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JANUARY 2016
Woods-N-Water News
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Sandi
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Larry Kreps Jr.

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2015 BUCKS
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Sandi
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Shotgun
Cory
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Coyotes Close
Gogebic Perch
Icy Hotspots
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By Tom Campbell...Field Notes
Good hunting-but CWD!
t appears the 2015 deer season was very successful for many hunters across Michigans Lower
Peninsula. Obviously youve see the buck photos
on the cover and there are three pages of trophy
photos (pages 68-70). Plus, we have numerous
stories throughout this issue on deer hunting
success; from new hunters, veteran hunters and even
pregnant hunters.
While the DNRs preliminary firearm deer harvest
figures for the Lower Peninsula were not released
at the time of this writing, Im sure they should be
pretty good.
Reports Im hearing from excited hunters is the
herd seems healthy, with better buck to doe ratios
and plenty of older class deer harvested. A good
example of a health bucks is Sean Kramers Sanilac
Co. 8-point (photo below right) it weighed an incredible 286 poundsfield dressed. That sounds pretty
healthy to me!
Different from past seasons, where typically
southern Michigan and zone 3 has higher results,
the deer harvest seems to be better in the northern
Lower Peninsula. The exception of course is the U.P.
(see the report below). Of course we all know there
are always areas of the state were deer numbers and
harvest is lower.
Understandably the reasons for the seemly good
harvest would be the Sunday opener with less work
commitments, milder, hunter-friendly weather and
most farm crops, including standing corn harvested,
all had to contribute positively. And more good news
there is still a week of late muzzleloading hunting
(Zone 3 muzzleloaders ends Dec. 20), of course
bowhunting continues until Jan. 1, 2016 and the late

antlerless is Dec. 21-Jan. 1, 2016 (check rules and
regulations). So, get out there and enjoy, December
deer hunting can be very exciting. Be sure to share
your hunting success or even your failures. Email
photos and information to me at: wnw@pageone-inc.
com.
So, the improved deer harvest in the L.P. is
good news about our deer herdthe bad news; a
fourth deer tested positive for CWD. And to make
it worse, this 1 -year-old buck arrowed by a
bowhunter near DeWitt is the first confirmed case
of CWD outside of Meridian Township, where
the first three confirmed cases were found early
this spring and summer. DNRs genetic testing
shows this CWD infected deer is not related to
the other three diseased deer. Sure, its possible the
deer traveled from Meridian Twp. However, with
the recent discovery of a dumped mule deer carcass
(see complete story page 14) and the seizure of
six deer carcasses being illegally transported
from other states with CWD (see the story of the
illegal transporting crackdown page 72), its easy
to assume this disease didnt come from deer
walking across the state line from Wisconsin.
There may be other issues related to it showing up
in the middle of the state.
The DNR is working hard, having tested over
3,000 deer from the CWD core and CWD management areas (see the related story on page 84). With
the deer hunting seasons coming to an end the testing
information should allow the agency to adjust their
course of action for 2016.n
Kyle Phillips shared this

trophy story"It was
quite a year for my girlfriend, Emily Flynn. This
spring she caught her
first steelhead, shot her first turkey. This
fall she shot her first goose and took first
whitetail. She accomplished all this while
making trips home to southern Michigan
from Florida where she attends chiropractic school. It was awesome being with her
for all of these Pure Michigan memories!"
SUPER SIZED!
Sean Kramer
shared his
successful
hunt with us
via Facebook.
On Oct. 17 he
arrowed this
Sanilac County
8-point that
dressed out at
a whopping
286 pounds!
On Nov. 22 he
took this dandy
10-point.
U.P. Focus: Firearm deer hunting season a mixed bag
MDNR wildlife biologists said

preliminary check station data shows
mixed results for the firearm deer hunting
season in the Upper Peninsula.
So far, indications are there was a
drop in the overall harvest. However,
with hunters across the region registering a higher proportion of mature bucks,
many of those deer were beautiful bucks.
After three consecutive severe
winters in the region, DNR biologists
predicted hunters this firearm deer season
would likely see fewer deer in the U.P.,
especially in the 1 - and 2 -year-old
age classes.
It was a challenging firearm deer
hunting season, as anticipated, said
David Jentoft, a DNR wildlife biologist at the Sault Ste. Marie Field Office.
The number of bucks being checked
is generally down, but check stations
have seen a higher proportion of mature
bucks coming in, particularly 3 - and 4
-year-olds.
DNR biologists expected more
mature bucks in the harvest, with the effects of the previous years harsh winter
weather limiting the number of yearling
bucks available in the U.P. deer population this year.
Early Statistics
Preliminary estimates indicate deer
check stations in the U.P. registered deer
totals down about 13.5 percent through
the firearm deer hunting season, compared to last year.
Check station results are only one
indicator the DNR uses to evaluate the
deer season and not all of that data has
been compiled yet. A clearer picture of
the season is expected to emerge once
camp and hunter surveys are returned in
the weeks ahead.
The DNR check station at Escanaba
was the busiest in the U.P., followed by
Marquette. Escanaba staff checked a
total of 321 deer and there were 165 deer
checked at Marquette.
The percentage of bucks checked
at those two stations varied widely,
demonstrating the limitation of projecting general results across the region from
individual stations. The Escanaba station

