best person each year, Bob Elka
(2001) said. This is not a popularity
contest; rather it encompasses very broad
contributions in the state association and
at the national (association) at Friendship.
My wife, Judy, bought me a CVA
(Connecticut Valley Arms) kit in 1973,
Morgan said, reflecting on his early years
in the sport. I put it together and started
shooting. Don Kerr lived in Port Huron,
and he introduced me to the NMLRA and
also to the Lapeer Firelocks. Ive shot
with the Lapeer Firelocks ever since. Im
a life member there. Then I got involved
with the state association, and I started
shooting all over.
We started the store (Kenockee
Tradin Post) in 1976 for two reasons, to
support the hobby and so Judy would have
a job that allowed her to be home when
the kids got off the bus. We do muzzleloading complete from the traditional guns
through the modern inlines, and Judy sews
period-correct clothing for re-enactors.

Roy was a fellow business person
and he was an inspiration to me. Shopping
for your hobby is part of the fun. Everyone liked Roy because it was enjoyable
to go to his store. I picked up on that very
early on.
The trophy sits on my desk, looking
out into the showroom of the store. The
people around here dont know what the
Michigan State Muzzle Loading Association is, so it generates a lot of questions
and thats good, Morgan said.
During the NMLRAs national shoots,
the Kenockee Tradin Post sets up shop in
commercial row, just like Pa Keeler did.
Sitting at a vise made from an old bowling
ball, Anson demonstrates the fine art of
engraving, stopping often to answer questions posed on a variety of black powder
topics.
In the past, Anson Morgan ran a gun
building school, helping newcomers craft
a quality muzzleloader. Lessons started in
January, and if they did their homework,
they had a gun to shoot about the 1st of
June. I dont do the classes anymore, but
if someone wants to build a gun I have
two benches in my shop and one is always
empty, he added.
Back in the early 1980s, Morgan was
instrumental in starting black powder
shooting at the Blue Water Sportsmans
Association (4866 Ravenswood Road,
Kimball, MI). He was state committee
chair when the MSMLA began naming matches, and proposed the trade gun
match be named after Norm Blaker.
Norm won the match that year, I
came in second and Chuck Leonard took
third. I still have the medal and the target.
Im going to put a picture of the three
of us and the medal inside the trophy. I
think it would be more interesting there
Anson Morgan displays the Spirit of

Roy Keeler Society traveling trophy.
than anywhere else, Morgan explained
in a reverent tone. When Wayne Lamson
(2005) handcrafted the traveling trophy,
he included a compartment in the back
for pictures, articles and the history of the
society.
Like Pa Keeler before him, Anson
Morgan, in his quiet, soft-spoken manner,
follows his conscience and makes a positive impact on the black powder shooting
sports. As Ron Fernwalt (2006) wrote in
the latest MSMLA newsletter, Pa is grinning from ear to ear.n
OXFORD OVERHEAD
DOOR SALES CO.
RESIDENTIAL &
COMMERCIAL
GARAGE
DOOR SALES
SERVICE &
REPAIR
2118 METAMORA ROAD
OXFORD
www.oxfordoverheaddoor.com
248-628-4555
800-750-6867
he Spirit of Roy Keeler Society

announced its 2015 inductee, Anson
Morgan, at the conclusion of the
Michigan State Muzzle Loading Associations State Championship Shoot,
hosted by the Columbiaville Sportsmans
Club (5124 Klam Road, Columbiaville,
Michigan). Randy MacInnes (inducted in
2012) prefaced the presentation by listing
the recipients many achievements and
contributions to the black powder shooting sports. When he asked Anson Morgan
to come forward, the crowd greeted the
newest society member with a hearty
standing ovation.
I was surprised, Anson Morgan
later said in his usual quiet and unassuming manner. All my life Ive done what
I thought was right, followed my own
conscience and tried to make a positive
impact.

Roy Keeler was born in the
small town of Eaton Rapids, Michigan, in
1917. With the Great Depression looming, Keeler left school at the age of 10 to
help raise his eight brothers. Although he
was not the oldest, his siblings recognized
his leadership skills, his ingenuity and his
depth of understanding. They called him
Pa. Keeler spent his entire life in Eaton
Rapids with his wife, Thelma, who he affectionately called Ma.
Soft-spoken and quick witted, Pa Keeler favored flintlocks and became a wellrespected competitor at MSMLA shoots
and at the National Muzzle Loading Rifle
Associations national matches, held at
Friendship, Indiana. He owned Keelers
Trading Post and carted his muzzleloading
wares to many of the events.
For 25 years, Keeler wrote Pas
Powder Horn, a popular column in the
Michigan United Conservation Clubs
publication, Michigan Out-of-Doors. In
65
Dear Fish Diary ... By Ron St. Germain
BUG WARS! Mental meltdowns not acceptable

I
am a Jedi warrior. Thrust to the
enemy front lines to defeat the enemy for the good of all mankind.
(Start the Star Wars theme song
with high pitched buzzing mosquitoes humming it.) The enemy?
Biting or stinging bugs. Why am I at
the front line? Because it doesnt matter if Im first or last I get bit the most.
So it is my job to use my ninja skills
to wipe out the attackers.
My last few years in the backcountry from June through August
have been the most miserable experiences of my life. I literally spend my
time fishing for bugs using myself as
bait. And let me tell you, the fishing is
good. Being fully covered in 70-degree weather including wearing a bug
net over my face is not my idea of a
good time. Well wait a minute, yes it
is. I honestly cant think of anything
else I would rather be doing.
Would I trade sitting on the most
beautiful, remote beach in the world
for a tropical beach filled with people
This is just the beginning of a stable fly onslaught, but by the time I had my
literally sitting on top of each other?
camera put away I was covered and headed for the hills hoping I didnt have a
Not a chance. Why am I being attacked? Because Im the only exposed mental meltdown along the way. Author photo
Manufacturer of Fine Northern Hardwoods

Firewood by the Semi-Load
Buyers of Standing Timber

SFI Trained Loggers and Forest Consultants
Wildlife and Timberland Improvements
Select cutting; Clear cutting
Mechanized logging and handcutting
66
Contact one of our buyers today

brad@billsbylumber.com or jim@billsbylumber.com
(616) 634-1522 or (989) 544-9342
2725 Larch Rd.
Harrison, MI 48625
www.billsbylumber.com
WE BUY ASH!
flesh for as far as the eye can see and

the flies and mosquitoes know it. It
does get a bit daunting on those special days when there are hundreds of
them on you at once. These onslaughts
lead to mental meltdowns and mental
meltdowns lead to bad things.
While you are under constant attack it becomes very difficult to focus
on some of the simplest tasks, like
walking for instance. Or watching
where you are walking. Or starting
a fire. Or going to the bathroom. It
becomes easy to walk into a tree, or
worse, a tree limb to the eyeball. It
becomes easy to trip over a root or a
rock and go tumbling down only to
break some ribs or knock yourself out.
I have experience with this one, and
believe me, laying on the ground in
bear country with a couple of broken
ribs while holding a stringer of fish is
not real comfortable. It becomes easy
to eat raw meat because you cant
focus on starting a fire and youre
hungry. In which case it becomes too
easy to go to the bathroom and forget
to properly take care of things before
pulling your pants up. Or you forget
invention called a Thermacell. Still,

our mental meltdowns continue and
weve not taken even a tiny dent out
of the biting bug population. So if the
bugs know we are at war with them,
they are having a great time knowing
they have been biting our butts since
the beginning of time.
Supposedly weve sent men to
the moon and back. We have cured
countless diseases. We have figured
out wireless transmitting. We can do
heart transplants, lung transplants and
artificial limbs. Weve learned how
to grow bigger chickens and smaller
turkeys. We have digital technology
yet we cant find a repellent against
swarms of stable flies.
I thought mosquitoes only came
out around dusk. And I thought flies
were a sunlight bite. Not any more,
bright light or no light, wind or no
wind, even in a downpour the relentless pursuit continues. We arent
beating them, we are creating bigger, meaner and hungrier bugs. This
is why the Red Cross does not hold
blood drives in the U.P. because
nobody up there has enough blood to
donate. In fact I am usually a pint or
two low on my return trips.
I used to think Upper Peninsula
people were the friendliest on earth.
Everywhere I drive some local is
waving at me. It soon occurred to me

that although U.P. people might be
friendly, they really werent waving
at me at all. They are simply swatting bugs away from their face which
makes them look like they are waving. Either way, I always wave back
while swatting bugs.
It is possible to enjoy the north
woods and still prevent stupid mental
meltdowns. First is to mentally prepare by knowing you will be under
constant attack. Second, bring light
weight long-sleeve shirts and sweat
pants as well as a bug net for your
face and neck just in case.
If you are carrying gear you
will even want to consider a pair of
light weight gloves. Sure they bite
through the light weight clothes, but
its not nearly as bad or often. And
yes, you look totally stupid but your
mind is intact and nobody is handing
out fashion trophies in the remote
backcountry. Besides, it sure beats
going through the woods scratching,
swatting and swearing all at the same
time.
My sanctuary when I want to relax during the height of bug season is
a 10x10 collapsible screen tent. Well
worth the investment. There is so
much beauty to explore and capture
in Upper Michigan, why let a few bil-
lion blood sucking insects ruin it for

you? Cover up and carry on with your
peace of mind.
For the manly man who refuses to
take precautions of preserving their
mental state of mind by thinking they
are tougher than nature, there is another alternative. Simply roll naked in
a field of nettles. That way you wont
feel the constant and relentless poking you are soon about to endure.
Worst Fishing Day Ever?

Best Fishing Day Ever?
I Need Your Fishing Stories
Send a short description of your
best or worst fishing day, or worst
fishing-related adventure to me.
You dont have to write the entire
story, just a brief outline of what
happened. If it has some humor to
it Ill be getting in touch with you
and well work on the completed
story together. Fishing isnt always
fun you know.
Have a fun or interesting fishing
related story? Woods-n-Water News
columnist Ron St. Germain can be
reached by calling (517) 626-2814,
e-mailing DaPhotoDude@aol.com.
Visit the authors online photo gallery
at DaPhotoDude.com.n
#1 Bowhunting website for

gear reviews and videos!
The website puts

out over 120
videos a year
on its many
show series!
(Testlab, BoneDriven, Hunt Series, Pink Series)
www.bowhunterplanet.com info@bowhunterplanet.com
Visit our booth at th

e
29th Annual
Woods-N-Water News
Outdoor Weekend!
Visit our booth at the

29th Annual
Woods-N-Water News
Outdoor Weekend
JOIN THE HUNT
to zip, or possibly unzip. And the list

of mental meltdown issues go on and
on.
If you do get a fire started, or
youre smart enough to have a propane stove, how about dropping your
food on the ground because you were
not blessed with three arms. Two to
carry your hot food and one to swat
bugs. Maybe you drop your rod and
reel over the side of the boat because
you freak when a giant horse fly takes
a half inch circle out of your neck.
Maybe you drive off the road because
either A) you cant see because your
windshield is so full of bugs you
cant see. Or B) the inside of your vehicle is swarming with biting insects
and you arent concentrating on your
driving. Or C) Both.
My son recently asked me during
a massacre in the Upper Peninsula
on our July trip if I thought the bugs
knew we were at war with them?
At that point I realized that we have
been at war with the bugs for centuries and never won. The only time
we can beat them is winter. We have
repellents, fog sprays, pesticides, bug
zappers, bug coils, bug candles, bug
incense, fly swatters, fly paper, hands,
frogs, bats, lizards, fish, pocket strips,
clothes, flea collars, tick guards,
screen tents, houses and a recent
67
Showcasing The Michigan Department of Natural Resources -- In Detroit...
Outdoor Adventure Center open for business and fun
lmost 10 years since

its initial vision and
after more than five
years of construction,
the Department of
Natural Resources
Outdoor Adventure Center in downtown Detroit is open for visitors.
Located in the historic Globe
building, the Outdoor Adventure Center (OAC) is a combination education
and recreation facility, built with a
goal of bringing up north to downtown. But the facility also highlights
how important Detroit is to Michigan
and its natural resources.
The OAC comes on the heels of
the DNR managing other state parks
in Detroit in recent years, including
William G. Milliken State Park and
Harbor and Belle Isle Park. These
parks demonstrate the DNRs commitment to conservation and outdoor
recreation in an urban environment.
The OAC offers plenty of exhibits
and displays that show Michigans
natural resources are not limited to
the northern parts of the state and how
Detroit has and still does fit into
the picture.
Immediately upon entering the
facility, a display commemorates Detroit as a historic ship-building center
and a hub of the pre-settlement fur
trade. Educational displays on everything from recycling to making home
appliances more energy-efficient illustrate the significance of conservation
to all Michiganders.
Still, it is the outdoor recreation
The Outdoor Adventure Center is located in the refurbished, century-old Globe Building in downtown Detroit.
and natural resources of the state that
serve as the drawing card.
The OAC features a wide range
of hands-on activities for folks of all
ages. Visitors can touch the fur of a
variety of Michigan mammals from
beavers to skunks (eww). They can
learn the differences among Michigans frogs and toads and hear their
calls by pressing on display models. They can gain understanding of
various Michigan habitats wetlands,
pine forests or aspen stands, among
them through dioramas and accompanying texts.
Or visitors can go for the fun.
Folks can sit in a fishing boat and
try their hand at catching largemouth

or smallmouth bass, salmon or lake
trout at a fishing simulator. They can
climb on a snowmobile or off-road vehicle and experience the thrill of blasting along a trail through the woods
with accompanying video. They can
try wing-shooting or big-game hunting at an arcade-like shooting simulator. They can try paddling a kayak or
enjoying an exhilarating mountain
bike ride at those simulators.
Theres a four-target archery
range, sponsored by Safari Club International, which will be available for
classes and by appointment only, until
enough staffers have been certified to
AVID HUNTER AND

OUTDOORSMAN!!!
7120 DEXTER ANN ARBOR ROAD DEXTER, MI 48130
CALL TONY TODAY FOR A NEW

CHEVROLET OR PRE-OWNED VEHICLE!
68
*DEER
HUNTING TAGS
OR
FISHING TAGS
FOR LIFE OF
VEHICLE!!
Call
Tony for
Exclusive
Details!
Michigan Born And Raised!
TONY
DUNCAN
teach archery.
We hope to have drop-in archery
by November, said OAC Director
Linda Walter. We want the OAC to
be a cornerstone of the riverfront and
be a place where people, young and
old, can experience up north, downtown. Our team will ensure that the
center is an exciting experience for
all.
But the OAC isnt only about fun.
Its both educational and recreational, said Jon Spieles, field
manager for educational services at
the DNR, who was heavily involved
in the OACs design. And its an
additional activity on the Detroit
waterfront thats safe, fun and outdoor
recreation- and conservation-related.
It fits right in with Belle Isle and Milliken State Park.
The OAC features a 3,000-gallon
aquarium, stocked with native fish
species, and a 36-foot artificial waterfall. Theres a life-size beaver lodge,
a 40-foot tall, man-made, interactive
tree, and a mockup of an eagles nest
where visitors can stand, take selfies
with the push of a button, and then
Delivery Available To Your Doorstep
PLEASE ASK
US ABOUT OUR
A Name You Can Trust!
WOODS-N-WATER tduncan@lafontaine.com
PREFERRED PRICING &
734-726-7356
REFERRAL PROGRAM!
*One Michigan Deer Tag or Michigan standard Fishing license/year for life of
your lease or Up to 5 years on a purchase (call for details-resident license only).
www.Lafontainechevy.com
Whitetail Deer &

Pheasant Hunts
9475 East X Ave.
Vicksburg, MI 49097
Doug Craddock
(269) 365-4238
www.bearcreekgameranch.com
email them directly to themselves or

others.
There are displays on birds and
butterflies and an airplane, suspended
from the ceiling, like those the DNR
uses to conduct aerial surveys of animals or surveillance for wildfires and
in which visitors can have a seat.
We can use the OAC to create
messages about conservation issues,
such as invasive species, which is
the No. 1 threat to natural resources
in North America, Spieles said.
Michigan and across the state to

learn about the world-class natural
resources and activities our state has
to offer, while encouraging the next
generation to become responsible
environmental stewards.
Located at 1801 Atwater St., just
east of the Renaissance Center, the
more-than-a-century-old Globe Building was the site of the former Globe
Trading Company. The OAC will be
open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays to
Fridays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays,
The Outdoor Adventure Centers fishing simulator lets visitors step into a
fishing boat and tangle with several species of fish. MDNR photos
CI
NTING PRE
SER
HUNT ON 610 ACRES

Located in Macomb County
www.ciavolahunting.com
Romeo Pheasant Hunts located at M-53 (Van Dyke) and
35 Mile Road. Four sorghum fields. No membership fees.
Birds released after you arrive. Safety fields in between.
BIRD CLEANING
CLUBHOUSE GUIDES WITH DOGS
For reservations call (586) 752-2133
Marlette R V
Come See Us
at the
Woods-N-Water
News
Outdoor
Weekend
Sept. 11-13!
Sales - Service - Parts - Mobile Service
989-635-3800
Service - Ext. 26
Parts - Ext. 23
Sales - Ext. 24
View our new & used inventory at
www.marletterv.com
And I hope when people walk out of

here, theyll have learned why they
can trust the Department of Natural
Resources to provide world-class
outdoor recreation facilities and manage the fisheries, forests and wildlife
that make this a great state to live in
and visit.
A recent grand-opening event
included Gov. Rick Snyder, Detroit
Mayor Mike Duggan and a host of
local community activists, dignitaries
and even a television star HGTVs
Rehab Addict Nicole Curtis.
Ron Olson, chief of the DNR
Parks and Recreation Division,
said in his opening remarks that he
thought the OAC would serve as a
gateway to the outdoors for many
urbanites, and provide a variety of
hands-on experiences.
Gov. Snyder said, The OAC
continues Detroits momentum by
bringing another natural resourcebased experience to the riverfront.
The refurbished historic building is a
strong symbol of the citys ongoing
revitalization.
The center is an interactive place
for children from across southeast
HU
OLA
V
A
VE
One of the many interactive displays at the center allows children to experience the fun of camping and cooking.
and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. More

information on hours and admission
fees is available here.
The OAC will be used to hold
classes on various outdoor recreation
activities for youth groups and others,
Walter said, and will be available for
birthday parties and business meetings. It has already hosted a wedding and several additional couples
have booked it for upcoming nuptial
ceremonies.
There are a lot of ways to enjoy
it, Walter said.
To learn more about the DNR
Outdoor Adventure Center, visit
www.michigan.gov/oac or
www.facebook.com/
MiOutdoorAdventureCenter.n
69
The latest generation of auto-pilot

electric motors can be networked
with NMEA 2000 systems that tie
electric motors to GPS technology.
The MotorGuide Xi5 pictured here
is Gateway connected to his Lowrance Gen II sonar units, enabling the
electric motor to be controlled via a
touch screen on the sonar unit.
on an auto-pilot electric motor is similar in operation. In general the foot
control pad on an auto-pilot motor
requires less foot movement to generate the desired steering and directional
changes compared to a cable driven
system. Because the foot control is
wireless, an angler can move the foot
pad and control the boat from any
location in the boat. With a traditional
push-pull cable style electric motor,
the boat can only be controlled from
the bow.
The foot control is handy and for
certain applications like two rod jigging for river walleye, its absolutely
critical that an angler master the foot
control. That stated, most anglers will
find that the hand controlled key fob is
the most convenient way to control an
auto-pilot style electric motor.
Key Advantages Of
Auto-Pilot Technology
Auto-pilot electric motors provide

anglers some important advantages.
The ability to keep the boat moving
on a particular course and desired
speed tops that list.
Operating an auto-pilot electric
motor is a simple three step process.
First the angler needs to deploy the
electric motor and determine the
direction of travel at which he or she
wants the boat to move. Next the
desired trolling speed needs to be set
using the rheostat style speed controls.
Once the boat is moving in the desired
direction and speed, simply engage
the auto-pilot button to lock the electric motor onto that compass heading.
When operating in the auto-pilot
mode and electric motor is truly a
hands free system that enables the
angler to concentrate on more important business like setting lines, changing out lures or maybe just enjoying a
cold drink and a sandwich!
Sometimes an auto-pilot electric
the foot pedal to keep the boat movmotor is described as cruise control
ing in the desired direction. Think of
for your boat. Actually cruise control
it this way... if you were driving down only controls the vehicle speed. An
the highway and let go of the steering auto-pilot electric motor enables the
wheel, your vehicle would veer off the angler to control the direction of travhighway.
el, trolling speed and even program
The same is true of cable steering the motor to follow a pre-determined
electric motors. The operator has to
route!
steer them constantly to keep the boat
under control and from veering off
course.
The basic steering ability of an
auto-pilot electric motor is a huge
advantage for most anglers and anAuto-pilot electric motors opergling situations, but the benefits of an
ate using wireless controls. Instead of auto-pilot electric motor run deeper.
a cable driven foot controller, these
By interfacing the electric motor to
units come with both a foot controla sonar/GPS unit via a NMEA 2000
ler and also a key fob style controller network cable it becomes possible to
than lets your fingers do the walking. program a series of waypoints that
For anglers used to using a cable
allows the electric motor to follow a
driven system, the foot control option particular route or path.
Trolling Smart
electric motors
A
70
lot of cool new

fishing products have hit
the market in
recent years.
Among my
favorites are the latest generation of auto-pilot electric
motors. For those of you who
havent experienced
one of these trolling smart electric
motors, I can only say that once you
go auto-pilot you will likely never
use a traditional push-pull cable style
motor again.
take a step back and look at

how traditional cable driven
electric motors work. A cable
driven electric motor is essentially a manually controlled linkage based means
of steering a boat with a bow
mounted electric motor.
The greatest strength of
the cable steering
systems is simplicity. Cable driven
electric motors use a foot control that
allows the powerhead to be moved by
simply rocking your foot and ankle.
An arrow on the top of the powerhead
points in the direction the boat will
move when the motor is engaged.
The disadvantage of the cable
driven electric motor is the operator
has to constantly make adjustments to
By Mark Romanack
Old School
Before we can explain how the

latest generation of auto-pilot electric motors function, its important to
More Benefits
New School
In the Anchor Mode an auto-pilot

electric motor effectively hovers the
boat in one spot, compensating for
wave, wind and currents to keep the
boat in one spot. The author uses this
mode often when jig fishing to spot
a particular fish on sonar, then drop
down and catch that individual fish.
Mark Romanack photos
Essentially, this programs the
electric motor to drive to a specifically selected set of waypoints. Lets say
an angler is making a trolling pass
and saves a waypoint for every fish
caught on that pass. When its time
to make another pass all that angler
needs to do is program the electric
motor to return to those selected waypoints. Using this technology anglers
can effectively setting up a trolling
route that drives the boat directly to
places that have already produced
fish! Amazing, technology but it gets
better.
Creating routes is especially useful when open water trolling and its
important to make multiple passes
through the same water. Programming a route is also the ideal way
to fish a meandering weed edge or
structure break. Programming a route
certainly beats the old school methods that required gluing your eyes to
the sonar and making constant direction and speed adjustments.
The next step in these advancements in electric motor technology
is something called Gateway. This
networking system allows linking a
MotorGuide Xi5 electric motor to a
Lowrance touch screen HDS Gen II
or Gen III sonar/GPS unit. Gateway
provides the ability to control the Xi5
electric motor from any sonar/GPS
system on the network.
Not only does Gateway allow
the angler to make the same control
adjustments possible with the key fob
and foot controllers, Gateway goes a
step further and allows for something
called Heading Lock.
Heading Lock effectively plots a
series of waypoints ahead of the boat
and drives the boat along a perfectly
straight line. The advantage here is
the boat wanders less, maintains a
particular speed better and enables

anglers to fish precise depth levels
never before possible without this
highly sophisticated boat control
system.
Another cool function of the
Heading Lock feature is it is easy to
override this function while trolling
and tweak the direction of travel as
necessary. For example, say youre
trolling along and another boat is
going to intercept your direction of
Now that electric motors and sonar can communicate via NMEA 2000 and Gateway networking systems, there is no limit to the ways a fishing boat can be kept on fish.
travel. With a simple key stroke you

can adjust the boats heading a few
degrees to avoid other boats, then
resume the desired direction of travel
once the coast is clear.
Anchor Mode
Another highly useful function

of the MotorGuide Xi5 is called the
anchor mode. This function allows
the boat to hover in a desired location. Recently while lake trout fishing
on Grand Traverse Bay I was using
the Xi5 to slowly slide the boat along
structure while I watched the sonar
and hunted for fish.
When a fish would appear on
the graph, Id hit the anchor mode
on the Xi5 effectively hovering the
boat directly over top of the fish.
All I had to do next is drop my jig
down to that particular fish and
catch it! I call this style of fishing
see fish -- catch fish because its
amazing how often you can mark
individual fish and get that fish to
bite.
Its also important to note that in
anchor mode the boat is completely
under control and everyone fishing
in the boat can enjoy the benefits of
precise boat control. With a traditional cable driven electric motor, the
instant the angler walks away from
the electric motor to bait up or tie on

another lure, the boat is wandering
aimlessly.
I also used the anchor mode
recently while filming an episode
of Fishing 411 on Lake Nipigon.
We were using the electric motor
to scoot along the shoreline
casting spinners ahead of the
boat. When we would hook a fish,
Id put the boat into anchor mode
while we fought the fish. Once that
fish was landed, the boat was in
perfect position to make other casts
to the same location that produced the
fish.
This simple strategy produced
countless brook trout we probably
would not have caught without the
ability to hold the boat precisely in
one location.
Ive also used the anchor mode
for fishing docks, targeting bedding
fish, hovering over schools of perch
and many other fishing situations.
Summing It Up
Auto-pilot electric motor technology may well be the single best

thing to happen to sport fishing in my
lifetime. Boat control is critical to
fishing success and never before has
boat control been this precise or easy
to master.n
Gateway
71
GeocachingBy Accident!
Wilderness Warriors
he kickoff for a new outdoor group, Wilderness

Warriors, ended with a
surprise no one
saw coming!
Lets go back to last fall,
school had started, and it
was that time of year when
organizations, sports clubs,
you name it are all trying
to recruit new members. My
two boys wanted to sign up
for Boy Scouts, which
is a great organization, however, my
boys also have an
older sister, she was 10 years old at
the time, and the boys were 8 and 6.
Of course, me being who I am and an
outdoor enthusiast, I started thinking
-- why isnt there an organization that
is gender neutral that encourages kids
to get involved and curious about the
great outdoors?
I sparked up a conversation about
this with my tribe and they loved the
idea. Together they came up with a
name, Wilderness Warriors, not just

for boys and not just for girls. My
oldest son said, It can be for anyone
who likes to be outside and
in the woods. They were
very enthusiastic and quickly
whipped up a pretty cool
logo, then started making a
list of who they would ask to
go on their first Wilderness
Warrior Adventure!
The kids that were asked
to join the Wilderness Warrior Club
(WWC) as it came to
be referred to were
friends and cousins. I got in touch
with one of my fellow Pretty Hunters to help organize our first official
outing. With my tribes help they put
together a loose game plan for the
adventure seeking group of kids. It
was a beautiful, crisp and sunny fall
day, and the WWC met at Independence Oaks Park, a county park north
of Clarkston. As we led the kids, we
thought it would be a good founda-
tion to evoke the kids curiosity, rather

than teach or simply give them information. Everything that followed was
based on that premise. What might
be up over that hill, I wonder? It was
a very eye-opening adventure.
In the hunting community, what
the WWC did would be referred to
as scouting, hunting, getting ready
for the season to come which also
demands our curiosity to be evoked!
There is nothing like that unadulter-
By Tricia Croney
Above; during a gathering of the WWC, the authors daughter, Abis curiosity
accidentally found a geocach! The WWC is based on evoking kids curiosity.
Below the Wilderness Warrior Clubs new logo as designed by the kids!
72
ated passion that being out in nature

can awaken!
As the group trekked down a path,
one of the Wilderness Warriors trailed
off a bit to satisfy her curiosity about
a hollowed out tree. To her surprise
and quite frankly the entire group as
well, she reached her arm up in the
hollowed out log and pulled out a
Geo-capsule! None of the Wilderness
Warriors had ever got one and they
certainly were not looking for one!
Around the world today, more than
1.4 million geocaches have been hidden, and found by more than 4 million
people. Geocaching continues to grow
in popularity across the United States;
some of the cities with the highest
geocaching activity (based on visits to
the Geocaching.com website) include
Seattle, New York, Los Angeles and
Phoenix.
The Rules of Geocaching:
1) If you take something from the
cache, leave something of equal or
greater value.
2) Write about your find in the
cache logbook.
3) Log your experience at
www.geocaching.com.
The capsule is meant to hold little

treasures that those that find it leave
in it upon discovering it. There is a
little ongoing log of who has found
it as well. The WWC had a great
time checking out all of the goodies
inside, then left our own contribution
(an earring and a signature from my
daughter, Abi). Who knew we would
discover more than just the outdoor
adventure we were seeking?
As always I invite your comments,
feedback and if you have a story you
would like to share, feel free to email
it to me - tricia@prettyhunter.comn
WOODS-N-WATER NEWS PRESENTS...

29th Annual
B
M
E
T
P
SE
Fr id a
$8
at u
S
,
m
p
y 5-9
12 and under FREE

FREE parking
5
1
0
2
,
3
1
1
1
ER
pm
7
m
a
d ay 9
,S
-5
m
a
9
y
a
und
pm
OV ER
220
Outdoor Exhibits,
Seminars, Puppies
Gun Auction & More
Eastern Michigan State Fairgrounds - Imlay City

Highlights inside this pull out section or visit us at:
OutdoorWeekend.net
OUTDOOR WEEKEND
SPECIAL PULL OUT
OUTDOOR
WEEKEND
Dog Training
Demonstrations
Outdoor Weekend favorite, Charlie Linblade, one
of Michigan's top dog trainers, will present
informative demonstrations on hunting dogs
in the grandstands Saturday and Sunday.
Back this year; Custom Gun Dog Trainer, Len Jenkins will be doing 'in-booth'
talks and demonstrations on handling that new puppy .
Plus ; Hunting with Hounds by Jim Wale in the grandstands!
FIELD DRESSING
& BUTCHERING
DEMONSTRATIONS
OUTDOOR WEEKEND
SPECIAL PULL OUT
Plus: Sausage Making

and Wild Game Cooking
Learn from the master, as
Steve Francis and family of
COUNTRY SMOKE HOUSE
demonstrate field dressing and
butchering techniques on stage!
Then be treated to
cooking tips and techniques from
COUNTRY SMOKE HOUSE!
Seminars begin at 1 pm Sat. & Sun.
Artists &
Taxidermy
Displays
What's New in ICE FISHING !

FRANK'S GREAT OUTDOORS...
will have the newest ice fishing

products on display and super
preseason deals. Plus product
reps will be on hand to give you
expert advice. See the newest
technology in ice augers!
Whether you're a die-hard ice
angler or new to the sport
youll find what you need!
Wild Animal Exhibit...

You can literally get face to face...and stare into
the eyes of a live grizzly bear cub, a 700 pound
black bear, a cougar and a wolf. ($1.00 fee)
Commemorative Chainsaw Carving Contest!!!

Bucks of Michigan
HUNTING SEMINARS
If youre serious about deer hunting
you wont want to miss this amazing
collection of deer hunting experts...
Tony LaPratt
Do you want to consistently
harvest Trophy Whitetail
Bucks? Is your small acreage
hunting property not living
up to its full potential? Is
your property in a high pressure hunting area? Then you
won't want to miss Tony
LaPratt's seminars! Tony
LaPratt is a professional trophy deer hunter, habitat
management expert and hunting consultant. Tony
leads the nation in manipulation and influencing
the habitat and bedding areas to attract large
mature bucks.
Seminars: Fri. 7 p.m./Sat. 12:30 and 4:30 p.m./Sun. 12 and 3 p.m.
Fred Abbas
(A-Way Hunting
Products/A-Way
Outdoors TV) The
best known father
and son deer hunting team Greg and
Fred are Michigan
trophy deer hunters
with over 50
Michigan trophy buck entries between them in
CBM, P&Y, Buckmasters, and the Long Hunters
Society. If you love deer hunting you won't want to
miss their seminar; "Use Buck Behavior To Your
Advantage!" See page 22-24 of this issue for more
details.
Seminars: Fri. 6 p.m./Sat. 1:30 and 3:30 p.m./Sun. 1 p.m.
Edward Flanagan
Ed will introduce new advanced
bowhunting products and
methods. With these products
and methods a new descriptive
language has evolved. He will
explain the advanced language
and support the claims with
archery hunting video samples:
Learn the language - Become
the teacher - Harvest more
game more often!
All New!
Seminars: Sat. 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m./Sun. 2 p.m.
Ed Spinazzola
CBM will be scoring deer, turkeys, and

bears throughout the weekend. Bring
yours in to be scored. You might
qualify for the state record books!
Three days of woodchips and artistry!

Watch the top chainsaw carvers from all
over the state compete FOR CASH PRIZES!!!
Mr. Food Plot, the author of "Food

Plots, Easy As 1, 2, 3" will be giving an
all new seminar for showgoers that
goes beyond basic food plots. His field
tested ideas make it possible to plan
where you want the deer to move, the
number of food plots and locations,
bedding areas, sanctuaries, water
sources, travel lanes, budget, soil preparation, planting
methods and planting dates. His seminars this year are
"Ultimate Corn Based Deer Kill Plots for Bow and Gun!"
Seminars: Fri. 8 p.m./Sat. 11:30 and 5:30 p.m./Sun. 11 a.m.
The Ultimate
Air Dogs
Ultimate Air Games Championships!
Randys
Hunting Center
GUN AUCTION:
Buy and Sell!
If you are in the market for a new hunting

dog, the Woods-N-Water News Outdoor
Weekends Puppy Tent is the place for you.
For information on registering to
SELL your puppies contact us at:
www.outdoorweekend.net
or call 1-810-724-0254
Dennis Neely will take you on a

journey to 1794 as your guide.
Visit the River Raisin traders
camp, learn the value of
wilderness necessities, price
beaver pelts and compare
todays hunting gear with the
trade guns, linen and leather
clothing and shelters used
long ago. Learn the unique mix
of fair-chase hunting, old-style
muzzleloaders and American
history. Dennis will be on hand
all weekend to talk with you.
Great Deals On Outdoor Merchandise...

Over 150 guns on display all
weekend for this special gun
auction on Sunday,September 13th
(See ad page 79)
Auction begins at 11 a.m. Sunday
Located in the Green Building
Over
220
Exhibits and
Displays
www.randyshuntingcenter.com
Free Appraisals!
Fishing Tackle Antique Road Show
Terry McBurney, Woods-N-Water News writer, will be answering questions

and offering free appraisals about sporting collectibles, especially vintage
fishing tackle and Coleman camping items. So bring your old "outdoors stuff"
with you. Terry is also interested in purchasing items for his own collection.
Dont miss the Chili Cook-off competition!

Saturday September 12th -- Rotary Beer Tent
Stop and sample them all!
For more Outdoor Weekend information, seminar schedules, event times

or directions to the Eastern Michigan State Fairgrounds visit our website at:
www.OutdoorWeekend.net
OUTDOOR WEEKEND
SPECIAL PULL OUT
Open jumping Friday 5-7 p.m. only. For more information www.ultimateairdogs.com
A STEP BACK
IN TIME!
OUTDOOR WEEKEND
SPECIAL PULL OUT
Heres a chance for you to step back in time, see

the way it was on the Frontier or during the
Civil War. Our encampments are a journey in
education for young and old alike. From flintknapping, native lore, primitive skills, edible
plants, hide tanning and basket making, to
starting your first fire without matches. Enjoy
the popular encampments with Pat, Joe and
Chris Schnur, Diane and Phil Klimowicz, Ruth
Rushlow, Patrice Donnelley, and others who
bring the past to life. Plus the incredible
authentic Civil War Encampment with members of the 8th Arkansas and
22nd Michigan Re-enactors.
Watch a one of a kind performance on Saturday and Sunday as Reg
Pettibone and his Native American family explain the culture and perform
beautiful dances of the Ho-Chunk nation.
Special Guest:
Award
Winning
Author
Lane Walker
Lane Walker will be signing his
Hometown Hunters
Children's Book at the
Outdoor Weekend in Imlay City
Something for all outdoor lovers
Meet the Outdoor Weekend Mascot...

"BUCKY" and get your picture taken!
Heritage Church
Kids' Archery Shoot
Heres an opportunity for youngsters

to shoot some arrows under the
supervision of certified archery
instructors that will assist with proper
techniques and safety procedures!
Special Guest: Award

Winning Author
Richard P. Smith
Richard P. Smith will be signing his "Best Outdoor Book 2015" Black Bear Hunting 2nd Edition...
Feel free to stop by and talk hunting with Richard in his booth in the Red Building!
Michigan Ducks Unlimited

Southeast Ducks Unlimited
Duck Hunters'
Calling Contest
Hunters Class & Youth Class
A fun contest for all ages!
For more information:

www.ducks.org/michigan
Bill Yoder
Will have a
few baby
animals on
display!
Black Powder Shooting Sports...
It might
make a
10
A fiery yellow tongue, a thunderous boom and a roiling puff of sulfurous smoke sent the third shot hurtling to the 10-ring, a hundred yards distant. Wild Rivertree photos
shooting enthusiasts from all over the state gather
for the MSMLA State Championship matches. In
2015, the Columbiaville Sportsmans Club (5124
Klam Road, Columbiaville, MI) hosted the annual
event. The shooting program includes 65
matches and 23 aggregates, which combine scores from two or more matches for
additional medal possibilities. The crossstick matches are a favorite for all ages.
Merrill P. Deer is credited with reviving cross-stick or X-stick shooting in
the 1950s. He, and a few others, sought a
match that fit halfway between the bench
rest and offhand competitions. A keen
interest in the history, mystique and
traditions that surrounded buffalo
hunting on the western plains resulted in what are now called the buffalo or crossstick matches.
Deer designed the first target that featured a
buffalo silhouette with a single bulls-eye superimposed. As cross-stick shooters became more proficient, the five shot groups grew smaller, until the
ragged holes became too difficult to score. Today,
most buffalo match targets have two bulls-eyes and
the competitor places two shots in one target and
three in the other.
Like the buffalo hunters of long ago, the sharpshooter sits cross-legged with the rifles muzzle
resting on two crossed sticks about 36 inches long.
The National Muzzle Loading Rifle Associations
By Dennis Neely
Rules and Regulations state that cross-stick rifles

must weigh less than 14 pounds. All matches are
shot with patched round balls, and both flint and
percussion ignition are used with some matches
designated flint only.

This is the last barrel Paul Griffith made
before he passed, Smith explained to a bystander
who asked about the rifle between relays. Its
.50-caliber octagon barrel, 1 1/8 inch (across the
flats) and 41 inches long.
Its a couple ounces under 14 pounds so I can
shoot it for the Keeler (aggregate), the light bench
and the cross-stick matches. I had to cut the barrel
off a little to make weight. I shoot it against the
heavy bench rifles, because I dont have a heavy
bench gun.
Thats an R. K. Scott percussion action. He did
the stock out of dark cherry. It had a big cheek piece
on it, and I rasped that down a lot. I like to keep two
days worth of whiskers and when I feel them touch
the wood, thats all the pressure I put on the stock.

Its a perfect day to shoot. The lights
right. The winds calm. The temp is just right,
Smith said as he canted his head back to read the
shooting notes written in pencil in a small spiral
note pad.
Yesterday I shot a 50-2X (five 10s with two
shots in the center X-ring), not bragging, just saying. I shot at Nebraska and Kentucky (NMLRA
It might make a 10 page 78
ts a 10X, Ron Smith said, talking to himself in a hushed tone

after looking through the Cabelas
spotting scope at the first shot on
his 100-yard target. Thats a good
start.
Smith took four steps back to the custom-made,
cross-stick rifle that leaned in the deep, padded notch in the pine loading box attached to his
shooting bench. He picked up the false muzzle, a
barrel extension used to ease loading, attached to
the box by a red safety cable. He aligned the four
pins, pressed the false muzzle in place, then wiped
his hands on a red and gray hand towel. With the
tarnished-brass, adjustable powder measure in his
right hand, Smith stepped back, took a deep breath
and stared at the center bulls-eye on the three-bull
target.
Once loaded, Smith removed the false muzzle,
grasped the rifle and held it upright as he took
two steps to his left. He stood over a beige carpet
square with a rump-sized circle of heavy manila
rope stitched down with stout white thread. He
pointed the rifles muzzle downrange, then settled
it onto the leather padding that lined the V of
two crossed sticks. He steadied himself with his
right hand on the benchs steel stool, and with an
awkward twist of his body, sat in the center of the
manila-rope circle.
Smith adjusted the muzzles location
in the sticks. He cocked the actions underhammer, capped the nipple and peered
over the browned barrel at the three black
circles posted on the farthest target board.
He looked at the hammer as he brought it
to full cock. Cradled between the thumb
and index finger of his left hand to minimize pressure, the black-rubber butt
pad wrinkled his tan t-shirt. His
cheek barely touched the roughshaped stock. Wind flags drooped
BOOM!
Yellow fire streaked from the muzzle with a
thunderous roar. A white cloud of sulfurous stench
obscured the target as Smith used the black steel
stool to aid in getting up. With the rifle benched, he
took four quick steps to the scope, squinted hard,
then whispered to himself, It might make a 10.
Throughout that Friday morning at the Michigan State Muzzle Loading Association State Championship, Smiths routine never wavered, except
when he stopped to answer a spectators question or
engaged in some good-natured kidding with other
shooters.
The first weekend after July 4th, black powder
77
It might make a 10:

from page 77
Territorial Matches) and won the cross-sticks with

that gun. Im finally getting to where I can shoot it
good. Ive had it for two years, and Ive had a hard
time getting it to group right, but thats part of the
fun of shooting cross-sticks.
I shoot a .480 to .509 (inch) patched round
ball, depending on the weather. Im shooting a
.495, but I shot a little low on that last target so I
may go to .498. Thats a 100-yard bench rest target.
Any target that is shot off bench you can shoot off
cross-sticks. I shoot off cross-sticks for the practice.
Shooting cross-sticks is my forte. Id shoot
flint over percussion. Ive won more matches with
this gun, he said as he tapped a .50-caliber flint
cross-stick rifle leaning against the back loading
bench.

Many of Michigans black powder clubs
offer some form of cross-stick shooting, either
during monthly get-togethers or club-sponsored
events open to the public. Buffalo matches are fun
and exciting while fostering a sense of camaraderie
among participants.

A newcomer can start in the addictive
sport of cross-stick shooting with a mass-produced
muzzleloading rifle, a set of wooden sticks and a
pair of binoculars. At the MSMLA state shoot, all
matches are included in the entry fee, leaving little
excuse for not sampling the venue. And when a
problem arises, veteran competitors like Ron Smith
are more than willing to answer questions.
Consistency is the watchword for accuracy
in the black powder shooting sports. Measuring
powder, lubing patches and seating the ball in a
78
Successful cross-stick shooters check the round balls impact point after each shot, think through the
shots dynamics and make adjustments when necessary.
uniform manner, shot after shot, is a prerequisite.
Maintaining the same sight picture, hand and cheek
pressure on the stock and stable cross-stick placement are important, too. Reading the wind speed
and direction, the light conditions and knowing the
rifles peculiarities all contribute to posting winning
scores.

But even with meticulous attention to the
finer points of cross-stick shooting, experienced
competitors sometimes make mistakes, or think
they did.
On a two-bull buffalo at 100 yards, Smith had
two shots in the same hole in the 10-ring. Unsure,
he asked Dick Thorn and Doug Reedy to confirm
what his eyes saw. With a straight face, Reedy said,
Theres six shots on that target.
Definitely six, Thorn said. The two began
kidding Smith unmercifully for his mistake.

Smith peered through the scope, pulled
back, then looked again. I only see five, but I
Paying attention to details, like setting out five round balls, placing the patch knife or starter in the
same location, and making sure the false muzzles safety cord is firmly attached to the loading box,
pays big dividends.
guess Im wrong. I messed up. I took at least one

ball from my bulk pile, instead of the five I set out.
I suppose I couldve shot six times.

When he retrieved his target, Smith discovered the ruse. Ill catch up with you two, he said
wagging his index finger in feigned disgust.

