11 15

NOVEMBER 2015
$4.00
Woods-N-Water News
Michigans Premier Outdoor Publication
Early/Late Can Be...
MAGIC
Times For Big...
BUCKS!
Sound Advice...
BE 100%
STEALTHY
Cold Water Fishing...
SMALLIES, MUSKIES, WALLEYES

Wolf Confirmed In Northern LP 13-Year-Old Bags BIG BEAR! Youth Success
Deer Hunt The UP A Boat, Rod and WiFi Equal Early Ice Fishing Success
Fall Turkey Hunting Same Thing Happened To Me Falls Biggest Fish!
www.woods-n-waternews.com Like us on facebook
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Saturday 9am-2pm
NOVEMBER 2015 - WNW NEWS
2016 BOATS ARRIVING WEEKLY
By Tom Campbell
Fish Changes
Field Notes...
At the October NRC meeting a number of

fishing regulations were modified or changed
through the state. Effective immediately Saginaw Bay daily possession limit for walleye is
increased from five to eight fish and the minimum
size limit is reduced from 15 to 13 inches. Yellow
perch had the daily possession limit reduced from
50 to 25 fish.
According to the DNR, The combined possession limit for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass,
northern pike, walleye and flathead catfish (which
limited the daily possession limit to five fish) has
been removed. Therefore, anglers will now be
able to possess up to five bass (largemouth and
smallmouth combined), up to five walleye, up to
five (flathead catfish, and up to two northern pike
in their daily possession limit. The daily possession limit for northern pike on Lake St. Clair, St.
Clair River and Detroit River has been increased
to five and the Little Bay de Noc walleye zone
where only one walleye greater than 23 inches
may be retained has expanded further south. Also
all bass tournaments held in 2016 will need to
be registered using the DNRs Michigan Fishing Tournament Information System. For more
information check out page 102 of this issue or
the online version of the 2015 Michigan Fishing
Guide, available at michigan.gov/fishingguide.
Youth Hunts Your Hunts
Sorry, technically its the Liberty Hunt and
no disrespect to Veterans with disabilities and
individuals with disabilities who qualify to hunt
this season, but when youre referring to young
hunters its just easier to use the term youth hunt.
There are plenty of success stories and photos
throughout this issue like 10-year old Joe Kovacs
with his record book buck and plenty more to
come in upcoming issues. We encourage everyone to keep those hunting (and fishing) photos
coming, not just from our future generation of
hunters, we want them from sportsmen/women of
SEASONS
Now - Dec. 31-Michigan Pure Hunt Application period

Now - Nov. 14 Ruffed grouse season
Now - March 1 Squirrel; Fox and Gray season
Now - Nov. 14 Fall turkey season (permit needed)
Now - March 31 Cottontail/Snowshoe season
Now-Dec. 13 -- Muskie Lake St. Clair & St. Clair and
Detroit Rivers
Now-Dec. 31 Large/Smallmouth bass catch-and-keep
on on all waters, including Great Lakes, Lake St. Clair,
St. Clair and Detroit Rivers.
Now - Nov. 2 Woodcock season
Now - Nov. 14 Archery deer season
Oct. 15 - 18 - Independence Hunt
Nov. 15 - 30 Regular firearm deer season.
Dec. 4 - 13 Muzzleloading deer season Zone 1 and Zone 2
Dec. 4 - 20 Muzzleloading deer season Zone 3
Dec. 21 - Jan. 1, 2016 Late Antlerless Firearm
MJC
ARCHERY
MJC
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Clinton Twp. 48035
3001 Rochester Rd
Royal Oak, MI 48073
586-791-4600
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all ages.
Camp Chili Cook-off Winner
The traditions of huntin camps, whether its
squirrel camp, grouse camp, rabbit camp, deer
camp or even an ice fishing camp, theyre hard
to beat. I know my camp favorite tradition is
based around eating and I must say camp eating
has come a long way from a can of Spam and a
can of beans. Plenty of camps now have gourmet
meals and competitions for the best camp meal!
Which is all great, but whats a camp without
a good pot of hot chili? Thanks to the WoodsN-Water News Outdoor Weekend Camp Chili
Contest we have the winning chili recipe that
Chili Cook-Off Winners: (lt-rt) Team Middaugh, Team Burgess

and the winners, Team Raska!
you can impress your camp with. Head chef Lori
Raska and her team of Chili Choppers took first
place, followed closely by team Willies Chili and
head chef Bill Burgess and third place went to
Mitchell and Zachary Middaugh and their Back
Draft Chili.
Chili Choppers Chili
4 1/2- 5 lbs. beef cut into small cubes
2 lbs. hot Italian sausage
6 large cans diced tomatoes (drained)
1 small can diced tomatoes with jalapenos or green
chilies (not drained)
1 small can diced tomatoes with chipotle peppers
4 large cans beans (mix any variety) drained
1 small can tomato paste
2 small cans low sodium V8
1 can beef consume
5 cups chopped onions (1 cup reserved)
5 cups chopped green peppers (1 cup reserved)
3 cups chopped and seeded jalapenos
WHAT A BUCK -- WHAT MEMORIES! Joe Kovacs, 10 years-old

and a 5th grader, harvested this beautiful 10 point 200 lb.
dressed buck opening morning at about 8:05 a.m. He just
got a new Savage 220 bolt action 20 gauge and had sighted
it in a few days before at 50 yards. All factors were on his
side that morning. It had rained and made it quiet for him
and his father Steve to get to the corner of the cornfield
on private property in Kent County. Several does came out,
a while later this buck stepped out, upwind from us and
not a care in the world. The buck stopped at the edge of
the corn about 60 yards away and Joe took the shot. They
could tell he was hit but waited a few minutes, mostly to
calm themselves down. The massive buck didn't even go 100
yards when we found him. A perfect lung shot. The head is
currently getting a shoulder mount and will be scored once
the 60 day dry time is over. The buck is about perfectly
symmetrical with no antlers broken. (Submitted By Steve
Kovacs)
1/2- 3/4 cups chopped and seeded hot peppers
1 cup chili powder
1/4 tsp cumin
2 cloves minced garlic
2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp chipotle powder
1 can beer
Directions: Brown meat in skillet. Drain and add to large
pot. Add V8 and consume and simmer 15 minutes. Combine
all ingredients, reserving onions, peppers, 1 large can of tomatoes and the beer. Cover and bring to a simmer over low heat
for about two hours. Add the reserved ingredients and simmer
for an additional 30-45 minutes.
Michigan COs share tips for safe bowhunting
owhunting is enjoyed by thousands

of hunters every year
in Michigan, and we want to
ensure everyone has a safe and
enjoyable hunting season, said
Sgt. Steve Orange, supervisor
of the DNRs hunter education
program. With the season upon
us, every hunter should follow
some common sense safety tips
before heading to or being in the
woods.
The top safety tips for bowhunting include:
Before you go out, inspect
equipment, including your treestand or other raised platform.
If anything is worn, frayed,
cracked or peeling, replace it or
get it fixed. If using a compound
bow or crossbow, make sure the
cables and pulleys are in good
working order.
When sharpening broadheads, be careful and take your
time.
Practice treestand safety. The
DNR recommends using a fullbody safety harness to get into
and out of your tree stand.
If using a raised platform, always use a haul line to raise and
lower your gear.
Keep arrows in the quiver
until you are ready to use them.
A common injury is to stab or
injure yourself or a hunting companion while carrying arrows
in your hand or nocked on your
bow.
When heading out to the
woods, hunt with a friend or
family member or make sure you
tell someone reliable where you
are going and what time to expect you back. This information
is valuable in helping conservation officers or sheriff s deputies
to find you if you are lost.
Also, think about carrying a
cell phone, compass, flashlight
and other small safety items in

when in the woods.
Other important reminders
include:
Obtain permission from
landowners before hunting on
their land or using their land to
access public land.
Never take a shot at a deer
that is beyond the maximum effective range of your equipment
and your shooting ability.
If you are successful, field
dress your deer and cool its meat
immediately. Michigans unpredictable weather means October
days are sometimes warm, and
warm temperatures and can
cause the meat to spoil quickly.
For more information about
Michigans conservation officers, go to www.michigan.gov/
conservationofficers. For more
information about hunting in
Michigan, go to
www.michigan.gov/hunting.
HUNTING
COVER STORY
Magic Hour Bucks
Kenny Darwin page 8
Youth Hunt Success!
page 12
Is 100 percent
stealth possible?
Adam Lewis page 18
MICHIGAN MEANDERS
'Same thing happened to me'
Tom Huggler page 24
WATERFOWLING...
'One if by land, two if by sea'
Mark Romanack page 28
Slug guns for deer
Dave Mull page 32
Don't make a
STINK when hunting
Mark Martin page 36
13-year-old bags big bear
Richard P. Smith page 40
Quality Opportunities...
Michigan's managed
waterfowl areas
page 42
Successful early elk
hunting season in the books
page 49
The "SHOOTER" buck
George Rowe page 58
Michigan Bear Camp
Tom Lounsbury page 78
COVER STORY
Cold water smallies,
muskies, walleyes
Robert Dock Stupp page 46
Lessons learned in the
BIG TIME BASS WORLD
Buck Mallory page 52
2016 Wildlife Habitat

Grant recipients
page 31
WOLF CONFIRMED IN
NORTHERN L.P.
page 51
FEATURE
Pheasant hunters benefit

from statewide projects
Mark Sak page 64
Youth Hunt...Making
family memories
Roger Beukema page 57
DNR honors
Meridan Township
page 75
Youth Hunt...It doesn't

get any better!
Ed Spinazzola page 60
New stream-restoration
approach may pay dividends
page 82
Boat Smart...
Tips for first
time boat buyers
Capt. Fred Davis page 74
DNR participates in
mock oil spill exercise
page 86
Kicking Bear at the

Valhalla Ranch
Jeff Pendergraff page 80
TRAIL CAM PHOTOS
page 92
Sporting Collectibles
Two Michigan Lures...
Terry McBurney page 94
Canine eye injuries
Jeff LaHuis DVM page 96
New fishing regulations!

page 102
PERSPECTIVE
Don't humiliate
your huntin' buddy
Randy Jorgensen page 34
A Northern Michigan letter
Hope in the Heat
Tom Carney page 44
Alway pack a PLAN B!
Jonathan Schechter page 70
Autumn turkey hunting

Kenny Darwin page 104
OUTDOOR NEWS
Dear Fish Diary:

When a lake just...
disappears?
Ron St. Germain page 90
FISHING
Kawkawlin River
Watershed Study
Jacob VanHouten page 14
Dog Training...
'Bolting'
Len Jenkins page 97
page 22
NOVEMBER 2015
$4.00
Woods-N-Water News
Early/Late Can Be...
MAGIC
HUNT THE U.P.
DNR's habitat
Improvement Account to
fund 5 rivers projects
page 50
'My' Michigan bear

count for 2015
Richard P. Smith page 100
Gary Parsons/Keith Kavajecz

"Watch the popper,

not the bobber!"
Randy Claramunt page 38
DNR News in Brief

page 16
November Madness
in West Michigan
Jack Payne page 98
A boat, a rod and WiFi...

Early Ice Fishing Success
North Channel Sturgeon Classic
FALL'S BIGGEST FISH!

Don McChristian Jr. &
Jim Felgenauer page 26
Youth hunt dedicated

to my grandpas
page 103
Michael Veine ...page 66
A 'surprise' bear hunt

for a special girl!
page 103
GUNS/AMMO
OPINIONS
Traditional Black
Powder Hunting...
"Wiener schnitzel!"
Dennis Neely page 54
Youth hunting...too
much...too soon...
Tricia Auten page 86
Gun Chat...
Question of balance
Lee Arten page 65
Youth Hunt...no deer but

most successful hunt ever
page 86
The Gillespie Rifles

Darryl Quidort page 72
Fish Managment
Lessons from buoy 10
Mark Romanack page 87
Traditional Black Powder

Shooting Sports...
All part of the game
Dennis Neely page 76
DEPARTMENTS . . .
Trophy Pages. . . . . . 84-85 Classifieds . . . . 108-109
Letters-Op-Ed . . . . . 86-90 Real Estate . . . . . 110-121
Times For Big...
COVER
PHOTO
By Kenny Darwin
BUCKS!
Sound Advice...
BE 100%
STEALTHY
Cold Water Fishing...
SMALLIES, MUSKIES, WALLEYES

Wolf Confirmed In Northern LP 13-Year-Old Bags BIG BEAR! Youth Success
Deer Hunt The UP A Boat, Rod and WiFi Equal Early Ice Fishing Success
Fall Turkey Hunting Same Thing Happened To Me Falls Biggest Fish!
www.woods-n-waternews.com Like us on facebook
Follow us on
www.facebook.com/woodsnwaternews
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MAGIC
HOUR
BUCKS
ne fact is universal regarding gun hunting for Michigan deer: Your chances for
success soar the last few minutes of fast
fading light. Truth is early morning and
late evening is when bucks are active and
your chances of filling a tag soar. For those
willing to enter the woods long before first light and
hunters who are patient and stay on stand until dark
the reward is often a dandy buck on the buck pole.
When light is low and fading sunlight sends long
shadows across the landscape bucks come
out from swampy liars and hidden bedding locations and move into open areas in
search of food.
Few thrills can compete with the excitement of first light on opening day. You
climb to your stand in the darkness and
ready your gun as a bead of sweat trickles down your face from the long walk in
heavy clothes. The sky is faint pink when
you hear the first gun shot and as
darkness blends into daylight guns
start booming in every direction.
You can hear leaves crunching in the distance and
out of the low light appear a doe and twin fawns.
Your heart is pounding as you watch the three
through your scope. The next sound is from behind
and you think it is a squirrel but close inspection
reveals a dandy 8-point and you flip off the safety
and drill him. Soon you are on the ground admiring
the beautiful deer and a quick watch check tells you
its still early morning. God bless opening morning
you say in a silent prayer.
Are you ready for low light deer hunting? Do
you have optics to help you locate animals? Do
you have clothing to keep you warm as the temperature drops? Savvy hunters carry a small light
to help find the way back to the truck. What about
you, are you fully prepared for deer hunting when

light fades into total darkness?
The advantages of deer hunting during low light
are many. Deer are by nature nocturnal critters and
they are well equipped to travel during complete
darkness. It is common for wary adult bucks to
travel at night and bed during daylight. Catching
them off guard requires you are on stand before
dawn and in the evening when the sun goes down.
Another option is to hunt during low light conditions when low hanging slate gray clouds
reduce sunlight and deer move. Never
overlook the advantages of hunting during
light rain when footsteps are dampened by
the soaking rain and deer come out to play.
It was pouring rain when I went to bed
and the next morning the wind was howling and fresh snow covered the woods
with a white blanket. My morning hunt
was an exercise in trying to stay warm
so the afternoon hunt I joined my
partner Don Rust in a nice warm
blind. Wind was still blowing as a
few snowflakes danced across the stubble cornfield
we watched. The day was dark but no deer came
out to play. As we were ready to leave Don spotted a group of does dancing our direction from a
cedar thicket nearby. They scurried to the center
of the field, dropped their heads and began gorging with food like they missed breakfast and lunch.
Thats when Don looked to our right and spotted the
biggest buck he has ever shot walking directly our
direction. Don scrambled to grab my .30-06 and get
it out the window and center the Burris Fullfield E1
illuminated cross hair on target.
Don is perhaps one of the best rifle shooters Ive
ever known. He can hit a fly in the eye at 100 yards
with his custom Ultimate muzzleloader. When he
By Kenny Darwin
said hes a shooter and stopped breathing to steady

the shot I knew the trophy buck was in deep trouble. I watched through my Nixon 10x50 binoculars
and at the loud boom the buck kicked like a mules
ran about 30 yards and dumped into a pile in the
mowed grass surrounding the corn field. YAHOO!!!
He yelled and we both scrambled out of the blind
and ran to the fallen monster.
In the fresh snow laid one of the largest deer
Ive ever seen. Id guess live weight around 300
pounds with extra-long body, thick neck and
moose-like nose. But its most impressive character
was the fantastic 12-point rack with kicker points
on both sides going sideways which gave it spectacular spread. This buck was old, sort of gray faced
but his sway back, big belly and overall huge size
made it tops on my list of biggest deer Ive seen
harvested.
We frolicked around the kill like college kids
after a tailgate touchdown and I rushed to get
photos. Snowflakes danced in the air as I used flash
mode to capture the image of my best buck hunting
partner with his awesome deer. When we reviewed
the snapshots we had a good laugh because Dons
stocking hat looked faded in front. What actually
happened is the night before we were drying clothes
over an old farm pot belly steel stove and Dons
cap got burned by the hot metal. He was in the cold
night air with snow dancing around his freshly
burned stocking cap. But he didnt care because he
was smiling from ear to ear while holding his dream
buck.
Dons big buck is a classic example of what
Im talkin about. Big bucks like to move ad groove
when the evening light is low and most hunters
are headed to the warmth of camp. I refer to this
Magic hour bucks page 10
Michigan Deer hunting
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Youth Hunts
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Fishing
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Magic hour bucks
from page 8
10
time period as the magic hour. I first noticed the

tremendous increase in deer activity when taking
pictures and unfortunately discovered I could not
get quality magazine shots in the low light conditions. Ill never forget a Jackson County outing
when I crawled close to a bedded buck and set up
telephoto for pictures. But the buck remained in his
bed until the light was so low that I could not get
shots. I was frustrated but learned a valuable lesson
about deer movement.
Hey, we all know deer are nocturnal animals
and prefer to travel under the cover of darkness.
But did you know that the vast majority of deer begin movement just as the sun touches the horizon.
This provides a narrow window of opportunity for
savvy hunters in the know.
In order to take advantage of this narrow window of opportunity you need to be fully prepared
and use quality optics to spot deer and execute an
accurate shot. Binoculars are a must for identifying deer and seeing antlers when the light is low.
Choose optics with multicoated lens that optimizes
light transmission, resulting in enhanced contrast
and a bright image. For stand hunting get binoculars that are balanced and easy to hold. A wide neck
strap is required and I like lens covers when walkDon Rust of Byron with huge buck that waited until fading light tempted the brute into an open cornfield.
ing in snow or rain. A wide field of view is needed
Kicker points on both G2s help to give this trophy a super wide spread. Pine bark is still hanging from
to provide enhanced depth of field and sharpness.
Im absolutely nuts about new powerful scopes his brow tines from recently rubbing a tree.
that are illuminated. Some have too much illumitube to draw more light and enhance clarity and
of bucks in search of a mate or food. An oak ridge
nation and the reflection of the bright light ruins
brightness. My .30-06 is rigged with a Burris Fullthat is surrounded by thick swamps is a great
chances for a clear shot. I like the scopes that have
field E1, 3-9x, 40mm with adjustable brightness on place to intercept deer that are feeding on the thick
adjustable cross hair or red dot adjustment, 30mm
illuminated cross hair. My .308 Panther is rigged
blanket of nuts. This year Michigans acorn crop
with a Bushnell AR tactical 1-4 24mm illuminated
is spotty, some oaks are loaded and the ground is
red dot. Both scopes are ideal for low light hunting covered with nuts, other trees have very few or no
conditions of early morning, late evening, and rain
mast crop this year. The trick is to locate the best
snow or when low hanging dense clouds make see- oak trees and you will be rewarded with a constant
ing regular sights a chore.
parade of wildlife including turkeys, squirrel, blue
At times deer do not move when the magic hour jays and hopefully a big buck.
arrives, especially if the day is calm with no wind.
I prefer to wear my Cabelas Alaskan guide
You know the kind of weather where you can hear
LED headlamp for early morning hunts, late evea dog bark two miles away and a squirrel playing in ning and tracking or following a blood trail after
leaves seems extra loud. On super quiet days deer
dark. The light is powerful, has several beam adlike to wait until complete darkness because they
justments and straps on my head leaving my hands
know that their movement will make enough noise
free to carry gun, archery gear or drag out a buck.
to alert any predators. So, they sit tight and huntMorning hunts are difficult for me because Im
ers do not see them and local coyote arent chasing a bit of a night owl. But the idea is to be in your
them.
stand at least 45 minutes before dawn. This gives
The magic hour can be at daylight or sunset.
the woods a chance to calm after your rude human
Some smart hunters only hunt during this producintrusion. Savvy hunters set up on travel routes,
tive period and spend the warm noon weather in
over bait or feeding locations or between feeding
camp drinking a cold one, resting, cooking and
and bedding spots. It is a difficult task to beat a
waiting for fading evening light to get bucks rockmature buck to his bed room; most have finished
in. Low hanging clouds can extend the productive feeding and are back in hiding locations a couple
low-light condition in the morning and afternoon
hours before sunset. Still, you can ambush some
clouds can get deer moving early.
dandy bucks by being fully prepared and in an
While deer are sensitive to bright light it is not
ambush position just as daylight arrives and bucks
uncommon for them to bed down in the middle of
are still active.
rolling open fields, stubble corn or tall grass. As a
Perhaps my most productive hunts have been
rule bucks prefer shade and will lay in the shade of during the magic hour after I have spotted a bruiser
a tree rather than out in the open where the sun can or know where one is bedded. I approach the stand
be relentlessly hot. Michigan bucks love the cover
at stalking speed, make very little noise and set up
offered by alder patches and cedar swamps. The
overlooking the exact location where Mr. Big is
low hanging branches of cedars offer thick shade
taking a nap. When he gets up to stretch and begins
from sunlight and the needles form a soft bed used
night movement Ill be there and with one accurate
for day time beds.
shot its lights out when I smoke him with a perfect
Obviously if you want to fill your buck tag at
shot.
lightning speed you want to be in the woods in
What about you, are you fully prepared to
time to take advantage of low light conditions.
take down a buck in the wee hours of daylight or
Mid-day look for deer activity in low lands espesunset? Dont overlook the fun filled shooting
cially
swamps
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by
thick
alders,
cattails
excitement at dawn on opening of gun season. In
Early morning found this beautiful 8-point out chasor
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that
offer
shade
to
conceal
the
movement
Michigan its a hoot!n
ing a doe nibbling on twigs. Author photos
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Youth Hunt Success!
I have hunted for two years and hadnt taken a deer because I wanted my first deer to be a buck. So, this was our last year to participate in the youth hunt we were all excited and plan to a new spot on state land
with my friend Austin Crum and my boyfriend Cody Corey. The three of us shoot competitive IBO Archery with my brother and have a great time. Saturday, I had a volleyball tournament and couldnt hunt, but Austin
did and took a nice 8 point (far right). He and his dad did a lot of scouting and found a great area but they still had to belly crawl through tall grass to get a good shot. The buck weighed 192 pounds with a spread
of 15.5 inches. Austins last year of the youth hunt was a huge success and got him a huge buck and great memories were made with him and his dad that will last a lifetime. After the volleyball tournament my dad
and I decided to get in a quick evening hunt and werent expecting to see anything, especially after the shooting we heard. We were whispering back and forth and with a mouthful of goldfish crackers I spotted a
nice buck in front of us. Remembering everything Ive been taught, with a perfect shot the 9-point dropped right there. Wow, there was lots of celebrating and we even played a joke on my mom. When Cody came
over I told him the he needs to shoot in my spot tomorrow and hopefully you will get one. He said Ill never beat yours...lol! At 4:15 a.m. Sunday we were off to state land on Harsens Island. I have a nub antler
necklace from Stones-n-Bones and its my lucky charm that I wore when I shot mine so I gave it to Cody to wear for his hunt. Well, it sure was lucky and he shot a bigger monster than me! Of course he said that
sure was a lucky charm! He took a massive 12 point! I admit I was a little jealous! I dont think I will ever see a deer that big but IM very happy that he got this trophy! We were nearly two miles from our truck and
it took us about three hours to get him out of the woods. Good thing my dad had brought a sled. His family and plenty of friends were there to greet Cody and check out the trophy buck. It was a crazy-amazing
weekend for all three of us! A weekend we will never, ever forget! I love being in the outdoors! (Note: Abbey Obrzut was featured in the August issue of Woods-N-Water News written By Tricia Croney
By Abbey Obrzut
Left: Danielle
Bowles, a 15 year
old Livingston
County resident and
a long time hunter,
took this deer while
hunting with her
dad Danny Bowles
on Sunday night of
the youth hunt. The
beautiful 13 pointer
was taken in Northern Oakland Co.
12
Right: Ten-year-old
Keaton Keeler took
this heavy beamed
monster buck hunting Montcalm Co.
during the youth
hunt Sept. 20.
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NSF Grant Awarded to CMU, SVSU and Delta College Will Continue...
Kawkawlin River Watershed Study

T
An excellent example of this is
the work that Delta and SVSU students are conducting on the Kawkawlin River, part of the Saginaw Bay
Watershed, the largest watershed in
Michigan. This important
work, with primary sampling
and analysis being conducted by students (overseen
by faculty in the chemistry
and biology disciplines), has
resulted in usable data that is
reported to the Michigan Department of Environmental
Quality and area stakeholders and interested
non-profit groups
and organizations.
It is then used to apply management
(including BMP Best Management Practices) of the watershed to
help with issues such as hypoxic
(lack of oxygen in water known as
D.O or dissolved oxygen) conditions in some reaches of the river.
These dead zones obviously have a
serious impact on the river system as
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near or along the river) as well as

occasional users such as fishermen/
women are very interested in finding
out what is causing some of these areas and obviously would like to them
remediated. In other words, what can
be done to fix it? The answer(s)
may be found, or at least partially
identified, by the work currently being done by the students at Saginaw
Valley State University and Delta
College. Working together the two
institutions have formed a collaborative approach to a local situation.
This makes the collection of data
by the students more meaningful.
Its not just a cook-book lab that the
chemistry and biology students conduct which adds real interest in the
process and therefore the learning.
The work on the Kawkawlin is
only one example how the emphasis
on STEM education has real impact
on all of us. Its the old win-win
situation all around. The environment and fishery is being enhanced,
students conduct real-world assess-
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a whole. Some of the reported summer fish-kills have been attributed

to these dead zones. Fingers have
been pointed at nutrient loading from
farming practices (fertilizers both
natural and synthetic), poor
or malfunctioning septic
systems, sedimentation and
riparian vegetation removal
(resulting in increased water
temperatures).
In the past, through
other funding sources, students have been sampling
and analyzing water quality (such as D.O.,
nutrients, physical parameters) as
well as macro invertebrates (larger
bottom dwelling organisms such as
insects, snails, crayfish, etc.) to assess conditions at various locations
throughout the river system. This
will now continue with the NSF grant
which will allow for more students to
have this field experience.
Riparian residents (people living
Expires 11-13-15
he National Science Foundation (NSF) recently awarded

a 3-year grant to assist
students, faculty and staff at
Central Michigan University
(CMU), Saginaw Valley University (SVSU) and Delta College
in Science, Technology, Engineering
and Math (STEM) related education
and research. The grant provides the
Science Divisions (centered in the biology and chemistry disciplines) with
funding to support efforts to collaborate and work across curriculums
by integrating early (at the freshman
level and beyond) real-world laboratory experiences tied to a specific
area of study. Students enrolled in
biology and chemistry courses at all
three institutions have already begun
to work and learn together on labs
that include sampling and analysis of
water quality, wetlands, and stream/
river systems. This has resulted in
usable data that is shared with stakeholders and regulatory agencies to
assist in ecosystem management.
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learning component to their education, the MDEQ/regulatory community receives valuable/usable data,
and area populations are positively
impacted and obviously the river
and the organisms that live there are
the ultimate winners in this. As Dr.
Bernadette Harkness, Delta College
Associate Professor of Chemistry,
states: Our college students realize
the positive impact they can have on
an entire system in the local environment that has larger implications.
As a result, our institutions of higher
education will be producing a more
educated and experiential leaned
group of students as a direct result of
this funding.
Delta College has a long-ago
established Environmental Technology Program that incorporates these
learning and research opportunities
for its students. SVSU, through the
efforts of Dr. David Karpovich and
others, has established the Saginaw
Bay Environmental Science Institute
(SBESI) with research vessel(s) and
other equipment that has greatly
enhanced opportunities for students,
faculty and staff. Headed by Dr.
Don Uzarski, Central Michigan University has an excellent biological
station on Beaver Island (CMUBS)

that incorporates the Institute for
Great Lakes Research (IGLR) where
research is conducted on all of the
Great Lakes.
Other partners in education, such
as Alma College, are also enhancing
their STEM programs. Institutions
are collaborating like never before,
not only along institutional lines,
but through blending of curriculum in various disciplines (biology,
chemistry, geology, etc.). Through
partnerships with area non-profits,
as well as business and industry,
colleges and universities are increasing their positive impact on communities. This can only enhance the
learning experience for our college
students.
It is important to note that other
grants and funding sources are also
being pursued to ensure that this
work will be sustainable. This will
positively impact our critical natural
resources well into the future.
For further information: Dr. David Karpovich, SVSU, SBESI, dsk@
svsu.edu. Dr. Don Uzarski, CMU,
IBLR/CMUBS, uzarskid@cmu.
edu. Professor Wendy Baker, Delta
College, Environmental Tech. Prog.
Coordinator, wjbaker@delta.edun
Delta College and SVSU student Shayna Streu collects macro invertebrates
from a benthic water sample. Author photo
15
DNR answers questions about

status of Lake Michigan fishery
T
Saginaw Bay
fish survey
he Michigan Department of Natural Resources has posted a twopage document to its website to
provide updated information about the
current status of the Lake Michigan
fishery.
This document, in an effort to better inform anglers and the public, answers many of the questions the DNR
frequently receives regarding Lake
Michigans salmon populations and
Will the stocking cuts and possession limits be enough?

Why wont Chinook salmon eat
gobies?
We believe the questions answered in this document will paint a
clearer picture about what sportfish
populations in Lake Michigan really
look like and what that means for
anglers who pursue them, said DNR
Fisheries Division Chief Jim Dexter.
16
his month the Michigan Department

of Natural Resources completed
its 45th annual survey of the fish
community of Saginaw Bay. The survey
included both trawling and gillnetting
and will gauge the abundance and health
of fish populations in the bay.
The timing of late summer or
early fall allows us to assess how much
reproduction or recruitment has taken
place for the year, as well as the overall
abundance of older age groups, said
Dave Fielder, DNR fisheries research
biologist. The use of the same methods
each year allows us to detect real population changes in each species.
This survey annually produces data
necessary to gauge the effects of fisheries
management actions and invasive species
on bay fish populations. While the DNR
does other work in Saginaw Bay such
as walleye tagging projects, creel surveys
and habitat work this fish community
study is the departments primary look at
the status of the fish populations.
This study has supplied much of the
information that recently led the DNRs
Fisheries Division to recommend new
regulation changes for walleye and yellow perch. For example, this surveys
trawling (conducted by staff from the
Lake St. Clair Fisheries Research Station) revealed poor survival of young
perch and continuing low abundance of
native forage species.
This information drove our decision
to recommend liberalizing the recreational walleye fishery, said Fielder.
Long-term surveys such as this one
are critical to understanding fish communities and how they are changing. It
takes about two to three weeks and two
research vessels (the R/V Chinook out of
Alpena and the R/V Channel Cat out of
Lake St. Clair) to complete. This years
survey is the last sampling activity for
the R/V Chinook, which is retiring after
68 years of service on Lake Huron and
is to be replaced in 2016 by the new R/V
Tanner.
It will be a while before we have the
full results of this survey since there is a
lot of follow-up lab work to do, such as
aging the fish we sampled, Fielder said.
Preliminary observations showed
improved yellow perch numbers at two
sampling sites in the inner bay, a strong
group of young walleye, and continued
low abundances for native forage species
including spottail shiners and trout-perch.
For more information about this
particular survey, please contact Dave
Fielder at 989-356-3232 ext. 2572 or
Mike Thomas at 586-465-4771.n
how fisheries managers are addressing

their declines.
The document Lake
Michigan Fishery Update can
be found at michigan.gov/fishing.
Questions within the document
include:
Why is the DNR managing for
less salmon in Lake Michigan?
Will Lake Michigan follow Lake
Huron?
Additional work that were doing

including both angler and
fish assessments and fish modeling
will continue to add to this picture
and give us better ideas about future
steps to ensure Lake Michigan
continues to maintain its world-class
fishing reputation.
For even more information on
fishing in Michigan, visit michigan.
gov/fishing.n
Fatal treestand accident Oct. 1
he MDNR said a 45-year-old Ohio

man died after falling from his
treestand Oct. 1 in Huron County.
The name of the man is being withheld, pending notification of family
members.
At about 10 a.m. a DNR conservation officer arrived at the Verona State
Game Area, responding to a call made
by the victims hunting partner.
The officer and personnel
responding from Central Huron
Ambulance in Bad Axe performed
CPR. The man was pronounced dead
at the scene.
Preliminary investigation revealed
the victim had shot a deer and had
unfastened his safety harness to climb
down from his treestand. He was found
lying next to a tree.
The complete circumstances surrounding the fall are still being determined. The cause of death is pending
conclusive determination by the Huron
County medical examiner.
The roughly 7,700-acre Verona
State Game Area is located about 6
miles east of Bad Axe.n
DNR seeks information on deer

killed in city of Norton Shores
DNR COs are asking for the

publics help in obtaining information about 18 deer that were
killed in the city of Norton Shores
between October 2014 and September
2015.
The Norton Shores Police Department and the DNR have received the
following reports:
A resident in the area of Treeline
Drive found one dead deer Oct. 26,
2014, and two dead deer May 14,
2015.
On Aug. 31, 2015, a resident on
Easthill Drive reported finding a dead
deer in the yard, and a total of 11
dead deer since February 2014.
On Sept. 13, 2015, the Easthill
Drive resident found two more dead

deer.
A resident on Hilltop Drive also
reported finding two dead deer since
last year.
The deer were shot with a smallcaliber rifle. Most of the deer were
killed outside of the states deer hunting seasons.
Anyone with information about
any of these incidents is encouraged
to call the DNRs Report All Poaching (RAP) Line at 1-800-292-7800.
Information may be left anonymously.
Tips also can be sent to the DNR via
the online reporting form available on
the DNR website www.michigan.gov/
conservationofficers.n
Man suffers
minor injuries in
suspected bear
attack in Clare Co.
he MDNR announced that a

46-year-old man was injured
Thursday evening in a suspected
attack by a black bear in Greenwood
Township, Clare County. The man was
treated for minor injuries at a local
hospital and released.
At approximately 7:30 p.m., the
man was alone in a ground blind,
hunting for porcupine. The man said a
black bear came from behind, knocked
him over and attacked him. Using his
hunting knife, the man stabbed the
bear, which scared it off. The bear is
thought to be injured.
The DNR was informed about 45
minutes later. Sgt. Jon Wood spoke
with the individual and advised him
to seek medical attention. The DNRs
Law Enforcement Division is continuing to investigate the incident.
The DNR is placing a bear trap in
the area. The DNR is asking the public
to be mindful of the departments
efforts to capture the bear. If a bear
is sighted in the area of Greenwood
Township where the incident occurred,
please contact the DNRs Report All
Poaching (RAP) Hotline, 800-2927800.
Michigan has an estimated black
bear population of 8,000 to 10,000
bears, with 90 percent of the population in the Upper Peninsula. Bear
frequent locations in this area of Clare
County, where this attack occurred.
The DNR reminds the public that
black bears are generally fearful of
humans and will usually leave if they
become aware that people are present. Here are some important facts
to remember when you are in an area
where bears may be present:
To avoid surprising bears, travel
in small groups and make noise.
If you encounter a bear, stand
your ground and then slowly back
away. Do not turn away. Do not show
fear and dont run. Do not play dead.
Make yourself look bigger and
talk to the bear in a stern voice.
If actually attacked, fight back
with a backpack, stick, or bare hands.
Carry pepper spray, which has
been shown to be effective in fending
off bear attacks.
For additional information on living
with bears, visit the DNR website at
www.michigan.gov/bear.n
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Is 100 percent stealth possible?

Deer Hunting 2015...Sound Advice -- Part II
We somehow think were

protected from the
whitetails keen senses
by just using camouflage
(to get past their eyes)
and scent concealment
(to get past their noses), when deer have a
third highly honed sense
(hearing) they use
very well to keep
us from success...
once had a friend who wanted a

log cabin in the northern wilderness. Like many of us, he wanted
a place he could get away from the
noise, hunt and never see another
person, and where fish had never
seen a lure before. As the coffee can
filled up, he finally found the perfect
spot and immediately hired a contractor to start building the cabin of his
dreams.
Several months later, my friend
invited me along for a short
fishing trip to check it out
for the first time. We were
amazed! The log walls were
the finest wed ever seen,
thick and sure to keep out
any amount of cold and
wind. The roof was strong
with sturdy steel that would
protect those inside
from snow and rain
of the great North.
However, where huge skylights, sliding doors, and postcard view picture
windows should have beenthere
was nothing! Just holes and gaping
openings in the walls. Naturally, we
thought nothing of it and went to bed
not worrying at all about possible rain,
wind, bugs, and any wild animal that
could just walk right into the place.
After all, we had a good roof and solid
walls, and that was good enough?
Are you kidding me? Of course we
wouldnt do that, and no sane person
would!
Unfortunately, just like a cabin
with the windows and doors missing,
we hunters have been walking around
with huge holes in our defenses. We
Going slow in dry leaves is key to drastically decreasing hunt-busting noises. Author photos
somehow think were protected from
the whitetails keen senses by just using camouflage (to get past their eyes)
and scent concealment (to
get past their noses), when
deer have a third highly
honed sense (hearing) they
use very well to keep us from
success. And just like my
friends cabin, ignoring this
lack of protection has major
consequences!
There is something
new in deer hunting,
its called sound concealment. In my first article I shared
two rules to help hunters get past a
deers ears, and the real possibility of
reaching 100 percent stealth. If you
missed them, you really need to check
them out at soundbarrierhunting.com.
In this article, I will continue to delve
into the little-known science of deer
hearing, as we attempt to reach that
next level as a hunter and never be
heard again!
By Adam Lewis
18
Sound Concealment Rule #3

Go Slow!
Most hunters get to their hunting

spot way too quickly. Maybe out of
pure excitement, or trying to sneak a
hunt in after work, we rush in getting
to our stand. This reveals a sound

principle you can probably identify
with: when we dont allow enough
time, we make way too much noise.
First of all, we need to plan our
hunts so we have enough time. Ive
found that if we slow down our approach and really taking our time,
that we can cut the noise we make
by at least half. I call this the Rule of
Halves, and it works! If it will take
you ten minutes normally to get to
your stand, take twenty, if fifteen,
take thirty, etc. When doing this,
watch where your foot lands each
footstep. Be sure there are no twigs
or excessive leaves that will increase
the amount of noise you make. Look
for bare patches of dirt that wont
make noise, stumps or logs you can
step on, or grass patches that will be
quieter than the alternative. Now look
up at eye level. Its not just your feet
that make noise! Notice each branch
or twig that will scrape your arm,
backpack or weapon. Plan and prevent
by slowly avoiding these, instead of
blasting through them and sounding
like a giant wind chime!
Lets take it up a notch. Not only
should we slow our approach to
decrease noise, but also slow down
each step, applying the Rule of Halves
here! In the case you cant avoid all

leaves and still have to step on some
twigs, cutting the time it takes to place
your foot down by at least half will
dramatically decrease noise you make,
and increase stealth. On clear days,
seemingly insignificant noises can
travel very far!
During gun season a few years ago
I remember a particularly crisp and
clear morning. A heavy frost made
the leaves especially crunchy, and as
the first rays of light darted through
the woods, I heard it: loud crunching
in the leaves. I got my gun up and
waited as the crunching got louder
and louder. Finally, the noisy creature
got close and I could catch glimpses
of something through my scope and
thats when I quickly put down my
gun because I realized it was another
hunter! Apparently, the neighbor had
walked all the way from his house a
quarter mile away, through his woods,
along the edge of the property (with
NO hunter orange on which is illegal
and very dangerous) and I had heard
every single step!
This is true when we enter and
exit our stands too. However, if you
slow it down, take a really slow step
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Sound concealment practices must be in place before we jump the noisy gate
and head afield.
100% stealth:
from page 18
effectively crushing one leaf at a time

and extending the time of impact of
your foot, this decreases the noise
level significantly! So, GO SLOW!
Sound Concealment Rule #4

Use Cover Sound
20
Ive been hunting over twentythree years, and over that time I have
learned quite a few things. Probably
one of the biggest things Ive learned
is utilizing whats going on around
me, in particular what Ive termed,
cover sound.
A few seasons ago I was walking back to a new spot in a stand of
poplars near an old overgrown field.
As I tried to walk quietly in, a flock
of thousands of blackbirds came and
landed in the trees near my stand,
cackling and making incredible
amounts of noise. In fact, they were
making so much noise that I could
have been driving a tank and no deer
in the area would have heard me. The
blackbirds were covering any noise I
was making, and I could very quickly
and easily get to my stand without
any deer knowing I was there.
Now, this is not always the case,
but utilizing natural cover sounds like
wind gusts, planes flying overhead,
a car driving by, and various other
nearby noises can be leveraged to
your advantage to help conceal your
presence. Simply take your steps,
make your movements, when these
sounds occur.
A few years ago I was turkey
hunting on a particularly thick prop-
19
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erty in Tennessee. On the drive into