was down about 25 percent from last
year, while Marquette had an increase of
20 percent.
A similar situation occurred at the
Mackinac Bridge.
DNR wildlife division staff checked
a total of 37 deer over the two days the
check station at Bridge View Park in St.
Ignace was open, compared to 51 there
last year. That marks a dip of 27 percent.
However, the Mackinac Bridge
Authority toll booth workers informally counted a total of 1,481 deer on
southbound vehicles over the firearm
deer hunting season. That total represents
a 5-percent decline from the 1,563 deer
tallied last year.
Deer Health Improvement
Antler beam measurements, which
generally indicate a bucks overall fitness
level, were greatly improved in the U.P.
from the past two seasons.
This shows that deer that came out
of last winter were in pretty good shape,
certainly better than the previous couple
of seasons, said Chad Stewart, DNR
deer, elk and moose management specialist at the Rose Lake Wildlife Research
Center in East Lansing. Yearling antler
beam growth is back now within the
previous 10-year average after being
significantly lower the last two years.
Wolves
Wolves have an impact on the deer
population in the U.P., but to what extent
is not fully known.
A multiyear predator-prey study
being conducted by the DNR and Mississippi State University is ongoing in an
effort to better understand the predatory
impacts to U.P. deer from wolves, coyotes, bears and bobcats.
Wolves in Michigan are currently
federally protected as endangered species
after a U.S. District Court ruling in December 2014. Endangered species status
for the wolf severely limits the tools
the state can use to manage the species,
including lethal control, as outlined in
the states Wolf Management Plan. The
federal court ruling prohibits the Michi-
gan Natural Resources Commission from

considering hunting as a management
tool. The only legal killing of wolves in
Michigan is in defense of human life.
Continuing Action
The DNR, NRC and sporting groups
continue to partner in efforts to improve
the deer population.
Long-range work is being done to
preserve and enhance critical winter
range areas by the U.P. Wildlife Habitat
Work Group and short-range measures
have been undertaken to try to preserve
a larger number of does surviving the
winter, including reducing the number
of antlerless tags available to hunters in
the U.P.
This past summer, the NRC eliminated the ability to tag an antlerless deer
with either the single deer license or
combination deer license during the
archery season in hopes this may assist
in helping the deer herd recover. That
change was expected to reduce the deer
harvest by 5,000 to 6,000 deer heading
into the winter months.
The reduced harvest in the U.P.,
though disappointing for many, will help
aid in the long-term recovery of the deer
herd, as well as the efforts being made
to improve habitat, Stewart said. We
know the deer numbers in the U.P. are
down lower than most want to see. However, an elevated harvest would not be
conducive to our goals at this time, which
is to grow the deer herd in the U.P.
License Sales
Deer hunting license sales by county
of residence were down about 10 percent
in the U.P. since March 1. As of Mondays season close, there had been
63,202 deer hunting licenses sold to
U.P. residents, compared to 70,154 last
year.
Marquette County had the highest
number of residents buying deer licenses
in the U.P. this year with 10,921, followed by Delta County with 9,975 and
Menominee County with 9,298.
For more information on deer hunting
in Michigan, visit the DNRs webpage at:
www.michigan.gov/deer.
SEASONS
Now - Dec. 31 - Michigan Pure Hunt Application period

Now - March 1 Squirrel; Fox and Gray season
Now - March 31 Cottontail/Snowshoe season
Now-Dec. 13 -- Muskie-Lake St. Clair & St. Clair/Detroit Rivers
Now-Dec. 31 Large/Smallmouth bass catch-and-keep
on all waters, including Great Lakes, Lake St. Clair, St.
Clair and Detroit Rivers.
Dec. 1 - Jan. 1 Archery deer season
Dec. 1 - Jan. 1 Pheasant season parts of Zone 3
Dec. 1 - Jan. 1 Ruffed grouse 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
ARCHERY
MACOMB
OAKLAND
19744 15 Mile Rd
Clinton Twp. 48035
3001 Rochester Rd
Royal Oak, MI 48073
586-791-4600
248-589-2480
HUNTING
COVER STORY
Swamp Monsters
Jerry Lambert page 8
COVER STORY
Monroe & Lapeer County
MONSTER BUCKS
page 10
State rears and

stocks muskellunge
page 40
Super Finesse Bass...
The Ned Rig
Buck Mallory page 42
Michigan Grand Slam

Richard P. Smith page 16
Icy Michigan Hotspots

Mike Gnatkowski page 60
Sizzling Cottontail
Kenny Darwin page 22
Next Bite...
Electronics are
about visibility
Gary Parsons/Keith Kavajecz
page 66
Where the
pheasant is King!
Randy Jorgensen page 28
Dave Genz...
Speaking the language
of fish with your jig
Strand Outdoors page 79
Gun Opener-bow kill

John Eberhart page 44
The ice shanty evolution

Mark Sak page 83
Slick Willy & Freak Nasty

Killer moves for steelies

Guest Column
Huntress 9 months
pregnant takes big buck
page 63
FEATURE
Guest Column
Dad's advice...be patient
page 64
Michigan Meanders...
Seasonal Memories
Tom Huggler page 36
Guest Column
The Discipline
page 65
Voluntary Forest
Stewardship Program
page 43
Deer Hunting '15

Never say never and give up
Tom Lounsbury page 90
Father Jacques Marquette

Darryl Quidort page 46
FISHING
Handling your fish
Mark Romanack page 18
Modern Ice
Fishing Electronics
Mark Martin page 20
Ice fishing's practical

trends and tactics
Robert Dock Stupp page 32
Calling Coyote
KISSIN' CLOSE
COVER STORY
Birthday Buck
Gogebic Lake...
TEETER PERCH
Mark Romanack page 30
COVER STORIES
Sandi LaFountain page 8
Larry Kreps Jr. page 10
Warren Walton page 10
Cory Williamson page 25
ULTIMATE FISHING
SHOW DETROIT
pages 49-52
JANUARY 2016
$4.00
Woods-N-Water News
Sandi
LaFountain
Crossbow
Snowbirds...
Florida Hog
Hunting
Jeff Pendergraff
page 59
BIG
BOAR
Not a
big buck
Sporting
Collectibles
Unusual
Michigan Lures
Terry McBurney
page 76
TRAIL CAM
PHOTOS
page 82
OUTDOOR
NEWS
Dead mule
deer dumped in
Eaton Co.
CWD
implications
page 14
Otsego County
elk poaching
page 17
UP's Becoming an
Outdoor Woman set
for February
MDNR page 37
10th Michigan Big Game
Record Book available
page 45
DNR targeting illegal
importation of deer
page 72
Bear harvest increased
DNR COs to enforce
snowmobile noise laws
page 81
Help eliminate
CWD in Michigan
page 84
Jerry Lambert ...page 26
PERSPECTIVE
OPINIONS
Bear versus deer at bait

Hunters are good people!