The following relay Ron Smith shot a perfect score, a 50-5x, which set a new state record for
Match 16: 50 yard X-stick flint. Despite having
over 40 50 Club patches and pins on the inside
lid of his shooting box, the thrill is never gone. The
next shot holds just as much fun and excitement as
the first did, and perhaps it might make a 10.
Give the black powder shooting sports a try, be
safe and may God bless you.n
MUZZLE LOADING STATE EVENTS

Aug. 30-Oct. 24Winter
Aggregate: Benzie Sportsman Club
231-378-2145
Sept. 5-6Fall Shoot: Lansing
Muzzle Loading Gun Club
517-393-2772
Sept. 12-13Jackpot Trap Shoot
Grand Valley Cap n Ballers
616-836-5760
Sept. 12-13Trade Gun Shoot
Grand Valley Cap n Ballers
517-852-0939 or 616-534-3961
Sept. 12-20NMLRA National
Championship Matches
Friendship, IN: 812-667-5131
Sept. 18-20Fall Rendezvous/
Shoot: Howard City: 616-887-9716
Sept. 19-20Turkey Shoot: Lansing Muzzle Loading Gun Club:
517-393-2772
Sept. 19Sporting Clays
(modern shotgun): Grand Valley
Cap n Ballers: 616-836-5760
Sept. 20Bridgeport Fun Shoot:
Bridgeport: 989-746-0723
RANDY'S HUNTING CENTER 23RD ANNUAL
USED GUN AUCTION

Rifles Shotguns Pistols
Sunday, September 13TH, 2015 11:00 a.m.
at the Woods-N-Water News Outdoor Weekend
at the Imlay City Eastern Michigan Fairgrounds
Savage mod 64 .22 semi auto rifle, like new ...................................................................40252
Nitro Hunter single shot 12 gauge shotgun.....................................................................40386
Squires Bingham K-mart semi auto .22 rifle.....................................................................40260
Stevens bolt action 410 shotgun, 5 shot tube feed.........................................................40366
Hi Point mod 995 semi auto 9mm carbine, 10 shot clip..................................................40255
Western Field mod 550 (Mossberg) 12 ga. pump............................................................40384
FIE semi auto .22 ( Remington mod 66 clone) w/scope..................................................40287
Ithaca mod 37 bottom eject 12 ga. Pump w/ vent rib......................................................40258
Sears Ted Williams .22 semi auto T3 mod. ( Winchester mod 190 clone).....................40309
Dunhams Chinese pump 12 ga. Home defense shotgun................................................40264
Marlin mod 60 semi auto .22 with scope..........................................................................40261
Mossberg Maverick mod 88 pump 12 ga. Vent rib ..........................................................40270
Ruger 10/22 w/ folding stock and scope .22 semi auto, like new..................................40279
Western Field mod 520 old hump back browning design 12 ga. pump........................40266
Remington mod 742 Woodsmaster semi auto 30-06 w/Weaver K-6 scope...................40265
Remington Sportsman pump 870 vent rib synthetic stock 12 ga. 3 chamber...........40254
Mossberg mod 500 pump 12 ga. Slug gun w/rifle sights................................................40248
E.A. co. j-15 semi auto AR-15 223/5.56 w/bayonet lug and flash hider..........................40256
Ithaca mod 49 single shot lever action .22 rifle...............................................................40245
Norinco SKS semi auto 7.62x39 w/folding stock and hi cap mag, NICE.......................40349
Winchester mod 12 classic pump 16 gauge shotgun.....................................................40257
Marlin mod 795 semi auto clip feed .22 ...........................................................................40378
Mauser mod 98 bolt action 8mm w/ Weaver K-3 post style scope................................40276
Raven semi auto chrome plated .25 pocket pistol...........................................................40389
Astra mod A semi auto 9mm pistol...................................................................................40392
Hi Point JCP semi auto 40 Smith & Wesson pistol..........................................................40394
Walther P-22 semi auto .22 pistol with carbon fiber finish.............................................40396
Bersa semi auto satin nickel .380 with wood grips, nice gun........................................40397
Intertec Tec 9 semi auto 9mm cool looking pistol, lots of fun.......................................40388
Smith & Wesson semi auto mod SW40VE stainless slide..............................................40403
US Revolver break top .32 caliber revolver......................................................................40408
Taurus PT145PRO semi auto .45 ACP nice compact carry .45.......................................40411
Jennings J-22 chrome plated compact carry .22 pistol..................................................40412
Davis Mod P-32 chrome plated .32 auto pistol w/wood grips........................................40410
Stoeger Cougar 8000 semi auto 9mm pistol....................................................................40604
Interarms Star single action .45 single stack mag...........................................................40406
Taurus mod 94 9-shot .22 revolver, 2 barrel w/ adjustable sights, nice .....................40416
Beretta Tomcat .32 auto with tip up barrel for easy loading...........................................40424
Springfield XD sub compact two tone stainless .40 S&W caliber..................................40419
Ruger Single Six old 3-Screw design .22 revolver w/6 barrel...................................40417
Smith & Wesson mod 640 stainless .357 Magnum hammerless revolver, ...................40432
Colt police positive .38 special 5 blue barrel w/walnut grips.......................................40436
Ruger Super Redhawk double action .44 Magnum revolver 7 like new..................40433
Del-Ton AR-15 semi auto sporter 223/5.56 new in box w/ 30 rd mag...........................39110
H&R ULTRA SLUGGER 12 ga. Fully rifled slug gun new in the box..............................35877
Remington mod 740 semi auto 30-06 w/ bushnell scopemaster 4x scope...................40379
Remington 1100 semi auto 12 ga. Nice Hi gloss wood w/ vent rib barrel.....................40353
Hopkins & Allen double barrel, double hammers, nice patina, tight 12 ga...................40385
Universal M-1 Carbine .30 cal Carbine w/ sling and 30 rd mag......................................40331
Thompson Center stainless Encore 300 win mag. w/Burris 4.5x14 scope, NICE.........40600
Weatherby Centurion semi auto 12 ga. Great wood, nicest gun in sale today.............40341
Ruger 10/22T hammer forged heavy bbl, laminated stock semi auto .22 w/scope......40335
Remington 1100 Hi gloss vent rib .410 semi auto YES A .410 mod 1100......................40271
Remington 742 hi gloss Woodsmaster 30-06 w/scope, nice, nice gun.........................40305
Remington 11-87 SPECIAL TARGET 12ga.w/hi grade wood, vent rib w/chokes..........40363
Browning BAR semi auto 30-06 rifle made in Belgium, w/scope...................................40350
Browning A-5 12ga. MAGNUM round knob w/factory slug barrel..................................40316
Interarms MK-X bolt action 25-06 nice blond wood w/scope, bipod, sling...................40364
Remington 1100LW 20ga. Semi auto with rare vent rib, hard to find gun.....................40599
Remington bolt action .243 OD green stock w/scope new in the box...........................39327
Mossberg mod 500 pump 12 ga. Vent rib w/camo pistol grip stock and forend .........40340
Ruger 10/22 full digital camo world famous semi auto .22 as new................................40285
Winchester mod 12 classic pump 12 ga...........................................................................40359
Remington bolt action 7mm-08 great caliber, light recoil, NIB w/ scope......................38476
Marlin mod 60 semi auto .22, nice wood stock................................................................40339
66. JC Higgins mod 60 semi auto 12 ga. shotgun.................................................................40300

67. Taurus PT111 Pro semi-auto 9mm blued 12 round magazine........................................40428
68. Hi-Point CF380 semi-auto .380 ACP pistol........................................................................40430
69. Rohm RG-20 6-shot double action .22 LR revolver with 3 barrel.................................40437
70. Tanfoglio GT27 .25 ACP chrome with white grips...........................................................40434
71. Hi-Point JHP semi-auto .45 ACP pistol.............................................................................40448
72. Ruger Mark I semi-auto .22 LR pistol w/ 6 barrel and 3 magazines.............................40440
73. Glock 26 sub-compact 9mm pistol, excellent carry pistol..............................................40446
74. Smith & Wesson Model 642 Airweight double action .38 Special SS revolver ............40443
75. Springfield XD .357 Sig. w/ 4 barrel, 12 round magazine..............................................40460
76. Smith & Wesson Model 10 .38 Special w/ 5 barrel, blue/wood grips...........................40452
77. Beretta PX4 Storm semi-auto 9mm pistol w/ 2 15-round mags......................................40474
78. Ruger Super Blackhawk .44 Mag. Single action revolver w/ 7 barrel.......................40470
79. Walther P99AS semi-auto 9mm pistol, black finish.........................................................40472
80. Smith & Wesson 29-3 double action .44 Mag revolver 8 3/8 barrel, blue/wood..........40457
81. Colt New Frontier single action .22 LR revolver, 6 barrel & adjustable sights...........40477
82. Sig Sauer SP2009 semi-auto 9mm pistol w/ 15-round magazine...................................40496
83. Ruger LCR double-action revolver .357 Mag. AS NEW...................................................40494
84. Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 380 ACP w/ laser and 2 mags...........................................40503
85. Glock 23 compact semi-auto .40 S&W pistol...................................................................40500
86. Ruger P90DC semi-auto .45 ACP pistol............................................................................40502
87. Westernfield 808M tube-fed semi-auto .22 LR rifle..........................................................40237
88. Armscor pump 12 ga. shotgun..........................................................................................40250
89. Remington 760 pump rifle chambered in .300 Savage....................................................40321
90. Westernfield M550 (Mossberg 500) pump 12 ga. shotgun..............................................40251
91. Westernfield lever action (Marlin 336) .30-30 Win. rifle...................................................40236
92. Stevens Model 167 pump 20 ga. Shotgun w/ classic corn cob forend..........................40249
93. Bushmaster XM-15 AR-15 semi-auto .223 rifle.................................................................40374
94. Century Arms double barrel coach gun 12 ga. shotgun.................................................40598
95. Winchester 1400 semi-auto 20 ga. Shotgun, nice dark wood.........................................40308
96. Remington 721 bolt-action .270 Win. Classic hunting rifle.............................................40347
97. Mossberg 500 pistol grip pump 12 ga. shotgun..............................................................40244
98. Savage 93 bolt-action varmint gun .22 Mag. w/ scope, light, & laser............................40293
99. Beretta AL2 semi-auto 12 ga. Shotgun w/ engraved receiver, vent rib barrel..............40241
100. Ruger 10/22 wood stock/blued semi-auto .22 LR rifle.....................................................40240
101. Mossberg home defense 12 ga. Shotgun 18 barrel, wood stock.................................40247
102. Chinese SKS semi-auto 7.62x39 rifle................................................................................40273
103. Mossberg 500 pump .410 shotgun w/ vent rib & nice wood stock................................40380
104. Colt M4 AR-15 .22 LR w/ illuminated reticle scope..........................................................40317
105. Mossberg Maverick tactical 12 ga. w/ folding stock & heat shield................................40343
106. Romanian AK-47 semi-auto rifle chambered in 7.62x39.................................................40242
107. Mossberg 500 pump 20 ga. Shotgun HARD TO FIND!!!..................................................40268
108. Winchester 1400 semi-auto 12 ga. shotgun.....................................................................40303
109. Mossberg 500 12 ga. Home defense LIKE NEW...............................................................40246
110. Raven MP-25 semi-auto .25 ACP chrome w/ ivory grips.................................................40508
111. Taurus PT140 blued semi-auto pistol chambered in .40 S&W........................................40515
112. Rossi stainless 4 .44 Special revolver.............................................................................40524
113. Chiappa M9 (Beretta 92 clone) semi-auto .22 LR w/ wood grips NEW IN BOX............37731
114. Charter Arms double-action .38 Special revolver 2 barrel, blued finish......................40530
115. Smith & Wesson SD40VE SS semi-auto .40 S&W, 13-round magazine.........................40535
116. Taurus Public Defender (Judge) 45 LC/410 shotshell revolver 2 bbl, blued...............40526
117. Hi-Point C9 semi-auto 9mm pistol.....................................................................................40556
118. Lorcin semi-auto 9mm pistol chrome, full-size frame.....................................................40557
119. Bryco Model 38 semi-auto .380 ACP compact carry, black finish..................................40545
120. Hi-Point JHP semi-auto .45 ACP pistol.............................................................................40546
121. White Powder 12 ga. shotgun............................................................................................40602
122. Armscor LR20 semi-auto .22 LR, magazine-fed rifle.......................................................40354
123. Rossi single shot .410 shotgun NICE................................................................................40362
124. Sears (Winchester) Model 200 pump 12 ga. shotgun......................................................40361
125. Marlin Model 25 bolt-action .22 rifle..................................................................................40338
126. Stevens single shot 12 ga. shotgun..................................................................................40281
127. Westernfield M830 bolt-action .22 rifle, clip-fed...............................................................40292
128. Eastern Arms single shot 12 ga. shotgun........................................................................40348
129. Romanian training rifle .22 LR, bolt action, clip-fed........................................................40277
130. Kassnar single shot 20 ga. shotgun..................................................................................40333
Due to normal business activities, there may be more or less guns available on day of sale. Final list held by Osentoski Auctioneering
takes precedence. All guns will be sold as is. Payments can be made by Personal check, Cash, Master card, Visa, or Discover.
There will be a 13% buyers premium with a 3% discount

for Check and Cash www.osentoskiauction.com
FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL
RANDY'S HUNTING CENTER
(989) 269-GUNS www.randyshuntingcenter.com
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.
50.
51.
52.
53.
54.
55.
56.
57.
58.
59.
60.
61.
62.
63.
64.
65.
79
The new Michigan

Zone 3 deer rifle
A
ccording to the 2014
Limited Firearm Deer
Zone regulations; it is
now legal to hunt deer
with tradition pistol
cartridges, in a rifle. Those
center fire cartridges must
be .35 caliber or larger, have
a minimum case length of
1.16 inches, maximum length
of 1.80 inches. Bottle neck
cartridges of all types are not
allowed. Similar regulations
apply to Ohio and Indiana,
other states pending. Therefore,
forget the .30-30
Win. or the .35 Rem. they are bottle
necks. Never mind the .444 Marlin,
its straight walled case is oversize at
2.225 inches. Enter cartridges like
the .357 magnum and .44 Remington
magnum. Ballistically the .357 is
on the light side for whitetails. Its
max load in a rifle is 140 gr. at 1900
ft/s. Thats a short range rifle. The
.44 magnum with a max load of 240

grain at 1700 ft/s is almost equal to a
medium 20 gauge slug thats better,
ok up to about 100 yards. But the
Bushmaster 450 cartridge
fired out of a full length 24
inch barrel, like my Thumper 450 is at 2250 ft/s with a
250 grain bullet. When zeroing in at two inches high at
100 yards, it is zeroed at 175
yards. Thats flat shooting.
Retained energy is equally impressive. The current
Hornady reloading
handbook 9th edition says that the
450 Bushmaster is capable of taking
any North American large game at
ranges up to 250 yards. Further it
says that the Thumper is
the ideal brush gun of the 21st century. Incidentally, Hornadys 450
Bushmaster, 250 grain FTX factory
ammo, is readily available over the
counter.
By Joseph F. Delaney
Superior Game Ranch

Route 3 Box 163 Cornell, MI 49818
Incredible U.P. of Michigan

Hunting Opportunities
Over 4,200 acres of private farmland
in south Marquette County
Michigan, (2,000 acres) fully
guided bow and firearm hunts in
hunting preserve for: Elk,
Large Russian Boar
Whitetail Deer, Buffalo, Wild
Hunts Available!
Boar, Red Stag & Fallow Deer.
Trophy Elk,
Trophy Red Stag &
Trophy Fallow Deer
80
Lodging available for

groups of up to 12 people.
Still Booking Hunts!
(906) 238-4482
(906) 630-1617
Call
or
for more information and reservations.

www.superiorgameranch.com
Field test shooters, Lee Holman and Jerry Paulus give a thumbs Up for the Thumper.
Paulus at 1.117 inches and the factory
target at .733 inches.
As of this writing, the classic style
Test summation: Three different
bolt action rifle in the 450 Bushmasshooters, nine shots total, using facter (caliber) is only available through
tory ammo equals average .807 inches
several custom rifle builders. That
MOA. This is a real good shooting
was no problem. Three of my shootiron. This is a light weight rifle with
ing friends and several acquaintances
a light weight scope, a Leupold VX2
led me to www.bohmanarms.com.
2-7x33mm, which is ideal for this rifle
Thank goodness! My new Thumper
and a Vais muzzle brake. Although
rifle, made to my own specifications,
we had repeated adjustment problems
is a light weight at only 7 pounds
with the mechanical gun rest. These
before scoping. This rifle is the
features, and its low cost, make the
handiwork of Ed Bohman, owner of
Thumper 450, the standard to judge
Bohman Arms. He is a former Special
all other classic style 450 custom
Forces sniper and designated Defengrade rifles.
sive Marksman for the U. S. State
Dept. Formally trained as a gunsmith,
Ed, in my opinion, is a rifle building
About sixteen months ago, I began
genius. But thats another story. The a search for a flat shooting family
focus today is on the rifle itself; its fit deer rifle that my grandsons, nephand feel and especially its accuracy
ews and I could easily handle. The
with factory ammo. Every Thumper
straight walled 450 produces less
rifle is of top quality controlled coninternal psi, generating higher velocstruction. They are 100 percent built
ity and less recoil, than bottle neck
by Ed Bohman himself. Every opera- calibers. A good recoil pad and a 24
tion is on-site and requires a minimum inch barrel with a muzzle brake make
of 15 hours of intensive, skilled hand for ideal weight forward balance, in a
labor. These rifles are beautifully
light weight rifle. The base Thumper
made, well fitted and balanced.
before scoping is just 8 pounds and is
In July, we field tested my new
an excellent value. The Thumper then
rifle and these are the results of three
becomes a favored family rifle.
different riflemen, friends, Lee Holman and Jerry Paulus, also members
of Perch Point Conservation Club.
Why should you clean and maintain your rifle? For safety sake, to
Their targets compared to Ed Bohmstart.
ans test firing the day before were:
Proper rifle cleaning and mainLee Holman at .573 inches, Jerry
Rifle Availability
The Family Rifle
Rifle Maintenance
Wish Comes True...
Supporting the
Common Good
All deer hunters contribute to

the common good. Let it be known
that over 70,000 deer-car accidents
occur every year in Michigan. This
includes multiple human fatalities.
Let it be known that deer hunters

help reduce this problem. Plus, I
and hunting members of my family
provide multiple households with
donated venison annually, a common
practice by Michigan deer hunters.
This high protein meat is low in fat
and richer in nutrient value than many
domestic meats. Deer hunters help
feed the hungry! Michigan venison
donation programs are available at
most deer processing plants, statewide. The average deer hunter spends
over one thousand dollars each year
while pursuing whitetails. This is a
major support to our local economy
and to the state and federal tax base.
There were zero deer hunting fatalities in Michigan last year. In fact,
it was 270 times safer to hunt deer
than to drive a vehicle on Michigan
highways. So says the Michigan
Highway Department.
All hunting license fees go into
the general fund then help support
the DNR programs and help supply
the income for many state workers.
Dont forget the Pitman-Robertson
Program. I could go on and on, but
you get the picture. Are you a deer
hunter? Dont be ashamed of a
wholesome hobby. It is good to count
the ways. Please remember that deer
hunters directly support the common
good.
When I hunt with my grandkids
they shoot, Papa Joe guides and have
a great time. I enjoy gutting their first
deer, second or third deer, its OK, I
love it and they really appreciate it!
Hunting in a spacious, well designed
ground blind, is the basis for a good
time even on cold, wet days. It is a
joy teaching youngsters how to hunt
safely. They long remember it. Our
youth are our most important natural
resource.
In my opinion, there are several
good new Whitetail rifles for Michigan. I own several of them. However, by its features and benefits, I think
the Thumper is probably the best, in
its class, and is now available.
I wish you good and safe
hunting.n
Fishing for trout on Lake Superior

is a wish that the Make-A-Wish Foundation made come true for 17-yearold Christopher Mayes from Elkton,
Kentucky during July. Mayes and his
parents fished for lake trout with Mitch
Mattsons Shelter Bay Charters on July
17. The biggest fish of the day was
a 36-pounder that was 43 inches in
length. The lunker laker was hooked in
130 feet of water on a brass and silver
Johnson spoon at the end of about
700 feet of wire line from a pump rod.
Heavy rods and reels filled with wire
line were the primary tackle used to
get lures down to the depths lake trout
occupy in Superior prior to the advent
of downriggers. Some anglers still use
them with good results.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation was
formed to help make wishes come true
for youngsters with life threatening
illness. Christopher was diagnosed with brain cancer on March 16 of this
year, according to his mother Jessica Mayes. She said 100 percent of her
sons brain tumor was removed during surgery, but doctors told them that
the type of cancer he has is aggressive and tends to come back. Christopher
is receiving regular chemo and radiation treatments to reduce the chances of
the cancer returning.
The trout fishing trip on Lake Superior with Mitch Mattson was only
part of Christophers wish that came true. He and his family spent a week
in a cabin in the woods at Seney where they did more fishing and canoeing. They also went to Mackinac Island, which is in Lake Huron, and saw
Lake Michigan, too. Part of Christophers wish was to see some of the Great
Lakes.
By Richard P. Smith
LARGE VARIETY OF SPECIALTY MEATS

ORDER
ONLINE
TODAY!
FRESH
CUT
MEATS
DAILY
WWW.JOHNSTONSMEAT.COM
Beef/Venison Snack Sticks and Jerky
Pork and Turkey Jerky Summer Sausage
Smoked Salmon, White Fish AND MORE!
VENISON BEEF HOGS WILD GAME PROCESSING
STATE, USDA AND HACCP-CERTIFIED
MICHIGAN-MADE PRODUCTS,
BEER AND LIQUOR 6,000 PRODUCTS!
WE SPONSOR:
Wheelin 457 Team Whitetail Unlimited

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation QDM Hunters for Hunger
New Hours: Mon-Fri: 7am-7pm Sat: 9am-7pm Sun: 10am-6pm
CHECK
OUT OUR
MEAT
BUNDLES
tenance is very important. It will

double barrel life and cannot be
ignored. As a Range Safety Officer,
I know that it is very dangerous to
fire a smokeless powder rifle with
any type of oil, grease or liquid bore
conditioner inside the barrel. The
bore and chamber must always be dry
before firing.
The three elements of fouling
that are present after rifle shooting
are: 1) black soot powder and primer
residue, 2) brown/grey residue from
carbon, 3) blue/green residue from
copper. This fouling is easily visible
and identifiable on each cleaning
patch during proper cleaning.
I have more than several premium
grade rifles, which shoot MOA (or
better). As a rifleman, I clean very
carefully after every shooting session.
Improper, over-cleaning will possibly
damage a bore right now. As a field
tester and writer, I have access to
all kinds of cleaners and solvents. I
stopped using wire brushes years ago.
The original Wipe-Out foam cleaner
for smokeless powder rifles by SharpShoot-R is my preferred product.
There are other foam cleaners that I
have tried that didnt work as well.
As I have discovered, oil in the bore
causes carbon fouling and is accumulative. I never put oil or grease in the
bore of a smokeless powder rifle.
Brushless Wipe-Out foam cleaning is quicker, easier more effective
and requires no after cleaning oil in
the bore. There are effective preservatives in Wipe-Out bore cleaners
that protect the bore. No oil or other
preservatives ever go into the barrel
before storage. First shot accuracy,
cold bore shooting, is my standard.
For information go to
www.sharpshootr.com.
Superior trout fishing
81
Fall Fishing ... By Jack Payne
Perhaps the best fishing of the year
onsistently fall has produced

our largest fish and the steadiest action. Forage supplies
start to dwindle and the fish
feed more aggressively and
for longer periods of time.
The further north you are the early the
fall patterns start. For many years we
take a trip to Portage Lake near Copper Harbor. A prime walleye and pike
body of water. Our trip is planned
around the 15th of September so we
can enjoy some good grouse hunting
as well.
Fall fishing for me starts in September and lasts through Thanksgiving. Fall is a time of many patterns
and multiple species. However, some
basic techniques can be employed for
many species and different applications, thus saving you money and
helping you become a more proficient
angler. Early fall the fish might still
be deep, then as the water cools some
move shallower. When the water turns
over the fish can be anywhere from
The author with a nice pike caught casting.
the surface to the bottom. Then once
large areas of prime structure. Casting large weed beds are suited perfectly
more they head shallow through first
best suited for the small structure arfor trolling. Run a planner board and a
ice.
Trolling is effective when working eas and the tightly schooled fish. Long shallow running lure over he tops and
run another board off to the side with
a deep diver for the suspended fish.
Excellent feeding areas include

mid-lake humps, submerged islands,
WE DIDNT INVENT THE PLANER BOARD, WE JUST PERFECTED IT!
rocks piles and a deep water drop-off
EZ Store
that borders thick cabbage weeds.
The TX-007 Stern Planer
For Your Planer Board
Cabbage weeds that are green and
An all new type of planer!
border a deep drop-off are deadly in
rch Tackle Co.
the fall. Once they start to turn on they
Chu
only get better as the temperatures
Allows for easy planer storage!
10 1/4 long, weighs about 3 oz
get cooler. A large green wed bed will
Change tow-arm & clips in a snap!
Great for trolling in congested areas and for more effective contour
The optional E-Z Store devise easily attaches
stay hot until the weeds die off.
trolling along drop offs, contour lines, reef edges and weed lines in
to the Walleye Board, TX-44 or TX-22 side
Pike anglers should consider using
rivers, lakes or the ocean. Effective for all species.
planers. Just slide the tow-arm & clip off for
large
lures. A six inch bait is the miniRun more lines out the back of the boat by staggering the TX-007.
storage or change to another tow-arm & clip
mum size and consider lures that push
Run any distance from the boat yet maintain desired depth.
slide back on when youre ready to fish again.
Easy to attach and remove. Suitable for salt water or fresh water
Part# 40519 sold 2 per package 1 left & 1 right
the one foot mark. Big fish want big
meals at this time of the year. As the
TX-22 and TX-44 are reversible and both have
TX-44
a fluorescent red flag included, making the
water cools down you can crank down
SUPER
board easy to see, folds down for easy storage!
the speed but keep the size of the lures
PLANER
TX-22 Special The most perfectly balanced boards on the
the same.
market; set upright in the water at 0 speed.
Size: 14 x 4 1/4 x 7/8
Planer Board
Rapala Husky Jerks and Rogue
Church Tackle Co.
RIGHT
Specia
-2h T2
l
ckle Co. Sodus, M
rc a
I
TX
Chu
hurchtackle.com
www.c
2 Special
-2
ckle Co. Sodus, M
rch Ta
I
TX
Chu
hurchtackle.com
www.c
LEFT
The TX-44 is the first and the

only in-line planer to pull the
magnum divers, Lead Core, Wire
or Copper Lines and Heavy Weights.
Part# 30580 All Church Tackle planer boards come ready to run right out of the package, no extras to buy.
9 3/8 X 3 1/2
5 different planer board models to choose from!
The Revelator Flasher!
The Shock Wave
No More Toothpicks!
The Flasher for Champions! No fish can resist the Revelator.
Cut-bait Head Flips up to easily to insert herring strip,
The unique body design make each
82
rotation different, 4 attachment

holes will give your flies,
spoons or lure extra action to
catch the big one.
8 & 5 3/4 lengths with many tape and body colors to choose from
Same great design, now also available
in
.
dynamic metallic colors for even more flash.
snaps shut and spike holds cut bait in place
White, green, red or glow

or chrome; plain or with
flashy WTP tape.
NEW for 2015 2 in 1 BOARD CLIP
2 clips in 1 use as a Standard Adj. Flex Clip or in

seconds move the rivet & hardware to the second
hole, turn the top piece around for a Vise Clip
Pads are replaceable when worn
Adjustment holes along side let you

easily adjust line to any length.
Standard Clip
Vise Clip
When using as a Standard Clip, it can be adjusted to release, the Vise Clip will not release
Rivet placement
Standard
Clip
Vise Clip
Please check with your local tackle shop first, if they dont carry our products visit us at www.churchtackle.com
to view all of our great American made fishing gear, or call us at 269-934-8528 to request a catalog.
Thundersticks are trolled over the tops

of weed beds and often right in the
propeller wash. Planner boards are
used when running multiple rods and
cover a wider swath of water. Trolling
anglers cover a lot of water in the day
and pass over a lot of fish. Anglers
casting these baits do their absolute
best targeting inside turns and cups
alongside of a cabbage weed patch.
Often a fish will follow the lure
right up to the boat. Pay attention and
make a habit of doing a figure eight
with your lure before pulling it out of
the water. Remember any spot where
a fish hit or followed your lure and
come back to this location throughout
the day.
Bucktail spinners with Mepps
being a proven producer. Weighing down the spinner dramatically
improves the fishing. These spinners
have a tendency to run high and while
ripping the surface can produce, many
have found that a spinner two foot
down does best in the fall. Add one or
two number seven split shots.
Pay attention to the pulse of the
spinner and set the hook whenever it
changes. It might be a weed or possibly a fish. Keep your hooks razor
sharp and check your line frequently
for abrasions.
When the walleye are suspended
at a set depth and stacked into tight
locations casting keeps your bait in
their face. Second, when trolling you
are into the fish quickly and then out
of them as fast. A slow drift or using
the trolling motor will keep you over
the pod of fish.
When casting for bass or walleye
matching the sinker weight and style
of sinker is very important. We use
egg sinkers most of the time and we
place them onto our main line above a
barrel swivel or snap swivel.
Cast out and count down to the
depth that the fish appear on your
graph. Then a nice steady retrieve,
keeping the harness rig in the strike
zone. You might need to play with

your sinker weights. Some days an
eighth ounce works best, other days it
might take a half ounce weight. Work
the spinner over the tops of the weeds
and alongside of the weeds.
Crawler harnesses work great on
bass and walleye in early fall. As the
water cools drifting or slow trolling
with a large minnow or possibly a
jumbo leech can work. A large jig and
minnow is a steady fall produce for
walleye and a jig and pig awesome
on bass. I still use the old Uncle Josh
pork and I love it as much as the fish
do!
Hit the marshy shallows once the
frog migration takes place. When the
frogs start getting ready for the winter
bass and walleye move in super shallow to feed on them. This is a great
time to fish after dark either using
waders or from a boat. Body baits and
jigs work fantastic.
You can spend an entire day just
running the points and working each
one for a few minutes. Throw in
docks that run tight to the drop-off
and you will stay busy all day.
Catfish are often found in the
same areas as the bass and walleye
and do they put up a fight. Cats have
saved our day many times. Our hot
bait is cut up pieces of sucker or
hotdogs nuked for 45 seconds and
then soaked in anise oil. With the cut
baits I would suggest a circle hook.
We use circle hooks whenever fishing
a single hook even on the bass and
walleye.
Circle hooks from Mustad work
great because the fish will set the
hook themselves. Wait for the fish to
run and when your rod tightens up
just lift up and start the battle. Boost
your hook size up one or two sizes
when using a circle hook.
The easiest and cheapest rig is the
three-way rigs. A quarter ounce bell
sinker will work nicely in calm shallow water while stiff current of real
deep water might require a 2 ounce
bell sinker.
River anglers take heed and keep
your drop lines for the sinker short.
One foot is it. On the drop line for
your bait run those 1-2 feet long for
river angling and a bit longer when
fishing a lake.
Shore bound anglers should fish
the piers or the river. The face of the
dam is always good with a deep hole
and nice eddies. The sharp bend of a
river that is snag filled holds monster
cats.
Often the best feeding areas are
located smack dab in front of a nasty
snag. Hit the riffles first and then the
snag infested hole. If fishing a river
that connects to the Great Lakes
try the main river channel and drift
towards the pier heads.
Fall is also the time for fat panfish. Perch, crappie and bluegill can
often be caught in the same areas.
Cabbage weeds are best but never
over look suspended fish and be
aware of fish stuck to the bottom.
Our favorite approach would
encompass a split shot or two with
a spinner bait on the bottom. We
normally purchase our mini crawler
rigs designed for panfish locally. We
either troll these spinners super slow
or cast out and slowly reel in. A feeding panfish makes no bones about
hitting your bait. A small perch will
often peck at it but a decent panfish
will give a solid tap.
Leaf worms produce the most fish
but small leeches produce the largest
fish. Leeches hold up better and rarely get hammered by small fish. We
start on the deepest side of a cabbage
weed and we also fish the side of the
lake that is receiving the most wind.
This is true for panfish and game fish.
Use the wind as an ally.
Panfish are schooling fish and
where you catch one you can often
catch many. Drop down your trolling
motor work the spot but dont fall in
love with it. If the bite stops, pull up
and move. Suspended fish will show
Rachel Payne with a master angler fall catfish. Author photos

up easily on the graph.
My Lowrance graphs are tuned in
very nicely thanks to the DVDs from
Lance Valentine. After watching his
series of DVDs my two graphs have
never been as productive and useful
as they are now. Learn your graph to
eliminate unproductive water and in
locating all species of fish.
There are many great lakes to
fish and I can speak honestly about
the waters that I fish. Portage Lake
and Little Bay de Noc in the UP have
always been kind to me. Hamlin Lake

near Ludington is great, Hardy Pond,
Muskegon Lake and Fremont always
a pleasure to fish. And then there are
a host of smaller lake in Barry, Kent,
Ionia and Allegan counties that we
fish but they are smaller lakes and do
not need tons of additional pressure.
Fall fishing is a time of few anglers, great weather and very productive fishing. This is my favorite time
on a large fish and the best time to fill
the freezer before winter sits in.n
POND & LAKE SUPPLIES
Aquatic weed and algae control supplies

Pond aeration systems and fountains
Fish for pond stocking
Water gardening products
Filtration systems, pumps, fish food and more...
Call or visit our website to request a free color catalog!
800-448-3873 4385 E 110th, Grant MI 49327 www.stoneycreekequip.com
Your Michigan supplier of pond & lake supplies celebrating 45 years!
83
Decoy spreads for early

goose season success
By Ryan Walker
ast years Michigan early

goose season opener played
out like many early goose
season openers had in the past
for our hunting party. We experienced no success during the
earlier portion of the morning. Official
shooting time found us set up on an
alfalfa field where local Canada geese
had been feeding for the previous two
weeks. The three or four flocks that
we anticipated would show up for
breakfast left their nighttime roost and
flew in the direct opposite direction
of our location. We gathered our four
dozen decoys and headed to a midmorning location that had produced
early season success in the past. We
set out a dozen decoys in and around
a small farm pond often frequented
by local geese. Once the layout blinds
were on the ground, the waiting game
began. At 10:30 a.m. the only living
creatures in the sky were hordes of
mosquitoes and a few interested turkey buzzards. Fighting temperatures
in the 80s while encased in a canvas
covered layout blind began to create
doubt in our mid-morning strategy.

Right at the moment when hope
was fading fast, a lone honk in the
distance set our calls to work. Immediately our chorus of calls received a
loud acknowledgement from a flock
of ten birds. Within minutes, the flock
was floating in the humid summer
sky like storm clouds ready to release
their droplets earthward. At that point,
four mature Michigan geese did fall
from the sky like rain during a thunderstorm.
Throughout my decades of hunting Michigans early goose season, I
have learned several valuable lessons in Canada goose behavior and
specifically decoy spreads that take
full advantage of a gooses early
season habits. In general, early season
Canada geese are drawn to small
bodies of water during the day so
they can cool down in the repressive
summer heat. A small pond is an ideal
spot for geese during the dog days
of late summer because, like a vacationer in a pool, the geese can bob
around in the water without expending
Mid Thumb Game Ranch
Joe Bastien of Columbiaville with a pair of Canada geese taken over a land and
water spread that used decoys resembling resting and sleeping geese.
energy. When energy is spent, it creates heat; and heat is not a welcome
guest at the beginning of September.
BOOKS/DVDS BY RICHARD P. SMITH
BLACK BEAR HUNTING
545 West Burnsline Melvin, Michigan 48454
6 NEW Chapters Plus New Material Added To Most Chapters

Best black bear hunting book out there! ~ C. Ramirez
M-90 between M-53 & M-19 -- Approx. 50 Miles North of Detroit
DETAILED COVERAGE OF:
Contact at 810-378-5632
All Hunting Methods

Where to Aim
Field Judging Black Bears Recovering Bear You Shoot
Scoring on Nocturnal Bears Reading Bear Sign
DAILY 7 AM - 10 PM
Field Judging
80 ACRES, MOSTLY
WOODED-HEAVY COVER
BLACK BEARS
NO LICENSE
REQUIRED
ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY!
____ Field Judging Black Bears($20.00 postpaid) _______
$50 Deposit (personal check)
84
SEND FOR YOUR

AUTOGRAPHED COPIES TODAY.
WWW.MIDTHUMBGAMERANCH.NET
Rams $325 & Up
Hog Hunts
Call For Availability
Goats $325 & Up

Fallow Bucks
$900
PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE!
Waterfowlers who are fortunate to

locate and procure access to small
ponds that are surrounded by trimmed
Name
Address
City
Phone #
Quantity Cost
____*NEW* Black Bear Hunting - 2nd Edition ($40) _______
____ Great Michigan Deer Tales - Book 6 ($16.50)
_______
____ Walking with Whitetails DVD ($24.00)
_______
____ Deer Hunting - 4th Edition ($35.00)
_______
_______
_______
_______
_______
_______
____ Deer Tales Set - 2 for $28; 3 for $40; 4 for $50; 5 for $60; 6 for $72 _______
Please specify which books sent to the same address.
____ Tracking Wounded Deer ($20.00)

_______
____ Stand Hunting for Whitetails ($19.00)
_______
____ Understanding Michigan Black Bear - 2nd Edition ($20.00) _______
____ Animal Tracks & Signs of N.A. ($23)
_______
____
TOTAL _______
State
Zip
Please remit by MasterCard, Visa, Check or Money Order.
Circle card type:

MC/Visa #
Expiration Date
Signature
Make checks payable to: SMITH PUBLICATIONS

814 Clark St. Marquette, MI 49855
www.RichardPSmith.com
grass have stumbled upon an early

goose season hotspot. Have you ever
wondered why geese frequent golf
courses and your neighbors yard?
The answer is two-fold. First, the
grasses on golf courses and yards are
easily digestible. Second, manicured
lawns provide vigilant geese a wide,
unobstructed view of any approaching predators.
Once early season goose hunters
are equipped with these basic facts
regarding the behavior of their quarry,
the next step is to scout areas that offer small bodies of water surrounded
by trimmed grass. As the heat of the
day increases, so will the odds of
geese visiting one of these prime locations. Effective early season decoy
spreads can convince nomadic flocks
to land at a watering hole near you.
The following decoy spreads have
proven successful for many waterfowlers in the past.
The first set for early goose
season requires about two dozen
decoys. During the heart of goose
season, the more decoys hunters
have out the more likely it will be to
fool resistant flyers. However, early
season geese seem to respond better
to smaller spreads. The main idea of
this spread is to break the two dozen

decoys into small family groups. This
gives the impression that there are
several small groups using the small
pond instead of one large flock. The
decoys should be spread out so there
is really no set pattern, instead place
a group of five here and a group of
four there, you get the picture. The
groups should be separated from each
other by enough open ground and/
or water to reinforce the impression
that the area is a communal gathering spot. Feeding calls at low volume
will instill confidence in approaching
birds that this location is a safe haven
that has food, water, and other geese
in close proximity.
The next plan calls for approximately one dozen decoys that can
be used on land and in the water. Set
ten of the decoys in the water, not far
from the shoreline. Instead of clustered together, the decoys should be
spread out so they hug the contour
where land meets water. If possible,
use decoys that are in the rest or sleep
position to give the illusion of birds
at rest. One of the remaining decoys
should be set in the sentry position
looking out over the rest of the flock.
The final decoy should be pointed
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
toward the pond as though it was

slowly working its way to the water.
The intent of the spread is to resemble
a small flock passing the heat of the
day with a lazy float. Little or no calling is needed when hunting over this
spread as the flock is not interested in
any company.
An additional spread occasionally
employed in the early season requires
a dozen decoys. One or two decoys
will be positioned in the water near
the shore. They act as the first of the
flock to enter the water from shore.
The remaining decoys are broken into
two staggered, single file lines. The
decoys should be separated from each
other by about three feet, and they
should appear to be walking toward
the water. This spread looks like a
small flock has fed on the surrounding grass and is preparing to re-enter
the cool water. As with the previous
spread, little or no calling is necessary
as the faux flock is simply content to
lounge around.
The final early season spread is
one of my personal favorites, and it
is a tried and true standard during
the entire waterfowl season. Most
small ponds will have a point of land
that juts out into the water. Ideally, if
wind conditions are right, the hunters

should set up a blind on this point. As
the blind faces the pond, a dozen and
a half decoys will be split into two
groups, each containing nine decoys.
One flock will be placed on the water
to the left of the blind and the other
flock will be placed on the water to
the right of the blind. Each flock will
have one sentry facing the other flock.
A large expanse of open water, approximately 30 yards wide, will split
the two flocks. It is key that the wind
is at the blinds back so the incoming
geese will come across the water and
pitch into the gap, thus providing up
close wing shooting. Hailing calls can
be used to draw an interested flocks
attention to the spread.
As Michigans early goose season
gets underway, targeting small ponds
surrounded by cut grass can produce
plenty of action. Adapting your decoy
spreads to take advantage of the behavior patterns of geese in September
can increase your odds of success.

Watching a flock of Canada
geese set their wings and glide to a
spread you have constructed makes
all the scouting, set-up, and battling
heat and mosquitoes worth the time
and effort.n
Hunt Hard
By Vital Shot Productions
Starting July 4th
Your MICHIGAN Hunting Crew

Join us each week as we bring Michigans
Great Outdoors to your home
Book Lane for your next wildgame dinner or event
www.hometown-hunters.com
Hometown-Hunters
www.vitalshotproductions.com
MYTV 18 Lansing/Jackson
Saturdays at 9:30 am
MYTV 12 - Traverse City
Sat. 7am Sun. 1pm
WLLA - Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo
Saturdays at 4:30 pm
WBKB 11 - Alpena/Marquette
Saturdays at 6:00 am
Lane Walker
Author
Outdoor Writer
Professional Speaker
85
Four shotgun type of guy!

By Rick Fowler
use for grouse, woodcock and pheasant hunting. One is a New England
Firearms 20 gauge with a short barrel
friend of mine once rethat I purchased for my son 15 years
marked, You know, you
ago. He did fire it on a few occajust cant have enough shotsions as we made our way through
guns. They are like friends.
the woods of NW Michigan. Though
The more you have the
he never did get a bird with it, it was
more comfortable you will
excellent fun for a dad and his son on
be. Well maybe some of this adage
few weekend hunts. Soon it was time
is true but I like to think my friends
for college and his opportunities for
far outweigh the number of shotguns
fall hunting waned. Over the ensuI possess. Dont get me wrong. I love
ing years I adopted the light-weight
shotguns, but feel no need to add more
20 gauge as my own. It has been
of them to an 8 gun safe just because
my constant companion in the early
its designed for 8.
weeks of the September bird season
Im a four shotgun kind of guy.
due to its lighter weight, shorter barrel
Each has a history and each a specific
and quickness to shoulder. It is also
purpose for my hunting recreation.
my main squeeze because this early
Three of them I actively use every
with so many leaves on the trees and
year, but one remains in its case-never
the overgrowth still creeping forward
fired and assembled only once. It was
into any shooting lanes, I can tote this
then disassembled with all parts carelittle gun for many hours afield and
fully placed back in their proper slots. The authors guns, top to bottom: Remington Wingmaster 870 12 gauge, New
not have stringy arms when I get back
More of this later!
England Firearms 20 gauge, Mossberg Silver Reserve 20 gauge.
to my truck.
The Remington Wingmaster 870
One drawback is that it is single
12 gauge I own has downed geese and a gift 20 years ago from my fatherfor The Buick, he and his relatives
shot so my initial burst better be true.
ducks from the Saginaw Bay area to
and friends looked forward to the
in-law who had used it for decades.
Second chances are rare. Then again,
many of the waters of the U.P. It was
weekends in the fall where they would with so much foliage rarely have been
Living in the Flint area and working
escape for a little duck and goose
my opportunities to get more than one
hunting excursions. This 870 was his shot in the early days of bird season
gun of choice not only for the mianyway. I have become quite adept
grating birds alighting near Saginaw
at getting a second shell chambered
Bay but also for geese which were so in timely fashion, but I will never be
plentiful in the farmers fields near his described as a quick shot artist! In
home.
reality this little gun has produced
My adventures with the Remmore than its share of scrumptious
ington have been just as memorable
dinner fare. I have also taken it on a
with success in my area of Northern
pheasant hunt and its sure-fire ability
Michigan and also while traipsing
came through when I knocked down
through the bogs and blow downs in
a rooster with my one and only shot.
the middle of the U.P. for swift flying However, I know its limitations and
ducks or wary geese, Its a hearty
though trustworthy and accurate, not a
gun, packed with power and ever so
shotgun I would use on a regular basis
reliable. A morning of shooting with
for pheasant.
the 870 will leave me with a sore
The other upland bird gun I use is
shoulder, but at the end of the day, its a Mossberg Silver Reserve 20 gauge
a sweet ache.
O/U. What a fantastic acquisition this
I also own two shotguns which I
has been for my bird hunting passion
NO TIME
FOR A WEEK
AWAY?
CALL FOR GREAT
1/2 WEEK
SPECIALS!
FISH FOR STOCKING
Trout, Bass, Pike, Walleyes, Catfish, Pan Fish,

Minnows for Fast Fish Growth, Hybrid Bluegills.
FARM PONDS FISHING CLUBS LAKE OWNERS
86
(Fish available during the months of

April, May, October and November)
Fish may be picked up in small
quantities or we deliver by truck.
We also sell pond supplies...

pond dies, chemicals,
aeration and fish pellets!
Imlay City Fish Farms, Inc.

Fish Consultants
1442 N. Summers Rd., Imlay City, Michigan 48444
Phone: (810) 724-2185
www.ImlayCityFishFarm.com
Prevent bear problems by

removing all food sources
The authors unused Beretta AL391 12 gauge

precision makes it a surefire companion when pursuing finicky roosters.
The final shotgun in my collection
is a Beretta AL391 12 gauge. As mentioned it has never been fired and assembled only once. I do open the case
once a year to marvel at its craftsmanship and to reflect on how lucky I was
to win this Ducks Unlimited Gun
of the year. At some point all of my
shotguns will eventually become the
property of my two children.
However the Beretta will have to
begin its journey in the forest or
field without me. Im fine with that.
Hopefully my son and daughter will
share this piece of history. The stories
it makes will now be told through my
children.
The four shotguns which live in
my house have, and will continue
to have a useful purpose for my fall
excursions. Whether duck, goose,
partridge, woodcock or pheasant I
have ample firepower to bring a fine
meal to the table, assist in exercise
that is far more enjoyable than jogging and help make memories with
each trip out.n
Visit Oz Motor Sports booth

for our mounts at the
Woods-N-Water News
Outdoor Weekend!!!
Superior Products. Amazing Results!
Premium Quality,
Whitetail Mineral Supplement
demanded by Five Industry Pro Staffs.
Now available to the public!