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the property I noticed several turkeys
already out in the field, making it
nearly impossible to get into position.
However, I decided to try a risky stalk
through the thick tangle of woods
to see if I could close the distance.
20070610
Utilizing tip # 3 (GO SLOW) I took
FREE
20070610
20070610
a good forty minutes to carefully plan
COVER
my route and pick my way through
the woods. When a plane flew over,
a wind gust blew through the leaves,
Combo Pack
or a squirrel added a cover sound, I
utilized this to make up some time or
Combo Pack
Combo Pack
conceal an inevitable noisy step I had
vu50
Digital Game Camera Blade
to take. As I finally reached the field
edge, I realized my worst nightmare.
PeRFeCt
FOR
tHe
HUNt
OR JUst tO WatCH tHe
vu50
vu50
Digital
Game
Blade X4
Digital Game
Camera
BladeCamera
X4
In my haste to get out of the truck I
had loaded my gun, but not racked PeRFeCt FOR
PeRFeCt
FOR tHe
HUNttO
ORWatCH
JUst tO
tHe WIlDlIFe
tHe HUNt
OR JUst
tHeWatCH
WIlDlIFe
a shell into the chamber. To do so
now would surely alert the bird, but
what could I do. I decided to wait for
a cover sound to disguise me. After
several minutes of patience, I had
99
my break, as a loud plane flew over
reg. $
giving me my window of opportunity.
The plan worked and a few minutes
99 SIZES
99 $
reg.
reg. $
MED-2X
later I had one of the largest birds
Ive ever taken on the ground.
This works with all animals, and
these rules can be a game changer
for you if you can go slow and utilize
cover sound! Next time, I will share
three more tips you wont find anywhere else on sound concealment.
Join us at soundbarrierhunting
com, for new video tips and deer
hearing science. Until then, make the
decision to take your hunting to a
new level and never be heard again!n
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21
Next Bite...By Gary Parsons and Keith Kavajecz
22
ver the past thirty years, anglers fishing open water have
embraced improvements to
old stand-by products and
have incorporated the use
of technology such as sonar,
electronic contour maps and GPS into
their tool chest of fish catching gear.
In recent years ice fishermen have
also seen improvements made to their
rods, reels, line and lures. Now they
are also able to transfer some of the
same technology used on their boats
to the ice. The result is a change in
how we find and catch fish in the
winter.
For anglers who like to target
the early ice bite, fall is the best time
to prepare for hard water. Begin by
taking your boat out to the lakes you
want to target over the winter. The
same places holding fishing into the
fall are often the same places you will
find fish during your first trips out on
hard water.
We like to begin our preseason
scouting by driving over these targeted areas in a grid-like pattern to
record our sonar logs to an SD card
on our Lowrance unit. Upon returning
home we upload the data from the SD
card to the Lowrance Insight Genesis
program, which creates a custom map.
This map is then saved back to the SD
card to be used on future fishing trips.
The cool thing about the map is
that it allows you to identify small
points and holes that you never knew
existed on areas that you have fished
for years.
In addition, it gives you the ability
to pinpoint key areas of structure that
produce fish during early ice with a
color-coded composition map. The
darker areas indicate a hard bottom,
while lighter colors indicate a soft bottom. Favorite areas to target include
rock reefs, transitions from hard bottom into mud, sunken islands and hard
gravel break lines.
With your homework done, it
is just a matter of waiting for safe
ice. We wont go out unless there is
at least four inches, and often wait
until there is a solid six inches of ice.
Safety gear is a must, including wearing ice picks and a Clam IceArmor
Cold Weather Lift Suit.
It is important to constantly check
the depth of the ice as you venture

out. If it is less than four inches, turn
around and come back when it is
safe. Once there is enough ice to take
a snowmobile out, be sure to pack a
Nebulus Emergency Flotation Device.
This product can be a lifesaver should
you break through the ice on your
sled.
Now that you have made it to your
spot, it is time to put the maps you
created with Insight Genesis to work.
It is critical to drill several holes over
the structure you intend to fish. More
holes mean more mobility. By being
able to hop from hole to hole, you
increase your ability to find active
fish. It will also allow you to move
with the fish as they slide on and off
the structure throughout the day.
Once the fish have been located,
we like to set up several dead sticks
to thoroughly cover the structure we
are fishing, in addition to setting up
for jigging over other holes. In the
early part of the ice fishing season
the fish can still be in their aggressive fall feeding frenzy. One of the
most productive baits for triggering
these aggressive bites are what we call
Glide Baits, such as Moonshine Lures
Shiver Minnow. This minnow-like
jigging lure has a dramatic side-toside darting movement when jigged,
giving you great horizontal coverage
of the area under your ice hole. The
Shiver Minnow comes in various sizes
and colors, including long lasting
glow patterns that are excellent during
the prime times of dusk and dawn.
A really neat gadget we use while
ice fishing is a product by JT Outdoors called the Hot Box. This heated
aluminum box keeps holes open up to
20 degrees below zero!
Not only can you jig over the Hot
Box, but you can also use it with a
dead stick. New this year is a 36 custom dead stick from JT Outdoors that
has an integral Nitinol (an alloy blend
of nickel and titanium) spring bobber that is virtually indestructible and
kink resistant. It also contains a highly
visible indicator bead at the end to let
you know when you have a strike. The
rod itself is a high-grade fiberglass
with a super slow action. This provides a parabolic action, which allows
the rod to load ultra-subtly.
In recent years ice fishermen have also seen improvements made to their
rods, reels, line and lures. Now they are also able to transfer some of the
same technology used on their boats to the ice. The result is a change in how
we find and catch fish in the winter.
When the fish grabs the bait,
the spring bobber and rod loads the
fish. When the fish begin to feel this
tension, they react by trying to swim
away, which in turn puts further load
on the rod and the fish end up setting
the hook themselves! The length and
long bend of the rods give plenty of
time for anglers to get to the hole and
land the fish. Not only can no other
method or set-up match the sensitivity of this system, but it gives anglers
the ability to spread out lines as they
would tip-ups, yet be able to fight the
fish with a rod instead of pulling it up
hand over hand.
We often leave our electronics in
a hole by the dead stick since we can
monitor fish activity from a distance
with the Lowrance HDS-7 Gen3 GoFree App. This really neat app allows
you to use a tablet or smartphone to
control and view the unit wirelessly
from the house or the shack. It is
amazing how many times a walleye
will come investigate the minnow on

the end of your line and then swim
away. If you see this happening on the
GoFree App, you can run out to the
hole and try jigging the fish up.
The early ice season can produce
some strong winds and the last couple
hours before dark can become very
chilly. There are a variety of Clam
one-man portable ice shacks that can
keep you warm in the worst conditions. They are light weight, easy to
pull, and can carry all of your gear.
They offer a lot of headroom, which
is great for taller fishermen and allows
for hook-sets to be made without
hitting the roof of the shack with the
pole.
With a little preparation and
the right strategy, the early ice fishing season can produce some of the
best fishing of the year. Be safe, be
prepared and you will kick off your
winter on the ice with a great amount
of success!n
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2015 2075 TYEE MAGNUM
23
Michigan Meanders...By Tom Huggler
Same thing
happened to me
Looks like you could
use some company...
Same thing happened
to me...
before, my friend Ken and I found

plenty of sign, including a pair of
enormous scrapes a quarter-mile
apart. We split up early on the morning of opening day, agreeing to post
the scrapes until Old Luther showed
John Prine, 1995 up or it was too dark to hunt.
Eight hours in a ground blind can
m not much of a deer hunter and take a lot out of a guy, especially if
never claimed to be. No Boonies hes the restless type and no deer are
with their massive antlers stare
moving. Luckily, I had brought along
down at visitors to our family
a good novel to occupy the long,
room. Never shot a buck with
quiet hours (every stump sitter knows
enough bone to use for serious
that reading or sleeping is the kiss of
rattling although Ive missed some
death). It was about 4:30 in the afterheartbeat skippers. But heres the
noon when shadows were gathering
irony: Now that Im older and dont
and a chill had descended on the leafcare whether or not I shoot a buck,
littered woods. Suddenly I heard the
Im having the best success of my
unmistakable crunch of boots walking
deer-hunting life.
through Frosted Flakes. Knowing
It sure didnt use to be that way.
it was Ken, I lowered the book but
Ever leave your stand just before
didnt bother to pick up my rifle.
a monster buck crept by and someone
I saw the antlers first. Its always
else got to shoot it? I have.
that way with a big one, and this felEver miss a wall-hanger because
low would have made the cover of
you got buck fever and fumbled the
Outdoor Life. Thirty feet away he
safety on your gun? Sure did.
stepped into a natural shooting lane,
Ever fog your scope because you
a trail actually, and lowered his head
were panting with excitement and
to sniff the ground. Then, sensing
couldnt find the crosshairs? Guilty as he wasnt alone, he snapped to while
charged.
turning to look me in the eye. What
About 40 years ago I missed the
prompted his alarm bell? Was it the
buck of my life while hunting from
blood rushing into my brain?
a tent camp on Drummond Island.
As though daring one another to
While scouting the area the week
blink, we stared for two, maybe three
The author finally killed a mountable animal, a typical 8-point he shot on Anti-
24 costi Island in Quebec. Author photo
The author thought; maybe he tried too hard as a young deer hunter. Maybe
he didnt try hard enough. Author photo
minutes. I recall my eyes watering
while I slowly, s-l-o-w-l-y reached for
my gun and in super-slow motion got
it up and halfway to my shoulder. Im
sure I was trembling, and maybe thats
what triggered him to suddenly leap
into the air, spin halfway around and
run away down the trail.
Like a puff of brown smoke, he
was here, there and gone. I managed
to get off three futile rounds from the
.35 Remington pump and still have
the empty casings somewhere in a
desk drawer. I dont remember what I
was reading that day so long ago, but
I can recall the incident as though it
happened yesterday.
So, I learned to keep the gun in
my lap and to pull up ready to shoot
at the sound of anything approaching.
But thats not why I missed another
nice buck on Drummond Island a
few years later. I was ready that cold
morning of falling snow when the
silent 6-point appeared ghostlike at
20 yards. It was buck fever, pure and
simple, that caused my scope to fog
over.
Leaving the blind early one afternoon in Mecosta County, I learned
that another hunter took my place and
shot a 12-point buck. Same thing happened in Presque Isle County although
that deer was only an 8-point.
Because its hard for me to sit still
for long, deer often see me before I
see them. One year I got the crazy
idea to hang a couple of rear-view
truck mirrors from trees in front of my
blind so I could see behind me without having to turn around. That little
gimmick backfired when incoming
deer could see me chewing an apple
and watch me blow my nose. They
would run off as soon as we spotted
each other. I took the mirrors down
and never used them again.

Maybe you, too, know hunters
who have shot so many deer they
have lost track of the numbers. Well,
I cant remember the number of bucks
I have missed and chances I have
blown. But things changed a few
years ago when I quit chasing taillights heading north on November 14
and began hunting my own property
in Ionia County. Way back in 1959
when I started deer hunting, everyone
went north. Today, there are more
deer and bigger deer in southern
Michigan.
Theory: The more deer you see,
the less chance for buck fever. In recent years I have gotten used to seeing
deer in the back yard and had to fence
our garden to keep them out. Deep
into winter, they will eat the shrubbery around our home. They mow
down my tender hostas in spring, nip
my roses in summer and have killed
my newly planted fruit trees in fall.
However, buck fever also began to
fade when I finally killed a mountable animal, a typical 8-point I shot on
Anticosti Island in Quebec about 15
years ago.
Buck fever went away for good
when I realized it no longer matters
if I dont score. I just like being out
there and I can hunt any day of the
firearm or muzzleloader season I want
(my bird dogs talked me into giving
up bowhunting 30 years ago). The
result? During the past decade or so,
Ive managed to kill a buck nearly
every year.
Maybe I tried too hard as a young
deer hunter. Maybe I didnt try hard
enough. This much I know: When I
told my story to a friend, he laughed
and said, Thats funny. Same thing
happened to me.n
14510 N. Saginaw Rd.

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Ph. (810) 564-3142

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25
FALLS
BIGGEST
FISH!
Chris Wilt
First Place Sturgeon
70 7/8 inches 100 plus pounds
Greg Pacholek
Second Place
70 1/8 inches
wo sturgeon fisherman were sitting in their

boat talking after the battle of their lives.
Wow that was one huge fish! One said,
while holding his hands out as far apart as
he could.
His fishing buddy said, Youre wrong
man, it was even bigger; your arms arent long
enough!
These two fisherman could well have been
Dave Gable and partner Chris Wilt, who captured
the $1500 first prize in the first annual North
Channel Sturgeon Classic catch and release fishing
tournament held September 26-27 in Clay Town-
By Don McChristian Jr.

and Jim Felgenauer
26
ship. This tournament was organized jointly by the

Pearl Beach Lions Club and St. Clair-Detroit River
Sturgeon for Tomorrow and featured a catered
Captains Dinner/Banquet on Friday night during
which tournament rules and proper fish handling
were explained. Actual fishing was from 6 p.m.
Saturday until 8 a.m. Sunday morning.
Sturgeon fishing is unknown to most anglers,
but is quickly gaining popularity as an exciting
and awesome fishery. The opportunity to catch the
biggest fish of your life is just part of the thrill!
Theres nothing like feeling a taptaptap on
your rod and then setting the hook and feeling a
heavy fish head shaking at the end of your line.
Then the sight of a 60 inch plus monster torpedoing out of the water and splashing back into the
depths to give you one of the best fights of your
life!
Most of the fishing for Sturgeon takes place
in the North Channel of the St. Clair River and
many consider Clay Township to be the Sturgeon
Angling Capitol of Michigan. This is with all due
respect to Onaway which is officially recognized
Mike Humbert
Third Place
70 inches
by passage of a house resolution as the Sturgeon
Capitol of Michigan.
In the St. Clair River has the biggest selfsustaining sturgeon fishery in the state of Michigan
that supports the longest hook and line as well
as charter fishing season for lake sturgeon. There
are more tagged fish reported each year as well as
more master angler fish from the St. Clair River

than anywhere else in our great state. The harvest
season opened July 16 and ran through September. Sturgeon can be also targeted on the St. Clair
River during October and November but must be
immediately released. Check the DNR website for
licensing requirements. The later it is into the sea-
son, the better the fishing gets. There

is no better time to catch the fish of a
lifetime than right now.
The start of the North Channel
Sturgeon Classic saw Dave Gable set
the bar high when he and Chris Wilt
landed a 70 7/8 inch lake sturgeon
with a huge girth. The weight of
this fish was well over 100 pounds.
Getting these huge fish into the boat
really is a team effort. The nineteen
other teams entered in the tournament reported an additional 32 fish
caught. More fish were caught but
not reported because they were too
small to place in the money. Anglers reported their catch by texting
pictures to the judges throughout the
night and hourly reports were given
by the judges to reduce excess handling of the fish. Greg Pacholek and
Mike Humbert fishing together as
Team Jerry Vranish fished hard to
land a 70 inch and a 70 1/8 inch fish.
This team took home both the $750
second and $250 third prizes.
Tournament boundaries were on
TriCountyEquipment.net
the North Channel of the St. Clair

River from near the south end of
Algonac to the mouth of the river
in Lake St. Clair. Most of this part
of the river is bordered by private
property so it is mostly a boat fishery. There is a large well maintained
DNR launch at the south end of
Algonac and another smaller launch
at the end of Anchor Bay Drive near
the downstream end of the North
Channel. This is a very busy waterway during the warm summer
months, especially on weekends.
During late fall as thoughts turn
more toward hunting and the weather
cools there will be days you might
have the river to yourself. Although
a lot of Sturgeon are caught during
the night they also do bite during
the day. Limited shore fishing is also
available on a public fishing pier
in Pearl Beach where sturgeon are
caught regularly. Bring sure to dress
warm during the chilly and windy
during late October and November.
If you have some salmon, muskie
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or catfish rods spooled with heavy

line you should be able to land a lake
sturgeon. Heavy sinkers are required
in deep water with heavy current.
Night crawlers, spot tail minnows,
golden shiners or cut bait are fished
on bottom using a slip sinker rig. A
large net will be needed. If you are
not familiar with how to properly
handle large fish a link can be found
on the St. Clair-Detroit River Sturgeon for Tomorrow website
http://www.stclairsturgeon.org.
Please do not forget that some of the
CARO
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LAPEER
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most amazing fall trophies do not

have antlers and they swim in the
depths of the St. Clair River.
For more information on future
North Channel Sturgeon Classic
Tournaments visit our website www.
northchannelsturgeonclassic.com
and follow us on Facebook www.
facebook.com/NorthChannelSturgeonClassic. The 2016 North Channel Sturgeon Classic Tournament is
already in the planning stages and
registration will start in the early
summer of 2016.n
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27
The author and his youngest son Jake often use

layout blinds to hunt in
skinny cover near the
water edge. Places where
the cover is sparse tend to
attract birds that quickly
learn to avoid cover heavy
enough to hide a hunter or
other predators.
One If By Land,Two If By Sea
n the Henry Longfellow poem

Paul Reveres Ride the message
one if by land and two if by sea
was intended to warn
colonial patriots of the
route the British were
taking on their advance to
Concord.
This pivotal moment in
American history gave the
patriots the advantage they
needed to face an overwhelming force. Waterfowl hunters after
pressured ducks and
geese need every
advantage as well to be consistently
successful. On dry land and also
water hunts the devil is in the details
that make it harder for approaching
waterfowl to smell a rat.
the higher profile blinds that are more

comfortable. With bag style blinds
the hunters gun must be outside of
the blind, so its critical that
those guns are either flat
black, film dipped camo or
spray painted a suitable camo
color.
The profile of layout
blinds is especially noticeable when hunting in corn
that was chopped for silage,
picked beans, peas
and other crops that
leave little or no
natural cover. Its
tough enough to hide from the wary
eyes of heavily hunted waterfowl,
little lone trying to accomplish this
feat without adequate cover.
When natural cover is lacking,
think outside the box and haul in
enough thatch to adequately cover the
blinds and blend them into the ground.
Raking up thatch from another field
and transporting it to the desired hunting location is a lot of work, but the
dividends pay off big time.
Make sure to match the thatch if
possible (corn to corn, peas to peas,
etc.) and to rake up enough thatch to
cover all the blinds completely. Its
also important to have some extra
thatch handy to cover the ground
By Mark Romanack
Hiding On Land
28
In many dry land waterfowl

hunting situations hiding a group of
hunters is the equivalent of trying to
hide a football team on the 50 yard
line! Even with the help of thatched
up low profile layout style blinds, the
outline of the blind remains above the
surface, easily noticeable to incoming
birds and a deal breaker.
Bag style layout blinds have a less
defined profile, but most hunters own
around the immediate area the blinds

are placed.
Once the blinds and immediate
area are thatched, use some decoys
to further break up the outline of the
blinds. When hunting with a group of
four it takes about two or three dozen
decoys to effectively mask four layout
blinds.
A final piece of concealment is
critical to hunting from layout blinds.
Have the hunters either paint their faces with camo makeup or wear a camo
face mask. The hunters face is the
most exposed part of their body when
layout hunting. As the birds approach
and circle, the hunters heads are on
swivels and without taking extra steps
to hide those faces many flocks that
may have closed will drift off to land
in another part of the field.
Nothing unnatural can be left
outside of the layout blinds. No shell
bags, no thermos bottle and no clothing rolled up and stashed behind the
blind. Make sure that every hunter
has all his personal gear stowed inside
his layout blind and away from the
watchful eyes of approaching ducks
and geese.
Hiding On Water
As difficult as it can be to hide

from waterfowl when field hunting,
it can be even tougher to accomplish

this goal over water. Pressured ducks
and geese tend to avoid the edges of
marshes where natural willow, cattail
and other cover makes it pretty easy to
create a hide.
Countless times Ive watched in
amazement as flocks of birds pitch
into a public marsh, only to circle two
or three times and then land in the
middle of the largest area of open water. Survival training has taught these
birds to avoid any cover tall enough to
hide a hunter.
When waterfowl get this wary it
takes some specialized tactics to close
them within shooting range. One option is to search for areas where the
natural cover along the water edge is
sparse enough to make hiding with
traditional upright blind designs impossible.
Over the years, Ive enjoyed some
amazing shoots by using thatched
layout blinds placed strategically
along the water edge. The keys to this
strategy are to find places along the
edge that birds are naturally landing,
resting or feeding. Its also important
to identify spots where the natural
cover is low or skinny enough to give
incoming birds confidence in landing
Waterfowl hiding page 30
Woods-N-Water News
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29
Waterfowl hiding:
from page 28
in these areas.
Another strategy is to move right
out into the open water or flooded
fields. A number of manufacturers
produce waterproof neoprene covers
for layout blinds that allow them to
be used in shallow water. MoMarsh
actually produces a layout blind
supported by adjustable legs that
enable the hunter to set up in water
up to about knee deep. This product
is called the AT-X Invisilay Hunting
Blind and it works great for hunting
in flooded fields and shallow natural
marshes.
The Muskrat Hut is yet another
unique blind designed to deal with
open water birds. This blind is essentially a float tube with a flip
style cover that allows the hunter to
position in open water and appear to
incoming birds as a harmless muskrat
hut. Thatched up and in the marsh,
this unique blind option allows hunters to set up in places that would be
impossible to hunt with traditional
blind designs.
Fully flocked floaters and full body decoys produce best on late season waterfowl. Author photos
Boat blinds are another option for
hunting wary waterfowl in open water. While it might seem unlikely that
ducks and geese will decoy to a boat
blind in open water, this set up works
amazingly well so long as the blind
completely hides the hunters as birds
circle to get an overhead view.
Having overhead cover that pre-
vents the birds from seeing down into

the blind is the key to hunting open
water with a boat blind. A number
of manufacturers produce blinds that
retro-fit to just about any hunting
boat. Some of these are made from
camo material that can be thatched
up with natural grasses and others are
made from palm blades weaved into
matts approximately four feet square
that can be attached together.
Many hunters prefer to make their
own floating blinds ranging from
flat bottom boats to pontoon boats
and everything else in between! All
of these options work so long as the
blind provides complete concealment.
Final Thoughts
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that mantle worthy 10 point buck!
As the season rages on and birds

get more and more beat up by hunters, the game changes. Early in the
season large spreads of decoys and
lots of aggressive calling will attract
and close birds. After those birds have
been shot at a few times, too much of
a good thing becomes a deal breaker.
Savvy late season waterfowl
hunters use fewer decoys and depend
on the most realistic blocks. Fully
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flocked floaters and field decoys do

an amazing job of resisting sheen and
unnatural reflections, making them
the obvious choice for late season
hunting.
Calling is still an important part
of attracting late season ducks and
geese, but the smart hunters call only
to birds that are obviously interested.
Calling less and toning down the
volume so as to sound more like a
bird and less like a calling instructional DVD really helps to sooth the
nervous nature of heavily hunted
waterfowl.
A closing thought plays to being realistic. As the season plays on
its going to get harder and harder
to close ducks and geese into point
blank shotgun range. Being content
with smaller bags comes with the
territory.
Late in the season the best hunting is going to be associated with
windy and nasty weather that forces
the birds to feed. Those bluebird days
in November are probably better
spent chasing walleye than blind,
decoy and call shy
mallards!n
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Nearly One Million Dollars Awarded...
2016 Wildlife Habitat

Grant recipients
Pheasants Forever (Lenawee),

$58,400
Allegan Conservation District
(Allegan), $34,769
Pheasants Forever (Gratiot),
$45,110
Ingham Conservation District
(Ingham), $15,044
Huron Pines (Cheboygan),
$64,387
Chippewa Nature Center (Midland), $23,990
Michigan United Conservation
Clubs, multiple (all Lower Peninsula), $99,400
Lapeer Conservation District
(Lapeer), $44,189
Sanilac Conservation District
(Sanilac), $29,000
The Wildlife Habitat Grant Program began in October 2013 and is
funded with a portion of the revenue
from hunting and fishing licenses
sold each year. The grant program
is administered by the DNR through
a cooperative effort between the
departments Wildlife Division and
Grants Management.
The grant programs main objective is to enhance and improve the
quality and quantity of game species
habitat in support of a specific goal
from the DNR Wildlife Divisions
strategic plan.
To learn more about the Wildlife
Habitat Grant Program, visit
www.michigan.gov/wildlife or
www.michigan.gov/dnr-grants.n
The 2015 Michigan Ruffed

Grouse and American Woodcock
Status Report now is available.
Since the 1950s, these surveys and
reports have provided the Department of Natural Resources with
the preseason population status of
ruffed grouse and woodcock.
This is going to be another
outstanding season for grouse and
woodcock hunting in Michigan,
said Al Stewart, DNR upland game
bird specialist. Hunters have some great opportunities in front of them.
Data collected from hunter cooperator surveys during 2014, mail harvest
surveys from the 2014 hunting season and 2015 spring breeding surveys
contributed valuable information about grouse and woodcock populations. The hunter cooperator survey is made possible through data collected by volunteer hunters and shared with the DNR. Those interested in
helping the DNR monitor grouse and woodcock populations can volunteer to complete a hunter cooperator survey. Its as simple as downloading the cooperator form and providing details regarding their hunt.
When hunting grouse and woodcock, location is the key. Hunters in
Michigan are encouraged to use the DNRs online mapping location, MiHUNT, to search for specific habitat types on public hunting lands. There
are multiple layers of information that can be turned on or off, depending
on the hunters needs. For example, users can view the different forest
types, topography, satellite imagery and road layers to help plan their
trip. See www.michigan.gov/mihunt for more details about this interactive mapping application.
The DNR also reminds hunters to check out the 14 GEMS (Grouse
Enhanced Management Sites) available this year to target their grouse
and woodcock hunting efforts, explore new locations and even get great
discounts from local businesses. The vegetation in these areas is managed
specifically to provide very good habitat for ruffed grouse and American
woodcock.
ARCHERY AND OUTDOORS
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he Michigan Department of Natural

Resources today announced the recipients
of the 2016 Wildlife
Habitat Grants. A total
of $910,000 was awarded to various
conservation organizations, units of
government, landowners and nonprofit organizations for projects to be
completed by Sept. 30, 2016.
Examples of funded projects
include enhancement of hunter walking trails, improved food sources for
upland-bird game species in several
locations across the state, as well as
increased food and shelter for whitetailed deer.
The successful applicants, the
counties in which their habitat projects will take place, and the amounts
awarded are:
National Wild Turkey Federation (Crawford/Oscoda), $81,095
Gratiot Conservation District
(Gratiot), $27,313
Pheasants Forever (Washtenaw/
Jackson), $ 57,815
Pheasants Forever (Huron), $
68,739
UP Whitetails Association
(Marquette), $24,500
Saginaw Conservation District
(Saginaw), $69,726
Ruffed Grouse Society, multiple
(all Lower Peninsula), $69,595
Gib King (Iosco), $47,041
Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe
of Michigan (Isabella), $49,887
Ruffed Grouse and American

Woodcock Status Report available
31
Proper Practice Helps Ensure Accuracy...
Slug Guns
for Deer
odays shotguns and slugs for

hunting big game, especially
whitetail deer, deliver performance almost on a par with
high-powered rifles.
The key word is almost. And with Michigans
firearm deer season starting
this month and the lower
third limited to slugs and
straight-jacket rifle rounds,
slug shooters had best do a
little practicing.
While slugs can be
extremely accurate, they
move much more slowly
than a rifle bullet, and
that has an impact on how you sight
your shotgun in for the season.
You have to pay attention to your
setup, says Brian Smith, a longtime
slug hunter and marketing director
for Lightfield Ammunition, maker
of several types of sabot slug loads.
You have to pay attention to how
you hold the fore-stock of the shotgun
down when youre sighting in your
scope. When youre in the field youre
not always resting it and you want to
make sure you sight your slug gun
in by holding it like youre going to
hold it when you take a shot to kill an
animal.
The problem is the powerful recoil
of a slow-moving, heavy slug causes
the barrel to jump before the projec-
tile is out of the barrel. At the range,

this action can be consistent enough
that you can get a tight group and
think your gun and scope is perfectly
accurate. But then you get
into the field, hold the barrel
down completely, put the
crosshairs on the vitals of a
deer, squeeze the trigger
and send the slug underneath
your target. The barrel didnt
jump.
Smith said the opposite
happened to him once when
hunting from a blind.
After being careful to
hold the forestock down
firmly when sighting the gun at the
range, when he readied to shoot a deer
from his ground-blind, he rested it on
the windowsill. When he shot, the barrel jumped and the slug went over the
animals back.
The key when sighting the shotgun and then shooting it when afield
is to make sure that all of the recoil
comes straight back, said Smith. That
means holding the front end of the
gun down firmly.
It goes against what a lot of us
learned when we first started shooting
long guns, and most of us learned with
.22s, Smith said. We were told we
were supposed to relax. With a slug
gun youve got to hold the fore-end
fairly tightly.
By Dave Mull
32
A nice, tight group of slugs is the goal for any hunter.
Holding the stock firmly against the shoulder helps reduce the punch of
recoil when sighting slugs. Author photos
Knowing the slugs trajectory is important, too. For example, Smith said
one of Lightfields most popular hunting loads can be sighted in to a tight
group at 100 yards. At 50 yards, the
slug will be 2-1/2 inches higher.
The trajectory is one reason Smith
says slug guns perform better with a
good scope, preferably one designed
for weapons with the harsher recoil
such as a slug gunscopes designed
for .22-caliber rifles probably wont
hold up to the jolt. While open, iron
sights work just fine, a scope will deliver better accuracy at longer ranges,
too.
Smith said hunters should consider getting a DSG. That stands
for Designated Slug Gun. Many
popular slug guns come in packages that include a short, rifled barrel
for slugs, and a longer smoothbore
barrel for shooting birdshot. Better
to have a shotgun thats dedicated to
slug shooting. If you switch barrels,
every time you switch back to the
slug barrel, you need to re-sight the
weapon. The same holds true if you
remove the rifled slug barrel to clean
the shotgunyou have to get back to
the range and make sure the gun can
shoot tight groups.
Smith also noted that its highly
important to sight inand huntwith
the same brand and load of slugs.
Slugs from different companies have
different trajectories and performance.
While shotguns with rifled barrels
are the best and most accurate when
shooting slugs, modern slug designs
can work better than passably well
when shot through a smoothbore barrelespecially at closer ranges. Smith
noted that one of Lightfields slugs
was developed to meet the criteria
of the United States Marine Corps,
which wanted a round that could take
out a human target at 150 yards

shot from a smoothbore shotgun. He
further stated that several companies
make screw-in invector chokes with
rifling to make slugs spin and improve
the projectiles downrange accuracy.
The important thing for the hunter
to learn is how accurate his particular
shotgunrifled or smoothboreis
with slugs. That knowledge helps
the particular hunter decide how far
away he shoot and cleanly harvest his
quarry.
Smith cautioned that first-time slug
shootersespecially young hunters
can develop a fear of shooting slugs
because of the recoil.
Were a big proponent of using
the (Caldwell) Lead Sled because the
recoil of slugs is greater than normal
buck shot and equals that of a high
powered rifle, said Smith, noting that
the firing range rifle holder can reduce
recoil to almost nothing. He emphasized once again that even with this
tool, the shooter must grip the foreend tightly and hold it down. He said
the Lead Sled is great for teaching
youths to shoot a slug.
When youre helping a young
person in slug gun states, you dont
want them to get scared of the gun,
so use the Lead Sled, says Smith,
whose three older daughters harvested
their first deer with slugs before they
were teenagers. When theyre in the
field their adrenaline is pumping and
theyre excited and they dont even
hear the shot, let alone feel the
recoil.
Slugs and shotguns are in a
category of their own for hunters.
Powerful means to reliably harvest
big game, the hunter who uses them
must spend some time at the range to
get to know their capacityand their
limitations.n
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Take I-75 N to Exit 313 (M-27 North)

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33
Dont humiliate
your huntin buddy
He seemed happy with
my praise, but deep down
I knew otherwise.
By Randy Jorgensen
ur newspaper office
is a technological
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I arrived early the other
morning to the office, well
before daylight. Like most
offices, ours is a maze of cubicles and
work areas. Filled with computers,
each casting a screensaver digital
image, as people do who work on
them all day long, they personalize
them via the screensaver feature. Its
a modern day photo gallery which
reflects a little about the person who
works there.

So as I fumbled and
stumbled my way through
the office to wake her up for
another day of newspapering, turning on lights and
unlocking doors. Id pause
for a moment to look at
computer screens. It was an
interesting study of people
who work in this office.
What I discovered that morning,
or simply took the time to think
about, was that our office has a life of
her own, even in the dark.
It is home during the day to 15 or
so talented souls who make their living in the fast paced, wacky world of
newspapering. Newspaper people are
creative people who can see and feel
Open Since 1987
Screensavers are a modern day photo gallery and reflects the person who
works there. And although a funny photo, dont humiliate your hunting buddy.
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As if it were yesterday, I recall the look on Roscoes

face that told me he didnt find it at all amusing.
more entertained by it all than
Roscoe was. I forced my loyal friend
to wear a golf cap, sunglasses and a
bandana as I snapped away at my
very own black and white photo sitcom.
As if it were yesterday, I recall
the look on Roscoes face that told
me he didnt find it all that amusing.
After each shot, Id say, Dats a
goooooood boy Roscoe, goooooood
boy.
He seemed to be happy with my
praise, but deep down I knew otherwise.
So, as the old pictures showed,
there sat Roscoe, looking back at me
in his unnatural splendor, one eye
peeking over the crooked sunglasses
balancing on his nose, giving me that
wishful look that I would go play in
traffic.
I know that was what he was
thinking and who could blame him.
Roscoe ran away shortly after
those pictures were taken. Never to
be seen again.
Im far more careful these days
not to humiliate my lovable and loyal
friends.
But there is just something
about a dog in a hat that sends
me into a deep belly laugh. And
laughter of course is the ultimate
medicine.
Recently as I searched the internet for a replacement to the elk I
have on my screensaver, I ran across
this photo which accompanies this

column. I can appreciate what this
photographer went through to get this
hilarious photo for others like me to
enjoy. And if you look real close this
Golden Retriever seems to have that
same wishful look on his face, as if
saying, I wish you would go play in
traffic!n
the world a bit differently than others.

Ill admit to a quirk or two
myself.
Anyway, back to opening the
office up and turning on the lights.
Guided by the images I continued
my way from desktop to desktop.
There were images of insects,
whales, and cats of every size and
shape, some with bows, some without. And one of a girl and her cow,
and dogs sleeping, dogs wearing hats,
dogs wearing sunglasses and sometimes dogs not wearing any clothes at
all. Imagine that!
All this rekindled memories of
Roscoe, a beautiful Irish Setter my
wife and I once owned. Now understand, Roscoe would do anything to
please me, even if it meant dressing
up for the camera so I could humiliate him.
It was during the summer of
1983, I decided to use Roscoe as the
subject of a series of photos titled,
Dog Days of August.
Brilliant, I know!
Thinking back, maybe I was
35
Dont make a
STINK when hunting
Your sound and scent is far from concealed, and will
give you away if youre not careful...By Mark Martin
he dreaded snort echoing through the trees is most

definitely one of the most
frustrating a human can hear.
If youve ever hunted whitetailed deer, then you have
heard this very noise resonate through
what was once silence within the
woods at least once.
By the time youve taken notice of
it, however, its too late... Youve been
had.
What am I talking about? The
sound whitetails make when theyve
winded you. The noise is produced
with an instant intake of air though
the deers uber-scent-sensitive snout.
Its made to alert the others around
them that danger is lurking nearby
in a camouflaged suit. Its one of the
most disheartening sounds a hunter
can hear.
And here you thought you were
totally hidden. But you werent. Your
scent was far from concealed and

the abundance of your odor wafting
through the air gave you away.
Firsthand From Day One
So much effort goes into becoming a successful deer hunter I could

write an entire book on it. And it
would be thick in stature, with small
print and very few photos. Just reading about how to become a more
successful hunting, however, isnt
going to tell you all you need to know
to when it comes to harvesting this big
game animal.
Ive been hunting whitetail since
I was a child; early on with my father
and grandfather, then on my own once
I could drive. Nowadays I take my
own family and friends into the woods
for whitetails to pass on the tradition.
The one thing I found that goes the
furthest when it come to harvesting
a deer rather than just going hunting,
however, is its the actual time and

lessons learned while afield in pursuit
of game that matter most.
But here you are reading about
it.... and thats okay. If theres any
one thing I want you to take from
this article it is the understanding that
when youre outdoors, even in areas
you know better than the back of your
hand, Is that you are not in as familiar
of territory as you may think.
Youre in the deers realm, where
they spend every day of their life. The
tiniest thing out of their ordinary day
will be cause for alarm. And not just
to the deer, but all critters that live
Rob Shalvis
there.
Ponder the times you have been
in your own home and something out
of the ordinary catches your attention.
It might be something as simple as an
item that has been slowly slipping,
and then falls off a shelf. Maybe its
the wind gusting from a direction it
rarely blows, and the seldom-heard
whistle from the air racing through
the crack of a window pane make you
take note.
But its not just noises that have
you questioning whats going on.
Think about the slice of bread you left
too long in the toaster oven, which
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browned quickly and is about to burn.

These are very subtle incidents,
yet, they startle you ever so slightly.
Even if only for a brief moment,
your senses go on high alert. You get
up and look for the source of that is
troubling you.
Deer get these feelings of curiously as they wander through their home,
too. One odd sound, one anomalous
movement, and even more so the out
of-the-norm scent are all causes for
alarm.
Slow Down, You Move Too Fast
The scuffling your feet on dried

leaves or twigs breaking as you tiptoe, heel to foot, is an obvious thing
you can control. All you have to do
is slow down and make every step
count. And once to where youre
going to be hunting, clear away any
rubbish from underfoot the moments
before settling in.
Another noise not often thought
about? Eating. Before venturing out,
wrap any munchies you have with
you for the days hunt with a product that doesnt make much noise
when you un-wrap it. Tin foil, for
example, makes less noise when you
manipulate it then does wax paper or
foiled plastic. Food is important when
it comes to you staying warm and
comfortable throughout the day. Just
make sure not to give yourself away
when refueling your body. Think
about it before you pack it.
Although white-tailed deer dont
have 20/20 eyesight, they can easily
pick up any movement you make.
Any motions you make should be
slow and deliberate. Quality camouflage clothings is a must. Even
when hunting during gun season in
my home state of Michigan, at the
time when donning blaze orange is
the law, the bright colors I wear are in
camouflage patters to help break up
my silhouette.
the molecules lift up and off my hide,

and instead of traveling through the
material, get caught up in the pores of
the carbon within the clothing.
Reducing my scent not only keeps
deer off their guard, but gets them
closer to me, allowing me a good,
clean shot with either gun or bow.
Nothing is more important to me
than downing an animal quickly. This
means less suffering to my quarry as
well myself not having to track it far.
Another book I could right is
about all the different styles of ScentLok clothing available, the many
diverse camouflaged patterns the

clothing comes in, as well the science
behind it all. The best way for you to
see all the aforementioned it to check
out their website at www.scentlok.
com. Theyve done a great job getting into all the details why scent
reduction is a must when hunting any
game.
Its A Challenge
My challenge for you this year is

this: Get in the woods and hunt. Its
as simple as that.
Every time out, youll learn a
thing or two that will make you a

better hunter in the future. Keep
quite. Move little. Reduce your
scent. And most importantly, take
someone with you and teach them
what youve learned as well study
with them.
Mark Martin is professional walleye tournament angler who has a passion for hunting white-tailed deer. He
is also an instructor with the Ice-Fishing Fishing/Vacations Schools taught
throughout the Midwest. Check out
fishingvacationschool.com and markmartins.net for information.n
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By far, the one part of deer hunting difficult to control is reducing

human odor. Its one of the most
important yet overlooked aspects to
successfully bagging a deer. However, with the proper preparation before
entering the woods, as well wearing
proper scent-reducing clothing, you
can reduce the amount of human odor
drifting through the air.
While its a given you should
always hunt downwind of where
you think a whitetail will wander,
the fact of the matter is air currents
are apt to alter throughout the day.
Even a change in air temperature on a
breezeless day will shift where scents
hang.
This is why I wear Scent-Lok
clothing.
Scent-Lok reduces the amount
of odor leaving my body due to its
outer layer of activated carbon. As the
bacteria on my skin creates a scent,
37
Watch the popper,

not the bobber!
To talk to a child in the outdoors, we need to think like

a child and make outdoor recreation a fun and not
so serious activity...By Randall Claramunt
hildren are our future and

anyone wishing to protect our
valuable natural resources
for generations knows that
getting children involved in
outdoor recreation is our lifeblood. So I pose a simple question:
how do we get them to listen to us?
Anyone enjoying outdoor recreation with children will also know
exactly what I am saying because
theyve said things like Be quiet or
we wont see deer or Dont rock the
boat or You have to jig it like this or
you wont catch fish.
Sometimes the more we advise,
the less they listen. It is as natural of
a phenomenon as migrating ducks and
geese or the natural world itselfthe

more an adult insists, the less a youthful angler or hunter will want to do it.
Unless, just maybe, we use the same
strategy that every successful hunter
or fisher knows, to catch a fish, you
need to think like a fish. So, to talk
to a child in the outdoors, we need to
think like a child and make outdoor
recreation a fun and not so serious
of an activity. With that said, let the
bluegill games begin!
Fishing for bluegills can be one
of the most easiest and successful
fishing trips for young anglers. It
can, however, also be the experience
that turns young anglers away from
fishing. Weve all seen the boat with
Teaching my niece Maya, and her friend Kya, to fish bluegills with the popperbobber combo. Randall Claramunt photos
a frustrated adult, bobbers tangled in a
hairball of fishing line, kids screaming
as the worms are escaping their white
styrofoam jail cellhow can this be
fun? And, more importantly, what can
be done to improve this experience?
Welcome, if you will, one of my

favorite bluegill artificial baits the
popper. Weve all seen them, little
wooden flies often painted white or
yellow with a red eye and a small
hook covered with fuzzy hairoh
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time we caught bluegill with every

cast off the dock, or the time all four
of us had a bluegill on while fishing
on the pontoon boat in that secluded
bay, or the trip where we caught 12
inch bluegills and had a monster pike
follow one up to the boat. And Ill
smile, knowing they loved it, they
remember, and most importantly they
cant wait until next summer to go
fishing with me again. Truth-be-told,
I can hardly wait to take them fishing
again.n
The author kids, Joe and Rae, with a great bluegill double.
HUNTING SALES
EVENT
so cute. Sitting still on the waters

surface, the popper seems to taunt the
gills, almost with a childish giggle,
to the point where the bluegill has
no choice but to rise up and strike.
Without a fly rod (or even with a fly
rod), how is a young angler to cast
that little popper 20 feet or more to
the edge of the lily pads? Enter, if
you will, the bobber. A simple invention and one used traditionally as a
strike indicator for submerged baits.
But, here is the twist; in this case the
bobber will NOT be used as the strike
indicator but simply an aid to casting
the popper.
Positioned a foot or so above the
popper, the bobber makes it easy to
cast the popper, no matter the skill
level of the child with the rod. With
no live bait to lose on the cast and a
very small hook on the popper, the
adult can rest easy knowing that several attempts at casting wont result
in a frustrated child or an insurance
claim. Even the worst casts with the
popper-bobber combo can produce
bluegills. Ive witnessed one child
letting go too early on the release
to have the popper-bobber combo
fly backwards and by the time they
turned around, you guessed it, fish on.
However, there is one little problem, a bluegill will not hold on to the
artificial popper for long and it will
quickly release it once it realizes that
this is no real fly or bug. If the angler
waits for the bobber to twitch, its too
late. Herein lies the trick, or in this
case, the way to transform this little
technique for catching bluegills with
kids to a fun and memorable experience. All you need to do is repeat this
saying, Watch the popper, not the
bobber as many times as you can, in
as many strange voices as you can,
after every missed strike, after every
hooked fish, in a low voice, scream
it once in a while, even make your
own song with the only words being
watch the popper, not the bobber.
Its your chance to make this type of
fishing as goofy and insanely fun as
you can manage. They will not only
listen, but theyll remember (or be
haunted) by that saying forever.
As you likely guessed it, Ive used
this technique on many new angler
recruits. My own children, my nieces, their friends, even other peoples
kids whom I dont really know but
Ive been trusted to take fishing. Any
one of them, if asked to complete the
phase, watch the popper, _____
will answer, almost mocking me to a
tee, NOT THE BOBBER!
Ive even had one of them ask
me during a holiday get together,
in a sarcastically funny tone, Hey
Uncle Randy, do I watch the popper
or the bobber? I just cant figure it
out! And in that instant, I know that
they remember much more, like the
39
13-year-old
Bags Big Bear
hirteen-year-old Buddy Beyer

from Menominee bagged one
of the biggest black bears
known taken in Michigan
during 2015 seasons on his
first day of bear hunting
while hunting over bait in Menominee County. The monster bruin had a
dressed weight of 470 pounds and an
estimated live weight of 545 pounds.
Its skull has a green score of 20 7/8,
according to Richard Demler from
Menominee, who is cleaning and
preserving it, which is large enough to
qualify for Boone and Crockett Records.
Although Beyers hunt
started on September 10,
Sunday, September 20 was
the first chance he had to
hunt due to a busy schedule.
Buddy was hunting with his
mother, Janet Beyer, using
her .280 caliber rifle from
the same elevated
box blind where she
killed her first bear.
It was almost 10 years, to the
day, when I got my first bear, Janet
said. It was the same blind, the same
gun and almost the same day. I got my
first bear on September 19, 2005. It
was a day later when Buddy shot his
bear this year.
Both Janet and her husband,
John, grew up in hunting families and
they, likewise, introduced their four
children (3 sons and a daughter) to
hunting, especially for deer and small
game. The family has been bear hunting for 10 years.
John and I decided to try bear
hunting in 2005 at the encouragement
of family friend and longtime bear
hunter Bill Maas, Janet explained.
Bill helped me learn the sport and
hunted with our oldest son, Andy, that
first year. I shot my first and only bear

so far that year, a female that had a
dressed weight of 205 pounds. Andy,
who was 14 at the time, also shot his
first bear that year while hunting with
Bill.
My husband shot his first bear
three years later, also over bait. It was
a 220-pound male.
Buddy was able to get a coveted
first season bear license for the Carney Bear Management Unit this year
thanks to his older brother Andy.
This year, Andy moved to
Colorado, Janet wrote in an
email. He had a lot of preference points built up for getting a bear license and knew
he would not be able to use
them. So he used the DNR
transfer program to transfer
his points to Buddy.
Janet normally applies
for a bear license for the
third season starting September 25,
and she was successful in obtaining a tag for that
hunt this year. The family had three
spots baited for bear hunting, but they
decided Buddy should hunt the blind
where his mother shot her first bear
because that bait had been visited by a
bear several days in a row.
We have cameras at the baits,
but the one at that spot wasnt working well, so we didnt have any good
pictures of what was hitting the bait,
Janet explained. We did see some big
tracks in the mud though.
The blind mother and son hunted
from is between a cornfield and a
river. The bait is about 40 yards from
the blind.
At 3:00 p.m., we noticed a dark
black lump far across the cornfield,
and figured it was a bear, but it was
By Richard P. Smith
North America
Special Cases & Bags
40
Dealer Inquiries:
Phone: 734-744-5566 | Fax: 734-744-5568
chris.temple@b-w-international.com
www.b-w-international.com
Buddy Beyer, 13 of Menominee bagged one of the biggest black bears known
taken in Michigan during 2015 seasons.
too far away to see clearly or consider
shooting, Janet wrote. After about an
hour, that bear disappeared into the
cornfield. We dont know if it was the
same one we saw later.
About 6:30, I noticed a very
large black head in a different area of
the cornfield about 100 yards from our
blind. I alerted Buddy to the bears
presence and he opened the window
on the blind and got the rifle into position. As the bear came closer, we were
finally able to see its whole body.
I realized that it was an exceptionally big bear, much bigger than the
200-pounders that John and I had shot
years ago. Its head was very large,
ears small and belly almost dragging
on the ground.
Buddy was understandably
excited and a bit shaky, but he took
some deep breaths and kept his cool.
The bear was zig-zagging slowly
through the cornfield about 50 yards

from the blind, alternating between
broadside and quartering towards us.
Buddy made a good, clean shot when
the bear was in a good position.
They heard several loud crashes
after the bear disappeared in the
woods, but they didnt hear any
splashing, so they were confident the
bruin didnt make it to the river. As it
turned out, the bear only went about
40 yards. Buddys father and Janets
uncle, Charlie Nagler, helped recover
the bear after dark.
More relatives were recruited to
get the bear out of the woods. The
Beyers estimated the bears weight at
around 400 pounds when they found
it. They underestimated its weight by
more than 100 pounds. Jim Kuntze of
B&J Taxidermy in Daggett is doing a
mount of the bear. Richard Demler is
cleaning the skull.n
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41
High-Quality Hunt Opportunities
Michigans managed waterfowl areas
Michigans managed waterfowl hunt areas offer residents and visitors plenty of opportunity for quality hunting. Here, a hunter at Fish Point State Game Area
scares up some birds on opening day. MDNR photos
42
unters who have not been introduced to