Ted Rickabus page 72
Outdoor Safety &

First Aid
Heat loss
mechanisms
Jonathan Schechter page 38
Could social media

turn Michigan into a
'BIG BUCK STATE'
John Bischoff page 73
Dear Santa:
'Life in the fast Lane'
Lane Walker page 53
Deer season success...

looking good!
Ed Spinazzola page 73
GUNS/AMMO
Boat Smart...
POWER UP!
Capt. Fred Davis page 62
Gun Chat: Custom rifle

Lee Arten page 41
Dear Fish Diary...

Sticking to that New
Year's resolution this time
Ron St. Germain page 85
Traditional Black
Powder Hunting:
Close to the original
Dennis Neely page 54
DEPARTMENTS . . .
Trophy Pages. . . . . . 68-70 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . 91
Letters-Op-Ed . . . . . 72-75 Real Estate . . . . . . . 93-97
Larry Kreps Jr.

Crossbow
2015 BUCKS
Warren Walton
Muzzleloader
Plus...
Sandi
LaFountain
Shotgun
Deer Antlers...
Saving the
Memories
George Rowe
page 58
Cory
Williamson
Rifle
Coyotes Close
Gogebic Perch
Icy Hotspots
Killer Moves For Steelies Sizzling Cottontail Hunting Handling Your Fish
Heat Loss Mechanisms Modern Ice Fishing Electronics Seasonal Memories
The Ned Rig Bowhunting The Gun Opener Deer Stories Muskie Plants
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Cover Story -- Two For The Books...
SWAMP
MONSTERS
believe in monsters and

so does Sandi LaFountain. Sandi is a big buck
hunting huntress who had
a great season in the deer
woods, or in her case,
swamp. She
lives and hunts
on a 30-cre parcel that has
a thick swamp filled with
briars and dense vegetation.
Ideal habitat for Sandi and
her husband Rick, who like
to target big Allegan County
bucks.
On October 25, 2015,
Sandi decided to hunt
in an elevated box blind
closest to the house because she just

wasnt feeling very well. Sandi said,
I havent hunted that blind for over
10 years but since I wasnt feeling
well it was close to our house. We live
in the woods and hunt the swamp.
The first deer she saw
during the evening hunt were
three does that came in from
behind her. They walked out
in front of the blind and bedded down. Incredibly, they
were only ten yards away.
A few minutes later, another
three does walked over to the
bedded deer. Soon thereafter, the six deer turned
their heads to the north.
By Jerry Lambert
Sandi LaFountain of Ostego harvested a possible Womens crossbow state record

buck hunting Allegan County in late Oct. Her 11-point green scored in the 160s.
Sandis second record book buck came on opening day of firearm season on the
same private property swamp as her big 11-point. This buck was a 14-pointer.
Sandi said, They all cupped their ears

forward. The three bedded deer stood
up and all six deer looked like soldiers
standing at attention. I looked to see
what they were looking at and saw
the biggest buck that I have ever seen
come into view. He stopped and raked
a pine tree, kicked up dirt; it looked
like to me, was just showing off. After
that he walked toward the does and
they all jumped out of the way except
for the smallest deer. That little deer
stood face to face with the big buck.
At that point, I aimed my crossbow at
the broadside deer and shot.
The shot was good. The buck only
went 80 yards. When Sandi found
the deer she said, I couldnt breathe.
I dropped to my knees completely
excited. I just couldnt believe it.
The swamp monster is an
11-pointer that has a green gross score
of 166 3/8 B&C points and a green
net score of 163 2/8 B&C points. If
the score holds up after the 60-day dry
period it could potentially be a new
state record in the womens crossbow
category which is currently 160 5/8
B&C points.
As if shooting the biggest buck of
her life wasnt enough during archery
season. Sandi turned around and shot
another big swamp monster on the

first day of gun season.
At 6 a.m., LaFountain returned to
the swamp. She said, I like to get out
there early so that the deer dont see
me. It wasnt long and I could hear
branches breaking in the dark and was
picturing a big buck. About 8 a.m. I
saw a big deer approaching me. He
had his head down, but when he lifted
his head I could see that he had a big
rack. He put his nose up and smelled
the scent that I placed out in front
of my blind. He was 80 yards away
when I shot him with my Remington
1187, 20 gauge. I took out both lungs
and yet somehow he managed to run
for 200 yards before expiring.
This swamp monster had 14
points. As of this writing, Sandi has
not measured the rack but states that
her first buck is quite a bit bigger.
Never-the-less, this monster would be
a lot of peoples buck of a lifetime.
Sandi has been hunting since 1989
and stated, My husband got me into
it and he taught me well.
When I asked Sandi the
secret to her success she simply answered, Because we own
the swamp.
I believe in monsters; Do you?n
10
a shot. Placing the