4201 Adams Road
Gladwin, MI 48624
Consult all game laws in your area before starting a mineral supplement program.
989-426-0863
www.camobuck.com
Visit Our Booth at the 29th Annual

Woods-N-Water News Outdoor Weekend!
since I bought it years ago. Though

heavier than the New England
Firearms 20, it is sleek, steady and
startlingly accurate in its patterning.
The Mossberg is very effective, at
least for me, in the later stages of bird
season. First there are fewer leaves,
the undergrowth has ceased it steady
crawl to reclaim everything in its path
making two shots much easier. Also
with this gun the swing from ready to
cheek and shoulder is accomplished
easily and smoothly when a flush
occurs which means the potential for
success or failure does not fall on the
Silver Reserve but on me. The weight
can be a bit tiring after many hours
mucking through forest, field and
bog. This is however, offset by the
mechanism and the agility of this versatile shotgun. When a flush happens,
I can quickly slide the safety off and
in no time I am able to fire in quick
succession.
The Mossberg can be a comfortable tote while pheasant hunting too
since there is more forgiving terrain
than with stalking grouse and woodcock. Again, the amount of power and
As hard to believe as it might be, black bears see a bird feeder as a

food source. Bird feeders, garbage cans and barbeque grills all are bear
attractants that humans can control.
Bears are more noticeable to people right now, as young bears are
establishing their own territories. Bears typically mate in late June to
early August, and the mother will kick out her yearlings in order to do so.
Those yearling bears now are looking for new, unoccupied territory and
will be roaming to find a new home.
"Bears are looking for food and new territory," said Kevin Swanson,
Department of Natural Resources wildlife management specialist with
the bear and wolf program. "While we might not think of bird feeders
and trash cans as food sources, a hungry bear certainly may."
Bird seed is especially attractive to bears because of its high fat content and easy access. Once bird feeders are discovered, bears will keep
coming back until the seed is gone or the feeders have been removed.
Bears are capable of remembering reliable food sources from year to year.
"The majority of complaints we receive about nuisance bears involve
a food source, and these issues tend to rise in years when natural food
availability is low, Swanson said. The easiest thing people can do to
avoid creating a problem is to take in their bird feeders and store other
attractants, like grills, trash cans and pet food, in a garage or storage
shed."
Bears that are rewarded with food each time they visit a yard can
become habituated to man-made food sources. This can create an unsafe
situation for the bear and become a nuisance for landowners if a bear
continuously visits their yard during the day and repeatedly destroys
private property in search of food.
Those who have taken appropriate actions to remove food sources for
a period of two to three weeks, but are not seeing results, should contact
the nearest DNR office and speak with a wildlife biologist or technician
for further assistance.
For more information about Michigan black bears please watch visit
www.michigan.gov/bear.
87
Gotta say, I like it ... By Dave Mull
This might be the last boat I ever own!
he new 17-1/2-foot MirroCraft aluminum boat

is now fully rigged and
proving to be all I had
hoped in what just might
be the last boat yours
truly ever owns.
I bought it from Starboard Choice
Marine down in Mishawaka, Indiana
after seeing a slightly different model
from a second story vantage point
at an outdoors show in February,
and marveled at how wide it wasI
thought the lenses in my eyeglasses
were distorting it.
Turns out, it was indeed wide93
inchesand I soon ordered the backtroller version, called the Aggressor
160, and equipped it with a 75-hp
tiller-steer Evinrude.
Some friends have questioned
why I would want a tiller boat. Most
all-purpose fishing boats in these
parts have steering wheels, while tiller models still have their most loyal
following in Minnesota among the
walleye backtrollers. I wanted it for
several reasons. For one, the absence
of a console delivers considerably
more room inside the boatthis boat
fishes four people comfortably. Second, as a photographer, the wide-open
floor plan makes for easier photos
of people holding fish. Third, a tiller
motor, being lower horsepower, is less
expensive. I long ago lost any need
Michelle Dyakonoff,
Dave Mulls cousin
visiting from Alaska,
shows a rainbow
trout caught trolling
Cass Countys Harwood Lake in August.
88
With removable rod holders and a front trolling motor with autopilot, the 17-1/2-foot MirroCraft Aggressor 160 is as
versatile as a boat can get. Dave Mull photos
for speed, although this boat will still
get in the mid-30-mph range. Thats
plenty fast. And fourth, sitting in the
back of the boat going through waves
delivers less impact to an aging spine!
I wanted a boat that could handle
big waterLake Michigan, Saginaw
Bay and Lake Eriesafely. Although
I have learned my lesson not to go
out at all if the waves are large, there
might be times I need to get back to

port if an unanticipated wind comes
up.
Plus, I like having a boat that is
small enough for my Nissan Xterra
to tow so that if the big lake does get
snotty, I can just head to an inland
water and fish for something else.
Two things really have made this
boat a peach. First is the MinnKota
bowmount trolling motor, which features autopilot and an i-Pilot interface. The autopilot uses a compass
reading to stay on course, and I can
troll with the electric running just fast
enough to be able to turn and steer
the boat, while the 75-hp gas motor
pushes the boat. The i-Pilot interface
is something that makes you step back
with wonder at todays technology. It
interfaces with my Humminbird sonar
and GPS units, so that when I store a
waypoint (basically the latitude/longitude spot transmitted by satellites
in space), I can push a button and the
i-Pilot steers the trolling motor right
back to that spot. Plus, it has a SpotLock feature that acts like an electronic anchor. Just push the Spot-Lock
button on the hand-held control (about
the size of a small walkie-talkie) and
the motor keeps your boat in that exact position, compensating for wind,
waves and current.
The other thing that makes for a
convenient fishing boat are the rod
holders from Michigan-based Traxstech, owned by Jeff and Melody
Miller in Chesaning. This husband/
wife team have become good friends
over the years, and the rod holders
they make are built to last and very
fishable. If I want to troll, I simply
slide a couple rod holders and a tree

that has four additional holders in a
track, which Jeff permanently installed on the boats gunnel. A manual
Cannon Downrigger on a Traxstech
stanchion also slides in. Everything
locks down and the boat is ready for
salmon and walleye outings. I can also
slide in a radio antenna for monitoring
weather and other boatersor call the
Coast Guard. I also have a FishHawk
Speed-and-Temp probe on a downrigger to look for fish-holding temperature breaks down below. All that gear
is great for trolling for inland trout,
which Ive done four times so far, harvesting 14 rainbows up to 16 inches. It
makes for a real pleasant, after-work
outing, and the trolling motor batteries
keep the boat at a nice 1.5 mph, which
seems to be the sweet speed for these
little silver fish. And they last a good
four hours of trolling even if I turn off
the big motor.
If a friend wants to go cast for
bass or bobber-fish for bluegills, all
of the gear slides right back out of the
tracks and the gunnels are clean and
clear for casting.
Having been fairly well in-tune with
the Great Lakes angling scene after 13
years as editor of Great Lakes Angler
Magazine, I believe this is the type of
boat that more and more salmon anglers will opt for. Its a nice, comfortable family craft thats as at home on
a reasonably calm Lake Michigan as it
is anchored and dropping spawn back
for steelhead on the St. Joe River or
using the Spot-Lock to stay stationary
and fish for bluegills on any of Michigans thousands of inland lakes.
Gotta say, I like it.n
Manistee, Michigan
Trophy Salmon, Steelhead & Trout Fishing
FIRE PLUG
CHARTERS
Charter
Directory
CALL NOW! Special 8 Hour

Trip For Browns In April!
Captain Dan Golden

fishon@fireplugcharters.com
231-398-9073 517-260-5297
www.fireplugcharters.com
SPECIAL RATE FOR:
Families Seniors Corporate Outings Military

ENDORSED BY:
Muskie Hunter Magazine
Field and Stream Magazine Fishing Facts Magazine
BIGFISH
We Fish Michigan/Canadian Waters

ALL
MUSKIES
RELEASED
August - November
June-November
AS SEEN ON MICHIGAN OUT OF DOORS
Over 7000 muskie boated since 1976

35 years of professional experience
See Website For Video, Additional Photos & Further Information

734-395-8820
Site: http://www.millers-sportfishing.com
E-mail: dsmiller471@gmail.com
BIGFISH
CHARTER SERVICES
CAPT. TOM LOY

810-580-9252
bigfishcharterservices.com
TROPHY SPECIALISTS
FISHING CHARTERS
Charters Starting At Only $300 - Gift Certificates Available
Captain Mike Veine targets the hottest action at the best
places, during peak trophy producing periods.
Eries Trophy Walleyes

Early spring on Lake Erie serves up
the best trophy walleye fishery in
the world. From ice-out in March
through April, Lake Erie offers
outstanding trophy walleye action.
Saginaw Bay Walleye

Our spring and summer charters
produce consistant limits. Both
eaters and lunkers are typically
caught on most charters for the
perfect mix.
MUSKIE
SEASON
IS
HERE!
During August we target the

abundant king salmon off Manistee.
This is the peak period at one of the
best ports for world class, trophy
salmon.
734-475-9146
www.trophyspecialists.com
Lake Michigan Salmon
89
13-Year-Old Caleb KennedyBy Betty Sodders
Inventive youth constructs fish cart
aleb Kennedys grandparents have a cabin

between DeTour Village
and Raber in the far
eastern end of the Upper
Peninsula. Ive known
the family for some 30 years or more.
At a young age, Caleb would come
to the cabin and tell us that when he
grew up he was going to be a trapper
and live at camp and do nothing but
hunt, fish and trap. He started reading
my articles in Woods-N-Water News
at the age of eight and on one occasion informed me with a hug, saying;
I read all your stuff.
This summer, Clio residents
Chuck and Ann Kujawa were up to
the cabin and brought grandkids, Caleb and Emily along. Both love to fish
off the dock at the DNR boat launch
site at Caribou Lake. And Papa and
Nana take them fishing at nearby
Raber Bay as well. Both children usually practice catch and release unless a
fine good-eating walleye or perch bite
their hook.
As long as Ive known Caleb he
Caleb shows tackle box strapped by adjustable Bungee cord to seat and
fishing rods are in their holders.
Hot Shot Outfitters

Ray Hoody
90
Minnesota Dept. of Agriculture. License No. 20111072.

Ohio Dept. of Agriculture. License No. 91960.
Wisconsin Dept. of Agriculture,
Trade & Consumer Protection. License No. 31-017805-000000
Manufactured and packaged on Mackinac Island

Custom crafted for discriminating dogs
Goose Hunts
Youth Deer Hunts
Turkey Hunts Coyote Hunts
Whitetail Hunts
6900 Huron City
Port Hope, MI 48468
Mon - Fri: 989-428-5071

Weekends: 989-670-4336
www.hotshotoutfitters.com
Andys Tackle Box

17485 Dix-Toledo Rd (at Oakwood)
Melvindale, MI 48122
(313) 388-FISH (3474)
loved to tinker. And Grandpa Chuck

has a great deal of cast off odds and
ends in his pole barn that would appeal to a teen-age youngster. So here
in Calebs own words is how and why
he decided to invent something as
useful as his version of a fish cart that
would make it easier for an angler to
haul all his gear out to the end of a
long dock for a day of fishing.
I was thinking about buying a
kayak that I had seen online. I had
hoped to make a rod and tackle holder
for it out of a milk crate that would
go into the back of the kayak. Then I
started thinking about making something that I could take with me when
fishing off a dock.
I had an old lawn thatcher that had
two small wheels on it. It also had
two steel plates that bolted up to the
lawn thatcher that held the wheels on.
I started taking the thatcher apart to
get the wheels off along with the steel
plates to bolt them to a piece of l-1/2
inch PVC Pipe that I found in our
barn. I cut three 10.5 inch pieces for
rod holders. The body would be made
up of a steel milk crate.
The handle is 36 inches long of
l/2 inch stainless steel pipe. The seat/
tackle box holder is inch plywood.
There are two hinges on the side attached to the milk crate. Then two
more hinges are attached to the seat
that attaches to the seat back.
I put the smaller wheels from the
thatcher on next, but when I went to
pull it, there wasnt enough clearance.
So my grandpa found some bigger
wheels, which are the ones that I have
on the fish cart now.
When I first started tearing everything apart to get to the wheels, my
dad said it was a good idea, but then it
was taking me a little bit longer than
expected to get the wheels off, and
dad said; You best stop working on
it as it is becoming a waste of your
The
Porch
NEW EXTENDED PORCH LINES COVER 90%

OF ALL PAST AND CURRENT LADDER STANDS
Monday-Friday: 10am-6pm.
Saturday: 10am-5pm
Closed Sunday
Open Year Round

Full Line of Tackle
Assortment of Materials For The
Do-It-Your-Selfer
Live Bait
Hunting & Fishing Licenses
Fly-Tying Supplies
Helping Michigans Fisherman Since 1959
Extend
Your
Stand
Quietly flips out

of the way when
climbing & lifting
into position
ready to hunt
12 more
foot room
Comfort
804 Mack Ct. LENNON, MI 48449
bentlymfg@yahoo.com
www.theporch.biz
Dont expose
your secret spot

use the
outpost
the stealth feeder
time.
I didnt want to stop working on it
so I didnt. I worked a little bit more.
Then my dad really got mad at me
and said that I could no longer build
the fish cart.
I just did not want to give up the
idea. The next time I went to my
grandpas house I took everything
with me. I started working on it in
his barn. Grandpa had almost everything I needed. I used some U-bolts
to bolt on the metal plates for the
wheels. We found a bunch of them
in his barn but they were a little bit
too big. So we bought some different ones. I then found 4 pipe clamps
to clamp on the 3-rod holders that
would be placed on the back of the
unit. I needed 6 clamps so I went and
bought 2 more.
After running into problem after
problem, I finally got the fishing cart
done. I took it home to show by dad.
I was waiting for him to get mad at
me for making it even though he told
me not to.
Dad thought it was cool. Then
he said that I should try to sell them
at a fishing store near our house. I
dont know if I am going to even
make any more and sell them or not.
If I did I wouldnt even know what to
sell them for.
I used the fish cart this past June,
on the Lime Island Dock off the St.
Marys River at Raber. It worked
great! I was able to take all my stuff
out there with no problem. I could
carry three fish poles, two tackle box-
Caleb is already making plans to

improve his fishing cart.
es, bait, extra gear, sweatshirts, lunch
and water bottle without a problem.
I followed up with a few more
questions and taking some photos of
this remarkable compact unit. I asked
Caleb what else he might still add to
his unique product. He advised, Perhaps a cup holder might be in order.
Adding, why not add an ice chest in
the bottom of the unitI could put
in a drain plug too another thing I
am planning, is to make the handle
longer for easier hauling as it would
tilt down better when setting at the
end of the dock. Fortunately, I had
exactly what he was looking for out
in my barn. His face lit up as he

said that would work.
Then he advised that instead of
carrying three fishing rods, he would
take two, reserving the middle holder
for his fish net. I could also take just
one tackle box and add a cooler to the
seat for bringing fish home in, he
said. Both cooler and tackle box are
held to the carts seat, with adjustable
Bungee cords. Once out on the dock
after removing tackle box and cooler,
the units seat makes a comfortable
spot for the angler to sit while fishing.
I asked Caleb where he fishes besides Caribou Lake and the St. Marys.
He replied that downstate the Flint
River is not far from his home and
when visiting his other grandparents
he fishes on Long Lake near Alpena.
I asked which species he likes fishing
for best. His answer, Anything that
bites my hook! It doesnt matter, as
long as I catch fish.
My final question for Caleb was,
What advice would you give to kids
your age? His reply, Keep busy so
you wont get into trouble!
How refreshing to realize that
this avid fisherman/inventor chooses
out-of-doors activities from fishing to hunting and trapping. In this
electronic age it is more the norm that
youngsters stay glued to their texting
and electronic game playing. Fortunately, the gone fishing bug has bitten
Caleb Kennedy hard; perhaps one day
he will become a master angler. In
my mindset, he is already a master
angler!n
VISIT MICHIGANS PROFESSIONAL GUNSMITHS

H E R E AT W I L L I A M S G U N S I G H T C O .
Blends into
Surroundings
AS SEEN ON
MICHIGAN
OUT OF
DOORS
SQUIRREL
RESISTANT
CAP
holds
20 lbS
corn
DURABLE
BROADCASTER
Great For
PUBLIC or PRIVATE
Land Hunters
Carry Sack Holds
20 Pounds
For Easy Refill
we take an old fashioned pride in

our ability to service your firearms
Our gunsmiths have over a hundred years

of combined experience in gunsmithing
WE OFFER WARRANTY SERVICES FOR . . .
Programmable Timer
Drop 1# / Day
Lasts Up To 3 Weeks
Hanging Wire & Throw Line
INCLUDED
With Metal Throwing Disc
Antique Firearm Restoration, Re-Bluing, Custom Stock Work,

Checkering, Accurate Barrel Installations And Muzzle Brakes
Williams Gunsight, where gunsmithing is a science and an art.

See our services and custom work online at www.williamsgunsight.com
7389 Lapeer Rd, POBox 329 Davison, MI48423
800-530-9028 810-653-2131
www.outpostfeeder.com
outpostfeeder@gmail.com
See us at the
Woods-N-Water News
Outdoor Weekend!
Bushmaster
91
K9 Field First Aid - Part II ... By Jeff LaHuis DVM
Bandage application and bleeding
ast month I introduced the new

series of articles- K9 field first
aid. I covered the basics of a
kit and safe transport of injured
animals. This month we well
cover two more topics: Cleaning and
bandaging of wounds, and dealing
with bleeding. These are two of the
most commonly performed first aid
procedures.
Wounds come in all shapes and
sizes and from many different sources.
They can range from a simple cut, or
scratch that barely penetrates the skin,
to wounds that are missing tissuewith exposed bone! Some wounds
can be handled with just basic first
aid methods, while others may need
extensive reconstructive surgery. The
goal for in the field treatment of these
later wounds is to reduce existing,
and prevent continuing contamination of the tissue, stop blood loss, and
minimize further damage to the tissue.
Good field procedures can mean the
difference between a simple, uncomplicated repair and a lengthy, expensive surgery.
The first step in wound care is to

decontaminate the wound as much as
possible. All wounds are considered
contaminated and should be handled
as such. Large pieces of material,
such as bark, gravel, and sticks, can be
remove with your fingers or forceps.
The smaller pieces can be flushed out
using either commercially available
wound care products or tap water (or
bottled water- basically, if it is clean
enough to drink, it is clean enough to
flush a wound). Whatever you use,
the key is to use A LOT of it. Flush,
flush, flush! After decontamination of
the wound, you need to protect it during transport to prevent recontamination and further injury. To accomplish
this, you need to bandage it.
The goal of a bandage is to protect
the wound. Also, the bandage will
help staunch bleeding and keep the
wound moist to speed healing. There
are three basic layers to a bandage: a
non-stick layer, an absorbent layer,
and a protective layer.
The first layer, next to the wound,
is the non-stick layer. This layer is
James Ferrari and Sons, Inc. strives for customer

satisfaction and the ideal customer experience. We are
hunters and processors ourselves and we know what
supplies you need so you can process your own game.
Casings & Accessories

Cutlery (knives)
Cutting Boards
Food Preparation
Gloves, & Aprons
High Temp Cheese
Jerky Seasonings
Jerky Supplies
Knife Sharpening Equipment
Marinades and Brines
Meat Curing Supplies
Meat Grinders and Accessories
Meat Mixers
Meat Saws and Blades

Meat Tenderizers
Netting & Twine
Paper & Paper Cutters
Sausage Making Kits
Sausage Seasonings
Sausage Stuffers and Accessories
Scales
Sealers and Accessories
Smokehouse & Supplies
Spices
Gift certificates
Available
Stop by and see us the the Woods-N-Water News Outdoor Weekend

Sept. 11, 12 & 13 at the Eastern Michigan Fairgrounds in Imlay City, MI
James Ferrari & Sons

148 North Groesbeck Mount Clemens, MI 48043
Phone:
586 790 1800
Fax: 586 790 5917
92 Order online: www.ferrariandsons.com
designed to not stick to the healing

tissue, yet let wound fluid and contamination soak through. This layer
is needed to prevent damage to the
fragile healing tissue during bandage
changes. There are many commercially available products that can be
used. The one I use most often is a
product called Telfa pad, but there
are others around. Place this layer
directly on the exposed tissue, after
cleaning the wound. Antibiotic or
wound cream can be placed on the tissue and the non-stick material placed
on top of that.
The second layer of a bandage is
the absorbent layer. This layer is often consists of cotton batting or gauze.
The job of this layer is to absorb all
the fluid that leaches from the tissue
and keep it contained. When placing
this material in the bandage, make
sure to place enough, especially with
wounds that are heavily contaminatedsince they will produce a lot of fluid.
A secondary function of this layer is
to provide cushion to the wound to
prevent further damage during transport.
The third and outermost layer of
the bandage is the protective layer.
This is usually in the form of vetwrap
or bandage tape. The job of this layer
is to hold all the other layers on and
keep them in place. Ideally, the material selected should allow the tissue
to breath, yet keep it protected from
outside moisture. Again, I prefer
the Vetwrap material. Not entirely
waterproof, but provides a significant
level of moisture protection and lets
the wound breath.
One important thing to watch
out for when applying a bandage is
tension. You do not want to place
the bandage on so tight that it causes
swelling or decrease circulation. The
less the circulation moving through
a healing area, the longer it takes
to heal. This is especially poignant

when bandaging limbs. The key here
is to keep the toes of the bandaged
limb exposed. That way you can spot
any swelling and loosen the bandage.
Easiest way to loosen a bandage
without replacing it is to take a scalpel
blade or sharp knife, and cut through
the outer layer (where most of the tension resides) of the bandage. This will
allow some relief to the tissue. You
can then place a second outer layer
over the incised first one to keep the
bandage in place.
With any wound, you will have
some amount of blood loss. From a
small scratch that barely cuts through
the skin to a deep laceration that severs vessels: All wounds bleed. And
that is not necessarily a bad thing.
Blood flow is the bodys way of flushing contamination out of a wound
to prevent infection. Also, blood is
necessary to begin the healing process
as the scab formed will act as a natural
bandage, protecting the healing tissue.
That being said, you can have too
much blood loss as well. Controlling
bleeding is a necessary step for in the
field first aid.
Bleeding, or hemorrhage, basically falls into two categories: Venous
and arterial. Both can lead to significant blood loss and the subsequent
decrease in blood pressure causing
shock, what varies is the speed that
this loss occurs at. Venous bleeding
is characterized by a dark red colored
blood that slowly oozes from the
wound and tends to drip down the
limb. The rate of blood loss is slower
due to the fact that the venous side of
circulation is the low pressure side.
On the other hand, arterial bleeding is
characterized by the bright red blood
and does not ooze from the wound. It
squirts, a lot. Depending on the size
of the artery that has been severed,
massive blood loss can occur very
SUCCESSFUL HUNTERS
Visit our booth at the
Woods-N-Water News
Outdoor Weekend to get your
Bear, Turkey or Deer Scored
Go To:
www.buckfax.com
Commemorative Bucks of Michigan P.O. Box 307 Owosso, Michigan 48867 Phone (517) 679-6226
Commemorative Bucks of Michigan is a non-profit organization that measures and maintains records on trophy class Whitetail Deer,
Black Bear, Elk and Turkeys, taken by fair chase in the state of Michigan. We use the Boone and Crockett method to score all three
big game species. Visit our web site to learn more and get connected to the latest in Michigan hunting. www.Buckfax.com
caused by tourniquets. Place the tourniquet on only as tight as needed to

stop (or at least slow down) the bleeding. You can also loosen the tourniquet about every 15-20 minutes for
2-5 minutes to allow some blood flow
into the limb which can help keep the
tissue alive. If you do find yourself
using a tourniquet, make sure you
mark somewhere what time it was
placed. This is important information
for the vet to know to help make decisions at the hospital.
There are several types of tourniquets that are commercially available
for purchase. You can either procure
one of these, or make one in the field.
The method I use is relatively simple
(and cheap!). First, I take some 550
cord (or paracord) and wrap 2-3 loops
around the limb that is injured. I
dont place these on tight, but leave
about 2-3 fingers width of slack.
Next, take a stick about 10-12 inches
long and place one end into the loops.
Start to wind the stick around. You
will see the cord start to twist and
compress the tissue underneath. Not
as pretty as the ones for sale, but just
as effective nonetheless.
There are a couple other ways of
dealing with bleeding wounds. If you
have a deep puncture wound, either
from a stick or a bullet. You can insert a tampon into the wound to help
with blood loss. Tampons are great
for this: they are cheap, easy to come
by, small and easy to pack into the
kit, and they are sold sterile, wrapped,
and are designed to absorb blood. In
fact, tampons are so effective at stopping bleeding, a lot of the soldiers are
carrying them into the field.
We can also thank the Army for
the second alternative option for
blood loss: Combat gauze. This is
(usually) cotton gauze that has been
treated with special chemicals and designed to cause almost instantaneous
clotting. Even when a large artery
has been severed. This stuff comes
Licensed Shooting Preserve

619 E. Brown Rd. Mayville, MI 48744
Call Toll Free 1-877-383-0544 (989) 843-6576
Dogs with Guides Available

Open 7 Days A Week
Fields With Excellent Cover &
Safety Fields In Between
Birds Released After You Arrive

No Gun Or Membership Fees
Clubhouse
Bird Cleaning
FALL SPECIAL
CONTACT US NOW!!!
OPENS
SEPT. 15 TH
Morning And Afternoon Hunts

Extra Birds Shot are Free
Gift Certificates Available
New 80 Acre Field
Located 17 Miles North of Lapeer
www.jankspheasantfarm.com
Visit Our Booth At The 29th Annual Woods-N-Water News Outdoor Weekend!
in a sterile pack as a roll. To use, just

start packing the wound (works best
for puncture wounds) with the gauze
and hold pressure on it. The same
rule applies here as well: If the blood
soaks through the first layer, leave
it in place and put more material on
top. You want to leave the initial
layer there to keep the forming clot in
place.
Next month: Eye injuries.
Dr. LaHuis is the owner of Sault
Animal Hospital in Sault Sainte
Marie. There he provides care for all
types of animals/ large and small.

If you have any questions
or comments, please email them to
jlahuis@saultanimalhospital.com.n
quickly.
Regardless of the type of bleeding, the loss of blood must be dealt
with quickly. The most basic and
effective way of staunching blood
flow is to use direct pressure on the
wound. Take a pad of gauze, or some
other type of absorbent material, and
place over the source of the blood.
Apply pressure. Pretty easy to do in
only two steps!
Now, the important thing to
remember, is that if the blood soaks
through the first pad of gauze do not
remove it! Instead, place additional
material on top of the first layer and
keep applying pressure. If you remove the first layer, you will destroy
any start of a clot that was beginning
to form and the body will have to
start all over again. One option is to
use an overwrap consisting of an Ace
bandage or Vetwrap to hold the material over the wound.
One thing that all first aid books
talk about is tourniquets. While a
tourniquet is very effective at stopping blood loss, it use does come with
a price. Firstly, you are limited as to
the places on the body where a tourniquet can be used: i.e. limbs. You
really dont want to place a tourniquet
on the neck to stop bleeding from a
scalp wound!
Second, if you put a tourniquet
on, you are pretty much agreeing
that the limb its applied on is of no
use and you dont care if it falls off.
While the tourniquet does stop blood
flow to the damaged area, thus stopping the blood loss, it also stops all
(or most) blood flow to the rest of the
limb as well. And without the blood
flow, the tissue distal, or beyond, the
tourniquet will begin to die off.
Tourniquets should only be
used if nothing else will work to
stop massive blood loss. Basically
you are sacrificing a limb to save a
life. There are a few things that you
can do to help mitigate the damage
Good field
first aid
procedures
for your dog
can mean the
difference
between
a simple,
uncomplicated
repair and
a lengthy,
expensive
surgery.
93
OUTDOORS
in the
GOLDEN YEARS
A crossbow
helped the
author take a
nice buck at
dusk.
By George Rowe
lder folks like to talk

about their medical
problems and their
youth. What they
dont like to talk about
is what they cant do
anymore and that may be considerable. There follows a few tips on
keeping on keeping on, if you like the
outdoors and hate to give up any part
of it. If you are getting a little long
in the tooth and have already experienced the sparse gray hackle, then pay
attention.
Give It Up Slowly
Accept the fact that you can no

longer walk all day or climb over
obstacles. You cant leap over tall
buildings (and never could) and
you are way slower than a speeding
locomotive so maybe you have to
stop some activities. The first thing I
gave up was stream trout fishing and
the main reason for that is because I
always went alone and, even if I went
with someone, the other guy was a
half-mile away on another part of the
stream, way out of hollering range and
he wouldnt know exactly where to
look if I didnt show up at the appointed place at the right time. The first
things to give up are those that you
cant do with a companion. In other
words, old folks need to go forth in
pairs or with at least one companion
whenever possible.
Carry A Cell Phone
This modern gadget is a life-line

for seniors. Turn it on when you leave
home and let someone know where
you are going to be, especially if you
are going to be alone. Make sure your
battery is charged avoid getting the
thing wet or damaged. Before you
have a problem, think about who you

might call if you take a fall or otherwise injure yourself, and make sure
the number for that person or agency
is in your phone.
Get A Crossbow
Yes, I know, you would rather

hunt with your compound or even
a recurve (and so would I) but your
arms and shoulders will no longer put
up with the practice needed to remain
competent with either one of those
weapons. A crossbow is now legal for
anyone in Michigan and acquiring one
will permit you to stay in the woods
in October and November and enjoy
the best of deer hunting. You will be
sure to get a cocking gadget and use it
because manual cocking is going to be
beyond your strength.
Mentor
This is a great activity and an

opportunity to share your experience
with a youth or young man, just starting to enjoy the outdoors. There is no
better day than one in which you have
witnessed a youngster taking their first
trout or their first deer and have somehow helped that person accomplish
that feat. And there is a selfish motive
as well. That younger person can be
of considerable help when you have
managed to put a deer on the ground.
As a matter of fact, unless you have
some sort of help, you just cant go
deer hunting and expect to get one out
of the woods by yourself.
Know Your Limits
Unless you exercise regularly, you

cant expect to walk a mile over rough
terrain without paying for it somehow.
As a matter of fact, anything you do
that you havent done lately is prob-
Love The Outdoors?
ably going to hurt and if you take on

too much it can really hurt (as in, do
you in). Walking regularly can prepare you for fall hunting and simple
exercises can help get you ready for
a number of outdoor activities. If
you dont get any exercise, you are
preparing to fail in almost any outdoor
enterprise.
Part of knowing your limits is to
have regular medical check-ups. Your
doctor will let you know when you
have to back off. If you visit a chiropractor on a regular basis, that doctor will also be able to tell you what
you can do and cant do. For outdoor
folks, the problems that will limit you
most are those associated with heart
disease and any sort of breathing or
lung disorder.
Another critical part of knowing
your limits is to check your shooting,
particularly your rifle abilities, as you
age. Get to the range and check your
shooting off the bench and off-hand.
If your wiggle factor has deteriorated,
be sure to carry a shooting stick or a
tripod or something that will give you
a rest for that shot in the woods. It is
possible that the only way you can
shoot accurately is off the window sill
in a box blind.
Keep Moving
A lot of old outdoors folks have

expired from a bad case of rocking
chair, giving up way too early. If
you proceed carefully and take some
precautions and accept some help, you
can continue to do most of the things
you dearly love. Above all, you
should take whatever steps are necessary to retain your mobility. Dont
give up. Dont ever give up. You can
go deer hunting if you have to use a
cane, a hiking staff or even crutches.
I took two deer one year, hunting on
crutches and I was fortunate to have
some help getting in and out and moving the deer. Even if you are reduced
to a wheelchair, there are organizations that will help you pursue your
interests and our state has special
regulations for handicappers, including permitting hunting from a vehicle.
All these things come to mind
readily when I remember that I shot
my first archery deer 67 years ago and
acquired my first fly rod that same
year. With any luck and the continued
skill of good doctors, I will continue
to fish successfully this summer and
in the autumn, celebrate yet another
deer season this fall and observe my
85th birthday in January.n
NOW BOOKING EARLY SEASON GOOSE HUNTS

$
125
PER GUN
94
September 1ST - September 15TH
Like Us On
#Unplugged
BFFHUNTCLUB
Follow Us On
SUNRISE WATERFOWL
http://sunrise-waterfowl.webflow.com/
HUNTING SOUTHEASTERN
MICHIGAN ON
PRIVATE PROPERTY
Dave Patterson owner/ operator 734-780-5347 sunrise.waterfowl@yahoo.com
Fall seeding foodplots

F
all seeding, how can this be? I
just finished my summer seeding. Summer seeding during
the last week of July and early
August is the ideal time to
seed your perennials; clover,
chicory, alfalfa and annuals such as
forage sorghum, peas, soybeans and
the brassica family such as canola,
rape, turnips, tillage radish and kale.
Yes, you read it right, soybeans seeded
in late July is about as good as it can
get for the early bow season. Nothing beats soys as an attractant forage
and that includes white oak acorns.
If you add nitrogen fertilizer to soys
two weeks prior to the bow opener
it adds to its attraction and if enough
nitrogen is added you may experience
soybeans surviving 28 degrees F. Its
called the sweetening thing and can be
seen at our web site
www.deerattraction.com.
The key is young and growing
green leaves. Perennials are delicate
and need around 60 days prior to
a frost to develop an adequate root
system to withstand the effects of winters frosts. Soil expands when frozen
and can snap weak roots.

Fall seeding is primarily designed
for grains, and can be seeded alone
or added to a summer seeded plot.
If the goal is over seeding a summer
seeded area, think no more than 50
percent of the normal seeding rate for
that summer plot and no more than
broadcasting in early September 30
pounds of grain per acre and follow
with a slow cultipacking pass. Dont
worry about the already present summer seeded forage for it is young and
pliable. Deer not only like a blend of
grain, their digestive system demands
a blend of forage. So blend equal
amounts of oats, rye grain and winter
wheat. We advise you buy the grain
seed from a farmers seed store or
elevator and buy 50 pound bags of the
bin run stuff for a third of the price of
certified seed. If you sweeten the grain
as mentioned above, deer will choose
your forage over your neighbors
expensive prime stuff.
If seeding a grain or grain blend
alone seed it at total of 50 pounds
per acre. Normally rye grain and oats
is seeded in mid August and winter
wheat is seeded in early October by

farmers. You are not farming, you are
creating a stunning and irresistible
deer kill plot. Fertilizer with 19-19-19
at 200 pounds per acre and till four
inches deep, broadcast the grain and
then cultipack.
Not only is oats, rye grain and
winter wheat different in nutrient values they are also different in digestibility and at different times. Oats and
rye grain are fast early growers and
obviously available as choice forage
earlier than winter wheat. Oats loses
its attraction as prime forage first, yet
in mid-November if not frozen severely you may find immature oats in
the dough stage favorable to deer. Yes,
deer will eat the young oat grain and
with gusto right at the firearm opener.
Winter wheat may stay palatable
to deer two weeks after rye grain loses
its favor. Deer never really abandon
rye grain or winter wheat throughout
the winter and of course come spring
here comes young and nutritious grain
forage. Rye grain can grow five feet
tall and makes excellent cover for
fawning does and their young.
By Mr. Foodplot
Ed Spinazzola
Planting a grain is easy, relatively inexpensive and effective, so have at it!
Keep the fun in hunting!
Ed Spinazzola, is an Associate
with Tony LaPratts Ultimate Land
Management. For more information;
www.tonysulm.com,
www.deerattraction.com or call 586784-8090.
Ed will be presenting seminars
at the 29th Woods-N-Water News
Outdoor Weekend, Sept. 11-13 at the
Eastern Michigan State Fairgrounds in
Imlay City, www.outdoorweekend.net
for more information.n
TOTAL FOver
IR2,000EAGunsRinMStock
S
INDOOR GUN RANGE
Hand Guns, Long Guns, Muzzleloading,

Reloading Supplies, Ammo, Archery & Accessories
CASH FOR USED GUNS INDOOR GUN RANGE

GUNS, NEW & USED CCW COURSE GUN SAFES (In Stock)
Full Line of Gunsmithing NRA Certified Instructors
Full Line Archery & Fishing Tackle

Live Bait & Tackle Available
ARCHERY AND OUTDOORS
1442 Torrey Road

Fenton, MI 48430
Exit 80 off of US 23
Open 7 Days Monday-Sunday, Call For Store Hours

1380 N. Cedar (517) 699-0597
( Mile South of Holt, 127 to Cedar St. exit, North 2 Miles)
2015 GUN & KNIFE SHOWS

For information call (517) 676-4160
Oct. 9-10-11 . . . . . . . . . . 440 Tables . . . . . . . . . . . Lansing/Mason

Oct. 17-18 . . . . . . . . . . . 300 Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Flint
Oct. 24-25 . . . . . . . . . . . 250 Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cadil ac
Oct. 31-Nov. 1 . . . . . . . . 900 Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Novi
Nov. 7-8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 530 Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . Grand Rapids
Sport Shows Promotions, INC.

www.migunshows.com sportshows@gmail.com
P.O. Box 404 Mason, MI 48854
Ph: (517) 676-4160 Fax: (517) 676-6824
Manistee Little
Lansing/Mason Ingham Houghton Lake Event Ctr.
Birch Run: Expo Ctr
River Casino
3451 W. Houghton Lk. Dr.
County Fairgrounds
I-75 @ Exit 136
Intersection US.31 & M-22
700 E. Ash
Novi
Grand Rapids
Cheboygan Ice Arena
Sturgis Doyle
Suburban Collection Showplace
28th
St.
Showplace
Flint: Perani Arena
480 Cleveland
Comm Ctr.
46100 Grand River
I-69 @ Center Rd. 1256 28th St. S.W. 310 N. Franks
Monroe County
Wyoming
Harrison
Fairgrounds
Kalamazoo: County Fairgrounds Cadillac: Wexford Arena Clare County Fairgrounds
418 Fairlane
131 & 13th St.
MBT Expo Center
2900 Lake St.
If You Dont See It,

We Can Get It.
Just Ask!
Get Ready For Archery
Season Save Money,
Buy Smart Stock Up
On The Latest Gear
Get Knowledgeable
Product Advice
810-936-0066 www.SunrysArchery.com
VISIT OUR BOOTH AT THE 29TH ANNUAL
Aug. 22-23 . . . . . . . . . . . 400 Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Monroe

Aug. 29-30 . . . . . . . . . . . 530 Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . Grand Rapids
Sept. 5-6 . . . . . . . . . . . . 275 Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Harrison
Sept. 19-20 . . . . . . . . . . 700 Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Birch Run
Sept. 26-27 . . . . . . . . . . 900 Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Novi
Oct. 3-4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275 Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kalamazoo
95
Fall hotspots!
T
By Mark Sak
here is so much to do and

so little time. Michigan
offers so many outdoor
activities that tug at our
free time in the fall. Ive
made the decision that I
need to spend more time on the water
and fewer days in the treestand. I
know what youre probably thinking
but here is my reasoning. Fall fishing
in Michigan is just too good to pass
up. We are the place to be if you like
to wet a line. If you may be thinking
the same thing, here are some of the
bites I am hoping to get on top of this
fall.
The salmon fishery is still active in
Michigan waters of the Great Lakes.
It may not be there five years from
now as the DNR begins investing
more time and resources into Michigans shallow water species. There
are very good catches to be had in
open water and in streams all down
Lake Michigans shoreline and over
to Rogers City on the Lake Huron
side. We all grew up on feeling the
unbelievable power of a big chinook
burning line off reels and moving a
ton of water with a mighty jump and

tail thrash. As the chinook fishery
declines many of us are hoping the
Atlantic salmon fishing takes off. As
of yet we have not seen many returns
on the plants of two years ago down
the sunrise side of Michigan in lake
Huron, at least on the southernmost
plants. The Soo is still doing quite
well with a nice Atlantic run.
I am also still on the hunt for a
giant fall muskie from Lake St Clair.
Who wouldnt want to match wits
with a big 53 inch demon that has
packed on an additional 12-15 pounds
for the winter and is eating everything
in sight. The fall is also the time to
tangle with that fish that could be
the next record setter, and Ive been
told by many folks the world record
is swimming somewhere in Lake
St Clair, although I would be very
content with a four footer that weighs
40 pounds. Muskie fishing is as good
as it gets in St. Clair and obviously
many other large bodies of water
throughout Michigan. In fact two state
records have been smashed in the last
five years from Torch Lake and Lake
NORTH WOODS MINISTRIES

Rev. Steven J. Moffett Evangelist
Email: northwoodsministries@yahoo.com
Website: northwoodsministries.com
96
Reaching out to those who love the great outdoors

With the Gospel of Jesus Christ
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting LIFE
NORTH WOODS MINISTRIES

Email: northwoodsministries@yahoo.com
Website: northwoodsministries.com
The author with a dandy walleye taken last fall.

Bellaire in Michigans northern lower
Peninsula. The Bellaire fish is the
current state record at 59 pounds and
measured 59 inches.
Walleye are my favorite in the
fall. There are so many great destinations for big sassy thick-shouldered
walleyes in Michigan and they also go
on the feedbag when the water cools.
While Lake Erie is always one of my
fall favorites, Saginaw Bay is making a huge comeback for trophy eyes.
The fishing is easy as the big cranks
get washed and the nets start flying.
The Soo, Bays de Noc and even the
Detroit River all provide world class
fall walleye fishing for Michigan
anglers in the fall.
Perch fishing has also been on my
bucket list for several years now and
Im hoping to capitalize on it this year.
The window is shrinking quickly on
Saginaw Bay as walleyes are foraging
heavily on perch, but there are still
perch to be had there. The mouth of
the Saginaw River consistently pulls
decent schools of this tasty pan fish.
There are also tremendous perch fisheries in Lake Erie, the Detroit River
and Lake St Clair as there is much

more bait still in these bodies of water
and the perch arent the primary food
source.
September is also one of the best
times to hit your local bluegill hole.
Concentrate on the top five inches of
the water column as big gills feed on
the last bug hatches of the year. Our
philosophy was throw to the ring on
the water. As soon as the wax worm
settles the bobber disappears and a
bulldozer bluegill starts to turn the
nose of the boat as it is reeled in. We
all know how great bluegills are from
cooler water. It doesnt get much better.
Please feel free to follow our fall
fishing bucket list on
GreatLakesSportsman Fishing with
Mark Sak on Facebook. It will give
you some quick reads while youre
in the treestand waiting for that buck.
Also stop by my booth at the WoodsN-Water News Outdoor Weekend
September 11- 13 at the Fairgrounds
in Imlay City. Ill be in the yellow
building as usual. Lets talk hunting and fishing in Michigans great
outdoors.n
By Rookie Turkey Hunter ... Joe Bednar
A Fall First!
sounds, feathers ruffling, lots of them.

It was like the turkey Viet-Cong were
forming up behind me in a wall
But they didnt advance, evidently
studying the questionable decoys in
front of me. I was frozen still for
what seemed like an eternity, couldnt
risk turning around to look, using
sound alone to gauge them for at least
10 minutes, trying to also control my
rapid heart rate and breathing. One
sounded so close it could peck my
camo hood!
Then out of the corner of my eye,
to my left, two young Toms cautiously
strode forward a bit, then retreated,
less than 15 feet or so from me. More
suspenseful waiting they seemed to
be in some form of turkey argument
like You go firstNo, you go first,
not me! Finally they advanced down
the slope, getting close to where I had
very slowly got the shotgun in position, waiting for the first to enter the
right opening in the brush.
It was time, the big boom and
The authors first turkey taken last fall. Author photos

down he went, a very close quarters
shot. Absolutely all heck breaks
loose as Im in the middle of panicked
turkeys running and flying in all directions, feathers, leaves and branches
everywhere! I instinctively think of
a shot at one running almost at my
feet in front of me, it made no sense
other than maybe believing I needed
to defend myself or I missed the first
shot. I didnt shoot at him fortunately,
GOLDSTAR
OUTDOORS
Be sure to
check out the
Woods-N-Water News
OUTDOOR
WEEKEND
Edmore, MI
CLIP THIS AD AND

REDEEM FOR
10%
OFF
ANY REGULAR
Sept. 11-12-13, 2015

Eastern Michigan
Fairgrounds
Imlay City
the dozen or more that exploded in the

turkey rampage had me in an irrational panic it seemed like.
A beautiful jake, with fortunately
many more out there in my area that
tend to otherwise end their short life
span in a harsh winter blizzard or
brutal coyote attack. Well thats about
it for the tale of this rookie turkey
hunter in his first fall season. But to
conclude in one word - amazing!n
COME ON IN AND
CHECK OUT OUR NEW PRICED TREESTAND
10,000 SQ FT BUILDING EXPIRES 9-25-15 GOLDSTAR OUTDOORS EDMORE, MI
NEW INDOOR ARCHERY/CROSSBOW LANES!

Authorized Dealer Of...
STRYKER
EXPANDED
INVENTORY!
BOW SETUPS, TUNING & REPAIRS

Gary Elliott Rochester Hills, MI 48307
248.891.3873 ElliottArchery@gmail.com
www.Facebook.com/ElliottArchery
Controlled Environment For

Your Shopping Pleasure
OVER 1500 GUNS, BOWS AND CROSSBOWS IN STOCK!

358 West M-46
Edmore, MI
48829
AREA`S
LARGEST
HUNTING
AND FISHING
STORE!
GoldStar OutDoors
had an article this past Spring in

Woods-N-Water News about my
first ever Michigan turkey season,
which occurred in the spring of
2014. I did not bag my first gobbler, but had many suspenseful
and exciting moments, and I became
addicted to say the least.
Then in the spring of 2015 I struck
out again, though I sure had fun trying. The closest I got was finally giving up on a spot, then almost stepping
on a huge gobbler as I began moving
to my next place, reminding me again
that even in spring a big boy may
come in silent as a cat, in full stealth
mode.
My first fall hunt, however, was
different story. It was last autumn, in
2014, and Id like to share what happened here.
Fortunate to have some private
land to hunt, I had a guess from my
initial visits as to the route some turkeys were taking on their way to roost
in the evenings. So I set up there this
time, in a valley section to see better
from up the slope a bit, decoys below
me pointed toward where I thought
they moved sometime before dusk.
Decoys arguably dont matter in the
fall Im told, but I thought what the
heck, maybe they could matter to at
least one fall turkey in the right time
and place.
It was quiet except for the usual
bird and small rodent life from my
arrival at 4:30 p.m. to about 7 p.m. on
this beautiful late September evening,
including the usual chipmunk or
squirrel that are always furious with
me.
Then it began. I thought if the
turkeys came, itd be through the valley. Instead there was bigger movement uphill behind me, already very
close. Then soft gurgling and purring
989-427-6037 www.goldstaroutdoor.com 97
98
n September 15 squirrel opener, I joined

a friend who is a seasoned caller. He
uses a mouth call that makes a series of
high pitched sounds and chatter which
resembles a young squirrel being attacked by a predator. The calls resemble
a rabbit in distress, only sounds more
squirrel-like and adults respond by charging the
sound to distract the predator.
I spotted a big male dancing through the trees
and made a clean head shot with my .22 caliber
Gamo pellet gun. The next squirrel came from
behind a tree less than 5 yards from my friend who
dispatched the critter with a quick shot. Action was
fast paced and after trying the calling strategy in
four different locations we had a bag full of tasty
fox squirrels. This is a classic example of another
overlooked technique that Michigan hunters can
use to harvest bushytails.
Fall squirrel hunting gives Michigan
sportsmen a golden opportunity to get outdoors,
scout for wild critters and spend time with family
or friends. More importantly, the Great Lakes state
has booming squirrel populations and they are
readily available in every county. Fall is a special
time of year when leaves change their colors,
bucks shed velvet and Canada geese fill the skies.
Most hunters seek larger fox squirrels but Michigan holds impressive numbers of black and gray
squirrels.
There are several hunting methods that work
for bushytails. Distress calling brings them running like their tail is on fire. Walking woodland
trails with a gun in the crook of your arm is relaxing and productive. Spotting and stalking requires
woodsmanship skills and taking stand and waiting
requires plenty of patience. The most popular
hunting strategy is probably taking stand or hiding and using a call to get the attention of wary
squirrels. Some hunters like to slip through the
beautiful forest on a fall day and find a likely hide,
sit down, relax, let the forest quiet back down and
make sounds on a squirrel call. They begin by
walking hardwood ridges, along trails or dirt roads
in search of acorns and the telltale signs that squirrels are feeding in the area.
Piles of broken nuts are sure sign squirrels are
nearby. Often they scratch through leaves in search
of fallen nuts, leaving scattered leaves and small
hollow depressions. The idea
is to locate a feeding area
and identify when squirrels
are visiting the dining room.
Next, set up in the kitchen
and wait for squirrels to ar-
By Kenny Darwin
Getting kissin close to wild squirrel requires sneaky hunting skills and patients. Plus, they can be difficult to spot in leaves and thick foliage. Squirrel love to hide in leaves, behind tree trunks, hug branches
and curl into tree branch crooks. Kenny Darwin photos
rive for dinner.
Smart hunters are looking for acorns which
cover the ground in September and offer food that
drives squirrels crazy. White acorns will bring
squirrels from long distances and concentrate them
into relatively small areas. Find an oak ridge or
large tree dropping acorns and you can count on
some fast-paced hunting action.
Set up in a likely location and wait for squirrels to arrive. This tactic requires patience because
squirrels do not always show up on cue. Try to
locate a natural hide or stand location that conceals your outline. Fallen trees, brush piles, logs,
hedge rows, overturned tree trunks often provide a
perfect hide and a comfortable seat. Some hunters
use a call to attract squirrels by making barks, or
chatter sounds. At times, you have to wait a long
time before they show. Other times, they seem to
come from everywhere as squirrels immediately
start scampering across the forest floor or jumping
from tree to tree.
Sitting for squirrels is a relaxing sport and the

key to success depends on your ability to remain
motionless for extended periods of time. Keep in
mind that squirrel can easily detect movement and
you must keep head, leg and gun movement to a
minimum.
For this game you need to be fully camouflaged and many hunters wear the same vest, face
mask and camo outfit used turkey hunting. A face
mask will up your odds because it conceals your
white face which appears like a white flag to the
watchful eye of a wary squirrel. Camo will breakup your human outline, conceal body movements
and up your odds at seeing game by 100%.
Dont sit under one acorn tree all day. Scout
several acorn tree locations and after harvesting a
squirrel or two move to a new location. In a four
hour hunt period Ill work three to five different
locations.
Another deadly tactic is stalking squirrels.
Use this method when the woods are quiet and the
Walking silently on sand covered two-track trails is a deadly way to stalk squirrels and enjoy the beautiful fall foliage. Hunting squirrels is a great tactic for scouting your hunting territory and identifying
acorn sources, deer activity and surveying wildlife populations.
ing food for the skillet.
There is a growing army of hunters who use
tactical methods for spotting and stalking squirrels. Some use Gillie suits, others are covered in
face cream and sport new high power pellet guns.
The biggest advantage of shooting a powerful pel-
Wearing camouflage and sitting in the forest or along trails can be a deadly tactic for squirrel hunting. Wise hunters try to blend in with the environment and take stand or sit down on fallen trees, logs,
stumps or uprooted trees or natural cover that conceals their outline.
let gun is you harvest game without blowing

the critter into pieces and the shot is so silent
that it does not disturb other targets in the
immediate area. Most use scoped pellet rifles
that can hit a squirrel in the head with ease like
shooting a .22 caliber rifle. Other gunners prefer
a 20 gauge or .410 shotguns in early September
when leaves are green and the forest canopy is
thick. Dont overlook the shooting fun that squirrel hunting provides for those toting .22 caliber
rifles. Small caliber guns are fun to shoot, deadly
accurate, ammo is cheap and they do not kick.
These weapons are ideal for youth or old timers
like me.
Oh, do you know how to clean a squirrel at
lightning speed. It is a good idea to remove the
skin while the animal is still warm and pliable.
Start by cutting across the back at the tail, separating the tail from the back bone and stripping back
enough skin so you can stand on the tail and peel
the body away from the skin. It takes 5 seconds
to pull the skin off like taking off a glove. Next
bend over a branch head high and drape the critter
upside down by his hind legs and cut the entire
length of his abdomen. Pull out the guts. Next,
trim out the bean-shaped bile sack found on the
right hip along with hind leg scent glands and two
scent glands found under the arm pit that look like
small peas. Carry a plastic bag to carry cleaned
critters. Thats it!
In many ways, squirrel hunting is an overlooked sport by Michigan hunters, a last frontier
where you can go afield and cover ground without
encountering other hunters. It is a golden opportunity to enjoy Michigans great outdoors and the
many gifts of nature. Isnt about time you gave
squirrel hunting a try?n
leaves are wet from dew, fog or recent rain. Again,

camo is important to cover your human outline.
The trick is to blend in with the environment and
use a stealthy approach, slow and easy with plenty
of stops mixed in. This type of hunting is exciting,
gives you a constant new look at the forest and
time flies as you cover new ground. The trick is
to move slow as a snail, stop every 5 seconds and
scan the trees, keep body movement to a minimum and cover ground without making sound.
Still-hunting squirrels requires the same skills as
stalking turkey or deer, only you can do it all day
long in many parts of Michigan without the hassle
of dealing with other hunters.
Savvy walkers use a spot and stalk technique.
Once they see squirrels they use a nearby tree to
block their stealthy approach. Natural screens that
conceal movement include fallen trees, stumps,
rock piles, hills or ravines, anything that hides
your movement as you walk directly toward the
critter you spotted and slip into range.
Small game hunting is an ideal way to introduce youth to Michigans great outdoors. Unlike
deer hunting where you must remain quiet and not
move, you can relax during squirrel outings, talk,
have fun and teach youth about the many gifts of
nature. Teach a kid how to sneak up on a bushytail
and you can count on getting his hunter instinct
juices flowing. Teach them how to stop, look and
listen for wild birds and animals and they will discover how to see more wildlife. Harvesting small
game is an excellent training exercise for youth.
This gives you an opportunity to show kids how
to field dress wild game and share a respect and
appreciation for the harvest as a means of provid-
99
Over 20 million
fish stocked
he Department of Natural
Resources today announced the final totals
from its spring fish-stocking efforts. DNR fisheries
staff stocked a total of
20,099,988 fish that weighed more than
325 tons and consisted of nine different
species and one hybrid.
To complete this task, staff took
more than 370 stocking trips to 732
stocking sites, traveling more than
100,000 miles over the course of 2,556
hours using 17 specialized stocking
trucks.
It was another outstanding spring
stocking season that will bring significant benefits and fishing opportunities
to Michigan, said Ed Eisch, DNR fish
production manager. Thanks to the
hard work and dedication of our staff,
fish were reared and delivered to stocking sites in excellent condition. The
numbers produced and stocked were
right on target for almost all areas.
The number and type of fish stocked
vary by hatchery, as each locations
ability to rear fish varies because of
water supplies and temperature. In
Michigan there are six state and two cooperative hatcheries that work together
to produce the species, strain and size
of fish needed by fisheries managers.