Michigans Wetland Wonders the Department of Natural Resources managed
waterfowl areas have a unique opportunity to get to know five of them this year
before duck season begins this fall. Open
houses are scheduled for early October at the three
Saginaw Bay areas, as well as at the Lake St. Clair
and Lake Erie areas.
The managed areas were really put together to
provide high-quality waterfowl hunts in areas that
would attract and hold ducks and geese, said Joe
Robison, a wildlife biologist who supervises the
five managed waterfowl areas in southeast Michigan. Thats what these areas were built for and
thats what were striving for.
We manipulate water levels and provide balanced food sources, he continued. We have crops
of corn, buckwheat and millet, as well as good natural wild duck food barnyard grass, wild millet and
smartweed. And theyre also all production areas,
so we maintain prairie grass and nesting cover.
You want to have a diversity of food, cover
and water, and weve got that.
All managed waterfowl areas include refuge
areas, where no hunting is allowed. Area managers
conduct weekly surveys of refuges and post population estimates, as well as the habitat conditions, on
the DNR website.
There is no fee for hunting at the managed
areas. A base hunting license, a Michigan waterfowl
hunting license and a federal waterfowl stamp are
required. More information is available in the 2015
Michigan Waterfowl Digest.
All of the DNRs managed waterfowl areas hold
drawings for hunting zones during prime waterfowl
season, but each has its own unique set of rules.
The managed waterfowl areas include:
Fish Point State Wildlife Area
This 2,447-acre area located near Unionville in

Tuscola County is the most heavily used by waterfowl hunters. It includes 1,200 acres of diked
wetland, 720 acres of marsh refuge and 500 acres
of crops. Last year hunters harvested nearly 7,000
ducks and 352 geese.
Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area
The smallest (though perhaps most accessible

to hunters without boats) of the managed waterfowl areas, this 1,500-acre area on the west shore
of Saginaw Bay, just north of Linwood, features 66
hunts units. Nayanquing is open seven days a week,
mornings and afternoons. Last year hunters took
2,644 ducks.
week throughout the 92-day goose hunting season

without managed drawings. Muskegon, which, unlike the other areas is actually a county-owned facility where hunting takes place on agricultural fields,
is open Tuesday mornings and Saturday mornings
and afternoons. Last year hunters harvested 100
geese at Muskegon. The season at Muskegon begins
Oct. 17.
Hunters who visit at least three of these managed waterfowl areas during the season are eligible
for prizes as part of the DNRs Wetlands Wonder
Challenge, a hunting contest highlighting the excep-
Harsens Island
St. Clair Flats State Wildlife Area
This 3,600-acre area on the upper end of Lake

St. Clair is accessed by ferry from Algonac. There
are two marsh units in addition to the flooded cropland. The area has more than 80 zones for waterfowl hunting and is open seven days a week with
morning and evening drawings. Last year hunters
bagged 9,000 ducks and 128 geese.
Point Mouillee State Game Area
At 4,040 acres in Wayne and Monroe counties, Point Mouillee is one of the largest freshwater
marsh restorations in America. The actual managed
hunting area can accommodate only 26 parties in
marsh or crops but there are excellent marshes
that offer open hunting with no drawings or permits
required. Hunting at the managed areas takes place
Tuesday mornings and Thursdays and Sundays,
mornings and evenings. Last year hunters harvested
1,090 ducks at the managed units, but, Robison
said, We get four times that many on the nonmanaged areas.
Shiawassee River State Game Area
In addition, the Department of Natural ReA 10,000-acre area in Saginaw County that includes flooded crops, permanent marsh, river corridor sources operates two managed waterfowl areas on
and flooded woods, Shiawassee River adjoins a 9,800- the west side of the state: the Fennville Farm Unit
of the Allegan State Game Area and the Muskegon
acre federal refuge, which almost guarantees a large
County Wastewater Goose Management Unit. Both
number of ducks in the area throughout the season.
Hunts are held every morning and afternoon through- are largely Canada goose hunting areas.
Last year hunters took 1,159 geese at Fennville,
out the season. Last year hunters took 7,120 ducks
which is open five mornings and two afternoons a
and almost 1,000 geese at this area near St. Charles.
tional waterfowl hunting opportunities available to

the public at these locations. The challenge takes
place at the seven areas throughout southern Michigan and will run through Jan. 31. Seven winners
will be chosen Feb. 15. To be entered for the grandprize drawing, hunters must hunt at three of the
seven managed waterfowl hunting areas. Hunters
who hunt all seven areas will win a prize.
For more information on the areas and the challenge, visit www.michigan.gov/wetlandwonders.
Several short videos showcasing the five managed
waterfowl hunt areas also are available on the
DNRs YouTube channel
www.youtube.com/michigandnr.n
43
HOPE
HEAT
A Northern Michigan Letter...
IN THE
he beastly heat is being held at bay today

by a soft rain as gentle as a mothers
touch dappling the surface of the pond.
This by far has been the morning of the
least heat since grouse season began. My
aversion to getting wet any more also
makes it one more day that forces have conspired
to keep us from the woods.
Most of the time its simply been the heat.
When the thermometer reaches 65 degrees
before sunup, the day has already made
its plans for us: hurry up and get out to a
grouse hunting spot, put one dog on the
ground and then the other for no more
than half an hour each, and spend the rest
of the day wiping from my brow the sweat
that starts dripping with the least amount
of physical effort and either thinkin,
readin or observatin from the reclining chair on the three-season porch at
our cabin.
Two days ago, the observatin included watching and listening to about 200 Canada geese who
had dropped in for a couple days worth of yammering and staging for the migration. Today, both dogs
and I snapped our gazes toward the pond in unison
Left: When she encountered her first woodcock of the young season, the Irish red and white setter Abbey performed perfectly, moving only her head to watch it fly off from beneath her point. Right: Unable
to catch the scent of the sitting grouse on this dry and calm day, Lizzy the Llewellyn setter nonetheless
knew enough to stop and point after the flushing grouse left more scent for her to sniff.
While the heat would have been enough to keep
us from heading out on the other days, its been
my neck that actually forced me from the
cabin and back home to seek relief.
One masseuse told me Id do well
to place a tennis ball between my neck
and the wall or a door and lean into it for
a type of massage. But rats, I forgot the
ball. So I poached from my dogs one of
their toys, a Kong chewer. Try to imagine
a hard, hard rubber dog toy, shaped like
a rounded off pyramid with round
bricks atop one another, rather like
a stack of donuts that get progressively smaller as the stack grows. Thats the Kong,
which isnt a tennis ball, but its hard rubber and
tapered shape make it more effective and versatile
than the ball would be. At any rate, it relieved some
pain for a little while. I decided to quit using it as
a therapeutic device when Abbey started crying for
me to toss it to her.
At the cabin when Ive had work to do, Ive
taken to sitting in the recliner with the laptop literally on my lap. That keeps my back and neck straight.
Sometimes one or both of the dogs will resent the
laptop occupying their places and will insist on
settling onto my lap first. I like the dogs there, so I
adjust my arm levels.
The heat and lingering leaf cover left me out of
the mood to try to shoot birds, so I decided to practice what my pups trainer Tim Fox of Sand Lake,
had advised: going without a gun, if for no other
reason than to see how much of the dog work you
miss when you go with one.
On one of those brief morning jaunts, my eyes
were opened to just how much I had, indeed, been
missing, or to put it another way what I have to
look forward to. After two summers worth of indepth training with a pro, Lizzy and Abbey were
showing the signs of spark, confidence, willingness
to be handled if necessary and an approach to the
hunt that required no handling. Sweet.
At one point on a hot, still morning, Lizzy saw
a grouse she hadnt scented. She bolted toward it
then peeled off the chase when it flushed. OK. Not
good on not smelling it but great on reining in her
instinct to chase. A few minutes later, while she was
off to the side of me by about 15 yards, I put up a
grouse. At my whistle she returned to my side then
slammed onto point. OK, again. Not good that she
By Tom Carney
Conflict of Interests? Nope. Dogs are welcome

on the chair during work time as long as they
become part of the desk on which the laptop sits.
44
when a Spalooonnge! woke us from our thinkin.

A sound I last heard over 30 years ago when Moses
the otter fooled us into thinking he was a giant pike
announcing his presence on the surface of Fence
Lake. I looked up quickly enough to catch the sight
of a belted kingfisher zipping away from the water
with a snack in its bill. It spalooonnged three more
time so far this afternoon. Moments ago, a few
sandhill cranes sounded off in the distance. Sometimes being chased from the woods is not so bad.
hadnt scented it originally, but great that she halted

herself once she did.
Abbey was another story. This is the dog who,
when she was a year old, taught me the value of
using a GPS collar on a dog she ran off over 900
yards one day. Two days ago, however, she showed
promise by working so close and self-handling that
I might not even need to put a bell on her any more.
Thats the effect of some good training from Fox.
Another outward sign of that training was Abbeys work the same day Lizzy had kind of pointed
the grouse. The oppressive heat meant Abbey only
got 15 minutes in the woods, but she made the best
of them. Working the area with a thorough, Ithink-I-can, I-think-I-can approach, she traveled
slowly enough to react to scent if she caught any.
And she did. As I moseyed over, in no hurry since
I had no gun, remember, she waited and waited.
Finally, a woodcock flinched, and what happened
next filled my heart with hope.
The only thing that moved on Abbey was her
head. She stood still and watched the bird fly, absolutely suppressing her chase instinct, just as Fox
had taught her. I know enough about dogs to realize
she might chase other birds, but for this one, at
least, she had performed flawlessly.
The next morning we went out, the heat heaped
itself upon me as soon as I stepped from the airconditioned Suburban. We would struggle to make
it to a half hour out there, so I decided to take both
dogs together and to see how theyd work.
Fox had advised against working the pups
together, but since this was going to be such a brief
outing, I saw no harm in it. Indeed, I saw no harm
for one day, but I also received a vision of hope for
the future. The two dogs work differently, complementing one anothers moves. Lizzy dashes about
while Abbey takes her time. At certain points in the
outing each time one dog stopped the other demonstrated a willingness to honor a point.
This was one of those days so hot and so still
that gnats swarmed around my head when I paused
to watch the dogs handle the woods. It was one
of those days when I had to interrupt giving the
girls water in order to dig a mosquito from my ear.
Finally, the way they worked together and required
little to no handling, it was one of those days that
made me hungry for more time together with this
beautiful brace of setters, Abbey the Irish red and
white and Lizzy the English Llewellyn.n
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This is a UP
Master Angler
smallie caught on
World-Class Ottawa
Lake in Iron County.
It hit a muskie-type,
black Jitterbug on
a cold, big moon
night.
In The UP and More

By Robert Dock Stupp
Besides the number one rule in my boat: Shut
up and fish, I have a rule number two: anyone
who uses a cell phone during the beautiful
autumn period will see it bottom-bound...
46
SMALLIES
mallmouth bass fishing this year and this

summer (did we have one) in the UP may
not be the year to get too cocky. However,
the quiet dignity of cold water fishing on a
comfortable perfect fall day, a tad overcast
without too much wind, but with a nice
chill in the air, can still be experienced, even in
November.
Slow presentations in late fall give way to more
aggressive tactics eventually. Then your style slows
again and slower and smaller options rule as winter
approaches. Watch your water temps and stay
focused. Its a fun time of year. Keeps you on your
toes.
In mid-September, softbaits like swimbaits and
tubes are good choices but I like spinnerbaits and
sliders too.
Autumn arrives before the true migrations
begin, then come cold fronts out of Canada. When
sleet and cold rains start and temps slide to about
45-degrees, smallies start moving toward winter
habitat. If it warms again, thats not good for fishing. Smallie fishing stalls until steady cooling temps
put aggressive tactics to the forefront. Fall fishing is
much more interesting than most anglers think.
Drop-shot rigs slow suspending baits and football jigs tipped with craws or twister tails attract
bigger bass as temps cool. A slow falling, Senko
worm works well too.
Smallmouth bass were able to adapt to presentday spawning conditions here in Iron County and I
believe they are under-fished here in the UP. Ottawa
Lake, for example is a world-class smallmouth lake
and is catch and release only. However, studies are
still being done and the population is increasing
along with the sizes. I have caught several Master
Angler smallies out of Ottawa Lake. One was close
to 7-pounds.
Of course, Lake St. Clair and Lake Michigan in
southern Michigan is a real bronze back bonanza!
If you are interested in a little Cast and Blast
trip to da UP, you can hunt deer in Iron County

(where I live) and fish the following good smallmouth bass lakes: Hagerman Lake, Fortune Lake,
Chicagon Lake, Ottawa Lake and Peavy Pond.
Also, check a few hot or sleeper lakes with Gloria at Luckeys Sport Shop (906-265-0151).
blowing consistently from one direction for a few

days and when it hits rocky shorelines, reefs, and
islands. The baitfish rock n roll and shake n bake
like your tumbling clothes in a dryer. Its chaos and
turmoil, sports fans!
MUSKIES
1) Snaky, erratic, Jointed Believers catch more

muskies on a trolling pass than any other lure. Well,
my favorite chartreuse/black dotted Swim Whizz
aint too shabby either. Hook up on the shallow
or first rung on the baits lip and throw them in
the water behind the boat. Planer boards are very
productive too.
2) Next in the lineup and a perfect contract to
the Believers are the Jakes, those wide-bodied,
wide-wobbling, flashing baits. Fish them 10 to 15feet deep, where most feeding muskies swim in the
fall. Similar to the Jake, holographic/prism Grandmas holler, Eat me. Troll slow 3 mph.
3) Bang Straight and jointed Depthraiders and
Shallowraiders on the rocks. They are proven producers, sturdy, and come with rattles and now in a
chrome finish.
Does your blood boil as you imagine huge, female muskies, hungry to nourish massive amounts
of eggs before winter, attacking your every lure
presentation?
Its my belief that the most productive muskie
fishing is done in water, 8 to 20 feet, most of the
time.
One day we motored back out to 8-feet with
the trolling motor and began casting again, toward
another minnow school. This time I got a strike on
an 8-inch brown Suick a big belly and huge head
came out of the water. WOW! It shook its head and
the lure. We were in 5-feet of water. I threw out a
buoy. We decided to come back for this baby.
Since I do not think I hurt that bigger muskie,
we went back to that fish in one hour and this time
I hooked her well with a dark-brown, 10-inch
Suick, with bigger hooks with O rings attached.
She fought well and my friend Buffy netted her
-- 44-inches. A quick photo and a big smile from
yours truly.
We saw 12 fish that day and caught two. Good
day for a couple of sixty-somethings!
Trolling
Live Bait
1) Yes, suckers work miracles in cold water toward the end of October and into November. Quickset rigs stick it to em and preserve the muskie
fishery too.
2) Buy a smaller sucker in the 8 to 12-inch
range. Then buy a Smity Bait, a 90% hooking ratio
rig. Use the nostril-hooked rig only, the one with
Casting Tips
2 hooks and the small, triangle-shaped nose clip. I
1) Pay attention to details. Start by throwing
search lures like bucktails or spinnerbaits. The new hooked four 42-inch muskies and longer out of five
big, Cowgirls, with the #10, double blades and tin- tries. Not bad, and very exciting!
3) For nose-clip rigs and other baits, call the
sel bodies are tough to throw, but hey, they produce
Muskie
Shop at: 1-800-453-5224 or www.Muskybigger muskies. But ask yourself if the muskies
Shop.com
or www.smitybait.com
want speed. Check your water temperature.
Rivers
are a great bet in the late fall. Do not fish
2) In the fall, the water gets cooler so slow
the
current;
fish the seams, rocks, and eddies. Also,
down the baits. Here is where those sliders like
remember
that
baitfish are very big keys to big
Reef Hawgs, Hellhounds, Giant Jackpots, and
muskie
locations
and using jerk baits like Fundally
Weagles work their magic, along with big Bulldogs.
Reefhogs
and
10-inch
Suicks work well in shallow,
Yoopers are still throwing Suicks, successfully, I
cold water.
might add.
New studies have shown that shallow weeds
3) Muskies, in my opinion, seem to have a color
and
yes, funky dead, brown weeds or milfoil are
preference for each lake they inhabit. On Lake Emnow
fine places to find a fifty. Thats right, and
ily, all colors work, as long as its brown. Brown
and yellow. Brown and white. Thats it!
Cold water smallies/muskies/walleyes page 48
4) Wind is critical, especially when it has been
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47
Cold water fish:

from page 46
while youre at it, use big, weedless,
bulky bass jigs near bottom, yep, in
the slop. Hey, when you cant find
em could that be where they are?
WALLEYES
Casting/Jigging
Cast floating Rapalas or Thundersticks at rocky shorelines at dusk,

especially if a good breeze is pushing baitfish to shore. Use a steady
retrieve.
A weedless jig and a Gulp
minnow, jigged over weedy flats,
flipped into pockets while using
your bow-mount trolling motor,
covers habitat and produces fish.
Toss to steeper, rocky shorelines
and reefs too.
Sometimes walleyes hit muskie
lures. This leads me to believe that
5- and 6-inch Storm WildEye
Swim Shads or Berkley Hollow
Belly Swim Shads will attract bigger walleyes. Ill know for sure this
November.
Trolling and Live Bait
Trolling with snap weights,

bottom bouncers, or leadcore with
48
crankbaits all produce walleyes but

you do not necessarily have to use
your outboard motor at 1.5-mph.
Cold water always meant slooow
presentations to me. Therefore, use
your bowmount or transom electric
motor on these smaller, inland lakes.
Whats the hurry! Keep it simple and
as stealthy as a blue heron slipping
through the shallows.
Use a hook, a sinker, maybe a
single spinner-blade, and a red-tail
chub. Attach four-feet of 6 to 8-pound
flourocarbon line to your main line
(6 lb., 14 test Fireline). Just creep
the bait over the weeds or rocks. The
chub seeks the bottom. Zig-zag from
6 to 15 feet of water. Keep the bail
open!
While muskie fishing on a cold UP night (the day of the Super Moon) authors
UP. Inland Lakes to Score
Chicagon Lake in Iron County

has the structure and forage for
big muskies and big walleyes. Its
1100-acres and its fun to fish. Some
of the better walleye spots are also
perfect muskie haunts. Try the golf
course reef and the twin-reed beds on
the west side, middle of lake. Look
for anglers.
friend, Brian Mulherin of Ludington, caught this fine-eating 23-inch walleye.

Author photos
Stanley Lake in Iron County is
still a jewel. I lived on it and it always
surprises me. Most muskies hooked
here hit the forty-inch mark during
autumn. Trolling shallow with Believers is the best option. Spot them
and cast diving jerkbaits or side-to-
side gliders. Troll for walleyes off the

eastern shoreline.
Of course, a day on the water
after Thanksgiving, with a turkey
sandwich in your maw, extra Mayo
and salt, well dont talk just chew
and fish!n
Successful early elk hunting season in the books

For the early elk season, 35
licenses were issued for antlerless
elk and 15 for bulls. Of the 43
elk that were harvested, 28 were
antlerless and 15 were bulls.
Over 36,000 Michigan residents applied to hunt elk this year,
and 100 were selected via a random, weighted lottery, which began in 2003. This system provides
some advantage to hunters who
apply consistently year after year,
while still offering an opportunity
to all applicants.
I had been applying for over
20 years, said Grelewicz.
Elk hunting in Michigan,
which has occurred annually for
state residents since 1984, is an effective management tool biologists
have used to maintain elk herd
numbers, composition and even
distribution. The early elk hunt is
designed to address crop damage
or other private-land concerns by
managing elk primarily in agricultural areas.
The December, or late, elk
hunt will begin Dec. 5, and 50
more state hunters will have nine
days to pursue elk in northern
Michigan.
We are all looking forward
to the late elk hunt, said Kleitch.
Dale Grelewicz of Twin Lakes (in orange vest) harvested his bull during the
early elk hunt. MDNR photo
With the chance of snow on the
ground, its a whole different hunt
and experience.
To learn more about elk in

Michigan, including their comeback story, visit mi.gov/elk.n
ichigans early elk

season is now over,
leaving many happy
hunters with full freezers and memories for a
lifetime.
It was perfect! The hunt was
above and beyond my expectations, very thorough and very professional, said Dale Grelewicz of
Twin Lakes. Grelewicz harvested
his once-in-a-lifetime bull elk,
with his wife Jeanne at his side, on
Aug. 26.
The early elk season was made
up of three, four-day hunts starting
Aug. 25. Fifty state hunters had 12
days to harvest their elk, and 43
of them were successful in doing
so. The early elk season is unique
because it takes place during the
rut, when calling can be effective,
increasing the potential for some
exciting interactions.
Throughout the season
we have had excellent weather,
said DNR wildlife biologist
Jennifer Kleitch. Weather is
always a big factor in hunting,
and a hunt in late August, for
large animals like elk, can sometimes be difficult if the weather
is too warm and animals
dont move much.
49
DNRs Habitat Improvement Account to fund five key river projects
he Department of Natural Resources has

announced five recipients of its Habitat
Improvement Account (HIA) for fiscal year
2016. The HIA funds projects to improve
aquatic habitat, fishing access, water quality
and the DNRs understanding of resources
on the Au Sable, Manistee and Muskegon rivers.
The account was established to mitigate resource
impacts from hydropower dam operations.
The five recipients were selected by the DNRs
Fisheries Division, with a total of $278,000 to be
distributed over the next two years. The projects
approved for fiscal year 2016 include:
Upper Manistee River Fishing Access Site
Improvement Upper Manistee River Restoration
Committee (Kalkaska County, 1 year, $13,295)
This project will upgrade two heavily used access
sites along the upper Manistee River. It will provide
improved access for the public while protecting the
river and riparian zone from excessive sediment and
bank trampling.
Muskegon River Barrier Inventory Muskegon River Watershed Assembly (Clare, Mecosta, Missaukee, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo, Osceola, and Roscommon counties, 1 year,
$20,000)
The project will collect data on barriers in the
Muskegon River watershed, organize the data, and
make it public to aid in planning and prioritizing
infrastructure upgrades.
Buhl Dam Removal Huron Pines Research
Conservation and Development Council (Alcona
County, 2 years, $47,520)
This project will remove the Buhl Dam on the Pine
Habitat projects, like the stream restoration effort pictured here, are slated to begin across the state
thanks to funds received from the DNRs Habitat Improvement Account which supports efforts on the Au
Sable, Manistee and Muskegon rivers. MDNR photo
River, a tributary to the lower Au Sable River.
West Branch of the Big Creek Habitat Improvement Project Mason Griffith Founders
Chapter of Trout Unlimited (Crawford County, 2
years, $165,085)
The project will continue stream habitat improvements on the West Branch of Big Creek, a tributary
to the Au Sable River. It will cover approximately
five stream miles.
Old Orchard Park Boat Launch Upgrade Oscoda Township (Iosco County, 1 year, $32,100)
This project will upgrade the boat access located at
Old Orchard Park, a large popular campground on

Foote Pond, located on the Au Sable River.
The HIA is funded by Consumers Energy
as part of a major settlement agreement that relicensed the companys hydropower projects on the
Au Sable, Manistee and Muskegon rivers, said
the DNRs Habitat Management Unit supervisor,
Jessica Mistak. The HIA has contributed in excess
of $8.5 million and funded more than 150 projects
since its inception in 1994.
For more information on habitat management
efforts in Michigan, visit michigan.gov/fishing.n
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Wolf confirmed in the northern LP
he Michigan Department of Natural Resources announced confirmation of gray

wolf occurrence in Emmet County, marking
the second confirmation of wolf presence in
the Lower Peninsula since 1910.
Late last week, the Little Traverse Bay
Band of Odawa Indians received confirmation from
Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario, that scat
submitted for DNA analysis by the tribe in 2014
was from a male gray wolf.
Genetic testing also confirmed that the wolf was
not likely to be an escaped captive, since it closely
matched genetic information taken from northeast
Ontario wolves.
In March 2014, tribal biologists discovered tracks
and collected scat from Emmet County. DNR Wildlife Division staff then visited the site with biologists from the tribe and agreed the tracks appeared
to be from two separate wolves.
At that time, trail camera photos also were
reviewed by tribal biologists and DNR staff, and an
image of what appeared to be a wolf was discovered. The tribe then submitted the collected scat to
Trent University for DNA analysis, which led to
last weeks confirmation.
The DNR and partners continue to administer
wolf track surveys in the northern Lower Peninsula,
which were designed to determine if wolves have
moved onto the Lower Peninsula landscape, said
Kevin Swanson, DNR bear and wolf specialist in
Marquette. We have had some tracks and potential
sightings, but genetic testing gives us a definitive
confirmation.
Swanson said wolves dispersed from Upper
Peninsula packs might travel to the northern reaches
of the Lower Peninsula during cold winters that
produce ice bridges between the two peninsulas.
Swanson said given the capability of the northern Lower Peninsula habitat to support wolves, the
DNR is not surprised that wolves are moving south.
Swanson outlined some of the previous evidence reported.
In 2004, a gray wolf that had been previously
captured and collared in the Upper Peninsulas
Mackinac County was caught and accidentally
killed by a coyote trapper in Presque Isle County in
the Lower Peninsula. This marked the first verified
wolf report from the Lower Peninsula since 1910.
In 2010, animals which appeared to be wolves
were trapped and collared in Cheboygan County.
Later DNA analysis confirmed that the genetic
assignment of these animals was coyotes, not gray
wolves.
During the winter of 2014-15, DNR staff investigated potential wolf tracks in Cheboygan and Emmet counties. Scat or hair was not present for DNA
analysis so a genetic confirmation was not possible.
The DNR has not confirmed a breeding wolf
population in the northern Lower Peninsula. Staff
will continue to investigate reports and administer
winter track surveys.
Anyone finding possible wolf tracks or collecting photographic evidence should contact a local
DNR wildlife office.
If anyone should encounter a wolf, the DNR

recommends standing tall, making noise and walking away slowly. When in a safe location, notify the
DNR of the sighting.
In 2014, during the most recent Upper Peninsula winter wolf survey, 636 wolves were estimated
to inhabit the region.
In December, a U.S. District Court judges ruling again placed gray wolves in Michigan on the
federal List of Endangered Species. The species
remains protected by law and states are unable to
use lethal measures from their management plans to
address wolf conflicts. The one exception is threat
to human life.
For more information on wolves, visit www.
michigan.gov/wolves.n
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51
Lessons learned in the
BIG TIME BASS WORLD

M
Making It To The Big Show...By Buck Mallory
inor league baseball players talk about making it to

The Show, meaning the
major leagues, where the
baseballs are all clean and
white and the crowds can
be unbelievably big and loud. Minor
leaguers are professionals, and they
get paid for what they do, and get paid
a lot more when their skills are finely
honed and the parent club needs to
call them up.
In the world of professional bass
fishing, things are somewhat different,
because anybody can pay their entry
fees and fish big-time tournaments
with first prizes worth more than
$50,000. Also unlike baseball players, bass anglers can compete at that
high level, get their butts thoroughly
kicked, and come back and compete
at the same high level the following
year.
Thats what happened to me, and
52
thats what I plan to do.

This year, I fished the three tournaments in the Bassmaster Northern
Opens as a pro angler. Id competed
in a couple of these contests over
the past few years, but this was the
first year Id entered all three, with
hopes of accumulating enough points
to be one of the top five anglers and
qualify for the even higher level Elite
Series. Thats where anglers compete
for much bigger money and have an
easier time attracting sponsors to pay
their way and provide a nice living
my ultimate goal.
Well, I finished 142nd in the first
tournament at the James River in Virginia, 158th at Oneida Lake in New
York and leapt all the way up to 112th
at the finale on the water I know best,
Lake Erie.
Needless to say, I fell a long way
short of my goal! The good news
is I didnt go bankrupt and the best
One of Buck Mallorys best days competing in three Bassmaster Open

tournaments this year came at Lake Erie when he had the 22nd best catch
of 110 anglershelped by out-of-the-box thinking and targeting largemouth
bass instead of smallmouth.
news is I learned a lot. If I can apply

what I learned when I compete in
three Bassmaster Open tournaments
again next year, I think Ill do better.
So heres a list of lessons hopefully learned. Most of them apply
to tournament anglers on any level,
whether they fish club tournaments or
are in competition for big money.
1) You can never practice
enough. You always have to practice
harder; you can always learn some
more information that will help you
in the tournament.
2) That said, you need to
practice smart, and a big part of that
is keeping an open mind. A guy can
spend a whole lot of time throwing
a lure the bass ought to bite, and
working on a pattern that ought to
be the right one for a particular time
of year and set of conditions, but if
the fish are biting something else and
in different locations, you have to
figure those things out first.
3) Tournament fishing is 80
percent mentala game of adjustments. I have to learn how to not
spin out. In these tournaments you
have a lot of pressure, and I let it get
to me. When a spot that was great in
practice didnt produce right away, I
had the overwhelming urge that I had

to move, move, move, when I should
have knuckled down and found those
fish and what they would bite.
4) Going with Lesson 3, I
learned to spend more time fishing,
not going fishing. The first day at
Lake Erie the fish on my main spot
didnt bite, so I ran 50 miles. The
more time youre out there running,
the less time youre spending putting
a lure in front of a fish.
5) Ignore dock talk. Even
when you go out and catch some fish
in practice and start to put together
a decent pattern its easy to let what
you hear from your buddies make you
second guess your game plan. Figure
out what YOU need to do and how
YOU are going to do, and stick with
it. I have to trust my gut more next
season.
6) Work on my weaknesses but
fish to my strengths, which relates
to Lesson 5. For example, I have
fished tube jigs and caught lots of
big bass on them pretty much all my
life, and did so in a couple of practice
sessions. But because a friend was
catching big fish on a drop-shot rig,
I fished that instead when I likely
would have been better off sticking
with the tubeI just need more experience with the drop shot.
7) Employ crankbaits to cover
water and find fish, both in practice
and during the competition. Ive always loved using crankbaits and have
a lot of confidence that I can catch
fish with them. With hindsight being
20/20, I think I could have covered
water more thoroughly, found more
fish in practice and caught more fish
in the tournaments if Id used a crankbait more often.
8) Youre competing against
fish, not other fishermen. This is
the hardest lesson in the hoopla of a
tournament when youre waiting to
take off and see a guy over in the next
boat who you had just read about in
Bassmaster Magazine or seen on TV.
You arent fishing against him, youre
going out to catch a limit of good
fish. What he does, you cant control.
What you do, you can control
somewhat anyway. Which leads to
No. 9.
9) When youre depending on
catching smallmouths, the only thing
you can depend on is that you cant
depend on the smallmouths. Thats
especially true when you catch them
in practice on a relatively calm day,
and you find yourself trying to get

those fish in 8-foot waves on the tournament day.
10) I dont like fishing in 8-foot
waves. When my co-angler and I
set up to fish in those giant, lumpy
waves at Lake Erie, I asked him if
his wife ever tells him shes smarter
than he is.
All the time, he replied.
Well shes right, I said. Shes
nice, safe and warm on shore and
youre with me out here in this stuff
trying to catch fish that are at least 12
inches long and win money!
In a nutshell, a guy doesnt
have to have his four best days of
fishing ever to do well or even to
win one of these tournaments. A guy
just has to go fishing and catch fish,
ignoring all of the pressure
that comes with fishing at the
higher levels. If hes found the right
fish and can catch them when the
competition starts, chances are hell
do pretty well at the weigh in. Fishing
is supposed to be fun and competing
at a high level is a good way to make
it un-fun.
Bottom line? Next year my focus
will be on great preparation, but
keeping loose, going out and having a
good time fishing!n
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Traditional Black Powder Hunting...
Wiener schnitzel!
Thank you
oss encrusted logs

concealed a bearded
countenance. Telltale
frosty breaths dissipated
in the tolerable
December chill.
Intent, light blue eyes, halfsquinting despite a heavy
overcast sky, scrutinized
the forests brown-oak-leaf
carpet. The only discernable movement in the log
pile was the gentle swaying
of a wire vent pick, out of
sight, suspended by a
buckskin thong from
the brass trigger guard
of an 18th-century smoothbore the
woodsman called the French D.
A lone sparrow chipped close
by, then an unseen string of Canada
geese ke-honked on their way to the
River Raisins open waters. In the

midst of the mornings bird sounds, a
twig snapped, a tad behind, down the
hill and out into the thicket
It was early on a Friday morning, Jeff Wacker
later recalled. I was up on
the big ridge sitting in a pile
of logs, a hundred yards
from the hidden lake. I kept
hearing something in the
thick brush around the lake.
The third time I heard it I
turned and looked down in
there. Seventy yards
away, coming out of
the brush I saw a big
deer standing broadside.
I was sitting, looking down toward the river so I had to turn. When
I did, he saw the movement and
looked right at me. I saw the antlers,
just as my neighbor described. He
was normal on his right side and had
what looked like a tall double spike
on the left. I didnt know he was broken, I thought he was an oddball.
He walked toward the river, up
the main ridge which runs north and
south. He was heading west. When
he crested the ridge he was broadside
By Dennis Neely
HORNS &
SKULLS
I get just as excited as the next hunter, Jeff Wacker said with a big smile,
but Ive learned to keep the celebrating in its proper place. My grandfather
would box my ears if I didnt. I want to pass that on to the next generation.
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to me, what later turned out to be 65
paces. I placed the front sight of the
French D behind his front shoulder, Wacker said.
A veteran hunter with modern
firearms and archery tackle, Jeff
Wacker returned first to his longbow
roots, then a few years ago he began
sampling the path to yesteryear. On
an early journey back in time, Wacker tagged a fine doe using a .54-caliber Lyman Great Plains flintlock rifle
while wearing an 18th-century Osnaburg trade shirt, a blue wool, French
and Indian War, sleeveless waist coat
and green wool trousers.
Intrigued by traditional black
powder hunting, Wacker purchased
a kit for a French Fusil Ordinaire
Type D trade gun, the plainer version of the Type C. He chose the
smoothbore because the 42-inch,
20-gauge, cylinder-bored barrel
could handle a round ball, buckshot
and birdshot.
After many hours of careful
work, Wacker was ready to head to
the range. He patterned the gun with
shot and took it turkey hunting in
the spring of 2011. I shot at a big
tom in the pouring down rain, but
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Wiener schnitzel! Thank you

from page 55
with shooting a smoothbore. In addition, he also learned what his own
limitations were with the arm, which
helped establish his maximum effective distance.
I wasnt thinking about distances, but knew he was in range,
Wacker said as he returned to the
story. That was a .600 (inch) round
lead ball, one I cast, using a tight
linen patch with a half-inch fiber
wad below that and over the black
powder for a better gas seal. Some
feel they get better accuracy in a
smoothbore with a card or wad over
the powder, and I believe it.

It was in the woods. There was
a lot of underbrush and a lot of small
trees. But I had one opening. He
stopped right in it and stood there. I
already had the gun up. I was sitting.
It was kinda like the coyote I shot
the year before, I was as surprised as
he was.
I squeezed the trigger and the
old gun did what it always does, let
out a roar and a lot of smoke. The
buck went right down. It turned out
I hit him a little high; I spined him.
Thinking back, I wonder how I got
the ball down there. It might have
deflected off a twig I didnt see or I
might have pulled up when I shot,
which explained why it hit his spine.
I dont have all the traditional
clothes. You enjoy the journey more
if you take your time, progress at
your own pace. I wore a fringed
hunting shirt, a trade shirt, the blue
wool weskit for warmth and an
orange French voyageur-style tuque
or stocking cap. And I shot the deer
with a gun I built and a ball I cast.
It doesnt get any better than that,
Wacker said with a broad grin.
As the name implies, there are
three common elements to traditional
black powder hunts: the inclusion of
history or traditions, an arm that uses
black powder as a propellant, and a
fair-chase hunt.
For the first element, historical
sources are as varied as the chosen
time period, the geographical location, and the character portrayed.
Reading old journals, examining
existing artifacts or studying the
hunting practices of a specific ethnic
culture are all sources of historical
information that can find its way
into the actual hunt. And in many
instances the traditional element
extends the scenario beyond the moment of truth.
Being of German descent,
Id read articles on German hunting
traditions, Wacker continued. Ive
always tried to hunt with a German
touch. I may not be 100-percent accurate on what I do, but Im getting
there. Its all part of the journey.
After I secured the buck and
had it tagged, I broke a pine bough
and placed it crosswise in the mouth
of the animal. This is the symbolic
feeding of its last meal (the last
bite, or letzter bissen). I broke
another sprig, an oak branch, dipped
it in the blood and had a hunting
companion brush it on my cheek,
then I put it in the right side of my
cap (the hunters branch, or Schutzenbruch).
When dealing with the game
animal, those boughs are always
broken, never cut. As I understand it,
the only time a branch is cut is when
it is used to signal other hunters. A
branch is placed in the ground to indicate where the animal stood when
shot. Another branch is place on the
ground with the cut end pointing in

the direction the animal traveled. A
branch may be placed on top of that
one indicating if it was a doe or a
buck, Wacker added.
Still kneeling beside the animal, Wacker placed his hand on the
bucks neck and stroked the fur with
reverence. Theres a German word
that is spoken now as a send-off for
the stag, a means of saying thank
you. I cant remember it, he said
with disappointment and a sense of
frustration in his voice. All I can remember is wiener schnitzel so that
will have to do. Wiener schnitzel!
Thank you.
The word that escaped Jeff
Wacker is Weidmannsheil, or
Waidmannsheil depending on
region and dialect. Weidmannsheil
is also used to address a successful hunter with a sprig in his cap, as
a greeting to other hunters or as a
statement of good luck when seeing a hunter off.
Im not whooping and hollering. If I did that my grandfather
would box my ears. This is serious
business. I feel you owe the animal
more respect than you can possibly
give them. After the kill is a time for
reverence and respect. That animal
gave its life to provide food and
sustenance for my family.
My grandfather on my dads
side taught his sons to hunt, and they
were taught to show respect regardless of what it was, a duck, a rabbit,
a squirrel or a nice deer. That seems
to be lost today. Its not being passed
on, Jeff Wacker said in a quiet tone.
By honoring my German hunting
heritage, by remembering what my
grandfather taught, maybe in a small
way I can change that.
Give traditional black powder
hunting a try, be safe and may God
bless you.
Dennis Neely maintains a web
site devoted to traditional hunting at
www.traditionalblackpowderhunting.com.n
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What a great time to spend as a

family making memories from the field
or nine-year-old Skylar Jess,

anytime he spends outdoors
in the woods is a great time.
But the time he spent hunting
on Sept., 19 will be a time he
wont soon forget. This was the
day the fourth grader in the HuronValley Schools would take his first
buck.
It was 7:01 p.m. when I shot my
first buck, Skylar said precisely over
the phone.
Skylars voice became deeper
and his speech slower when
he remembered the time of
day when he shot the deer.
Speaking slowly, he recited
the exact time as 7:01 p.m.
Hunting with dad Bob and
brothers Luke and Walker
on the families property, the
three brothers are known as
The Force, by mom Deb.
I like themes,
this middle school
teacher said.
We had Luke and Skylar so when
the next boy came we decided to call
him Walker. Were not really Star
Wars fans but liked the names, she
said.
The Force definitely was with
them when Skylar got his deer, she
said. Force or not, Skylar knew what
to do when the spike walked within
range of the camo-colored ground
blind he shared with dad and brother
Luke.
Before we saw the spike an eight
pointer came in about 50 yards away.
My crossbow would not have shot
that far but the shotgun would have.
My brother Luke was hunting
with a shotgun but fell asleep. I tried
to wake him up. When he woke up, he
stared at the buck.
The buck kept looking back at
him. Luke moved a little and the deer
took off. My dad kept using the deer
call and called the spike in. It was in
full velvet, Skylar said.
My dad didnt talk much but he

asked me, Do you want to shoot that
spike? I said yes. Be sure the safety
is up, he said.
I was really nervous. Once I
killed it I kind of felt bad for the deer.
We had to wait only one half hour
before we left the blind and found
the buck, he said. It went about 40
yards.
Skylar estimates his shot was
about 25-yards away and was hit
in both lungs. I was shaking (after
shooting the buck), he said.
When we found the
deer, my dad dragged him
out. I helped him gut it, he
said. We brought it home
and hung it then later, took it
to be processed, he added.
The young hunter says
hes never eaten venison.
Im waiting now to get the
meat back. Ive just
eaten burgers and
jerky.
Skylar, a fourth grader in
Huron-Valley schools, was hunting
with a crossbow. I have practiced
with the crossbow one time. I have
been shooting a compound for years
and years, the youngster said. My
friends told me good hunting and
nice job.
The only scouting the group did
prior to the youth hunt was to check
the trail cam where they saw the spike
Skylar shot.
This was the first year Skylar
By Roger Beukema
Lt-rt; Bob, Skylar in the cap, Luke and Walker in front.

could hunt. In the past, hes been with
his dad and brother Luke on hunts.
My brother Luke has shot some
bucks, Skylar said.
The following day Luke was
hunting but saw only does. We have
a rule that we dont shoot does with
babies. The does we saw had babies
with them, he said.
I couldnt have been more proud
of him. The State of MI and DNR
should be proud for allowing this hunt

to take place. What a great time to
spend as a family making memories
from the field. The expression on my
sons face after he shot this deer was
priceless.
My three young boys love sitting
at the breakfast table waiting to see
your column, Deb Jess said.
Email Roger at dutchbeuk12@
gmail.com.n
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57
THE SHOOTER BUCK