By Randy Jorgensen for
scope on the buck he
arren
Walton,
62, of
Imlay City has been
hunting for 45 years
and although he doesnt
consider himself a trophy hunter, he
was happy this massive, 5 1/2-yearold Lapeer County buck walked his
Larry Kreps took
way.
his 12-point with a
The monster whitetail buck tipped
crossbow Nov. 11
the scales at over 200 pounds field
dressed and his taxidermist greenscored the bruiser at 175 3/8 gross and
net 170.
This is the first 10-pointer I ever
shot, Warren says, Ive taken mostly
6s or 7s.
Warren took a 6-pointer on opening morning this season as well.
Which means his second buck must
have at least four points on one side.
I almost didnt get a chance at
him, there was a buck that came out
about 50 yards away at about 8 am, on
by neighbors burning
he 2015,
the second day of the hunt, Warren
leaves. Next he saw
deer season
said.
the monster buck trotappears to
I was not sure he had four points
ting across the wheat field. According on one side, I think he did, but I
be a banner year for trophy
class bucks. It makes sense. In to Larry, The buck was 600 yards out couldnt be sure, so I let him go.
2014, many areas of the state when I first saw him. He ran through
I wouldnt have seen the big fella
a row of pine trees and entered the
still had corn standing late into the
had I shot that one, he says grateyear and a lot of deer made it through field. When I realized how big he was fully.
the hunting seasons. In 2015, much of I tried to talk myself down because
Shortly afterwards that morning
the corn came down early and Michi- he was such a monster. He kept rakWarren noticed a buck with a doe
ing his horns on the trees that border
gan hunters have had a field day if
standing on a hill about 250 yards
the field as he kept coming closer. I
you will.
away.
attempted to grunt at him but I was so
Some bucks just stand out, no
He was big, I knew that, I just
matter what year they are taken. Such excited that my grunt sounded like a
didnt know how big, he went on to
is the case with Larry Kreps Monroe duck call. I was definitely shook up! say.
The buck entered the marsh and
County Monster. Larry shot a 12-point
He stood there licking the neck
entered a clearing 50 yards away.
buck on Veterans Day that sports a
of a doe. And I could see he had
Larry says, He advanced towards me. four points on one side for sure, he
coveted main-framed 6x6 rack with
He got to 40, then 30, then 20 yards.
tall thick tines.
recalled.
Actually, Larrys season got off to At 20 yards he turned just enough
The doe lead the big buck back
a rather rough start. First of all, Kreps that I knew I could make a good shot into the woods. Moments later the
had to have knee surgery which obvi- on him. I took the shot and he ran 30
buck reappeared with the doe, this
ously made getting around a daunting yards and stopped. He stood there for time at about 150 yards. Warren took
about five seconds and then fell over. a shot, but missed. The buck and doe
task. Next, he was target shooting
I couldnt believe what I just shot. He ran around a little as if they didnt
with his crossbow when the limbs
exploded. Being a lifetime hunter, he looked huge!
know which way or where they were
The 12-pointer was later measured going.
quickly replaced the broken weapon
by a friend of Kreps and the gross
with a new one so that he wouldnt
Disappointed and with a selfgreen score is 172 Boone & Crockmiss any hunting opportunities.
admitted case of buck-fever, Warren
On November 11, Larrys brother, ett points. The inside spread is 20
reloaded his Thompson Center Omega
inches.
Luke, wanted him to hunt with him
muzzleloader.
Larry goes on to say, Its unreal
on a farm in Dundee. The wind was
He didnt think he would see the
the attention that the buck has gotout of the southeast and Kreps didnt
buck again.
have a good stand site on the farm for ten. Even someone at the bank asked
A few minutes later though, the
that wind so he changed his plans and me, Are you the guy on Facebook
buck followed the doe back into view
hunted on a different parcel in south- with the big buck? Im not even on
again, this time about 130 yards. This
ern Monroe County. He is glad that he Facebook, Im not a tech guy but my
time Warren could see the buck was
family put a picture of the buck on
did!
even bigger than he had thought.
the mibuckpole Facebook page and it
Kreps chose to hunt a treestand
I tried not looking at the horns,
seems like everyone has seen it.
placed in a big cottonwood tree. The
I was pretty nervous by now, shaking
Kreps adds, I almost gave up on pretty good, he said smiling.
stand is located on the edge of a marsh
this property because I hadnt seen
and overlooks a big wheat field. The
Warren although suffering from a
first deer that he saw was a small but- anything big there. Im sure glad that little buck fever, which is understandton buck that quickly became spooked I didnt!n
able, readied his muzzleloader again
squeezed the trigger to

a surprising click.
Although he reloaded the muzzleloader he didnt put a fresh firing cap
on. The big buck paid little attention
to click. This time the muzzleloader
barked and a cloud of smoke rang out.
By Jerry Lambert
Warren Walton
took his 10-point
Nov. 16 with a
muzzleloader.
Warren began to follow a blood trail
for about 150 yards. He decided he
should wait.
In the meantime his wife Janice
had also scored on a pair of bucks,
that morning, a seven and a six pointer. They have been hunting together
for nearly 25 years and her Shadow
Hunter blind was just a few hundred
yards from Warrens.
He field dressed the bucks and
got them back to the farm. It allowed
enough time to let the buck settle
down and not risk pushing him.
Warrens friends Mark Reeves
and Gerald Nelson showed up to help
recover the buck. The three tracked
the deer just across the road and there
he was in the deep grass, a monster
whitetail buck.
I was pretty happy when I heard
Gerald had found him, Warren stated.
I guess it was my time to get
a chance at a big one, concluded
Warren.n
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Mich t Winter
s rade
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a
L ting T
Hun Show
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11
By Kenny Darwin
Calling Coyote
KISSIN CLOSE
The tricks you can use
today for calling
coyotes have taken
predator hunting to a
new level. Sure, I still love
hunting them at night but
no more hand calls or
mouth calls for this old
dog chaser. Today, Ive
gone electronic and the
results are impressive...
12
t was a cold winter day when I set