These fish must then be delivered at a
specific time and location for stocking
to ensure their success. Each hatchery
stocked the following fish this spring:
Marquette State Fish Hatchery
(near Marquette) stocked 610,194 yearling lake trout, brook trout and splake (a
cross of lake trout and brook trout) that
in total weighed 61,257 pounds. This
hatchery stocked a total of 119 inland
and Great Lakes sites using 56 trips that
required driving 16,409 miles over 410
hours.
Thompson State Fish Hatchery
(near Manistique) stocked 8,003,760
fish that included walleye fry, yearling
steelhead and brown trout, and spring
fingerling Chinook salmon. These fish
weighed 127,801 pounds in total. This
hatchery stocked 103 sites (the majority
located on the Great Lakes) using 75
trips that required driving 19,472 miles
over 508 hours.
Oden State Fish Hatchery (near
Petoskey) stocked 671,604 yearling
brown trout and rainbow trout that in
total weighed 93,423 pounds. This
hatchery stocked 143 inland and Great
Lakes sites using 69 trips that required
driving 19,472 miles over 533 hours.
Harrietta State Fish Hatchery (in
2015 GREAT LAKES FISH DECOY ASSOCIATION
COLLECTING AND CARVING SHOWS
A Fine Selection of . . .
Duck Decoys Fish Decoys

Lures Sport Collectibles
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS OF FISH DECOY CARVING

Saturday, September 19th, 2015
Collecting Show Friday, September 18th 9am-8pm Carving Show Saturday, September 19th 10am
QUALITY INN BALLROOM - MONROE, MICHIGAN OFF I-75 ON DIXIE HIGHWAY
Contact: Jack Wilkie at (734) 241-8194 or Al Reeg at (517) 617-0797
North America
Special Cases & Bags
100
Dealer Inquiries:
Phone: 734-744-5566 | Fax: 734-744-5568
chris.temple@b-w-international.com
www.b-w-international.com
Fish stocking is an important

activity of the Michigan DNR and is
done in countless locations across
the state, just like the Huron River
where salmon were stocked this
past April. MDNR photo
Harrietta) stocked 1,213,899 yearling
brown trout and rainbow trout that in
total weighed 114,540 pounds. This
hatchery stocked 267 sites (the majority located inland) using 84 trips that
hours.
Platte River State Fish Hatchery
(near Honor) stocked 2,556,540 fish that
included yearling Atlantic salmon and
coho salmon, spring fingerling Chinook
salmon and walleye fry that in total
weighed 131,472 pounds. This hatchery
stocked 39 sites (the majority located
on the Great Lakes) using 39 trips that
hours.
Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery
(near Kalamazoo) stocked 7,004,084
fish that included walleye fry, yearling
steelhead and spring fingerling Chinook
salmon that in total weighed 118,648
pounds. This hatchery stocked 60 sites
(the majority located on the Great
Lakes) using 49 trips that required driving 13,451 miles over 317 hours.
The cooperative teaching hatchery
at Lake Superior State University (in
Sault Ste. Marie) stocked 39,907 Atlantic salmon weighing 3,868 pounds into
the St. Marys River.
In addition, Wolf Lake, Platte River
and Thompson state fish hatcheries
transferred millions of walleye fry to
management unit rearing ponds for
grow-out and eventual stocking this
summer and fall. Several management
units also stocked and transferred many
species of cool- and warm-water fish
within their units.
Fish stocking is a critical DNR activity. These efforts help pump between
$2.4 billion and $4.2 billion into the

states economy through the sportfishing
industry and associated businesses. As a
frame of reference, spring 2014 stocking efforts totaled 19.3 million fish.
Fish are reared in Michigans state
fish hatcheries anywhere from one
month to one and a half years before
they are stocked. Some of the Chinook
salmon and steelhead are transferred
from the hatcheries to imprinting net
pens for the final few weeks before they
are released. This acclimation period
helps the fish imprint on the receiving
waters which increases the likelihood
they will return to the stocking site
when they reach sexual maturity.
Our imprinting net pens are run cooperatively by several different groups
around the state, Eisch said. This is an
excellent example of how the resource
benefits from strategic partnerships that
have been built over time.
Some hatcheries will provide fish
for a few additional stockings (consisting of brook trout, Atlantic salmon, lake
sturgeon and muskellunge) to be made
this fall. The lake sturgeon will come
from the DNRs cooperative hatchery
in Tower that is operated with Michigan
State University.
The DNR welcomes visitors to its
state fish hatcheries and interpretative centers to witness first-hand the
fish-rearing process and to learn about
Michigans remarkable waters. For
more information, visit
michigan.gov/hatcheries.
The DNR maintains a public database of fish-stocking records, which can
be reviewed at
michigandnr.com/fishstock.n
BOW program offers September salmon

fly-fishing workshop in Mackinac County
omen interested in expanding their fly-fishing

capabilities have a great
opportunity to learn more
during a three-day outing
on the Carp River (Mackinac County),
located in the Hiawatha National Forest.
Natural Resources Becoming an
Outdoors-Woman (BOW) program is
offering the Beyond BOW salmonfishing workshop for women.
The event will begin at noon Friday, Sept. 25, and end at noon Sunday,
Sept. 27, at the Carp River Camp-
The Carp River has Chinook, pink

and Atlantic salmon.
Pitz said participants should keep
in mind that:
Lunch Saturday, Sept. 26, will be
provided. Otherwise, participants will
need to make their own arrangements
for meals.
Participants will need to make
their own lodging arrangements.
Camping is available on site.

Campsite fees are $16, and reservations can be made by calling 877444-6777 or go to the campgrounds
reservation website at www.recreation.gov.
Participants must be 18 years
old or older.
Enrollment is limited.
Deadline for registration is
September 18.
This is an all-weather
event. Class information and
registration materials are available
online at www.michigan.gov/bow.
Registration fees can be paid
online at www.michigan.gov/estore.
For more information, contact
Sharon Pitz at 906-228-6561 or
pitzs@michigan.govn
ED'S NEW DVD
ULTIMATE
CORN-BASED
DEER KILL PLOTS
Takes you to a new concept of deer attraction.
Deer will freely enter your kill plot during daylight due
to the security and endless variety of forage deer prefer
ORDER
YOUR
COPY
TODAY!
Send Check or Money Order

Made Out to:
Edward Spinazzola
815 Sleeth Rd.
Commerce, MI 48382
New DVD ~ $25 includes shipping
ground, situated about 15 miles north

of St. Ignace off I-75 and Mackinac
Trail.
Many of the women who have attended this event in the past asked us
to expand the workshop by a day, and
we have been able to accommodate
that request, said Sharon Pitz, DNR
BOW program coordinator. The program is for women who have previous
fly-fishing experience and would like
to expand on their abilities.
A few details to consider:
Participants should bring their
own fly-fishing equipment, if they
have it. A few rods and waders will be
available on site.
Cost for the workshop is $125.
Previous fly-fishing experience is
required for this program.
An all-species fishing license
is required for participation in this
event. (Cost for Michigan residents is
$26 for an annual license, $10 for a
24-hour license or $30 for a 72-hour
license ).
The fishing trip will include three
days on the Carp River with instruction on several topics, including
tackle, a knot-tying refresher, casting
skills, fly selection and, of course, fly
fishing for salmon, Pitz said.
Name
Address
City
State
Zip
Phone #
ULTIMATE LAND MANAGEMENT FORAGE & COVER SEED FOR MICHIGAN PLOTS
Tony Lapratt and associate Chris Pierson
with new associate Ed Spinazzola
WEBSITE -- tonysulm.com
ULTIMATE DEER FOOD PLOTS

BOOK & DVD
ORDER YOUR
COPY TODAY
Send Check or Money Order
Made Out to:
Book $25
DVD $20
Includes
Check the Following:
DEER ATTRACTION
then mail to:
Deer Attraction
815 Sleeth Rd.
Commerce, MI 48382
Book @ $25 each
DVD @ $20 each
Name
Phone #
OR CALL ED AT 586-784-8090 FOR MORE INFORMATION

Seed
Cost
# Bags
(6lbs)
$25
Michigan's Ultimate Blend

(6lbs)
$35
Wildlife Cover and

Forage Blend (6lbs)
$50
Shipping and handling

Lower Peninsula Michigan
$11.00 first bag $7.00

each additional bag
Shipping and handling

Upper Peninsula and the
rest of the Continental US
$12.00 first bag $8.00

each additional bag
TOTAL
REMIT BY CHECK OR MONEY ORDER
MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO:
Ed Spinazzola 24150 31 Mile Road, Ray Twp, MI 48096

WEBSITE: deerattraction.com
Address
State
Zip
Total
Michigan Brassica Blend
Name
Address
City
The Brassica Blend provides both summer feed and winter forage. The Ultimate Blend is
an excellent mix that includes both annual and perennials. The Wildlife Cover and Forage Blend
is designed to keep deer on your property by providing them a bedding area and food in close
proximity. Go to deerattraction.com for a full list of ingredients and detailed planting instructions.
City
Phone #
State
Zip
Angel Abbs-Portice photo
101
Never give up - never quit!

Deer Hunting 2015 - Keep Looking...By Jacob Vanhouten
ts been written and talked

about follow up every shot;
blood tracking wounded deer;
how to, when to, etc but do
people really follow through?
Some thinking I must have
missed. The weather turned on me
Ill never find it in this thick cover
I dont have time to look any more.
This article is an attempt to help everyone believe in never giving up on
a wounded deer or other game animal.
The following examples demonstrate
the importance that should be placed
upon making sure you dont quit on
any poor shot placement or perceived
miss. The following three cases
are examples of what can be achieved
by following through and not giving
up.
Case No. 1
I cant believe I screwed up!

This is a quote from my brother. I
had heard the shot from his .308 and
was waiting for the call to help drag
his deer. I finished out a few more
The author and his lost buck recovered after finding his brothers buck and
a very lengthy search. Jacob Vanhouten photos
hours of sitting before walking over
to his ground blind. I asked what
happened: I missed. I asked for
SPECIALIZING IN CUSTOM FABRICATED DURAMAX PERFORMANCE PARTS

TO GET THE BEST OUT OF YOUR TRUCKS!
102
FULL SERVICE MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR SHOP

FOR ALL DIESEL TRUCK NEEDS!
TUNING
TRANSMISSIONS
PERFORMANCE
(586) 785-3110
ENGINE BUILDS
15085 32 MILE RD, ROMEO, MI 48065
details where was the deer standing, did he follow up the shot, which
direction the deer had run, and so on.
He assured me he had looked and it
was a clean miss. He had to travel
back to Grand Rapids so we said our
good byes.
I decided to sit in his pop up blind
until dark before I headed home. As
I sat looking at the opening where he
said the deer had stood, I wondered
how he had missed a standing 40 yard
shot and thats when a nice 8 point
buck stepped into the same opening.
I raised my 30-30 Marlin quickly
and pow, made what I thought was
a perfect shot. The buck kicked and
whirled into the pines with one jump.
I waited a bit and then walked over
to the spot. Blood and bone and
hair; this deer would not go far. There
was a light snow falling so I began
tracking right away.
I followed the blood trail only
about 35-40 yards into the thick pines
and there he was my buck! Darkness was falling fast so I wanted to tag
and gut the buck quickly. Hmmm,
thats odd hes got a light dusting
of snow on him already. I thought to
myself as I got out my knife. Hes
stiff as a board! I noted picking
up his hind legs. This was not my
buck it had to be my brothers! That
deer had not gone 40 yards into the
thick brush where he piled up into a
tree trunk.
So what happened to my buck?
I back tracked, and found that my
deer had run on the same trail as my
brothers buck but after that, I could
find no blood, hair, or other sign. As
light rain and snow continued, I did
the usual of marking the last spot of
blood and made bigger and bigger

circles from there since I had lost
sight of the buck almost instantly after
the shot. Darkness came quickly and
I was losing hope. I could not believe
that I had missed.
I decided to get my brothers buck
gutted and then gave him a call. Ive
got good news and bad news you
did hit the deer and I found it, a nice
7 pointer bad news is I cant find
the buck I shot. He was very happy
about his deer and said he would return from Grand Rapids first thing in
the morning to help.
Arriving bright and early, we
tagged his buck and dragged it to my
truck. We then looked for my deer,
searching the area of thick brush
until noon. Not a speck of blood or
evidence of a hit other than at the
point of bullet impact (either his deer
or mine). We walked back to the truck
and sat on the tailgate.
I said One more time lets go
back to the starting point and follow
up deer trailsyou on one, me on
another. After I walked about 100
yards on a narrow deer run way, I
stopped there it was a small spot
of blood on a tag alder and then anotherthen lots of blood. I called my
brother and waited for him to join me.
We followed up, literally crawling
through some areas so thick you could
not walk upright. My brother waited
while I crawled through a thicket,
and there, hidden next to a pine tree
was my buck. Dead as can be from a
double lung shot. He had run in the
opposite direction and had gone at
least 150 yards.
High-fives, fist bumps, hugs and
wahoos all around. I looked at my
brother and said Never give up!
The nice 8-point buck deserved no
less.
Case No. 2
Feelin Minnesota
Opening day neck-shot buck
Recently, I was fortunate enough
to travel to Minnesota for an opening
day deer hunt as part of that states
Governors Opening Day Deer
Hunt. Local landowners and hunters
host guests from around the state as
well as media to promote deer hunting heritage. I was hosted by a local
farmer and hunter who showed me
to my blind after we had scouted the
day prior to the opener. It was a nice
elevated blind, located on a steep oak
ridge overlooking prime deer habitat.
As early light broke, a light drizzle
began to fall with high winds increasing steadily. My anticipation fell a
Lt-rt: Authors brother and his missed buck. Author with his Minnesota buck recovered after traveling 275 yards
and authors hunting partner Mark Milostan is all smiles with his recovered buck.
severed. Why it had taken so long to
begin bleeding, I dont know but I
suspect my shot had nicked the artery
and as he ran, the vessel broke open
and he bled out. Not a drop of blood
had been found for at least 200 yard,
only hair. I looked at my watch and it
had been 2 hours of searching. My
host was very pleased indeed that this
Michigan boy had not given up.
Case No. 3
I just missed a nice 7 or 8 point

My hunting buddy Mark Milostan
had radioed that message to me early
in the morning of our hunt. I had
heard his shot from my blind and had
waited for his call.
Are you sure? was my response.
Yup, pretty sure I spent a good
half hour looking and found no blood
or hair was his reply.
Do you want me to help you
look? I asked.
He replied that I should wait until
around noon so we wouldnt mess
up the morning hunt. Joining him
later, he showed me where the buck
had entered the clearing, where it had
stood, and where it ran after he shot.
He said there was no indication of a
hit. I know Mark is a good shot and
the buck had been standing broad
side about 75 yards from his blind. I
was sure he must have hit it. While
he made small circles around the area
where the buck had stood, I began to
follow deer trails into the thick cedar
and spruce.
After following one or two deer
trails, I found a smaller trail off a
main run way. It was a bright sunny
day with no snow. Tracks were hard
to follow in the thicket but I made my
way up one ridge and down another,
and then up one more. I scanned the
swampy area below me there it
was, a wide 7-point buck. I radioed Mark You just might want
to come over here I think theres
some work to be done.
He was too over joyed for words.
We had his buck and it was a beauty.

We didnt give up.
Take Away
All three of these examples have

one thing in common of course
never give up. My friends and family
think I have some kind of compass
in my nose or that Im like a hound
dog. I was the same way growing
up finding the downed rooster
pheasant in the corn field, or the
wounded mallard in heavy cat tails,
or the gobbler that a friend swore he

missed. I dont really have a compass
in my nose. I just refuse to give up.
It comes from experience as well
as from my dads advice. He told
me that Every animal deserves all
your effort to retrieve it no matter
what squirrel or 12 point buck
its all the same. If you take a life,
you owe it more than a short look
around. Dont give up. I dont and I
hope you wont either. Good luck and
keep looking.n
bit due to the conditions, but that

soon changed when a deer snuck in
from the east. Checking it with my
binoculars I saw it was a small
spike. I watched him for a while and
then noticed another deer approach
from the opposite direction, headed
right for the small buck. I saw it was
a big bodied, racked buck. I shouldered my borrowed .308 Winchester,
tracking the buck in my scope as he
challenged the smaller buck. The
spike turned and walked off while the
bigger buck walked back where it had
come from.
Looking ahead of the deers
direction, I saw one small opening
about 175 yards from my stand. As
the buck stepped into the opening, it
hesitated I took the shot with confidence but as I did, the buck moved
slightly and then after crouched low,
bolting up a hill into an old clear cut
section of the oak hills an area full
of poplar as thick as corn rows.
Had I missed?
Waiting a short time, I walked to
the area where the deer was standing
and looked for any sign of a hit. No
blood. I circled around hair! Lots
of it Thats not good I thought.
I then noticed where my bullet had
struck the ground behind the deer. I
also found where the buck had skidded through the leaves at it ran up the
hill into the thick poplar. No sign of
blood.
I marked the area with orange
tape and followed the general direction of where I had last seen the deer.
I circled through the thick brush
looking for sign. I then moved out in
larger and larger semi-circles, up the
hill and onto an ORV trail. I repeated
this several times. After a half hour, I
had found nothing.
I decided to make one more attempt before contacting my host. I
wound up coming to a stop on the
same ORV trail. Taking out my cell
phone, I was looking down to check
reception and at my feet was blood
quite a bit. Even though it was still
lightly raining on the red/brown oak
leaves the blood was obvious. The
blood trail went downhill following
the ORV trail. I followed for about 50
yards and the blood trail veered off
to the left into the hardwoods. The
blood was so thick it could have been
poured from a bucket.
Looking straight out into the
mature oaks (that side of the ORV
trail was not clear cut) I could see the
brown and white hump of a deer. I
walked up to a nice plump 6 point
buck but where was the hit that
allowed him to run so far (at least 250
yards) through thick brush? Neck
shot I had missed high and left as
he had moved just when I fired. His
neck was not broken (obviously)
but a major blood vessel had been
103
Four osprey
chicks have
GPS backpacks
s Michigans osprey
population continues
to rebound, the DNR is
tracking the revitalization of this species in
southern Michigan through monitoring efforts. This year, four osprey
chicks from area nests were outfitted
with backpack GPS/GSM telemetry
units. Funded by donations from DTE
Energy, Huron Valley Audubon and
Michigan Osprey volunteers Martha
Wolf and Barb Jensen, these units will
help scientists track the young birds
daily movements and seasonal migration patterns.
The chicks were hatched in nests
on platforms at Kensington Metropark
in Milford and Sterling State Park
in Monroe. Crews from Clearlink
Wireless Solutions, Skyline Services
LLC, Newkirk-Electric and Earthcom
Inc. climbed the towers to access the
chicks for banding and transmitter
deployment.
We are very excited to have this
opportunity to place GPS units on
several ospreys this year, said Julie

Oakes, DNR wildlife biologist. This
will provide us with information on
what migration routes the birds take
and will give us insight into what
perils they must endure on their migration.
Anyone can follow the movement
of the birds by visiting the Michigan
osprey website at
www.michiganosprey.org. Move the
cursor along the route to see GPS coordinates and time and date information for each leg of an ospreys journey. The youngsters will begin their
migration in early to mid-September.
It likely will be a couple of years before they return, since ospreys generally spend their first two years or so in
Central America and South America
before returning northward to nest.
In 1998, the DNR began to relocate ospreys to southern Michigan.
The program, supported by donations
to Michigans Nongame Wildlife
Fund, involved relocating chicks from
nests in northern Michigan and rearing
n
e
J
k
i
n
n
e
s
L
HUNT CLUB
Custom Gun Dog Training English Setters
4989 Abbot Road Reading, MI 49274

Hunts Conducted On
HARD-FLYING PHEASANTS
In Good Cover
We Dont Fool Around,
104
GUN DOG TRAINING

EVERY SUNDAY
QUALITY ENGLISH
SETTERS
From 47 Years Of Selective Breeding
Circle T
Ranch
(Including Blues)
Your Dog & You Will Be Great
Julie Oakes of the Michigan DNR and Brian Washburn of the USDA Wildlife Services
outfit an osprey chick with a GPS backpack at Sterling State Park. MDNR photo
them in man-made towers in southern Osprey to osprey nests, assist with the
Michigan, through a process called
retrieval of chicks during the banding
hacking. Relocation efforts occurred process and delay tower repair projects
over a span of 10 years. In 2013, the
until after the nesting season.
DNR, along with volunteers from
Other partners in this monitorMichigan Osprey, identified at least 56 ing effort include the Huron Valley
active nests in southern Michigan an Audubon Society, Michigan Audubon,
amazing increase from the single acvolunteers from Michigan Osprey and
tive nest reported in 2002.
the U.S. Department of Agriculture
This is a true wildlife success
Wildlife Services.
story, said Oakes. Each year we
Anyone who observes a nesting
have new nests. We have already
pair of ospreys in southeast Michigan
exceeded our original goal of 30 active is asked to report the sighting via the
nests by 2020. We have been able to
Michigan Osprey website at
remove ospreys from the threatened
www.michiganosprey.org.n
species list and restore their numbers
in Michigan.
Historically, osprey chicks have
been banded each year as part of a
national effort to monitor the species.
Banding continues this year as a cooperative venture of the Michigan DNR,
Huron-Clinton Metroparks, the Detroit
Zoological Society and Michigan
Osprey.
Because ospreys often nest on cellLocated in beautiful
phone towers, staff from cell-phone
Northwest Michigan in Buckley,
tower companies including American Tower Corporation, Verizon Wirejust South of Traverse City
less, McFarlin Tower, Skyline Services
LLC, Earthcom, Hydaker-Wheatlake
Inc., Newkirk Electric, Clearlink
Wireless Solutions and Crown Castle
International are invaluable partners in osprey monitoring. Their staff
members alert the DNR and Michigan
N
(Lunch Provided)
4 Birds $85 per gun

6 Bird Special $120 per gun ONLY Thru December
TOWER SHOOTS
On Select Weekends!
See Web For Rates and Dates

Affordable pheasant hunting on 317 acres of
switch grass, dwarf-milo sorgrum, and corn.
Traditional Ringneck Pheasants Extra birds shot are free.
Morning or afternoon hunts. Bird Cleaning is available.
Excellent dogs and guides - $60 per 1/2 day.
Brass or Steel shot loads only.
www.affordablepheasanthunting.com
Walkiewicz Farms
CALL NOW! 517.283.1559
6115 Chapin Road Deford, Michigan 48729
1-989-683-2749
Quality deer hunting also available 1 man per 40 acres!
LI O
REQ CENSE
UIR
ED
Come and experience a little

bit of Northern Michigan
(231)
499-0246
VISIT US AT:
www.circletranch-michigan.com
OR EMAIL US AT:
circletranch-haines@hotmail.com
Ask The Dog Trainer ... By Charlie Linblade
Ready for the hunting seasons?
little e-collar work. If that is out of

the question you need to seek another
trainer.
I dont want to send our dog out
for training and would rather
come in and do private sessions.
Since I have never owned or trained
a bird dog I think it would be best so
I can learn more about the process.
What do you think?
I train dogs not trainers. You are
a complete novice who thinks
there is nothing to training a bird dog
and anyone could do it. So go do it. I
am not interested.
When my Brit is retrieving a shot
bird he will get to within ten feet
of me then drop the bird. What can I
do to stop this?
Jim K., Grand Rapids
Try turning your back on him as
he is coming in. Usually they will
bring it around to the front of you,
kind of showing you the bird before
they drop. You might be able to set up
the pattern of then reaching out to get
the bird before he drops it. Otherwise
he should be taught the Hold command. To teach Hold simply put a
favorite toy in his mouth and ask him
to hold it. Hold underneath his chin to
prevent him from dropping before you
tell him to Give or Drop. Praise
when he does it well, after a week of
this start using the command when he
is retrieving.
I am a just a bird hunter so I dont
need a blood trailer or rabbit dog.
What breeds would you recommend
for a person like me?
George M., Lincoln Park
In my view the three breeds I
would recommend are English
Setters, English Pointers and Brittany Spaniels. Although the Brits are
classified as versatile most people use
them as strictly bird dogs.
What is the best age to start a pup
when training for bird hunting?
Susan H., Berkley
You can introduce dead quail or
wings at a very young age, ten
A
Q
A
Q
A
For Great Pheasant Hunting

VISIT . . .
No Charge for Extra Birds Shot
Dog Training Available
No Membership Fees
We are not the biggest, we are
not the lowest priced, but we strive
to provide the best service.
Call Paul at
734-735-7271
or check out our website
www.dundeepheasantfarm.com
weeks. But the actual formal training

should start at about eight months of
age. Off leash walks are very important prior to coming in to a trainer.
This helps start the process where the
dog goes with you and takes its cues
from you, such as speed and direction.
I have a Lab who is getting older
and would like to try a pointing
dog. Can I hunt a Lab with a pointer?
Gerry E., Livonia
It isnt safe for the pointer if they
are free hunting at the same time.
The pointer is allowed to range beyond the range of a shotgun because
it is supposed to hold point when it
finds birds. The problem is if the
Lab flushes a bird close in while the
pointer is out since the pointer may
be in the line of fire. Also the old
Lab may discover that the pointer has
birds and just run up with him to flush
the birds before you get there. We run
pointers and keep the retrievers at heal
until we need their help.
My setter flags his tail when on
birds. Is there something I can do
to stop this?
Steve R., Benton Harbor
Not that I know of. This can be
tough to break because the dog
Charlie Linblade giving dog training

seminars and demonstrations at a
past Outdoor Weekend in Imlay City.
usually is just waiting for you to get
there and get the action started. He
may be a little impatient while waiting
so remember this is only a style thing
and doesnt affect his hunting.
Charlie Linblade will be conducting dog training seminars and demonstrations at the 29th Woods-N-Water
News Outdoor Weekend, Sept. 11-13
at the fairgrounds in Imlay City. For
more information
www.outdoorweekend.net.n
BAIT TACKLE
HUNTING STORE
FOR SALE
612 Center Avenue (M-25)

Two miles from Saginaw Bay
on M-25, Bay City
Great Walleye Fishing

5,000 sq. ft. Building
Extra Large Lot Propane Sales
We have been in business for 30 years
MUST SELL- DUE TO HEALTH!
Call 989-450-5774
s we recall last years

hunting season and look
forward to the start of
this years hunt lets stop
and review the problems
we may have had with our hunting
dogs last season. We have all witnessed the person who didnt do their
homework before the season started.
He was the guy screaming at his dog
as it ran off chasing the bird he just
missed. Or the guy who was over
using his electronic collar to make up
for the lack of field time prior to the
season.
My point is; dont be that person
this season. Hunting dogs need exercise all year long to keep them fit and
under control, especially the young
ones. Off leash exercise is a must.
Not only for fitness but to allow the
dog to explore a little and enjoy being
outdoors and hopefully in the wild.
Exercise is important for training too.
We run the dogs we are training every
day we are training. The young dogs
need it to bring their energy level
down so they are better able to focus
in on the training. So you should
make a habit of running your dog for
an hour before you train.
I am having problems with my
German wirehaired pointer. He
spends most of his time tracking and
rarely wind scents the birds. Because
of this he bumps too many and is not
effective on running birds. Is there
anything I could do to change or improve this? Im thinking about getting
an English setter.
Mike S.
I have seen this problem with
some dogs that were trained to
track at an early age. Not all dogs,
but some may focus too much on foot
scent. I wouldnt call this a regular
issue with versatile breeds but most
of them are used for fur as well as
feathers and tend to ground track fur.
Tracking is important for bird hunting
dogs for running or crippled bird. But
wind scent should be the main tool for
locating birds. When tracking birds
my dogs will still bring their head up
for wind scent. Its kind of like long
range radar. But I have seen dogs that
never track, even cripples, and still
find every bird by quartering and wind
scenting. Maybe two dogs would be
best for you.
I have read your web site and like
what you have to say except I
dont approve of the electronic collar.
I dont want one used on my dog and
have heard of dogs being abused and
ruined by using one. Will you train
my dog without using an e-collar?
Name withheld
I can understand your concerns
especially since you know nothing about them or how to use them.
The truth is most dogs could use a
105
Beneath
dusty,
buffalo-hide
moccasins
Traditional Black Powder Hunting
106
By Dennis Neely
rittle oak leaves rustled. Eight paces distant

an unaware gray squirrel flung dirt and
duff. Buffalo-hide moccasins halted two
steps behind a powder-keg-sized oak.
Cool, sunny seconds frittered away in the
midst of a short still-hunt. On that pleasant
afternoon, a hint of fresh-pawed soil from a nearby
scrape mingled with the acidic smell of drying oak
leaves. It was the first week of November in the
Year of our Lord, 1798.
The squirrel scampered to a modest white
oak, then spiraled upward. Moccasins whispered.
Twenty footfalls came and went, each preceded by
a long cautious pause. The gray-haired woodsman,
Msko-waagosh, waited as a fox squirrel bounded
by. Twenty paces farther down the slope a rotting
treetop promised refuge.
Six paces away another gray squirrel ran along
the lairs uppermost branch. Beyond, under a
white oak at the big swamps edge, a fox squirrel
scrounged in the burgundy leaves. Dusty moccasins and blue-wool leggins circled the tops mossy
branches. The leather strap binding the forest tenants rolled blanket slipped from his shoulders. The
bedroll descended into the hallowed shadows as the
hillsides squirrels, four in all, romped unconcerned.
Red Fox, the returned captive who spent his
youth among the Ojibwe, placed a steadying hand
on the upper branch, looked about, then sat on
the bedroll. The hunters Northwest gun, marred
from many simple pursuits, came to rest across his
ribbon-festooned wool leggins. A chipping sparrow flitted by, perched on a dead lower branch of a
scraggly cedar, three trees south, and began to sing.
Less than an hour of daylight remained.
Down the hill, autumn olive sprigs grew thick
and still held green, fish-shaped leaves, far more
than in past years. A cardinal and two blue jays
joined the sparrows serenade. With an almost imperceptible movement, the woodsman shifted to the
south and eased the smoothbores muzzle over the
branch that concealed his deathly shape.
Msko-waagosh sat but five minutes when the
distinct sound of scratched leaves caught his attention. In a dozen heartbeats, a wild turkey stepped
from the deep sedge grass. The bronze bird followed a doe trail that angled westward from the
grove of golden tamaracks that grew forty or so
paces in the swamp. A dozen steps brought the alert
turkey to a white oak. The young jake appeared
bent on reaching an evening roosting tree and trav-
With the hefty weight of the forests bounty pressing on his shoulder, the gray-haired woodsman lingered in the glade, choosing the longest course back to the 21st century. Wild Rivertree photo
eled south with brisk strides.
When the reddish head passed behind the white
oak, the trade guns sharp English flint snapped to
attention. A clean kill, or a clean miss. Your will,
O Lord, the hunter prayed.
Half-shouldered, the Northwest gun halted
when the wild turkey reappeared. For no apparent reason the bird stopped quick. Arteries pulsed.
Muscles tensed. The thickest autumn olive, growing
between the two, dashed any inkling of unleashing the death bees. Breathing slowed as one minute
melted into two, then three
The jake never looked about. With a sudden
jerk it struck off with the same abruptness, angling
uphill. Six crunchy steps later, the turkeys head
passed behind a stout hickory. The smoothbores
tarnished brass butt plate settled against the unbuttoned, wool, sleeveless waistcoat. The pace
continued with but three steps to a clear shot and a
rendezvous with an 18th-century moment of truth
An hour and twenty minutes sounds insufficient
for a meaningful history-based adventure in the
Old Northwest Territory near the headwaters of the
River Raisin. Considering that those eighty minutes
included dressing in the hand-sewn, period-correct
linen and wool clothing of an obscure class of
18th-century characters and a miles worth of hasty
traveling to reach a point of beginning appears to
diminish the sojourns importance further, or does
it?
A couple of deep breaths of 2014 air kicked off
that evenings still-hunt. Partway up the hill the

gentle breeze smelled musty, like that of 1914. A
bit farther my nostrils whiffed 1832, the November
of Calvin Swains arrival, a mile or so to the south.
By the ridge crest my dusty, buffalo-hide moccasins
rejoiced in the Old Northwest Territory of 1798.
Traveling back 216 years in a hundred or so paces
is pretty good progress by any measure.
Not long after, my alter ego paused for the first
gray squirrel, viewed through the eyes of Mskowaagosh, the Red Fox, the name given an adopted
youth decades before by an Ojibwe elder, Migizi
Miigwan, Eagle Feather. Then frolicking squirrels
surrounded the treetop lair as he placed the blanket
roll and took a seat in the wilderness classroom. A
scant forty minutes, maybe forty-five, remained,
but still, enough for a memorable traditional black
powder hunt.
Yet, if one removes the bit-part charactersthe
gray and fox squirrels, the chipping sparrow, the
cardinal and the two blue jaysfrom this campfire
tale, along with the historical references, little remains but a handful of insignificant words: A hunter
walked downhill, sat and a turkey walked out.
Done. Fifteen minutes, tops. No big deal.
Many hunters, modern and traditional, have
experienced such huntsover before they start. It
happens, and that is the luck, good or bad depending upon how you view it, of hunting. But for the
Buffalo-hide moccasins page 108
Make Camping A Power Trip.

Take a lightweight, portable Honda Generator on
your next outdoor sporting trip and youll have power
for just about anything. Like a coffee maker, electric
lights, TV or even a stove for all the fish youll reel in.
The EU Series features generators that are easy to

start, produce fewer emissions and are remarkably
quiet. Plus, theyre covered by our 3-Year Warranty.
Theyre the catch of the day. And thats no fish story.
gen.honda.com
EU2000
EU1000
799
999
$MSRP and MAP
$MSRP and MAP
EU3000
1999
$MSRP and MAP
Handi
2299
$MSRP and MAP
Your Authorized Honda Power Equipment Dealer
BayPOWER
City EQUIPMENT
PROFESSIONAL
BaySOUTH
CycleMAY
7405
3800
S. Huron
(M-13)
OKLAHOMA
CITY, OK
73159
989-684-0754
(405) 634-7313
Brighton
C & C Sports
8090 W. Grand River Ave.
if paid in full within
810-227-7068
NO INTEREST
MONTHS
Brownwith
City
regular payments!
Interest will be charged to your account from
the purchase date if the purchase balance is
Bens Supercenter
not paid in full within the promotional period
or if you make a late payment.*
4436 W. Main
Street
810-346-2835
HONDA OF TULSA
SMITH FARM & GARDEN
METRO TURF OUTDOOR POWER INC
Burton
Mecosta
4926 EAST Atherton
21ST STREET
5500
HUETTNER DRIVE
Road Sales 8804 EAST 41ST STREET
Lakeside Motor
Sports
TULSA,6468
OK 74114
E. Atherton Road TULSA, OK 74145
10964 90th NORMAN,
Ave. OK 73069
(918) 744-5551
(918) 665-3364
(405) 360-5045
810-743-7776
231-972-4146
Midland
SMITH FARM & GARDEN
SAWGRASS EQUIPMENT
SHAWNEE HONDA MOTORSPORTS
Ft. Gratiot
3733 Jones
N.W. 10TH
STREET
99 Center
INTERSTATE PARKWAY
Rental
Sales & Service 8712 WEST 6TH Stevens Sport
1911
E.
Airport
Road OK 74804
OKLAHOMA CITY,4600
OK 73107
STILLWATER,
OK
74074
SHAWNEE,
24th Ave.
989-631-6450
(405) 946-9828
(405) 533-1992
(405) 273-1400
810-385-6000
BRANDT FLEET
DISTRIBUTORS INC
Portland
1617
SOUTH
STREET
Bader
and4TH
Sons
OK 73018
6018CHICKASHA,
E. Grand River
Ave.
(405) 222-8042
517-647-4164
Rochester
Hills
CENTRAL
POWER EQUIPMENT,
INC
Rochester
LawnMAC
Equipment
4121 NORTH
ARTHUR
94 West CITY,
Auburn
OKLAHOMA
OK 73122
248-852-4961
(405) 495-3732
Mt. Pleasant
Royal Oak
269-685-9557
989-799-0942
Kalamazoo
See Honda.com for full
warranty details. *The Honda Power Equipment Visa
credit card
is issued
by Wells Fargo Financial NationalBillings
Bank. Special
termsEquipment
apply to purchases
Central
Motor
Sports
Lawn
Steensma
Lawn
Equipment
charged with
approved credit
at participating
merchants. Regular minimum905
monthly
payments are
required during the promotional period.
will beStreet
charged to your
Corporate
Drive
221Interest
N. Main
7561
Stadium
account from the
purchase
date at theDrive
regular APR if the purchase balance is not
paid in full within the promotional period or if you make a248-541-4812
late payment. For newly opened
989-773-6025
accounts, the regular APR is 27.99%. The APR may vary. The APR is given as of 06/01/2011. If you are charged interest in any billing cycle, the minimum interest charge will
Plainwell
Saginaw
be $1.00. If you use theLinwood
card for cash advances, the cash advance fee is 5% of the amount
of the cash advance, but not less than $10.00. Offer expires
12/31/2011. **Minimum
Lawnbefore
Equipment
Wohlfeil
Hardware
Bader & Sons
Advertised Price. ***Manufacturer
s Suggested Retail Price. Please readSteensma
the owners manual
operating your Honda Power Equipment
and never use
in a closed or partly
361Honda
12thMotor
Street
5818 State Street
N. Garfield
Roadto carbon monoxide. 2011 American
enclosed area 500
where you
could be exposed
Co., Inc.
800-306-1100
Please read the owners manual before operating your Honda Power Equipment and never use in a closed or partly enclosed area where you could be exposed to carbon monoxide. 2015 American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
OCONNORS
LAWN & GARDEN
Almont
2244
NORTHWEST
140
Novaks
Supply
& Equipment
OKLAHOMA
OK 73134
3620 VanCITY,
Dyke
Rd.
(405) 751-3222
810-798-8533
107
In The News...
Buffalo-hide moccasins:
from page 106
traditional black powder hunter every second
spent in the glade is as thrilling as the few
fleeting seconds when wild game comes to
the table.
According to journal notes the time-traveling
exploit a few days before, three-plus hours in
length, held more excitement and creature education than that evenings adventure. The particulars provide three distinct wilderness classroom
lessons that need sharing, but as each of those
stories makes print a wild turkey will not die, and
as judged by some moderns, those hunts will be
personal growth advances best through repeated

failure, regardless of century. When I started sharing my passion through writing about my beloved
1790s, I remembered those early frustrations. As
luck would have it, I also discovered the most noteworthy woodland lessons rarely involve the taking
of wild gamea happenstance that occurs in less
than a third of my published articles.
That November wild turkey hunt was the first
meat for a new persona based on the journals of
John Tanner, Jonathan Alder and James Smith.
But the deeper lesson, a lesson that I feel must be
shared, is that even the shortest jaunt in ones Eden,
be it the Old Northwest Territory or a public plot
somewhere in Michigan, holds promise and is worth
the effort. As traditional hunters know, a cherished,
pristine moment only lasts a few seconds.
Treeing, or using a tree for additional cover, was a common defensive tactic in the 18th-century backcountry. Treeing in the midst of a still-hunt serves a similar purpose and allows a traditional woodsman
more time to watch and observe and learn. Wild Rivertree photo
108
labeled failures.
In my teens, I unloaded boxcars of lumber for
a quarter an hour. I set aside a little each week to
purchase Outdoor Life, Field & Stream, Sports
Afield and Fur, Fish and Game. I read each issue
cover to cover. Pitiful best described my outdoor
skills back then. But I made the mistake of comparing my hunting and fishing trips with those in the
magazines.
I couldnt afford the latest shotgun or fly rod.
I couldnt travel to exotic locales or fish in virgin streams. I never saw or caught a record-book
anything, much less come upon one the first time
out. Oh, and the writers never missed with bullet or
hook, either. I became so frustrated and disenchanted that I stopped buying the magazines and almost
gave up hunting.
It took a while before I stumbled onto the glorious path to yesteryear, but I soon discovered that
outdoor success is measured in many ways and
one stepa second

Kla-whoosh-BOOM! A fiery yellow tongue
streaked from the Northwest guns muzzle. I never
heard the thunder or gave conscious thought to
releasing the death swarm. A woodsmans mindset, steeped in 18th-century wilderness experience
ruled that moment.
My head ducked to the right. Anxious eyes
peered under the roiling cloud of joyous stench.
Bronze feathers and gray wings flailed in futility
against the brittle leaves. I rolled to my feet,
chose the shortest path and anchored the
young jake beneath dusty, buffalo-hide
moccasins. I knelt over the turkeys lifeless
form and gave thanks to the Creator for a
clean kill and a positive answer to a
backwoods hunters constant prayer.
Give traditional black powder hunting a try, be
safe and may God bless you.n
Four arrested related

to buying and selling of
black bear body parts
Three residents from Kent County and another

from Chippewa County have been arrested on
charges related to buying and selling wildlife, the
Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The
arrests are the result of a multiyear investigation
by the DNRs Special Investigations Unit.
The complaint originated from information
gathered from confidential informants who were
concerned about the illegal trade in black bear
parts.
Individuals soliciting for the purchase of
black bear parts creates 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 DNR Detective Lt. Jason Haines,
who heads the investigative unit. There is a black
market for black bear parts in Asia, where the
parts are used for medicinal purposes.
In all, 11 misdemeanors were charged among
the three male, and one female, defendants.
Each of the charges carries a fine of up to
$1,000 and 90 days in jail, plus $1,500 reimbursement for each animal illegally purchased.
The Kent County Prosecuting Attorneys
Office authorized charges against the following
individuals, who are Grand Rapids-area residents:
Tuan Hoa Pham, 52, of Kentwood, Michigan, was charged with one count of buying bear
parts and one count of buying sport-caught fish.
Hoang Linh-Duy Tran, 45, of Wyoming,
Michigan, was charged with two counts of buying
a black bear.
Hoa Trung Huynh, 51, of Kentwood, Michigan, was charged with one count of illegally possessing black bear parts and one count of aiding
and abetting the purchase of black bear parts.
The three defendants were arrested and lodged
in the Kent County Jail in Grand Rapids. They
have waived arraignment and are scheduled for a
pretrial hearing Aug. 27, in Kent County District
Court.
In the Upper Peninsula, the Chippewa County
Prosecuting Attorneys Office issued a five-count
warrant against a Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan,
man:
Hieu Van Hoang, 45, was charged with purchasing bear and deer parts.
Hoang was served the warrants in the Chippewa
County Jail in Sault Ste. Marie, where he is being
detained on a felony of allegedly attempting to
murder his wife.
Hoang was arraigned on the wildlife misdemeanors in Chippewa County District Court. A
pretrial hearing on those charges is set for Aug.
18.
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 and the latest in technology and
forensics to apprehend poachers and others who
are illegally commercializing fish and game in our
state.
Hagler said the investigative unit works with
DNR conservation officers to build strong cases
and to protect Michigans natural resources.
Anyone with information on the illegal commercialization of any Michigan fish or wildlife or
any other natural resources violations is encouraged to call the DNRs Report All Poaching
hotline at 800-292-7800.
MICHIGAN'S
NUMBER 1
OUTDOOR
RADIO SHOW !!!
Be sure to listen to Mike

Averys Outdoor Magazine
on one of the following
radio stations each week!
City
Station
WHKB
WBCK
WPNW
WKBZ
WABJ
WBRN
WIAN
WPNW
WDMJ
WUPS
WPHM
WKNW
WMIQ
WSGW
WATZ
WILS
WIOS
WSJM
WNBY
WSGW FM
WKYO
WLDN
W TCM
WWCK
WAAM
WJRW
WAAM
WJRW
HOUGHTON
BATTLE CREEK
HOLLAND
MUSKEGON
ADRIAN
BIG RAPIDS
ISHPEMING
HOLLAND
MARQUETTE
KE
HOUGHTON LA