Most of us are going to have to continue to define a
shooter as any buck, subject only to the DNR rules
and any additional rules that may be imposed by your
camp or neighborhood...By George Rowe
I
58
f you watch some of the deer

hunting shows on television, the
term shooter buck is familiar
to you. For many of those on
the hunting shows, this means a
buck of four or five years of age
or even older. It also usually means
a buck that will score well up there,
on the B and C scale, perhaps carrying 140 inches of antler or better.
Please note that those shows are not
taped in Michigan. They are photographed in places like Iowa, Illinois,
Ohio, Texas, Alabama, Mexico and
a few other regions. Most of them
are shot on private lands and many of
those lands are fenced and others are
so vast that no fences would make a
difference.
These are the hunting properties characterized by food plots, trail
cameras, permanent elevated stands
and deer so familiar to the landowners that they bear names. The big difference between those hunting spots
and the sort of spots we can hunt
in Michigan is the sheer pressure
the number of hunters in pursuit of
those deer. When the firearm season
opens here, hundreds of thousands of
orange-clad hunters enter the woods

and the pressure on the deer is instant
and constant. While you might see
a doe and her fawns feeding placidly
on the 15th, you are lucky to see any
deer acting normally on the 17th and
sometimes the alarm goes off early
and the deer become reclusive and
almost wholly nocturnal as early as
the second day of the season.
The shooter buck, in Michigans firearm season, is likely to
remain a yearling or the first legal
buck spotted by the hunter. And, of
course, there is no reason why the
hunter cant be happy with a yearand-a-half-old four-point as with an
eight-point a year or two older. Sure,
our hunter would love to have a crack
at an eight-point or an even bigger
buck but they are somewhere between scarce and rare, in our typical
Michigan woods, whether our hunter
is in the woods on public land or in a
farm woodlot on private land.
The forkhorn will provide better and more tender venison than
the older buck and antlers, after all,
are only good for fighting, bragging
(adorning the wall) and certain crafts
buck that I will invariably allow to

walk. Spikes are often the smallest male deer in the woods. I saw a
very small spike buck in the archery
season and yes, he was chasing
a doe. This little guy had antlers
barely three inches long and he was
as dumb as a brick. The doe was half
again as large as the little buck and
she got rid of him in a hurry probably with her front feet. He came
back by my stand a little later and I
had trouble driving him off he was

actually curious about the creature in
the tower stand.
As long as we have hunters
numbering in the hundreds of thousands and a lot of pressure on our
deer, most of us are going to have to
continue to define a shooter as any
buck, subject only to the DNR rules
and any additional rules that may
be imposed by your camp or neighborhood. The average Michigan
hunter will bag a wall-hanger once

in a decade or so, by hunting hard
and letting a lot of little bucks walk,
but the giant bucks are not likely to
be harvested in Michigan. There
will, of course, be those hunters
who have the fortitude, the skill and
the patience to hunt exclusively for
big bucks and they will continue to
score in Michigan occasionally but
they will do much of their hunting
elsewhere.n
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projects. There have been a number

of efforts to protect the yearling
bucks in Michigan, so that they
can grow larger and provide more
trophy bucks in ensuing years. The
current QDMA program that was
adopted for the UP is a good example. Even though it is not called
a QDMA program, that is where it
was born and it was adopted despite
the DNRs policy of testing such
programs and also seeking public
opinion on such programs even
before they are tested. Many hunters have protested the rule in the UP
and many LP hunters were anxious
to keep the rule from crossing the
bridge. It did, however, and now
most of the northern portion of the
LP has antler point restrictions.
Some antler rules seem to work
well. The current DNR rule for the
entire state is a good example. The
only way a hunter can take two bucks
legally, all weapons considered, is
to make one of them a buck with a
minimum of four tines on at least one
side. While this rule doesnt protect
all yearlings (some of them produce
a small eight-point rack in their first
year), it does save most of them.
Many Michigan hunters take to the
woods on opening day with only that
restricted tag deer in mind, hoping to
bag a buck with the mandatory seven
or eight points. If, however, they
shoot a four-point on opening day,
they have a real challenge in front of
them, when they return to the woods
to try to fill their second buck tag on
the combination license.
They must examine any buck
they subsequently see to make sure
it carries the required headgear and
this is very difficult. The deer has
to be close and it has to be moving
slowly or standing still for the hunter
to count tines, even with field glasses
or a scope. A second problem is that
the more mature bucks are the very
first deer to become reclusive after
the first day or two. About the only
way you are going to see one is to
jump one out of his day bed (try to
count tines while he is bounding
away) or in a small drive. Imagine
four deer dashing out of that swale
the last one obviously has antlers but
it will be very difficult to see if he
qualifies.
Many hunters are satisfied with
local and camp rules on antler
tines. Many camps have adopted
six-point rules and whole areas in
local counties have agreed on similar
rules. Many of these local or camp
rules are as simple as shoot no
spike-horns. That is my personal
rule but I will admit that the sixpointer that I will shoot could be the
same age and weight as the spike
59
Lt-rt: Carson Wright with his first buck, a total tined 6-pt. and Benjamin Govitz with
his beautiful 8-pt. both taken on the Spinazzola farms during the youth hunt.
It doesnt get
any better!
e hear that a picture

is worth a thousand
words and the two
shown is every bit
worth a thousand
words. 14 year
old Carson Wright of north
Oakland Co. took a fine
2-1/2 year old six point from
my blind in Clare Co., on
Sept. 19, 2015 youth hunt.
This is Carsons first buck.
We ask that youth first take
a doe or fawn prior to taking
a buck and Carson
did take a doe last
year, his first year of
deer hunting. Not too
shabby Carson, well done.
Carson and his dad Phil saw six
bucks, ten fawns and eight does that
Saturday morning. Four of the bucks
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were yearlings
and Carson passed
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three bucks appeared at 170 yards
distant munching on a choice of delectable forge that consisted of corn,
young and green soybeans, sugar
beets, a blend of eight brassica plants
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60
it worse not better. For you must

leave scent when baiting and that is
a sure giveaway to deer, especially
mature bucks, which now move into
the picture at dark. Carson took his
shot with his 243 cal. bolt action Savage when the six- point and
largest buck was 120 yards
distant. It was a perfect
center chest hit that laid the
buck down within 60 yards
of frantic running. A video
of the kill was taken, not too
many deer hunters have a
chance to relive the taking
of their first buck 30
years later.
I love the above
note of Carson and his
Dad seeing ten fawns for the morning hunt. This is where it all starts
for success in deer management. Yet,
they heard several coyote yelps in the
evening hunt in spite of one coyote
hunter taking 16 coyotes the last
three years on that 160 acre piece of
deer country in Clare County.
The following day, 14 year old
Benny Govitz and his Dad, Trent
of Gladwin Co. spent the evening
youth hunt in the same blind. Can
lightning really strike twice in the
same place? Trent just returned from
Mexico on Sept. 18 where he spent
a week installing special machines
for his employer, Universal Broach
and picked up the Mexico Revenge,
which just made it impossible for the
youth opener. He improved a bit with
the help of Bismo and made it for the
By Ed Spinazzola
the same location that Carson saw

the three bucks appear Saturday,
three more bucks in a bunch with a
very nice buck leading.
Look at that rack DAD speaks
the trembling one. Trent knows only
he can solve the shaky situation.
Trent tells his son, Theres another
fine eight pointer well beyond the
three bucks, which are now around
170 yards away. Trent lays his hand
on Bens shoulder, tells Ben to take
two deep breaths and let the second
breath half way out and stop breath-
ing. The comforting hand and message of action to Ben was the
secret, for now Ben concentrated.
Boom, the big brute stumbles,
he is hit, and he goes away in an
uneasy gait.
I dont believe this is happening
Dad Ben yells. Neither do I Ben,
Its getting close to 8 and we need to
get on his trail advises Trent.
The blood trail is spotty at best,
but at around 100 yards the buck
is found. The bullet entered at the
bucks lower neck and never excited.
There was very little lung material

intact. Makes you wonder, how they
can go so far with so much vital
organ damage.
Good shooting Ben, why are
you shaking now, you didnt when
you shot asked Dad?
Keep the fun in hunting!
Ed Spinazzola, is an associate
with Tony LaPratts Ultimate Land
Management. For more information
check our web sites www.tonysulm.
com or www.deerattraction.com or
phone 586-784-8090.n
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evening Saturday hunt with Benny.

The hunt was at the 170 acre
home base in Gladwin Co. Much
of this farm was open land for we
farmed it until 1996. The transition
from farm to a hunting paradise is a
long time experience, but it is possible with the right moves. For
cover we planted 60 acres of a
mix of several switch grasses and
legumes such as clover and alfalfa
for use as cover, doe fawning area,
and big buck bedding. We planted
over 10,000 trees of evergreen and
hardwoods, a bunch of brush and
40 apple trees. For cover and winter
carryover we seed at least 15 acres
of corn yearly and leave it standing.
This can get expensive, Working
with Pheasants Forever and receiving corn, soybeans, buckwheat and
more free or at a minimum cost
makes it easier. For both hunting
locations we seeded a total 30 acres
of corn.
Ben and his Dad blind overlooks
a four acre field of corn surrounding
a firearm kill plot of 2.2 acres. This
kill plot is one of our Ultimate corn
based firearm kill plots that has the
same big variety of forage as noted
for the Clare Co. kill plots. Ultimate Corn Based Firearm Kill Plots
include spaced rows of corn aimed
at the blind which allows the hunter
to see deer throughout the entire kill
plot, no matter what size the plot is
while the deer thinks he is entirely
invisible as he munches on that 14
course meal.
Things went slow for Ben and
Trent, it wasnt until nearly 8 that
a fine 8 pointer and two buddies
with him. Ben found out what buck
fever was. Trent tells me that Ben
was shaking like a leaf in a thirty
mile wind. Ben shot his 243 cal rifle,
the deer looked up and Ben kept on
shaking and only then did the deer
pick up on the source of the noise
and all ambled away without a worry
of danger.
Sunday morning had Ben and
Trent chose the blind where Ben
took his first buck in the 2014 youth
hunt. Six bucks all yearlings and a
few does and fawns viewed, Note;
normally at our place when a youth
takes a buck they get a star and a
hand shake of congratulations, then
its over. Trent and Ben are neighbors
and help with the kill plot creations,
this gives them hunting rights for all
deer seasons.
Sunday evening Ben and Trent
take the same one used by Carson
and Phil, the day before, which most
would advise, it is not a good idea.
They tell me that they saw 17 deer
including a few bucks early, but
yearlings. Since Ben has taken a
first buck on our land, he has a four
points on one side minimum. From
61
62
63
Pheasant hunters benefit

from statewide projects
f you love to hunt Michigans

ringneck pheasants youre in
luck. Recently several state game
areas have either finished upland
projects or just received grants
from the Michigan DNR to start
new projects. The Lapeer State Game
Area was the latest announcement
and got a big shot in the arm with a
DNR Habitat grant to help recondition 120 acres into grassland habitat. Matching
funds came from Lapeer
County Pheasants Forever
(PF), Genesee County PF
and St Clair County PF.
Projects like this are vital
for upland species as the
MDNRs Wildlife Habitat
Grant Program kicked off
in October of 2013
with several of these
projects being part of
the larger Michigan Pheasant Restoration Initiative and are already growing
thick wildlife havens in several other
state game areas all accessible by the
general public.
Five recent projects included
230,000 dollars in grants aimed at
creating upland habitat in the Lake
Hudson SRA, Coldwater State Park,
Maple River SGA, Verona SGA and
Sharonville SGA and received matching funds from Monroe, Lenawee,
Branch, Washtenaw, Jackson, Ingham,
Clinton, Macomb, St Clair and Thumb
Chapters of Pheasants Forever.
The Verona SGA, (236 acres),
Maple River SGA (59 acres),
as well as the Lake Hudson
SRA (194 acres), have just been
completed. These projects are
finally doing what is truly required to provide quality habitat
to sustain upland bird populations, and all wildlife benefit
from habitat improvement.
The Michigan Pheasant Restoration Initiative
is a very broad program that is trying
to link both private and public lands
to provide big tracts of upland habitat also allowing for public access.
By Mark Sak
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Funds from the DNRs Hunter Access

Program as well as funds from license
fees are the main driving force behind
MPRI. But a long list of partners such
as the US department of Agriculture, Ducks Unlimited, MUCC, Soil
Conservation districts, National Wild
Turkey Federation, MSU Extension
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funds.
Die-hard pheasant hunters understand that quality habitat provides the
cover, food and nesting habitat needed
to sustain populations. Its a far cry
from the Sichuan experiment from 20
years ago that never provided a viable
breeding population of birds. That
program had hoped the strain of birds
would adapt to those current habitat
conditions. The breed only lasted
about three years before disappearing.
Today, many casual hunters often look
at pheasant hunting in Michigan as
a futile endeavor, but many die hard
Michigan upland hunters that regularly work dogs and do their research
are reporting flush rates above 100
birds in a fall/winter season. Some
well above that. With these new
habitat programs all around the state

hunters wont feel the need to hunt in
one or two specific areas allowing for
less pressure and more carry over to
sustain breeding populations.
One glance at the organizations
responsible for this great habitat
work and it becomes very clear for
the need to continue to support fish
and wildlife by purchasing hunting
or fishing licenses. It is also equally
important to support conservation
organizations that are also crucial as
they often provide matching funds and
rely heavily on successful banquets so
they may donate funds to do habitat
projects on public lands. These donations are usually always above and
beyond funds needed to operate the
group.
For more information on the
Michigan Pheasant Restoration Initiative log on to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources website
and click on the hunting and trapping
link or go to www.michigan.gov/
pheasant. There is a great deal of
information on all of the current programs and maps where to locate these
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Question of Balance
y son, Ethan, and I hunted
grouse in the early season
this year. Its been five
years since we hunted together in September. His
university studies, and his
work as an archaeologist, have gotten
in the way. This year he got laid off
just before Michigans small game
season and came home for a while
before being called back.
We went out opening day and
several days afterward. His
shotgun was stored downstate, so he used my Marlin
90 16 gauge over and under
and my Tristar .410 over and
under.
I carried my 20 gauge
FIAS over and under. Its
Italian, made by Sabatti
for Kassnar Imports.
I bought it used many
years ago. Of all the guns
Ive used to hunt grouse,
woodcock, and rabbits, it has worked
best and felt best. Like all break open
shotguns, its also easy to make safe
in the woods. Just open the action and
pull the shells.
The FIAS has some tough competition, and not just from the Marlin
M90.
Another 16 gauge, my Model 12
Winchester was my favorite grouse
gun before I got the 20 gauge OU.
For years, Id open the season with
the Winchester, or go back to it for a
while during September or October.
Recently, Ive stuck to the 20 gauge.
Weight is one reason. The 20
weighs six pounds. Some of my other
grouse guns have been about a pound
heavier. That doesnt matter as much
when shooting at game, but it does
when carrying a shotgun while walking in the woods. For hunting birds,
or deer, I prefer a gun that weighs six
or six and a half pounds. Where I hunt
most shots are short and a gun thats

quick to the shoulder, and quick to
swing is important. I looked at one
of the places I hunted recently. If a
grouse had flushed and crossed in
front of me Id have had two seconds,
or less, to mount the gun, swing and
fire. After that it would have disappeared in the trees again.
Barrel length is also a factor.
My 20 gauge has 25 and a half inch
barrels. The Marlin M90 has 28 inch
barrels. I guess the extra two
inches adds three or four
ounces of weight to the Marlin. Longer barrels can help
with long shots and most
duck guns and trap guns have
long barrels. I could get used
to the Marlins 28 inch tubes
and it wouldnt take long.
But, Ill always prefer
shorter barrels on a
grouse gun.
Length of pull
between the FIAS and the Marlin is
a non-issue. Both measure 14 and a
quarter inches. The tape was put on
the Marlins front trigger. Reach to the
rear trigger would be about a half inch
shorter. The 20 gauge has a single
trigger. I think of its stock as fairly
short and it surprises me that it is a
hair over 14 inches each time I measure it. The Marlin has a rubber recoil
pad and the 20 gauge has a simple
plastic buttplate.
The 20 gauge is trimmer through
the action. The pistol grip is curved
more sharply and theres more grip
extending below the stock. The
handguard is longer but thinner and
the wood on the 20 may be lighter and
less dense than that on the Marlin.
The difference that makes the real
difference, for me, is the balance.
Ethan and I traded guns for a while
one day. When he gave the FIAS back
he said, Its handier.
By Lee Arten
Three bird gunstop-bottom; Marlin 90 16

gauge, FIAS 20 gauge, Tristar .410. Of the three
the FIAS 20 has the best balance.
Today I checked the balance point
of both guns. The FIAS balanced an
inch and a half closer to the breech.
That little change makes a lot of difference.
Since the Tristar .410 over and
under that I wrote about in the July
issue was handy, I checked its balance
as well. It balances right at the hinge
pin. Thats forward of the balance
point of the 20 gauge. The 28 inch
barrels seem longer because they
are thin. The stock is a quarter inch
longer than the stocks on the 20 or
the 16. Despite the differences the
.410 feels very similar to the 20
gauge FIAS.
I carried the .410 in the field for
a while last week and the thing that
felt the most off was the forend.
The whole gun is trim but the forend
felt very thin while I carried the gun.

With a quarter inch taken off the stock
length, and about the same added
to the width of the forearm the .410
would feel almost identical to the 20.
Id like that.
Patterns thrown may be more important in wingshooting than balance
or maybe not. Balance helps a hunter
carry a shotgun comfortably and helps
get the gun on the bird so the shot
pattern can do its work. After handling
some guns Ive rejected them outright
for grouse hunting, just because of
balance and feel. A gun that throws
excellent patterns but feels something
like a fencepost with an anvil attached
(Ive handled a few like that) wont
be going grouse hunting with me unless theres absolutely no other gun
available.n
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Madison Heights, Michigan 48071
Call 1-800-521-3188
www.butcher-packer.com
65
For The Traveling Deer Hunter, Its One Of The Most Hassle-Free,
Affordable, Deer Hunts Available...By Michael Veine
DEER
HUNTING
UP
the
66
Heres one of the many UP bucks shot by the author that weighed over 200 pounds dressed.
uality deer hunting can be interpreted

different ways by different hunters. To
some hunters quality might mean having
a lot of large antlered deer in the area.
Others many define quality hunting as
just seeing a lot of deer. Some though
view the challenge, the hunt itself and the
setting as the primary considerations in the quality
equation. As an outdoor writer that contributes to
lots of national magazines, I could hunt anywhere I
want yet I choose the UP as my main hunting destination every year. In fact, I havent hunted much
elsewhere in years because I just enjoy my UP
hunting more than any other place I could hunt. My
reasons are simple: I enjoy hunting the big woods
and all the challenges that come with it in the UP.
Michigans Upper Peninsula is an often overlooked, deer hunting destination for discriminating
hunters and this year may very well be much better
than anticipated due to several factors. Its no secret that deer numbers are down across the UP after
three successive harsh winters and a burgeoning
predator population with wolves especially taking a
big bite out of the deer herd there. All the bad press
on deer there has driven a lot of hunters away from
the area with hunter numbers at modern time lows
in recent years. This year will likely see additional
reductions in UP deer hunter numbers.
For the hunters remaining though, there will
be a lot less hunting pressure to contend with in a
region with pretty light hunting effort in the first
place. Add to that the fact that a huge chunk of the
UP last year saw big snows right before the firearm
deer season, which kept most hunters out of the
woods for the entire season. The lack of overall
hunting pressure last year and in years past will
pass along a lot of bucks into older age classes.
Even though deer numbers are down, there should
be a decent number of big bucks running around
this fall with light pressure on them.
Last year I shot my limit of deer in the UP during the archery deer season. So, I spent most of the
firearm deer season there trapping and also scouting
deer hunting areas on public lands for seasons to
come. What I found on public land was a complete
Units with moderate deer numbers have a lot less hunting pressure and therefore hold more older age
class deer. With diligent scouting, it is possible to find pockets of high deer numbers in those areas
where you can have the best of both worlds. MDNR photo
had only seen one fawn all day, but at 4:00 that all
changed when a big doe came running past me.
At first I thought a wolf might be chasing her, but
when I heard a buck grunting in the distance, I got
ready for action by grabbing my Quest Bow.
The buck came along a few minutes later on a
different trail and when he stopped just 20 yards
away, I quickly determined that he had four points
on one antler making him legal, and then I sent
an arrow on its way without hesitation. The buck
dashed off about 25 yards, stopped, and then he
just leaned against a fallen tree and expired without
ever really falling over. I had that seven pointer
aged by two DNR biologist with one estimating his
age at four years old, but his compadre disagreed
and guesstimated him at three. Whatever his age,
he weighed 180 pounds dressed and he took me
until the wee-hours of the night to extract him from
that quagmire.
Being born and raised in northern Michigan,
Ive been hunting the UP for many years indeed.
Having hunted other noted whitetail states like Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin and many others,
I still consider hunting in the UP to be my overwhelming favorite. In fact, over the last 10 years,
I have tagged my legal limit of 20 Michigan bucks,
all of them from the UP; all of them nicely racked
specimens and all of them with good sized bodies
too.
Im mainly a meat hunter though, and dont
really put much emphasis on antlers in my deer
hunting pursuits. What really turns my crank is
the body size of deer and the UP is well known for
having big bodied deer. In the last ten years, Ive
taken a slew of big-bodied UP bucks that yielded
90 pounds or more of scrumptious, boned venison.
I forgot to mention, I hunt a lot on public land in
the UP too; in places where anybody can hunt.
Besides a high degree of success, the UP also
provides a lot of true, wilderness deer hunting
opportunities. Theres no denying that farmlands
produce some mighty fine whitetail hunting, however; theres something extra special about chasing whitetails in the big woods. Im talking about
hunting where you wont hear any planes, trains or

automobiles; where the only noises are the wind
blowing through the trees and other natural sounds.
By the Numbers
From preliminary data, the UP experienced a

hunter success rate on bucks of 22% during 2014,
which compares favorably with the rest of Michigan and other noted deer hunting states too. It
should be noted though that there are some deer
management units in the UP that had over 30%
success rates on bucks, which is outstanding anywhere.
The most amazing statistic is the UPs incredible buck age structure: Fully, 66 percent of the
bucks killed there were age 2.5 or older. I dont
know of any other whitetail state that can boast better. In fact, in most noted whitetail states, yearling
bucks dominate the harvest. In many areas over 80
percent of the antlered buck harvest is composed
of yearling bucks. In the UP though, many bucks
survive to older age classes due to a combination
of regulations, a let em go to let em grow hunter
mentality, and also the remoteness of the whitetails
range there and the corresponding light hunting
pressure in many areas.
Winter Rule
Winter severity is the single biggest limiting

factor for the UP deer herd. Some areas of the UP
seem to always get buried in snow and the deer
there have developed migratory strategies as a survival technique. In some counties deer will migrate
over 50 miles between their summer and winter
ranges.
The UP can be divided into two distinct regions: Big Snow Country and the Banana Belt.
The Big Snow Country is located in the northern
half of the UP where lake effect snows from Lake
Superior dump copious amounts of snow annually.
The Banana Belt is in the southern part of the UP
Hunting the UP page 68
lack of hunters in all of my main deer hunting

spots. Since the ground was snow covered there all
through the season, I was able to positively assess
the hunting pressure in those spots as zero. I was
the only one hunting those areas during the archery
deer season too, so I actually had thousands of
acres of land all to myself and this year should provide some very good hunting in those same spots
for adult bucks. Sure deer numbers are low there,
but there are still certainly enough deer to make for
some high quality hunting opportunities indeed.
The UP is a sleeper region providing some
quality, big-woods, deer hunting adventures with
pretty high hunter success rates too; in fact some
of the highest in the Midwest. The quality of the
hunting is also outstanding with a buck age structure that is considered top shelf compared to other
whitetail states. The UP also contains millions of
acres of public land too (more than half the land
mass), so finding a good place to hunt is certainly
not an issue. For the traveling bowhunter, the UP
offers one of the most hassle-free, affordable deer
hunts available. With over-the-counter deer tags
readily available, at very reasonable rates, deer
hunters can just show up and hunt with minimum
muss, fuss or expense.
November 8, 2014 was indeed a good day
for bowhunting in the central UP. I almost felt
guilty about sleeping in as I slipped into one of my
favorite stands at a gentlemanly hour of 9:00 a.m.
As the peak of the rut approaches though, with the
typical cool weather patterns, I change my hunting
strategy to take advantage of increasing daytime
travel patterns. Skipping the early morning hunt is
an especially wise hunting strategy on cold, crisp,
still mornings when deer can hear hunters moving
through the woods from a great distance. When the
late morning breeze ruffles over the woods, a bowhunter can then sneak into a stand without being
detected and messing up the hunt before it begins.
There was another reason to sleep-in too: With
the presence of wolves now on much of the UP
landscape, many deer have changed their movement habits big-time. Wolves mainly hunt during
low light hours. Before wolves became numerous
in my area, deer moved mostly during low light
hours. Now that wolves are common, deer move
much more during mid-day to avoid wolves. In
fact, if its not warm, I now consider prime deer
hunting time to be somewhere around 10:00 a.m.
through 4:00 p.m. In the last 10 years, Ive killed
the vast majority of my deer during mid-day.
My treestand on that hunt was situated on public land along the edge of very remote cedar swamp
flanked by some thick, brushy upland habitat.
Perched 25 feet up in a cedar tree, I was extremely
comfortable in my Guidos Web sling style tree
stand. This stand has all-day comfort and also allows for a true, 360 degree shooting radius, which
makes hunting that particular spot much more effective since there are deer trails on all sides of the
stand.
The weather was pretty nice early on in that
hunt, but by noon, the winds had picked up and
precipitation pelted me in a mixture of rain and
sleet turning to all snow as the day wore on with
the dropping temperatures. I was dressed for the
occasion though in my Cabelas Super Slam suit
and the nasty conditions were blocked completely
by the layers of waterproofing and insulation. I
67
Deer Hunting The UP:

from page 67
If you think it snows a lot where you
live, consider that there are counties in the UP that average well over
200 of the white stuff per year. In
comparison, there are also areas in
the Banana Belt that average just 50
per year, which is quite contrasting
compared to the Big Snow Region.
The UP deer herd fluctuates
between about 200,000 and 400,000
deer depending upon the winters.
says Dave Jentoft a Wildlife Biologist
and UP deer expert for the Michigan
Department of Natural Resources.
He went on to say, The winters of
2009/2010, 2010/2011 and 2011/2012
were all very mild in nature and as a
result the deer herd increased then.
Those three successive herd growth
years should provide very good hunting for older age class bucks despite
the fact that the past three winters
were pretty hard on deer.
Dave Jentoft said, Generally
youll find higher deer numbers in
areas of the UP that get less snow.
Habitat will also influence deer
numbers as well. Deer grow faster

in areas with less severe winters and
better habitat. Because of the winter
severity, deer in the UP have slower
overall antler growth rates compared
to areas with milder climates.
Where to Hunt
It might seem logical to assume

that the best deer hunting in the UP
is in the southern region where deer
numbers are the highest. In some
regards that might be true, especially
if you are just looking to fill a tag.
Keep in mind though that hunting
pressure, especially on public lands,
is typically much higher in areas of
the UP known for lots of deer. Hunting pressure though is a relative term
as the UP gets far less hunting activity
compared to most other regions of
whitetail country. For example, the
most heavily hunted county in the UP
gets a small fraction of the hunting
pressure compared to the least hunted
county in southern Michigan.
Still, the hunting pressure in high
The authors wife Donna shot this gargantuan buck in 2014. Author photo
deer areas of the UP does take a toll,

especially on buck numbers. Usually,
the more hunters that you have in an
area, the more the buck segment of
the deer population get hammered.
In areas with lower hunting pressure,
more bucks will survive to live and
grow into bigger, trophy class speci-
68
mens. Therefore, I tend to avoid deer

hunting in areas of the UP that have
high overall deer numbers. I also
avoid areas with very low numbers of
deer too.
In my experience, units with
moderate deer numbers have a lot less
hunting pressure and therefore hold
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more older age class bucks. With

diligent scouting, it is possible to find
pockets of high deer numbers in those
areas where you can have the best of
both worlds.
Big Buck Areas
According to Commemorative
Bucks of Michigan (states official
record keeper of big game) Delta
County and Marquette County (both
located in the central UP) are the top
counties in the entire state of Michigan for record book bucks. Ontonagon and Iron Counties (western
UP) are also top counties in big buck
production ranking fourth and fifth
respectively statewide.
The Michigan DNR manages
deer according to Deer Management Units (DMUs). There is one
DMU (DMU122) in the UP that has
been under strict, Mandatory Antler Restrictions (MARs) since the
year 2000. As a result of MARs,
DMU122 consistently produces more
and bigger bucks than any other
DMU in the UP but it also attract
more hunters there as a result.
Areas to Avoid
Good concentrations of deer in

areas with light deer hunting pressure
are not too difficult to find in the UP.
Some of those good looking areas
though may not be all that great for
deer hunting. In all the years Ive
been hunting in the UP Ive never run
into another bowhunter while bowhunting. I have however had many
hunts ruined when bird hunters and
bear hunters disturbed my bowhunting spots. Parts of the UP seem to
have way more upland bird hunters
than bowhunters, so its best to avoid
bowhunting in areas where there are
lots of grouse.
I avoid bowhunting in areas with
young aspen stands (prime grouse
habitat). Fresh clear-cuts often make
good bowhunting spots, but after a
few years, when the aspen sprouts
start turning into small trees, birds

will move in big time and so will the
bird hunters.
Bear hunting is very popular in
the UP during September up until
the end of the season on October 25.
Bear hunting is done with bait and
dogs. A lot of bear hunters seem to
be somewhat lazy and will not haul
bait very far from a road or ATV trail.
Dog hunters typically either start the
dogs on baits, or drive down roads
and trails letting the strike dogs detect
where a bear has passed and then they
turn their dogs loose. Basically, I like
to bowhunt in areas where there is
poor access for bear hunters avoiding
spots where roads or trails make it
convenient for bear hunting.
When to Go
There are three prime periods

to bowhunt in the UP: The opener
of Archery Deer Season, which we
missed, is a great period for some
high quality hunting. Ive killed a
bunch of nice bucks during early
October. The deer are very relaxed
at that time of the year and their
movement patterns can be somewhat
predictable and more concentrated
during the cooler times of the day.
Early October is also wonderful for a
UP hunting trip because I love to hunt
grouse and can combine bird hunting
with bowhunting for a great overall
experience. The first week of October, when the leaves are still falling,
is considered to be a prime period for
grouse hunting. You can also combine bowhunting, bird hunting and
some world class trout fishing then
too for a trifecta of outdoor entertainment.
Like everywhere, some of the best
bowhunting of the season, especially
if you are seeking an adult buck, occurs during the rut. The best UP rut
bowhunts occur from Halloween until
the beginning of the firearms deer
Season (November 15). Ive killed
more UP bucks during the first week
of November compared to all other

times.
Another excellent deer hunting
period is late season from December
15 until the close of the archery deer
season on New Years Day. This wintery hunting season often provides
top notch bowhunting opportunities.
If its snowy then, Savvy hunters key
in on migration routes to ambush deer
as they travel from remote summer
ranges to their wintering grounds. If
early snows already pushed the deer
to their yards, then hunting those
winter hideouts can be highly successful.
Deer Hunting
Regulations/Information
The UP is under Hunters Choice
deer hunting regulations. Deer hunters must choose from two licensing
options: Hunters can purchase a
Combination License which includes
two restricted tags. Bucks must meet
certain antler point restrictions (3
points on one side for one tag and
4 points on one side for the second,
restricted tag). The other option is
to buy a single Archery Deer Hunting License good for one unrestricted
buck; however you are limited to one
buck for the entire season (gun or
bow) under that option. In the UP,
with archery gear, only bucks may
be taken this year with a combination license or single buck tag. There
are some bonus, antlerless deer tags
available in three DMUs which are
sold either in a lottery type drawing
or over the counter, depending on
availability.
With about 2/3 of the UPs land
mass available for public hunting,
bowhunters can easily find a spot all
to themselves. Camping is popular
and free for hunters on both state and
federal lands, although a free permit
is required to camp on state lands.
There are also dozens of state owned
and private campgrounds available to.
Hunters will find millions of acres of
private lands enrolled in the CFA program where hunters have free access,
although camping is not allowing on
most CFA lands. A great interactive
mapping resource for finding public
lands in Michigan is at
www.mcgi.state.mi.us/mi-hunt/n
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Sleeping Bear Dunes and

North Manitou Adventuring...
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Early morning fishing success at the mouth of the Platte River
LIMITED OPENINGS FOR TROPHY HUNTS!
orth Manitou Island is an

uninhabited 15,000 acre
glacially created landscape
of raw radiance, solitude and
endless variables of weather
and wind and wildlife that
includes breeding habitat for the endangered piping plover. A wilderness
backcountry camping permit from
the National Park Service is required,
and of course a means to get
there is necessary; and for
most trekkers that means the
rather romantic Manitou Island Transit ferry, the MisheMoka. That iconic gray
boat sails out of the historic
Fishtown dock in Leland.
Exploring the island for a
few nights had been in my
sights ever since
I read the Come
Fully Prepared
paragraph from the National Park
Service over a year ago.
Bring provisions for at least 2
extra days in case adverse weather
should occur and the ferry cannot run.
There are no stores, supplies, gasoline
or fuel on the island. Medical attention is not available. Sick or injured
people may be stranded on the island
until emergency evacuation can be
accomplished. Be in good physicals
shape. Carry a first aid kit. Know your
limitations. Purify your drinking water. Compass and topographical maps
are recommended.
The older I get, and I do not
consider myself the senior my paperwork alleges, the more descriptions
like that lure me into action. I studied

the fine details of a topographical map
and planned my trek in detail two
months ago to include as much natureadventuring as possible, and I located
possible sites to camp with panoramic
views of sunset and sunrise. And
of course I researched the historical
areas from the logging era, including
the old U.S. Life-Saving Station and
long-abandoned weathered
homesteads that are slowly
being devoured by natures
persistence and decaying
with the passing of time.
And Ill confess something here: I kind of hoped
early Gales of November
would sweep across the
Manitou Passage a few
hours before
my return to the
mainlandand I
would be stranded on the island. But I
would not be Naked and Afraid like
the drama kings and queens of that
TV survival series. I packed spare
socks and enough packets of foilsealed single serve tuna, and almost a
pound of nuts, dried berries and jerky
were in my emergency stash bag in
the bottom of my backpack for use if
I was stranded for a few days. I was
good to go!
And of course, securely in the
inner pocket of my backpack was an
emergency kit for unexpected nights
out anywhere; fish line and hooks,
matches, signaling mirror and items of
that sort. The island would also provide old apples and other wild edibles
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Dunes Heritage Trail. Hikers and nature lovers with a passion for geology
are always in awe of the landscape
that was sculpted by the earthmoving
forces of the glaciers and the wind
that continues to shape the land.
Visitors that walk the seemingly endless miles of ever-changing
beaches may stumble upon remnants
of a shipwreck or be spellbound by
moon shadows in the sand. And when
the gales of November roar and strip
the remaining leaves, cataclysmic
events such as the great blow-down
from this past summer that felled
thousands of trees in and near Glen
Haven, Glen Arbor and the famed
Alligator Hill Trail will be exposed in
all their rawness.
The Senior Pass: And since my
backpack was packed, I was not
about to return to my planned staging ground motel, the quaint Empire
Lakeshore Inn, barely a stones throw
from park headquarters in the Village of Empire. Instead I drove to the
Platte Ranger Station and inquired
on backcountry permits. I quickly
discovered it paid to be a senior. Last
year I paid a whopping $10, yes that
is ten-dollars for a LIFETIME Senior
Pass for ALL National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands. And as I filled
in the paperwork for my backcountry
permit and was advised of black bear
activity, the on-duty ranger smiled
and said, Its two dollars and fifty
cents for camping.
Turns out seniors with the life
time pass get half price on camping at
Sleeping Bear Dunes, and backcountry camping is a nature-embracing,
keeping one young bargain to begin
with.
So what was my Plan B when I
discovered my expedition to North
Manitou Island was not to be?
Familiarity. Familiarity with the
endless opportunities and rich history
of this world-class wonder hugging
the shoreline of our Lake Michigan.
And so for the remainder of the
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Early morning fishing success at the mouth of the Platte River

weekend I hiked the Platte Plains
Trails in splendid solitude and on the
last morning drove north to hike to
the highest point of
Sleeping Bear Point Trail at
sunrise to gaze across the Manitou
Passage towards the distant islands
---and dream. I look forward with
even greater anticipation to getting
my boots on the ground on North
Manitou Island next spring, for our
National Park Service celebrates its
100th birthday in 2016. And that is
where I will be when its time to say
Happy Birthday to our National Park
Service!
Explore And Plan

Sleeping Bear Dunes National
Lakeshore, www.nps.gov/slbe
Sleeping Bear Dunes Visitors Bureau:

www.sleepingbeardunes.com
Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail
www.sleepingbeartrail.org
Manitou Island Transit
www.manitoutransit.com
Empire Chamber Of Commerce
www.empirechamber.com
Empire Lakeshore Inn
www.empirelakeshoreinn.net
Jonathan Schechter is the
Nature Education Writer for Oakland
County Parks and when not hiking or
exploring the wildlands of Michigan
and beyond, he keeps busy as an ER
Paramedic and as a member of the
Wilderness Medical Society. Email:
oaknature@aol.comn
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Phone:
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Fax: 586 790 5917
for late fall foraging.

I preach and practice situational
awareness and plan to keep on
hiking as long as I can tie my own
boot laces. What could possibly go
wrong? Enter the windy whims of
Mother Nature.
The ferry must cross the Manitou Passage to reach North Manitou
Island, one island in chain of islands
between the peninsulas of Michigan.
Mariners have long looked at that
passage as a graveyard of the Great
Lakes. At least fifty ships have met
their fate in the passage when strong
winds lashed the waves into raging
ship-swallowing storms. Today the
U.S Coast Guard monitors weather
conditions but sometimes foolish
mariners ignores forecasts.
My trip was to have occurred
on the first weekend of October, but
on the evening before departure the
dreaded call came. Manitou Transit
practices situational awareness. The
winds were getting stronger and out
of the north and conditions for crossing and docking deteriorated. No go.
The trip was cancelled. What did
I do? I continued to drive north to
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. And heres why!
One can never get weary of
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, a master piece of nature for
anyone with a passion for adventure.
It is more than the place for kids to
play on the ever popular dune climb
and families to drive along and explore the viewing overlooks along the
Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive.
Fishing fever peaks in autumn as
the king and coho salmon return to
their beautiful Platte River to spawn.
Silvery flashes expose their upstream
journey as they round the bends of
the river under cascades of falling
leaves.
And with the first snowflakes not
very far away, cross-country skiers
dream of endless opportunities on
backcountry wildland trails, while
others anticipate the new 16 mile
Order online: www.ferrariandsons.com 71
The Gillespie Rifles
ric Lau, of Riverdale, had just

returned home from military
service in 1964 when a friend
invited him to try shooting his
black powder trade gun. Eric
has been hooked on shooting
muzzle loaders ever since that first
shot went downrange and a cloud of
rancid smoke filled the air around
him. He became so interested in the
old time firearms that he soon joined
the Michigan Longrifle Builders
Guild. Within the next few years he
learned a lot about building, shooting,
and caring for muzzle loading rifles as
well as a good bit about the history of
Americas first firearms.

His easy smile and a love for people of like interests soon
had Eric joining several
muzzle loading clubs. In
1976, during the Rendezvous days, Eric and his
friends started dressing in
buckskins and organized
a primitive group called,
Brothers of the Wind.
He has many wonderful
memories of camps and
shoots shared with those
boys, many of whom
are grandpas now.
By Darryl Quidort
sively with rifles he has built himself.

Although the elk in Montana and bear
in Canada gave him the slip, he really
enjoyed those trips with his friends,
all carrying their traditional muzzle
loading rifles. Deer and small game
around home find their way into Erics
frying pan with regularity.
I suppose you are wondering
where the Gillespie rifles come into
this story. While visiting his son, Tim,
who had moved to North Carolina,
Eric was shown the site of an old
iron forge near the Mills River. The
forge was built by Phillip Sitton in
Henderson County, NC around the
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Upland Bird Hunting
August 15April 30
72
They still get together for a primitive

camp each summer. Today Eric is the
last active original member of the group.
Several styles of the
old guns have caught
Erics eye over the years
but his personal favorite
is the big, heavy barreled
and extremely accurate
over the log or chunk
guns. The accuracy of a
patched round ball shot
from those jumbo sized
rifles is amazing.
Eric hunts exclu-
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Left: Eric Lau with the Gillespie rifles he

hand crafted for his grandsons. Right:
The trigger guards and buttplates were
cast from an original Gillespie rifle.
year 1800. The Gillespie family, who
had also moved into the area around
that time, used water power from the
Mills River to run a gun mill. They
got their iron from the nearby forge.
The father, John, taught his sons,
Mathew, William, and Robert the art
of building guns in the Gillespie style.
Today, that style of rifle is known as
the Southern Mountain rifle. It is a
long, slender, graceful muzzle loading
rifle with a curved buttplate and often
is ornamented with inlays of brass or
even silver.
Johns son, Mathew Gillespie,
married the forge owners daughter,
Elizabeth. Their son, Phillip, is probably the best known of the Gillespie
family of gun makers. Phillips rifles
were often marked with his initials,
PG, stamped on the top flat of the octagon barrel. Phillip was an entrepreneur. In addition to gun making he
also farmed and ran a legal distillery.
In 1849 he purchased 347 acres of
property from the estate of his grandfather and namesake, Phillip Sitton.
Yes, the original iron forge owner.
When the Civil War broke out
many local southern boys probably
marched off to war carrying a Gillespie rifle over their shoulder. In
fact, the Gillespie family sold many
rifles to the Confederate government.

If they were paid at all it was in
worthless Confederate money.
In the fall of 1863 Phillip and
his brother, Wilson, walked to Ashville, NC and took a train to Tennessee. There, on September 25, 1863
they joined the army. However,
they joined the Union army not the
Confederate army. Their army life
was very short lived. Phillip died
just three months after enlisting, not
in battle but of chronic diarrhea. His
brother, Wilson, died nearby on the
exact same day. Again not in battle
but of Typhoid Fever.
Phillip Gillespie was never married and had no children. At least
three generations of Gillespies were
gun makers. An original Gillespie
rifle is worth thousands of dollars in
todays collector market.
Eric Lau was intriged by the old
iron forge and the Gillespie story and
did further research on the internet.
There he learned of the Gillespie
Rifle Works, owned by T. Dennis
Glazener, a G G G Grandson of John
Gillespie. Today, Dennis builds and
shoots flintlock rifles patterned after
the original Gillespie family rifles.
He has also written a book about the
Gillespie gun makers.
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Eric contacted Dennis and ordered a

pair of buttplates and trigger gaurds
that were cast from an original Gillespie rifle which Dennis owns. Then
he set out to build two Gillespie style
rifles. He showed me the finished
rifles. They were beautiful, sleek,
southern style American longrifles.
Eric made them the old way using
only hand tools. The stocks were
carefully carved from solid blocks
of well seasoned wood, reduced to
a smooth profile by the use of cabinet scrapers and finished with hand
rubbed linseed oil. The barrels and
iron parts were browned, just as the
originals were. Eric built the rifles
for a special reason. He plans to gift

them to his grandsons, Ian and Eric,
who live in Henderson County, North
Carolina, near the site of the old
forge and gun works.
Eric Lau has now built about 30
muzzle loading guns. Each of his
male offspring has been given a flintlock rifle, (complete with a shooting
pouch and powder horn) including his
seven grandsons and great-grandsons.
The rifles are not wall hangers, they
are meant to be shot, hunted with, and
enjoyed.
What a wonderful thing it is for
a grandfather to give his grandsons
something of value. Something made
by his own hands.n
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BOAT SMART...
Tips for first

time boat buyers
m often asked to write a column

of tips for first time boat buyers.
Boat Show season is coming up
and an opportunity to
view many vessels plus
talk to factory reps is a
good way to start your search
for a new boat.
People ask about how
to select a PWC or what to
look for when shopping for a
large cruiser. Many prospective boat buyers are confused
about how to enter
the world of water
sports and get the
most for their money. A few questions
and answers may be helpful.
Most PWCs, and other very small
vessels, are well manufactured and
have many common elements. There
can be a different feel while operating

various machines. Seek out a model
that appeals to and fits your intended
use; one passenger, three
passengers, speed, cargo, etc.
Go to selling dealers and ask
for a demonstration.
While talking with each
dealer, ask a few questions.
Do they perform service,
both warranty and maintenance? Do they stock parts?
How long does it usually
take to get parts that
are not held in
stock? Do they
carry recommended oil, tools, and accessories for the model of interest?
You should also inquire about
financing. Many dealers may offer
special factory finance programs. Do
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not buy the first PWC you ride. Test a

few different models, be sure the one
you purchase is the most comfortable
and easiest for you to handle. Do not
let price be the only factor in your
decision. Your purchase will likely
provide years of service and a more
expensive model could have features
you may want later.
A question Im asked, Would a
14 or 15 foot boat be safe for fishing
prompts my answer, You must first
make a list. Where will you be fishing? On a pond, a small inland lake,
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or large lakes like one of the Great

Lakes. You may even visit the salt
water. What type of fishing appeals
to you? Near shore for pan fish or
offshore for the big ones? How many
people do you expect to fish out of the
boat? How much equipment will you
want to carry? Refer to your list as
you discuss your purchase with dealers offering small boats.
For mid-size boats, (20-26) make
the same list as noted above for small
boats. There are many additional
factors to consider. Where will you
store the boat? Will you trailer it long
distances? Will your present vehicle
be adequate to tow it? What type of
power should you have, outboard,
inboard, or I/O? Few boats of this
size are inboard. Those that are can
present problems loading on a trailer.
Both I/O and outboards handle
similarly. Each has advantages you
need to discuss and decide which best
fits your needs and your pocketbook.
How much power do you need? Go
back to your list and look at how
many passengers you plan to carry
and how much equipment will be on
the boat. Also consider what your
boat will be used for; fishing, cruising, water skiing or other water sports.
The answer to the power question will
begin to surface.
If you plan to troll, an engine ca-
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4) Is this a safe, well-built boat?