out the rabbit motion decoy and
made a few howls on my Western Rivers electronic call. Then I
switched to a female call and ended with a squealing rabbit. From
a distance the large female looked like
snow blowing across the open field,
but as she charged full steam ahead I
could see her pointed ears, long bushy
tail and fast moving feet pushing puffs
of snow as she began to circle the call.
Through the scope she looked large
as a wolf with puffy hair and exposed
canine teeth. Thats when she noticed
the decoy and slowed her speed, made
a short downwind circle and got belly
crawling low to the snow as she approached the fake motion decoy. One
shot from my .22 magnum sent her
rolling in the snow.
I checked my watch and it was
around 3 pm, the middle of the afternoon and my electronic call lured
the wary beast from a cedar swamp
nearby. Wow! I thought to myself.
Coyote hunting is made easy with the
use of modern electronics and it helps
hunters to be more productive day or
night.
Im so impressed with the productiveness of electronic predator calls
that I cant wait for fresh snow to fall
so I can see them coming a mile away.
Perhaps after seeing coyote kill adult
deer and ruthlessly devour fawn deer
Ive developed an interest in killing
them. Sure all critters have to eat and
fox gobble rabbits, pheasant and turkeys. But in the last few years Michigans coyote population has grown
out of control, partially because deer
disease like EHD has provided carnivores with over-abundant food source.
In many counties coyote have

double or triple pupped to keep up
with the burgeoning dead deer carcasses throughout Michigan. Now, in
some areas where the deer population
is fast becoming extinct due to the
over-selling licenses, disease, poor
fawn recruitment and more; the coyote population is restricting whitetail
numbers comeback because they kill
fawns in record numbers. I feel someone needs to wage war on coyote and
Im glad it is me. Actually, as stewards of our natural resources more
deer hunters need to take up arms to
control coyote populations.
Calling animals is an exciting
way to hunt them. There is something
powerfully addictive about a critter
running directly at you. Your heart
skips a beat as the predator moves
into shooting range. When you trick
them, get them in close proximity,
downright kissin distance, the level of
excitement soars. It is the interaction
between you and the wild beast that
makes calling absolutely a rush. Close
encounters, especially when the dog
is looking directly at you, are guaranteed to light your fire, get your heart
pumping and take your body to a new
height of excitement. This brand of
outdoor experience gives you a surge
of adrenalin that keeps you coming
back for more. Sure, you still need to
understand predator hunting methods
and use slippery tactics to get into
calling range without being detected.
Some of the old rules like calling after
dark, hunting the low light hours of
morning and afternoon still apply, but
with new electronic calls you can get
plenty of hot action shooting during
broad daylight. Heres why.
Modern electronics offer a wide
variety in sounds and motion that
draw wary predators from hiding like
Halloween candy brings out kids.
Some hunters use powerful electronic
units that have enough sound to get
the attention of dogs miles away, in
wind, rain, snow or any conditions.
More importantly, gone are the
days when calls sound like a machine.
Todays electronic calls sound exactly
like predators, deer, bear, elk, squirrel, rabbit and just about any wild
critter that walks planet earth. Fox
Pro has a reputation of producing
quality electronic calls. They have
four speaker adjustable arrays, set in
a rugged ABS housing, and provide
durability and versatility. They have
Predator hunting in the snow is a fantastic winter sport. Michigans coyote

population is growing because recent EHD deer die off and severe winter
weather has created an unlimited food source.
1,000 call capacities and are loaded
with 100 different sounds to get you
started. Speakers are swing adjustable
for fine tuning sound direction. They
can mix two different sounds to bring
in finicky predators. However, dont
overlook the Western Rivers Stalker
with 400 preloaded game calls. It is
remote controlled and sends sounds
long distances to bring predators from
far. It is weatherproof, lets you hunt
in any conditions. The easy to read
backlit display and the unit runs on 8
AA batteries. Remote can be operated
at 250 yards.
If I had to choose just one starter
predator caller it would be the MOJO
Super Critter. This unit is lightweight,
has a built-in quality call located at
the base of the motion decoy that
brings predators running. It runs for
about 20 hours on four AA batteries. The magnetically attached crit-
ter on the top has the type of motion

that gets the attention of predators
and brings them running. The tough
ABS plastic housing contains quality
speakers that are programmed with
a cottontail distress sound. I carry
mine afield in a back pack. This unit
is lightweight and most importantly is
available for around $58.
Modern electronic calls and
motion decoys have taken predator
hunting to new heights, made hunting
more productive, fun and the fastpaced shooting is great sport. They are
portable, effective and crazy decoys
with whip-like action get the attention
of predators and bring them running.
With modern electronics you can hunt
all day and sleep nights. However,
there are slick tricks you need to use if
you want fast-paced shooting action.
Coyote are cunning survivors
and perhaps the smartest animals and
rolling terrain where they can hide. I

like to be about 200-400 yards from
their likely lair and often set up along
southern Michigan fence rows that offer concealment but the motion decoy
can be placed in the open. Keep the
decoy far enough away to distract the
attention of oncoming coyotes while
you flip the safety off and move the
gun into perfect shooting position.
Savvy coyote hunters seek out
natural corridors that critters will
follow. Variables in terrain can make
it difficult to determine the magic set
up location. Try to pick a location
where you have a good clean shot.
Most coyote hunters select funnels,
bottlenecks, fence rows, travel routes
where critters are likely to approach.
Learn to adapt to coyote behavior and
set up where coyote are active. Above
all avoid being detected when you
Modern electronics
can be operated using
remote control to increase or dampen sound
and turn the dancing
fake bunny decoy on or
off. By placing the call
away from hunters the
predator is less likely
to spot you as you aim
at oncoming targets.
you see a coyote headed your direction.
Selecting a calling location can
be tricky business. You want to slip
into a location and be side wind or
downwind so they do not smell you.
Keep noise to a minimum, depending on conditions. Some days it is
too still outdoors with no wind to
conceal the sound of your vehicle or
noise you make sneaking into calling position. Ive learned to seek
out coyote hiding locations in thick
brush, swamps, timber, tall grass and
move into likely locations to set up.