N
RO
HU
PORT
IE
AR
M
.
ST
T
SAUL

IN
IRON MOUNTA

SAGINAW
ALPENA
LANSING
TAWAS
ST. JOE
BERRY
EW
N
SAGINAW
CARO
LUDINGTON

TRAVERSE CITY
T
IN
FL
ANN ARBOR
S
GRAND RAPID
Ann Arbor
Grand Rapids
Air Time
Frequency
102.3 FM
95.3 FM
1260 AM
1090 AM
1490 AM
1460 AM
1240 AM
96.5 FM
1320 AM
98.5 FM
1380 AM
1400 AM
1450 AM
790 AM
1450 AM
1320 AM
1480 AM
94.9 FM
1450 AM
100.5 FM
1360 AM
98.7 FM
580 AM
1570 AM
1600 AM
1340 AM
1600AM
1340AM
SA (9 AM)
SA (5 AM)
SA (5 AM)
SA (7 AM)
SA (7:30 AM)
SA (7 AM)
SA (6 AM)
SA (5 AM)
SA (6 AM)
SU (6 AM)
SA (7 AM)
SA (7 AM)
SA (6 AM)
SU (9 AM)
SU (7 AM)
SU (5 AM)
SA (7 AM)
SA (7 AM)
SU (9 AM)
SA (9 AM)
M-W-F (12 PM)
SA (7 AM)
SU (9 AM)
SU (1 PM)
SA (5AM)
SU (7PM)
SA (5AM)
SU (7PM)
ors.com
r yOutdo
e
v
A
e
k
i
www.M
Mike Averys
Outdoor
Magazine
has a
tradition
of keeping
his listeners
and viewers
informed
and
entertained.
Dont miss
any
of his
programs.
Outdoor
Magazine
is brought
to you by
these fine
companies.
Check us out on Facebook:

facebook.com/OutdoorMagazine
Woods-N-Water News
www.woods-n-waternews.com
SCAN FOR RADIO APP
109
Best
Outdoors
Are You Attracting Mature
Book ofWhitetails To Your Land?
. . . Is Excited To
2015
Introduce Their New
T
Premier Soil Correcting
Fertilizer . . .
Are You Attracting
Groganix "Fusion" Mature
. . .Are
WhenYou
Failure
Is Land?
Whitetails
To
Your
Attracting
Mature
he 2nd edition of Black Bear
Hunting by veteran outdoor
journalist Richard P. Smith from
Marquette is Best Outdoors Book of
2015, according to the Michigan Outdoor Writers Association (MOWA).
The 384-page book that is illustrated
with over 200 color photos, (Black
Bear Hunting: The Ultimate Reference, 2nd
Edition, by Richard P.
Smith, Smith Publications, ISBN# 978-09710355-6-0) took the
top spot in the book
category in the
organizations annual
writing competition.
The book is the most
comprehensive
volume about the
subject, according to
those who have
read it.
The 2nd edition of Black Bear
Hunting was published during the fall
of 2014 by
the author
and his wife
Lucy and
is subtitled
The Ultioutdoor column and features
ers looking for information that can
mate Reference. It is the 26th book
on a weekly basis to the newspaper
help them get the most out of
that Smith has written. During 2013,
and continued doing so for many
their hunt. A number of the books
Smith won the same
years.
37 chapters are devoted to each of
award for the 4th edition
Smiths attention gradually shifted the two most popular bear hunting
of Deer Hunting, which
to writing for magazines and produc- methods baiting and dogging
was published by Stacking books. He now contributes on
but all other techniques are also
pole books. That volume a regular basis to Woods-N-Water
covered. Those methods include
contains over 400 pages
News, Michigan Outdoor News and
spotting and stalking, using calls
and quality color photos, Michigan Sportsman Magazine. Hes to bring bears to hunters, drives,
too.
also a field editor of Bear Hunters On- snow tracking and hunting water
Richard has been an
line and Michigan Hooks & Bullets.
holes. A number of chapters are
. . national
Is Excited
To also devoted to hunting natural
outdoor writer/photogra- And he freelances.for
publipher for about 50 years.
cations such as Introduce
Deer & DeerTheir
Hunting,
New food sources such as corn and
He started contributing
Buckmasters Whitetail
Magazine,
Premier Soil Correcting other grain fields, hard mast like
articles and photos for
Bowhunter, Outdoor Life and Ameri- acorns and beechnuts, soft mast
Marquettes daily newscan Frontiersman. Fertilizer . . .
such as apples and berries and
paper, the Mining JourWith bear season approaching, the fish runs.
nal,
when he was
in high 2nd edition of Black Bear Hunting
Groganix
"Fusion"
Additional chapters cover imporschool during the mid-1960s.
would be an excellent reference for
tant
subjects such as field judging
. .started
. When
Failure
He eventually
contributing
an Is both beginning and veteran bear hunt- bears, how to read bear sign, where
NOT An Option!
to aim, how to recover bears that are
shot, caring for bears that are down,
including cleaning skulls, and much,
For Your Premier Groganix
much more.
& Killer Food Plot Seed!
The new book can be ordered
. . . Is Excited To
. . . Is Excited To
through any bookstore. Autographed
mention
in
Introduce Their New
copies are available from the author
Introduce
TheiradNew
. . . Is Excited
To
Woods-N-Water
Premier
Soil
Correcting
through his website (www.richardpPremier
Soil
Correcting
Introduce
Their
New
News For
Fertilizer . . .
smith.com). The book is also available
Premier SoilFertilizer
Correcting. . .
in digital format from Amazon and
Groganix "Fusion"
Fertilizer . . .
Barnes & Noble. The printed book
Groganix "Fusion"
has so much content that it was bro.
.
.
When
Failure
Is
grand rapids, mi 49509
Groganix
"Fusion"
ken down into six separate ebooks.
. . . When
Failure Is
NOT An
Option!
Food Plots & Whitetail
Habitat
Specialist
That way readers can upload one or
. . . When
Failure
Is
NOT An Option!
Check out
"Fusion"
contact
us
now!
more of them that are devoted to the
NOT An Option!
the video!
specific type of hunting they plan on
"Fusion" & Killer Food Plot Seed!
contact
now!Groganix
For
Your us
Premier
doing rather than the entire book.
For &
Your
Premier
Groganix
Killer
Food
Plot Seed!
The titles of the six ebooks are
mention
ad
in
Woods-N-Water
Learning About Black Bears, Huntmention ad in
News For
mention ad in
ing With Bait, Hunting With Hounds,
Woods-N-Water
Killer Food Plots products available locally at these fine locations
Woods-N-Water
Hunting Natural Foods, More Hunting
NewsNews
For For
Know How and After The Kill & Into
MagnuM SportS
TRIGGeR TIMe
AlPIne FARM
nORTh
CenTRAl
MACS RuSTIC
grand
rapids,
mi 49509COOPeRSvIlle
The Future.
6227 S Greenville Rd OuTFITTeRS
And GARden
Coop
hARdWARe & Feed Sport Shop
Food Plots
& Whitetail Habitat Specialist
Award winning author Richard
Greenville, MI
14514 220th ave 6535 Alpine Ave nW 3 e Main St
364 Main Street
519 ensley ST
grand
rapids,
mi 49509
grand
rapids,
mi 49509
www.killerfoodplots.com
(616) 712-6162
Big Rapids, MI
Comstock Park, MI
hart, MI
Coopersville, MI
howard City, MI
P. Smith will be signing books in his
Food
PlotsPlots
& Whitetail
HabitatHabitat
Specialist
Food
& Whitetail
Specialist
magnumsportsllc.com
(231)
796-7100
(616) 784-1068
(231) 873-2158
(616) 997-8051
(231) 937-4372
booth in the Red Building at the 29th
Woods-N-Water News Outdoor Weekend, Sept. 11-13 at the fairgrounds in
Imlay City. For more information
VISIT OUR BOOTH AT THE 29TH ANNUAL WOODS-N-WATER NEWS OUTDOOR WEEKEND!
www.outdoorweekend.net.n
NOT
An Option! To Your Land?
Whitetails
. . . Is Excited To "Fusion"
contact us now!Introduce Their New
& Killer Food Plot Premier
Seed! Soil Correcting
Fertilizer . . .
mention ad in
Groganix
"Fusion"
Woods-N-Water
Are
You Attracting
Mature
Are You Attracting Mature
contact
us now!
News
For
. .You
. When
Failure
Is Land?
Whitetails
To Your
Whitetails
To Your "Fusion"
Land?
Are
Attracting
Mature
Whitetails
Your Land?
NOT AnToOption!
20%
OFF
616-550-8483
20% "Fusion"
contact us now! grand rapids, miOFF
49509

Food Plots616-550-8483
& Whitetail Habitat Specialist
mention ad in
"Fusion"
contact
us
now!
Woods-N-Water
News For
20%
OFF
20%
20%
OFF
616-550-8483
OFF
616-550-8483
616-550-8483
grand rapids, mi 49509
616-550-8483
Food Plots & Whitetail Habitat Specialist
20%
OFF
110
111
TROPHY PAGES
Mark Woolner caught this Harbor Beach walleye on the north gap. The fish measured to 32
inches and weighed 10 pounds. Caught on a
fire tiger Rapala.
Three-year-old Emily Smith with an 18 inch smallmouth and her brother Cayden
with a 17 inch smallmouth. Caught near Alpena!
Sisters Ashley and Lyndsey Johnston both hooked up with

nice Steelhead while fishing in Harbor Beach over the 4th of
July weekend.
Samantha Spaulding took her

first tom hunting Mother's
Day, her big bird weighed
24.8 lbs. with 11 1/2 inch
beard and 1 1/2 inch spurs.
112
Brenden
Crim of
Adrian
with
his first
turkey; 21
pounds
with a
10 inch
beard.
Three young cousins from Bay City had a great trip with their fathers to Manistee. lt-rt; Brendan Kriefeldt, 22 lb. king, Brady Failing, 13 with a 20 lb. king, Ryan McDonell, 9 with an 18 lb. king. The father
and sons landed 8 kings that morning. Right; Brandon Brown, 14 with a 26" walleye.
Robert
Waltower
Jr took
this
opening day
trophy
tom that
weighed
21.5
lbs. and
11 inch
beard.
Colton
Laskowski
of Kalkaska, 13,
caught this
22" Smallmouth on
Bear Lake
in Kalkaska
Co. on a
Mepps
spinner
with a
minnow.
With no
net, his
Buddy
Jake
helped
land the
fish. By far
a trophy
smile!
A good day of walleye fishing Saginaw

Bay; John Sheridan and daughter Laura, friends Daisha and Dave Suhacki.
lt-rt: Jeff Hasel Huhn, Mike

Jones, Alex Jones limit of Lake
Trout Standard Rock U.P. Lake
Superior...Awesome Trip!
14510 N. Saginaw Rd.

Clio, MI 48420
Ph. (810) 564-3142

Fax (810) 564-3143
THE TAXIDERMY PROFESSIONALS
Preserving Your Sporting Experiences With Everlasting Wildlife Artistry
:
s
e
c
ervi
Complete Prep
and Mounting of
BIRDS FISH
MAMMALS
REPTILES
STANDARD OR
COMPLEX MOUNTS
We Help You Create Exactly What You

Are Looking For in Wildlife Artistry.
GLOBAL WILDLIFE
EXPERIENCE
We have created Wildlife Artistry from

animals from all around the world.
WILDLIFE HABITAT
DESIGN SERVICES
AVAILABLE
Habitat Specialist On Staff
s
t
i
f
ene
MASTER
TAXIDERMIST
ON STAFF
Customer satisfaction
is our promise, references
available upon request
Showrooms to visit in
CLIO AND HOWELL

MICHIGAN
Please contact us for details.
ASSURANCE
that your completed

mounts will match your
original design desires.
FRIENDLY
INTERACTIVE
STAFF THAT LOOK
FORWARD TO
SERVING YOU
Like us on Facebook
113
A dog training
assistant is helpful
By Len Jenkins
ometimes it
requires two
sets of hands
to properly train a bird dog.
If you can recruit an assistant
to help with commands, you will find
that progress will occur and you will
achieve your objective more quickly
than, if you were working alone.
For instance, another set of hands
will be helpful as you tach your dog to
come on command. Once you whoa
your dog, give the come command. If
the dog does not comply, start pulling
him in with your check cord.
As you do this, have your helper
push the dog forward toward you as
you pull him in, working hand-overhand to prevent slack and make the
dog come to you quickly and directly.
Another thing your assistant can
do is whoa the dog when he is
pointing the bird, as you turn your
back on him and move forward as you
would do to flush the bird. As you go
forward to flush as you would do in
actual hunting, your assistant can be
there ready to restrain the dog.
It would be wise for you to put a
505 E. Wadsworth Rd.

Bad Axe, MI 48413
114
hitch on your dog for

your assistant to communicate to the dog
that he is to stay where he is until you
flush and shoot the bird and command
your dog to fetch. If the dog tries to
move off his point or refuses to fetch
or run forward to make the retrieve,
your assistant can persuade him by
pushing him forward.
If your dog moves off his point
prematurely or generally for no good
reason at all, your assistant can be
there to pick him up with both arms
and take him back to where he was on
point and command whoa. If your
dog leaves his location a second time,
your helper can pick him up again and
put him on the ground in the original
location quite forcefully and emphatically command whoa as you look
back at the dog and give the whoa
hand signal and eye contact. If your
dog moves off his location a third
time your helper can pick him up and
put him back again.
You couldnt do this without
a helper. You would have to use a
whoa stake or tie the dog to a tree
to keep him where he belongs. You
would also have to use a check cord
and all training would be at a very
close distance.
If you bird doesnt want to pick
up the shot bird, you and your helper
could excite him and create desire by
playing monkey in the middle. The
dog will be the monkey as you toss
the bird back and forth.
Theres a lot of nuance in training a bird dog and your helper will be
there to provide another set of eyes
to read the dogs body language. You
can usually tell what a dog is going to
do before he does it, if you are a keen
observer.
Now, there is a lot more to training your dog. Perhaps your dog needs
good manners walking on the lead
next to you, instead of in front pulling
you. You need to teach him how to
walk properly.
All your concerns will be addressed at the dog training seminars
at the Woods-N-Water News Outdoor
Weekend, Sept. 11-13 in my booth
near the Puppy Tent. As trainers we
want your dog to walk nicely, come
when called, retrieve, point, honor,
etc. We can show you how to stop
your dog from jumping, barking unnecessarily, digging and rummaging
through trash. Trainers can also help
you one-on-one to teach your dog
tricks.
Bring your questions to Woods-NWater News Outdoor Weekend, Sept.
11-13 held at the Eastern Michigan
State Fairgrounds in Imlay City. For
more information www.outdoorweekend.net or call 810-724-0254.n
Department of Natural Resources mourns

loss of F/LT. Arthur A. Green III in plane crash
First Lieutenant (F/LT.) Arthur A. Green

III of the Michigan Department of Natural
Resources Law Enforcement Division died in a
plane crash late Sunday night in Little Traverse
Township, Emmett County. F/LT. Green, 58, of
Farmington Hills served as supervisor for the
DNRs District 9, which includes Wayne, Oakland, Monroe, Genesee, Lapeer, Macomb and St.
Clair counties.
F/LT. Greens death is a profound loss for the
DNR and for the citizens of the state, said DNR
Law Enforcement Division Chief Gary Hagler.
He was a dedicated professional who was deeply
committed to protecting our nation, its citizens
and Michigans natural resources. Most recently, F/LT. Green was instrumental in the smooth transition of Belle Isle Park in Detroit to DNR
management. He will be greatly missed.
F/LT. Green served as a member of the United States Air Force and the
Michigan Air National Guard before retiring in 2004. In addition, he
previously served as a police officer with the Detroit Police Department.
In 1996, F/LT. Green joined the Michigan DNR as a conservation officer,
assigned initially to Oakland County.
F/LT. Green was en route to a meeting of the DNR Law Enforcement Division when the private plane he was piloting, a Piper Cherokee,
crashed during its approach to the Harbor Springs Airport. The accident
occurred sometime after 11 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 9. F/LT. Green was the
only person on the plane. The accident remains under investigation.
Response exercise provides DNR staff

more training on Asian carp removal
In August, the
MDNR sent several
fisheries staff to assist
the Illinois DNR with
an ongoing Asian carp
removal project. The
goal of the project is to
respond to the leading edge and reduce
population levels of
Asian carp threatening
the Great Lakes via the
Chicago Area Waterway Commercial anglers stand with their catch following an
System.
Asian carp removal effort on the Illinois River last week,
While there, Michi- which employees from the Michigan DNR assisted with.
gan staff assisted the
Illinois DNR and commercial anglers in capturing and removing bighead and
silver carp from reaches of the Illinois River south of Chicago. Although Asian
carp (bighead or silver) are not present in any Michigan waters, this training
provided critical knowledge to the Michigan DNR for potential future response
efforts.
Methods used during the course of this training exercise included gillnetting, seining and electrofishing. All fish caught and removed were provided to a
processor to make fertilizer.
Eleven Michigan DNR staff members spent multiple days last week on the
project. Another fisheries team conducted similar work in 2014. The DNRs
participation in this effort highlights its continued collaboration and dedication to addressing Asian carp issues in Michigan.
In addition to this recent training exercise, the DNR also has coordinated
and participated in other field efforts to increase preparedness and implement
portions of the states Asian Carp Management Plan. These include a field exercise on the St. Joseph River in the fall of 2013 and a multi-jurisdictional field
exercise, co-led with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, on Lake Erie
in the fall of 2014.
Opportunities like the one we participated in last week are critical to maintaining regional collaboration and helping to reduce the Asian carp population
thats currently threatening the Great Lakes, said DNR Senior Water Policy
Advisor Tammy Newcomb. The efforts provide valuable opportunities to help
us address any Asian carp issues that threaten our states waters while we work
toward additional preventative solutions in Illinois.
For more information on Asian carp, visit michigan.gov/asiancarp.
Two videos documenting the DNR's participation are available on YouTube:
Michigan DNR Asian Carp Training - Illinois River 2015 and
MDNR Asian Carp Training in Illinois - Impressive Netting
Ever Wanted To Be On The Cover Of The . . .
Woods- n -Water News?

NOW YOU, YOUR CHILD OR YOUR
HUNTING AND FISHING BUDDY CAN BE!
Maybe your first deer, biggest fish or fondest outdoor memory captured for the entire family to enjoy
A REPLICA COVER OF
WOODS-N-WATER NEWS
THE 11 X 14 FULL COLOR PRINT
SUITABLE FOR FRAMING
Birthdays Holidays
Special Occasions
Decorate Your Cabin
GREAT
GIFT!
Just email (wnw@pageone-inc.com) your photo attached as a jpeg

or tiff file with your suggested custom headline, optional secondary caption and
any additional text you may want. Or complete the form below and mail your
photo. Must be paid in advance. For more info please call 800-387-7824
SENT READY FOR
MATTING AND FRAMING
Please Remember, some photos may not enlarge or reproduce properly.

Be specific on your headlines, captions and dates. Allow four (4) weeks for your order(s).
PLEASE WRITE IN YOUR CUSTOM HEADLINE, OPTIONAL SECONDARY CAPTION AND ADDITIONAL TEXT BELOW
#1) Custom Headline
#3) Additional Text

( P L E A S E C O M P L E T E I N F O R M AT I O N B E L O W )
Name
Total # of Photos:
1 photo included in $15 charge. Additional photos, $5 per photo, per cover.
Total # of Covers:
Total Price:
$15 per cover with 1 photo. Additional covers $5 each.
Address
City
State
Phone # Email
MC/Visa Expires
Check
Mail to: Woods-N-Water News, PO Box 278, Imlay City, MI 48444
Zip
15
INCLUDES:
ONE REPLICA COVER WITH ONE PHOTO
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS $5 EACH
ADDITIONAL REPLICA COVER COPIES $5 EACH
WO O D S - N - WAT E R N E W S R E S E RV E S T H E R I G H T T O R E F U S E A N Y O R D E R I F I T I S C O N S I D E R E D T O B E I N P O O R TA S T E O R U N E T H I C A L .
#2) Optional Secondary Caption
115
Hot Topics, My Thoughts, My Views, My Opinions...
Saginaw Bay walleye regulation changes
aginaw Bay currently has one of the

best walleye fisheries
in the world. There
are literally millions
of walleyes coming from a
dozen super high year classes
of naturally reproduced fish
swimming in the Bay right
now and the fishery is
showing no signs of
declining. Now the DNR
is actually telling us that we may have
too many walleyes in the system.
Baitfish numbers, including yellow
perch, have been declining ever since
walleye numbers started going up.
The DNR is now proposing some
major changes to walleye and perch
regulations that are creating a lot of
controversy among Saginaw Bays
anglers. The current daily possession
limit is now five walleyes that must
be 15 inches. They are pushing for
changes that will double the walleye
catch limit and also reduce the size
limit to just 13 inches. Currently
anglers can catch 50 yellow perch per
day. They are also recommending that
the perch limit be cut in half too.
Background
The DNR and NRC are still accepting public comment and feedback
on two fishing regulation proposals for
Saginaw Bay and associated waters.
If these changes are made, then the
regulations would go into effect beginning April 1, 2016. Theres no augment that there is a very high population of adult walleye in Saginaw Bay.
With the collapse of alewife in Lake
Huron in 2003, this species has been
naturally reproducing there since 2004
and is now considered fully recovered.
With these population numbers and
the declining abundance of prey fish
in Saginaw Bay, fisheries managers
are recommending more liberal fishing
regulations to allow anglers to harvest
more walleye.
The DNR is proposing to modify
walleye fishing regulations for certain
portions of Saginaw Bay, with two options being considered. The option selected will apply only to Great Lakes
waters contained within the boundaries of the Lake Huron Management
Unit of MH-4 and to the Saginaw
River from the mouth upstream to
Center Road Bridge. Here are the two
options:
1) Minimum size limit of 13
inches, daily bag limit of eight walleye
2) Minimum size limit of 13
inches, daily bag limit of 10 walleye
Both of these proposals also include a reduction in the yellow perch
daily bag limit to 25.
The DNR has gone on record saying that based on their data, either of
these changes will have no

significant impact on walleye
numbers in the Bay. They
have also said that the new
limits will result in fewer
yellow perch being eaten by
walleyes and an improved
perch survival rate. The
reduced yellow perch limit
will also help to boost
perch numbers too. They
will continue to monitor
walleye abundance and make further
adjustments in the future to ensure
healthy fish populations. A similar
walleye management style has been
used for some time on Lake Erie,
where walleye harvest regulations are
adjusted periodically to match allowable harvest to the abundance of
fish. These proposed changes would
institute a similar process for Saginaw
Bay.
I spoke with Jim Baker, the DNRs
Southern Lake Huron Unit Manager.
He told me that a decision on these
regulations will be made in October
by the NRC. Baker said, Currently
walleye growth rates are a lot lower
than they were during the peak growth
years when alewives were abundant
in Lake Huron. The growth rate is
still above the state average though.
Trawls have indicted a reduced prey
population in the Bay too. Baker
noted though, Trawls only sample
pray populations on or near the bottom
in certain areas of the Bay. Round
gobies and emerald shiners are greatly
underrepresented in the trawl surveys
since shiners suspend higher in the
water column and gobies like to hug
the bottom in rocky areas where they
dont trawl. Both those species are
a main staple of walleyes and their
abundance is likely still very high.
Trawls also dont indicate how
many bugs are in the Bay. A substantial portion of the Bays walleyes eat
By Michael Veine
116
a lot of aquatic insects at certain times

of the year and the population of bugs
has really exploded in recent years as
water quality has improved.
I asked Jim Baker if there were
any plans to allow commercial fishermen to take walleyes. Here is his response: Since it was sport fishermen
and fishing clubs that have supported
the recovery of walleyes in the Bay
through the purchase of fishing license
and also through walleye ponds run by
various clubs, we want the resource to
only be used by sport fishermen. With
an abundance of walleyes in the Bay
now, we want to allow sport fishermen
to enjoy the surplus with these more
liberal limits. We have no plans to
allow any commercial harvest of walleyes in the Bay now or in the future.
We are also working with some of the
commercial fishermen to get them to
give up their licenses to net perch in
the Bay in exchange for allowing them
to go after whitefish in certain parts of
Lake Huron.
Opinions are Varied
Terry Welch is the President

of the Michigan Charter Boat Association (MCBA) of which I am a
member. Terry Welch conducted a
survey among the MCBAs membership stakeholders and most of the
respondents did favor the regulations
changes being proposed. It was about
evenly split though between options 1
and 2. The MCBA does have a consensus though on one troubling aspect
of this issue: We all want the limits
adjusted quickly should the walleye
fishery falter in any way shape or
form. If we have one or more bad
walleye year classes of recruitment or
should catch rates drop, then the limits
need to be adjusted very quickly to
properly manage the fishery.
They currently have such a system
on Lake Erie now. It wasnt always
that way on Erie though. A lot of current MCBA members remember when
the DNR raised the walleye limit on
Lake Erie to 10 per day with a 13
size limit like they are proposing on
Saginaw Bay now. There were a few
bad walleye year classes that followed
that move though and the DNR did
not react fast enough and still kept the
limit high. That fishery crashed big
time and a lot of charters went out of
business when the DNR subsequently
actually closed the walleye season.
The MCBA does not want to see a
repeat of that boondoggle and we will
only support the change if the DNR
promises to behave better on this one.
When I talk to avid sport fishermen though, it seems like opinions
are about split on the notion of such
a drastic change in the limits. Some
hate it and some love it. From my
perspective as a full time charter captain that runs over 100 trips per year
on the Bay, I am really torn on this
Saginaw Bay walleye regs page 118
Are the alewives covered under the Public Trust Law?

Dear Woods-N-Water News:
Well my friends, since the Natural Resource Commission failed to
respond to my question; are the
alewives covered under the Public
Trust Law. I gave then 30 days. I
know stupidest question on the planet
but it had to be asked, I mean come
on, they eat the same zooplankton as
Asian carp, they eat baby perch and
walleye etc... I mean really.
So, I went to a well-established
Public Trust Law firm and talked to
an attorney. I offered him a $1000
bucks to officially ask the DNR

if alewives are covered under the
Public Trust Laws simple. Well, he
wouldnt take my money and said the
only way would be a lawsuit and it
would cost hundreds of thousands of
dollars and we would need 100,000
to 200,000 people behind us. Even
though everything boils down to the
alewives, so many points to argue he
said.
Im kind of burnt out, 10 years
trying to restore native fish, seems
like a simple question but 20 pounds
of alewives per pound of salmon is
nuts, sacrificing the entire ecosystem

for one fish dont make sense to me,
losing an entire ecosystem for one
fish makes even less. The attorney
was a nice guy, knows fish, Strange it
only took a little over 500 people to
say they wanted to save the alewives,
which I showed him. I guess he
forgot.
My guess is, were gonna get
Asian carp! I tried, aint nothing
simple.
Sincerely,
Tom Matych
Twin Lake MI
Hot Topics In The Outdoors
Just one question

where to begin?
Other than to galvanize the opposing sides of the argument, nothing can
be gained through face-offs between
the I just dont like guns and
the from my cold dead hands
crowds. Gen. Honor says, Weve
got to rethink and reset our thoughts
about guns. We have to focus less on
ideology and more on practicality.
And can we really trust
surveys, studies and statistics
that are used for proving
one side of the argument or
the other? Too many selfinterest groups conducting
the surveys. Too many studies funded by people,
corporations, or government entities with
something at stake in the
results. Too many statistics that can
be manipulated. Too much manufactured fog that prevents someone from
clearly seeing the truth.
For example, in its 2014 Annual Gun Law State Scorecard, the
Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence
(smartgunlaws.org) proclaimed, In
By Tom Carney
the two years since the tragedy at Sandy Hook, 37 states have passed a total
of 99 laws to strengthen gun regulations. But those new regulations did
nothing to prevent Charleston, Aurora,
Lafayette, or Chattanooga.
And recently, my brother-inlaw Jim told me about some major
changes in firearms laws that took
place in Connecticut, I guess, as a
result of the 1998 shootings at the
offices of the Connecticut Lottery. If I
followed correctly, one change added
a three-day waiting period between
applying for a handgun permit and the
issuing of one. Jim said that the drop
in gun deaths attributed to the waiting
period has been substantial. But then
he added thats because the cooling
off period gave potential suicides a
chance to reconsider, and suicides
are also counted in the gun violence
numbers. For those of us who almost
exclusively use firearms for hunting or
target shooting, that might sound a bit
off kilter. I mean sure, technically, if
a person kills himself with a firearm,
that is violence. But should the use of
gun to kill oneself really count as part
of societys problem with guns?
According to data provided by the

Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Connecticut Against
Gun Violence (www.cagv.org) reports
that in six of the past seven years
the number of suicides by gun have
exceeded those of homicides by gun.
So, if suicides werent counted, then
the numbers would be less than half
of what they are now.
Seems to me that if people want
to get as many guns off the streets as
possible, they could more effectively
achieve their goals through new programs, not more laws.
For example, no ones Second
Amendment rights are stepped on if
government units sponsor gun buyback programs. If you want to turn
in a legally owned gun, do so. If not,
youre not compelled to. Ah, but here
are the rubs that the general public
wont like: Fair market price must
prevail. Also, since we know all-toowell about crooked cops, the person
turning in the firearm has to be afforded the right watch as the gun is totally
destroyed, not just rendered unshoot-
Just one question page 119
By Anna Mitterling ... Wildlife Cooperative Coordinator, MUCC
Wildlife Cooperatives: We Need Community
love fall. The colors, temperatures, crisp air, apple cider, and
of course the hunting! Deer,
pheasants and turkeys are my
favorites, and I can do all three
in the fall. The peace and excitement of sitting in a stand watching for
deer, leaning against a tree listening for turkeys, or walking the field
scanning for pheasants take me back
to a place of balance and perspective.
The business of life washes away, the
to-do list becomes forgotten, and the
chaos of my brain slowly becomes
silenced by the sound of the wind in
the trees, the chatter of squirrels, and
the hope of a harvest.
While we all have different motivations for why we go out in the field,
there is a lot we can all agree on.
Primarily, it is just part of who we are
and what we do. We can go back and
find who we are in the woods, something the busy-ness of life and family
can cause us to forget time-to-time.
As much as we need the quiet times
in solitude, we also must be honest
with ourselves and accept that hunting wouldnt be as great without the
other crazy nuts out there also sitting
A wildlife cooperative is formed when landowners communicate and make joint management
decisions and work with neighbors to improve habitat and harvest in the area.
in their blinds in the snow storm.
These are the guys we talk deer
with all summer, the first ones you
call when you get that double bearded
turkey, and the ones you give a hard
time for taking the spike. Without
them, we wouldnt have the camaraderie and competition that help us
strive to be better hunters, learn with
us as we discover better ways to hunt,
and be there to hear about the biggest
buck you ever saw, over, and over
and over again.
We all need some kind of deer

camp and hunting community. It
doesnt matter if you are a bear
hunter, goose hunter, hound hunter,
deer hunter, turkey hunter, pheasant
hunter, duck hunter, grouse hunter.
your hunt is always better when you
can tell a few people about it, or when
a couple guys can be part of the hunt
with you. When you miss your target,
you can lament with a fellow hunter
Wildlife Cooperatives page 119
ate July. Five a.m. Seventy-six

degrees. Not a good day for
yard working the dogs. And the
last time I fished under such
conditions, I became dehydrated. Thats OK, though, for
something else is on my mind.
Gun control.
Dont worry. Im not advocating
for a total ban on firearms
in the U.S. And Im not
campaigning for extending
concealed carry laws into
pre-school classrooms. Im
just thinking.
As I write this, a jury is
deliberating the fate of the
Aurora, Colorado, movie
theater shooter. Two
victims of the Lafayette,
Louisiana, movie theater
shooter were laid to rest
this week. Officials are still trying
to figure out the Why? behind the
murder of the servicemen killed by
the Chattanooga shooter. The attack
on the congregation of the Emanuel
African Methodist Episcopal Church
in Charleston, South Carolina, still
reverberates in our collective consciousness.
Its as if we cant get away from
these senseless acts. Mike McIntire, in a news analysis for the New
York Times, What Makes a Shooter
Do It? says, It is hard not to feel
a growing sense of foreboding and
futility, that we cannot escape their
recurrence.
And with them, of course, come
renewed calls for something to be
done to curb gun violence in this
country.
Retired U.S. Army Gen. Russel L.
Honor, Louisianas most well-known
21st century military hero, underscores that notion, saying America
is mired in a state of denial about its
gun culture, and thats harming the
country.
In an article by Greg Hilburn
published in the July 27, 2015 issue
of Military Times (www.militarytimes.com), General Honor says, As
a country were in a state of denial
because weve confused the right to
bear arms with the right to carry arms
all the time anywhere or anyplace you
want. We have to have a different kind
of conversation in America and be
prepared to speak about the politically
unspeakable.
Honor said, The string of recent
mass gun murders should provide a
wake up call.
To the extent that there exists no
snooze button for this wake up, this
then becomes a social problem that
wont go away. And the easy place to
call for a fix is with firearm laws. But
117
Opinions And Hot Topics...
Saginaw Bay walleye regs ... from page 116
Double crested cormorants are a non-indigenous species that have only been wreaking
havoc on the Great Lakes. Author photo
issue. On one hand I know that such
a limit increase will certainly attract a
lot more charter clients and I will be
able to make more money as a result.
On the other hand I am concerned that
such a drastic change may have a negative impact on the walleye fishery. I
certainly remember when the DNR
failed miserably on Lake Erie and just
dont want to see the same thing happen on Saginaw Bay. Hopefully they
learned their lesson there.
The Cormorant Factor
With prey species in decline on

the Bay, another issue really needs to
be addressed and that is the huge over
population of cormorants. The DNR
is really concerned that walleyes are
eating too much of the forage base, yet
they dont seem too concerned at all

about cormorants eating perhaps even
more prey fish than walleyes, especially considering that walleyes are a
natural species with a huge economic
and recreational value that are prized
by thousands of people.
Cormorants though are a nonindigenous species that have no value
whatsoever accept to a few extremists.
Even bird watchers dont care much
about cormorants. I was on my way
back to Au Gres after a successful
fishing trip to Big Charity Island the
other day and came across a flock of
cormorants that stretched for miles
as far as the eye could see in every
direction. Im talking about tens of
thousands of those perch eating machines and Im sure I was only seeing
a small percentage of the Saginaw Bay
population of those invasive pests.

Its high time that cormorant numbers
be drastically reduced in the Saginaw
Bay area as part of the prey species
management program. If you have
comments or opinions that you
want to share on the walleye/perch
regulations or on cormorants,
then please send them to both the
DNR and NRC. Here is some
contact info:
DNR - DNR-SaginawBayFishRegs@
michigan.gov
NRC - Phone: 517-284-6237,
NRC@michigan.gov
The author offers fishing charters
specializing in Lake Erie and Saginaw
Bay walleyes. Contact Mike Veine at
www.trophyspecialists.com or 734475-9146.n
New U.P. antlerless deer

hunting regulations for archers
Changes involving antlerless deer

hunting for archers will be in effect
during the 2015-2016 hunting season
in the Upper Peninsula, after a recent
decision by the Michigan Natural
Resources Commission.
Earlier this summer, the NRC decided to eliminate the option to harvest antlerless deer during the archery
seasons for hunters using deer or deer
combo licenses in the U.P.
Natural Resources has since received
reports of some confusion over the
regulations. The DNR has produced a
Frequently Asked Questions page to
help explain the changes.
The NRCs decision makes deer
and deer combo licenses used in the
archery season buck-only licenses.
However, hunters with privateland antlerless deer licenses still may
take an antlerless deer with a bow
during any hunting season within the
three deer management units (DMU)
in the U.P. that will be open to antlerless deer hunting. Those units are:
DMU 055, which includes
portions of Menominee and Delta
counties and encompasses 917 square
miles.
DMU 155, which includes parts
of Marquette and Delta counties, covering a total of 265 square miles.
DMU 122, which includes parts
of Menominee, Iron and Dickinson
counties, with a total of 163 square
miles.
More information on the DMUs is
available in the 2015 Michigan Antlerless Deer Digest online.
There are no antlerless permits

being issued for state-, county- or
federally managed land or Commercial Forest Reserve land in the U.P.
this year. Registration for antlerless
deer hunting permits remains open
through Aug. 15. Drawing results will
be available online Sept. 4.
There were no changes to the
regulations for the Liberty and Independence hunts. During these hunts,
a deer or deer combo license may be
used for an antlered or antlerless deer.
Antler point restrictions do not apply.
Hunters can return deer and deer
combo licenses for a refund if they
would like and new licenses could
be purchased prior to the start of the
deer seasons; however, this is not
required. After Sept. 20, the licenses
are considered used and cannot be
returned. To learn more about the
process for returning licenses, contact
DNR licensing staff at 517-284-6057
or MDNR-E-License@michigan.gov.
The Natural Resources Commission made its decision to limit
the antlerless deer harvest as part of
a continuing effort to aid the U.P.s
struggling deer population, which
following three successive winters
with severe conditions has declined
to a level comparable to the early
1980s.
There have been roughly 5,000 to
6,300 antlerless deer harvested in the
U.P. by archers over each of the past
four years.
For more information on hunting
seasons and regulations, visit www.
michigan.gov/hunting.
118
100%
MADE
IN THE
U.S.A.
Compare
Our
Prices
AVAILABLE IN: Snow Camo Mossy Oak Break Up Real Tree WATER PROOF
SEE US AT THE WOODS-N-WATER NEWS OUTDOOR WEEKEND!
Hot Topics In The Outdoors Continued...

Wildlife Cooperatives-We Need Community... from page 117
and wallow in the sadness together.
And when you drop the biggest/
best/oldest species of choice of your
life, you can brag to all your hunting
friends and they share in your excitement and be very jealous - dreaming
of the day they too can have such a
trophy.
Wildlife cooperatives are one solution to creating this community setting. A wildlife cooperative is formed
when landowners communicate and
make joint management decisions.
The great thing about cooperatives is
that you can work with your neighbors to improve habitat and harvest
in your area as well as cultivate a
network of relationships with whom
you can share your hunting passions
with.
Many cooperatives only have one
or two meetings a year. A pre-season
meeting can be used to talk about
what everyone has seen over the summer, share some trail cam pictures,
pick a few shooter bucks, and have
a pre-game huddle to talk strategy
and goals for the coming season. A
post season meeting can be used to
highlight the successes of the previous season, and show off some bone.
Both of these meetings allow hunters
to come together and share goals and
information with each other. They
also create a venue where neighbors
can meet each other, relationships can
grow, and good food and stories can
be shared by all.
Just One Question... from page 117

not the laws.
McIntire mentions two other social concerns that more constraints on
law abiders wont address.
He quotes Brad Bushman, a
psychology professor at Ohio State
University who served on a White
House task force on gun violence after
the Sandy Hook shooting: The widespread availability and glorification of
firearms also cannot be overlooked as
an important ingredient in this toxic
mix.
Also, For all their differences in
motives and targets, mass shooters
fall along a continuum of violence
that is unnerving in its steady forward march. An FBI study found that
between 2007 and 2013, there were
an average of 16.4 such shootings a
year, compared with 6.4 from 2000 to
2006.
But is it only individual gun owners who are marching along this continuum of violence? Just yesterday,
the New York Times reported that
Stephen Hawking and hundreds of
other artificial intelligence researchers
and experts, are calling for a worldwide ban on so-called autonomous
weapons, warning that they could set
off a revolution in weaponry com-
of year. Now is a great time to reach

out and see what interest there may
be in forming a cooperative, bringing an existing group back to life, or
just talking to your neighbors. I have
heard time and time again that the
benefits of being in a cooperative go
far beyond seeing bigger deer. The
relationships built within cooperatives
can be some of the most frustrating
and most rewarding. While we
dont always see eye-to-eye as
hunters, we can at least all agree
that there is nowhere else we would
rather be than in the woods or out
in the field.
Interested in learning more? Want
to start up a deer or pheasant cooperative in your area? Feel free to contact
me at amitterling@mucc.org or 517346-6454.n
parable to gunpowder and nuclear

arms.
They argued that the deployment
of robots capable of killing while
untethered to human operators is feasible within years, not decades.
Within the context of this essay,
the concern over and the real possibility of such killer robots shows
us mankind is continually expanding
its propensity and building tools for
achieving violence. Can more gun
laws halt that trend in human nature?
In a recent Facebook conversation on the topic, one of my former

students, who is as clear minded and
intelligent as they come, suggested
more laws, symbolic even or those
dealing with background checks,
waiting periods.
She could not answer, however,
the one question that looms above all:
Can you conceive of even one,
single new law that will prevent bad
or mentally ill people from doing bad
things with guns?n
Modern & Traditional Archery Equipment

Guns & Ammo Muzzleloading Fishing Supplies
20 Yard Indoor & Outdoor 3-D Ranges (7 Towers)
OPEN
7 DAYS
A WEEK
WITH THIS COUPON
WITH A PURCHASE OF ONE OF THESE TWO BOWS YOU

WILL RECEIVE $100 GIFT CERTIFICATE TO THE STORE
CARBON EXPRESS COVERT CROSSBOW

CX3
CX3 SL
$599.99
$699.99
MONTH OF SEPTEMBER ONLY
HUGE SELECTION OF BOWS & ARCHERY EQUIPMENT
Do-it-yourself energy. Right in your backyard.
If you choose to heat with wood, you know the value of having a
readily-available heat source right in your back yard. With the E-Classics
efficient design and operation, you can heat your entire home, shop and
more with up to 50% less wood than traditional wood heating.
Dealership
Alternative
OutdoorName
Energy LLC
City, State
Phone
St. Clair,
MI Number
586-709-7165
All E-Classic outdoor wood furnaces adapt easily to new or existing heating systems. Its important that your outdoor furnace and system be
properly sized and installed. See your local dealer for more information.
13-0508
CentralBoiler.com
2013 Central Boiler -- Ad Number 13-0508
3-D OUTDOOR RANGE w/7 TOWERS 20 YARD INDOOR RANGE

FREE LAYAWAYS
WWW.EDSARCHERY.COM
810-686-6494
Visit our booth

at the
29th Annual
Woods-N-Wat
er News
Outdoor Weeke
nd!
4483 Vienna Road Clio Just West of Genesee Road

STORE HOURS: Monday-Saturday 8am-7pm Sunday 8am-6pm
This Ad Size is 2 Column by 4" or 4.24" by 4"
able. The big condition: the program

must be funded through taxes that
everyone pays. And why not?
When people with no children
complain that they have to pay school
taxes they are told that we all benefit from an educated society. Well,
similarly, if gun violence is a national
health problem, then we all benefit
from a society in which it is reduced
or eradicated, right? Everyone contributes.
On another front, one cannot deny
the truth behind the mantra No need
for new gun laws. Just enforce the
current ones.
Ray Henry, writing for the Associated Press, reported the Lafayette
killers mental problems were well
known to many, though perhaps not to
the store that sold him the .40-caliber
handgun. A federal background
check came back clean, the pawn
shop said, with no red flags raised at
the time of sale. This case underscores concerns raised in the aftermath of other mass shootings involving suspects with mental health issues
and the gaps in the system meant to
red-flag people ill-suited to own or
carry a firearm.
In other words, the system failed,
As we are getting close to the

seasons opening up, you may want to
consider planning a pre-season event.
You could have it as simple and laid
back, or planned and structured as
you would like. Ask neighbors to
bring a dish to pass and trail camera
pictures from their properties. Trail
camera pictures are a great way to
start conversations about what the
local herd looks like and what kind
of deer hunters are looking to harvest
this fall. You could plan a fun activity
to go along with the meet and greet.
Bow golf tends to be a big hit. Maybe
you have a clay shoot, or a handgun
range. Some cooperatives play cards
or have a pig roast. Food is always a
good addition to a gathering.
Deer and other wildlife are on
the brain of most hunters this time
HUGE SELECTION OF CROSSBOWS AND SUPPLIES 119
Hot Topics In The OutdoorsMy Thoughts-My Views-My Opinion
Protecting does from hunters
Terrible Management
rohibiting hunters from

shooting does in areas like
the U.P. where winters can
be tough, as the Natural
Resources Commission
did when they made antlerless deer off limits to bowhunters,
is terrible management because the
does that are being protected from hunters often die of
other causes and not all does
produce fawns that survive.
The previous sentence is
based on specific examples
from personal experience
monitoring a herd of whitetails that has occupied Marquettes Presque Isle
Park since 2001. No
hunting is allowed
in the park because it is in the city
limits, however; the DNR issued
a permit to the city to eliminate the
park deer population during February
of 2001. The city hired sharpshooters from Wisconsin to do the cull and
they killed 62 whitetails, 20 of which
were bucks.
The park deer herd had previously been managed by live trapping
and relocating some deer, which
were mostly does, every year to areas
where they could be hunted, but the
DNR put a stop to that due to concerns over the spread of disease such
as TB, even though the only place in
the state where whitetails have had TB
is the Lower Peninsula. All of the deer
that were removed from the park were
examined for disease and none was
found.
Few deer remained in the park
after the cull, so the herd basically
started from scratch in 2001. Ive
closely monitored how those deer
have done since then. The park deer
have gotten so used to me that I can
walk with them, enabling me to keep
tabs on them. Two does that were
yearlings in 2001 were the nucleus of
the herd.
Both of those does are still alive
and doing well. Since theres no
hunting in the park, you would think
Presque Isle would be overrun with
the offspring from those two does
over a period of 14 years. That is not
the case, however.
The most productive doe of the
pair routinely gave birth to twin fawns
when she was in her prime and most
of them survived while they were under their mothers care, but she had a
high percentage of males. Buck fawns
eventually disperse from the park after
a year or two, so dont add to the long
term growth of the resident park popu-
lation. All but one of the doe fawns

that she gave birth to died after they
were on their own.
Even though the speed limit for
vehicles on park roads is 15 miles per
hour, that limit is often ignored. One
of the most productive does daughters that became an adult was struck
by a vehicle and killed. A
vehicle also struck another
adult daughter, injuring a
front leg.
Due to that injury, that
doe was unable to outrun
coyotes in deep snow during the following winter and
was killed by the predators.
Coyotes claimed
additional fawns
born to that original doe when they were young.
Over a period of 14 years, only
one daughter born to that doe remains
alive. That daughter is now six years
old and she has given birth to three
sets of twins, but only one of her
daughters also remains alive. A severe
winter claimed at least one of her
fawns that was eight months old.
The second original doe that
is part of the park deer herd hasnt
done much better in terms of surviving offspring. After 14 years, she has
two surviving daughters. Both of
her daughters have lived a long time
though. One is 10 years old and the
other is 9 .
You would think that those three
does would have produced many
fawns to add to the herd over the
years, but you would be wrong. The
15-year-old doe gave birth to twin
fawns that survived during 2005 and
2006. Each of her surviving daughters
was born those two years. Each set of
twins included a buck, which dispersed from the park long ago.
Although the doe that gave birth
to twins during 2005 and 2006 is
normally pregnant, she has not given
birth to a fawn that has survived since
2006. Coyotes have probably claimed
some of the fawns that doe gave
birth to, but others that she had after
rough winters may have been two
small to survive when they were born.
Stillbirths are common after severe
winters in the UP and thats why fawn
production is often low after severe
winters. Due to nutritional stress
caused by long, cold winters, fawns
usually dont develop normally.
During 2014, that old doe didnt
give birth to fawns until August. Her
advanced age or the previous severe
winter may have contributed to her
conceiving later than normal. Most
By Richard P. Smith
120
Most hunters assume that all does produce fawns that survive, but thats far
from reality, especially in the U.P. Richard P. Smith photo
does become pregnant during November. The doe that gave birth during
August would have conceived in
February of 2014.
Those late born fawns did not survive. Had those late born fawns lived
until winter, the odds of them surviving winter would have been extremely
low.
So this doe has not been contributing to the UP deer herd since 2006,
yet she consumes browse year round,
eating food that would be better
utilized by a doe that is able to successfully raise fawns. Im sure there
are other does exactly like that one in
the UP in areas that are open to hunting. Those does should be harvested.
Doing so would benefit the herd. Yet,
most of them are now protected from
all hunters.
That does 9 -year-old daughter is even less productive than her
mother. She has not produced a single
fawn that has survived during her
entire life. She is usually pregnant, but
none of the fawns she has given birth
to, including two during 2015, have
survived. Some does that have male
twins, as this one did, sometimes end
up with too much male hormones,
and that may be what happened in her
case.
Hormonal problems may inhibit
this particular does ability to produce
milk for her fawns when she has them,
reducing their chances of surviving.
When she had her fawns this year, for
example, her udder did not seem to
be as full with milk as other does that
had given birth. Hormonal problems

may have also prevented her from becoming pregnant some years. During
2013, I saw this particular doe bred on
December 4 and then again on December 31. Im sure she was probably
bred during November, too, but she
did not become pregnant.
The 10 -year-old daughter of the
old doe has given birth to a number of
fawns, but most of them have not survived. Her first fawn was an albino.
She did an excellent job raising that
fawn, but it was chased off of a cliff at
Presque Isle by park visitors who were
harassing it during July. Kayakers
rescued the white fawn, but it suffered
a broken leg and was put down.
That doe has not produced any
daughters that survived, but she has
successfully raised a couple of button
bucks.
The assumption that protecting
does from hunters results in an obvious increase in the deer population
is generally false for areas like the
UP. Does, like bucks, are a renewable
resource, with close to 50% of the
fawns born each year being does. It is
far better that some does be harvested
each year, increasing the odds that
nonproductive animals will be removed from the herd.
Most importantly, protecting
does from hunters does not guarantee
that they will survive. They may die
a few months later from malnutrition,
if winter is severe. They could also be
killed by a predator or end up as road
kill.n
Reader Trail Cam Photos