Note sure, contact a surveyor they
inspect new as well as used boats.
After a demonstration ride, do you
believe it handles well under the type
of uses you intend to undertake?
A boat purchase requires you ask
many questions. The most important
may be do you have all the required
knowledge to safely operate the boat
you have chosen? If your answer is
not a firm and confident yes, before
you make a purchase you should seek
out and attend safe boating classes offered by the U.S. Power Squadron or
Coast Guard Auxiliary. When taking
classes, you will have an opportunity
to meet experienced boaters that can
help answer some of the questions
on your list. If you cannot attend
courses and take advantage of others knowledge, you can easily find a
class online.
Buying a boat takes a lot of planning and should not be undertaken
as a spur of the moment decision. It
compares to buying a vehicle in some
ways. A family of six would not
likely purchase a pick-up or convertible for family transportation. One
of the ways a boat purchase does
differ however is, a boat will usually
be kept for many more years then a
vehicle.n
The MDNR has recognized Meridian Township in Ingham County with a

Partners in Conservation Awards for its ongoing cooperation with deer management and assistance with chronic wasting disease. The award was presented at last
weeks meeting of the Natural Resources Commission in Lansing.
Chronic wasting disease is a fatal neurological disease that affects white-tailed
deer, mule deer, elk and moose.
In May, the DNR confirmed the states first case of CWD in a free-ranging,
white-tailed deer in Meridian Township. That was followed by two additional confirmations (also in free-ranging, white-tailed deer: one in July and one in August),
also in Meridian Township. These three deer were discovered within a mile of one
another and, in fact, were determined to be related as part of an extended family.
Meridian Township police brought us our first deer that tested positive for
chronic wasting disease, and we wouldnt have made the kind of progress monitoring for CWD without their help and cooperation, said Russ Mason, chief of the
DNRs Wildlife Division. We look forward to continuing to work with Meridian
Township in the future.
Mason praised Meridian Township as an extraordinary partner for its efforts
before the CWD outbreak, too, because of the townships highly effective urban
deer management program. Launched in 2011, that program invites bow hunters
to take part in a managed harvest of deer on publicly owned properties in order to
help control the areas deer population.
Theirs is a model for this sort of population-control program, said Mason,
who nominated the township for the award. Other areas with urban deer challenges should see how Median Township does it.
Township manager Frank Walsh, along with members of the Meridian Township Police Department and a township commissioner, accepted the Partners in
Conservation Award. Walsh said the award was indicative of the great relationship that exists between Meridian Township and the Department of Natural
Resources.
We have a difficult issue to work on with CWD, Walsh said. But this partnership will allow us move forward to protect Michigans white-tailed deer herd.
Learn more about chronic wasting disease on the DNR website www.michigan.
gov/cwd.
Partners in Conservation Awards are given to individuals or organizations for
exemplary contributions to conservation in Michigan. Award nominations are
made by DNR staff.
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pable of low idle for extended lengths

of time may suit you best. If you plan
to cruise, an engine with good midrange cruising speed may be best. If
you want to water ski or go tubing,
an engine capable of a burst of power
(called hole shot) to handle the heavy
load when starting off, will be necessary. The right propellers can compensate for hole shot or heavy load.
If you plan your purchase well,
the most important consideration
you need to make will regard your
intended passengers. Will you have
small children aboard? If so, will
the freeboard (depth inside the boat,
from deck to rail) be high enough to
prevent them from falling out easily?
If you intend to fish offshore, what
equipment will you need, like downriggers, outriggers and electronics?
Is there adequate space to mount the
equipment? Will you be able to readily use the equipment in the mounting
space available?
Larger Boats; offshore type and
cruisers also require a list. It should
include questions like; will you be
able to find an adequate dock and will
it be in a price range you can afford?
Will you be taking extended trips,
planning to live aboard during these
trips? Will the boat have multiple
uses, like fishing and cruising? What
maintenance will be required? Can
you perform it yourself or is there
authorized service readily available?
Once you decide what size boat
best fits your needs and have narrowed down the number to choose
from, the next step is the most
important. Research the background
of the manufacturer and model you
are considering. Once again, a list
will help when asking the following
questions.
1) Has the boat builder had Coast
Guard recalls on safety standards?
These are easily looked up on the
internet.
2) Does the boat meet all safety
standards, or exceed them?
3) Have others who purchased
this boat been happy with their decision?
DNR honors Meridian Township

for its CWD response, cooperation
75
After shooting all of the matches

that required the .40-caliber
percussion rifle, Elliott switch to
a .54-caliber flintlock rifle, custom made by his good friend, Ted
Thelen. Wild Rivertree photos
times the combined matches honor
an individual, as in the case of the
Thelma Keeler Championship for
the ladies.
An aggregate might tally up all
of the scores for a given shooting
discipline, such as the six matches
that comprise the Serge Bourdeaux
Pistol/Revolver Championship.
Eleven scores, taken from a broad
cross section of eventspercussion,
flintlock, musket, pistol, bench and
cross-stick matchesform the Guy R.
Smith Overall Championship. And as
one might expect, each shooter has his
or her own approach to shooting an
aggregate.
I look at the Guy Smith Aggregate first, Gordon Elliott later said.
You must shoot all of those matches
to qualify for the overall aggregate,
so I ask for those targets. At the state
shoot, the cost of all matches and
aggregates is covered by one entry
fee: $20 per single shooter or $30 per
family. Shooters request the matches
his head.
that they want to shoot upon registerThe Michigan State Muzzle Load- ing and can add matches as the shoot
ing Associations State Championship progresses. Then I pick other agshoot offers a wide variety of black
gregates that include those matches,
powder shooting opportunities for
and I make sure I have the targets to
competitors of all ages and all skill
complete those aggregates.
levels. If a spectator walked down the
For the bench and cross-stick
shooting line or into the primitive area matches, I shoot a .40-caliber, southhe or she would discover a multitude
ern-mountain-style, percussion rifle. It
of competitors, each concentrating on has a 42-inch Green Mountain barrel,
shooting one of the 65 matches that
an L&R Manton lock, Davis double
make up the state shoot roster. But
set triggers and iron hardware. Ted
there is a game within the game that Thelen made the rifle. He got me into
most casual observers overlookthe muzzleloading about eighteen years
aggregates.
ago. I started shooting at Friendship
Most black powder shooting
(National Muzzle Loading Rifle Assports gatherings of any size include
sociation home grounds in Friendship,
aggregates in their event program.
Indiana) in 1999 and at the state about
An aggregate combines the scores
eight years ago.
from two or more matches, providing
I shoot the .40-caliber at 25
additional possibilities for medals or
yards, then the same gun at 50 yards,
trophies.
then 100 yards. My feeling is as long
Sometimes an aggregate carries a as you are shooting at one distance,
descriptive name, such as the Michi- stay at that distance. You can hang
gan State Championship or the
two targets in the same relay. Im used
Musket Championship, and other
to shooting four shots in five minutes
All part of the game
Black Powder Shooting Sports...By Dennis Neely
ntense concentration filled Gordon Elliotts brown eyes. Sweat

soaked his double-pocketed,
short-sleeved shirt and darkened
the gray hair at his temples. A
navy-blue baseball cap with a National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association Life Member emblem sat cocked
back on his head. He flipped his wrist.
Sunlight flashed on an MIA bracelet
from 1966, bearing the name of Ellis
E. Austin.
Black powder tumbled down the
bore of a full-stocked longrifle. The
stainless steel loading rod slowed.
Elliott looked straight ahead, seating
the patched round ball firm on the
powder, gauging the pressure by feel,
taking care to apply the same force as
on the ball before and the one before
that.
Muzzle up, Elliott walked to the
right side of Bob Wheelocks plank
shooting bench. I dont shoot a
bench gun, he said to a bystander.
Its a borrowed bench. Im using my
offhand gun for the bench matches in

this aggregate. He looked downrange
at the posted 6-bull target, then rolled
the rifle to the right and capped the
nipple.
Seated on the adjustable stool,
Elliott set the butt stock on the tan terrycloth towel and started to settle the
rifle against his shoulder. His heavy
leather shot pouch hung at his left hip.
A dozen or so entry tags from shoots
around the state, tied to a hole in the
bags strap, dangled against the small
of his back. Wheelocks wind flags
drooped.
BOOM!
The custom-built, .40-caliber
percussion rifle thundered. A yellow
streak of fire belched from the muzzle.
A white cloud of sulfurous smelling
smoke rolled downrange, then dissipated. Elliot got to his feet, rested the
rifle muzzle up in a notch at the loading bench and stepped to the spotting
scope. Still trying to find that elusive
X, he said to himself as he shook
76
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Despite competing in a 50-yard bench

rest match, Gordon Elliott continued
to wear the shooting pouch that
went with his .40-caliber southern
mountain rifle.
for the silhouette matches at Friendship. Its no big deal to shoot two
targets, which is ten shots, in a thirty
minute relay, Elliott explained.
I start shooting at the shortest
distance, which is 25 yards, Ted
Thelen said, describing a one gun
approach similar to Elliotts. I shoot
a practice target to make sure the
gun is working correctly and that its
sighted in, then I shoot the targets at
that distance. I shoot all the targets in
the aggregate. I have one gun dirty. I
clean my guns before I leave the line
and always have. Its just how I am as
a shooter.
Some people shoot all their 25
yard targets in all aggregates, then
move on to shooting the 50-yard
matches. That means switching guns,
and to me, it complicates keeping
targets straight. Im afraid I might
shoot a flintlock target with a percussion rifle by mistake. It happens. That
disqualifies the target and basically
puts you out of the running in that
aggregate.
Im not big into winning prizes,
but I dont handicap myself, either.
If I can get four good shots in the
black, Im happy. Sometimes Ill get
lucky and get a fifth one in there and
I might win a medal. Im at any shoot
to have fun and enjoy shooting my

black powder guns, Thelen added.
Once you switch guns, its a different ballgame, Elliott said, echoing Thelens opinion. Its a different
caliber, different powder charges,
different patches, etc.. Time works
against you when you have to switch
guns, but you cant let that bother
you or affect your shooting. A shooter
has to know themselves and figure
out what you can do to minimize the
effects of switching guns, changing
distances and so forth. Its all part of
the game.
At a state shoot, Ill post 39
targets over five days. A day is about
fourteen thirty-minute relays. I usually shoot eight to ten (relays) a day.
When you do the gun switching you
sometimes have to take a relay off for
that, plus a relay for a noon meal. Its
surprising how stopping to eat boosts
you up.
I shoot the musket matches one
at a time. Those are ten shot matches.
By rule, the buffalo matches (another
name for cross-stick shooting) have
to be shot one at a time, and the pistol
matches are ten shots so you shoot
them one at a time.
The pistol matches are different,
too. They take six relays and require
three different guns. I try not to lay

over (wait out a relay). My flint and
caplock are Yazels (made by Mike
Yazel). They are in the same box, the
same caliber, and they load the same,
except one uses a percussion cap
and the other a flint. For the revolver
matches I shoot a Ruger Old Army.
They call it a .44-caliber, but it takes
a .457 (soft lead) round ball, Elliott
said with a laugh.
When you shoot ten out of fourteen relays, youre physically done by
the end of the day, ready to give it a
break and clean guns. But for me, its
the enjoyment of being able to shoot.
I like shooting. And the extra is when
you can win a medal now and then,
Elliott later added.

Gordon Elliott attended the last
three days of the 2015 MSMLA State
Championship. He medaled in 14
of the 24 matches he entered, which
included winning the Guy R. Smith
Overall Aggregate. I have the traveling trophy for the next year, and that
makes it all worthwhile, Elliott said
with a beaming smile.
Give the black powder shooting
sports a try, be safe and may God
bless you.n
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The Ameristep ground blind used by

the author while bear hunting that
admirably did the trick for long
hours of constant vigil.
MICHIGAN BEAR CAMP
arly fall black bear hunting

has been a passion of mine
for over 30 years now, and I
love the entire atmosphere of
a bear camp, whether it is in a
simple tent under some primitive conditions, or in a cabin with all
the amenities. Personally, the older I
get, the more I appreciate the
latter form, although Ill take
whatever I can get to be a
part of bear camp.
Bear camp shares all the
similarities of deer camp
except for the daily timeframe for hunting. Unlike
deer camp where you are
out and about before
the crack of dawn,
the prime time for
black bear hunting
is usually in the afternoon right up
until it gets dark. Suppertime in bear
camp after a hunt is usually at a late
hour, which is fine by me, and I do
enjoy the relaxing mornings until it
is time to head out. You have time to
fish, read a good book or do whatever
before hunt time.
Using hounds for bear hunting
may offer quite a different atmosphere
and I do plan on giving that time
honored pastime a whirl sometime but
thus far, Ive only hunted black bears
over bait, and bears generally come
into the bait later in the afternoon and
often closer to at dark. Hunting black
bears over bait is very typically a
waiting game for several hours until
quitting time arrives each night.
I was very fortunate in getting
drawn for the first (starting September
10) Michigan bear season in the Upper Peninsulas Newberry Bear Management Area, and I made arrangements right away to hunt with Gary
Morgan, owner of East Lake Outfitters
(www.eastlakeoutfitters.com ). I
learned way in the beginning that it
is wise to go through a hunting guide

when it comes to black bear hunting
over bait because they know where
the bears are and have an ongoing
baiting program that can be quite time
consuming and costly if you did it
yourself.
Gary Morgan targets bigger bears
in the Hiawatha National
Forest and this can require
some work on the part of the
hunter because getting into
the baited sites can require a
bit of a hike sometimes (he
also has baited sites to accommodate those who wish
not to hike so far and he uses
trail cameras at all
sites to know what
bears are coming in
and at what time).
Being a seasoned bird hunter with
dogs, I wasnt concerned a bit with
any long jaunts in the woods, just as
long as I knew where I was going.
A couple weeks prior to my hunt,
Gary Morgan emailed trail camera
pictures to me of a bear at a spot he
called the Gas Can site. It was a
large black bear with a distinct blonde
snout, and he was a late comer to the
bait due to the time printed on the picture, and it all worked for me despite
a bit of a hike in. I would refer to the
bear as Gas Can from then on.
Gary Morgans bear camp is located on the shore of East Lake which
is just a short half hour drive north of
the Mackinac Bridge. It is a comfortable cabin that offers all the comforts
of home including good meals and
a warm atmosphere filled with lots
of camaraderie. This is where I met
my fellow bear hunters who also
happen to be from the Thumb, Gary
Muska and Franz Wilding, both of
Caro. They are avid bowhunters using
compound bows, and both have taken
bears before in this manner (Muska
By Tom Lounsbury
78
took a rare cinnamon color phase

U.P. black bear in 2007).
My selected bear hunting arm is
a scoped Freedom Arms .454 Casull
revolver (ported and customized by
Ken Kelly of Mag-Na-Port,
www.magnaport.com ). The ammo I
used is the Cor-Bon 325 grain AFrame that packs a punch and offers
both worlds of expansion and superb
penetration. Ive been using Cor-Bon
ammunition for almost 30 years now
and truly appreciate its very dependable performance for handgun hunting
(www.corbon.com).
To reach my hunting site required
a half mile drive on a two-track off
a back road. This was followed by a
30 minute hike (Im guessing about
a mile and a half) down a winding
foot trail through intense cover that
included going over or around fallen
tree trunks. My guide on this first hike
in was Ross Chambers of Bay City
who enjoys assisting Gary Morgan in
the hunting operation which includes
hauling bait into a number of sites
on a daily basis. Eventually Ross
pointed out a rusty 5-gallon gas can
left behind by loggers many years
before, which marked the spot to turn
off the trail and go to the blind about
60 yards in.
It was a beautiful spot with an
Ameristep ground blind placed on a
brushy knoll overlooking the bait site
40 yards away, which was a very doable range for my revolver (with a 10
inch barrel) topped with a 2X Leupold
scope and resting on a monopod
(Trigger-Stick) for accurate shot
placement. The blind only had one
window partially unzipped to a small
slit to offer a view of the bait site covered with logs (barrels cant be used
on public land). All other windows
were left closed which I appreciated
in regards to scent retention, and black
bears rely heavily on their acute scent-
ing capabilities. The blind was the

perfect hide for getting a shot at a
wary, big black bear.
Once I was situated, Ross Chambers headed back out and had let me
know reflective tacks placed on tree
trunks would guide me out in the dark,
which I truly appreciated knowing,
because getting turned around after
dark that far back in intense cover
isnt a pleasant prospect. Although
I had a compass (actually two) and
knew I could eventually reach the
back road, it no doubt would be a bit
of an ordeal due to terrain, countless deadfalls and obvious bogs (no
straight line travel here). So I decided,
if I did get turned around, I would
simply stop right where I was, clip a
Night Trackers strobe-light (www.
nighttrackers.com) on a branch above
my head, turn my ThermaCell on to
keep the mosquitoes away and hunker
down until my guides found me (when
I didnt arrive back to the cabin in a
timely manner).
Cell phones by the way, do not
work well in this neck of the woods
(except by a booster in the cabin) and
a hunter last year trying to use his
GPS, couldnt make a connection. For
some reason, texting will go through,
sometimes anyway, but I dont text
and have no desire to even try.
There are places in this world
where some modern contrivances take
a back seat and that works for me.
Staring out a window slit for
several hours until dark may sound
like a boring aspect to some folks, but
Ive never been bored waiting for a
bear to show up, which can happen at
anytime and it is truly amazing how
an animal so big can suddenly materialize without making a sound. Unlike
deer with hooves, bears move about
on soft foot pads, and their dense fur
glides silently through the brush. I
spend my time admiring the flora and
any critters that may appear, and stay
focused. I even named a pair of ravens
that were constant visitors Heckle
and Jeckle.
Part of my time was spent applying layers of clothing to my upper
torso as the sun slipped down and
the temperature dropped. Due to the
lengthy walk in at a brisk pace, I was
dressed down to avoid overheating
and sweating. My extra layers were
carried in a Browning Bear DryPack (www.browningpacks.com)
that is not only waterproof but can
keep contents compressed (it has an
air valve for releasing air) and scentfree as well, an important factor to
me in this environment (this pack is
going to be great for waterfowl hunting as well). Also in the pack were
Dont expose
your secret spot

use the
outpost
the stealth feeder
Blends into
Surroundings
AS SEEN ON
MICHIGAN
OUT OF
DOORS
SQUIRREL
RESISTANT
CAP
Gary Morgan of East Lake Outfitters is adding fresh bait to the authors bear
hunting site. The bait site was hit regularly and the large logs covering the
bait were tossed around like toothpicks.
view and stopped behind the trees at
the bait. Only his head was showing
while he stared after the fleeing bear,
and this time he was close enough
that I could hear him clicking his
jaws in agitation. He then turned his
head and stared at my window slit,
and then backed out of sight behind
the tree-trunks. Needless to say, Gary
Morgan had placed me in the vicinity
of a passel of bears, and that worked
fine for me!
Suddenly Gas Can popped out
again like magic and threw his front
paws up on the logs covering the bait
and stared right at my window slit
while still popping his jaws (a real
distinct sound, trust me), and then
he performed a backward lunge that
caused him to disappear completely
behind the tree trunks. He then repeated the same move and both times
I wasnt offered what I felt was a
proper shot with my revolver.
The third time however had him
completely leaping out and on top of
the bait logs with his head lowered
and staring hard in my direction. He
was slightly quartering toward me
but offered a good enough angle if
I hit him in the leading edge of his
right shoulder with the bullet heading
through both lungs for the center of
the ribcage on the off side, and I had
complete faith in the (325 grain) CorBon ammo in doing its part.
As soon as the crosshairs of my
scope were locked on the right spot,
I touched the trigger, and at the shot,
Gas Can was a blur as he dove off
backwards and disappeared to my
right. I waited a bit and didnt hear
the death-moan bears sometimes
make just before dying. With dark-
ness creeping in, I went to the bait

and checked for blood, but there
wasnt any, which isnt all that unusual with bears that are covered in body
fat and coated with thick fur. I knew I
needed help in sorting matters out and
I made the usual 30 minute hike out
in only 15. Besides my two guides,
Gary Muska and Franz Wilding also
came along without hesitation to lend
a hand in the search, for which I am
very indebted to them. We were bear
camp buddies (and Thumbkins
as we were called up there) to the
bone.
It is an interesting matter looking
for a possibly shot bear in the middle
of nowhere with flashlights providing the only light on a dark, moonless
night, and there is nothing boring
about it at all. Gary Morgan directed
a fine grid-type search while a Coleman lantern was resting on the bait
as a beacon to effectively work our
efforts out from. No blood was found
or a bear. A daylight search first thing
in the morning proved the same, that
it was a complete miss. Personally
Ill take a clean miss over a bad hit
any day, and I was relieved that we
didnt find a dead bear after daylight
that might already be spoiling due to
balmy weather.
My only excuse is that I believe
Gas Can may have been doing his
sudden backward lunge just as I
touched the trigger. It is after all hunting, and I will never know for sure
what happened, but just the same, I
had a great bear hunting adventure
that will never be forgotten. I also
made some new friends Id share the
field with again anytime.
Bear camps are like that.n
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my (made in the U.P.) hunter orange

Stormy Kromer cap and Rapid River
Redi-Axe/Skinning Knife combo set,
not to mention my binocular, spare
flashlights, folding saw, water, snacks
and survival necessities.
I was seated in a comfortable
plastic deck-chair and nothing happened until just before dark that first
night, and right after a brisk rainstorm. A horde of raccoons showed
up and hit the bait, and were having
a high old time. Suddenly they all
stopped what they were doing and
stared intently off to my right, the
direction Gary Morgan had said the
bear would probably come from, and
the raccoons quickly vacated while I
went on full alert. However no bear
came into view and soon it was a
very dark, moonless night when I
unzipped the blind, which in the dead
still atmosphere, sounded like a brass
band, and then I had to re-zip. My
instincts told me this unusual sound
might clue the big bear in that something might be amiss, but it is what it
is, and Id stick with it, because it was
a marvelous site, and for some reason
I thought I could feel the big bears
presence close by.
I was thankful for a good headlamp that allowed me to keep my
hands free while I made the long
walk out and I was very appreciative
of the reflective tacks that kept me on
the trail and accurately guided me on
the faint foot trail through the dense
foliage to my Jeep. The next couple
of evenings were uneventful, except
for what I believe was possibly a wolf
that wuffed in a canine fashion suddenly near my blind and then snuffled
up close around the back of it, but I
never saw whatever critter it was. It
was on my last evening of the hunt
that matters finally came to fruition.
About two hours before dark, a
small (100 150 pound) black bear
streaked past the bait, and suddenly
I could see Gas Cans big head
and blonde snout appearing from
the right and staring after the fleeing
smaller bear. Gas Can then turned his
head and stared hard at my window
slit for several seconds, and then he
vanished. In a matter of minutes, I
spotted another bear running straight
away and Gas Can appeared in hot
pursuit, then stopped and intensely
stared back over his shoulder once
again at my blinds window slit. Then
he banked to the right and disappeared. Nothing would happen again
until into the final hour.
It was clear Gas Can making an
appearance was only to keep the other
bears out of the goodies until he could
feed in his normal pattern after dark. I
had just figured he was history when
another bear went streaking past
the bait and Gas Can lumbered into
79
Lt-rt: Dave Easthope and his 13

year old son Nick of Harrison Twp.
with his first deer, and Ray Howell,
founder of Kicking Bear Ministries.
his Kicking Bear Ministries.
I arrived on the second day of the
first hunt. There were five youngsters
there hunting, four boys and one girl.
Three of the boys had already taken
their does during the morning hunt
and the other two would be hunting
that evening and the next morning if
needed.
Ray Howell arrived that afternoon
and I had the pleasure of sitting next
to him at dinner before the hunt. I
spent an hour interviewing him at dinner and also discovered that Ray and
I would be in the blind together with
a young man and his father hunting
does later that evening.
Ray Howell told me he was born
in Flint. At the age of five his father
left and he was raised by his grandfather until age 12, when his grandfather
died he went into foster care.
He ran into a lot of problems
after that. He ran away from several
foster homes. He had been taken into
custody by the state and his probation
officer was waiting to see him. Ray
said he remembered praying for God
sters in to participate in a doe hunt on to have someone enter into his life and
didnt have an opportunity to do so.
he first time I heard of Kicktake care of him and to lead him in
Either no one in their life to get them the Valhalla Ranch the last week of
ing Bear Ministries was a
the right direction. He said his probaAugust, 2015.
involved or kids who were growing
few years back while watchThe kids would be provided with a tion officer saw Ray reading a hunting
up in a bad situation like Ray Howell
ing a hunting show on TV.
hunt for one doe, food, meals, lodging magazine and told Ray if he would
Ray Howell is the founder of did.
stop running away he would take him
and guide service. Each child could
Brian Park owns the Valhalla
Kicking Bear Ministries. He
bring their parents along on this hunt. hunting.
was hunting in Kansas and they talked Ranch located in Lovells. I have
Ray and his probation officer
to him about his Kicking Bear Minis- known Brian for a few years. He told They just needed to provide their own
made
an agreement and from then on
transportation to the ranch. Brain also
me that his ranch had partnered up
tries and about bringing kids into the
things
started to get better for Ray
told me that Ray Howell would be
with Ray Howell and his Kicking
outdoor lifestyle.
Howell.
His probation officer began
there as well and I thought to myself
Bear Ministries in order to introduce
I didnt think a lot about it at the
taking
him
hunting along with his own
what a great story and I would like to
youngsters to the outdoor life. They
time. I do recall he was trying to get
boys
and
this
started Ray into his path
had planned to bring in several young- meet him and get more information on
kids involved in the outdoors who
of becoming a better person. His love
of the outdoors grew; it changed his
life and brought him closer to God.
Later in life after raising a family
and owning a steel fabrication business in Minnesota, he realized that he
needed to do more. After selling his
business 15 years ago, he felt God had
a plan for him and he started Kicking
Bear Ministries.
The programs mission is to help
underprivileged and at-risk youth who
want to get into the outdoors. The
Kicking Bear at the Valhalla Ranch

The programs mission is to help underprivileged and at-risk
youth who want to get into the outdoors...By Jeff Pendergraff
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Kicking Bear Ministry impacts the

youth of tomorrow by giving them
the opportunities to enjoy Gods creation, while experiencing fun outdoor
activities such as archery and to make
new friends. (Kicking Bear website
at www.kickingbear.com)
Kicking Bear is now established
in 30 states, with over 104 weekend
events. These events involve archery,
shooting BB guns, plus many more
events that help build confidence in
these young boys and girls.
Ray said that many of these kids
have no role models in their life,
some with no one in their life at all.
These kids are introduced to the
outdoor life style and by the time the
weekend is over many dont want to
leave.
Once a camp is started, they soon
double each year after each year.
Each event average 600 kids, most
are sponsored by local sportsman
clubs. They are normally half girls
and half boys. The kids are having so
much fun you normally dont see any
of them with their cell phone or other
type games in their hands.
Many kids attend year after year.
Ray feels by the time the weekend is
over these kids have not only been
introduced to an outdoor lifestyle,
but more confidence in themselves,
a better outlook on life and knowing
that there are people out there who do
care about them and most important
is that God has a plan for them.
The Valhalla Ranch sits on a section of land in North/East Crawford
County. They conduct hunts for very
large deer, including deer that score
well over 200 inches. But, the deer
we are going after tonight are mature
does that need to be culled from the
herd.
The young man that I would have
the pleasure of hunting with is 13
year old Nick Easthope. Nick has
hunted before, but has not taken a

deer. Nick accompany with his father,
Dave Easthope who doesnt hunt. After a short period of time we had four
bucks entered into the field, two were
giants. Later more bucks appeared
and does that werent old enough to
take. You could see the excitement
growing in Nick as each of these
bucks entered into the field.
Finally a mature doe appeared
and headed over to the other group of
deer. Nick had his crosshairs on the
doe waiting for a clear shot. These
deer were so close to one another
he couldnt take a shot. Then they
would move a little and just as Nick
was ready to shoot they would move
closer to each other again, to close
to shoot. This happened for several
minutes.
But, Nick stayed the course and
on target and finally the doe separated
from the other deer and provided the
shot Nick needed and Nick placed a
great shot at the doe which only ran
about 50 yards. At that moment the
blind exploded with excitement. Nick
and his dad were hugging; Ray and I
were excited as much as they were.
It may have been Nicks first deer,
but you couldnt tell because he kept
as composed as someone who has
been hunting for 30 years. Later I
discovered that Nick used his grandfathers Marlin 30-30, which hadnt
been used to take a deer in 30 years!
How special does that get!
We walked over to the doe, which
was aged at 9 years and was one of
the biggest does I have ever seen.
After returning to the ranch house
we discovered that Winona D Antoni
had also taken her very first doe.
Also, a one shot harvest.
Brian Park has conducted these
doe hunts for the third straight year
at the Valhalla Ranch. In those three
years 31 kids who have hunted there
Winona DAntoni of Algonac, 15 years old, with her first deer.

at no cost to them.
The Ray Park Foundation conducts a QUAD Shootout each year in
Sandusky, Michigan. The proceeds
from this fundraiser goes to Kicking
Bear Ministries which provides the
money needed to conduct these youth
hunts.
If you have a child or know of
one who wants to hunt and doesnt
havent anyone to take them, you can
contact Aron Badgerow at the Quad
at 810-648-9200 or Jake Angerer at
800-732-2445 or sales@valhalla.com
The kids must be between 11 and 17
years of age.
Having taken my grandson on
his first successful turkey hunt, his
first whitetail buck hunt and last year,
a 300 pound Michigan black bear
I realize how these kids felt along
with their parents! Its something
that these kids and parents will never
forget. I would guess its probably
just the beginning of these kids and
their hunting careers and their life in
Full Rut Ranch
the outdoors!
If youre interested in a hunt at
the Valhalla Ranch you can contact
them at www.valhallami.com. They
have a great set-up. Lots of deer, the
lodge is outstanding. There are many
mounts hanging on the wall, including a giant Alaskan-Yukon Moose,
a Rocky Mountain Big Horn sheep
and many others. Food is great, along
with the hospitality. They go way out
of their way for you to feel at home
and to have a great experience while
youre at the ranch.
Author is Jeff Pendergraff, retired
Captain from the Law Enforcement
Division of the DNR.n
D U C K HU N T
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A
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81
New stream-restoration
approach may pay dividends
82
relatively new technique for

stabilizing eroding stream
banks is showing great promise in Michigan, as a demonstration project on Highbank
Creek in Barry County has
not only repaired a damaged creek, but
has provided excellent fish habitat as
well.
The technique, called toe wood,
has been around for about a decade
but hasnt been used much in Michigan until now. Department of Natural
Resources fisheries biologist Chris
Freiburger learned of the technique and
thought it had applications for some of
the issues facing Michigan streams.
The area Freiburger chose for
the demonstration project involved
a stream that had been dammed for
a mill more than a century ago. The
dam had been partially removed in
the 1920s, but the abutments were left
in place until the landowner knocked
them down into the creek out of safety
concerns. The debris formed a partial
dam that not only impeded fish passage, but also contributed to erosion
on the stream. A significant amount
of sediment was swept downstream,
silting in about an acre and a half of
Thornapple Lake.
The Barry Conservation District
applied for a U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service fish passage grant, as well as a
DNR aquatic habitat grant to remove
the dam and restore the stream.
The thought used to be that you
could remove a dam and just leave,
Freiburger said. Sometimes you can,
but that isnt always the best thing to
do. Many times we need to stabilize
the stream, too, and this landowner was
agreeable to stabilizing the stream.
After the dam was removed, the
conservation district hired an engineer
to work with Freiburger to design
a restoration project. A long set of
rapids, made up of bowling ball-sized
boulders, was built downstream to
address the grade. Engineer Mike
Geenen, a Michigan native who now
lives in Colorado and works with Fort
Collins-based Watershed Restoration
LLC, studied the creek upstream
finding its width, depth and length of
its meanders -- and designed the channel realignment using toe wood.
Its a relatively new science, but
this technique has worked out pretty
much everywhere, Geenen said. It
provides stability but also produces
better habitat.
Brandon Spaugh, of North State
Environmental, Inc. a North Carolina firm that specializes in river and
wetland restorations and often works
with Geenen -- brought in a crew to do
the work.
As Spaugh explains the technique,
the crew excavates an erosion site,

building a shelf on which the crew sets
logs the toe wood that overhangs
the stream bottom. The logs are then
covered with smaller diameter logs,
slash and brush, and then dirt and sod
collected from the surrounding area.
The sod could include shrubs and
trees in some cases up to 10-foottall willows that generally survive
transplantation.
Were after immediate stability,
Spaugh said. With higher flows, the
bottom will be scoured out under the
toe wood and you have guaranteed fish
habitat.
Geenen said toe wood is a relatively easy structure to understand
and build, and its inexpensive when
compared to hauling in rock.
We just finished a project in
Minnesota, and two weeks after we
finished we saw schools of fish in
there. They found the spots where they
wanted to be right away, Geenen said.
We know how to stabilize streams,
how to move water, how to move
sediment and maintain stream function
and allow fish passage, but by building these structures, we create better
habitat at the same time.
A week after the project was
completed, a DNR electrofishing crew
surveyed the area and found that fish
had made themselves at home around
the structures.
The deep pools created by the
scouring effect under the toe wood will
help fish survive winter as well as during periods of drought, while the overhead cover the structures create should
reduce avian predation and increase
fish survival, Freiburger said.
Toe wood does a lot of things but
there are two primary goals: to reduce
bank erosion on the outside bends and
increase and improve habitat for invertebrates and fish, Freiburger said.
The benefit of toe wood is that
where you had sheer, clay banks, you
now have a flood plain, he said. And
youve got wood below the surface
thats under the water even during periods of low flow, so itll take a century
or more before the wood deteriorates.
And we all know that wood is important to anglers.
Indeed, anglers and angler groups
have been installing wood structures
in trout streams to provide fish cover
for a century or more. But Freiburger
questions whether theyve always been
located properly so they didnt interfere with other river functions, such as
sediment transport.
This is a structure, just like any
other structure thats ever been built,
said Freiburger, who invited the DNRs
heavy equipment operators to the demonstration so they could understand
the technique. But were those other

structures truly meeting their goals?
In addition to creating new banks
along eroded outside bends in the
stream at Highbank Creek, the construction crew cut down the point bars
that were built by sediment deposition
and reconnected the realigned channel
to the flood plain.
That helps move sediment in the
A brand-new bank looks like it has been there for years, thanks to a new
stream-restoration technique known as toe wood. Middle: Michigan DNR
workers join contractors in Highbank Creek during a stream-restoration
project. Bottom: The logs, positioned perpendicular to the bank, are known as
toe wood. MDNR photos
stream and reduces the velocity of the
stream to relieve the erosion on the
outside banks, Freiburger said
The DNR plans to use the toe wood
technique to restore an eroded bank
just upstream of Lyons Dam, when it
is removed next summer. Freiburger
expects toe wood to play a big role

in future river restoration and habitat
projects.
You cant just throw stuff in the
river and expect it to work, he said.
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83
TROPHY PAGES
Charlie Sherwood, 9 took

this 6-pt with a crossbow
during the youth hunt.
Ben Johnson with his

first deer, a nice 9-pt.
taken in Oakland Co.
during the youth hunt.
Jacob
Zynda,
8 took
his first
buck in
Lapeer
Co. during the
youth
hunt.
Haley Boik, 14 took

her first deer hunting
Monroe County during
the youth hunt.
Ava Parrent,
6 took
this 6-pt.
with a
crossbow
during
the last
hour of
the youth
hunt in
Tuscola
Co.
84
Kaitlynn
Demers
of Rockwood
took her
first deer
during
the early
youth season with a
crossbow.
Sam
Koresky
took this
big 8-pt.
at 150
yards and
dropped
him in his
tracks on
the opening morning of the
youth
hunt. DNR
aged the
buck at 3
years
old.
Timothy Vliet's first deer

bagged during the youth hunt
on his grandpa's property in Livingston Co. Tim is 10 years old.
Halie Hull took her first deer at age

11 hunting the youth hunt near
Bancroft.
Gavin Szymanski, 8 of Lapeer took

his first deer on his first hunt during
the youth hunt Lapeer Co.
Kylie
Sczepanski
12, of Midland proudly
displays her
awesome
7-pt. she shot
in the youth
hunt. Kylie
was hunting with her
Grandpa
Tom in Gladwin Co.
Madysun Trigger, 9 took this dandy 10pt. buck in Sanilac Co. during the youth
hunt, making her one happy girl!
Dayton
Brady with
his first deer.
A nice 8-pt.
taken in Van
Buren Co.
and according to his
hunting partner and dad
will forever
be my hunt
of a lifetime
even though
I wasnt
hunting!
Dylan
Schut,
15 took
this 8-pt.
with a
15.5 inch
spread
during
the youth
hunt in
Irons with
a 135 yard
shot.
Aj Rini,
10 took
this nice
7-pt.
hunting
Oakland
Co. during the
2015
youth
hunt.
Isabella
Sarratore,
11 and a
6th grader
at Mattawan
Middle
School,
second
year in a
row she
was successful in
Manistee
Co.
Carol
Ziarko ,
took this
big 190
lb., 8-pt.
Oct. 10 in
St. Clair
Co.
Terri
Hendershot
took her
first deer
in 7 years,
this record
book 11pt. with a
17 spread
taken Oct.
1.
Luke Smith
took his first
buck during
the youth
season, this
dandy 13-pt.
taken with a
20 gauge in
Ionia Co.
Payton
Resnick of
Imlay City
took his first
deer opening morning
of the youth
hunt, hunting near
Coleman.
TROPHY PAGES
11 year-old Haley Owen

with her 2015 Youth Hunt
Jeremy Campione, a 7th grader at buck, taken with her .357
Cedar Springs Middle School, took Handi-Rifle while hunting
this great Manistee Co. 10-pt. at
with her dad in Branch
the family cabin during the youth
Co. This is Haley's second
deer hunt, his first deer ever!
big buck in two years.
Mason Crane, 14 of
Manitou Beach, took
this big 224 lb. 8-pt. in
Washtenaw Co. during
the youth hunt.
Six-year-old Ethan Myers harvested his

first deer on Oct. 3 with a crossbow.
Lindsay Hutcherison, 15 of
Caseville took this unique
9-pt. that was in full velvet.
Collin
Galbraith,
13 with
his first
Michigan
black
bear, taken in the
Newberry
area on
Sept. 16.
Lisa Force, a
stay at home
mom, waited
8 years to get
her bear permit and took
this beautiful Michigan
bruin.
Katelyn Hellebuyck of
Boyne City with her 9-pt.
take in the youth hunt.
Kyler Barrette, 12 of Shelby Twp. took

this 9-pt. during the youth hunt in
Huron Co. thanks to his Uncle Al and
Mr. Mark for allowing him to hunt a
great spot with his dad.
Dakota Avedisian took this

big 7-pt. hunting Livingston
Co. during the youth hunt.
Josh
Gormley,
11 of Portage hunting with
his dad
Jerry and
grandpa
Larry of Imlay City on
the Waltons Farm
in Attica
took this
nice 4-pt.
Troy Blake
took this
300 lb.
black bear
hunting
near his
cabin in
Luce Co.
on Sept
10, his first
Michigan
bear.
Basil E.
King of
Columbiaville
caught
and
released
this 24.5
pound,
30 inch
flathead
catfish on
August
26.
Ryan & Todd

Honsowitz,
brothers and
best friends,
both connected on
100 inch
plus 8-pts.
on opening
day of bow
season. What
a great start
to the 2015
season!
85
Hot Topics, My Thoughts, My Views, My Opinions...
Youth huntingtoo muchtoo soon
he regulations are as such that

any kid or young adult up to
17 years of age can go out and
kill any deer they want. These
future hunters in Michigan
have an incredible opportunity
with the youth hunt, more than they
know.
Youth Hunt
Guest Column...By Tim Muir
86
Hunting and fishing is not all

about catching or killing something.
This past weekend I was able to take
my son Trey out for the youth deer
hunt. The weather on Saturday was
bad, we seen zero deer, but it was
probably my favorite deer hunt ever.
Being able to be afield with my son
was pretty darn cool. The excitement he had, and smile on his face
was evident from before we left the
house.
Saturday morning brought rain
and wind. We set up a pop up blind
in a small clearing about half way
out to where I planned on going.
We sat for a few hours then called
it a morning. Went in for breakfast
did some work around our camp,
sighted in the crossbow and then hit
the woods for the evening hunt.
Darkness fell with us seeing
nothing and feeling a little sunburn
and windburn because the wind was
still howling. We sat around the
campfire and had a good time with
my brothers.
Sunday morning came and spirits where high. There was no wind!
It was cool with the slightest hint of
frost. We made our way out to our
blind before daylight. I had a good
amount of nervous energy because I
knew we had a chance this morning.
Unfortunately the morning came
and went with the only excitement
being a group of blue jays hassling a
merlin relentlessly.
So began the process of packing up and heading home. I was
concerned the lack of deer may
have had a negative impact. I was
so wrong! The whole way home and
about once a day I am asked "dad
when can we go back?" I think that I
know I have a new lifelong hunting
partner. I can say that is one of the
greatest feelings I've ever had.
Even though we were not successful bagging a deer, this weekend's hunt was the most successful
hunt I have ever had.n
By now we have all heard of or know

a kid or young adult who killed a
monster buck during youth
weekend. As the stories were
beginning to circulate around
and over social media, I
began to wonder where does
a kid or young adult go from
here. They kill a trophy buck
then what? Back track and
start hunting does? May as
well buy them a Ferrari as
their first car too!
Lets talk about these
future outdoor enthusiasts as two different
groups; kids-those who
are under 13, or shall I say those that
are of the opinion that mom and dad
are still cool. Young adults are those
who are 13-17, or better thought of as
those that repeatedly say, Mom, you
just dont get it, GEEZ!
For that younger group of future

hunters, what would be the harm in
having them only kill a doe
first time out? Perhaps even
have them pass on a 1 -2
year old buck and help them
understand what that buck
will be next season? Why
not let them hunt and work
towards that trophy buck,
rather than just let them take
one right away. I see it all
over with our generation
of parenting, kids are
spoiled today, way too
much given to them and
sadly not a lot is earned
by the youngster. All the way from
overdone school parties to the team
who took last place and gets a trophy!
Now for that, I know everything group. All the above still
applies, why would we as parents
My Thoughts...
By Tricia Auten
not want them to set goals of eventually killing a mature buck, but in the
meantime help them to understand
the challenges and benefits from
hunting hard in nature?
I feel like this group is worse off
than the younger group. During this
time of a young persons life, we
expect them to become responsible,
be accountable, stand up tall, pull up
the big boy and girl britches and stick
their face to the sun, eat up life and
all it has to offer, but during youth
weekend you can take advantage of
what your birth certificate says and
get the jump on other hunters!
Taken directly from the DNR
website:
During any season when it is
legal to harvest a buck, antler point
restrictions (APR) do not apply to
Youth Hunt page 88
DNR participates in mock oil spill exercise
epartment of Natural
Resources personnel from a handful of
divisions were on hand
for the recent daylong
exercise by Enbridge,
Inc., designed to test the capabilities
of dealing with an oil spill near the
Mackinac Bridge.
Staffers from the Fisheries,
Wildlife, Law Enforcement and Forest Resources divisions as well as
representatives of the Executive Division were present to observe and
learn what the DNRs immediate roles
would be in the event that Enbridges
twin 62-year-old pipelines just west of
the bridge sprung a leak.
A University of Michigan study
that concluded that a spill from Line
5 (as Enbridge calls it) would be a
far-reaching catastrophe raised eyebrows around the state in the wake of
the Line 6B pipeline that burst near
Marshall in 2010, spilling more than
800,000 gallons of heavy crude into
the Kalamazoo River watershed.
A state task force, led by Attorney General Bill Schuette and state
Department of Environmental Quality
Director Dan Wyant, called for greater
scrutiny, restrictions and ongoing
analysis of Line 5. The task force
recommended that heavy crude the
oil that escaped from the Line 6B
pipeline, and is difficult to clean up -not be transported across the Straits in
Line 5. Enbridge has agreed.
A work crew positions a boom off of Mackinac Island during a mock oil spill
exercise. MDNR photo
The Enbridge exercise was designed to mimic a 4,500-barrel light
crude oil spill.
Among the DNR employees
assigned to the exercise were eight
members of the Law Enforcement Division, who were on hand to provide
security in case protesters attempted to
disrupt the exercise.
Cpl. Craig Milkowski, a commercial fishing enforcement specialist who usually patrols from Alpena
to Whitefish Bay on Lake Superior,
captained a 36-foot, twin-diesel patrol
boat during the exercise. He was accompanied by conservation officer
Larry DeSloover, another Great Lakes
enforcement guy who usually patrols
from Alpena to Detroit.
I came up to assist Craig, said