I like to sit in a location where
I can see in every direction but still
use immediate cover to conceal my
background. I love my Primos bipod
Trigger Stick used as a gun rest.
Trigger Stick rests can be moved up
or down simply by pushing a button.
Just one touch of the trigger and you
can adjust the gun rest to your desired
height. They are lightweight, have a
steady V yoke and ideal for sitting,
kneeling or standing. Most importantly they offer a steady rest to help you
When a coyote is responding to an electronic call they usually circle downwind and stop to evaluate the sound and motion decoy and look directly at
you. This is an ideal opportunity to shoot. Kenny Darwin photos
place accurate shots when your heart
is pumping like crazy.
Some hunters like to use a low
profile comfortable seat. A seat will
keep your butt off the hard frozen
ground and keep your buns dry. Make
certain you are not locked into a seat
and cant move to fire at oncoming
critters from far left or right. Sometimes you want to be flexible to cover
your back side in case a coyote comes
knocking at your back door.
One thing is certain, you want to
be fully loaded and ready for instantaneous action the second you turn on
the sound. On more than one occasion
Ive been caught moving by a coyote
that is nearby and immediately comes
running full bore at the sound. Once
the sound is on, limit your motion,
move your head slowly from side-toside to check for critters headed your
direction.
Once youve got em coming and
they are charging the decoy get your
sights on them and wait for them to
stop. Most will stop just short of the
decoy and fully evaluate the situation
before making the final charge. Coyote like to circle downwind of calls
and decoys. It is instinctual for them
to approach prey from the downwind
side. Each animal is different. Plenty
do not stop and provide the easy
target and you will need to get off an
accurate shot at a moving target.
Shooting can be touch and go.
Sometimes coyote give you an easy
standing still shot. However, I kind
of enjoy the feeding frenzy crazed
critters that come in hot and you end
up shooting at a fast moving target.
Sometimes you roll them with one
shot but more often you will nick
them or shoot up all your ammo and
never cut a hair.
Some hunters only face downwind because predators like to move
upwind. To conceal their human odor
they use fox urine or rabbit scent on
a branch a few yards left and right.
Coyote prefer to come in with their

nose into the wind.
Predators are intelligent with
remarkable instincts and seldom
make mistakes. It requires a degree of
skill to fool them. Dont sit too close
to your decoy or they will see you.
Sit still, pay attention and try to not
move. After you make the first few
calls give most about 10 minutes to
close the distance. Make a few loud
squalls designed to emulate the cry of
a dying rabbit. Do not overdo it. Call
a few minutes then pause, too much
continuous loud calling makes some
coyote suspicious. Give each calling
location about 30-40 minutes.
Some predators will zig and zag
while coming in. Let the critter close
the distance. Keep your sights on him
every step of the way and when he
is in easy range and presents an easy
shot take it without hesitation.
Use a run and gun strategy and try
several different calling locations in
a single day. Move at least one half
mile between calling spots. Changing sites provides new targets and an
opportunity to quickly harvest new
animals that have not been called
before.
Most coyote hunters prefer
a small caliber rifle. Rimfire .22
magnum or .17 calibers can be used
at night. AR platforms in .223 are
becoming very popular because they
have very little recoil, are extremely
accurate and accommodate any optics. Shotguns loaded with #4 buckshot are deadly and some hunters like
the challenge of hunting with bow,
crossbow or pistol.
My recommendation is to use
electronic callers. The last few years
they have taken coyote hunting by
storm because they are durable,
simple to use and excitingly effective.
Try them once and you will soon discover why they bring dogs with ease
and many times your shooting will be
at targets that are kissin close.n
certainly the most adaptable animal

in Michigan. In order to be a successful hunter you need to trick them, call
them from hiding locations. Sometimes you start with a yelp to get their
attention and eventually you want
them barreling for the dying rabbit
sound.
The key to success often hinges
on how well you are camouflaged.
For this sport you want to be completely invisible. Even with camo,
dont move or they will see you.
Make certain to camo your face, gun,
boots, gun rest and more. Match your
camo with the environment. Wearing
white while tucked into a snow drift
will fool most critters. Use camo face
cream and blend in with the environment. Move slowly, carefully scan
ahead while calling and bring your
gun slowly to your shoulder when
13
Dead mule deer dumped in Eaton Co.

DNR officials remind hunters of
importation laws, CWD implications
14
n late Novermber, the Michigan