Send your Reader Trail-Cam Photos to:
wnw@pageone-inc.com
Derrick Gage sent us this great trail cam photo of

a very nice black bear. It was taken in July in the
Frankfort Michigan area. Thanks, Derrick.
Tom Spillane captured this

bobcat following a well-used
deer trail into the swamp near
St. Helen.
Russ Videan sent us this trail cam

photo he calls Porky and the
Coon.
Gene Hickey of Clio sent us

this photo and caption, My
Moms a little camera shy, but
not me!
Kraig Staples got this trail photo

of a little buck jumping up for
some maple leaves near Millersburg.
Courtney
Wynn captured this
trail cam
photo of
several bucks
browsing
in a clover
field behind
her house.
The photo
was taken
in Muskegon
County on
July 4th.
Jim Taylor sent us this trail cam photo of a piebald
whitetail taken in Alcona County.
Joe Miko sent us this scenic trail cam photo of a doe

and her fawn walking the creek, taken near Brighton.
121
Weedlessness in the Wolverine State
A veteran walleye guide and

friend once told me that
a lure thrown out and retrieved covered with weeds
is just a wasted cast...
By Robert Dock Stupp
any casts later, on a favorite lake of mine, Lake

Emily in Iron County,
I was reminded of Lyle
Youngs statement. Emily has undergone some
changes over the last 30 years. Recently this lake and many others have
become inundated with both Eurasian
Milfoil and many common weeds like
cabbage and coontail weeds that seem
to grow out of control. The middle of
the lake is more like the width of a
freeway.
So, Emily is becoming a pretty
tough lake to fish. I am sure much of
Michigan has similar problems.
I can speculate that climate
change, global warming, and the
Author with 11-inch bluegill taken in thick weeds at 14 feet with a weedless
Barnard jig. Author photo
Visit us in the Exhibitor Tent at the

Detroit Area
Steelheaders
Protecting and Promoting the Great

Lakes Sportfishery for over 35 years
122
A non-profit fishing club dedicated to protection

and promotion of the Great Lakes fisheries.
Monthly membership meetings are open to the
public. Annual dues only $35.
Fishing How to information through speakers,
events, seminars, and our monthly newsletter.
Boat Trolling, River, Surf and Pier fishing events.
Improve your fishing knowledge and techniques.
THE RINGNECK
RANCH, LLC.
Upland Game
Wing Shooting in Jackson County, MI

RINGNECKS - Dogs & guides available.
Excellent cover. Full and half day hunts. No membership
fees. One hour or less from Ann Arbor, Battle Creek,
Lansing, the Indiana and Ohio State lines.
Gift certificates
AVAILABLE.
517-524-8294
FIELD HUNTS AND
EUROPEAN STYLE SHOOTS
www.theringneckranch.com
invasive species issue are all partly

responsible for this weedy situation,
especially during the summer months.
The point is that anglers are resilient
folks and are not only reporting these
problems to the proper authorities but
also inventing ways to present lures
and innovative fishing techniques to
be successful in less than desirable
situations.
Solutions: Weedguards Weedless
And Snagless Hooks and Jigs
So here we go! Weedless hooks
have been around a long time. However, so have we and you know that
a hook or a jig with a single strand of
wire placed in front of the barb of a
hook does work some of the time but
a jig performs better if the eyelet of
the jig is placed on top of the head of
the jig. This simple placing of the eyelet allows for better swimming action
and a smoother transition through the
weeds (see photo).
Also, jigs or hooks with a stronger,
narrow loop placed on the barb of
a hook seem to work better through
deep weeds.
Then there are jigs with multiple
plastic brush-like weedguards.
There is a little U.P. lake that yields
nice walleyes but only if you pay attention to following things: wait until
the sun goes down behind the treeline;
put on a 1/16th jig with plastic bristles
(cut them down if you like) for a
weedguard and add a piece of crawler;
toss the jig over lily pads and skillfully hop it over countless downed trees
and brush; watch for the line to twitch
and Pow! A well-earned walleye
for the pan.
There is a walleye guide, Greg
Bohn in a resort town in Wisconsin
who makes jigs for specific solutions
to troublesome areas. This fella fishes
flowages and rivers and cribs just like
you and I. In the past, he got hung-up
and snagged just like us.
So he made some jigs and I
bought some (see photo). I now cast
to cribs like I own that log fish-house.
Join us 7:30 PM the last Tuesday of each month

at American Polish Cultural Center
2975 East Maple Road, Troy MI 48083
For more information call Blaise at 248 890-4517

www.detroitsteelheaders.com
Visit our booth at the 29th Annual

wa-la, you have a Texas rig presentation that is weedless. The presentation slid through those deep cabbage
weeds and down to the big summer
bluegills.
The jig was made by a Yooper
gentleman, Dwayne Barnard
fishingquilt@yahoo.com
Taking this discovery of a neat
little jig and thinking forward, I am
now catching walleyes, northerns,
bass, and panfish in weedy areas
where I would not attempt to cast
before. Using many hooks, jigs, and
techniques that the revolutionary bass
world takes for granite, I can readily see how applicable they are to all
kinds of new weedless situations.
The Swimbait Hook and Jig Head
Designs
I have previously written an article on snap jigging but, at that time, I
had no idea how many different types
of innovative jigs and rigging options
there really are. For this weedless
topic, attached are various styles of
jigs and rigging styles with captions
One of the most important parts
of this popular, soft plastic method is
the Offset Worm Hook and different
styles of plain, unweighted hooks and
weighted offset hooks. Eagle Claw,
Trocar, and Gamakatsu make ultra
sharp-hooks and Trigger X, Yum,
Strike King, and Berkley, for example, have packaged many innovative
designs of soft plastic worms, craws,
and other swimbaits. Soft plastic
baits, when rigged properly, have
super, lifelike action.
Berkley, for example, has developed their Power Bait package, one
of which is the Hollow Belly Swimbait with their Gulp scent added to
the package. Rigging your swimbait
in a weedless fashion is made easier
because there is a slit on the bottom
of the hollow belly, which makes it
much easier to stick the hook through
so the barb stays just inside the back
portion of the soft plastic, paddletail,
making the lure weedless.
Another important aspect of this
rigging is the fish-magnet vibration
that the paddletail eludes. Yum also

makes a paddletail with a slit on the
bottom of their paddletail swimbait.
By tuning into the bass world, I
have discovered many different and
unique jig head designs and soft plastic designs I have never practiced using. Since I like to fish for walleyes,
pike, sunfish, and, of course, smallmouth bass, many of these bass-type
jig heads can be used, in my opinion,
for other species.
Shaky-head jigs and Football jigs
and Wacky Jigs have designed, spring
holding, soft plastic keeper devises
that keep your shads, grubs, worms
and other tails securely fastened
as you shake them. Yep! They are
standing up in cover and swimming
weedless, too.
Weedless Spoons And Spinnerbaits
Sometimes answers to challenges
are buried in your memory. One of
the first lures I ever casted was a
weedless lure given to me by my
wise ol Dad. Yes, the Johnson Silver
Minnow with its sturdy weedguard
was a pleasure to use because it was
so easy to use. I love to cast for pike
with these spoons but they are a good
trolling lure, too. I add a white twister
tail to the spoon, which keeps the
spoon riding high and attracts bigger
Kubota L2501
The confidence to do more.
Quality Kubota diesel engine 24.8 HP

Choice of Gear Drive Synchro-Shuttle or
HST Transmission
Spacious, ergonomic operators deck and
foldable ROPs
Peaked Roof
Screened Vents
Interior Shelves
Silent Shadow Windows
Large capacity fuel tank

Performance-matched loader, backhoe
and other versatile implements available
We are Kubota.
YOUR TOTAL COMFORT HUNTING BLIND

Aluminum Exterior
Fully Insulated
Carpeted Floors
Rodent Proof
northern pike.
XPS Laser Eye makes weedless
spoons with a variety of holographic
finishes and a 3D glass eye.
By using spinnerbaits with single
hooks and thicker skirts, you will be
able to make spinnerbaits more weedless and productive for bass, pike and
many other species.
Michigans own Kevin Van
Dam; four-time Bassmaster Classic
Champion and seven-time Bassmaster Angler of the Year, put his
name on the Strike King, Kevin Van
Dam Swim Jig. It has A Perfect Skirt
(trademark) that gives this swim jig
a lifelike action, a weedguard and an
eyelet (placed forward or up-front) on
a unique head design that features a
true-tracking profile and a long shank
hook. These features allow the angler
to toss this jig into heavy cover
and swim it out bass will be all
over it.
In conclusion, the features of
a lifelike action, a well-designed
weedguard, an up-front eyelet, a
unique head design, and a long shank
hook are the right stuff for a weedless or snagless run through heavy
cover.
Enjoy the rest of Michigans glorious summer and stunning sunsets!n
Octagon series
includes eight
shooting zones.
6x6 OCTAGON SERIES
Jones Equipment
Rental, Sales & Service
Jones Equipment
Rental, Sales & Service
4600 24th. Ave.

Fort Gratiot, MI 48059
(810) 385-6000
1777 Busha Hwy

Marysville, MI 48040
(810) 364-6400
www.kubota.com
6x6 CROSS BOW

Your Easy Way Up
6x 6 ARCH ERY
4x 6 G UN
1.888-446.4868 www.shadowhunterblinds.com
Optional equipment may be shown.

Kubota Tractor Corporation, 2015
I especially like the design (eyelet

on top) and wire bristles for snagless
natural woody presentations. Add a
flat-head design and you have a jig a
great, smooth feel.
Now I literally bomb these cribs
by casting sideways and letting the
jig crash into the wooden walls. This
technique provokes strikes. Sometimes other anglers stop and ask me
what I using because I am pulling up
fish.
Two Snagless Ideas
I have learned through time on
the water that sometimes other ideas
pop into your head. Getting hung up
on cribs has taught me to use fragile
light wire hooks to work cribs and
other woody cover. Why? Because
you can easily pop them off woody
structure and keep fishing.
The other solution to stay snagless without the hook as the tool is
one of my favorite ways to fish all
species, even muskies: the HandyDandy Slip Bobber.
Dahh, I said to myself one day
after I learned this simple, satisfying
technique. Fishing above weeds and
other structure has been an absolute
delight. Add a lighted bobber to this
fun way to fish and night fishing has
become addicting. Just try different
ways to use this method: adjust a
string knot for the depth you want;
use a small rubber bobber stop
comes with a bead; or the most reliable, a little clip that has four holes to
weave your line through.
Serendipitous Jigs Texas Rigging
The Bass Phenomenon
Did you know that it is more difficult to catch bass, walleyes, bluegills and crappies when they go deep
in July, August, and September? Just
last week, on a favorite panfish lake, I
was patrolling the shoreline with my
wife, Susy, to no avail.
The important feature of this
homemade jig is the tail-holder that
keeps bait or plastic tails intact and
weedless. By first cutting some of
the stem twister tail and stretching it
gently over the barb of the hook and
123
Sporting Collectibles...
The Greatest
Antique Tackle
Show On Earth
Each July we head to the

National Fishing Lure
Collectors Club (NFLCC)
Convention where my wife
and I look mostly for Made
in Michigan fishing tackle
for my research and my collections. This years National convention was held in
Springfield, Missouri at the University Plaza Hotel and
Convention Center.
The convention begins with several
days of what is called room trading
at the show hotel where club members visit different rooms with fishing
tackle of all kinds on display and for
sale. Antique lures, reels, rods and
fishing accessories crowd the rooms,
and this means a lot of walking and
a lot of looking. It is great exercise
and a lot of fun, especially if you are
an avid tackle collector as I am. The
show moves to the convention hall the
last two and half days where over 500
tables of fishing tackle is on display.
This years convention started
with a Eureka moment when my
wife and I visited the first hotel room
open for business just down the
hallway from our room. There was
a late nineteenth century minnow
bucket on display in the corner of the
room in excellent condition. It was a
beautiful example of Hemps Floating or Sinking Minnow Bucket, and
it was marked Pat. Apld. For. It
was certainly one of the earliest minnow buckets ever manufactured in
the United States, and the first Hemp
bucket I had seen in person. This was
a 10-quart minnow bucket made of
japanned tin-plated steel with vivid
green paint and handsome gold lettering and scrollwork.
The Hemps Sinking or Floating
Minnow buckets were manufactured
by Hemp and Company in St. Louis
from about 1893 for at least ten years
based on what little information has
survived. Hemp and Company was a
sheet metal manufacturing company
that was started on a small scale by
Louis W. Hemp during the first year of
the Civil War in 1861. They manufactured anything that could be fashioned
out of sheet metal, especially stove
pipes for heaters and furnaces. Hemp
was born on July 4, 1838 in Baltimore, Maryland, the son of John and
Catherine Hemp. The family later moved to Keokuk,

Iowa where Louis attended
parochial schools until 1853,
when at the age of fifteen, he
apprenticed at one of the local sheet metal shops. Within
two years, he moved to St.
Louis and started working in
that growing citys
sheet metal trade.
By Terry McBurney
124
Above: This 10-quart Hemps Floating

or Sinking Minnow Bucket was produced in St. Louis in either late 1893
or early 1894. Author photo. Right:
A close-up of the cork that sealed
the opening to the float chamber.
With the cork in, the minnow bucket
would float. By removing the cork,
the float chamber could be filled
with water, and it would sink to the
desired depth.
The patents drawing shows an
oval model, but it clearly represents
definite production as every part of an
actual bucket is the same as the illustration - the hinged cover, the two bail
handles, the galvanized wire screening, the flanges and other parts. This
means that production most likely had
started even before the second patent
was first applied for on December 21,
1893. As I stated before, the Hemp
bucket that I discovered in Springfield
W. Hemp on September 5, 1893 and
was marked Pat. Apld. For, so my
In 1862, Louis married Mary
covered a combined minnow trap and best guess is that it was produced
Frances Reynolds, the daughter of
minnow bucket. As far as I can tell,
either sometime in late 1893 or in the
Thomas Reynolds, who was one
this design was never produced. His
first six months of 1894. The last menof the first police detectives of the
second patent, #523470, was granted
tion of the Hemp buckets that I have
city. The couple eventually had nine
on July 24, 1894 and was issued to
found was a promotional paragraph
children with three daughters and five both Louis and his eldest son, Wilwithout an illustration that ran in the
sons surviving with all of the Hemp
liam Hemp. This patent covered his
August 1902 issue of Iron Age magasons eventually joining their fathers
novel concept of manufacturing either zine. The piece was entitled Hemps
business. He also was a member of the a round or an oval minnow bucket
Combination Floating or Sinking
Essex Guards of the Missouri State
that would both float or sink. The key Minnow Bucket and stated that it
Militia during the Civil War years.
to the design was the cork that was
could be used as a floating bucket or
Louis Hemps sheet metal company
placed in the neck of the opening to
allowed to sink. The article went on
continued expanding to where he em- the buckets float chamber. With the
to say that the bucket also had an ice
ployed over two hundred employees
cork sealing the opening, the chamber pan top, a feature that allowed the
by the early 1900s. He also owned
was watertight and the minnow bucket angler to place a chunk of ice on the
the King Heater Manufacturing
would float. On the other hand, the
sunken top. The ice would melt into
Company, as well as a successful real angler could remove the cork and fill
the buckets water keeping the minestate firm, the Mary Francis Realty
the chamber with water causing the
nows cool on a hot day. A near mint
Company, named after his wife.
minnow bucket to sink. The bucket
example of a 12-quart Hemp oval
There were two Hemp minnow
could then be lowered as far as the an- minnow bucket sold during the Langs
bucket patents. The first one, Patgler wished keeping the minnows both November 2007 auction for $1,344!
ent #504526, was issued to Louis
fresh and lively in the colder water.
The second item that I found in
Above: Mumfords Safety Hook and

Bait Box was patented in 1889 and sold
by Pflueger apparently through the
1897 season when it was dropped from
their catalog, Shane Knight collection.
Right: The reverse of the small 2-inch
by 3-inch Mumford box showing the
spring clip that held it to a fishing
rod. Below: The listing from the 1897
Enterprise Manufacturing catalog
illustrates how the device worked.
secure his hook or baited hook inside

the hinged box. This would keep his
hooks with or without bait from
snarling, or catching into the brush
through which the fisherman may
be walking, or into the fishermans
clothes. Needless to say, not many of
these diminutive boxes have survived
the passage of 125 years!
The Mumfords box was sold by
Pflueger, which was the trade name
of the Enterprise Manufacturing
Company of Akron, Ohio. Founded
in 1881 by Ernest F. Pflueger, they
first manufactured novelties and then
fishing tackle. They started out in
1885 with a 4-page fishing catalog
featuring ten luminous items - nine
lures and one bobber. By 1892, they
had expanded to a 65-page catalog
SOLD! $1,900
A month before the recent 2015 NFLCC Convention was held in

Springfield, Missouri, Jack Looney, one of the co-hosts of the convention, worked with Wes Johnson, the outdoor reporter for the Springfield
News-Leader newspaper to publicize the three-day convention to be held
at the citys Expo Center. The article, Lure Collectors Hooked on Hobby
to Convene in Springfield," ran on June 24 and talked about Jacks antique
fishing tackle hobby - how he started with a tackle box of old lures and
grew to where he now has more than 7,000 lures and other pieces of old
tackle in his collection. It ended with a brief invitation to the public to
bring their vintage fishing tackle in to have it appraised or placed in an
auction at the convention..
Local resident, Nancy Dover, read it with interest, especially the offer to auction off old tackle. She had her fathers tackle box and thought
that it might have some value. No one else in her family had ever showed
interest in the old tackle, so she contacted Don Getz, the other co-host of
convention, to talk about putting it up for auction. Don invited her to the
convention and met with her on Friday morning doing a quick appraisal
of its contents.
Her fathers tackle box contained tackle from the 1920s through the
1950s including three Meisselbach Tripart casting reels, other assorted
reels, some interesting Creek Chub and Heddon baits, as well as a wood
lure he had never seen before. Nancys family had lived in Evanston, Illinois, where her father had been a mail carrier. He loved to fish the Chain
of Lakes in northern Illinois, the Wolf River in Wisconsin, and Lake
Michigan. She thought he had bought most of his tackle locally and in
Wisconsin. Don started by quoting her a modest value for the tackle boxs
contents and finished his appraisal by telling her that the 3 -inch red
and white wood lure had totally stumped him. He advised her that it was
worth at least $50 and told her that he would call her after the auction was
completed.
The reels and lures were auctioned first and sold for more than what
Don had expected. The unknown red and white wood lure created a lot
of interest on the convention floor as members inspected it. No one had
ever seen the lure previously or could identify who had made it from the
clearly sophisticated manufactured hardware. The lure was 3 -inches
long and had a four-sided metal paddle with cut-outs at the front that
would create splashing and turbulence as it was turned. This paddle was
attached to a shaft that was turned by a three-bladed propeller positioned
at the rear of the body. Bidding opened at $50 and then quickly escalated
from there. Spirited and aggressive offers kept the price spiraling up until
the winning offer of $1,900 was made!
Jack Looney called Mrs. Dover and told her that her tackle had sold
and that she could come and get the proceeds from the auction. She
arrived an hour later, and my wife, Audrey, and I had a pleasant twenty
minutes with her before her meeting with Jack and Don. We did not
discuss the auctions success but talked about her memories of her father
and his tackle box. At that point, Jack Looney and Don Getz met with her
and gave her the proceeds from the auction. Needless to say, she was both
surprised and pleased. As she was getting ready to leave, she smiled and
told us: Today is my birthday, and I am going out and buy myself something special!
that listed fishing tackle of all kinds
including over one hundred lures plus
the tiny Mumford box, which sold for
only $.10! The Mumford box last appeared in the 1897 Pflueger catalog.
I ran into the third extraordinary
item when I discovered a near perfect
Heddon #400 Metal Tail Fourpoint
spearing decoy in green scale with
its original downward leaping bass
box. I have always been partial to

Heddon spearing decoys, because
I own a Fourpoint decoy in what is
called the slant bar perch color.
My perch decoy has some condition
issues on its back, and here was a
Fourpoint in almost mint condition
along with its actual box. The de-
Springfield was a surprise. It was a

Mumfords Safety Hook and Bait
Box, a rare fishing accessory that I
had only read about in Arlan Carters
important book, 19th Century Fishing Lures. The tin box was covered
with Victorian styled designs and
printing including the information
that it was patented on April 20, 1889
and Pfluegers Luminous Bait is the
Best. Patent #402270 was actually
granted to William A. Mumford of
Kansas City, Missouri on April 30,
1889 for his Safety Hook and Bait
Box. A spring clip was fastened to
the back of the box and designed to
fasten over the fishing rod near the
handle. After attaching the little tin
box to his rod, the angler would pull
enough line from his reel and then
THE
LURE
OF THE
SHOW
The Greatest Tackle Show page 126 125
The Greatest Tackle Show:

from page 125
coy and its box dated from the early
1920s, a rare find. As I was leaving
the convention floor to photograph it,
I walked by another beautiful example of a Metal Tail Fourpoint, this
time in Heddons classic fancy green
back color. I ended up photographing
both stunning examples side by side
for this article.
Heddon began making spearing
decoys in 1912 when they introduced
their 5 -inch Woodtail Decoys.
Some were made with two side fins
and called the Woodtail Fourpoint
by collectors (two side fins plus a
dorsal fin plus the tail). Most came
with four side fins and were nicknamed the Woodtail Sixpoint (four
side fins plus a dorsal fin plus the
tail). They continued changing their
spearing decoy designs over the next
metal tail with two metal flanges that

screwed to the outside of the body
with two screws. The tail could easily
be bent so the ice fisherman could
swim it either to the right or left. They
also borrowed the side fin design from
their #1600 Deep Diving Wiggler and
mounted double fins to each side of
the decoy. This model proved successful, and Heddon stayed with it for
eight years until it disappeared from
their 1928 catalog.
The fourth remarkable item I
found was a Winchester #4345 level
wind casting reel. I have seen a number of Winchester fishing reels before
but never one of this high quality.
It was a jewel of a reel made out of
nickel silver with a soft satin finish. It
was a beautiful reel, certainly smooth
enough to compete against the best-
The Winchester 4345 Level Wind Casting Reel was made in a satin finish from
nickel silver and was the companys top of the line fishing reel. It wholesaled
for $12. Jerry Shemechko collection
seven years until the company introduced the 5 -inch #400 Metal Tail
Fourpoint decoy in 1920. It had a split
made casting reels of the day.

Not many people are aware that
the New Haven Arms Company,
Enjoy
UPLAND BIRD HUNTING

August 15 April 30
126
Michigan Association of
Gamebird Breeders & Hunting Preserves
For information and listing of our preserves & producers near you go to:
www.michiganhuntingpreserves.com
Heddons #400 Splittail Fourpoint Ice Decoy was produced for eight years
from the 1920 season through their 1927 catalog. Pictured are two of their
first four colors - fancy green back on the left and green scale on the
right. Tom Witte collection and Arthur and Karen Edwards collection
maker of famed Winchester firearms,
marketed fishing tackle between 1919
and 1931. The companys management felt there was a ready market
for Winchester branded fishing tackle
and hardware tools, so they began
by buying out a number of related
manufacturers in 1919 - the Eagle and
the Napanoch knife companies, the
Barney and Berry Skate Company, the
E.W. Edwards Fishing Rod Company,
as well as the Andrew B. Hendryx
Company, also of New Haven, Connecticut. Hendryx produced fishing
reels, metal spoons and spinners and
the well-known Hendryx metal bird
cages!
Hendryx specialized in manufacturing low to medium priced fly reels,
casting reels, and trolling reels starting in 1878. Their popularly priced
reels ranged from tiny stamped brass
reels to much larger saltwater reels.
The reels were made out a wide variety of materials ranging from brass,
to bronze, nickel-plated brass, hard
rubber, aluminum and a few made
from more costly German silver. After
Winchester bought out Hendryx in
1919, all tooling and machinery were
moved across town, where it was discovered that much of it was so worn
as to be mostly worthless! Winchester
had to retool and rebuild the machinery - a huge expense for them.
The 100-yard Winchester #4345
casting reel, however, is unlike any
of the other Hendryx/Winchester
reels made during this period - clearly
several steps above any other reels in
quality that they were cataloging during this twelve year period. This reel
was actually part of a three reel series
that started with their #4161 nonlevel wind nickel silver reel. This reel
had an 85-yard capacity, a counterbalanced handle and was designed for
tournament casting. The second reel
was their #4160 model, which was
identical to the #4161 reel except that
it would hold 100-yards of line. The
pictured #4345 reel is the same as
the #4160 except that it has a level-
wind plus a double crank handle.

After discussing the three reels with
several expert reel collectors, the best
guess was that they were not made
by Hendryx but manufactured by the
Winchester arms division where the
company produced their rifles.
Thanks to the seven NFLCC
members who allowed me to photograph their remarkable items: Don
Dyle and the Hemp floating or sinking
minnow bucket; Shane Knight and
his Mumfords safety hook and bait
box; Tom Witte, Arthur and Karen
Edwards and their Heddon Fourpoint
Spearing Decoys; Jerry Shemechko
and his Winchester casting reel; plus
Mike Hines and his remarkable Lure
of the Show.
Feel free to contact the author at
antiquefishing@comcast.net.n
Fishing Tackle
Expert Offers
Free Appraisals
Terry McBurney will
be at the Woods-N-Water
News Outdoor Weekend
held at the Eastern Michigan
Fairgrounds in Imlay City,
September 11-13. He will be
displaying some of his Made
in Michigan collection of
old fishing tackle, talking to
readers, as well as offering
free appraisals. Bring in your
old fishing tackle - reels, rods,
lures and accessories to see
if there is a treasure hidden
away in your old tackle box.
ExplorE
mORe GReAT LOAN RATeS!
With An
New & Used

Vehicle Loans
Rates as low as
1.99% APR*
Personal Loans
loAn
RATeS AS LOw AS
Our RV Loans can be used for boats,

motorcycles, personal watercraft, RVs,
travel trailers, campers, and ATVs.
Rates as low as
8.90% APR*
To apply, visit www.securitycu.org, call
800-373-2333, or stop by any Security
Credit Union office location today!
800-373-2333 www.securitycu.org
*APR=Annual Percentage Rate. Rate is based on credit history. Rate shown is
offered to members with excellent credit. Interest rate may increase based on
current credit history. Rate may also vary based on age of collateral, term of loan,
and loan to value.
Woods-N-Water News
s
Michigan
utdoor
Premier O
Publicatio
Use
BIG BUCK
BEHAVIOR
To Your
ADVANTAGE!
S e p te m b e r
SALMON
Are You Ready For
Pl usHo...t Spo ts
Fal l
Tro llin g Sm art ng
Squ irr el Hu nti
Goi ng We edl essNe wb ies
Riv er Fis hin g
Deer Season?-N-WATER NEWS OUTDOOR WEEKEND
Im lay Cit y
W OO DS Ea ste rn Mi ch iga n Fa irg rou nd s w us on
llo
Fo
Se pt. 11 -13
k
faceboo
m Like us on
-waternews.co
www.woods-n
New Subscription
Subscribe Today and

Enjoy Michigans Best
Outdoor Newspaper
Renewal
One year $29 Two years $55
(Please attach mailing label)
NAME
ADDRESS
CITYSTATEZIP
Check/Money Order Visa/Mastercard

Card #Exp. Date
Send to:
Woods-N-Water News
P.O. Box 278
Imlay City, MI 48444
Or Call
(810) 724-0254
FOR OFFICE USE ONLY

DateCk#$
$4.00
2015
SEPTEMBER
127
Woods-N-WaterNews Classified Section

Misc.
For Sale
Auction
A TEMPUR-PEDIC MEMORY
FOAM MATTRESS SET.
Clean. Never used. As seen on TV.
Cost $1700. Sell for $695. 989-8322401. M-4-14-TFN
................................................
AN
AMISH
LOG
HEADBOARD AND QUEEN
pillowtop mattress set. New. Sell all
for $275. 989-923-1278.
M-4-14-TFN
................................................
AMISH LOG BEDS, ANY
SIZE $199. 5 drawer log chest
$199. Good quality. Lowest prices in
Michigan. 989-839-4846. M-4-14TFN
................................................
LOG BUNK BEDS. $495. Amish
lodge furniture. Call Dan 989-8321866. M-4-14-TFN
................................................
DOG TRAILER FOR

SALE 5 ft. wide by 7 ft. long.
Used for beagles or bear dogs.
Excellent condition! 989-7322745. H-9-1
HUGE NON TYPICAL

deer rack, buffalo, dal sheep,
elk, antelope, mule deer
mounts. Lots of deer, elk,
moose antlers, also guns.
Hunting, fishing items to be sold
at auction. September 12 at 10
a.m. Consignments welcome.
For flyer and info, contact 989291-5556. AUC-9-1
Wanted
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-7-12/15
................................................
Subscribe Today!
(810) 724-0254
Fishing
POND SUPPLIES: Live gamefish for stocking. Large selection of
lake, pond and watergarden supplies. Free catalog! Stoney Creek,
Inc., Grant, MI 800-448-3873. www.
stoneycreekequip.com F-4-7
To reach an immense outdoor market use the . . .
Woods-N-Water News Classified

Classified ad rates: $30 for the first 20 words
Every word over 20 is .25 per word -- Box your classified, $5 additional charge
This effective advertising is simple to do, place your ad by . . .
Calling 800-387-7824 Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm
Email your ad to wnw@pageone-inc.com
Faxing your ad 810-724-8552
Complete your Classified online at www.woods-n-waternews.com
Mailing your ad to Woods-N-Water News, P.O. Box 278, Imlay City, MI48444
Classifieds MUST be paid in advance of publishing; MasterCard, Visa accepted. Make
check/money orders payable to Woods-N-Water News. Classified ads can not be
billed and once a classified is processed no refunds can be made. Limit of 75 words.
All classifieds posted to our website FREE!

Use one of these useful classified categories...
A = Archery
ATV = ATVs
B = Boats
D = Dogs
F = Fishing
F = Free
FP = Food Plots
FW = Firewood
G = Guns
H = Hunting
HL = Hunting Leases
HW = Help Wanted
M = Miscellanous
RE = Real Estate
RR = Resorts/Rent
RVC = RVs/Campers
SM = Snowmobiles
T = Taxidermy
TK = Trucks
TR = Trailers
W = Wanted
OCTOBER 2015 CLASSIFIED DEADLINE SEPTEMBER 28, 2015

CLIP AND MAIL
Woods-N-Water News Classified Advertising

(Please print clearly. We are not responsible for unreadable orders.)
Make sure phone number is included in your ad!
NAME
ADDRESS
Hunting
ELK HUNT: Northern Mich. No
game, No pay. Have ten permits
$150 per point. Private ranch. 989846-6228. Call nights. DNR inspects
kills. H-9-4
................................................
2015 MICHIGAN BEAR
HUNTS: Newberry/Gwinn.
Just outside of Seney Wlidlife
Refuge. High success rate.
31 years. State and Federal licensed and experienced. Guaranteed active baits. 6 nights, 5
day hunt includes lodging and
meals. Start at $750. Bow and
rifle deer hunts. $125 per day.
906-439-5242. www.buckspportinglodge.com. H-5-5
TROPHY ELK HUNT: Private
ranch, elk management area. Sec.
36 Bay County. Cabin. 70% success.
phone nights 989-846-6228 H-9-4
................................................
ROOSTER RANCH, LLC
- Since 1986. Ringneck pheasants, mallard ducks, chukar
partridge. Field and European
Hunts - lodging and meals
available. Your dogs or ours,
pointers or flushers. Wobble
Trap. Single family or corporate outings. Fundraiser hunts.
Check us out online:
roosterranchllc.com Call Nick
at 989-658-2332 to book your
hunt. H-4-6
ELK HUNT: Northern Mich. We
have ten club permits. Cows or Bulls.
Crop damage area. Ranch phone
989-846-6228. DNR inspects heads.
H-9-4
................................................
ATTENTION U.P. BEAR
HUNTERS: Top of the Line
Guide Service offers excellent
hunting opportunity for black
bear hunters in Newberry management area. Fully licensed
guide offers unlimited day hunting. Lodging available. High
success rate. For information
or references call Bruce at 906477-6983 or 616-566-0183.
H-5-5
CITYSTATEZIP
DEER HUNT, SAGANING
CLUB. Bucks $100 point. Private
cabin, lots of game, high success
rate, no deer, no pay. Call 989-8466228. H-9-4
................................................
DAYTIME PHONE NO.

VISA/MASTERCARD#EXP:
CLASSIFICATION OF ADMONTHS TO RUN

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
(10)
(11)
(12)

(13) (14) (15) (16) (17) (18)
128
(19)
(20)
$30.00
$30.25
$30.50
$30.75
$31.00
$31.25
$31.50
$31.75
$32.00
$32.25
$32.50
$32.75
$33.00
$33.25
$33.50
$33.75
$34.00
$34.25
$34.50
$34.75
$35.00
$35.25
$35.50
$35.75
$36.00
$36.25
$36.50
$36.75
Enclosed is $for
words to runmonths.
BOX MY CLASSIFIED - $5 Extra
ALCONA COUNTY /
HUBBARD LAKE, MI. 5
day Bow Camp, 5 day Rifle
Camp, 5 day Black Powder
Camp, 5 day Lake House [with
family]. $2000 for all 20 days.
260 Acre Camp plus Lake
House. Modify plan to suit your
needs. CALL for details: 586260-0719 EMAIL:
vacation@hubbardlakehuntfishcamp.com
WWW.hubbardlakehuntfishcamp.com
H-6-6
Hunting
Hunting
NORTH FORK CURRAN

MICH - 1000 acres. Bear with
bait. Red Oak area. Deer with
bow. Deer with gun 2nd week.
First class bunk house with
kitchen, holds up to 8 hunters.
Guest house with private rooms.
Couples hunting. Hunts are 6
days with blinds. Bear $1600.
Deer $800. Phone 989-3699898 H-8-2
GUIDED U.P. BEAR HUNTS

OVER BAIT. Amasa, Gwinn and
Baraga units. With great results.
Over 20 years experience. Call Rick
at 231-464-1077 or 231-690-3164.
www.mountainridgeoutfitters.com
H-7-3
................................................
2015 BARGAGA UNIT, guided
bear hunts limited openings available. Jam's LLC. 23 years experience, high success rates active baits.
5 day hunts. Guided with Iron Nickel
for 15 years. Call Matt 1-989-9415696. H-6-4
................................................
HUNT DEER ON PRIVATE

RANCH. Call for price list on bucks
and does of all sizes. 989-426-2463.
H-9-3
................................................
1 BUCK HUNTING CLUB
M E M B E R S H I P
NORTHEASTERN
MICH.
Quality club, camp and facilities (also
turkey, sm game) West Branch - Hale
area. Tremendous value and opportunity. Stag. $1375 per year. See:
dynamicra.com or phone
Dan 989-893-5819. H-9-2
................................................
ILLINOIS BOW HUNTS
RIVER BOTTOM, oak
bluffs and ag. All on 1200 continuous acres prices start at
$1100 is guided with food and
lodging. Call American Heritage
Outfitters Larry at 989-9064381 H-6-5
DEER CAMP WITH HUNTING OPENINGS. Bow, rifle and
muzzleloading. Lodging, blinds and
food plots. Alpena County. John 248765-2485. H-9-2
................................................
BEAR
AND
DEER
HUNT: Newberry BMU or
Baraga. Blinds baited, lodging
and food furnished. 50 years of
experience. I am in the woods
everyday!!! Credit cards accepted. Great success rates.
Late season hunts. 231-6200398. H-9-2
40
ACRES
WOODED,
SWAMPY for deer hunting. Arenac
County $800. Call 989-879-7953.
H-9-1
................................................
ALLEN CREEK RANCH,
a premier whitetail hunting
ranch nestled in the woods of
northwest Michigan, now offers
doe hunts and management
buck hunts. Please call for pricing and availability. Call Don at
616-690-9909 or Scott at 231873-1688. H-9-1
NORTHERN
ONTARIO
BEAR HUNTS: Booking now for
fall of 2016. Includes comfortable
cabin, boat and motor, baited stands.
Very experienced guides. High success rate. 3 hours from the Soo.
References on request. $960 U.S.
705-869-3272
www.texasandsons.com
H-10-12-14
................................................
BEAR HUNTS: Baraga

Unit. Be our guest at AA
LODGE. All inclusive. 5 day
hunts. $1000 - $1500. Call Roy
810-691-3373. H-5-5
ALBERTS BEAR GUIDE
SERVICE. Bergland and Baraga
units. Federal license, 23 years
experience. Cell 906-231-9136,
Home 906-827-3731. H-6-4
................................................
TWO BUCK LIMIT: On
November Muzzleloader and
December Rifle hunts. Fair Chase.
Affordable hunts. Trail Camera
Photos. Thousands of acres of
Private Western Kentucky Farms and
Tennessee farms near the Kentucky
border. Hunters are welcome to visit
me and my farms before deer season. FREE BROCHURE. 270498-3374. H-6-5
................................................
U.P. BEAR BAIT/HOUND
HUNTS. Gwinn or Newberry
b.m.u. Call Justin 231-6750688 or Jordan 231-675-1475.
H-9-1
Bait
BEAR BAIT: Cherry Caramel,
Maraschino Cherries, Cherry Pie
Filling, Cherry Granola. More Info at
cookeandsonsfarm.com Call (616)
862-0122 OR Text (616) 862-3768.
B-7-4
................................................
Resorts/Rent
HOUSE FOR RENT. Weekly,
weekend and season. We are located next to Linwood Beach Marina in
Linwood. Sleeps 7 people. All amenities included. Stones throw from
Saginaw Bay. Excellent duck hunting, walleye fishing. Open year
round. Bring your gear and relax. We
are hunters and fisherman and know
what your looking for in a place to
stay. Call 989-697-3825
R/R-9-2
................................................
PICKEREL
LAKESIDE
CAMPGROUND
and
COTTAGES - Baldwin Area 1425' all sport lake, frontage, 45
semi-rustic sites, 4 clean modern
cottages. www.lakecamp-cottages.
com 231-745-7268. R/R-4-7
................................................
Woods-N-Water News Classified Section

Resorts/Rent
Business For Sale
Real Estate
Real Estate
Real Estate
Real Estate
ALL SEASONAL, full

hookup, riverside RV resort.
Make Coho Bend, on the Big
Manistee River, your own hideaway! Large wooded sites-Boat
docks available.
www.cohobend.com
(231)-723-7321. R/R-4-8
BUSINESS FOR SALE:

Party store on Black River in
Tower, MI. The only store in
town. Beer, wine, Lotto, DNR,
licenses, live bait. Village post
office rents a room in the building. Located in the heart of the
Pigeon River State Forest.
Excellent hunting and fishing in
area. Store has been in operation for 30 years on high traffic
M-68/33 Hwy. $450K gross in
2014. Asking $200K plus inventory. Owners retiring. 989-7332480. H-8-3
40
SQUARE
WOODED
ACRES, Excellent Hunting, a
Creek & 2 Rd. Frontages 1320 x
1320 90% Wooded. Burnside Twp,
Lapeer County $119,000 Just Land
Sales 586-419-6716 facebook.com/
justlandsales RE-9-1
................................................
123 ACRES Wooded Deer

Camp, 4 miles of Groomed RV Trails,
& Bunk House, 95% Wooded,
1329x4043 Possible Split, Paris Twp.
Huron County, $310,000 Just Land
Sales 586-419-6716 facebook.com/
justlandsales RE-9-1
................................................
40 ACRES EMMET COUNTY:
with 1000 acres of Mackinaw State
forest on north and west side of
property. 1 mile thru woods to
Sturgeon Bay to Lake Michigan. 950
sq. ft., 2 bedroom 1 1/2 bath modular,
building with outside storage. This is
a true turn key hunting camp.
$110,000 (520) 603-6723. RE-9-1
................................................
LITTLE STAR LAKE: Great
home with 70' frontage on no wake
lake. Oversized garage with bonus
room. $84,900. Forest Shores Realty
231-745-7268 www.forestshores.
com RE-9-1
................................................
25 BEAUTIFUL ROLLING
ACRES
NORTH
OF
CADILLAC 2 story rustic cabin
tastefully done. No water, no electricity, surrounded by state land. Many
deer taken with plenty of wildlife. 15
minutes from town but very secluded.
Asking $68,000 Call 586-709-4444.
RE-9-1
................................................
LOG CABIN ON 21 ACRES

IN MISSAUKEE COUNTY!
Two bedroom with loft, completely
finished! Has septic, flowing well with
pond. Good Hunting! Asking
$100,000. or OBO. CALL 231-3284334 after 7:00 P.M. please. RE-8-3
................................................
5.3 WOODED ROLLING

ACRES only 5 miles from Torch
lake. Short drive to state land and
ORV trails. Wooded with large Red
and White Pines, ideal camping - recreation spot. Driveway, cleared site
with electricty and phone along with
front of the proerty. Situated on a
paved dead end county road.
$29,900, $1,000 down, $370/mo 11%
land contract, www.northernlandco.
com, Northern Land Co. 231-2585100. RE-7-3
................................................
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
................................................
Hunting Lease
E.U.P. ONE WEEK RENTAL
AVAILABLE end of October.
Large tract with cabin, small game,
archery, forested, streams. 906-6472011. HL-9-1
................................................
HUNTING GROUNDS
FOR LEASE OR SALE in
Delta County, Chippewa
County, Iosco County, Eaton
County, Isabella County and
Ingham County. Excellent deer
hunting properties. 989-5932547. RE-9-3
LEASE TO HUNT 40 acres
$500. 80 acres $1000 south of Port
Huron. Oak $80 cord 248-240-0985
HL-8-3
................................................
Want to Lease
HUSBAND AND WIFE
LOOKING TO LEASE
hunting land for deer in southeast Michigan. Call Vic 313917-2156. WL-8-2
WANT TO LEASE 50-100
ACRES mid to upper thumb area.
Top dollar paid. Oct-Dec. Responsible older gentleman and nephew. I
respect property, grew up on a farm.
Call Gordon Fox 1-734-652-8195.
WL-8-2
................................................
RESPONSIBLE HUNTER
WOULD LIKE TO LEASE
15 to 200 acres of hunting
property in Southern Michigan.
Hillsdale or other surrounding
counties yearly. Wooded, crop
fields, tree lines for deer, turkey
and pheasant. Call 734-2418582 or 734-770-6109 leave
message. WL-9-1
Subscribe
Today!
(810) 724-0254
$59,900 FORMER ELK