DeSloover. If were going to work all
day long, we like to have two guys on
the boat.
DeSloover, who participated in
similar exercises before one, for
instance, simulating a ferry collision
in the fog, where the DNRs job was
search and rescue said such exercises keep the officers on their toes.
You always learn something,
especially from a cooperative exercise
like this where were working with the
Coast Guard, the Little Traverse Bay
Band of Odawas and the state police.
It opens up the lines of communications so we will be prepared for the
Mock spill page 88
FISH MANAGEMENT -- My Thoughts, My Views, My Opinions...
LESSONS FROM BUOY 10
Im coming home embarrassed and disappointed in how

Great Lakes anglers treat our salmon fisheries...
he Portland, Oregon airport

acts as my office as I sit down
to write this months Woods n
Waters News feature article.
Jake, Mari and I traveled to
the Columbia River near the
famed Buoy 10 estuary to film an
episode of Fishing 411 TV. Thanks to
some expert help from our
friends at Maxima fishing
lines and Yakima Bait, Jake
and I spent three days enjoying salmon fishing unlike
anything either of us has ever
experienced.
As I reflect on our adventure I cant help but feel a
mixture of emotions.
Most of what we as
Great Lakes fishermen know about
trout and salmon fishing have been
learned from our west coast counterparts. Legendary fishermen such as
Buzz Ramsey, Terry Mulkey, Bob Toman and countless others have spent
decades pioneering fishing tactics and
helping to popularize these fishing
secrets coast-to-coast.
The Columbia River fishery is unlike anything back home in Michigan.
An estimated one million king salmon
were estimated to return to the
Columbia River in August, the third
highest return on record since 1938.
Another .75 million coho salmon followed suit in August and September,
bringing the total king and coho run
on the Columbia to nearly two million fish in less than 60 days!!
Despite these enormous returns of

salmon, the daily limit during our stay
was just one king salmon and one
coho salmon per day. An estimated
2,000 boats a day were targeting these
fish in the approximately 10 miles of
river from Tongue Point to Buoy 10
during our stay.
The coho run during
our stay had yet to kick into
full gear, so the majority of
the catch centered on king
salmon. The typical charter
involves six anglers, so a
catch of six kings is considered a limit catch and a
milestone achievement.
In visiting with
many of the anglers
who were coming
and going from the
charter docks, catching that one king
salmon was an accomplishment they
wore like a badge of honor. No one
felt cheated and in fact these anglers
were completely content to fight, land
and harvest just one king salmon.
Ironically, back home a typical charter of six anglers would be
singing the blues and refusing to
tip if they only caught six fish. It
started dawning on me that in the
Great Lakes we have become amazingly spoiled by the abundance of fish
we can catch and keep on any given
day. Spoiled to the point Im becoming embarrassed to admit how many
salmon Ive caught and kept over the
years.
Im even more horrified to think
By Mark Romanack
This wild upriver bright caught by Jarod Higginbotham of Yakima Bait is being carefully
handled for a quick photograph and then released. Special gear restrictions like barbless
hooks allow west coast anglers to catch and release river run salmon with very little
mortality. Author photo
how much fresh caught salmon is fro- let alone collecting harvest data for
zen, slowly freezer burned and evenour local biologists.
tually discarded in Michigan annuIn Michigan a salmon is a salmon
ally. As a whole, Great Lakes anglers
and literally every fish that makes
have no clue how good we have had
the mistake of biting a lure or bait
it or how to insure our sport fishing
is going to end up in the bottom of
heritage continues into the future.
an oversized marine cooler. Harvest
estimates on Michigan caught fish are
made by taking random creel survey
The limits allowed in respective
data and extrapolating that informafisheries are based on a number of
tion to encompass and entire fishery.
factors including commercial harCompared to the actual data collected
vest, tribal harvests, sport harvests
and management decisions made by
and natural mortality. The Columbia
Oregon and Washington state bioloRiver enjoys a massive return of
gists, Michigan and other Great Lakes
salmon, but lining up for their share
states are in the dark ages of fishery
of the catch are a long line of commanagement practices.
mercial fishermen, sport fishermen,
I cant help but rationalize that
tribal fishermen and natural predators a five fish limit is overly generlike sea lions.
ous considering the struggles our
Columbia River anglers are also
salmon fishery is facing. Furthermore,
asked to live release wild reared fish
Michigan anglers treat our salmon
in favor of harvesting hatchery raised fishery like a put and take program
salmon. The belief is that wild reared rather than considering the benefits of
salmon have a much greater likelilimiting our harvest or Heaven forbid
hood of generating significant natural releasing any fish so they might actureproduction compared to hatchery
ally spawn.
fish that are considered to be genetically inferior.
When a salmon is harvested from
Aside from the differences in
the Columbia River the angler must
limits from the Columbia River to
record on his license specific inforGreat Lakes salmon fisheries, I also
mation including the date, location
noticed a striking difference in how
the fish was caught, if the fish is wild
captains and charter fishermen treat
or hatchery reared and the size of the
the fish they harvest. In Michigan at
fish. This information is turned over
the start of a charter the captain tosses
to biologists who carefully analyze
a bag of ice into a 150 quart cooler
this critical data.
and as fish are caught they are tossed
Back home in Michigan our salm- into this cooler. By the time a few fish
on fishery is in decline compared to
hit the cooler, the inside of that cooler
the Columbia River which is knockbecomes a slurry of melted ice, blood,
ing it out of the park. Ironically, our
slime and fish excrement. The fish
salmon limits are significantly more
generous and no consideration is
Fish management page 89
given to releasing wild reared salmon
The Limit
Hatchery fish like this one caught by Maxima Lines Zach Schoonover (note the adipose clip)
are harvested in favor of harvesting wild reared fish on the Columbia River. This voluntary
effort by anglers is part of a sophisticated management plan that insures the salmon runs
returning to the Columbia River every year are the worlds most impressive. Author photo
Care Of The Fish
87

Mock spill... from page 86
real thing.
DeSloover said he really didnt expect any trouble because the weather
was tough.
Its pretty rough on the water,
he said. Theyd have to really want to
be out here.
Capt. Wade Hamilton, who was
part of a team that concentrated on
on-shore security, said there was a
foursome who attempted to get press
credentials and were suspected of
being up to no good, but it was nonthreatening situation.
When you do an exercise like
this for an emergency situation, they
try to bring in anyone who would have
a role in it, Hamilton said.
Jessica Mistak, a fisheries supervisor with the DNR Fisheries Divisions
habitat management unit, was in one
of three command posts at St. Ignace
representing the Natural Resources
Damage Assessment Trustees, a group
that includes the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the tribes, the Department
of Environmental Quality, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Attorney Generals
office. Mistak was in communication
with other members of the trustees
group, which was headquartered in
Mackinaw City.
Our goals include making sure
sensitive areas and species are identified and appropriate action is taken,
Mistak said. If we know where a lake
trout spawning reef is, for instance, we
share that information so the response
teams can avoid disrupting the bottom
there. Or if we know where theres a
piping plover nesting area, we share
that information to make sure the area
is protected.
Fisheries biologist Steve Scott,
who works out of Newberry and is
part of the DNRs emergency response
team, assisted in planning the exercise over the course of the last several
months.
I feel more comfortable that if
we were put in this situation, Id know
how to react, Scott said. I now know
how the DNR would fit into a big
process like this.
Dave Jentoft, a biologist with the
DNR Wildlife Division, participated in
an oiled-wildlife response workshop
put on by Tri-State Bird Rescue and
Research.
We were looking at how we
would respond in the event something
happened, Jentoft said. We identified what resources were needed and
potential responses. We all hope that
we never have to be involved in a re-
Superior Game Ranch

Route 3 Box 163 Cornell, MI 49818
Various law enforcement officers including DNR conservation officers

are briefed on their assignments for the mock oil spill exercise at the Coast
Guard Station in St. Ignace. MDNR photo
sponse like that, but its good to know
we have the resources and knowledge
to respond should something end up
happening.
Don Klingler, a fire management
specialist, was one of two DNR
Forest Resources Division staffers
at the exercise. He participated as
an evaluator of the incident management team.
Forest Resources has a lot to
bring to the table because of our experience with incident management,
he said. Not just for fires but floods

or other emergencies. A lot of our
personnel are on incident management
teams, so we can help support in any
emergency situation.
DNR Deputy Director Bill Moritz
attended the exercise just to observe.
Were glad they held this exercise, Moritz said. The Great Lakes
are our crown jewels; theres a need
for rapid response, and it was good to
see the cooperation among the various
agencies.n
Youth hunt - too much - too soon... from page 86
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.
mentored youth hunters.

The intent of the law is to let
parents and guardians, not the government, decide when a child is ready
to hunt.
Regarding the disregard for the
APR, just because it is a regulation
that offers your child or young adult
the liberty to take a buck doesnt
mean they have to. Actually could
be a great opportunity to instill the
concept of deer management and ap-
preciation for the life cycle of a

deer.
Now for the intention of the law,
as with any law and or regulation.
We as responsible people, hunters,
and parents need not be concerned
with what we can get away with,
rather what is the right thing to do.
The future hunters will carry forward
what values and virtues we teach
them, not necessarily what we simply
give them.n
Trophy Elk,
Trophy Red Stag &
Trophy Fallow Deer
88
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.

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Fish management... from page 87
float around in this disgusting mixture
until they are processed at the end of
the trip.
On the Columbia River fish that
are kept for the table are treated with
much more respect. Anglers select
out only fresh run dime bright fish for
eating. Darker (more sexually mature)
fish are released immediately. When
a fish is kept, the captain immediately slices the narrow piece of skin
directly below the fishs gills so the
fish will begin to bleed out. The fish
is placed not in a cooler, but in a fish
box that has running water flowing
over the fish. Within a few minutes all
the blood, slime and other undesirable
fluids are washed free of the fish. At
that point the captain takes the bledout salmon and packs it into a cooler
full of ice.
The typical salmon charter on the
Columbia River carries eight bags of
ice to ice down six salmon. At the end
of the charter these fish are in turn
processed and each angler takes home
the fish they personally caught.
Its no mystery why salmon
caught on the west coast tastes better than salmon caught in the Great
Lakes. As fishermen we simply dont

give the fish the respect they deserve,
not unlike a hunter driving around for
days with his trophy buck strapped to
the roof of his car!
Fish Management
Salmon fishing on the west coast

is big business and biologists are
tasked with managing one of the most
complex and politically driven fisheries in the world. Seemingly everyone
wants a piece of the salmon pie and
fisheries biologists have the difficult
task of making sure enough salmon
survive the gauntlet of anglers so
that natural reproduction has a fighting chance of success.
There are eight dams on the
Columbia River, says salmon fishing
legend Buzz Ramsey of Yakima Bait.
Each and every one of those dams
causes mortality to young salmon
smolts as they migrate downstream
creating a collective loss of fish that
is staggering.
The only way to compensate
for the losses of salmon suffered at
the collective dams is to limit sport
fishing harvest accordingly. To ef-
Podcast Reaches
Another Milestone
fectively aim the harvest at hatchery

fish every fish that is stocked in the
Columbia River system is marked
by removing the adipose fin. Coded
metal tags are also placed in salmon
so biologists can monitor the progress of the migration as salmon move
upstream and swim past monitoring
sites.
Effectively the biologists tasked
with managing the Columbia River
know with certainty how many fish
are harvested, how many of those fish
are wild and how many are hatchery
reared and at what locations in the
river these fish are being taken from.
Armed with that kind of data, biologists have a clear picture of the health
of the Columbia River fishery.
No Fishing Zones
Biologists on the Columbia River

have identified key areas where these
fish spawn. Many of these regions are
closed to fishing so the salmon can
spawn without harassment.
Back home in Michigan salmon
are provided no sanctuaries or closed
seasons where they can spawn
unmolested. Instead our salmon are
targeted by anglers in the Great Lakes
and the connecting tributaries from
the day they are large enough to bite
a fishing lure until the day they die
approximately four years later.
Again the put and take attitude
Great Lakes anglers in general have

in regards to salmon fishing indicates how naive we are to our natural
resources and the proper management
therein.
Summing It Up
After spending several days soaking up the salmon fishing experience

available on the west coast at places
like Buoy 10, Im coming home
embarrassed and disappointed in how
Great Lakes anglers treat our salmon
fisheries. In the face our current and
ongoing salmon fishing struggles, I
cant help but wonder why Michigan
and other Great Lakes states dont
follow the forward thinking lead of
our west coast counterparts?
Its abundantly obvious that
salmon have a short life cycle and yes
after spawning they die. The key difference between how west coast anglers and Great Lakes anglers think is
on the west coast they understand the
necessity of letting some fish spawn.
Here in the Great Lakes, were only
concerned with catching and keeping
as many fish as possible.
Once again, Im left with the
opinion that as fishermen were
often our own worst enemy. Instead
of making the tough decisions to
preserve our fisheries, were move
concerned with how many we can
catch and keep...n
ARCHERY
FIREARMS
AMMO
6227 S. Greenville Rd.
Greenville, MI 48838
HUNTING SUPPLIES
FISHING SUPPLIES
INDOOR SHOOTING RANGE
magnumsportsllc.com
616-712-6162
Michigans most popular outdoor radio show continues to set new

standards. Host and producer Mike Avery is pleased to announce the
podcast version of the show has been downloaded more than ONE MILLION times in the past twelve months.
This is a huge milestone for the Outdoor Magazine franchise and I
couldnt be happier, says the veteran broadcaster.
This latest news continues a trend of growth for Averys radio show
and podcast. The broadcast version of the program is now heard on 26
AM and FM stations across Michigan and the podcast is often downloaded more than a hundred thousand times each month.
Avery, who spent many years in outdoor television, says While some
forms of outdoor media are struggling, radio and podcasting continue to
gain audience and offer a tremendous advertising value.
The Outdoor Magazine podcast can be heard on iTunes, Mikes website (MikeAveryOutdoors.com), the facebook page (facebook.com/OutdoorMagazine) and the mobile app for android and iPhones. The podcast
is also available on several additional outdoor related websites.
For more info on partnership options call Mike Avery at 989 615-1480
or email at mike@mikeaveryoutdoors.com.
89
Dear Fish Diary...My Thoughts - Potential Water Hijackers?
When a lake just disappears?

Be on the lookout for fake fishermen
have fished Lost Lake. I have

fished Hidden Lake. I have fished
Lake of the Clouds and the Blind
Sucker River. But I have never
fished a lake where upon my
arrival for a morning cast it had
just disappeared. Vanished, gone, dry
to the bone with nothing but flopping
fish in its absence. That has to be quite
a shocker. Probably more of a shocker
to the fish than anyone else.
But it happens, and recently it happened to Walker
Lake, a popular fishing spot
in Westwood California.
Some people like to call
them fishing haunts, and in
this case so close to Halloween it might be more appropriate. 170-acres of water
disappearing overnight in a
drought affected state should
raise some concerns.
Concerns of masked
water bandits sneaking around in the middle of the night
pumping the lake dry. Aliens hovering
above and sucking the water into their
mega space crafts while we sleep.
Or quite possibly, someone pulled
the plug. But is seems the only ones
who are actually concerned about the
lakes sudden disappearance are the
fishermen.
Go figure.
What do you do in that case? Do
you call 911? Or do you go out and
just pick up your limit first and then
call 911? And what do you say to 911?
911 what is your emergency?
Um Id like to report a stolen
lake?
Im sorry sir, did you say a stolen lake?
Yes, I said a stolen lake.
Are we talking a lake, like with
water in it?
No, we are talking a lake like
with no water in it that was here
yesterday and not here today which is
why Im calling to report it stolen.
In Michigan we have similar
issues. A year ago Lake ONeal, a
150 acre reservoir dried up overnight
when its dam gave way, leaving
residents to wake up to a mud hole. A
beautiful northern lake in Bliss Township that once hosted the call of eagles
and loons quickly became a swamp
giving way to the sound of buzzing
mosquitoes. Lakefront property just
isnt quite what it used to be. Its not
the first lake to disappear in Michigan
and might be a sign of things to come.
There are approximately 2,600 dams
in our state and nearly all of them are
past their life expectancy of 50-years

or older. The only thing worse than
having your lake disappear overnight
would be being on it when it starts to
drain. Holy Havoc.
Eroding dams arent the only
problem for lakes disappearing, Flint
alone has over 50-standing cases of
water theft. Those pesky H20-bandits
are sneaking hoses into our waterways
and pumping water into trucks that
could end up in your swimming pool, on your lawn, or
possibly in your stomach.
And city citizens are figuring
out how to bypass the meter
system to gain access to free
water to their homes in many
major cities.
And how about reports
of China stealing our water
and selling it back to us? Or
companies signing
soft lucrative deals
to pump water from
the lakes and sell that back to us too?
I mean, gobies and flying carp might
be the least of our concerns where it
comes to invasive species ruining our
lakes.
Being called the Great Lake
State just might lure you in if you
are a water thief. When you boast
about having one fifth of the worlds
fresh water while some of the worlds
largest freshwater lakes are drying up
from drought or being overly polluted,
you just might be a target. In fact, I
got paranoid when I saw a guy from
California filling up his water bottle at
the Sleeping Bear Sand dunes visitor
center. Those out of state and out of
the country visitors that gather on the
Lake Michigan shoreline to watch the
sun set arent really watching the sun
set. I know this because they could
watch the sun set in their own states
and countries. What they are doing
is waiting until dark so they can all
go steal our water. We need to know
how to say water in as many different
languages as we possibly can so we
can detect when someone is plotting a
heist on our lakes. What are we going
to call ourselves if the Great Lakes are
gone?
Im doing my part. This summer I
broke up a potential water smuggling
ring while at a remote campground
near Lake Superior. I was approached
by four foreigners that all had brand
new fishing rods and reels. I mean
brand new, still in plastic wrap. I
could barely understand what they
were asking me as they approached
me with their new rods, reels and
By Ron St. Germain
90
What do you do in the case of a missing lake? Call 911?

spools of line. They didnt even have
tents, I was suspicious right from the
start despite their friendly demeanor.
What they were asking me to do was
spool line onto their brand new fishing
reels because they couldnt figure how
to do it themselves. They claim they
tried to You-tube it but couldnt get
internet service. My suspicions grew.
Who comes to this remote backcountry with no tent and brand new fishing
gear other than water thieves? It was
then I realized they were all carrying you guessed it, water bottles.
You guys arent really fishermen
are you? I asked.
Fishermen? No, ha ha ha it
looks like fun and we wanted to try,
ha ha ha they answered.
Thats when the detective in me
came out and I started to ask the hard
questions. So, what kind of fish are
you going to try and catch?
We dont know fish, ha ha ha,
anything we can catch, we are not
sure, ha ha ha they replied.
Thats when I noticed they didnt
have any hooks, sinkers or bobbers,
not even a tackle box. Do you guys
even have any bait?
What is bait? Ha ha ha
Bait, you know, that goes on the
end of the line, like a worm or lure
that entices the fish to bite so you
can catch it. Thats when I knew I
had them as they stared at me with
a dumbfounded glare, no longer
laughing while their children chased
chipmunks. I knew then that their plan
was to pretend to be fishermen while
stealing our water. I didnt even ask if
they had fishing licenses because by
then I knew it was a mute point.
Well Im sorry guys, Im not
sure exactly how to spool these particular reels and I wouldnt want to
mess up your new equipment, but

that guy over there will know for
sure, as I pointed to a Federal Forest
Ranger. Suddenly they became
nervous and they soon left the
camping area.
Because of my heroics, quick
thinking and lack of time to spool and
rig four giant open-face reels, I saved
Lake Superior for at least another
summer.
Lakes mysteriously disappearing
will continue, but as an avid fisherman and protector of the outdoors, it
is your duty to be on the lookout for
potential water hijackers. It appears
those water thieves are now pretending to be fishermen just to get a closer
look at our water sources. So if you
are out on the ice this winter and see
someone drilling holes three-feet from
shore and shoving a hose down the
hole rather than a jig, make sure you
call it in. These are our lakes, lets
keep it that way.
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
Tiny Rustic Cabins
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91
Reader Trail Cam Photos

Send your Reader Trail-Cam Photos to:
wnw@pageone-inc.com
Clifton Curtis of Montrose caught this eagle

snatching a turkey off his deer feeding station.
Eli Muxlow had this buck on trail
cam several times. He was hoping
to connect during the youth hunt,
but luck was not on his side. The
photo was taken near Manistique.
Lauren Trainor got this trail

cam photo near Bellevue. The
curious young buck stares
back at the camera.
Dave Harms of Macomb sent us this trail cam

photo of a buck he calls Hollywood because he is
not camera shy.
Jeremy Forshee sent us this interesting photo of a a bobcat running

past his trail cam after a successful
rabbit hunt.
92
Jeff Cannon
sent us this
trail cam
photo of,
well lets say
a very curious black
bear. The
photo was
taken near
Interlochen.
Troy Blake captured this great photo of a black
bear in Luce County near his cabin. Thanks for
sharing, Troy.
Tom Spillane caught this coyote strolling past his trail cam
in the middle of the day near
St. Helen.
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93
SPORTING COLLECTIBLES...
Two Michigan Lures

One newly identified
and one still a mystery
here are quite a few U.S. Patents for Made in Michigan

fishing lures that were granted
but apparently never manufactured for one reason or another. Some were too complicated to be practical. A number of the
lures did not work well and Sank like
a rock. These, thankfully, never made
it to production while others ran into
circumstances like the tough economic conditions during the Depression
when some inventors could not afford
to build them. WWII brought metal
shortages, which affected lure production. Hooks, screws, diving lips,
propellers, and other parts
could not be found because
of the war effort, and lacking the hardware some lures
were never made.
Other lures were produced in such small amounts
that they never made it into
the hands of the angling
public. One such
lure was recently
found by a picker
who apparently found it in a box
stacked by the curb after a house had
been cleaned out somewhere in the
Flint area. The picker brought a photo
of the lure to a garage sale where a
friend of mine and antique lure collector, Tony Nedela, was helping his
daughter run. Tony told the picker that
it appeared to be a homemade folk
art lure and that he was interested in
it. The picker left the garage sale and
quickly returned with the lure. Terms
were agreed to and Tony acquired
the unique 4-inch wood lure for his
collection. Later, Tony thoroughly
inspected what he believed to be a
nicely made folk art lure when he
discovered a number hand etched on
the baits metal diving lip. It simply
read Pat. 2576532. That information
changed everything. Patent #2576532
was applied for by the inventor,
Dewey Nudell, of Flint, Michigan
on October 30, 1947 and issued four
years later on November 27, 1951.
I was able to examine and photograph the Nudell lure in early September and was able to figure out how it
worked. It is an ingenious weedless
wood lure designed primarily to catch
bass, though northern pike would
certainly go after it. It would have
floated at rest and then dived as it was
retrieved because of its metal diving
lip. There is a flat metal rod that acts
as the line tie, which extends through
the head and then into the rear section
of the lure where a spring encircles it.
The flat rod at that point is attached

to an actuator arm that is connected
to the two hooks. The spring is strong
enough to hold the head and rear portions of the body together as the lure
swims through the water, which also
keeps the hooks shielded inside the
wood body. This all changes when a
fish strikes pulling back on the lures
body. The spring is stretched pulling
the actuator and pivoting the hooks
outward instantly hooking the fish.
If the fish is not hooked and releases
the lure, then the spring pulls the
head and rear body together again
and the hooks are returned back into
their weedless position in the
body. I was surprised as to
how well the lure worked.
The lures inventor
was Leroy Dewey Duffy
Nudell who lived and worked
almost his whole life in Flint,
Michigan. Duffy Nudell was
born on October 23, 1923 in
Detroit to Dewey
G. and Pearl Nudell
who were both employed in the automotive industry.
The family soon moved to Flint
where the father worked on an assembly line and the mother made
spark plugs. Their son was educated
in the local Flint schools, graduating
from Flint High School in 1942 and
then immediately going to work at AC
Spark Plug as a file clerk. He enlisted
in the Army in January 1943 at the
age of nineteen and served in the 36th
Infantry Division until his discharge
in November 1945.
The following year, he married
Florence Anderson from Grand Rapids, Minnesota, and the couple were
soon busy raising a family - sons,
Ken and Gary and daughter, Jennifer.
Duffy Nudell worked for AC Spark
Plug for thirty-eight years at a variety
of jobs ranging from office worker
to blueprint man to engineer. He
retired from AC Spark Plug in 1980
and died at the age of eighty-one years
on November 19, 2004. His obituary
stated that he was an avid fisherman
and hunter.
Duffy Nudell also patented a
second fishing item, a combined minnow trap and minnow bucket. Patent #2912785 was issued to him on
November 17, 1959, but at this point
of my research, I doubt if this second
invention was manufactured.
Spring-loaded hooks and springloaded lures have disappeared from
modern fishing tackle because of the
passage of fishing regulations govern-
By Terry McBurney
94
Above: Newly identified, this 4-inch

weedless spring-hook lure was most
likely made during the late 1940s and
early 1950s in Flint, Michigan by Duffy
Nudell. Right: Nudells weedless lure
shown with the hooks out as if it had
just been hit by a hungry bass. Tony
Nedela collection
ing how anglers could catch fish and
how many could be kept. In fact, these
hooks and lures are illegal across
the U.S. today. However, they were
popular for a long time with the earliest spring-loaded hook patent showing
up in 1846 and the first spring-loaded
lure patented in 1874.
Michigan has had its fair share of
spring-loaded metal and wood lures
including the Wilson Sizzler from
Hastings, the Babbitt Weedless Fish
Lure from Holland, the little known
Rocket Lure from Livonia, the Weed
Queen from Hamtramck and Detroit, the Smith and Dietz lure from
Jackson, Hargretts Cats Paw from
Detroit, the Kreidler lure from Detroit,
the No-Weed spoon from Detroit, the
Trigger Fish from Detroit, and the
Prentice Weedless Shooting Lure from
Detroit. Now, the Nudell weedless
lure is added to this list, and with a
bit of luck, more of the Nudell weedless lures will show up now that we
know what one looks like. Hopefully,
someone from the Nudell family will
contact me with more information
on this fascinating Michigan lure, its
inventor and what Duffy named his
creation.
The second lure that needs more
of its history uncovered was first
called The Lake George Floater
because it was discovered near Lake
George in the small town of Harrison,
Michigan in the early 1980s. Two

Michigan tackle collectors, Ron Fritz
and his friend, Gary Horan, were out
knocking on doors looking for old
fishing tackle and were following up
on a lead when they went to the home
of a man who had some old fishing
lures for them to see. What he brought
out was a cardboard box filled with
over one hundred of what the two collectors would soon name The Lake
George Floater. Neither of them had
seen the lure before, and the owner
did not know who made them except
that he thought they had been made
near Harrison. Most of the lures were
the classic two-color red and white
lure with the cork float. Many were
near perfect and had not been fished.
The bait was made of wood and
measured 2 -inches in length and
had a metal arm at the front of the lure
Above right: This valuable 2 -inch

Water Witch Pork Rind Wiggler in red
and white was made in Lake Odessa
by a yet unknown lure inventor. Bill
Kingsley collection. Above left: This
near perfect green and white Water Witch Pork Rind Wiggler sold in
the Langs Sporting Collectibles fall
2015 auction for $2,400 plus buyers
premium! Photo courtesy of Langs
Sporting Collectibles. Right: The only
known Water Witch Pork Rind Wiggler box was found by George Richey,
former Woods-N-Water News writer
and author of the classic book, Made
in Michigan Fishing Lures sometime in
the 1990s. Below right: A nice example
of the Water Witch Pork Rind Wiggler pictured on the cardboard boxs
label featured a weighted spoon with
a single hook instead of four treble
hooks.Dale Roberts collection.
in Lake Odessa living there at least
until the early 1920s when Gail and
his wife, Glenna, show up in the 1925
edition of the Lansing city directory
where he was listed as draftsman for
the Reo Motor Car Company. Hines
applied for a patent for a Fish Lure
on September 27, 1922, and patent
#1475823 was granted to him on
November 20, 1923.
His patent drawing and description bear little resemblance to the
Water Witch. He stated that the drawing and description in the patent did
not confine him the pictured patent
details and that he was entitled to a
wide variation of detail as he made
changes down the road.
Gail Hines had ties to Lake
Odessa during the time that the Water
Witch was most likely made, and he
certainly was granted a fishing lure
patent. However, I believe that it is
too far of a jump to conclude that
Hines was the lures inventor and
manufacturer without more proof one
way or the other. Hopefully, one of
my readers will be able to point the
way to more answers on the Water
Witch Company from Lake Odessa,
Michigan.
I would like to thank the following people for allowing me to
photograph their lures - Tony Nedela
and his Nudell weedless lure; Bill
Kingsley, Dale Roberts and Langs

Sporting Collectibles and their Water
Witch lures. I would also like to
acknowledge Bill Blauser and his
book, Spring-Loaded Fish Hooks,
Traps and Lures; George Richeys
article The Water Witch Company
from the September 1998 issue of the
NFLCC Gazette, and Gary Smiths
article entitled Known By Another

Name from the Winter 2012 issue of
the NFLCC Magazine.
Feel free to contact me at antiquefishing@comcast.net with your questions. Photographs are important, so
please send them. They help me with
identification and give me an idea of
the condition of the item.n
with a cork ball extending up the wire

from the line tie. The lure had four
treble hooks and was made to fish on
the surface. Since then other versions similar to this first Lake George
Floater have been found. Some came
in two colors - red and white and
green and white - while others were
painted with three colors. One version
had treble hooks hanging from simple
screw eyes while others came with
a brass tack hammered next to each
of the screw eyes, which supposedly
kept the hooks from scratching the
paint.
Sometime during the 1990s,
George Richey, former Woods-NWater News writer and author of
the book, Made in Michigan Fishing Lures, set his lure displays up at
the Woods-N-Water News Outdoor
Weekend when a man walked in
with a slightly different lure but one
clearly made by the same maker.
The lure was in a yellow two-piece
cardboard box with a black and white
label with a drawing of a lure clearly
related to the Lake George Floater
and copy identifying it as the WATER-WITCH Pork Rind Wiggler,
Price $1 and made by the Water
Witch Co., Lake Odessa, Mich.
George had discovered who made
the Lake George Floater, where it was
manufactured, and what the name of
the lure actually was!
The picture on the box showed
still another version of the lure, this
time with a spoon attached to rear of
the wood body. This version had just
one single hook. In addition, to make
it even more complicated, the lure in
the box did not match the picture on
the label nor did it match the classic
Lake Gorge Floaters already found!
It was similar but smaller. The lure in
the box had a flat front with a flat lip
instead a rounded front with a cupped
aluminum lip. There was not a spoon
at the back of this lure, and it came
with only one treble hook.
Since then, several lures have
been found that are identical to
the one pictured on the cardboard
box. This variation had a two-tone
rounded body with the aluminum
cupped lip, a cork float on the line
tie wire, and a spoon attached to the
rear of the bait, which was weighted
with a round piece of lead. The lead
was most likely intended to keep the
spoon swimming below the waters
surface. I have seen photos of another
model that had a three-leaf cloverlooking metal lip that was attached
to some sort metal and wood diving
device. I have not handled this elusive model or been able to find one to
photograph.
Since then, respected lure historian, Gary Smith has tied the
Water Witch to lure inventor, Gail
Hamilton Hines, who lived in Lake
Odessa, Michigan for twenty some
years. Born on December 11, 1895 in
Charlotte, Michigan, Hines grew up
95
In the field first aid:
Canine Eye Injuries
hey are only born with two of

them, they help us navigate
through the world, identify both
friend and foe, and can gaze mournfully at the last piece of pizza crust on
your plate. I am, of course, referring
to the dogs eyes. Injuries to the eyes
are common to hunting and sporting
dogs. As well as to dogs that are just
running through the brush on a hike.
Since they are lower to the
ground than we and tend to
dive right into the thickest
brambles, dogs can get injuries from both debris in the
eye to objects (like thorns)
penetrating the cornea.
First, a little anatomy:
the organ called the eye
is composed of two major
parts- the globe, or
eyeball, itself and the
surround tissue and
eyelids called the conjunctival sac.
The eyeball (or at least the part we can
see) consists of:
1) The cornea. This is the clear
dome that covers the iris
2) The iris. This is the colored
part of the eye that acts like the aperture of a camera- opening and closing
to regulate the amount of light that is

let into the eye.
3) The pupil. The pupil is the
opening in the iris through which the
light travels to the retina, where the
image is formed.
4) The lens. The lens sits just
behind the pupil/iris grouping. Its job
is to focus the light onto the retina.
The conjunctival sac is a mucus
membrane covered region
that is demarcated by the
inside of the eyelids on one
side and the globe on the other. It is where the tear ducts
empty out onto and keeps the
eye moist and healthy.
Signs of eye injury
include: squinting of eye,
redness of the surrounding
mucus membranes
(conjunctival sac),
clear or mucoid discharge, a cloudy or hazy discharge,
sensitivity to light, and blood inside
the cornea. You can also have cuts or
lacerations to the eyelids themselves
or damage to globe itself as well.
The most common eye issue I deal
with in the field is foreign material in
the eye. Usually this is a piece of dirt
By Jeff LaHuis DVM
or bark that has somehow gotten into

the conjunctival sac. Most important
thing is to NOT rub the eye- this may
cause a scratch on the cornea or cause
the offending material to embed into
the cornea. Best course of action is
to flush the eye out with an eye wash
(which you have in your first aid kit
because you read my first article!).
Flush with copious amounts of fluidcant flush too much. If you dont
have any eye wash- drinking water
can be used as well.
If the object is embedded into the
cornea and wont come out, you can
try to GENTLY use a moist Q-tip to
work it out. If you have the expedition pack, it is not a bad idea to have
a bottle of topical anesthetic drops
for the eye. Numbing the eye will,
first, make the dog more comfortable,
and second allow you to work on the
eye with fewer objections from the
patient. Again, do this very carefully!
Being too aggressive can cause the
object to become embedded further
into the cornea and you can risk perforating the cornea and cause severe
damage.
Penetrating injuries. Sometimes,
an object becomes stuck through the
cornea and pierces it. Typically, the

best thing to do in this situation is
to leave the object in place and seek
medical care. The risk is that by
removing the object, you may allow
the fluid under the cornea to leak out
and deflate the eye (yes, this really
happens). To transport, place gauze
squares over the eye and wrap loosely
to prevent further injury from the dog
pawing at the eye.
However, if you happen to be
further away from vet care, say more
than 24 hours, you can try to remove
the object in the field. Numb the eye
with the aforementioned drops and using the hemostats (from the expedition
pack) CAREFULLY try to work the
object out. If you are able to remove
it, place ophthalmic antibiotic ointment into the eye and place a loose
wrap over it. Again, this is not a recommended procedure, but sometimes
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Dog Trainning...By Len Jenkins
'BOLTING'
This is perhaps the most maddening fault of all and probably

the inspiration for a long tirade of
expletives, unpunishable and unfit
for a polite discourse. The bolting
dog is a dog which refuses to come
in when called. Such a dog will do
whatever he wants and go where he
pleases, regardless of his owners
threats of reprisal for his act of
insubordination. In all probability
the bolter will simply go into the
field and become a confirmed selfhunter. This bad habit is reinforced
each time he does it. Such a dog
will eventually come back without any remorse over the torment,
embarrassment, or hardship he may
have caused his owner. If your dog
bolts once and gets away with it,
rest assured, hell do it again.
The best remedy for this
problem is prevention. Dont give
your dog the opportunity to run off
on you. If you maintain constant
control of your dog, hell develop
into a civilized obedient companion
youll be proud to call your own.
If, however, you let him run on
his own with no control over his
direction or activities, hell become
a renegade. Act immediately the
first time your dog bolts. Go back
to heavy discipline and make your
dog wear the spiked force collar
and thirty or fifty-foot checkcord
while out in the field. We could go
one step further and let him don a
shock collar as well. With all the
hardware around his neck, he wont
know what hit him when you shock
him the next time he attempts to
bolt. Provide him the opportunity
to run off on you. When he does,
make your reprimand fast and sure
with a good dose of current so he
understands that a command is a
command and you are the master he
serves, not himself. If you correct
his vice in a timely and thorough
fashion, you can be sure your dog
will not ruin a future hunting trip
for you by bolting.
no damage done to the eye because

of the cherry-eye, it just looks funny.
In days of yore, vets used to remove
these, however, it has been shown
that dogs that have cherry-eyes surgically removed are prone to developing dry eye (a lack of tears produced
by the body). Dry eye CAN cause
pathology, or damage, to the eye,
so it is better to either leave a cherryeye alone or have it surgically replaced.
Eyes are important, you only
have two so make sure to protect
yours and your hunting partners.
Having supplies on hand to
debris out of the wound. Then wrap

the eye to prevent further damage to
it.
On other condition worth noting
is prolapse of the gland of the third
eyelid- commonly referred to as a
cherry eye. Most people have seen
dogs with this condition. It appears
as a small pink or red swelling in the
eye, next to the nose. What has happened is that the gland that normally
sits at the base of the third eyelid has
popped up and is now protruding.
Cherry-eyes are more of an aesthetic
condition rather than a pathological
one. Meaning that there is usually
provide first aid in the field will go

far in preserving eyesight and
minimizing damage that occurs
in the field.
Dr. Jeff LaHuis is the owner of
Sault Animal Hospital in Sault Sainte
Marie, MI. The hospital offers full
service and sees quite a few hunting dogs as well as pets, horses, and
other animals. The hospital also does
wildlife rehabilitation as well, seeing raptors and other birds, deer, and
small mammals. If you have any
questions, please feel free to call at
906-635-5910, or visit the website at
www.saultanimalhospital.com.n
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when you are in the bush, you gotta

do what you gotta do.
Cuts and lacerations can happen
to the eyelids themselves. These can
be stabilized in the field by putting
antibiotic eye ointment into the eye
and wrapping it, again loosely. Eyelid lacerations should be evaluated by
a veterinarian for possible surgical repair. If left untreated, sometimes the
eyelid heals unevenly and can cause
irritation to the cornea. For immediate, in the field treatment, flush any
97
November MADNESS
in West Michigan
ts a toss-up between October

and November of which remains
my favorite month. October has
the colors, the fresh crispness in
the air. While the dark skies of
November can be a disappointment, I find it invigorating. November is a time of plenty. The deer are
in full rut, whitefish will
swarm the piers, and walleyes are devouring prey in
dependable locations. Perch,
bluegills and crappie are
tightly schooled and will bite
quickly on a delicate presented bait. The persistent honking sounds of geese flying
overhead remind me
that winter is coming.
There are not enough
days in the month to
handle all of the great hunting and
fishing.
Living in Ottawa County provides
quick access for unlimited fun. To the
north we have the Muskegon State
Game Area and the Muskegon Waste
Treatment lands. Plenty of great deer
hunting in the bottoms and waterfowl
hunting can be excellent.
The field office has nice maps

of the area and is located on Maple
Island Road. The best locations are
the high mounds and rises surrounded
by water and marsh. Some are very
difficult to walk to and best reached
by a boat. I know of a few hunters that
average a 50% success rate each gun
season hunting the damp seclusions of the river bottom.
If I canoe in I use a tree
stand. If I walk I hunt from
the ground. I carry a lightweight chair. I pack pruners
and use leafy camo. With
the Leafy Wear and playing
the wind, getting a deer into
range is not too tough.
Getting a deer out
is a different situation.
I leave a toboggan
and a cart in my truck. Most often the
cart performs admirably. If the water
is too deep then a toboggan and a few
bungee cord straps will handle much
of the workload.
Muskegon Lake and White Lake
are loaded with perch and walleyes
late November and lasting to the
freeze over. Both of the connecting
By Jack Payne
NO TIME
FOR A WEEK
AWAY?
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1/2 WEEK
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John Huyser with a nice 8 point West Michigan buck.

rivers host steelhead, walleye and
king salmon. One of my favorite times
out is during the week of Thanksgiving after the sun sets for whitefish.
Anglers stand shoulder to shoulder on
the Friday evening after Thanksgiving. When whitefish are in strong its
a hoot.
Late fall is prime time fishing
on Muskegon Lake said Bill Funk
of Shoreline Tackle (231-759-7254).
Bill said that the whitefish swarm in
first. They stack up inside the channel
to spawn and the best activity is after
dark. Spoons take the most fish with
the Hopkins, Kastmaster and Swedish
Pimples crowd favorites. We make
our own using a flutter spoon mold
from Do it Molds. We add a red eye
and a strip of glow in the dark tape.
We also use either a very small treble
hook or a single hook. Snagged fish

are common and must be returned.
Daytime anglers land whitefish
and their cousin the Menominee. A
single egg will land sufficient numbers of these tasty fish. Using a slip
sinker or slider rig provides these light
biting fish a chance to eat your offering without feeling any sinker resistance. On a calm day a 4-6 foot leader
works great. On a choppy day shorten
the lead down to two feet.
Schools of perch journey into
Muskegon and White Lake each fall,
said Funk. Perch will school up in the
deep basins in both lakes. In addition
walleye move onto the rocky points,
points with slab wood and adjacent to
deep water.
Our Driftmaster Rod Holders on
a spider trolling tee bar work great.
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1442 N. Summers Rd., Imlay City, Michigan 48444
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You can run three rods and with the

unique design of the rod holder and
tee bar, they look like a fan. Very easy
to observe all three at the same time
and if one tip dips a hair lower than
the rest grab it and reel up a plump
perch.
We use a lot of perch flies and a
ton of Skandia and Moon Glitter glow
in the dark tear drops from Stopper
Lures. We tip them with a spike but
also carry a bucket of minnows.
Walleye anglers trolling stick
baits like a Rapala or a Thunderstik
do very well after dark, said Ken
Clark of Fishmas Charters (231-7402614). Ken charters on both Muskegon Lake and White Lake, which
he calls home. Slow trolling and
knowing exactly how deep your lure
is running is important.
Strikes are often like a tick of a
weed, said Mark Martin, perhaps the
guru of night fishing on Muskegon.
Do not expect an arm jarring strike,
more of a slight heaviness or a light
tick. Slam the rod home and expect to
land a few real nice pigs each fall.
Heading south into Allegan County hunters will find 42,000 acres of
public land. Take your pick from the
river bottoms for big bucks, the Todd
Farm and the Highbanks for geese
or the Ottawa Marsh for ducks. Then
throw in miles of rolling hills full of
acorns and a few sections where you
can walk a mile or two without hitting
a main dirt road.
You will see fewer deer when
hunting the bottoms but also less
hunters and the chance at a decent
buck is very good. The bottoms have
a mixture of cattails, flooded timber
and thick dense pockets of brush and
bushes. My favorite area is on the
south side of the Kalamazoo River
where the Rabbit River joins.
Another good pick is behind Ely
Lake and the Crooked Lake refuge
area. This is another thick area, can
be wet and snarly with passage ways
a challenge. However the deer like
running this three quarter mile narrow
band of cover that is far off of the
beaten path.
One last area that is good it the
Swan Creek area, not far from the
DNR field office. This is a mixture of
oaks with the meandering stream. I
dare mention these locations because

they all take effort to reach. They are
a long walk, can be a difficult walk
and once there, visibility is much like
fog on the big lake.
Fishing opportunities are marvelous. King salmon, steelhead and
walleyes from the Dam going downstream to New Richmond. Excellent
catfishing from Saugatuck to the piers
at Lake Michigan. There are two
techniques used on the river. Trolling plugs or running fresh spawn for
salmon and trout.
Wiggle Warts and the Lindy
Rocker Minnow plugs shine when
fished by a trolling master. One
angler that I see trolls ever so slow
and works the holes and runs like a
maestro. He runs multiple rods and
works the current and current breaks
masterfully.
Some days the chrome colors
shine, other days a fluorescent color.
A speck of red never hurts any plug.
Include a few gold and silver colored
baits into the mix. If trolling fails try
the drop shot technique.
Get above a run or hole, drop
down a heavy chain or anchor and
let the lure out. Space out 4-6 rods,
I have best luck running only four.
Work the entire run or hole and you
might need to reposition the boat to
accomplish this. When running plugs
we throw out at least one gob of fresh
skein and let the fish show us their
favorite.
You can fish from shore from the
dam downstream a good distance.
There are plenty of good locations to
work from the bank. But when you
want to wade fish head to the Rabbit
River in Hamilton. This tributary of
the Kalamazoo offers steelhead and
kings, just in a smaller environment.
At times standing in a stream with a
pair of waders on just feels more like
trout fishing and having the ultimate
control.
Miner Lake, Hutchins Lake and
Eagle Lake are late season favorites.
Bluegills, crappie and perch are the
pursued fish. Late fall and leading
into winter is a favorite time for me,
said John Webber from Allegan and
Webber & Sons Marine and Tackle
Shop (269-673-6294). Perch take
some searching for but fish pushing
a foot can be caught.