Department of Natural Resources
responded to calls of a male mule
deer lying on the side of the road
in a rural area of Eaton County.
The antlers had been removed
and the animal was field-dressed,
though DNR staff determined, after
close X-ray examination, the animal
was killed by a vehicle. There were
no bullet holes or lead fragments,
but there were numerous broken ribs
and other trauma indicative of a deer/
vehicle collision. Since there are no
registered mule deer in Michigans
privately owned cervid facilities, it is
believed that this carcass was brought
into Michigan from somewhere out
west.
Mule deer are located in western
North America. The most noticeable
differences between white-tailed and
mule deer are the size of their ears, the
color of their tails and the configuration of their antlers. The mule deers
tail is black-tipped and their antlers
fork as they grow, rather than
branch from a single main beam, as is
the case with white-tails.
The fact that this was called into
the DNR indicates that our chronic
wasting disease (CWD) communications are being received by some, but
there are clearly more individuals to
reach, said Chad Stewart, DNR deer
specialist. We received more than
one call that this deer didnt seem to
be a white-tail and that we needed
to have it picked up and tested. We
would like to thank everyone who
called in.
Stewart said the good news is that
the deer was tested for CWD and the
disease was not detected. However,
the discovery of the mule deer highlights important restrictions that are in
place to keep Michigans native deer
population safe from disease.
Michiganders must understand
that a situation like this is one of the
ways CWD may have entered Michigan, Stewart said. We must all take
responsibility for keeping our deer
herd safe and following the laws on
importation of harvested animals from
states with CWD.
Just this weekend, DNR Law
Enforcement stopped a number of
vehicles coming into Michigan from
Wisconsin and Illinois bringing in
illegal parts from deer. Conservation
officers are actively working these
cases and taking enforcement actions
when violations are present.
The DNR announced in late May
2015 that CWD had been found for
the first time in a free-ranging whitetail deer in Ingham County. Since that
time, two additional deer also have
tested positive. CWD is a neurologi-
cal (brain and nervous system) disease

found in deer, elk and moose.
There is currently no treatment for
CWD; it is fatal in all cases.
Current scientific understanding
suggests CWD may be transmitted
both directly through animal-toanimal contact, as well as indirectly
through a contaminated environment.
Previous studies have shown that
CWD prions exist in the saliva, urine,
blood and feces of infected cervids.
Additionally, a study from the University of Wisconsin suggests that the
CWD prion can remain indefinitely
in certain types of soil, and binding to
soil dramatically increases the infectiousness of CWD prions.
To date, there is no evidence that
chronic wasting disease presents any
risk to non-cervids, including humans,
either through contact with an infected
animal or from handling venison.
However, as a precaution, the U.S.
Centers for Disease Control and the
World Health Organization recommend that infected animals not be
consumed as food by either humans or
domestic animals.
Many western states do have
chronic wasting disease, which is why
the Michigan DNR has strict importation laws.
Harvested free-ranging deer, elk or
moose from Colorado, Illinois, Iowa,
Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, New
York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania,
South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia,
West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming,
Alberta or Saskatchewan have importation restrictions.
These states and provinces have
detected CWD in free-ranging animals; therefore, only the following
parts of deer, elk or moose carcasses
may be brought into Michigan:
deboned meat, antlers, antlers attached
to a skull cap cleaned of all brain and
muscle tissue, hides, upper canine
teeth or a finished taxidermy mount.
If you are notified by another state
or province that a deer, elk or moose
you brought into Michigan has tested
positive for CWD, you must contact
the DNR Wildlife Disease Lab within
two business days (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
at 517-336-5030 and provide details.
In addition, the U.S. Department of
Agriculture may have regulations on
importation from Canada. Call 301851-3300 for details.
Michigan citizens should call the
DNR Report All Poaching hotline
(800-292-7800) with any information
related to this mule deer incident or to
report any other importation violations.
For more information on CWD,
please visit www.michigan.gov/cwd.n
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15
A Record Book Deer, Bear, Elk And Turkey...
Bryan Friend from

Houghton Lake is the
ninth person in the state to
qualify for a Commemorative
Bucks of Michigan Grand Slam.
CBM is the states official big
game record keeper...
log and did some grunting and rattling

periodically. A half hour before dark,
the buck followed the scent trail he
laid down and he shot it at 25 yards.
Typical antlered whitetails taken
with firearms must score at least 125
to make it into state records. Bow kills
only have to measure 100.
Then in 2005, Bryan drew a hunters choice elk tag for the December
hunt. The only problem was his wife
was pregnant with their first child and
grand slam is the taking of
her due date was December 10. The
at least one representative
elk hunt was supposed to start on the
of each of the species the
6th. Their son was actually born on
organization maintains reDecember 2nd, so Bryan was able to
cords of; deer, bear, elk and be present for the birth and then go on
turkey. Friend bagged the
his elk hunt.
last of the four animals he needed for
Bryan hired guide Pat Samalik for
the slam, a black bear, on September
that hunt. Kevin Johnson from Gay13, 2015 in north Menominee County lord also helped out as a guide. On the
while hunting with guide Richard
third day of the hunt, they got permisHaney from Arnold. The bruin had
sion to hunt a piece of property that a
a dressed weight of 325 pounds and
bunch of elk entered, based on fresh
the skull officially scored 18
tracks in the snow. As they
10/16. Bear skulls must score
worked their way through the
a minimum of 18 to qualify
thicket, they could hear the
for state records.
clicking of elk antlers against
The bear was my bigbranches ahead of them. A
gest challenge, Bryan said.
total of 11 bulls moved into
It took me 18 years to kill
a field from the thicket ahead
a Michigan bear. It took
of them.
that long because I wanted
Another hunter shot a
to make sure when I shot
large 6X6 bull from
one it would be big
that herd that Bryan
enough to qualify
had his eye on, but
for state records. I
there was an even larger nontypical
passed up a lot of small bears over the that eventually moved on the property
years. My five previous bear tags went that they secured permission to hunt,
unfilled because I didnt get a chance
and Friend managed to drop the nonat a bear that was big enough.
typical with the second shot from his
A whitetail buck was the first big
7 mm magnum at 150 yards. Bryans
game animal that Friend bagged that
bull had 8X8 antlers that scored 311.
qualified for CBM records. He got
The bull had a dressed weight of
a 10-pointer during the fall of 2001
650
pounds and was estimated to be
in Washtenaw County that scored
6
years old. It was taken in Otsego