COUNTRY
PARTY
STORE IN ATLANTA, MI
with Beer / Wine and Liquor
License available. Be your own
Boss. Building recently updated
and up to code. 13-Great
Fishing Lakes just minutes from
Store. This is the Only Bait
Shop in the Area! Live Bait and
Minnows. Price includes most
Equipment and Shelving. Gas
Pump/Tank is negotiable.
Possible Land Contract for
$65,900. Call Matt at Trophy
Class Real Estate PO Box 162
Atlanta, MI 248 884-8616
RE-9-1
Real Estate
40 ACRES, 3 Buildings, Small
Pond, 2 wells, Cedar Swamp, Lots of
Deer & Bear, 70% Wooded, Avery
Twp. Montmorency County $60,000
Just Land Sales 586-419-6716
JustLandSales.com RE-9-1
................................................
THE
MANISTIQUE
RIVER LODGE with 140
acres of prime hunting land in
the central U.P., just east of
Germfask. 1/2 mile frontage on
both sides of river. Sleeps 12+.
Classic log beam construction
with huge fieldstone fireplace,
riverfront boardwalk, outbuildings, deer blinds and more. All
maintained in excellent condition. MLS #432874 on bhhsmi.
com. Awesome value now
reduced to $495,000. Call John
Yaroch, BHHS Real Estate.
231-675-2555. RE-8-3
38 WOODED ACRES with an
immaculate secluded ranch home
1/2 hr. from Mt Pleasant. Adjoining
state land and the Pine River.
Qualified buyers only please.
$299,000. Call Diana at Faust Real
Estate 517-270-3646. RE-9-1
................................................
GARDEN PENINSULA
U.P. fantastic 8 acres, 300
plus state frontage on lake
Michigan. Heavenly wooded,
great sand beach, next to hundreds of acres of state land.
Perfect for the 4 seasons
sports family. Call 616-8916988 RE-9-1
RUBY CREEK: Log home

on 110 acres plus stocked trout
pond, pole barn, turkeys & deer
with the Pere Marquette river
nearby for kayaking! 40 leased
acres actively farmed. Close to
Pentwater & Ludington,
$424,000 Call 231-898-4867.
Seller is assoc. broker West
Shore Realty. RE-8-3
1/9TH MEMBERSHIP IN 640
ACRE HUNT CLUB NORTH
OF CURRAN. Large, modern
lodge, private rooms for members, 2
lakes, diverse habitat, 1/4th of property is cedars. 80 acres of food plots.
High speed internet. $76,000 firm.
Dues $3670. Very nice place. 989369-9696. RE-9-2
................................................
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 facebook.com/justlandsales
RE-9-1
................................................
HISTORIC LOG CABIN
with 44 acres mixed woods and
extensive frontage on creek
flowing to the Muskegeon
River. Includes fireplace,
garage, workshop, well, septic
and bunkhouse. Property has
mixed woods, cedar swamp,
uplands and diverse wildlife.
Located 500 off the road by
private easement for your privacy and seclusion. $159,900.
Other great hunting parcels
available, through the MLS, in
Isabella County's Big Buck
Country! Contact: Wayne
Terpening, Coldwell Banker
MPR, 989-772-0422 Ext. 231
RE-9-2
HUNTING
LAND
40
WOODED ACRES NEW CABIN.
APPLE TREES, FOOD PLOTS,
PAVED RD, FARMING ON THREE
SIDES ALCONA CO. ALCONA
TOWNSHIP ACROSS F41 FROM
LOST LAKE WOODS CLUB. SEE
CRAIGSLIST N. MI. $85,900. OBO
989-736-3712.
RE-9-1
................................................
24 ACRES, 2 Paved Rd. Fronts
80% Wooded. Mixed Trees. 2 Acre
Clearing, to Build on. Irregular
Shaped Lot Fremont Twp Tuscola
County $59,000 586-419-6716
JustLandSales.com RE-9-1
................................................
U.P. 15 ACRE HUNTING
CABIN, deep water well. All plumbing, kitchen, bath, two bedrooms and
living room. $65,000 land contract.
313-286-4845. RE-9-1
................................................
BEAUTIFUL LOG HOME

on 80 acres. Central U.P. private road. Big bucks, bear, turkeys. $203,000. Patti Britton,
Pro Realty. 800-787-5478 or
906-786-5972. RE-8-2
51 ACRE FARM NORTHWEST HILLSDALE COUNTY
- 30 acres woods and swamp, 15
acres tillable and fenced. 5 bedroom
house and barns. Asking $249,000
call 517-869-2111. RE-9-2
................................................
20 ACRES OF PRIME
VACANT, hunting property in
Ogemaw County. Wooded near West
Branch. $55,000. Land contract
available. 248-931-1894 RE-9-1
................................................
OUTDOOR ENTHUSIAST
OF ANY KIND will love
this real estate offering.
Whether you hunt, fish, hike or
snowmobile this property offers
it all. 180 acres with trails,
blinds, creek and food plots.
Property adjoins thousands of
acres of public land, less than 2
miles to boat launch and the St.
Mary's River. Present owners
use as a E.U.P. camp but the
1100 sq. ft. home and 32x42
garage will satisfy most as a
year round residence. A great
buy at $289,000. Please call
listing agent Mike Gillhooley at
906-440-7389. Pictures and
more details can be found at
smith-company.com. Serving all
your Eastern Upper Peninsula
real estate needs. RE-9-3
10 ACRES FOR SALE IN
PIONEER TOWNSHIP. Backs
up to State Land. Asking $20,000.
OBO CALL 231-328-4334 after 7:00
P.M. please. RE-8-3
MILLERSBURG, MI. 60
secluded acres, great deer and
bear hunting. Nice 2 bedroom
cabin, deep well, electricity,
telephone. $130,000 989-7981405. RE-9-3
10 VACANT ACRES NEAR
BARTON CITY, County approved
drive and culvert, area leveled for RV.
Good roads, one mile from M-72.
Electricity on adjacent parcels.
Adjacent to Huron National Forest,
1/4 mile to ATV/Snowmobile
Trailhead. Wooded, Deer, Turkey,
Grouse. $18,000. 517-548-1892.
RE-8-2
................................................
40 ACRES all wooded on Sugar
Island. One quarter mile from St
Marys River. Good hunting and fishing. 24X40 finished pole barn. Well,
septic, electric, propane heat. 12X16
storage shed. 989-445-0251 or 989845-6240. RE-8-3
................................................
10+ ROLLING ACRES, heavily
wooded, fronted by state land,
Electricity at road. Excellent hunting
and fishing in area. Ride ATVs and
snowmobiles right from property.
Furnished buildings, wired for generator, dog kennel. located in Oscoda
County $26,500. 810-629-0143.
RE-8-2
................................................
280 ACRES,
DEER
CAMP - Marquette Co.,
Gwinn, Cabin and storage shed
on unique property. Old bog
with ridges and islands. Mostly
conifers, birch and poplar. A
portion of property was logged,
new growth has started. Many
elevated blinds. Good deer, 3
bear have been taken off this
property. Escanaba River runs
next door with many good fishing lakes nearby. Asking
$230,000 Call 810-798-3414
RE-9-1
PRIME BEAR, DEER AND
GROUSE HABITAT only minutes from the bridge in Sault, ON.
Own a full log cabin on 162 acres
with trophy class deer and bear for
only $169,000. USD. For more info
visit http://leahymf65.wix.com/canada-ranch or call 231-357-5848.
RE-8-3
................................................
40 ACRES gated and secluded
Roscommon County. Prime hunting.
Very private, major snowmobile/ATV
trail head nearby. Serious only
$89,900/best. 989-389-0956. RE-8-3
................................................
40 ACRES WOODED, surveyed and fenced. 3 elevated cedar
blinds. $72,000 - Gladwin, Michigan
734-854-6904 leave message, all
calls will be returned. RE-8-3
Dogs
LAB PUPS. AKC. Dam is a professional guide dog and very wellmannered. Sire is a great family pet
and excellent hunter. Born on Fourth
of July. $700. Also offering professional gundog training. Rheaumes
Kennel. 989-864-8606 or 810-5420164. D-9-1
................................................
GUNDOG TRAINING AT
ITS BEST! by Paul
Rheaume. Over 30 years
experience with pointing and
flushing breeds. All inclusive 4
week class that is customized
to meet your dog's needs.
Excellent for young dogs starting out, for experienced dogs
tuning up, or for dogs with
issues. $600. Find us on
Facebook or online http://gundogtraining.webs.com.
Rheaume's Kennel. (989) 8648606. D-7-3
BRITTANY PUPS. AKC. Their
background is incredible and full of
Hall of Fame dogs. Some famous
dogs in their pedigree are FC/AFC
Ajax VII, FC/AFC Rimardas
Trademark, DC/NFC Markars Jacs A
Dan-Dee, plus many more titled
dogs. Both parents are awesome
family pets, great hunters and professional guide dogs. Born July 17th.
$700. Gundog training also available.
RHEAUMES KENNEL. 989-8648606 or 810-542-0164. D-9-1
................................................
REDBONE
COONHOUND PUPPIES 2
males and 1 female, UKC Registered $200. Also 1 year old
male UKC Registered $400.
Call or text 269-615-0498.
D-9-1
email: wnw@pageone-inc.com website: www.woods-n-waternews.com
MUNISING AREA: Lake

Stella - Lakefront cottage w/a
boat. Furnished. Sleeps 8.
Great fishing - walleye, bass,
bluegill, perch, pike and crappies. 989-382-5491 or 989-3827722 Ask for Lonnie. R/R-8-3
129
Woods-N-WaterNews Classified Section

Dogs
Dogs
Dogs
FOR SALE Llewellin English

Setter Pups whelped April 9th,
2015. Shots and Dewormed. 2
females and 2 males FDR
BondHu Bloodline. Great Grouse
and
Woodcock
hunters.
Interested Hunting Parties only.
906-822-7739 carolk@fast-air.
net D-9-1
...........................................
RABBIT DOG STARTING
PEN. 10 acres tall grass and
wooded area. 989-670-4336.
D-5-6
...........................................
BIRD DOG TRAINING: by

world record holder and hall of
famer David Grubb. Only trainer
in history to win all 5 gun dog
championships. (did it twice) All
breeds summer rate only $450
per month. Dog training book for
sale and stud service. (248) 3911446. D-7-TFN-15
...........................................
DOGWOOD
KENNEL:
Complete training obedience and
field work. Working with dog and
owners to create a complete
hunting dog. If you want to hunt
with your dog, not for your dog,
we can help you. Training for
AKC and F.D.S.B. tests and trials. All hunting breeds welcome.
Brittany and Pointer pups and
started dogs available. 989-7610234 Merritt, MI.
www.dogwood-kennel.com
D-4-6
...........................................
Classifieds work!
(810) 724-0254
Dogs
Dogs
www.cbnwr.com
ENGLISH
SETTER
FEMALE 6 years old
Veteran Bird Hunter and
Companion. Looking for
same. 810-624-0349. D-91
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-9-2
PERFECT hunting/relaxing location! This

10 acres offers a 1998 Jayco 34' camper, 5
inch well, septic, electric, and all set up for
year around use. Borders hundreds of
acres of state land in the back, well
wooded, county maintained road but very
secluded, AND includes several blinds.
MLS 15027234 $34,900
Subscribe Today!
(810) 724-0254
email: wnw@pageone-inc.com website: www.woods-n-waternews.com
Heres your
guide to success!
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 fishermen ever fish.
Michigan is loaded with great fishing
waters . . . many of them over-looked.
From the AuSable River to all of the
Great Lakes tributaries to the Pere
Marquette River . . . thousands of miles
of streams, lakes and rivers are now
easy-to-locate on one map.
Professor Higbees Stream Map of
Michigan is the first and only highly
detailed map of its kind. This new 4
foot by 4 foot color map shows virtually
all for the 35,000 miles of Michigan
streams & lakes on both peninsulas.
Thats almost two times the earths circumference!
STREAMMAPOFMICHIGAN is
available either rolled or folded. And, in
heavy gauge clear lamination, write-onwipe-off surface with brass eyelettes
for easy hanging, rolled only.
NAME
ADDRESS
130
North West
Realty
CITYSTATEZIP
Check/Money Order Visa/Mastercard
Card# Exp. DateSignature
Mail To: Woods-N-Water News

P.O. Box 278 Imlay City, MI 48444 (810) 724-0254
ROLLED $26.00
FOLDED $26.00
LAMINATED $46.00
Tax & Postage
Included
Great opportunity to purchase this 3.4

acres (unit 21) with access to Sunshine
Lake. Parcel is high and all wooded and
would make a great year around location
in the Irons area. MLS 15030041 $9,900
Beautiful 10 acres across the street from
thousands of acres of Federal land right in
the heart of the hunting and snowmobiling area. Would make a great place to
build that up north cabin or retirement
home, electric at the road.
MLS 15029525 $23,900
Looking for that great little piece of
Northern Michigan? This is it! 1.11 M/L
Acres with 1000's of acres of State Land a
crossed the road and walking distance to
the Baldwin River! Build your dream
house or set up camp! Enjoy Lake
County's dear, beer, wolves, turkeys, and
trout all for only $6,900! MLS 13055887
15 acres with frontage on 2 county maintained roads, well wooded and hundreds
of acres of State land across the street.
This would be perfect for camping, hunting, and trail riding. Build your dream
home! Priced right to sell.
MLS 15038007 $29,900
Location! Here is just over 10 acres of
prime vacant land. Located in Lake
Township, this parcel has much to offer!
Thousands of acres of Federal Land right
a crossed the road! Nicely secluded and
just a few minute drive to launch your
boat on All Sports Big Star Lake! Like to
snowmobile? This is it! Sitting right on a
trail that'll take you anywhere you want
to go! MLS 14065413 $29,900
Nice level 2.5 acre parcel sitting on a quiet
road. All wooded with large oak trees
walking distance to the Little South
Branch Pere Marquette River. Low down
land contact terms possible.
MLS 11041669 $9,900
Beautiful wooded ten acre parcel with a
well, electric and phone line already in
place! The property is in a great location
only seven miles south of Baldwin off a
quiet seasonal road. Come and walk your
future piece of up-north heaven!
MLS 15026695 $23,000
Village of Baldwin. 1.8 acres within the
village limits. Great year round location
on one of the main corners leaving town to
the west. Property has frontage on 3 roads
and has the potential of being split for
further development. Property is subject
to easement for the existing billboards.
This property is owned by a licensed real
estate broker. Land contract available!
MLS 14066945 $9,600
Very nicely wooded 5 acre parcel with
state land on 2 sides. Fronts on a year
around gravel road with utilities available
at street. Low down land contract terms
available! MLS 13060468 $13,500
Lake County Michigan

231-745-4646
Baldwin, MI 49304

IG RIVER
PROPERTIES
LITTLE MANISTEE RIVER CABIN 8524 N MAC ROAD IRONS

223 feet of frontage on this fantastic stretch of the Little Manistee
River. Two bedroom, one bath cabin with updated knotty pine interior
and renovated kitchen offers an open floor plan and custom cabinetry.
Lots of windows overlook this prime river frontage and nicely wooded
lot. Updated bathroom with on demand hot water. Cabin is heated by
a free standing LP unit similar look as a wood stove for a nice cozy
feel. Deck on the river side for outdoor space. $179,900 (SCH)
BEAR CREEK ACREAGE MILKS ROAD KALEVA 6.34+/- acre
parcel on Bear Creek. Property features 120+/- feet of frontage on the
creek. Property is nicely wooded and offers both frontage on the creek
and seclusion at the back of the parcel. Fabulous location for outdoor
enthusiast. Bear Creek ideal steelhead, salmon and trout fishing.
Open year round for fishing! $69,900 (WOJ)
RIVERS EDGE CABINS 1853 W. OLD M-63 LUTHER Rivers
Edge Cabins is a well-established business on the famous Little
Manistee River. 1240 frontage on the river and 7 acres of land. The
main lodge used as owners quarters with 2+ bedrooms, full bath,
large living room, kitchen and awesome dining area with river view. 6
fully stocked units each with kitchens and bathrooms. Your guest can
ride to the ORV and snowmobile trails right from this property and
there is 100s of acres of Federal Land just down the road for the
hunters. $249,900 (FAI)
FORD LAKE AREA HOME 5061 N FORD LAKE ROAD
FOUNTAIN - Fabulous Ford Lake Area 2+ Bdrm, 2 Bath home on 2+
acre beautifully wooded lot. Open floor and many updates including
laminate floors, carpeting, doors, plumbing, lower level insulation,
2015 furnace and central air. Lower level walkout into 2 car garage
and drive through 2nd garage for extra storage. Views of lake from the
front wrap deck. Sellers are including Ford Lake Association Access
Lot access to park, picnic and beach area. So much to offer here!
$149,900 (RIC)
BIG BASS LAKE - 8756 N. HOMESTEAD CIRCLE IRONS Year
around home or cottage with 116 frontage on Big Bass Lake. There is
2970 square foot of finished living space. The home features 4 bedrooms, 3 full baths, spacious kitchen which was recently remodeled
with cherry cabinets, easy close doors, pull out shelves, granite
counter top and tile back splash. There is a pass through counter to
the dining area. There is a 2 car attached garage, concrete driveway
and well-manicured yard down to the waters edge. $389,900 (RAD)
LITTLE MANISTEE RIVER 9629 N KINGS POINTE HWY IRONS
This year around home or cottage has 137 feet of frontage on the
Little Manistee River, one of the areas famous trout streams. Home
features some knotty pine interior, 3 bdrms, 2 baths and the fieldstone
fireplace is a central focal point to the living room, dining room and
great sitting room overlooking the river. 900+/- sq. feet of multi-level
extensive decking on the riverside, plus 2 car garage. $124,900
(BAR)
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
Approx 70 acres of prime hunting land, located in Tuscola County,

Kingston area. Offers groomed
trails, 5 permanent hunting blinds
and food plots, plus a camping area.
PRIME REAL
ESTATE AUCTION
200 Acres of agricultural and recreation property
being sold at public auction in the heart of buck
country - Jackson County, Michigan. Auction will
be held on Thursday, September 17th.
A hunters dream come true!

A wide trail leads you through 80 beautiful
wooded acres with mature maple, pine &
apple trees. The setting is perfect for a deer
camp or peaceful get-away to share with
family and friends.
Park Place
Homes
For more information, go to
www.belcherauction.com
11 0 6 S . K A L A M A Z O O AV E .
MARSHALL, MI. 49068
269.781.7100
Keena Catanzaro
Broker/Owner
RE/MAX Partners
248-882-3333
remaxkeena@aol.com
1007 E. Wackerly St.

Midland, MI 48642
angelamira6@gmail.com
Cell: 989-615-2206
Office: 989-698-1100 x130
Fax: 989-698-1106 Attn: Angela Angela Mira, REALTOR
www.facebook.com/angelamirarealestate
Search for homes: www.angelamira.com
NORTHERN
TREASURE
Approx 40 wooded acres with 2

ponds and a pole barn. Great hunting property with farm land surrounding the property. Located in
Tuscola County.
Contact . . .
Roger J. McLeod Realty Inc.
989-553-4218 or 989-673-6106 ext 227
RIVER FRONT ON BEND OF PERE MARQUETTE RIVER $309,900

6425 S. TAYLOR RD., BRANCH, MI
New in 2010 1296 sq. ft. with 550 of frontage on the Pere Marquette.
View of water from every window. Everything top of line.
Separately for sale $80,000 prime hunting land, build site and food plot
Each office
independently
Owned and
Operated
RE/MAX Partners
4000 Crooks Road
Royal Oak, MI 48073
Awesome hunting property! 1,196 sq ft., 3 BR, 1.5 BA Home or Getaway on

17 Acres of wooded rolling land with 3 established blinds. Scenic Views near
Crystal Mountain, Lake Michigan and Bear Lake. An hour from Traverse
City and Grand Traverse Bay. Snowmobile trails. Priced to sell. $109,900
Listing agent: Angelo Lomedico 586.360.2900
7875 24 Mile Rd, Ste. 100

Shelby Twp., MI 48316
Pages
130
145
131
ONLINE REAL ESTATE AUCTION:

Large Acreage & Hunting Land
Tues., Sept. 29, 2015 | 8 am ET
3303 I-75 BUSINESS SPUR SAULT STE. MARIE, MI 49783

CYNTHIA COLLINS - ASSOCIATE BROKER
906-647-1118 DIRECT LINE 906-440-5744 CELL & TEXT
EMAIL: ccollins@remax.net
EAGLE PROPERTIES MOBILE WEBSITE: ccollins.m.remax-michigan.com
FIND MORE OF MY LISTINGS ON WWW.REMAX.COM OR WWW.ZILLOW.COM SERVING THE ENTIRE EASTERN UP
40 ACRE RANCH EASTERN U.P.
SUGAR ISLAND YEAR-ROUND WATERFRONT HOME
Partially wooded that adjoins 5700 acres of state land. Beautifull 5 bedroom, 3 bath home with full finished basement. Main floor master bedroom,
formal dining room, family room with pellet stove, hot water heat, attached
2.5 Car finished & heated garage, 30 x 48 barn with water, 20 x 24 detached
garage. Fenced pastures with heated water system, 3 elevated hunting
blinds & apple orchard. Located at the end of a dead end road assures
plenty of privacy. Broker-owner. Asking $289,900.00
with over 550 of sandy frontage on the St. Marys River. Over 6 acres of
mostly wooded property with a beautiful well maintained 2-3 bedroom,
2 bath home. Newly renovated in 2002 with hardwood floors, spacious
kitchen, new bathroom, plumbing & heating, foundation, roof & Central Air.
Move in-ready Condition! Watch the Great Lakes Freighters as they make
their way on to the Soo Locks. All types of wildlife have been view here
from Moose, Deer, Sandhill Cranes, Loons & Bear. Water views from just
about every room. This home sets off the road and offers plenty of privacy
& seclusion. Great Fishing and Boating area. No Flood Insurance required.
Asking only $205,000.00. Car Ferry Runs Year-Round from Sault Ste. Marie,
MI. MLS#15-634
Properties to Include:
158.75 Acres Vacant Land on
Frutchey Ranch Rd in Curran, MI
(7) Parcels ranging from 11-23 Acres
on N. 20th Ave in Marion, MI
80 Acres Vacant Land on
128th Ave. in Hart, MI
More to come!
To sell your large acreage or hunting land, contact the
LASTBIDrealestate team at 1-800-LASTBID
LASTBIDrealestate.com
THOUSANDS OF
ACRES AVAILABLE
FROM $5500 TO $526,000.
132
Cummings-McCraney Real Estate

ESTABLISHED 1960 . . . LET OUR EXPERIENCE WORK FOR YOU!!
NEWBERRY OFFICE
1013 Newberry Ave. Newberry, MI 49868
Phone: 906-293-5138
CURTIS OFFICE
Main Street (next to Trading Post) Curtis, MI 49820
Phone: 906-586-9812
I-266: Beautiful spot on Kelly Lake with Chalet style home/cottage. One bedroom, bath/laundry and loft area with
full walk-out basement. Interior is knotty pine and exterior is vinyl siding. Nice deck off the main level & a concrete
covered patio outside the basement area. Sits on a wooded 5 acres +/- overlooking a pristine & private 35 acre Lake.
Lake has only 7 owners and public access is not available. Offers good fishing, swimming, canoeing, kayaking, paddle
boating and area is surrounded by State Land. Nicely landscaped yard with northern hardwoods. ATV & snowmobile
trails are only a mile away! $159,900.00
I-264: Finished 2 bedroom Cabin on 40 Acres +/- surrounded by State Land. Unique 40 acre parcel surrounded by
State Land on all four sides. Cabin overlooks a pond and there is also a garage with a sauna room and storage. Interior is knotty pine and wood floors. Great area for deer hunting and snowmobiling close to trail #45. $149,900.00
I-258: Full Cedar Log Cabin with 5.5 Acres +/- and 330 on Tahquamenon River. Two bedrooms, 1 bath and stone
fireplace. Many special features including an antique stove, birds eye maple door, covered front porch and a small
pond nest to the cabin. Located north of Hulbert by Kallios Landing. River offers great fishing for pike, walleye, perch
and musky. $174,900.00
I-245: Cabin & 80 Acres +/- north of Newberry. Well wooded with mixture of high & low ground for good wildlife
habitat. Good area for deer, bear and partridge hunting. Spacious 24x24 cabin with kitchen/living area on main level
and an upper loft area (16x24) for sleeping. Well insulated and wired for generator. Separate 8x12 storage shed.
$74,900.00
1 Bdrm Camp. 100 x 100 lot. Outhouse. Power.

Great Hunting area. Heated. Kitchen. Rock.
3 Bdrm, 1 bth camp. Cozy cottage near FH

13. Hunt fish snowmobile. Rapid River.
1 Bdrm, 1 bth camp. 40 Acres, well, septic,

solor generator. New in 2011. Hermansville.
$32,900 1088436
$49,500 1087305
$119,900 1088464
3 Bdrm, 2 bth Riverfront Lodge

40 Acres, secluded hunting and fishing.
Corp land surrounds. Watson.
271 Feet of Ford River Frontage

with Power. Small Camp has Power.
Completely Furnished. Cornell
2 Bdrm, 1 bth ranch. Sandy shores of Gra-al

Shores. Swimming and fishing. Rapid River
$149,900 1084088
$49,900 1086257
$139,000 1085491
2 Bdrm, 1 bth Gooseneck Lk cabin. All sports.

Swim, boat, hunt, fish, ATV. Wetmore.
1 Bdrm camp. 10 Acres. Metal roof. Vinyl

siding. Wood stove. Rapid River.
3 Bdrm, 1 bth camp. 40 wooded acres, secluded, private, wildlife abounds. Hermansville.
$86,900 1087336
$29,900 1088477
$87,500 1085338
4 Bdrm, 2 bth log home on shores of Green

Bay. Fireplace, 3 season room. Cedar River.
2 Bdrm, 1 bth log home. 2 Car log garage.

88 Acres with State land nearby. Watson.
2 Bdrm, 1 bth, 40 Acre, turn-key camp.

Solar power. Well. Septic. Gated.
Surrounded Fed lands. Stonington.
$169,900 1084651
$227,500 1089004
$109,900 1087143
231-652-7000
- or -
231-250-8200
WE NEED LISTINGS 40+ ACRES AND LARGER

PRIVATE 12 ACRE LAKE ON
160 ACRES MECOSTA COUNTY
$
Allegan County, 71+/- Acres. Good Trail

System, Excellent Deer & Turkey Hunting
$114,900
799,000
Arenac County, 146 Acres Rifle River &

Saginaw Bay Access, Tri-Level House
$399,999
Calhoun County, 88 Acres

45 Tillable, Balance Wooded
$299,900
NG
I
ND
PE
699,000
Clare County, 155 Acres Rolling
Hardwoods, Pond, Trails
$209,000
The owners have used a small pontoon boat and jet skis on the lake.
The home is 5,000 sq. ft. with 5 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths and attached
3 car garage. A good population of bass, pan fish, deer, turkey and
waterfowl are present. This is the ultimate family retreat!
Clare County, 136.76 Acres, Private Lake 5,000 ft. Delta County, 75+/- Acres 3,000 ft
Muskegon River Frontage, Adjacent to National Forest Lake Michigan Frontage, Cabin
PENDING - $350,000 - PENDING
$294,000
Delta County, 40+/- Acres 1,200 ft.

Lake Michigan Frontage
$109,000
Jackson County, 26 Acres 40x120

Commercial Building, I-94 Frontage
$275,000
Jackson County, 43 Acres

I-94 & M-99 Exit, Tillable
$299,000
Jackson County, 53.5+/- Acres 2,000 ft. Jackson County, 60 Acres 2Bed, 2Bath Jackson County, 69 Acres, 2,800 ft Grand Jackson County, 119 Acres, Little Montague Lake
House, 2 Stall Garage, 40 Ac Tillable
River Frontage, House & Pole Barn
Frontage, 40+/- Tillable, Excellent Wildlife Habitat
Grand River Frontage, Trail System
$315,900
$275,000
$349,900
$212,000
Jackson County, 162 Acres CRP Program, 6 Elevated

Blinds, 115 Ac. Tillable, Pond, Big Buck Country
$599,000
Kalkaska County, 480 Acres

Great Trail, Nice Hardwoods
$899,000
Mecosta Co 28 ac 1320
Chippewa River, Nice Cabin
$165,900
Lenawee County, 34 Acres 2,000+/- ft.

Raisin River, Big Buck Cover
$61,200
Mecosta County, 120 Acres, 60 Ac Tillable, 60 Ac Wooded, Excellent Hunting

$299,000
Mecosta County, 40 Acres

5,000 sq ft Home, Private Lake
$499,000
Midland co 80 ac Pond,
25 ac Tillable, Nice House
$349,900
Missaukee County, 75 Acres Pond,

Creek, Guest Cabin & 2 Bedroom House
$199,000
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
Schoolcraft County,
2282 Acres Fox River Frontage
$570,500
NG
Missaukee County, 200 Acres

Cabin, Pond, 8 Enclosed Blinds
$329,000
Newaygo County, 40 Acres Mobile Home, Osceola County, 51 Acres 1,500 ft frontage
Enclosed Blinds, Trail System, QDM
North Branch Chippewa River, Trail System
$89,000
$86,700
WildLifeRealty.com
www.
I
ND
E
P
133
Offices Serving Lower &

Upper Michigan
Hunting Camp/Acres
Just in time for fall hunting seasons!! Great location for this
camp on 5 acres, surrounded by
State Land. One room cabin features 2 bunk beds, kitchen, table
and chairs and propane space
heaters. Large enclosed porch
with heater. $42,500 - #9193
Bringing people and places together since 1945
VISIT OUR WEBSITE TODAY!
statewiderealestate.net
Curtis
Manistique
Escanaba
Powers
Menominee
Marinette
Cabin located on 40 acres surrounded by the Hiawatha National

Forest. This 800+ square foot
cabin has adequate room with
kitchen, bathroom, living room,
and bunk room. 3 elevated deer
blinds and 3 food plots.
$95,000 - #9322
Newberry
Fife Lake
Onaway
Hawks
Hillman
Alpena
Atlanta
Harrisville
Mio
40 acres is totally surrounded by

the Hiawatha National Forest with
a piece of the Murphy Creek running through it. Completely furnished cabin with 2 bedrooms
and a loft, large living, dining,
kitchen area.
$149,500 - #9360
Oscoda
Skidway Lake
Clare
1153+ acres in the Upper

Peninsula. South of US-2, this
large parcel features custom built
& fabricated completely with steel
a 20' x 40' camp & 24' x 40'
garage. 14 - 1 to 5 acre food plots
and 13 elevated and heated steel
deer blinds. $895,000 - #9395
Almont
Linden
inc.
758 West US-10 Evart, Michigan 49631

Phone. 231-734-5554 Fax. 231-734-2055
Bill Britz Cell. 231-499-8655 Dennis Bryant Cell. 231-250-9237
email. britzrealty@sbcglobal.net
denniscbryant@sbcglobal.net
Prime hunting acreage in

Thompson Township. This 40
acre parcel is mostly wooded with
some high ground and Cedar
swamp mix which makes for ideal
deer, bear and small game hunting. 24' x 32' cabin has 2 bedrooms. $75,000 - #9396
Houghton
Marquette
z
t
i
y
t
r
l
B Rea
Upper Peninsula
Howell
FOR NATURE
LOVERS ONLY
A SLICE OF HEAVEN IS WHAT
THIS PARCEL IS. Imagine 1600 plus
feet of frontage on private lake with magnificent view. This 37 acres has woods,
wildlife,apple trees, beautiful building sites,trails, food plots, deer blinds,
deer,turkey, small game, fish. You name
it . If you like to hunt, fish, or just enjoy
nature then you will love this parcel. Call
231-734-5554 today while it is still available.
40 ACRES
Check out our website for more properties!
Contact Your Nearest State Wide Real

Estate Office To Buy or Sell In Michigan
ALPENA
1100 W. Chisholm, 49707
email: alpswre@speednetllc.com
989-356-2142 Fax: 989-356-2144
HAWKS
8383 Hwy. 451, 49743
email: rita8383@yahoo.com
989-734-4846
ALMONT
844 Van Dyke Road
lafrancesharon@yahoo.com
810-798-8591 Fax: 810-798-8079
HILLMAN
14938 State Street, P.O. Box 98, 49746
email: statewidehillman@yahoo.com
989-742-4523 800-228-7856
Fax: 989-742-3931
CLARE
308 E. 5th Street, 48617
email: statewideclare@voyager.net
989-386-3396 Fax: 989-386-3800
HOUGHTON
500 Shelden Ave., 49931
email: dick@statewideofhoughton.com
906-482-6955 800-676-6323
Fax: 906-482-7699
CURTIS/NEWBERRY
Main Street, P.O. Box 305, 49820
email: swcurtis@sbcglobal.net
906-586-9606 Fax: 906-586-9607
ESCANABA
2209 Ludington Street, 49829
email: escanaba@statewiderealestate.net
906-786-1308 800-900-0777
Fax: 906-786-1388
134
FIFE LAKE
127 State Street, P.O. Box 190, 49633
email: swfife@charterinternet.com
231-879-4471 Fax: 231-879-4362
HARRISVILLE
430 S. US-23, 48740
email: sold@anjstatewide.com
989-724-5711 800-655-5735
Fax: 989-724-6833
HOWELL/LINDEN
1285 S. Michigan Ave., Howell, MI 48843
email: statewid@earthlink.net
517-546-9060 800-531-4449
Fax: 517-546-9148
IRON MOUNTAIN - KINGSFORD
112 S. Carpenter Ave., Kingsford, 49802
906-828-9079
MANISTIQUE
10 N. State Highway M-149
Cooks, MI 49817
906-644-2304
email: dekeysermary@yahoo.com
MARINETTE, WISCONSIN
1460 Marinette Ave., 54143
email: statewidemarinette@yahoo.com
715-735-9964 Fax: 715-732-1107
MARQUETTE
856 W. Washington, 49855
email: sw@statewiderealestate.org
906-228-9312 Fax: 906-228-8069
Contact Grover Real Estate for more info!

771 East Lakeshore Drive
Manistique, MI 49854
906-341-2131
www.GroverRealEstate.com
A hunters dream - well wooded 40 acres

with deer food plots and deer blinds good cover for all types of game. $68,000
Land contract. Located in the Evart area.
MENOMINEE
3631 10th Street, 49858
email: statewideone@newbc.rr.com
906-863-9905
Fax: 906-863-7935
MIO
102 West 8th St., P.O. Box 395, 48647
email: info@statewidemio.com
989-826-3292
Fax: 989-826-2108
ONAWAY
M-33 & M-68,
P.O. Box 478, 49765
email: bigdan@frontier.com
989-733-6522
Fax: 989-733-2427
OSCODA
335 South State St., 48750
email: lakehuronsw@chartermi.net
989-739-2050
Fax: 989-739-2280
POWERS
W3776 US2 & 41, 49874
906-497-4190
Fax: 906-497-5328
holly@statewiderealestate.net
SKIDWAY LAKE
2228 Greenwood Rd.,
Prescott, 48756
email: atlas@m33access.com
989-873-3601
Fax: 989-873-6914
Carole Porretta
ALL NEW MUST SEE PROPERTIES FOR YOUR OUTDOOR LIFESTYLE

NEW!!!
6350 WOLF
$2,950,000 Exquisite custom retreat for the

hunting & entertaining enthusiast. Home
offers over 10,000 sqft of living space
on over 80 acres of beautiful property. Log home features 5 bedrooms/5 baths & 2 kitchens, rec room, home theater & massive 12 car garage.
2nd lodge with kitchen, dining, living & game rooms, enclosed patio, dog kennels & RV storage, sleeps 25 hunters! 2 ponds, orchard, cedar
tree nursery, heated elevated blinds & deer/pheasant food plots. True pheasant preserve w/turkey and trophy deer galore! Hunters Paradise!
3908 WATERLAND
2445 HUNTERS CREEK
$649,000 - Fabulous 5
acre estate with 220 feet
of frontage on Lake
Lapeer. Steel seawall and
dock. Enormous master
suite, finished walkout,
4 car garage. $20,000
to you at close!
$329,500 10 Acres,
Contemporary Architecture, Spa Room, Beautiful
decks, 5 stall barn, 3
with walkouts, outdoor
Olympic-size dressage
arena, pond & sunsets.
Close to blacktop!
5186 CURTIS
TUNNEL OF TREES,
HARBOR SPRINGS
$725,000 - Brick Country

Estate. First floor master
suite with turret sitting area
and six addl bedrooms.
Finished lower level. 44
acres featuring Morton
horse barn, pool, pond, utility barn and paddocks!
$495,000 - M-119 Natural

Beauty! 8 Acres on Lake
Michigan. Two Road Frontages. Tremendous opportunity for a family residence,
retreat facility or development.
Minutes to Harbor Springs!
LOOK AT THESE GREAT OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD YOUR DREAM HOME!

Sutton Rd, Metamora................$599,900 Casey Rd, Metamora.................$179,000 Steeplechase, Metamora............$55,000
90+ acres, Splits Avail!
23+ Acres on the Flint River.
1 Acre. Lovely Sub.
German Rd, Oregon..................$149,900 Metamora Rd, Metamora...........$279,900 Deerfield Twp...............................$75,000

39 Acres. Mature Tree Farm.
60 Acres with Sunset Views!
15 Acres. All Woods, Paved.
Brocker Rd, Metamora................$89,900 Sutton Rd, Metamora..................$29,900 NEW! Maple Leaf Rd, Elba..........$84,900
10 Acres. Near MGCC!
2.5 Acres. Paved and Ready!
8+ Acres. Ponds, Woods.
Rochester Rd, Dryden.................$34,900 Genesee Rd, Elba......................$269,900 Summers Rd, Attica....................$79,900

3 Acres. Natl Gas, Paved.
43 Acres. 6 splits. Hunting.
Pond. Woods. Creek, 10 Acres
Your Michigan Outdoor Recreation Property Experts
Tittabawasse
Riverfront/21
Acres/Log Home Solid 5 bed/4
bath hillside log home on heavily
wooded, rolling terrain with nearly
1000 of river and pond, sweet
trout fishing plus many more recreational and wildlife opportunities
to make this estate sized property
a perfect spot in Northern MI. The
property is exquisite and the home
has many bells and whistles all
in good taste and great quality!
$449,000 Gladwin County
Participating broker of
Little Manistee River/Log

Home/ 15 Acres On a gentle
bend of flies only section of the
river, this exceptionally built 3
bed/3 bath has 200 frontage,
adjoins federal land, 30x40 pole
barn, stone FP, sauna & riverside deck. A River Playhouse!
$599,000 Lake County Ask for
Rick Rybicki 231-690-7792
Pine River/Home/4.5 Acres

A River Treasure is yours in this
splendid open concept 3 bed/3
bath home that boasts views
from nearly every angle of pristine river. 323 of river front, full
length covered deck, landscaping, heated garage, 30x40 pole
barn. $449,900 Lake County Ask
for Rick Rybicki 231-690-7792
Acres/103 Acres/Hunting Land/

Home Here is your chance to get
your private hunting land for around
$1400 per acre. The best price in
the area. The Estate says SELL. And
on top of that you get a pole barn
and a house being sold as is. So
set up an elite camp and live to hunt
or hunt where you live! $148,000
Newaygo County
Stoney Lake & Stoney Creek/

Charming Home/1.5 Acres 2
waterfront worlds in this quaint
and secluded setting. Nicely landscaped grounds pave the way to a
2-story home, 3 bed/2 bath, 2-car
detached garage, extensive decking, 250 of great creek frontage,
gorgeous views from home, short
walk to shared lake lot with dock
for all-sports lake. Great place with
rental potential (history). $249,900
Oceana County
Manistique River/90 Acres/Historic Log Cabin With 1 Mile of river

front your remote all season cabin
will bring some of the best hunting
and fishing in the UP. Camp has elevated enclosed stands, trail system, food plots, large barn, wood
burning soap stone stove, boat
launch $155,900 Schoolcraft
County
150 Acres/Home/Ponds Described by a Prof. Forester as one

of the finest forests I encounter
in my joba near perfect mix of
grassland/hardwood forest. Rolling terrain, ponds, open, woods,
heavy cover providing great habitat. Well kept home, outbuildings,
workshop and barn. $374,900
Ogemaw County
CORPORATE OFFICE
233 Washington St., Suite 202, Grand Haven, MI 49417
1.877.843.0910
www.trophyclassrealestate.com
Track the latest Trophy Class properties in Michigan
3 Office Locations
Hunting Land
Waterfront
Farmland
And More
Hyde Lake/33 Acres/Home Beautiful, meticulously maintained 2014

home, gated and secluded to enhance the hunting and fishing experience. Land amenities include extensive private lake frontage, groomed
trails, rolling terrain, food plots and
elevated hunting stands...Packaged
Deal includes big buck country and
a water wonderland! $585,000 Calhoun County Ask for Dan Hoffman
269-377-4049
135
10 % DISCOUNT IF
DEAL FINALIZED BY
SEPTEMBER 15, 2015
ALL OFFERS WELCOME!!!

CANADIAN WATERFRONT AND
RECREATIONAL PROPERTY.
CLOSE TO SAULT STE. MARIE,
MICHIGAN BORDER
*LAND CONTRACTS
AVAILABLE O.A.C.*
BEAR HUNTING SEASON
OPENS AUGUST 15
GOOSE SEASON
OPENS SEPTEMBER 1
OTHER PROPERTIES AVAILABLE,

CONTACT US FOR DETAILS!
ALL PROPERTIES ARE IN

TROPHY DEER & BEAR AREA
WITH GREAT FISHING!!!
NO GUIDE OR OUTFITTER
REQUIRED IF YOU BUY
PROPERTY IN ONTARIO!
LAJAMBE
ENTERPRISESINC.
715 Finns Bay Road
Echo Bay, Ontario CAN
POS 1C0
TELEPHONE:
(705) 248-9663
FAX:
(705) 248-1110
CONTACT:
Frank Lajambe
EMAIL:
flajambe@lajambe.com
WEBSITE:
www.lajambe.com
*Prices subject to change.
WATERFALLS PROPERTY: 160 acre parcel 45 min from

International Bridge. Waterfalls & river running across property.
Rugged, well treed, hunting, and recreational property with
government land on 3 sides. Only 1 mile off a year round maintained road. This won't be on the market for long so act now.
Dont delay, asking $64,900.00 as is or make an offer.
EXECUTIVE WATER FRONT HOME ON LAKE HURON FOR
SALE: This four bedroom home is situated less than 30 miles
from the US/Canadian border in a private country setting, in a
quiet bay. The lot is 200x750. Lots on either side also available.
This property has unequaled sunsets facing southwest with
deep water for pleasure craft boating on Lake Huron in the North
Channel. $849,900.00.
PRINCE PROPERTY: 287 acres of hardwood and softwood
forest with a creek flowing thru. Year-round access. Existing
windmill generates approx. $5,500/yr. Deer, Bear, and small
game on property. Located 30 minutes from the International
Bridge. $94,900
LAKE SUPERIOR WATERFRONT: Executive home with separate Guest Home and Garage. $429,900
MACDONALD PROPERTY: 759 acres with hunting camp,
25 miles east of Sault St. Marie Ontario, property is gated, isolated and wooded, with a four bedroom, two-story pole barn.
20-acre lake and 2 streams. Great Bear Hunting! Two Deer
plots! Five deeds, no guide required, underpriced at $274,000.
($361 per acre) Terms available, excellent buy!
400 ACRES OF ROLLING HARD-AND SOFTWOOD HILLS:
Large beaver pond and creek runs thru property, next to above
property if more acreage is required. Property is great for bear
hunting, white tail and grouse. Four miles off year-round maintained road. $124,900
EXCLUSIVE LAKE HURON WATERFRONT & WATER-VIEW
ESTATE LOTS LOCATED IN THESSALON, ONTARIO 50
MILES EAST OF SAULT STE. MARIE, ONTARIO ON
HIGHWAY 17 EAST: Lighthouse Point serviced with hydro,
telephone, sewer, water, gas, cable on paved street. Airport,
marina and hospital in area. No time limit for building.
Waterfront lots 100 478 frontage, waterview lots 80 frontage.
Prices from $20,000.00 and up.
REILLY NORTH PROPERTY: 80 acre parcel with beaver
pond, hardwood and softwood mixed forestland 30 minutes
from International Bridge. Priced to sell at $23,900.00.
TWO 10 ACRE SAND BEACH LOTS (these lots have it all):
60 miles east of Sault Ste. Marie each lot has 300 frontage on
Bright Lake near highway 17 East (lake area approx. 24 square
miles), year round access with power to property. This inland
lake has perch, bass, walleye and northern pike. Priced to sell
at $114,900.00 (lot #2) and $124,900.00 (lot #3).
REILLY SOUTH PROPERTY: 80 acre parcel with beaver
pond, hardwood and softwood mixed forestland 30 minutes
from International Bridge. Priced to sell at $19,900.00.
WATERFRONT LOTS: Two Waterfront Lots on Lake Huron's
North Channel 141' X 600' $119,900.00 and 150' X 600'
$124,900.00, year round access, deep water for boating and
fishing, 25 minutes east of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Financing
available. (705) 248-2002
Other Properties
Available Upon Request.
Don't Be Shy, Make An Offer.
All Properties Must Be Sold!
PRICE REDUCTIONS! PRICE REDUCTIONS! PRICE REDUCTIONS! PRICE REDUCTIONS!
PRICE REDUCTIONS! PRICE REDUCTIONS! PRICE REDUCTIONS! PRICE REDUCTIONS!
PRICE REDUCTIONS! PRICE REDUCTIONS!
Colleen Strader
(517) 449-9236
Associate Broker
Century 21 Looking Glass
Cottage on Harper Lake

With 100 Frontage
Turn Key Sale
Garage Sauna
Pontoon
Terms Possible.
Near Irons
With Great Fishing
Hunting & Trails
165,000
Call Jack Payne 616-566-7713

or jackpaynejr@gmail.com
MLS#1801040 8574 E Cadillac Rd. Falmouth, Michigan

Custom built in 2010, this home has 3 beds, 4 baths, hickory cabinets and rustic
hickory floors. Hand-hued knotty pine accents the home. Large covered deck with
an insulated knotty pine ceiling, lighting and ceiling fan. Partially finished basement
has a family room, full bath, radiant floor heat and an unfinished 3rd bedroom. Hot
water boiler system, new outdoor wood furnace, central air and a back up generator.
The 19.9 acre property has a 20deep, 1/3 acre, aerated pond, well groomed trails,
hunting blinds, and adjoins state land. 30x48 insulated outbuilding, also a Sugar
Shack for making maple syrup. 2-car heated garage. Five security cameras. All of
this within 6 miles to M55 the main road between Lake City and Houghton Lake.
MLS# 1802069 9641 N 37 Rd., Manton, MI
Custom built in 2004, this home has 4 beds and 3 baths, hickory
floors, rustic hickory cabinets and corian counter-top. Central
air, forced air propane, hot water heat, outdoor wood furnace
and back up generator. The basement features radiant floor
heat, large family room, bed and bath. The home has cement
board siding and architectural shingles. Attached 2-car garage
with radiant floor heat. The 52 x42 outbuilding, has radiant
floor heat, full bath, 4 over-head doors. All of this sits on 78.68
acres with hunting blinds and groomed trails. The Buttermilk Creek, which is a blue ribbon trout stream is within 1/8 mile walking distance,
Manistee River is approx. 1/2 mile north. Manton is 7 miles, Cadillac 15 miles, or Traverse City 24 miles.
Carol Young, Realtor

231-510-2724
2721 Sunnyside Dr. Cadillac, MI 49601
8520 100TH Ave.
136
MLS# 73559. Vermontville, MI. location. Close proximity to

farmland, corn fields, and perfect for many blind spots. Wildlife includes trophy sized bucks; additionally, turkey, raccoons,
coyotes, squirrel, mink and otter are plentiful on the land.
There is wildlife for every season. Pike swim in the Thornapple
River that runs through the property. Ideal location, close to
town, yet feeling of being remote. 30 minute drive to Grand
Rapids, 45 minutes to Lansing. Price is $265,000.00.
Call Jim Convissor
248-840-9624
Canadian Lakes, MI 49346
360 ACRE HUNT CLUB

SEARS, MICHIGAN
$825,000
118 ACRES OF YEAR ROUND

RECREATIONAL LAND
Your perfect getaway from the real world. 5 ponds, 1 behind

house (largest & stocked with panfish) & windmill that bubbles
the water. Immaculate log cabin. MB with master bath-jetted tub
on upper floor. 6 basement with sump pump, 28x36 garage has
1000 sq. ft. man cave, heated, full bath, wet bar. 30x50 pole barn,
24x24 workshp, both have electric. 12x12 pump house-electric &
water, used to service heavy equip. Ideal for hunters, several 5&10
acre scattered food plots. Backs up to Huron Natl Forest. 4800
airplane landing strip, equipped with gas. Airport identifier is 6
delta 9. Paved driveway. Very secluded Yet Within a couple miles
fo town & beautiful Lake Huron. Snowmobile & ORV Trails. Sale
includes parcels 031-011-200-001-00 and 031-002-300-01-00 totaling 500 acres. Motivated Seller! Make An Offer! $1,100,000
PRICE REDUCTIONS! PRICE REDUCTIONS!
Price Reduced
FOR SALE:
ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS
PIECE OF PROPERTY
JimLowry
231 972-8300 office

231 202-1014 cell
6 Bed Lodge
2 Bedroom Guest House
30 x 40 Pole Barn
Heated Blinds
Food Plots
Stocked Fish Pond
2 Tracks to all blinds
Security Alarm
WEST BRANCH
M-33/M-55 OFFICE
1953 S. M-33
West Branch, MI 48661
HALE
OFFICE
ALE
S
R
O
3160 North M-65

Hale, MI48739
10 miles north of I-75 exit 202
Local: 989-345-2662
Toll Free: 800-535-6520
WEST BRANCH
LOOP OFFICE
ALE
S
R
O
2575 S. I-75 Business Loop,

West Branch, MI 48661
Gateway to Huron National Forest
www.CAHANES.com
Local: 989-728-2540
Toll Free: 800-495-2540
1 mile north of I-75 Exit 212
www.CAHANES.com
Local: 989-345-0315
Toll Free: 866-345-0315
1800981
1776325
80 ACRES
ON RIFLE
RIVER!
40
ACRES!!!
1800631
1796893
10
ACRES!!
80 ACRES
AND PICTURE
PERFECT
HUNT CAMP!!
1803286
ULTIMATE
HUNTING
PARADISE!!
This rolling acreage with cozy

2-bedroom cottage would make an
excellent hideway or the ideal hunting and fishing camp!
Deer, turkey and other wildlife roam this

wooded property surrounded by other
large and wooded parcels and great for
hunting!!
30+ acres with mature trees, including white oak, trails, blinds,
well, storage building and small
sleeping cabin!!
Beautiful wooded property with a nice

mix of mature trees and creek frontage for excellent hunting and an abundance of wildlife!!
30x34 hunting cabin wired for generator w/wood stove & bunk room,
trailer, pole bldg, trails, blinds &
more!!
$219,900
$69,900
$89,900
$37,500
$199,900
1801461
1790848
1794245
1763946
1794795
80
ACRES!!
10
ACRES!!
WHITE PINE,
RASPBERRIES &
BLUEBERRIES!!
72
ACRES!!
5 WOODED
ACRES & BACKS
TO STATE LAND!!
On convenient paved road perfect for

year round recreation and wooded and
rolling for excellent hunting. Addl parcels also for sale!
YOU CAN ALSO WALK TO FEDL LAND

from this wooded parcel plus there is an older mobile with a stove, furnishings, sleeping,
outhouse & propane lights!!
40 WOODED ACRES, with electric

at road to build your hunting cabin
and a creek runs thru the rear!!
Motivated Seller is in possession of recent

video of 8 and 10 pointers!! Fronting on
two maintained roads and includes shared
frontage on Elk Lake!!
Hunt from your own year round