Most often the deeper
holes are favored by
the perch.
Bluegill and crappie love deep points
and any remaining
green cabbage weeds.
Small teardrops and
small jigs account for
most of these delightful and delicate tasting fish.
The folks at
Matteson Marine
suggested that anglers disconnect the
negative terminal
wires from their batteries when putting
their boats away for
the winter. Running RV anti-freeze
with a hose thru
your livewell system
prevents freeze up
problems. Draining
any water out of your
lower unit and adding
stabilizer to your gas
tank. They also suggested not filling your
tanks up due to the
additives being added Bill McCarty with a cold water West Michigan catfish.
to your gas.
November and into
Leaves have dropped providing better
December provides plenty of small
sightings and hopefully easier shots.
game opportunities. Grouse huntCheck out West Michigan for some
ing, squirrels and rabbits are fun.
great hunting and fishing prospects.n
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Im Passionate About Black Bears And Their Management.
My Michigan bear count 2015
f you have trail camera photos

of black bear from anywhere in
Michigan between August 10 and
October 26, 2015, you have valuable information that may be the
key to getting a better handle on
the number of bears in the state than
other methods that are currently being
used. The best way to get a count of
the number of bears in the state over
the widest area possible is by tapping into the popularity of game or
scouting cameras. The benefit of this
method is it is the closest thing to an
actual count of live bears and anyone
who has a game camera can participate.
Most bear hunters who use bait
employ scouting cameras and so do
many deer hunters and Im sure there
are some wildlife enthusiasts who
dont hunt that also use the devices.
The results of a survey of all trail
camera users in the state is bound to
generate some interesting and valuable information. And if conducted
on an annual basis, the results should
provide an excellent index of bear
numbers as long as participation is
high enough.
One of the most valuable types

of information that I think such a
survey would provide is the number
of females with cubs. The DNR does
not currently know how many cubs
are produced in the state each year. A
game camera survey would help fill
in an important piece of information
along those lines. Such a survey would obviously not be
a count of all cubs produced
in the state during a given
year, but it would provide a
minimum figure and a cub
production estimate may be
possible from those numbers.
Although the main focus
of the count is to
take advantage of
the popularity of
trail cameras, not
all bear and deer hunters use these
electronic devices, so it is important
to include actual sightings of bears as
part of the count for those who do not
use scouting cameras. Bear sightings
by bear hunters hunting over bait
that are not monitored by scouting
cameras, are especially important. In
most cases, hunters dont see all of
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100
the bears visiting a bait because some

bruins only feed at baits after dark.
By getting reports from bait hunters who use cameras about the number
of different bears photographed versus
the number of different animals seen
while hunting, it should be possible
to develop a sightability index. That
index would be the average
number of bruins seen while
hunting versus the number
photographed at a particular
bait. That index could be
used to estimate the number
of bears visiting baits that are
not monitored by cameras.
The dates of August 10
through October
26 were selected as
the period for the
bear count because
August 10 is the earliest that hunters can begin placing baits for bear
hunting in the UP. October 26 is the
last day of bear hunting season in the
UP and is the last day that baiting for
bears is legal. Most bear hunters will
stop maintaining bear baits before that
date, but some will keep them going
most of the season.
Goats $325 & Up

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$900
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Since it is legal to start placing

bait for deer hunting on September 15,
and bears like the same types of food
put out for deer, there are always some
bears on deer baits, too. Timing of the
count will not only provide valuable
information about cub production,
the number of cubs counted will be
an index of how many yearlings there
should be the following year. Cubs
that survived into fall have an excellent chance of being a part of the bear
population the following year.
Besides the number of bears photographed and seen at baits, including
sows and cubs, it is important to have
as much information as possible about
where baits are located. The county
they are in is valuable as well as the
section, township and range within a
particular county. Bears commonly
visit more than one bait in areas where
baiting is popular. In sections where
more than one bait are being maintained, the same bears may be photographed and seen by more than one
person. So bait location can be used to
help determine duplicate sightings and
the count can be modified accordingly.
Dont worry about giving away
your secret hunting spot by revealing the section your bait is in. This
information is optional, but will only
be used to determine how many baits
there may be in the same section.
Reporting of bait locations will not
be used to determine if bear hunters are maintaining too many baits
either. Individual hunters can have up
to three baits at one time, but I know
of instances where hunters stopped
baiting one spot and began baiting at a
new location, so they may have baited
four or five sites during the course of
the season.
Bear guides can maintain up to
a dozen baits. While I would like to
hear from as many individual hunters
as possible, input from guides is extremely valuable since they have input
Photos from scouting cameras can play a critical role

in providing more information
about bears than is currently
available. Author photo
from so many baits. Here again, the

number of baits reported from guides
will not be shared with the DNR.
Guides sometimes drop baits during
the course of the season and add new
ones, so that the total number of baits
maintained during the season can be
more than 12. And an outfitter may
have multiple guides, each of which
can service 12 baits.
The purpose of this survey is to
get as accurate a count as possible of
the number of bears photographed
and seen at baits between August
10 and October 26, 2015. So I want
reports from as many baits as possible. You dont have to have a bear
license to maintain a bait for bears. I
know many hunters who dont have a
bear license themselves, but bait for
friends and relatives. I want to hear
from as many people as possible who
photographed and/or saw bears at
bear and deer baits.
If one or more bears were killed
at a bait, I would like to know that,
too, along with their approximate size
and sex, so those animals can be subtracted from the count. That would
include bears started from baits with
hounds that are eventually killed.
Whats Requested
To summarize, heres the information I would like for the 2015 Michigan Bear Count:
1) Persons name, address and
telephone number.
2) The number of different bears
photographed at baits during both day
and night, with the number of females
and cubs listed separately from other
animals.
3) The number of different bears
seen at baits during legal hunting
hours.
4) Section, Township and Range
of bait sites.
5) Number of bears killed that
had been visiting baits, including sex
and size, if known.
This information can be emailed

to mibearcount@yahoo.com. I would
like to have as much information as
possible by December 1, 2015, but
will accept information supplied after
that date. For those who do not have
computers, information about bears
that were photographed and seen
while hunting can be sent to Bear
Count, 814 Clark St., Marquette, MI
49855.
Some Examples
I have information to share with

you from four out of six bear baits
that friends and I maintained and
hunted in Keweenaw County during 2015. The best bait was being
visited by 12 different bears, including an adult female with three cubs.
The family of four and six individual
bears were seen while that bait was
being hunted. One male was killed at
that bait.
Another 10 bears, including a sow
and two cubs, were photographed at
a different bait that was not hunted as
often. Only one bear was seen while
that spot was being hunted and no
bears were shot there.
Six bears frequented bait number
three and a male was taken there.
Photos of five bears were recorded
at bait number four where an adult
female was harvested. Multiple bears
were present at two additional baits,
based on the bait that was eaten and
tracks, but scouting cameras placed
at those baits malfunctioned and no
bears were seen while those spots
were hunted. Due to the lack of good

information on those two baits, they
will not be considered in the survey.
I also started a deer bait in Keweenaw County miles from the bear
baits and a camera at that spot has
recorded photos of one bear so far.
Why Im Doing This
The reason Im doing this is Im

passionate about black bears and
their management. I dont think the
DNR is gathering enough information
about black bears in the state. With
your help, I hope to add to what is
known about the animals in Michigan
that can contribute to better management of this species of big game.n
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New fishing regulations adopted

at Octobers NRC meeting
he Michigan Natural Resources

Commission Thursday approved
several fishing regulations at its
meeting in Cedarville. Many of these
regulations immediately went into
effect. They will remain in effect for
the 2016 fishing season (which begins
April 1).
All of the changes are highlighted
below and also are reflected in the
online version of the 2015 Michigan
Fishing Guide, available at michigan.
gov/fishingguide. These regulation
changes are part of Fisheries Order
215.
Bass Tournament
Registration Requirement
The DNR has been working

closely with bass angling groups
that have recommended mandatory
bass tournament registration. This
will allow the DNR to improve
its understanding of tournament
effort and provide additional
biological information about bass
ishing tournaments in Michigan.
As a result, all bass tournaments
held in 2016 will need to be
registered using the DNRs Michigan Fishing Tournament Information
System prior to taking place. (Starting
in January 2016.)
Combined Possession Limit Change
The combined possession limit

for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass,
northern pike, walleye and flathead
Point Lighthouse to the mouth of the
catfish (which limited the daily posBark River. (Went into effect immedisession limit to five fish) has been
ately.)
removed.
Therefore, anglers are now be able St. Clair System Northern Pike
to possess up to five (5) bass (largePossession Limit Increase
mouth and smallmouth combined),
The daily possession limit for
up to five (5) walleye, up to five (5)
flathead catfish, and up to two (2)
northern pike in their daily possession
limit. These species will no longer be
managed under a combined possession limit and now will be managed
under separate possession limits, rehe Michigan Natural Resources
sulting in more fish for anglers to keep
Commission Thursday approved
in a days fishing. (Went into effect
changes to walleye and yellow
immediately.)
perch recreational fishing regulations
in Saginaw Bay. The new regulations
Little Bay de Noc Walleye
went into effect immediately.
Possession Change
For walleye, the daily posses The zone where only one wallsion limit is increased from five (5)
eye greater than 23 inches may be re- to eight (8) fish and the minimum
tained in the daily possession limit in
size limit is reduced from 15 to 13
Little Bay de Noc (Delta County) has inches.
been expanded south from the Ford
For yellow perch, the daily posRiver to the Bark River. Therefore, no session limit is reduced from 50 to
more than one walleye over 23 inches 25 fish.
may be possessed in the daily limit
Walleye have recovered and are
north of a line drawn from Peninsula
very abundant in Saginaw Bay, and
while this recovery is considered
a success story, walleye are now
suppressing the available prey base.
Some of the consequences of less
available prey are slower walleye
growth and poor survival of juvenile yellow perch. Yellow perch are
reproducing very well (like walleye),
but young perch are not surviving,
which may be in part due to walleye
Located in beautiful
predation. As a result, the adult yelNorthwest Michigan in Buckley, low perch population has been greatly
reduced.
just South of Traverse City
The waters of Lake Huron where
these regulation changes for walleye
and yellow perch will change are
known as Lake Huron management
unit MH-4, including the Saginaw
River up to the Center Road Bridge in
Saginaw. Fishing seasons for walleye
and yellow perch were not changed
LIC NO
New walleye and yellow perch

regulation changes on Saginaw Bay
Circle T
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UIR
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Bad Axe, MI 48413
102
northern pike on Lake St. Clair, St.

Clair River and Detroit River has been
increased to five. (Went into effect
immediately.)
The 2015 Michigan Fishing Guide
is available at all major retailers and
online at michigan.gov/fishingguide.n
Come and experience a little

bit of Northern Michigan
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Both walleye and yellow perch
are of great importance to anglers and
the local economy in the Saginaw
Bay Area, said Jim Baker, DNR
fisheries manager for Southern Lake
Huron. Historically, yellow perch
were even more popular than walleye because they are easy to catch
and easily available to anyone with a
fishing rod including shore-based
anglers who cant fish Saginaw Bay
waters.
The new regulations go into effect
immediately and will remain in place
for the 2016 fishing season (open
April 1). These regulations are part of
Fisheries Order 215. For future reference in regard to these regulations,
anglers will be encouraged to call a
toll-free phone number each year to
get up-to-date information about possession limits for walleye and yellow
perch on Saginaw Bay.
Addressing a resource issue of
this magnitude requires a package
of management actions, including
modifications to walleye fishing regulations, reductions in yellow perch
harvest (for both recreational and
commercial fishing), increased control on local cormorant populations,
and even embarking on a research
project to assess the possibility of
re-establishing lake herring in Saginaw Bay, said Todd Grischke, Lake
Huron Basin coordinator. With these
changes to recreational fishing regulations, anglers can assist the DNR
in achieving its goal of stabilizing
the predator/prey ratio and making
yellow perch and walleye fishing the
best it can be.
It is important to note these
regulation changes will be the
starting point for a new management
process where future possession
and size limits will be tied to the
status of the walleye population.
If the population diminishes, the
regulations will become more
conservative; if the population remains high, then regulations
will remain liberal.
For more details, check out the
2015 Michigan Fishing Guide available at michigan.gov/fishingguide.n
Youth hunt dedicated

to my grandpas!
Mason Vajda of Marysville was raised around

hunting and he finally got his chance during
the youth hunt to be a successful hunter. The
weekend before the youth hunt Mason lost his
great-grandfather, which was the same day he
lost his other great-grandfather a year ago. After
a long sad-stressful week, we asked Mason if he
was still up to hunting for the youth hunt, his
reply was Yeah dad, and if I get my first deer
Im going to dedicate it to my great-grandpas.
So we packed up Friday morning and headed to
our hunting camp we leased for the season. We
spent most of the day preparing Mason mentally for buck fever and played a
few games and just talked and laughed.
The excitement of opening for 11 year-old Mason was immeasurable. Father and son woke up before dawn and shared a cup of coffee and a breakfast
Danish and headed to the blind. I prayed that he would see a deer and have
the opportunity to take a shot. The morning was uneventful and after lunch
Mason couldnt wait to return to the woods and again I prayed for a safe and
successful hunt.
Finally I heard a shot and it brought joy and relief, it came from where my
son was hunting and I immediately knew it was him. I jumped up and down
with my five year old daughter shouting "Mason did it, Mason got a deer!"
I asked my grandpa in heaven repeated times that day to please send Mason
a deer so he could have a successful hunt.
We met my Mason on the trail and he ran up to me and gave me the biggest
hug and said "buck down!" We are so proud of him he was so excited to tell his
story and he shared it all with his dad.
He was proud and we were proud, and that is what hunting means to our
family. Respect the land, respect the animal, be thankful and share the meat
with others in need. Mason, and the family will never forget that day. It was the
day my son the hunter came full circle with all of the time and dedication he
has put into learning how to hunt, this year he was ready to sit behind the gun
and he did it, he got his first deer. He is so thankful and he did dedicate his
first deer to both great-grandfathers.
A 'surprise'
bear hunt for
a special girl!
At age 4 Matisin Wieland
had to have a kidney transplant. At age 10 the transplanted kidney failed. Since
then she has been doing
good, so good that she plays
soccer, basketball, softball
and above all hunts and
fishes. Shes shot a few bucks,
ducks, geese and caught her
share of fish.
Her Papa and Grandma
decided to surprise the
13-year-old Matisin with a
bear hunting trip to Manitoba. Matisins mother also
joined in on the hunt with Bear Creek Outfitters, owned by retired NHL
player, Daryl Stanley.
Canadian rules require young hunters be accompanied by an adult and
Papa volunteered to sit with Matisin. Papa also assured the bear guides of
Matisin's ability to shoot accurately implying she may be the best shot in
camp!
Bears were seen every day by Matisin but she was holding out for just
the right bear. Finally on the four day of the hunt she connected with a
beautiful black beara perfect shot with no tracking needed. According to
her family, after her bear was down it appeared her face had disappeared
because her smile was so big!
The next day Matisins mother harvested her black bear but grandma
did not fill her tag.
A very memorable bear hunt!
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Field Judging Black Bears Recovering Bear You Shoot
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BLACK BEARS
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103
October and early November turkey hunting provides heart pounding excitement...
could see the group of

longbeards slipping
through the beautiful
fall forest and as they
drifted into a valley
of the Isabella County
rolling hills I made my
move. I used
the hills to block my
approach so lookout
birds could not see me
jogging, moving fast
to cover ground and
close the gap between
me and the monster
gobblers. Soon I was in
shooting range and I sat
down in a bed of
leaves, got my
crossbow ready
for action and
began calling.
The first bird to pop his
head over the hill was a big old
gobbler with bright red head
and large waddle. But then the
second gobbler looked equally
large and soon the entire troop
headed my direction. Seven
mature gobblers surrounded me
as I slowly slipped the safety off
and centered the cross hair on
the broad body of a large dark
bird less than 15 yards away.
One of the birds noticed me and
sounded an alarm putt but my
full camo clothing, crossbow
and face mask concealed my
human outline to confuse the
others. Instead of dashing away
my bird stood tall, looking for
danger and offering a perfect
upright, neck stretched, head up
target.
He was so close the bolt
zapped through his body at
lightning speed and he fell like a
rock. The NAP Gobbler Getter did its job and the beautiful
mature tom with 10-inch beard
flopped in the autumn leaves.
The others turned on the afterburners and shifted into high
gear as they dashed across the
forest floor like black streaks
of lighting. In a heartbeat they
were over the next hill and out

of sight.
I sat in the soft bed of
autumn leaves and admired my
prize. The big ole gobbler was
in prime shape with long black
beard and spurs and absolutely
beautiful feathers that
reflected a kaleidoscope
of copper and gold
colors. His tail feathers were 17 long in
ideal condition, perfect
for the cabin wall. I
admired the prize and
wondered why more
Michigan hunters do
not hunt turkeys
when the fall
foliage is in peak
color and the air
is cool and revitalizing. Perhaps
the following hunting tips can
encourage more participation.
October and early November
turkey hunting provides heart
pounding excitement, especially
for those who are good callers
and understand the habits of fall
turkeys. With hens legal to shoot
throughout Michigan, it is somewhat easy to locate birds, tempt
them into range and harvest a
Thanksgiving dinner. Keep in
mind that turkeys are often traveling in family flocks and they
like to join other birds. Jakes
and jennies can be coerced into
easy gun or archery range with
some sweet turkey talk. The
good news for Michigan hunters
is turkey populations are finally
on the rise after several years of
cold, rainy spring weather which
lead to poor poult recruitment.
This past spring conditions were
ideal for turkey nesting and the
result is poult numbers are way
up throughout Michigan. With
increased bird numbers hunters
will have more encounters with
fall 2015 turkeys.
One strategy is to spot a
flock, charge them by running
Fall toms are a difficult quarry but you can score on the gobbler of a life time if you
By Kenny Darwin
104
make calls that resemble wild birds, use full camouflage, learn the habits of local birds
Autumn turkeys page 106 and concentrate on intercepting turkeys in their core area.
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St. Clair Shores, MI 48082
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105
Autumn Turkey Hunting:

from page 104
into the flock with arms waving and
scattering them. You basically have
to sprint at turkeys to get them to
fly. Some hunters fire a shot to make
certain they dont simply run away.
If they stay together as a flock there
is no need to start calling, you got to
get birds moving in different directions. Then you sit down and begin
calling. Fall turkeys are curious birds
and when they hear the call and come
looking for family members you can
have a successful shoot. Just start
calling with loud yelps and eventually
lower the tone and use plenty of keekees. When birds respond pick up the
calling pace to create a frantic sense
of urgency for family members to get
together. Try to match the calls made
by surrounding birds and kee-kee,
purr, yelp until you work them into a
frenzy that can bring them running to
your gun.
Another deadly strategy is to
spot and stalk birds, especially when
a soft gentle rain pushes birds from
Gobblers are a bird of a different

feather. Sometimes you can break
them up and call them back quickly
and easily. But more often than not it
takes about three hours for wary adult
birds to return. Since they are less
frantic about rejoining the group, take
your time selecting a calling location,
make certain you are perfectly concealed from incoming wary birds and
use one or two clucks that are deeppitched. Gobblers will return on high
alert, silently so be well concealed,
patient and after a few yelps wait five
or ten minutes.
Wise old gobblers can be a tough
target this time of year because
they travel in troops and lookouts
are constantly on high alert. If your
camouflage is not perfect they will
spot you instantly, make certain your
clothing, boots, gun or archery gear
is fully camouflage. Keep head and
body motion to a minimum and make
certain your face and hands are fully
covered with camouflage netting,
Find a roosting tree and you can have a short early morning hunt if you
sneak close under the cover of darkness, set out a decoy and entice birds
to the decoy with a few wake up calls.
106
the woods into open fields to feed.

Hit fields just after a down pour and
you will find plenty of birds. Sneak
like a coyote on the prowl within 100
yards and set up and begin calling.
Start yelping like a bossy hen and
often you will get birds to come your
direction and your hunt will be short
and sweet.
gloves or face paint. One way to

fool wary birds is to sneak within
100 yards of the roost in darkness,
set up and entice them into range by
mimicking their sounds. If you setup
and find birds are in the distance,
move quickly and get close enough to
entice turkeys to your position. Fall
turkeys usually begin talking on the
Fall turkeys like to feed on acorns and spend most their time on oak ridges
in the woodlands but sometimes they venture into open fields in search of
food. Kenny Darwin photos
roost at first light and will give you
about 20 minutes to wiggle into good
calling position before they fly down.
I know the NWTF turkey gurus
would boo my suggestion but perhaps
my deadliest strategy for autumn
turkeys is to bush wack them. The
trick is to spot the trophy bird you
want and stalk into shooting range
without making a peep to give up
your location. The trick is to be super
stealthy, move without being seen and
intercept unsuspecting gobblers. One
of my hottest tricks is to use standing
corn as cover to get kissin close to
big gobblers fast. The idea is to keep
from being spotted by ever watchful
turkeys. I prefer to use this strategy in
areas of Michigan that feature rolling
terrain, hills, brush and trees that can
be used to block birds from detecting my approach. Sounds easy but to
crawl into shooting range of a group
of wild turkeys requires advanced
stalking skills, agility, flexibility and
cat-like hunting skills. On more than
one occasion Ive moved within 20
yards of wise old gobblers by wading
in a ditch with deep sides tall enough
to totally conceal my approach. The
trick to success always hinges on
staying out of sight and being totally
camouflaged and ready for action
when birds are close.
Harvesting a big gobbler in fall
is a tough challenge. They dont rush
the call like spring gobblers after a
hot hen or eager jakes looking for
companionship. Wise old gobblers
gathered in a troop are super suspicious and they will most often detect
your presence and slip the opposite
direction. During spring I can get
into range of 8 out of 10 gobblers but
come fall my percentage bites the

dust and Im lucky to get a shot at
one out of 10 birds. Harvesting a big
gobbler in the fall is like scoring on a
160s buck.
If you spot birds moving, get
ahead of them. Set up and use soft
purrs and clucks to get them coming
close. This requires a stealthy approach and you must move without
being spotted. The trick is to get in
direct line with turkeys that are on the
move. Keep in mind that fall birds
are very difficult to approach because
they are not love sick like spring turkeys. Fall turkeys are a challenge to
intercept, they are always looking for
predators or danger and one glimpse
of a moving human and they will
sound the alarm putt and dash away.
Adult hen turkeys are flock bosses
and they are constantly heads up alert.
There was a time when I stopped
hunting fall gobblers because I could
not get a shot even after many hours
in the woods. At one point I switched
to harvesting young poult because
they are excellent table fare. The truth
is I lacked the skills to tag a gobbler.
Now, after years of learning deadly
hunting tricks, that has all changed
and I love fall outings in search of
long beards.
What about you, do you have a
turkey hunting strategy that works?
If not, I hope you consider some of
these suggestions and take time
from your busy schedule to concentrate on wild turkey hunting. Try
this exciting sport, feel the adrenalin
rush when birds get kissin close
and I guarantee you will look forward
to fall turkey season for many years
to come.n
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hp Yamaha 4 stroke motors,
depth finders and swivel seats.
$399 U.S. funds if booked before March with a group of 4 or
more (2 people per boat) www.
northernwalleyelodge.com
or toll free 1-877-434-2440.
F-11-1
Hunting
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
................................................
TUSCOLA COUNTY
ELLINGTON TWP. 18.43
acres, all wooded. Main road
1256.92 feet frontage farm
land in back. Over 4,000 acres
of adjoining state land across
road. Turkey, deer and upland
game abound. Asking $60,000.
Call 989-670-2628 or 989-5531198. H-10-3
Subscribe Today!
To reach an immense outdoor market use the . . .
A = Archery
ATV = ATVs
B = Boats
D = Dogs
F = Fishing
F = Free
FP = Food Plots
Fishing
BOX MY CLASSIFIED - $5 Extra
Hunting
HUNT TROPHY BUCKS and
DOES any three days with rifle
December 15th to January 3rd on
one of my thousands of acres of private farms in west Tennessee near
the Kentucky border. Only one group
of hunters per farm. Pop up blinds
will be on all farms. Farms are large
and have been under hunted for
years and have severe crop damage
this year. Call 270-498-3374 for information and trail camera photos from
the farms. H-11-2
................................................
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
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
................................................
DEVILS
CREEK
HUNTING LODGE, in
YOOPER
country,
UPPER PENINSULA of
Michigan still has availability
for semi-guided whitetail
archery and rifle hunts in 2015.
Hunts include overnight accommodations and meals. Hunting
is on a private 400 acre parcel in
beautiful
and
bountiful
Menominee County. To learn
more, please see our website:
www.whitetaildeerhuntinglodge.
com and please call either 906241-9653 or 313-410-2204 for
further information.
H-10-2
TROPHY ELK HUNT: Private
ranch, elk management area. Sec.
36 Bay County. Cabin. 70% success.
phone nights 989-846-6228
H-9-4
................................................
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
................................................
HUNT DEER ON PRIVATE
RANCH. Call for price list on bucks
and does of all sizes. 989-426-2463.
H-9-3
HUNT 7 DAYS! American
Heritage Outfitters Combo Hunt
in Galena, Illinois. Bow hunt 4
days (Nov 16-19) and 3 days
with your shotgun or muzzle
loader (Nov 20-22). ONLY 2
HUNTS LEFT!!! Includes all
amenities for only $3,400 ea.
Purchase both hunts and get
$200 off each hunt. Call for
details. 855-626-6900. www.
americanheritageoutfitters.com
H-11-1
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-10-12-15
Hunting Lease
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
FIVE PARCELS FOR LEASE
in Hale, MI. 80 acres each. Excellent
hunting, abundant wildlife. Call: 231238-4178 HL-10-3
Resorts/Rent
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
Real Estate
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
134 Acres Farmland, Woods, 3
Cabins, 30 x 50 Pole barn. 2640 x
2219- 40% Wooded MusseyTwp St
Clair County $419,000 Just Land
Sales 586-419-6716 JustLandSales.
com 11-1
................................................
55 ACRES on Benway Creek at
4886 Rushton Rd, Central Lake,
Michigan, located NE of Traverse
City. Hunt, ride your quads or just
enjoy the peace and quiet & abundant wildlife, mature hardwoods,
never harvested! 1996 3bdrm/2bth
home/cabin, attached 2 car garage, 2
pole barns (1 Morton built) on paved
road. $249,900 Contact Nancy
Nyland
Berkshire
Hathaway
HomeServices Michigan Real Estate
810-606-0139
nancynyland@
bhhsmi.com RE-11-1
................................................
GOOD HUNTING AND
FISHING on 103 ft. frontage
on Little Manistee River. 2
wooded acres with mobile
home, oversized garage with
finished upstairs, land adjoined
to Manistee National Forest
$78,000.
586-854-4536
RE-10-2
DELTA COUNTY 100 acres with
rustic camp for sale. Located 8 miles
north of Rapid River. Fully wooded
with varied vegetation, some hardwoods, some poplar, some cedar.
Trails throughout. $140,000. 906428-9252. RE-11-1
................................................
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 $395,000. Call John
Yaroch, BHHS Real Estate.
231-675-2555. RE-11-1
Woods-N-WaterNews Classified Section

Real Estate
Real Estate
Real Estate
Real Estate
Dogs
UP
17
WATERFRONT
ACRES. 1,700 FT WATERFRONT.
YOUR OWN PRIVATE BAY ON
LAKE HURON. HUNTING &
FISHING DREAM. ASKING $175K.
906-203-0420. RE-11-1
................................................
280 ACRES,
DEER
CAMP, MUST SELL:
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, 4 bear
have been taken off the property. A nice bear was taken off the
property this past season.
Escanaba River runs next door
with many good fishing lakes
nearby. Asking $220,000.00
810-798-3414. RE-11-2
70 ACRE WOODED HUNTING/FAMILY RETREAT. Very

unique parcel tucked into the middle
of a section of land with deeded
access on an abandoned rail road
right of way. Two beautiful cabins (the
wives will love them) with electric run
in from the outside world. Price
$270,000 Michland Properties (231)
826-3700 Call for photo brochure.
RE-11-1
................................................
NORTHERN
LAPEER
COUNTY: Hemingway Lake, 2
bedroom, cabin on 2 acres. 132 ft.
frontage on private lake. Great fishing $179,900. 989-479-0363.
RE-11-1
................................................
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 - 11-1
................................................
VACANT
LAND
ON
SAGINAW
BAY
IN
PINCONNING, 120'x350', city
water, 18'x22' garage with power
$35,000 989-313-0851 or evenings
989-324-1404. RE-10-2
................................................
RYMAN TYPE ENGLISH

SETTERS a mother and
son. Original kennel bloodlines,
BeCoverly. Boondocks Kennels, Kalamazoo Area. Andy
269-567-8279. D-11-2
UP HUNTERS PARADISE.
160 Acres. Nice 3 bed home, 2 bath.
3 car garage + Lg pole barn w electric and cement floor. Deer, bear, turkey, rabbits, and a large beaver pond
too. Asking $244k. 906-484-1006.
RE-11-1
................................................
UP BEAUTIFUL LIKE NEW 4
bed, 2 bath home on 15 acres. Lg
pole barn. Hunting & Fishing
PARADISE. RETIRE OR VACATION
HERE! Near Detour, MI. Asking
$169k 906-203-0420 email nick.fairchild@hotmail.com for pics. RE-111
................................................
60
ACRES
UP
PROPERTY 1/2 hard woods,
1/2 hayfield w/cedar frontage on
Palmer Lake, 2 miles north of
US 2, east of Manistique
$60,000.
231-218-0071.
RE-10-2
UP GREAT HUNTING CAMP
BORDERING 15,000 Acre
Munuscong State Forest on one side
and the Big Munuscong River open
to St. Marys River. Near Pickford, MI.
Asking $69k. 906-203-0420 Email
nick.fairchild@hotmail.com for pics.
RE-11-1
................................................
40 ACRE PARCEL located in
Northwestern Lenawee County.
Close to Michigan International
Speedway, state highways, and
many lakes. 16 acres tillable, 23
acres wooded. Rare Find! Call Diana
at Faust Real Estate, LLC 517-2703646. RE-11-1
PRIVATE HUNT CLUB OR

FAMILY RETREAT. Mostly
wooded 39.5 +/- acres in Northern
Hillsdale County. Frontage on
Kalamazoo River, natural creek and
pond. Year round 2 bedroom, bungalow. The camp is all set up. Hunting
is plentiful for deer, and peasant,
quail, rabbits, duck & turkey. Don't
miss it! Call Diana at Faust Real
Estate, LLC 517-270-3646. RE-111
................................................
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
11-1
................................................
65+/- ACRES mostly wooded.
Three elevated deer blinds, creek
and trails run throughout the property. Prime recreation and hunting
property. M-24, Caro, MI 989-7371480. RE-11-2
................................................
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
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 11-1
................................................
ONAWAY AREA: 160 acres
hunting property, mostly cedar $1200
per acre. Call Larry at 989-733-4152.
RE-11-1
................................................
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 11-1
................................................
10 ACRES ON PRIVATE
LAKE in Northeast corner of
Genesee County. Trees of all types
and sizes. High and low land with
creek and flowing well with lots of
wildlife. $72,000 Cash. 810-7937114. RE-11-1
................................................
SOUTHERN BIRD DOG

TRAINING. We will return to
our bird rich grounds in Selma,
Alabama for the 37th year,
leaving at Thanksgiving. We
will hunt/train on the Al Britton
Plantation (8000 acres) Tara
Hill Plantation (2500 acres) Allison Plantation Hill (2000 acres)
and Swift Plantation (1500
acres. Birds are shot daily and
your dog will be a "brag" dog by
spring. Only $500 per month
(includes everything). Make arrangements with Hall of Fame
trainer David Grubb now. We
will train all breeds. 248-8601009. D-11-2
Classifieds Work!
Dogs
810.724.0254
LLEWELLIN SETTER PUPS:

F.D.S.B. registered, excellent
bloodline. Check us out at: www.
gouldgundogs.com or phone Tara at
989-550-8595. D-11-1
................................................
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) Dog training book for
sale and stud service. (248) 3911446. D-7-TFN-15
................................................
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-11-2
Subscribe Today!
woods-n-waternews.com
ESTABLISHED CABIN on
50 acres flowing Cedar River,
Gladwin County, wooded acreage with established hunting
blinds, food plots, outbuildings,
water and septic. Excellent
hunting deer, bear, turkey,
stream fishing, kayaking. A
sportsman's heaven and a must
see. $189,888. 989-513-5621
or 989-798-8775. RE-11-1
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-11-1
................................................
CABIN AND 30 ACRES ON
OLD
SENEY
ROAD.
NEWBERRY AREA, Luce
County. Hunting, snowmobiling,
wooded, hay fields. Price $34,000.
720-542-3641. RE-10-2
................................................
139 Acres, Amazing Large Piece.
With an X-Large Pond for Fishing
90% Wooded - Irregular Shaped
Kimball Twp. - St. Clair County
$278,000 Just Land Sales 586-4196716 facebook.com/justlandsales
11-1
................................................
TUSCOLA COUNTY HUNTING CAMP near 10,000 acres
Deford State Game area. Building
includes; heat, electricity, full bathroom, 5 acres and more. $45,900. J.
McLeod Realty, 989-670-6699.
RE-10-2
................................................
FOR SALE: 10 ACRES hunting
land in Gladwin County. Pond, trailer
and outhouse on property, 2-3 deer
are taken every year. Phone: 336329-9042 $35,000 RE-10-2
................................................
80 ACRES, LAKE COUNTY, 3
buildings, food plots, forest plan 6
mill ag property 5 miles west of 131
exit 162 Luther $144,000 Call 231937-4609. RE-10-2
................................................
Subscribe Today!
(810) 724-0254
Heres your guide to success!
Make
sa
great
Chris
tmas
gift!
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Professor Higbees Stream Map of Michigan is the first and only highly detailed map of its kind. This new 4 foot by 4 foot
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Ta x
&
P o s t a g e
I n c l u d e d
NAME
ADDRESS
CITYSTATEZIP
Card#Exp. DateSignature
Mail To: Woods-N-Water News

P.O. Box 278 Imlay City, MI 48444 (810) 724-0254
email: wnw@pageone-inc.com website: www.woods-n-waternews.com
AN
ABSOLUTELY
IMMACULATE
HOME
THAT IS TRULY TURNKEY! This 3 bedroom, 2 bath
ranch has been meticulously
cared for over the last 11 years
of ownership with many updates
made to the home. Just some of
the updates include a new roof
in May of 2015, new appliances
this year, new flooring in family
room and utility room, new
water heater in 2014, generator
system in 2014, new windows
throughout nearly the whole
home in 2014, new carpet in
2015, new well just 8 years ago,
and much more! Back deck
overlooking 2 acres which
backs up to a blueberry field for
added privacy. 2.5 car garage
and a new 12'x16' shed. There
is nearby access to sandy
beach along Lake Huron that is
a short car/bike ride away, along
with bike trails and close proximity to Tawas City and East
Tawas! This place is ready to
go! Call John Stanley at (989)
876-8171 for a tour today!
RE-10-3
Dogs
109
110-121
Call Heidi Lewicki,
Agent at Keller Williams, at
(248) 909-6306
CALL
800-387-7824
TO PLACE YOUR AD TODAY!
P.O. Box 278 594 N. Almont Ave. Imlay City, MI 48444

Phone:
810.724.0254
Check out our website:
www.
woods-n-waternews.com
AUCTION
76 Acres Hunting & Pasture Land * Clare County
12:00 NOON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18TH

76 Acres Property
Approx. 15 Acres fenced pasture ground
Natural water supply
Approx. 60 acres of woods
Woods is mixture of pines & Hardwoods,
along with cedar thickets & swamp
Trails throughout & hunting blinds in place
Frontage on M-61
Surveyed property & Excellent hunting
Be sure to visit www.PavlikLLC.com for
all information, aerials & maps
Directions to the Property:

7 miles west of Harrison on M-61. Or 11 miles
east of M-115 on M-61
Auctioneer on Site for Questions:
Tuesday, November 10 * 11-am-1pm*
Feel free to walk the property at
your convenience.
Peter Otto, Owner
Cottage on Harper Lake
110
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
www.Woods-n-WaterNews.com
Absolutely perfect 25 acre parcel

with approx. 900 ft. on the Shiawassee
River. Land is rolling with possible walk out
sites. Mostly wooded with multiple open
meadows. If you are looking for that special piece of property for your estate in the
woods or your private hunting paradise,
this is it! Nature enthusiasts and/or hunters, look no further. Braden Rd. just west
of Sheridan on the north side in Byron.
IG RIVER
PROPERTIES
CABIN ON 50 ACRES WITH 3 SIDES USA 20760 CABERFAE

HWY WELLSTON Sports persons dream cottage! This 2
bedroom cottage is offered on 50 +/- nicely wooded acres with
Federal Land on 3 sides. Location is the ticket here for the avid
sportsman with the Pine river less than a mile away and access
to the Tippy Dam Backwaters approximately a mile away at
Loomis Landing. Seller is a Licensed Real Estate Agent in the
State of Michigan. $139,900 (DOL)
80 ACRES ASTOR ROAD IRONS - Somewhat of a rare find
these days but you wouldnt expect anything less as this parcel
has been family owned since 1915. This heavily wooded 80 acre
parcel of land is situated on a county maintained gravel road with
electric & utilities available at the road. The terrain is mostly flat
with a wide variety of trees including but not limited to white pine,
red pine and oak. A great parcel to enjoy all of Michigans 4 seasons and the bordering Manistee National Forest to the North.
$118,000 (PRO)
40 ACRES ON STRONACH CREEK 9535 W 11 MILE ROAD
IRONS - Fantastic 40 acre wooded parcel with 4800+/- feet of
Stronach Creek frontage winding through the property. The acreage adjoins Federal land to the South and also fronts on a county
maintained paved road. Ideal recreational location close to the
Little Manistee River and easy year round access making this a
fabulous Northern Michigan building location. $99,900 (HOL)
13.6 ACRES ON RIMKUS CREEK SAUBLE LAKE ROAD
IRONS - Beautifully wooded 13.6 acre parcel with well/septic and
electric on Rimkus Creek with over 1000 frontage. The property
consists of hardwoods and pines. There are two separate camper
hook-ups with water,septic and electric plugins. What a great place
for that new cabin/ home or to bring your camper for great family
fun. Sauble Lake #2 is across the road but there is no access from
the property to the lake except through the creek. $55,900 (POR)
30 ACRES HARRIS ROAD WELLSTON This 30 acre parcel
has it all! It adjoins USA, is on a county maintained road with
electric at the road, and is close to well-known destination, The
Dublin Store, famous for its jerky and sausages. This area well
known by sportsmen for hunting, fishing, snowmobiles and ORV
trails. $49,900 (SEL)
10 WOODED ACRES 5596 N. JAMES ROAD IRONS Nicely
wooded 10 acre parcel fronts 2 county roads and bordered to the
South by 1,000 plus acres of Federal Land. Parcel offers a newer
well and septic system with a 5th wheel camper, shed and fire pit.
Mixture of woods and terrain including some wet lands. Across the
road is a small feeder creek that appears to cross the South end
of the property. Situated in the heart of a 4 season paradise with
lakes, ORV trails and the Little Manistee River within walking distance! $32,000 (CRA)
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
Whitetail Realty,
Lake City, MI
231-839-8142 or
office@lakecityrealestate.com
lakecitymirealestate.com
Lake City MLS# 21115917 $24,900

10 acre recreation or building parcel

Private drive access, 12 x 14
Storage Shed
Manton Area MLS# 21115436 $15,000

10 Acre Parcel Borders State Land.

Close to Buttermilk Creek &
Manistee River
N. Missaukee MLS# 21118706 $24,900

10 Acre Heavily Wooded Parcel
Located close to State land & Trails

Good Hunting Area
Cadillac Area MLS# 21118888 $35,000

1.3 acres with Frontage on Round Lake
Room to build and room to play
N. Missaukee MLS#21114559 $29,900

Wooded 16 acre parcel
Adjoins State land & close to trails

Includes 36 1986 Camper
N. Missaukee MLS#21119336 $99,000

Cabin w/generator and heat

Wooded & Open 50 Acres
Good Hunting & close to Trails
231-652-7000
- or -
231-250-8200
WE NEED LISTINGS 40+ ACRES AND LARGER

LD
PRIVATE 12 ACRE LAKE

40 ACRES MECOSTA COUNTY
349,000
SO
Allegan County, 71+/- Acres. Good Trail

System, Excellent Deer & Turkey Hunting
$99,900
NG
Arenac County, 146 Acres Rifle River &

Saginaw Bay Access, Tri-Level House
$399,999
I
ND
E
P
Genesee & Shiawassee County, 140

Acres, Half Agricultural Land, 1,300
sq ft Lodge, 24x40 Pole Barn
$475,000
40 Acres
5,000 sq ft
Home,
Private Lake
Clare County, 155 Acres Rolling

Hardwoods, Pond, Trails
$209,000
NG
I
ND
E
P
Isabella County, 156 Acres,

3000 feet on Chippewa River
$590,000
Jackson County, 26 Acres 40x120

Commercial Building, I-94 Frontage
$275,000
NG
I
ND
E
P
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
House, 2 Stall Garage, 40 Ac Tillable
Grand River Frontage, Trail System
$275,000
$212,000
Mecosta Co 28 ac 1320
Chippewa River, Nice Cabin
$165,900
Mecosta County, 120 Acres, 60 Ac Tillable, 60 Ac Wooded, Excellent Hunting

$299,000
Missaukee County, 75 Acres Pond, Creek,

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

Cabin, Pond, 8 Enclosed Blinds
$329,000
Newaygo County, 40 Acres Mobile Home,

Enclosed Blinds, Trail System, QDM
$89,000
Presque Isle County, 395 Acres $276,500

or can be purchased in split, 195 Acres
$137,000 or 200 Acres $140,000
Schoolcraft County,
2282 Acres Fox River Frontage
$570,500
Shiawassee Co, 137+/- Acres,

3,000 ft. Shiawassee River, 70
Acres Tillable, Great Hunting
$340,000
Jackson County, 162 Acres CRP Program, 6 Elevated Lake Co, 5 Acres, 1,200 ft. Middle Branch Lake Co, 330 Acres, Rustic Cabin, Food
Pere Marquette River, Rustic Cabin
Plots, Good Trails, Spring Fed Creek
Blinds, 115 Ac. Tillable, Pond, Big Buck Country
$68,000
$449,000
$599,000
Jackson County, 119 Acres, Little Montague Lake

Frontage, 40+/- Tillable, Excellent Wildlife Habitat
$315,900
Midland co 80 ac Pond,
25 ac Tillable, Nice House
$349,900
Missaukee Co, 40 Acres, Good

Missaukee Co, 40 Acres
Trail System, Excellent Hunting 3 Bedroom Cabin, Food Plots
$67,900
$129,500
Newaygo County, 129+/- Acres, 2,000 ft

Muskegon River Frontage, Trail System,
1/2 Mile County Road Frontage
$299,000
Osceola Co, 94+/- Acres, 1,000 ft.