3 bedroom home with garage
adjoining thousands of acres of
State land!!
$112,000
$36,900
$80,000
$139,900
$82,500
1763481
1743334
1790253
1775186
1778297
40 ACRES
BORDERS
STATE LAND!!
UNIQUE
PROPERTY!!
A hunting paradise with lots of wildlife in

the area and a potential site for building
your hunt cabin adjoining acres of State
land!!
BRING YOUR
HUNTING
BUDDIES!!
15 ACRES
AND LAKE
FRONTAGE!!
40 WOODED ACRES with lots of

mature trees and wildlife and also
near golf course and all sports
lakes for year round fun!!
10 acres for excellent hunting and 229 feet of water frontage on 30 acre Morris Lake and 30x40 pole
building w/lower level garage & sleeping quarters
including kitchen!!
Beautiful and rolling property

perfect for hunting and fishing
with 165 feet of lake frontage
on Stylus Lake!!
CAMPING
TRAILER ON
10 ACRES!!
Wooded property with a variety

and abundance of wildlife with
electric at road and driveway &
near State lands!!
$74,950
$80,000
$134,900
$32,000
$27,995
1787816
1803267
1787383
1799811
1800384
BORDERS
HURON NATL
FOREST!!
MATURE
HARDWOODS
& TRAILS!!
SMALL
CLEARING FOR
YOUR HUNT CAMP!!
7+ ACRES
BACKS TO
FEDL LAND!!
The best of both worlds with 62

WOODED ACRES and BEAUTIFUL
4 bedroom year round home. THIS
PROP HAS IT ALL!!
10+ ACRES, heavily wooded

with trails thru-out and at end
of road for privacy with power
available at road!!
10 WOODED ACRES with lots

of wildlife and small cleared
spot for cabin & addl 10 acres
also available!!
This very nice and spacious 3-bedroom home could double as your
hunt camp with trails straight thru
to FEDL LAND!!
60 ACRES
AND 24X24
POLE BLDG!!
Excellent hunting and recreational

parcel with storage for your Up
North toys and some open areas for
food plots!!
$229,900
$35,900
$29,000
$134,900
$139,900
1804009
1790081
1787819
1782831
1791955
JUST
OVER 10
ACRES!!
HUNTERS
DREAM
PROPERTY!!
11 WOODED
ACRES!!
HUNT CAMP,
GETAWAY OR
YEAR ROUND!!!
COUNTY
MAINTAINED
ROAD!!
In vicinity of numerous farms, nice

hunt camp, priced to sell, partly
wooded and a tons of various wildlife
in the area!!
This one bedroom home/hunt cabin with wood stove, storage shed
& appliances is nestled among 91
WOODED ACRES!!
Also not far from thousands of acres of

State land for more hunting opportunities
and near trails for year round recreational
fun!!
10 WOODED ACRES with 2-bdrm

mobile w/appliances, deck & newer
furnace. Excellent HUNTING!!
10 ACRES, wooded with trails, and lots of

mature trees, including hardwoods and pines,
some lowlands and excellent place to call your
hunt camp!!
$26,000
$179,900
$27,900
$47,500
$28,500
1799086
1799832
WOODED
AND
ROLLING!!
FANTASTIC
HUNTING
CAMP!!
HUNTING
PARCELS!!
1801182
1800447
BORDERS
STATE
LAND!!
FANTASTIC
LOCATION!!
Over 20 secluded acres, excellent for hunting

and includes a 30 travel trailer for sleeping, lots
of wildlife and some open areas for food plots
for excellent hunting!!
59.17 acres, mostly wooded, some lowlands

and areas for food plots, blinds, storage building, great mix of mature trees & bunk are for
sleeping quarters!!
FROM 18.91 WOODED ACRES TO 80

WOODED ACRES, call office for details,
most on paved road, wooded and rolling,
great hunting!!
10 ACRES, 2-bdrm home nestled in the woods for

nice year round or semi-secluded vacation home,
FP, pole barn with finished and heated area for
sleeping your guests & a fenced area!!
Super clean 3-bdrm home, on OVER 21 MOSTLY

WOODED ACRES, perfect rural location, excellent
hunting or nature walking, front deck, RV hook-ups
for your hunting buddies!!
$54,900
$119,900
$37,500 - $112,000
$89,900
$144,900
FOR MORE LISTINGS

VISIT OUR WEBSITE:
WWW.CAHANES.COM
ITS ALMOST TIME TO BAG YOUR BUCK!!!!
137
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
N3395 Raspberry Lane, Munising, MI 49862. RH-285 / 1088109
This raised ranch is remote and very private, sitting on 80 acres, but ABSOLUTELY NOT rugged!
Overbuilt &over-equipped, this property has power & telephone, air conditioning, security cameras,
solar power with inverters to power the entire complex, a Heat-Mor wood boiler & propane furnace,
a graveled drive & topsoil for lawns, a screened porchall the luxuries! There are no close neighbors
here, except for the wildlife. And yet you are only 12 miles from Munising. This is a treasure for those
who love their privacy with security, woods and wildlife, peace and quiet. Priced at $199,900
14454 N Crooked Lake Rd, Seney, MI. WH-228 / 1088305
Charming, partial log cabin with over 500' of year round frontage on Ross Lake! Ross Lake
is 196 acres and has great fishing for Largemouth Bass, Pike and Bluegill. The property
includes nearly 5 acres of thickly wooded forest, huge white pines, spruce and hemlock,
large front and side decks within just a few feet of the shore with a slightly elevated view.
There is a point well with hand pump, garage with storage area, wood shed and a "Finnish
one holer" for a bathroom. Large windows inside the cabin provide great views of the lake
and the surrounding forest. The boat launch is just down the road and your private dock is
waiting to be installed at the bottom of the short flight of stairs to the water. What a great
place to get away and enjoy the wonders of the U.P.! Price $132,000
N2790 Sleeping Bear, Munising, MI 49862. WH-224/1087765
This 24X28 cabin is special in many ways. It is the last cabin on Sleeping Bear with the vacant
lot next door also for sale. Built in 2007, it is sided with wavy-edge cedar outside and with wavyedge pine inside. The custom made cabinets and window trim are of eastern red cedar and they
are spectacular! The floors are pine T&G. It has solid wood doors, wrought iron hardware, a
copper sink and high-end fans. The drilled well produces excellent water. The view of Aleck Lake
is lovely from the cabin and the 18X12 wrap around deck - and, now, the lake has been stocked
with perch, bluegill, crappie and bass. Peaceful, Comfortable, Perfect! Priced at $129,900
551W Cold Creek Dr, Seney, MI 49883. RC-160/1081485
These buildings on 120 acres all fit together to form an effective, efficient living complex capable
of supporting year round living. Located on a hillside overlooking an old bog, the site is beautiful
with white birch, poplar, maples & pines. The main living structure has a full frame & roof system
enclosing a 27' travel trailer. There is a generator for power, a 5hp B&S pump in a shed to provide
water, a woodshed, a storage garage, an outhouse & a snowmobile garage. The hunting for all
types of game is great here.. All 3 40s are high & nicely timbered - with possible timber value,
especially on the north 40. Snowmobile Trail 431 is close, with unending trails & logging roads that you could ride on forever. This is the beautiful, untamed Upper Peninsula at its best - with State of MI lands surrounding. Priced at $145,900
N986 Old Plank Road, Munising, MI 49862. RC-164 /1088537
This 40 acres in Deer Country consists of rolling hills nicely wooded with, mainly, maple and beech.
Of the 40 acres, only about 3 acres is low and that is where the deer hang out! The cabin is small,
but comfortable. The large pole barn has a cement floor to keep your tools and toys clean and safe.
Priced at $79,500
Lake City Area MLS# 21117596 $69,900 N. Missaukee MLS# 21115322 $107,500 N. Missaukee MLS# 21117113 $164,900
3 Bedroom 2 Bath Ranch home
Home has additional insulation
10 Wooded Acres, Storage Shed
Located near trails & state land
80 wooded acres on blacktop road

Property adjoins state land on north side
Only mile to snowmobile trails
Great recreational & hunting area
N. Missaukee MLS# 21117365 $29,000 Lake City Area MLS# 21116515 $62,100
10 Acre Parcel Borders State Land.

Close to Buttermilk Crk & Manistee River
Lake City MLS# 21113038 $26,000
office@lakecityrealestate.com
lakecitymirealestate.com
27 Acres of vacant land

Great Building or Hunting Property
Located only minutes from Town
Rolling land w/mix of trees
and wet land
Lake City Area MLS# 21118625 $139,000
Manistee River Manton MLS# 21118448 $99,000
N. Missaukee MLS# 21118041 $78,900
East Missaukee MLS# 21116500 $189,900
Hunting Cabin
w/well & Electric
25 x 40
Pole Barn
62 Acres of
woods and
wet lands
Tractor w/equipment & Quad included
3 Bedroom
Home on the
Manistee River
100 of
frontage on
the river
Large Detached 24 x 32 Garage
Surround by state land on all sides
1 Bedroom
Cabin on 20
wooded acres
Detached
Garage with
bath
Sewer/Water hookups for travel trailer
Close to state land and trails
2 Bedroom
Mobile on Home
160 acres for
hunting
Mix of Pines,
Hardwoods and
Swamp
Really Great Hunting area
Lake City, MI
231-839-8142 or
Manton Area MLS# 21115436 $18,000
13+ Wooded & Rolling Acres

Great building location
Electric already on property
State Land & Trails close by
Whitetail Realty,
138
130 Acres of Land on a blacktop rd

Property adjoins state land
Well and Septic already on property
Heavily Wooded 10 Acres

Well cared for 30 travel trailer
Two Track access off Sanborn Rd
Near state land
RANDY MINTO
GENESEE COUNTY SEPTEMBER SPECIAL
Always Working Hard for You!
1,095,000
REALTOR
Direct:
480 ACRES
810.449.1286
KALKASKA COUNTY
Beautiful views at Camp Langlois, 2 cabins, Main and Guest, garage, 2 pole barns, 12+
blinds, 5 miles of trails and Grass Airstrip! Amazing property, very private, rolling with
nice hardwoods, Caboose bunkhouse, 20 miles SE of Traverse City. $899,000
One of a Kind! Secluded on a private

lake. Hunting and recreational activities,
3 hole golf course. Perfect for entertaining. 1500 ft of frontage. Deer and Duck
Hunting! 3 BR Main house overlooks
lake, Beach house is 1280 sq. ft. Huge
pole barn, addtl building sites.
- OR Office:
810.653.4500
66 ACRES
SPECIALIZING IN UNIQUE, LUXURY AND LARGE RECREATIONAL PROPERTIES

CLARE COUNTY
31.5 ACRES
DEER
&
NATURE
90 ACRES
AWESOME HUNT CLUB
156.66 ACRES
OVER ONE MILE ON THE MUSKEGON RIVER

Over 500 feet on Muskegon River
Over 5,600 feet on Muskegon River
$89,900
$239,900
DREAM
PROPERTIES
ALCONA COUNTY
Amazing property and Hunting Camp, 4BR on

Pine River. Bear, Deer, lots of wildlife. Apple orchard.
Fish and canoe the river. $349,000
Combined 121.5 Acres for $329,800
LICENSED DEER RANCH
LOVERS
128 ACRES
GENESEE COUNTY
Newly Renovated, 41 tillable acres, 3 ponds, 65% Wooded. Great
Development & Commercial Possibilities. A Rare Gem! $599,900
ENJOY OVER
11,000 ACRES
& 5 LAKES
PRIME HUNTING!
$1,350,000
34 ACRES
GENESEE COUNTY
HURON COUNTY
LAKE FRONT
80-100 DEER
20-25 TROPHY BUCKS
Beautiful Home, Guest House and Pole Barn.
Licensed Deer Ranch in Davison. 6-car garage, pond, 5 blinds, 3 lg feeders,

Lg polebarn. 4BD, 3BA, walkout & up basement $849,000
$209,000
ALPENA COUNTY
AMAZING
MONTCALM COUNTY
149-ACRE
GAME RANCH
Licensed Game Ranch in Howard City. Turn your Dream

Property and passion into your Dream Job! $499,950
ALCONA COUNTY
2000 SF Ranch in Lost Lake Woods.
Membership Reqd. Hunting, Golf Course,
Archery, Rifle Range.
$185,000
840 ACRES
4 Cabins and 2 hunting camps, 2 pole barns, Duck Marsh, Trout

pond, 05 Tractor w/equip., 3 ATVs, stocked toolshed, 16 heated
blinds/feeders/food plots, miles of trail systems on Wolf River and
Widner River. 5-mile private entrance. Hardwoods, pines and 150
acres of cedar swamp. Fantastic wildlife; Trophy Whitetail Deer,
Black Bear, Bobcat, Coyote, and Wild Turkeys abound.
GENESEE COUNTY 110 ACRES

GREAT DEVELOPMENT POSSIBILITIES
Davison,approx. 80-90 tillable acres, Wooded, ponds,
Historical home and 3 barns. $449,900
ST. CLAIR COUNTY
30 ACRES
Updated 2200 sq. ft. split level ranch,
Wooded. $245,000
SANILAC
COUNTY
$299,900
$165,000
OCEANA COUNTY
1,300 sq ft Custom-Built Home w/ 26 x 32 Heated Garage
ALPENA
COUNTY
57.5 ACRES
Great Hunting, 2 ponds,
Stream, nicely Wooded
$63,250
OGEMAW COUNTY 9 ACRES
60% Wooded, trail system, deer blinds
NEWAYGO COUNTY
120 ACRES
MOTIVATED SELLER! 3,000 sq ft home, 4-car Garage,
2 lg Pole Barns. Over 1,000 ft on White River.
$299,900
80 ACRES
50.5 ACRES
GENESEE
COUNTY
40 ACRES
GENESEE
COUNTY
Great Hunting 50% Wooded,

active Oil Well
Great Hunting, 17 Tillable

acres, the rest Nicely Wooded.
$162,500
$120,000
120 ACRES
Mile and a half from Lake Michigan.

Awesome public beach.
$349,000
CLARE COUNTY
Prime Hunting & Nature Lovers Dream Property. 90% wooded, hardwoods,
pines & cedars. Nice hunting cabin built 2001. 2BD & 1BA. 5 Deer Blinds.
$299,900
CEDAR LAKE
10+ ACRES
OAKLAND COUNTY
15+ ACRES
GENESEE
COUNTY
COMMERCIAL
ALCONA
COUNTY
COMMERCIAL
Great building site, Brandon Schools
Davison, (3) 5-acre parcels. Close to I-69.
$99,800
$379,900
157 ACRES
COMMERCIAL
US 10
MARINE
Cedar Lake Marine, multiple outbuildings, and Waterfront

Home $585,000
MIDLAND COUNTY
Great opportunity for Commercial Business. Near Sanford Lake. 10 miles NW of

Midland Twp. Great location, off of US 10 on M-30, by McDonalds, Subway, Shell gas
station. 118.75 acres zoned commercial, 38.36 acres recreational. $1,150,000
Call Randy Minto Or Visit: www.RandyMinto.C21.com

Email: rminto@c21metrobrokers.com
*McDonalds
139
FARMHOUSE ON 160 ACRES
70 ACRES W/HOME
4 BRs, 2 baths,
2155
sq.
ft.
home on 160
acres. 80 acres
are
tillable
and the rest is
nicely wooded
hunting land w/
some low wet areas. Home has attached 2+
car garage and partial basement; 40X60 barn
w/2 stories and basement, silo, and 30x40 addition. Barn has wood siding, shingle roof and
stone foundation. Located 9 miles south of
Cadillac near lakes, rivers, snow sports and all
the recreation Northern Michigan has to offer!
See photos on www.mikesellscadillac.com.
3 BRs, 1 bath, 1,300

sq. ft. home on 70
acre site that abuts 3
square miles of state
land. Mostly covered in
hardwoods, the site is
rolling and offers flat to
hilly topography. Close
to Long Lake and RV trails, terrific dirt biking,
4-wheeling and snowmobiling. Home built in
2002 and operates on a generator for electricity. Private water and sanitation system
in place. 2-story garage, carport, additional
storage buildings. If you like hunting and
power sports, this is the place for you! See
photos on www.mikesellscadillac.com.
87 ACRES
80 ACRES
M-21115555 $300,000
M-21117959 $159,900
Awesome estate home

site, terrific residential development site and many
other uses possible. Anyone who enjoys off road
power sports will love the
topography and spring
fed pond sites. Wonderful opportunity for horse ranch
or gentleman's farm. There is a great mixture of open
meadow land, hardwood stands and pine forest area.
The pond sites have the possibility of development
into small lakes. Can be purchased in combination
with MLS # 21117729 to create a site of 103 acres. Start
with a mobile home, pole building, garage and fully
improved site, and build your dream as you go! See
photos on www.mikesellscadillac.com.
M-21118050 $159,900
M-21113604 $119,000
Wooded 80 acre parcel adjoins state land

on 2 sides. Location is
excellent for hunting
and recreation. Close
to Long Lake open
ORV trails. Less than
1 mile from "Blue Ribbon" Clam River trout stream. Easy access to
shopping and conveniences of town. About 2
miles off paved roads and a quick commute
from US 131 Highway. If you are searching
for hunting land, a great place to snowmobile
and enjoy the splendor of Northern Michigan,
then come and get it! See photos on website
www.mikesellscadillac.com.
124 S. MITCHELL STREET CADILLAC, MI 49601
Central
REMIE
WATERFRONT REALTY
Mike McNamara
(231) 920-6453
mike.mcnamara.mm@gmail.com
DAVE FELKER
Mobile Phone - (231) 649-3667
dave@davefelker.com
http://www.premierwaterfrontproperty.com
MLS 2980854 -This is the one youve been waiting for! 69

acres with the Rainy River meandering throughout. Gorgeous, picturesque fresh water pond, great place to unwind.
The cabin was totally gutted to make it the showplace it is
today! Great up-north feel and easy to maintain cabin
with sleeping loft featuring tongue/groove interior. Great
wraparound deck. The property is a wonderful mix of high
and low land with towering white pines and hardwoods and
cedar. Privacy youve only imagined! This parcel is accessed
through a gate that also encompasses other large private
hunt clubs assuring solitude. $159,900
MLS 298398 -This is the deer hunting camp you, your buddies and family have waiting for! Very functional 760 sq.ft.
house with bedroom with 4 bunks,(additional loft sleeping
area above bunk room), full bath, open kitchen/dining area,
large living room with wood burning glass front stove and
pull out queen size bed. Great porch for grilling and relaxing. New 200 amp service and ADT Security. A 26 x 40 pole
barn with concrete floor and electric 3 sliding doors for easy
in/out of equipment. The 178 acres has swamp, ridges and
great trail system for access to your blind. The trails extend
to a 12 acre lake. $337,900
140
MLS 298123 1890 S. Pittard Rd., Scottville, MI - Looking

for one of the largest unspoiled properties left in Michigans Lower Peninsula? This is it! 450 acres of some of the
best deer hunting anywhere! Want more? Over 1.5 miles
of the best salmon fishing in the mid-west on the world famous Pere Marquette River. Property is owned by a major
hunting clothing manufacturer as their private get a way.
Youll feel like youre in the middle of nowhere yet only 5
minutes to US 10, 10 minutes to US 31. Property features
a great hunting camp that can sleep 8-10, a pole barn for
the toys. $998,000
MLS 298395 - La-Z-Boy Club. Aptly named by one of the two founding members of La-Z-Boy. An
approx. 2800 sq.ft. Amish built (2008) log-sided home sits atop a hill with incredible countryside
views of the two lakes of about 8 acres each. Viewed to the north, is Bear Lake, with the drive to
the barn and drive leading to Richard Lake Rd. To the south is Duck Lake with high oak and aspen
ridges. Power outage? No problem, a natural gas whole house generator detects any interruption
of service and takes over for seamless, continual power. $894,900 (this is part of MLS 298400
can be purchased separately from MLS 298400)
MLS 298400 - La-Z-Boy! Rarely if ever, does a property with this many options become available in the lower peninsula! This truly unique parcel has 760 acres with an Amish built log sided
home, great deer hunting cabin, multiple outbuildings suited for every use possible. Somebody
in the family into horses? Something for them too with fenced pastures, horse stalls in a partially
heated 36 x 60 barn. There are many food plots strategically placed to optimize deer feeding/
travel patterns. The property boasts over 7 miles of groomed trails for horses, ATVs, trail bikes
or snowmobiling.
Both Parcels: $1,550,000.00 Can be divided to smaller parcels!
HOME OF DISTINCTION
This gorgeous waterfront mansion is located on Michigans finest fishing lake. Known as The White House of Harsens Island, the home was built in 1887, updated and restored to its original splendor, with all of todays amenities. No
expense was spared in this 2008 renovation.
The home comes turn key with furniture and decor. Highlights include gorgeous lake views, elevator, attached carriage home with separate entrance, dock facilities, a large park like yard, 100 feet of water frontage and much more.
1250 Circuit Drive

Harsens Island, MI 48028
Asking Price $2,550,000
Century 21 Sakmar & Associates
248-652-7700
248-652-7700
Email: info@sakmar.com
www.sakmar.com
Hunters Paradise
This fabulous lodge is located in North Branch, Michigan, approximately a 1-hour drive from the Metropolitan
Detroit area. 120 acres of some of the best hunting land in the state; 12 strategically placed hunting blinds, a
creek, food plot and a well-groomed trail system for your ATVs and other vehicles.
5724 Hasslick Road, North Branch, MI 48461
OPEN HOUSE VIEWING
Saturday, 8/29 and Sunday, 8/30 1 to 4 pm
248-652-7700
Asking Price $649,900
This 2011 custom, hand-built red pine log home has all of the upgrades and amenities one could imagine.
Over 2,900 square feet of fine living space which includes the finished lower level, 3 full baths, 4-plus bedrooms (sleeps 10), stainless steel appliances, wood burning fireplace, hot tub, drive through garage, secure
built-in gun room vault, elaborate 8-camera security system that is mobile phone and computer compatible.
141
COUNTRY HOME ON 15 ACRES ENERGY EFFICIENT HOME
3 bedrooms, 1.5 baths w/basement, detached garage and large

storage barn. Close to numerous inland lakes for fishing, state
land for berry and mushroom
picking. $72,900 #290737
Energy efficient home features

split field stone walls, t & g ceiling & tile floors on 4.75 acres. Located close to ski & snowmobile
trails, state land, inland lakes and
Lk Huron. $67,500 #296696
WATER FRONTAGE
100 FRONTAGE
190 Acres - Vacant Land

Recreational Land Full of Wildlife
Great for hunting, snowmobiling, or ATVing
Mostly wooded with one pond
Braden Rd, Perry, MI 48872
Completely updated with 3 bedrooms, 1.5 baths, FP on no wake

lake. Gentle slope to the lake
with sandy frontage is ideal for
children. $129,000 #295067
Located in rural Shiawassee County: 2 miles south of I-69 on Shaftsburg Rd to Braden Rd,
then east 1 mile on north side of road. 15 miles east of Lansing, 35 miles west of Flint.
STATE WIDE REAL

ESTATE OF HAWKS
Listing price: $449,000

Parcel ID: 013-25-400-001
SEV: $234,300
2014 Taxes: $2001
Zoning: Neighborhood 1- Woodhull Residential
Walkover inspections welcome
Call for personal tour.
Woods N Water News

August
1/4 page = $310

xs 1 run(s) = $310
142
(517) 676-9800
SheridanListings.com
100 frontage on Black River.

Dont be fooled by the exterior.
Interior has been completely remodeled with t & g. Very cute 1
bedroom cabin that comes furnished. Fish for rainbow trout
or kayak out your back door.
Pole barn for storage. $69,900
#298175
OF HAWKS
Check out our web site for

additional properties of all types.
www.statewideofhawks.com
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT ONE OF OUR AGENTS:
Rita Arlt: 989-734-4840 Laura Mertz: 989-306-3851 Susan Cochran: 313-618-0033

Charlie Fairbanks: 989-255-7910 Dan Kulik: 989-734-2534
VACANT
LAND
2 ALL WOODED LOTS ON
PAVED ROAD. NEAR STATE LAND,
FISHING, SNOWMOBILE, ETC.
$10,000 #297124
3.7 ACRES ADJOINING STATE
LAND. ALL WOODED. TERMS
$8,952 #281290
6.76 ACRE WOODED BLDG
SITE, DRIVEWAY IN. TERMS
$13,182 #293759
13 ACRES WITH PANORAMIC
VIEWS OF THE ROLLING COUNTRYSIDE. IDEAL BUILDING SITE.
$25,900 #295489
14.38 ACRES NEAR 1000S
OF ACRES OF STATE LAND. ALL
WOODED. TERMS $33,231
#257301
20 ACRES WITH 2 PONDS,
DRIVEWAY IN. SEVERAL BLDG.
SITES. TERMS $45,000 #283136
24 ACRES WITH FLOWING WELL
ON PAVED ROAD. BLDT SITE AND
HUNTING. $37,500 #294277
30 ACRES W/TRAIL, CLEARING,
SMALL CREEK. NEAR BLACK MTN
RECREATION AREA. $52,173
#283942
37 ACRES OF UPLAND WOODS,
TRAILS, GREEN FIELDS. TERMS
$59,000 #293468
38 ACRES ALL AROUND USE.
BLDG SITE ON SMALL HILL WITH
GORGEOUS VIEWS. EXCELLENT
HUNTING. $55,500 #294278
40 ACRES VERY AFFORDABLE. ALL WOODED, MIX OF WET
AND HIGH. EXCELLENT HUNTING.
$38,000 #278195
54 ACRES W/TRAILS, SM DEEP
POND, 4 RYE FIELDS. EXCELLENT
HUNTING. CHOICE OF CAMPING/
BLDG. SITES. ON PAVED ROAD.
TERMS $114,900 #238274
60 ACRES W/LARGE 20 POND.
TRAILS & RYE FIELDS THROUGH.
BLDG SITE BY POND. TERMS
$129,500 #256144
Real Estate One of Mio

1-800-954-5252
West M-72, Mio
www.RealEstateOneMio.com
homes@realestateonemio.com
Serving Crawford, Ogemaw, Alcona and Oscoda County!
AUSABLE RIVER!
10 +/- Acres & 410 +/- on the SOUTH BRANCH of AUSABLE RIVER with
public land on 2 sides! Well maintained, knotty pine interior with four- seasons room on
riverside. No high banks with cottage sitting just feet from the rivers edge. Pole barn & screened
in gazebo. MIO/GRAYLING AREA. $275,000.00. MLS#295201
AUSABLE RIVER!
4 +/- Acres with approximately 247
+/- frontage on the AuSABLE RIVER
bordering Huron National Forest. Pictures speak
for themselves. MIO/McKINLEY AREA
$75,000.00 MLS#293667
AUSABLE RIVER!
AUSABLE RIVER!
3 +/- Acres & 600+/- on the NORTH BRANCH of the AUSABLE RIVER! 3 bedroom, 2 bath, open ceilings, fireplace, four-seasons room on riverside, garage & unattached garage with apartment. MIO/GRAYLING AREA. $328,000.00
MLS#295197
10 +/- Acres with 1300+/- frontage

on the AuSABLE RIVER! Pristine river
frontage bordering National Forest on 4 sides,
wooded with towering pines. EAST of MIO.
$129,900.00 MLS#294166
AUSABLE RIVER!
12 +/- Acres & 800 +/- on the AUSABLE RIVER Main Stream! Cottage is just feet
from the rivers edge and features 3 bedrooms, knotty pine interior, fireplace & garage. Secluded
setting, MIO/GRAYLING AREA. $226,000.00 MLS#295207
AUSABLE RIVER!
21 +/- Acres & 549 on the NORTH BRANCH of the AUSABLE
RIVER! Fireplace, open ceilings, knotty pine & central air. Garage and large building with rec. room. Secluded setting! MIO/GRAYLING AREA. $335,000.00
MLS#296898
20 ACRES!
74 +/- on the AUSABLE RIVER! 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, knotty pine interior
& fireplace. 50 from the rivers edge with gradual slope for easy access. Garage.
MIO/MCKINLEY AREA. $149,900.00 MLS#296101
20 +/- Acres & 240 +/- on All Sports

MCCOLLUM LAKE! Nicely wooded
with mature trees. L/C terms available to
qualified buyers. MIO/CURRAN AREA.
$169,000.00 MLS#293648
LAKEFRONT!
LAKEFRONT!
137 +/- on ISLAND LAKE! Knotty pine interior, gas and wood heat, perma-log
exterior, metal roof, 4 garage stalls with living quarters above. MIO/ROSE CITY
AREA. $156,500.00 MLS#296142
39 ACRES!
39 +/- Acres w/ State Land on 2
sides! 2000+/- sq.ft. 3 bedroom 2 bath
home with attached garage and a 24x40 garage featuring 1/2 bath, heat, and mostly finished upstairs. MIO/GRAYLING AREA.
$204,000.00 MLS#295740
40 ACRES!
40 +/- Acres bordering National
Forest on 2 sides with the EAST
BRANCH of BIG CREEK running
through property! Log cottage overlooking
creek. Garage & pole barn. SOUTH OF
MIO. $165,000.00 MLS#296484
40 ACRES!
40 +/- Acres w/ state land on 3
sides! 3 bedroom, 2 bath, knotty pine interior and selling mostly furnished. 2 garages,
pond, deer blinds and trail system. MIO/
GRAYLING AREA. $159,900.00.
MLS#296166
53 ACRES!
53 +/- Acres nicely wooded with pond
bordering state land on 2 sides. 1600+/- sq.
ft. home selling mostly furnished. 3 car garage. Maintained road MIO/LEWISTON
AREA. $189,900.00 MLS#295968
78 +/- on ISLAND LAKE! Log style

cottage features knotty pine interior, open
ceilings, loft, newer roof, country porch &
basement. MIO/ROSE CITY AREA.
$85,000.00 MLS#295670
AUSABLE RIVER!
140+/- frontage on the AUSABLE RIVER! Cottage features enclosed
porch with deck on riverside and is close to the rivers edge. Garage, large wooded
lot, MIO/MCKINLEY AREA. $139,900.00 MLS#294331
10 ACRES!
LAKEFRONT!
106+/- on CROOKED LAKE! 3 bedrooms, fireplace, partially finished walkout basement with bath. Extensive decking on lake side.
Selling mostly furnished. MIO/CURRAN
AREA. $134,900.00 MLS#296473
10 +/- wooded acres bordering state

land! Log style chalet features knotty pine
interior, 2 bedrooms plus a large loft, selling mostly furnished. Private setting with
county road frontage, NORTH of MIO.
$109,900.00 MLS#298007
39 ACRES!
39 +/- Acres with pond bordering
National Forest! 3 bedroom 2.5 bath
home features 1865 sq.ft., gas and wood heat,
3 car garage, RV hookup and much more.
Secluded setting located SOUTH of MIO.
$149,900.00 MLS# 298212
3.3 ACRES!
3.3 +/- Acres and this 3 bedroom, 2 bath home with partially finished walkout basement.
30 x 40 pole building with upstairs and a 22 x 40 workshop/garage combo attached
to a 22 x 36 garage. Secluded setting, MIO/LEWISTON AREA. $235,000.00
MLS#296097
80 ACRES!
80 +/- ACRES, large pond, older farmhouse, mobile and large barn. Home features 5 bedrooms, wood floors, enclosed
porch, basement & brick exterior. Maintained road MIO/LUZERNE AREA.
$173,900.00 MLS# 297575
120 ACRES!
120 +/- Acres nicely wooded fronting on

maintained road. Home/Cottage and large
barn included. MIO/LUZERNE AREA.
$179,900.00 MLS# 293727
160 ACRES!
160 +/- Acres with state land on 2
sides! Property is wooded with trails throughout. Located NORTH of MIO. Broker
owned. $160,000.00 MLS# 298677
AUSABLE RIVER!
143
MARINA FOR SALE
3009 RIFLE RIVER TRAIL WEST BRANCH, MI 48661
COMMERCIAL
OPPORTUNITY
THRIVING TURNKEY BUSINESS
LAKE OGEMAW MARINA

Includes AVALON
PONTOON DEALERSHIP
and MARINA STORE
225 Lake Ogemaw Frontage
Boat Launch 8 (4 x 30) aluminum
roll-in docks 16 Boat Slips
Store, Repair Shop
Garage with 3,210 sq ft
Two Pole Barns, 7,200 sq ft and 6,240 sq ft
3 Ford F150s and 4 Crank-up trailers
4.6 Acres on three parcels
Excellent location, fantastic Bass
Fishing, walk across street for scenic
Rifle River and Trout Fishing
All Sports Lake, Extensive Shoreline
Year-round activities
889,000
PLUS INVENTORY
Owner Ready To Retire!
CALL FOR DETAILS
989-709-0761
CHAPPLE REALTY INC.

YOUR LAKE AND RECREATIONAL PROPERTY CONNECTION!
www.WESTMICHIGANLAKES.com
(269) 623-4058
269-207-3280
118 E Orchard St. Delton MI 49046
Drew Chapple Associate Broker
BARRY COUNTY AREA PROPERTIES
144
ACREAGE - A Charming Turn of the Century

Stone Farmhouse with 8
acres, 2 car garage with a
24x44 pole barn attached
and 44x60 stick built barn
with 2nd floor. House
offers 3 bedrooms and
2 full bathrooms, main
floor laundry, Custom Kitchen with eating area and snack bar,
living room, family room, and large mud room. This is a Magnificent Property the house was totally remodeled in 2002. Priced
$249,900 (15028948) 72 more Acres available.
HORSESHOE LAKE
- 50 Acres with 2640' of
Horseshoe Lake Frontage offers picturesque
views, secluded hardwood forest, fishing,
hunting, bird watching,
and watersports activities. Also, includes well
cared for 2 bedroom, 1 bath year round ranch home with 2 car
attached garage and cleared building site for new dream home
or pole barn. Priced $289,900 (1500new) Call Drew Chapple
269-623-4058
48 ACRES - Gorgeous Wooded 48 acres

which includes a private
lake (Caruthers Lake). 3
Bedroom, 2 Bath Ranch
Walkout with spectacular
views of the lake and
natural beauty surrounding property. Desirable
location for hunting, fishing, bird watching or just to enjoy nature.
This property is 30 min from either Kalamazoo or Grand Rapids
Area. Priced $259,900 (14055395) Call Drew Chapple 269207-3280
68 ACRES Great mix of agriculture, open fields, woods

and water with frontage on Cedar Creek. Priced $229,900
(15031818) Call Drew Chapple 269-207-3280
66 ACRES - Gorgeous 66 acres of Woods and tillable land.

Spectacular view of Pleasant Lake from the west property line. 16
acres of tillable is planted every year by local farmer. Great location
to build that new home or just enjoy nature at its best. Beautiful private setting for a mini farm, bird watching and/or hunting. Priced
$269,000 (15012999) Call Drew Chapple 269-207-3280
10 ACRES, Barry Twp, 24x40 pole barn................................. $69,900

72 ACRES, Hope Twp, 60 Tillable, 12 Wooded....................$324,900
47 ACRES, Barry Twp, Glasby Lake frontage and tillable....$239,900
19.5 ACRES, Barry Twp, Large Barn, Pond, Rolling land...... $99,900
1.34 ACRE, Hope Twp, Wooded lot........................................ $11,000
9.5 ACRES, Hope Twp, Wooded with 30 x 100 Pole Barn..... $54,900
17 ACRES, Barry Twp, Wooded & Rolling, 4 Acre pond......... $45,000
LITTLE CEDAR LAKE, Hope Twp, 214 frontage.............. $69,900
WALL LAKE, 89 Lake frontage, 30x60 pole barn...............$109,000
CROOKED LAKE, Delton, 75 of lake frontage..................$144,900
VACANT LANDS
www.goedertrealestate.com
Featuring Hunting and Large Recreational Properties

Lupton, Michigan
Exclusive Hunting Lodge
Features 893 acres with 10 foot high game fence

Four private lakes featuring trophy northern pike and
bass. Own your personal herd of whitetail deer and
Rocky Mountain elk. 11,000 square foot main lodge.
3,200 square foot guest home. 6-car garage with upstairs lodge.
$6,900,000
For more information log on to: www.michiganlodges.com
Call Greg Golab (517) 438-6198
Hillsdale County
Reading Township, Michigan
Fabulous 60 acre property with Lake Frontage, wetlands and woods on Berry Lake. Zoned commercial
development. Excellent hunting and fishing
$249,000
Call Mark Goedert (517)403-4599 or
Greg Golab (517) 438-6198
Jackson County
Parma, Michigan
26 Acres with 1,020 sq. ft. house, with walk out
basement. Large pole barn. Screen porch overlooking fields, ponds and woods. Located in western
Jackson County. Excellent deer hunting property.
Nice woods surrounded by farm land.
$169,900
Call Mark Goedert (517)403-4599 or
Greg Golab (517) 438-6198
Goedert Real Estate 1324 North Main Street Adrian, MI 49221
www.goedertrealestate.com
- FOR SALE 21116394 - Marion - 80 Wooded bldg., + other sheds. Plus 2 older
acres, small cabin, pond, flowing mobile homes. POSSIBILITIES!
well, elec. RV hook-ups, excellent $224,900.
hunting! $176,000.
21118159 - Marion - Wooded 21acres,
21116254 - Falmouth - 43 Wooded 900' on MiddleBranch river, 3BD,
acres, nice mix of pines & hardwoods, 2BTH, NICE chalet. Gazebo, large
hunt or build your dream home! deck, peaceful river view! $229,900.
$64,900.
21109216 - Cadillac - 7 acres, Unique,
21117827 - Leroy - Densely wooded log-sided, 4BD, 3.5BTH home, cedar/
20 acres, possible timber value, camp, drywall/log interiior, gourmet kitchhunt or build! $27,500.
en, TOO MANY amenities to list
21115605 - Leroy - Own the renovat- here! Call TODAY! $429,000.
ed 1BD cabin 20' from the river. 22
acres partnership, 2500' on the Pine
River, great fishing, call for more
details! $64,900.
21113661 - Cadillac - 78+acres, pond,

hdwds, pines, meadows, landscaping!
Awesome 4BD, 4.5BTH home, 5 Car
grg. capacity, guest quarters, SO
21116475 - Tustin - 60 acres (40 till- MUCH MORE! CALL! $575,000.
able), 5BD farm house, pole bldg. 21118560 - Moorestown - 40 Wooded
style grg., good hunting, near lakes acres totally surrounded by State and
and state land! $129,900.
DNR land. 'Dead Stream' & swamp
21118128 - Tustin - Wooded 80 acres, touching 2 corners. BRING US AN
nice 4BD, 2BTH home, large pole OFFER!
PETER NEMISH, Associate Broker
(231) 920-8424
2721 Sunnyside Drive Cadillac, MI 49601
nemish@coldwellbanker.com
TARGET REAL ESTATE SPECIALIZES IN

WATERFRONT HOMES AND HUNTING PARCELS
WE REPRESENT BUYERS AND SELLERS
Alvin Rd. Oscoda, MI

Wonderfully maintained three bedroom, log sided home situated on 288 acres just minutes from Lake Huron and the AuSable River. The home offers cherry cabinets and hickory floors
in the kitchen. Huge split stone wall in the living area that
compliments the Vermont Castings woodstove. Quality fixtures
and construction are found throughout the home. A spacious
pole barn with partial concrete floor, work benches and a well
for cleaning off your tractor and implements. The property has
been managed with Quality Deer Management in mind. Food
plots and ground blinds can be found throughout the property.
The terrain is rolling in many areas. The parcel is diverse with
low lands, Oak ridges, sprawling food plots and thousands of
acres of state land bordering the property to the South and
West. This is not a property that has been cut off, mature timber
abounds. If purchasing a corporate retreat, hunting lodge or
family getaway are in your future plans, this property is one
you will want to tour. Call today to set up your private showing.
Asking $695,000.00 MLS #1801740
288 acres
Borders state land on two sides
QDM practiced here
Oak ridges Food plots
Creek frontage
Cedar Fruit trees
MORE PARCELS ARE AVAILABLE . . .

CALL TODAY FOR MORE DETAILS
866-496-4400
TARGET REAL
ESTATE COMPANY
701 W. Bay Street, East Tawas, MI 48730
Office (989)362-4400 Cell (989)370-2152

info@TargetRealEstate.com
www.TargetRealEstate.com
80 Acres w/Home 2000 ft. Frontage on

Woodruff Lake - Isabella County $499,900
MLS#15021163
37 Acres w/Home 350 ft. Frontage on
Tamarack Lake - Montcalm County $399,900
MLS#15033081
61 Acres w/Cabin - Osceola County
$170,000 MLS#15039081
86 Acres w/Home - Montcalm County
Next to Edmore State Game Area $249,900
MLS#15022106
79 Acres (40 Acres Tillable) Wheatland Twp
Mecosta County $200,000 MLS#15019284
Townline Lake - Montcalm County Waterfront Home

with 4 Bedrooms $160,000 MLS #15006870
Martiny Chain of Lakes 3 bedroom Home on Channel to Tubbs Lake $120,900 MLS #15043108
Lake Montcalm - Montcalm County 5 Bedroom Cottage with excellent frontage $99,900 MLS #14064014
Horseshoe Lake - Montcalm County 2 Bedroom
Cottage 3 Lots & Pole Barn $115,000 MLS #15003417
124 ft. Private Chippewa River Frontage Mecosta
County Village of Barryton $99,900 MLS #15042690
Lake Montcalm Cottage with 50 Ft Frontage
$89,900 MLS #15038020
Six Lakes, Ml Waterfront Cottage on First Lake
$84,900 MLS #15012665
REDUCED!!! Chippewa River Frontage - Mecosta
County $49,900 MLS #14039421
120 E. Main Edmore, MI 48829

888-967-4101 www.eaglerealtymi.com
Look Here For Your

Next Retreat
145
DAN DAN
LOG CABIN
FURNITURE
THEMATTRESSMAN.COM
WHOLESALE TO THE PUBLIC
Queen Log Bed $19999
Queen Size Log Headboard
CHECK
US OUT
ON THE
WEB!
7500
5 Drawer Chest Only

$
199
4 Drawer Chest
$
189
2 Drawer Night Stand

$
149
Finished Cedar Log Bed
ONLY
29999
BUNK BEDS Solid Wood Complete with Mattresses $29999

Rocker Recliners
From
19999
Rustic End Tables
146
from
14999
Log
Futons
39999
MORE SIZES,
SOLID WOOD,
AMERICAN MADE!
Mini
Cabins
starting at
1999
99
N
A
CALL
ANYTIME
(989)-832-1866
D
N
DA
Mattress
Not Included
THEMATTRESSMAN.COM 802 ASHMAN ST., MIDLAND
Outlander Sale
Get a FREE
Lowrance GPS/Sonar
with any of the
Outlander Packages!
r Kraft
See the Pola
t the
Outlanders a ews
ter N
Woods-N-Wa
ekend
e
W
r
o
Outdo
3
Sept. 11-12-1
Polarkraft 2010 CC
2015 Polarkraft 2010 CC
2015 Polarkraft 2010 Tiller
$31,995
$27,995
Yamaha F115, Trailer
Gunmetal Gray, Yamaha F150, Tandem Trailer
Polarkraft 186 CC Camo
2015 Polarkraft 186 CC
2015 Polarkraft 186 Tiller
$23,995
$24,900
$20,995
$27,995
Yamaha F90, Trailmaster trailer
Yamaha F115, Trailmaster Trailer
Camo, Yamaha F90, Trailmaster trailer
Yamaha F70, Trailmaster Trailer
A L L PA C K A G E S P O W E R E D B Y YA M A H A
The Chene Anchor
Holding Power
Retrievability Durability
201 Industrial Way, Fenton, MI 517-202-2949
or available at...
THE KNOWLEDGEABLE BOATERS
BEST CHOICE
SPORTS
CENTER
A BETTER
MOUSE TRAP
Visit us at www.freeway-sports.com for a complete listing of boats!
FULL SERVICE PARTS & ACCESSORIES

Service Department Indoor & Outdoor Storage
(810) 629-2291
Exit 84 on US-23
FLINT
EXIT 84
59
FREEWAY
SPORTS CENTER
FENTON
23
3241 Thompson Rd.

Fenton, MI 48430
Hours:
Mon.-Fri. 9am - 6pm
Sat. 9am - 5pm
Closed Sunday's
PONTIAC
96
ANN ARBOR
DETROIT
SPORTS
CENTER
w w w. f r e e w a y - s p o r t s . c o m
sales@freeway-sports.com
AN EXPERIENCED HUNTER
UNDERSTANDS WHAT MAKES A GREAT FIREARM
ELOS B
ELOS DELUXE
ELOS B AL
If you have spent many long hours in the field, you learn to appreciate good equipment. An experienced hunter comes to understand
what makes a great firearm. High volume mass produced shotguns are a good choice for a novice to start hunting with, but the
FABARM ELOS is the shotgun you look to when you truly understand the difference. After experiencing countless flushes, it becomes
obvious that you need a gun that has the balance and pointing capabilities of the ELOS. Also, a high level of reliability backed by one of
the most extensive warranties in the industry. The best news is that a gun of this quality comes at a price that will make your hunting
buddies envious now wouldnt that be terrible? To learn more visit our website or contact one of our authorized dealers today.
410.901.1260
31516 Harper Avenue

St. Clair Shores, MI 48082
Phone (586) 296-2360

Fax (586) 264-8307
STORE HOURS:
Mon. - Fri: 10am-7pm;
Sat: 10am-4pm; Closed Sunday
FABARMUSA.COM
Michi-GUN
Available at:
Layaways Welcome
www.michigunandtackle.com

09 15

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

09 15

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

$4.

Fall Hot Spots

WOODS-N-WATER NEWS OUTDOOR WEEKEND

Sept. 11-13 Eastern Michigan Fairgrounds Imlay City

STOP BY TODAY FOR INCREDIBLE OFFERS AND

STOP BY TODAY FOR INCREDIBLE OFFERS AND UNBEATABLE SERVICE.

CHAPMAN'S SPORTS CENTER

CHAPMAN'S SPORTS CENTER

Open 6 Days: Monday - Friday 9am-5pm;

Add your own message by selecting:

5605 Davison Rd., 4 miles east

Edit/Change your dealership information

Edit/Change your dealership information

END OF SEASON SALE!

Open 6 Days: Monday - Friday 9am-5pm;

SEPTEMBER 2015 - WNW NEWS

SAVINGS OF UP TO $2,500 IN FACTORY

By Tom Campbell ... Field Notes

ts September and that means its time for

Seminars For Serious Deer Hunters

Weve put together a great event this year and

SEPTEMBER 2015 - WNW NEWS

Now-Dec. 31-Michigan Pure Hunt Application period

high pressure hunting area? Then you wont want

Country Smoke House Field Dressing

Air Dog Championships

Whats New In Ice Fishing?

Franks Great Outdoors, leaders of the popular

SEPTEMBER 2015 - WNW NEWS

Award Winning Authors

SEPTEMBER 2015 - WNW NEWS

Four shotgun type of guy!

Lake Huron's Gem...

This might be the last

River Fishing Newbies

WOODS-N-WATER NEWS OUTDOOR WEEKEND

Sept. 11-13 Eastern Michigan Fairgrounds Imlay City

Perhaps the best

SEPTEMBER 2015 - WNW NEWS

Declining deer numbers call for

eedless to say, this is in

produced encouraging results. To my

SEPTEMBER 2015 - WNW NEWS

One study found that

coyote predation of white-tailed

The Latest Studies

The Northeast Study

Can managers compensate for

New deer management page 10

784 N. Van Dyke Road

810-724-2357 Office 810-724-5341 Fax

NEW BOSS 8 & 9

7-month deferred payment

VISIT US AT THE WOODS-N-WATER NEWS OUTDOOR WEEKEND!

SEPTEMBER 2015 - WNW NEWS

MORE BAD NEWS...

New deer management:

stabilize deer populations.

SEPTEMBER 2015 - WNW NEWS

The Southeast Study

In contrast to the Northeast report,

Military Installation, where monitored deer density and deer hunting

Michigans second case of CWD