All Sports Goose Lake, Older Farm
House, Excellent Hunting
$335,000
Otsego County, 160 Acres Private

15 Ac Lake, 6,000 sq. ft. House
$1,749,000
WildLifeRealty.com
www.
L
SO
111
FOR SALE
FOR SALE:
118 ACRES OF YEAR ROUND

RECREATIONAL LAND
DEER CAMP
2 BEDROOM, LIVING RM, KITCHEN, BATH, ENCLOSED FRONT
PORCH ON 25 ACRES OF PURE HUNTING PROPERTY (829 X
1364) JUST NORTH OF IMLAY CITY (I-69) ABOUT 5 MILES.
Hunting is
superb on
this land, at
least 1 deer
off it for the
last 25 years,
usually 3 or 4.
$209,000
MAINSTREET
844 Van Dyke ALMONT
FOR ALL YOUR REAL
ESTATE NEEDS CALL
Sharon LaFrance
810-441-6002
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 REDUCED to $235,000.00
Call Jim Convissor
(517) 449-9236
Im not #1, you are.

RE-38-1
Associate Broker
Century 21 Looking Glass
North West
Realty
www.cbnwr.com
Hunters and trail riders paradise 9.51
acres borders State land on a private
deadend 2 track 3 1/2 miles from the ORV
trails. Great hunting and riding close to
many lakes and rivers. 2 bd cabin with a
hand pump well, a fuel oil furnace and in
good condition see this soon.
MLS 13064641 $12,500
This cute little log cabin comes completely
furnished for summer fun on all sports
Big Star Lake just across the road. The
access has a dock and sandy beach frontage. Cabin offers 2 bedrooms, porch,
skylight, and all the lake community ambiance you could ask for. MLS 15048321
$49,900
30 wooded acres with hundreds of acres of
State Land on 2 sides, 3 stands included!
Comes with a 2 bedroom cabin and large
garage just waiting for your toys. Most
furnishings stay and offers a Great location with trailhead right down the road.
Great Location and a Great Price!
$114,900 MLS 15026112
Located in the heart of the Manistee National Forest this 58 M/L Acres between 2
county maintained roads. Property has
small creek, Nicely wooded, with Michigans best mixture of Hardwoods, Walking distance to State Land. $69,900 MLS
15009007
Over 10 acres of prime vacant land. Thousands of acres of Federal Land right
across the road! Nicely secluded and just
a few minutes drive to launch your boat
on All Sports Big Star Lake! Like to
snowmobile? This is it! Sitting right on a
trail that will take you anywhere you want
to go! $24,900 MLS 14065413
Great opportunity to purchase this 3.4
acres with access to Sunshine Lake. Parcel
is high and all wooded and would make a
great year-round location in the Irons
area. MLS 15030041 $9,900
80 acres of pure hunting pleasure! A perfect mixture of hard and soft woods, level
and rolling, wooded and cleared. AND
borders thousands of acres of State Land
on 2 sides. Priced well below market value
at only $870 an acre because it's priced to
sell! So secluded that the only access is
through the state land on a two track.
Perfect! $69,900 MLS 15046764
20 acres of prime hunting ground surrounded by State Land on a county

road. Offers 16x16 rustic cabin with hand
pump, wood stove, cook stove and sleeping for 4. Short walk to Leverentz Lake
which offers some pretty good fishing.
Close to the Baldwin River and some good
trout fishing. Great hunting, seclusion,
fishing and close to all the trails. $42,900
MLS 15049203
112
Quad Riders, Snowmobile Riders, and

Hunters: We have your parcel! Offers
great trail access, border state land, all
wooded, driveways in with camping spots
and Low down land contract
terms. $12,900 MLS 15024202
Lake County Michigan

231-745-4646
Baldwin, MI 49304
getalot@cbnwr.com
12412 STATE ST.

ATLANTA, MICHIGAN 49709
CURAN - 872 ACRES
NORTH FORK RANCH
One of a Kind Executive Home and Retreat

with Trout Stream and Ponds on 872-Acres of
Pristine Rolling Woodland with Grass Airstrip.
Built with Full 16 Logs shipped from Montana,
Perfect for Entertaining. Motel Style Guest
House with 3-Units Sleeps 6. Bunk House
sleeps 9 with Bathroom and Kitchenette. 2 Additional Out Buildings next to the Airstrip. Detached Garage across from Main Home has Huge
Commercial Kitchen that is Heated with Central Air Conditioning. Corral is Fenced for Horses.
$4,200,000 MLS #296683
ROGERS CITY - 12 ACRES
YEAR-ROUND
OUTDOOR PARADISE
Experience Breathtaking Sunrises and Sunsets, Northern
Lights, Great Lakes Freighters, Beautiful Beaches, and wildlife from one of the Modern Cedar Log Cabins and housekeeping units that sit on Lake Hurons shore on Manitou
Beach. Year-round Outdoor Paradise with unlimited woods
and water recreation adventures: lighthouses, boating, hiking and biking trails, mushroom hunting, fishing charters,
shipwreck diving and more. Additional 520-Acres available
nearby see MLS# 297032.
$1,200,000 MLS #297034
DETROIT HUNT & FISH CLUB PRISTINE

800-ACRES WITH 2-LAKES
Matthew Farkas
248-884-8616
SOUTH BRANCH - 800 ACRES
Huge Lodge Accommodates about 20-People with Large

Kitchen and Caretakers Quarters. Lakes are Exclusive to this
Property and have never had Gas Operated Motors on them.
The first Lake is about 20-Acres and about 90-Feet Deep
with Pike, Bass, Crappie. Lots of Wildlife including Deer and
Bear on the Property. The Second Lake is Shallower and
excellent Waterfowl Hunting. Miles of Trials Throughout this Property give easy access.
$1,550,000 MLS #299227

DRUMMOND ISLAND - 20 ACRES
OWN YOUR OWN ISLAND

Prestigious Standerson Island...Own your Own Island!
AKA Island #9 Capitalize on this rare opportunity to own a piece of history.
Located across from Harbor Island National Wildlife Refuge.
$510,000 MLS #284786
REDUCED!
MILLERSBURG - 345 ACRES
LINCOLN - 280 ACRES

MIO - 240 ACRES
CHEBOYGAN
Private, Rich in Wildlife w/Big Bucks and Black Bear. Approx.

-mile of waterfront on Clear Lake (91-Acres) in Northern
Michigan. New Custom built Log Home. Field Stone Fireplace,
radiant Floor heating, Guest Cottage w/ 2-car Garage. 2 large
storage buildings 14ft high. Back-up generators.
Log Sided Cedar Home with 4 Bed, 4 Bath, Huge Pole

Barn with Trout Stream running thru property. Tons of
Deer on this property as well as Black Bear, Turkey,
Grouse, Woodcock, etc. Additional 120-Acres, Small
Cabin w/ Pond adjoining may be available.
Former Organic Dairy Farm Certified Organic

Beautiful Farm Land with Creek Running through it.
Several Structures on the Property. Milking Equipment
may be available as well.
Waterways RV Resort and Campground. TurnKey Business Opp w/ Living Quarters! 14 Slips
on Cheboygan River. Boat Ramp, 50 Camp Sites.
On the Famed Inland Water Way!
REDUCED! $775,000 MLS #283240
$649,000 MLS #289486
$599,000 MLS #294306
$550,000 MLS #287218
Private or Commercial complex with 6 main structures; garage,

two large pole barns, kitchen/ bar/entertainment center, guest
quarters/office/trophy room and main house. Used as a commercial fish rearing business w/ 4 breading ponds and numerous
breading tanks. All in excellent condition. Also a guide service for
deer, turkey and bear. 6 blinds, apple orchard, groomed trails.
Stunning custom home built in 2003 on 20 acres, both sides of

the Waishkey River. Banked river frontage with open meadows
near river. Lots of wildlife and history of successful deer hunting.
River allows for access to Lake Superior and big water fishing.
Or stay close and catch Walleye within view of your own property. Addtl 80 acres may be available.
Beautiful 4-Bedroom 2-Bath Executive Hunting Lodge on 81.58

Wooded Acres. 2 Ponds stocked with Perch, Glue Gill, & Crappie. The Lodge has a large 29x20 Entertainment Room with 16
wet bar, 5 sliding doors to 4 decks, hardwood flooring. New Pole
Barn with 3-Large Doors for Easy Access. Trails throughout the
Property with Hunting Blinds and Food Plots.
Beautiful Custom Built Home on All-Sports Lake Nettie, 1,400

frontage! 4-Bed, 4-Bath w/ Walkout Basement. Great Room w/
Stone Fireplace. Master Suite w/ Jacuzzi Tub. Gated Community has 30 Lots with Addtl 10-Acres each in the form of 1/25th
shared Interest of 250-Acres adjoining Recreational Property
for Hunting/ATV Riding Snowmobiling, Horses, etc., Over 3/4
mile of frontage on Ocqueoc River. Private Lake Ann is part of
the Shared 250-Acres as well. Great Views!
$485,000 MLS #297522
$474,900 MLS #291369
$375,000 MLS #299437
$375,000 MLS #299330
SPRUCE - 125 ACRES
BRIMLEY - 20 ACRES
ALGER - 102 ACRES
ATLANTA - 41 ACRES
Gorgeous 2400 sq ft Home on 100 Acres with Rolling Land,

Creek, Ponds, Deer Blinds, Food Plots. Attached 2-car Garage, Large Barn for boat or RV. Excellent Hunting-Deer, Bear,
Waterfowl, Bobcat, etc. Original Stone Cabin Remodeled in
2005, Knotty Pine Interior and Loft. Located btw Standish/West
Branch, minutes from I-75, Exit 202.
Thunder Bay River Front Chalet with Great Views of the River
on 41-Acres. Thunder Bay River is a Blue Ribbon Trout Stream
and also Great for Canoeing, Kayaking or just Tubing. Great
Hunting on the property with lots of State Land nearby as well.
Home has 4-Bedrooms, 2-Full and one half Bathrooms, with
Laundry in the Screened in Porch area.
$375,000 MLS #296907
$340,000 MLS #298765
LACHINE - 82 ACRES
LEROY - 92.5 ACRES

3-Bedroom Chalet on 92.5-Acres with apx. 700+ Feet of Frontage on Little Mud Lake with Excellent Fishing! Great Deer Hunting with lots of Apple Trees, Oaks, Browse Farm Land across
the Street. Spring fed Little Mud Lake with Pike, Bass, Crappie, Bluegill. Addtl 37.5 Acres is down the road and inc. in with
this Property. The 37.5 Acres is avail Separately for $100,000.
Home and 55-Acres is avail for $260,000.
$345,000 MLS #299475
ATLANTA
Business Opportunity!! Owner Retired. Beer/Wine/Liquor Lic.
available. MOTIVATED SELLERS LOOKING FOR MOTIVATED BUYER! 13-Great Fishing Lakes just minutes from Store
bring Fisherman in year round. The Only Bait Shop in the Area!
Inc. most Equip and Shelving. Gas Pump/Tank is negotiable.
Possible Land Contract for $65,900.
$59,900 MLS #282613
MILLERSBURG - 250 ACRES SHARED
113
Ask for . . . JERRY T. FORSBERG

C.L.U. ASSOCIATE BROKER
OF CLARE
Exciting - 62 A parcel w/6000 river frontage on

Muskegon River. Hunt, camp and canoe. You can
do some great things on this beautiful piece of property. L/C terms available. Great Price - $149,900!
Farwell - 79 A great hunting property w/clean,
well maintained 2 BR cabin & pole barn. Located on paved road. Great recreation area.
REDUCED $155,000.
Lake George Waterfront - 3 bdr. 2 bath, Great
Lake view! $155,000.
Harrison - 2 bdr cabin with most personal included. Sharp. $45,000
Phone: (906) 387-5100

www.landandlakesrealestate.com
Land And Lakes Real Estate Is Proud To Announce Our Exclusive Partnership With LANDLEADER
Osceola Co., 15 Acres - Well Wooded. $27,000

Lake - $565,000! 255 acres, prime piece of recreational/agricultural property. Includes 2 homes and
many barns/outbuildings. Doc & Tom Creek runs
through the property. Also has a fishing pond. Many
possible uses. Great Hunting Property.
Osceola Co., Orient Township. 295 acres for
deer, ducks, partridge and woodcocks. Good road
frontage. New survey. Several blinds included.
$377,000
7630 John r. Ct, Lake - Large home on 9 lots, 3
car garage, great for recreation. $145,900
LOOKING FOR OFFERS
CANADIAN WATERFRONT AND

RECREATIONAL PROPERTY.
CLOSE TO SAULT STE. MARIE,
MICHIGAN BORDER
*LAND CONTRACTS
AVAILABLE O.A.C.*
BEAR
GOOSE
DUCK
MOOSE
WOLF
SEASONS
ARE OPEN!
WHITETAIL SEASON
OPENS NOVEMBER 2
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
flajambe@lajambe.com
WEBSITE:
*Prices subject to change.
WATERFALLS PROPERTY: 160 acre parcel 45 min from

International Bridge. Waterfalls & Brook Trout River running
across property. Rugged, well treed, hunting, and recreational
property with government land on 2 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. $699,900.00.
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 $15,900.00 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 $19,900.00 or $250
per acre.
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 $99,900.00 (lot #2) and $109,900.00 (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 $14,900.00 or
$186 per acre.
WATERFRONT LOTS: Two Waterfront Lots on Lake Huron's
North Channel 141' X 600' $99,900.00 and 150' X 600'
$109,900.00, 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!
LOOKING FOR OFFERS!!!
LOOKING FOR OFFERS LOOKING FOR OFFERS LOOKING FOR OFFERS
114
ALL OFFERS WELCOME!!!
LOOKING FOR OFFERS
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LOOKING FOR OFFERS LOOKING FOR OFFERS
www.lajambe.com
"Serving the NorthCentral Upper Peninsula"
Office: 989-386-2631
308 E. 5th Street Clare, MI 48617
RECREATIONAL PROPERTY
EMAIL:
Land and Lakes Real Estate Co.
LOOKING FOR OFFERS LOOKING FOR OFFERS
11281 CoRd 440/42nd Rd., Wetmore, MI 49895. RC-165/1089526

This recreational cabin is very functional, warm and effective protection from the elements. The
roof, windows, wiring and deck are new. There is a wonderful, traditional sauna and a "pleasant"
outhouse. The cabin is located on a year round road so you can access it even if snow comes
before the hunting season! This is the last property in line to have electricity. It is located on the
perimeter of a picturesque 13 +/- acre bog that serves as a highway and playground for wildlife
and doubles as a shooting range to sight in your rifles. Most of the remaining acres are high and
dry and well-managed. The poplar and aspen have been cut and the pine and red maple thinned
to increase the health of those remaining. The forest is beautiful, with trails, food plots, hunting
blinds and wildlife. Priced at $59,900
TBD E. Falls River Dr., LAnse, MI. VW-233/1087912

This 1.4 acre parcel runs 400 feet along the Falls River and
includes the Water Falls. It is located at the end of a paved, year
round road with all the utilities (city water, sewer, cable, natural
gas) available at the road. The wooded acreage provides seclusion and privacy with multiple building sites possible. Land
Contract terms are available. Priced at $74,999.
14930 33rd Rd (CoRd 442) on Jug Lake. Wetmore, MI 49895. WH-215/1081810
INSTANT EQUITY! Priced below a recent appraisal!
This spacious & comfortable 3BD, 2BA modular home was built in 2001and located on private
Jug Lake. Surrounded by thousands of acres of National Forest land, this 10 acre parcel is
peaceful. The home has never been lived in & is used only sparingly in the summers. It features
a detached, heated 4 seasons room, a one car detached garage, a hot tub &wrap-around deck.
Fish from your own dock or just enjoy the peace & quiet of the area.
Price REDUCED to $ 119,900!
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
E4414 St Hwy M-28, AuTrain, MI 49806. WH-229 / 1089491
This stunning A-Frame is more than just a pretty face. It contains a well-designed and carefully-built 3 floor home,
bright with large windows and warm with T&G walls, log beams & bannisters, a wood-burning fireplace. The main
floor has an open concept, the MBR suite occupies the middle floor. The second BD fills the 3rd floor & has a deck
filled with sunshine, overlooking the forest below. Decks surround 3 sides of the main floor, the large rear deck flows
onto a curved boardwalk which leads to 145 of glorious Lake Superior frontage and another lovely deck at the waters
edge. This is such a comfortable home, inside and out! Priced at $289,900
Your Michigan Outdoor Recreation Property Experts

Be Creative with this 80 Acre Gem!
Private family retreat, Bed and Breakfast or hunting camp. Very

unique home and parcel of land in Branch County. Approx. 2,900sf
of living space, built in 1997 on a secluded farm property with 45+
acres of tillable land and a mixture of mature trees. Wrap around
porch is great for viewing south over the propertys beautiful features. Walkout basement has extra finished space, walk-in shower
and wood cook stove/oven. Large horse barn (with hay loft) could
be finished and used for storage or weddings. Home has large dining area with commercial Garland gas stove perfect for large family
gatherings. 4 bedrooms, 2 full baths and large upstairs sleeping
room, 2 more bedrooms, full bath and walk up sleeping loft allows
this home to sleep up to 35 people. Ask for Dan Hoffman $649,000
56 Acres with Rustic Custom-built

walk-out Log Home! The trail cam
pictures are awesome! Big Bucks
& lots of Turkeys! Log Home,
30x40 and 18x21 Pole Barns & an
oversized garage. Great place for
an avid hunter or a hobby farm for
sure!! Its ALL here!!
$329,000
Pere Marquette River!
Picture-perfect setting
on 3 Acres tucked away
for peaceful seclusion.
42x40 pole barn, foot
bridge, beautifully taken care of.
$279,900
Participating broker of
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
Welcome to Lake
Cadillac!! Wonderfully
kept home sits high
on the lot. Waterfront
beauty enhances this
contemporary 3 bed/
2.5 bath lake home.
$395,000
21
Acres
on
Tittabawasse River!
Solid Custom log home
on heavily wooded rolling terrain with 1000
of River Solitude
the trout are waiting!
Ask for Derrick
$449,000
80 Acres Peaceful &
Private Hunters Retreat!
Newer well kept cabin,
Beaver Creek, trails,
adj. to public land,
hardwoods, open areas for food plots.
$199,000
3 Office Locations
Hunting Land
Waterfront
Farmland
And More
160 Acres Bay De Noc

all season Camp. Rustic Lodge, Bunk House,
pond, adjoins National
Forest & Lake 16, tried
& true hunting, food
plots, tower blinds.
$180,000
115
Offices Serving Lower &

Upper Michigan
Bringing people and places together since 1945
TARGET REAL ESTATE SPECIALIZES IN

WATERFRONT HOMES AND HUNTING PARCELS
WE REPRESENT BUYERS AND SELLERS
1854 Davison Rd., East Tawas
7981 N. Alvin, Oscoda
VISIT OUR WEBSITE TODAY!
statewiderealestate.net
Houghton
Marquette
Curtis
Manistique
Escanaba
Powers
Menominee
Marinette
Wonderful log sided 2095 sq. 3 bdrm 2 bth home located on over 288
Tawas 160 acre hunting camp in East Tawas for sale. Food
plots, ponds and Kunze Creek are found here. QDM practiced acres of prime hunting land. Oak, Maple, Cedar and Aspen are some
here, turnkey camp with lots of Mature Cedar.
of the tree types. Several food plots and fruit trees are found here.
Newberry
Fife Lake
MLS#1806925
Listed at $279,000.00
Onaway
Hawks
Hillman
Alpena
Atlanta
Harrisville
Mio
Oscoda
Skidway Lake
Clare
Almont
Linden
MLS#1801740
Listed at $695,000.00
0 South Barlow, Mikado - Square 40 bordering public land to the east, great hunting with three
box blinds on the parcel. 40% low ground, lots of deer sign. MLS#1799955 Listed at $49,900.00
Poorfarm Rd., Greenbush - 45 acres surrounded by private land, Mixed Hardwoods cover most of the
property with some low areas. MLS#1799569 Listed at $59,900.00
3889 S. Barlow, Mikado - 61 acres mile off the road, this parcel has a great trail system, ridges covered in hardwoods with tags for cover. Ag land borders North line. MLS#1806759 Listed at $89,900.00
0 Power line, Whittemore - 120 acres of prime hunting land minutes from East Tawas, Oaks and Pine cover
much of the parcel. Good past hunting history, call today for details! MLS#1778247 Listed at $195,000.00
MORE PARCELS ARE AVAILABLE . . .

CALL TODAY FOR MORE DETAILS
866-496-4400
TARGET REAL
ESTATE COMPANY
Howell
701 W. Bay Street, East Tawas, MI 48730
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
116
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
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
Office (989)362-4400 Cell (989)370-2152

info@TargetRealEstate.com
www.TargetRealEstate.com
VACANT LAND AND

528 N State St., Caro, MI
HOMES WITH ACREAGE
TUSCOLA COUNTY
Caro: 3 BD home, pole barn, pond on 10 +/acres, $95,900. 154-15-0023
Caro: 2 Homes on 40 +/- acres, some tillable,
2 road frontages, $135,000. 154-14-0034
Caro: Custom 3 BD home, pole barn on 10 +/acres, Cass River waterfront with private boat
launch. $199,999 038-15-0115
Cass City: 10 +/- acres, hunting or building,
$49,900. 038-15-0131
Cass City: 2 BD ranch home, 6 +/- acres
hobby farm, orchard, $119,900 038-15-0072
Cass City: Custom 3 BD modern home,
true masterpiece, 3,000 sq ft, on 9 +/- acres.
$300,000 123-15-0048
Deford: 4 BD home on 39 +/- acres, 80%
wooded, mature trees, pool, fenced yard, large
pole barn. $233,000 038-15-0136
Deford: 70 +/- acres, 90% wooded, trails cut
thru-out, across road from 1,300 State land.
$210,000 038-15-0137
Kingston: 4 BD bi-level home, lots of update,
4.6 +/- acres set up for horses, orchard.
$124,900 038-15-0081
Kingston: 10 +/- acres, creek/drain runs thru
$43,900. 154-15-0036
Mayville: 15 +/- acres, building or recreation/
hunting. $49,000 038-15-0047
Mayville: 80 +/- acres, mostly wooded, superior building site, part of MI Qualified Forest
Program $240,000. 038-15-0082
Mayville: 3 BD older home, updated, 10 +/acres, paved road. $77,900 038-15-0097
Millington: 3 BD custom walk-out ranch on
all-sports Murphy Lake, 100 of lake frontage,
beautiful! $359,900. 038-15-0092
Unionville: 2 adjacent Homes, both Lake
Huron waterfront, large lots, outbuildings,
$175,000 total. 038-15-0045 & 038-15-0049
Unionville: 4 BD updated home on 12 +/acres, about 8 tillable, $164,900. 123-15-0044

Vassar: 50 +/- acres, 75% wooded, great build
site. $180,000 038-15-0039
HURON COUNTY
Bad Axe: 6 BD, 3 BA home, many updates on

12 +/- acres, $239,000. 123-15-0023
Caseville: 4 BD raised ranch beach house,
Lake Huron waterfront, 97 of sugar sand
beach. $324,900 038-15-0046
SANILAC COUNTY
Croswell: Gorgeous remodeled 4 BD farmhouse, chefs kitchen, on 40 +/- acre horse

farm. $324,900 123-15-0029
Decker: 3 BD custom home, secluded, Cass
River frontage on 20 +/- acres $179,000. 12315-0040
Deckerville: 120 +/- acres, 100% wooded,
borders State land. $360,000. 123-13-0064
Marlette: 100 +/- acre farm with older home
and outbuildings, most acreage fenced.
$330,000. 038-14-0121
Sandusky: Custom 3 BD brick ranch, with custom inground pool/wet bar/hot tub. $179,900
123-15-0033
Sandusky: 3 BD home on 8.48 +/- acres,
pond, private, $254,000 763-15-0009
Ubly: 80 +/- acres on corner, 2 road frontages,
pond & stream. $210,000. 763-14-0030
Ubly: 3 BD home on 10 +/- acres, 70% wooded, pond, orchard, $114,900 123-14-0041
OTHER COUNTIES
Bois Blanc Island: Just next door to Mackinaw Island own your own island retreat! 2
BD cabin on Lake Huron, incredible views
$149,900. 038-15-0002
Otter Lake: Custom 3 BD Cape Cod on
Hemingway Lake, $159,900 038-15-0056
Visit www.osentoski.net
Caro - (989) 673-7777 Cass City - (989) 872-4377 Kingston - (989) 683-8888 Sandusky - (810) 648-4138
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
1776325
1786561
1804525
1804978
1802236
80 ACRES
ON RIFLE
RIVER!
11+
ACRES!!!
BORDERS
STATE LAND!!
13+ ACRES
53
ACRES!!
HUNT AND
FISH!!!
7.5 ACRES
This rolling acreage with cozy

2-bedroom cottage would make an
excellent hideway or the ideal hunting and fishing camp!
Heavily wooded property would make

an excellent hunt camp with swimming
pond, patio, fire pit & 12x24 insulated
bldg w/furnishings & toilet!!
Mostly wooded, older mobile home

for sleeping, garage & shed and a
variety of wildlife in the area!!
Variety of mature trees and wildlife,

including deer and turkey, for perfect
hunting property!! Survey on file.
Fronts 2 county roads, gravel

driveway, lots of wildlife to hunt
and near Rifle River for excellent
fishing!!
$219,900
$35,900
$42,000
$111,300
$25,000
1800981
1803286
1800631
1801461
1763946
40
ACRES!!
ULTIMATE
HUNTING
PARADISE!!
10
ACRES!!
80
ACRES!!
72
ACRES!!
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!!
On convenient paved road perfect for year

round recreation and wooded and rolling
for excellent hunting. Addl parcels also
for sale!
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!!
$69,900
$89,900
$37,500
$112,000
$139,900
1794795
1743334
5 WOODED
ACRES & BACKS
TO STATE LAND!!
BRING YOUR
HUNTING
BUDDIES!!
1790253
1778297
1787816
UNIQUE
PROPERTY!!
CAMPING
TRAILER ON
10 ACRES!!
BORDERS
HURON NATL
FOREST!!
Hunt from your own year round 3 bedroom home with garage adjoining thousands of acres of State land!!
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!!
Wooded property with a variety

and abundance of wildlife with
electric at road and driveway &
near State lands!!
The best of both worlds with 62

WOODED ACRES and BEAUTIFUL
4 bedroom year round home. THIS
PROP HAS IT ALL!!
$82,500
$80,000
$134,900
$27,995
$229,900
1803267
1787383
1799811
1800384
1804009
MATURE
HARDWOODS
& TRAILS!!
10+ ACRES
SMALL CLEARING
FOR YOUR
HUNT CAMP!!
10 WOODED ACRES
7+ ACRES
BACKS TO
FEDL LAND!!
JUST
OVER 10
ACRES!!
Heavily wooded with trails thruout and at end of road for privacy with power available at
road!!
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!!
In vicinity of numerous farms, nice

hunt camp, priced to sell, partly
wooded and a tons of various wildlife
in the area!!
$35,900
$29,000
$134,900
$139,900
$26,000
1787819
11
WOODED
ACRES!!
Also not far from thousands of acres

of State land for more hunting opportunities and near trails for year round
recreational fun!!
$27,900
HUNTING
PARCELS!!
1791955
1799086
1799832
COUNTY
MAINTAINED
ROAD!!
10 ACRES
WOODED
AND
ROLLING!!
FANTASTIC
HUNTING
CAMP!!
1782831
HUNT CAMP,
GETAWAY OR
YEAR ROUND!!!
10 WOODED ACRES
With 2-bdrm mobile w/appliances, deck &

newer furnace. Excellent HUNTING!!
Wooded with trails, and lots of mature trees, including hardwoods and
pines, some lowlands and excellent
place to call your hunt camp!!
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!!
$47,500
$28,500
$54,900
$119,900
1801182
1800447
1790214
1790106
BORDERS
STATE LAND!!
10 ACRES
FANTASTIC
LOCATION!!
OVER
7 ACRES!!
10 ACRES &
CLOSE TO HURON
NATL FOREST!!
Call office for details, most on paved road,

wooded and rolling, great hunting!!
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!!
Excellent hunting w/some low lands, mostly

wooded with areas for food plots, on paved
road w/24x24 GARAGE for storage!
Beautiful rolling property, mostly wooded,

variety of mature trees and great place for
your wildlife hunt!!
$37,500 - $112,000
$89,900
$144,900
$29,900
$25,900
FROM 18.91 WOODED ACRES

TO 80 WOODED ACRES
FOR MORE LISTINGS

VISIT OUR WEBSITE:
WWW.CAHANES.COM
PRIME HUNTING PROPERTIES!!!!!!
117
15 ACRES
M-21118986 $114,900
80 ACRES
M-21113604 $119,000
4 BR, 2 BA,
2080 sq. ft. home
in move-in condition. Hardwood
floors in family room, kitchen,
breakfast
and
formal
dining.
Tongue and groove finishing in most of the
home, large kitchen, two fireplaces. Master
bath w/jetted tub, separate shower, and walk-in
closet. Mudroom doubles as laundry; half bath
near back door. 24X16 detached barn/garage,
awesome privacy and deer hunting, central air.
See photos on www.mikesellscadillac.com
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.
87 ACRES
70 ACRES W/HOME
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.
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.
M-21117959 $159,900
M-21118050 $159,900
124 S. MITCHELL STREET CADILLAC, MI 49601
Central
Mike McNamara
(231) 920-6453
mike.mcnamara.mm@gmail.com
CABIN FOR SALE
Coldwater, MI Lake
Chain. Hunting,
fishing, and recreation
abound with this 53
acre property. You get
plenty of room to roam
with 600 of private
water frontage on
Archer Lake in
beautiful Branch
County. There are
artesian wells, ponds,
buildable lakefront
lots, and a gated
driveway. This
property also
includes, 96x60 pole
barn, 80x24 horse
barn, two 80x24 three
sided pole barns, and
a quaint ranch home.
14 x 20 CABIN
ONLY $10,500.00
LOCATED IN SPRUCE, MI
798 E. Central Rd.

Quincy, MI
118
$699,900
53 ACRES
Sherry Haylett Homes

& Recreational Properties
The S.H.H.A.R.P.
TEAM
776 S. Angola Rd., Coldwater, MI 49036
Office: 517-238-5588 Cell: 517-617-9988
Email: Sherryhaylett@gmail.com
Web: www.sherrysellshomes.com
READY
TO
MOVE
CONTACT ME TODAY (989) 464-1827
Featured Properties
2 Bdrm, 1 bth home. 17.79 Wooded acres
near State land and marina. Cedar River.
$69,900 1090155
2 Bdrm, 1 bth camp. 40 Acres. Built 2010.

Septic. Generator. Gar. Shower. Toilet. Rock.
Small Camp on 80 Acres. Good Access.

Excellent Condition. Remote. Generator.
Rock.
2 Bdrm, 2 bth home. 252 Sturgeon River. 10

Acres. 30x40 Pole bldg. 3 Season Rm. St. Jacques.
$81,000 1087499
$224,900 1089445
1 Bdrm camp. 40 Acres. Elect, well, very nice

camp and land. Cornell.
2 Bdrm, camp. 40 Acres. 24x30 Pole barn.

Adjacent state land. Built 2000. Rock.
3 Bdrm, 2 bth home. Beautiful landscaped yard.

Pond. Esc River frontage. Gar. Escanaba Twp.
$149,900 1084088
$74,500 1090518
$124,900 1089495
$225,000 1088936
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.
2 Bdrm, 1 bth home or camp. 150 Ft Ford

River Frtg. 3 Car gar. Paved drive. Cornell
3 Bdrm, 2 bth Lake Home. One level living! Fireplace.

Dock. Fishing. Hunting. 2 Garages. Nice!! Stevens Lake.
$86,900 1087336
$29,900 1088477
$129,900 1087981
$239,900 1086856
2 Bdrm, 1 bth log home. 2 Car log garage.

88 Acres with State land nearby. Watson.
2 Bdrm, 1 bth camp. 160 Acres. Mature timber. Well, septic, creek, trails. Nice. Perkins.
2 Bdrm, 2 bth home. 400 Ft, 2.65 Acres Escanaba River Frtg. Log Home. Gar. Cornell.
$209,000 1089004
$209,000 1090002
$249,000 1086745
1 Bdrm, 1 bth camp. 40 Acres, well, septic,

solor generator. New in 2011. Hermansville.
2 bdrm 1 bth Custom log home. 13 acres.

Borders Hiawatha Forest. Walk-out basement.
Sturgeon River Nearby. Rapid River.
2 bdrm 1 bath camp on 280 acres, food plots,

pole bldg, & more. Perkins.
$119,900 1088464
2 Bdrm, 1 bth. All appliances, newer windows,

doors, roof. High ground. 80 Acres. 2nd Bldg
site w/foundation, well, septic. Watson.
$114,900 1088729
$139,900 1088844
$399,000 1075830
1 Bdrm, 1 bth camp. 20 Acres, well, septic,

electric new in 2012. Rock.
3 Bdrm, 2.5 bth home/cottage. Unique Aframe

on private Lk, peaceful. Must see! Manistique.
2 Bdrm, 1 bth, 40 Acre, turn-key camp.

Solar power. Well. Septic. Gated.
Surrounded Fed lands. Stonington.
$68,900 1083817
$154,900 1083871
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.
$32,900 1088436
$49,500 1087305
3 Bdrm, 2 bth Riverfront Lodge

40 Acres, secluded hunting and fishing.
Corp land surrounds. Watson.
1 Bdrm camp. 120 Acres. 30x40 Pole Bldg.

Septic. High rolling hardwoods. Daggett.
$225,000 1090170
3 Bdrm, 2 bth home. 10 Acres. Jug Lk frtg.

Pole barn built in 2004. Wetmore.
$154,900 1089764
$99,900 1087143
$122,500 1090273
119
8783 Gimlet Trail - River Frontage - 1,281 Acres

Beautiful Cabin on a 1,281 Acre contiguous tract of pure U.P. Wilderness! Opportunities like this dont come around too often. This tract is located Northeast of Newberry, MI.
A sprawling land that provides a diverse habitat where you can find Deer, Partridge, Black Bear,
Moose, and plenty of Water Foul too! If you are looking for seclusion and privacy, look no further as there is really only one way into this property. A winding stretch of the Mighty Tahquamenon
River provides the ultimate border here, with roughly 1 1/2 miles of river frontage! A network of ATV
trails have been established on the property for access to the different hunting grounds. $999,995
280 Acres in Iron County
N1766 Old Plank Rd
Just perfect for your recreational plan. Frontage

on an excellent trout stream, with nice building
spots and awesome hunting. This property is Very
Remote. Moose and Bear sightings are common
here!
$175,000.00
HUGE PRICE REDUCTION! If you are

looking for a remote hunting camp in big buck
country, look no further! This very comfortable
cabin sits on 200 acres at the end of the road.
A well developed trail system allows access to
several hunting blinds, and food plots tucked
into this wilderness parcel.
$162,500.00
1086740 Alger County - 80 Acres
1089277 - Iron Acounty - 100 Acres
80 acres and newer 2 bedroom camp.

The perfect deer hunters retreat! A diverse
rolling property, with several elevated box
blinds, manicured food plots and even a small
creek meandering throughout. $159,900.00
Great location at the end of a country road a

few short miles from Crystal Falls. Very good
area for your year round fun. The acreage has
nice rolling topography, a mix of high and low
land and is loaded with deer sign. $99,000.00
1084785 - Alger County - 40 Acres
1090505 - Alger County - 40 Acres
40 Acres of beautiful recreational land, right in the

middle of the U.P.!
$49,900.00
40 acres and newer 1 room camp. Good hunting

location between farm fields. Located on a year
round road. Deer blinds included. $42,900.00
Don Willson
Cell (906) 202-0457
&
Matt Beaupied
Cell (906) 235-4919
Serving the entire Central U.P.

Hunting Land, Camps, Cottages, and more...
RE/MAX Superiorland
UPhomeland.com
Heritage
House
RealtyPC
Great for hunting, snowmobiling, or ATVing

Mostly wooded with one pond
Braden Rd, Perry, MI 48872

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.
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.
(517) 676-9800
SheridanListings.com
August of the Huron National Forest, on the

Located in the Heart
Shores of Lake Huron
and the banks of the AuSable River
1/4 page = $310
xs 1 run(s) =
$310
Corner of Sucker Creek Rd

/Somers Rd Lincoln,15 ac
Great opportunity to build,
power at the road. The view
from Sucker creek entrance
is beautiful looking to the
NW corner, higher terrain
enables miles of scenery.
Owner used for hunting or
RV trails. $30,000 L/C
40 Acre Retreat, Harrisville

2 bedroom cabin nestled off
the road providing seclusion
and privacy. LP gas heat with
a wood cook stove, enclosed
porch and sun room. 5 foot
deep pond, groomed trails,
pole barn Super price of
$124,900
49 Acres Greenbush.
Great hunting camp with
pond, mixed conifers and
hardwoods, 2 bedroom I
bath mobile home with wood
stove set-up. Tons of deer,
grouse, turkey, squirrels and
bear. Close to golf course
and Lake Huron $115,000
Bamfield Rd Glennie
Great place for temporary
camp or your new home site.
State land across the street
and Alcona Dam within
minutes down the road. Lot
is in Riverside Subdivision
Great value at $10,500
South Branch - 40 acres .

1320x1320 70% wooded.
This property offers rolling
hills, woods, swamp, and a
stream for trout fishing.
Federal land borders two
sides. Easy access with
power to the property line
Wildlife galore 94,900
Barton City 20 acres.

Fronts on a paved road, and
borders state land, 80%
wooded, Located on paved
Sanborn Road. Close to
Barton City stores, Jewel
Lake and trailheads. Super
hunting or building site. Only
$31,900
Alcona County, 37 Acres,

Perfect for the hunting
enthusiast or recreational
pleasure. Out of State owner
motivated to sell. Gated
deeded access off Cedar
Lake Road, Greenbush.
PRICE REDUCED $54,900.
869 E. Fowler Rd, Mikado

20 acres of tillable land with
3 bedroom 1 bath, 1200 sf
home over a full basement
with super-size 2 car garage.
Extensive remodeling and
enhancements through-out.
Large deck, 30 x 50 barn,
hayshed. Only $134,900
3305 W F-30, Glennie, 40

acres with 1200 sf, 3
bedroom, 2 bath home with
a full finished basement.
Large deck, paved drive,
den and fireplace. Hardwood
forest with isolated ponds,
fruit trees, hunting blinds and
trails. New listing - $206,000
40 Acres Harrisville, This

Property Has Much To Offer,
Farming, Hunting, Fishing,
Enjoy the Beautiful View.
Many Perennial Flowers,
Plus Much More.3 bedrooms
2 baths, Pine River flows
through the property. Pole
barns, REDUCED $164,900
Harrisville - 40 Acres
Great hunting area, All
wooded square 40, County
maintained road. Electric
nearby. Build you up north
hideaway, or set up your
rustic hunting camp. The
possibilities
are
endless
$64,900
Mikado - Bliss Lake area,

Cabin accommodates nine,
propane
interior
lights,
generator hook up, finished
walk out basement, pole
barn, secluded, large pond,
total
of
61.90
acres.
Cleared areas for deer food
plots, $178,000
Recreational Land Full of Wildlife
Exclusive Marketing Agents for Northeast

Woods N Water News
Michigan
Properties
Personalized Service is the Difference
120
190 Acres - Vacant Land
Call 800-650-5566 - Glennie or 800-982-0102 - Harrisville - www.HeritageHouseRealty.com
RANDY MINTO
GENESEE COUNTY NOVEMBER 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
OVER ONE MILE ON THE MUSKEGON RIVER
Over 500 feet on Muskegon River
Over 5,600 feet on Muskegon River
$89,900
$239,900
Combined 121.5 Acres for $329,800
LICENSED DEER RANCH
LOVERS
156.66 ACRES
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
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
$199,000
200 ACRES IN
THE UP
ALPENA COUNTY
AMAZING
30 WOODED
200 TILLABLE ACRES
Fenced pasture, over mile on Belle River, multiple outbuildings. Excellent farming, good drainage. 2 ponds. Excellent hunting. Great opportunity to own your
2000 SF Ranch in Lost Lake Woods.

Membership Reqd. Hunting, Golf Course,
Archery, Rifle Range.
$185,000
ST. CLAIR COUNTY
257 ACRES
ALCONA COUNTY
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.
CHIPPEWA COUNTY
1/4 MILE ON
ST. MARYS RIVER
Cozy log cabin with loft. Beach frontage. Secluded,

Great Hunting, Fishing, Boating.
$249,900
farm. Hunting, fishing, and hiking. $1,350,000
ST. CLAIR COUNTY
80 ACRES
SANILAC COUNTY
30 ACRES
1/2 MILE FROM LAKE HURON
Updated 2200 sq. ft. split level ranch,

Wooded. $249,900
Deer Hunters Dream Property, Private,

2-streams.
LAPEER COUNTY 28 ACRES
4,400 SQ. FT 6BD, 3.5BA LOG HOME, & Pool House. Great for entertaining
& Hunting. Deer Hunter & Nature Lovers Dream Property!
$389,000
$275,000
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
LAPEER COUNTY
GENESEE
COUNTY
10 ACRES
MECOSTA COUNTY 3 ACRES
Beautiful updated bi-level,

2,000+sq ft home. 70%
Wooded. Davison.
$249,900
1,800 sq ft Awesome Log Home on Chippewa River. Very

Private Secluded. $235,000
86 ACRES
120 ACRES
Fantastic Development Opportunity.

30-2 Acre Lots approx. Currently Zoned
agriculture. $595,000
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
GORGEOUS POND
GENESEE
COUNTY
110 ACRES
Davison,approx. 80-90 tillable acres, Wooded,
ponds, Historical home and 3 barns. $449,900
OGEMAW COUNTY 9 ACRES

Custom Built Home w/big
Heated Garage $165,000
GENESEE
COUNTY
11 ACRES
157 ACRES
COMMERCIAL
US 10
30 X 50 POLE BARN
3,019 sq ft finished living space, Modern home with walkout basement. Private
setting, 3 BR, 3.5 BA, Heated Pole Barn, 2015 Hi-Eff Furnace.
$309,000
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
121
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
122
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
1998 Polar Kraft MV1648
2015 Polar Kraft

Dakota J1448 LW
2015 War Eagle 436FLD
16' Aluminum, Used Mercury 20 ELH, Trailer
14' Aluminum, Yamaha 9.9 SMHB, Trailer
14' 2" Aluminum, Mud Buddy 12 Kohler, Trailer
Alweld 1552
2015 War Eagle 542FLD
2016 Excel 1651 SWV4
$9,995
$10,995.00
$13,995.00
$3,395.00
$4,995.00
Backwater 23 SWOMP, Lewis Winch, Trailer
Yamaha 40/30 Jet, Trailer
Alweld 1648
2012 Stealthcraft 1860 Stock
$14,995
$18,495.00
Mud Buddy 35, Trailer, Fast Grass Blind
18' Aluminum, Yamaha 90/65 Jet, Trailer
$5,695.00
Mud Buddy 33 GEN LTS, Fast Grass Blind, Trailer
2007 Riverman 2072
20' Aluminum, 2014 Yamaha F150 Jet, Trailer
$18,995.00
*plus tax, title & freight
CLEARANCE
SALE ON ALL
YAMAHA
OUTBOARD
MOTORS FOR
A LIMITED
TIME ONLY!!
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
Super
Black
Eagle II
shotgun is the original 3-1/2-inch semi-automatic
shotgun. The SBE II sets the standard for semi-auto
styling, versatility, and performance.
Ultra-reliable Inertia Driven system

ComforTech recoil reduction system
Unparalleled versatility
Left hand configurations
Crio barrel and choke tubes
Performance shop models
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
Michi-GUN
Available at:
Layaways Welcome

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