125 2/8. Bryan shot the whitetail the
County. The toughest part of getting a
day before Thanksgiving with an
iron-sighted Ithaca Deer Slayer in 12 CBM slam is often getting an elk that
qualifies for CBM records. It can take
gauge.
years to draw a tag and once you have
He had applied Tinks Scent to a
Bryan Friend of Houghton Lake with his four record book animals making up his Michigan CBM
boot pad to leave a scent trail to where a tag, connecting on a book bull can
Grand Slam; elk, bear, deer and turkey. Bryan Friend photos
be a challenge. It wasnt until after
he was hunting. He simply sat on a
By Richard P. Smith
16
Otsego County elk poaching
that processed Wellmans bear cut

off at least an inch of the back of the
bruins skull, however, eliminating
any opportunity for that possibility.
Even with the missing piece of skull,
the bear still qualifies for state records
with a score of 19 8/16.
For more information about
CBMs big game record keeping go
to the organizations website: www.
buckfax.com.n
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Bryan had an elk and deer under his

belt, that the thought crossed his mind
about trying for a slam.
It would be nine years later
(2014) before Friend bagged a turkey
that made it into state records. He got
the gobbler on opening day of the
spring season, which was April 21.
He was hunting from a ground blind
around 5:00 p.m. during light rain
when he scored.
Jake and hen decoys were positioned about 15 yards from the blind.
Earlier in the afternoon, he did some
calling, but got no responses. Then,
all of a sudden, Bryan heard a gobble
nearby. The bird saw the decoys and
came running in. He grabbed his 20
gauge fitted with a polychoke and
fired when the tom was broadside. He
took a second shot as the bird ran by
the blind and entered nearby woods.
Fortunately, Bryans first shot
took its toll on the turkey. While
stillhunting after the gobbler, Friend
found the bird leaning against some
saplings and finished it off. The tom
had a 10 -inch beard and scored 12
2/8. The minimum for turkeys taken
with firearms is 12. Gobblers collected with bow and arrow only have
to score 10.
On April 20, 2015, Bryan collected a second book bird in Roscommon County with his Barnett Raptor
Crossbow that scored 10 11/16. That
gobbler was pecking at his decoy
when he arrowed it. That bird only
made it five yards before dropping
dead.
Bryans bear hunt began on September 10, 2015. He saw a nice bear
an hour before dark on that day that
he estimated at 250 pounds. Friend
didnt think its head was big enough
to qualify for state records, so he
passed it up. He was sure trail camera
photos from that bait were of a larger
bruin.
Bryan returned to the same spot
on the second day of his hunt, but
didnt see anything. He moved to a
new location on day number three
and saw a small female. On day four
he moved back to the bait where he
started. Around 7:30 p.m. the big bear
he was waiting for made an appearance.
When it was by the bait at 23
yards, Bryan put a Lumabolt tipped
with a 125 grain Ramcat Broadhead
into the chest cavity. Even though
well hit, the bear covered 175 yards
before piling up.
On the same day Bryan got his
book bear, partner Brad Wellman
from Tecumseh arrowed a much
bigger bruin with a compound bow.
Brads bear had a dressed weight
of 385 pounds and was originally
thought to have a skull large enough
to be a new state record. The butcher
MDNR COs are seeking information on an elk poaching in southwest

Otsego County. On Nov. 16, a large bull elk carcass was found west of Lewiston, between Shupac Lake Road and Big Creek Road.
"Anyone who has information that may assist us in finding the person or
persons responsible for this poaching is asked to contact the DNR, said Lt.
Jim Gorno.
Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to call DNR
Law Enforcement Division at the Gaylord Customer Service Center at 989732-3541, ext. 5100, or the 24-hour DNR Report All Poaching (RAP) Line
at 800-292-7800.
Information may be left anonymously. Monetary rewards often are offered for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of violators.
Michigan conservation officers are fully commissioned state peace officers
who provide natural resources protection, ensure recreational safety and
protect citizens by providing general law enforcement duties and lifesaving operations in the communities they serve. Learn more about Michigan
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17
Mike Horswill of Jays Sporting Goods in Clare

demonstrates how to use a bogo grip to
safely handle slippery critters like this Manistee River steelhead. No fish or humans were
harmed in the making of this photograph.
Walleye are best handled by gripping the fish
just inside the lower jaw using the forefinger and
thumb to pinch the jaw firmly. To accomplish this
the finger must be carefully slipped inside the gill
cover, but not into the gills themselves. The offhand
is used to support the weight of the fish and also to
prevent the fish from twisting, breaking the grip and
falling to the floor.
Northern pike and musky are held using similar
techniques to those used for holding walleye. Its
critically important to avoid getting your fingers
into the gill rakers of pike and musky. Not only
does this potentially cause great harm to the fish,
the gill rakers are razor sharp and can seriously cut
an anglers hands to shreds. A Kevlar fish handling
glove is a great tool for handling toothy pike and
musky.
The offhand must be used to support the weight
of trophy pike and musky when holding them for
photos. The best way is to hold the fish horizontally,
but the fish can also be held vertical without hurting
the fish if the fishs weight is well supported.
Hand landing works well, but it takes some
experience to get good at hand landing these fish
safely. The best way to learn how to hand land pike
and musky is to practice on smaller and more easily
immobilized fish. When your fish handling skills
improve its time to step up and try hand-landing
larger fish.
A bogo style grip is also a useful tool for handling large, powerful and toothy fish. These handy
tools feature a spring loaded jaw that securely holds
the fishs jaw, giving the angler a safe and secure
handle on the fish. When using a bogo grip, its
resolution digital images and video. The memory
important to support the weight of the fish with the
a quality photograph provides is priceless, but getoffhand. This prevents the fish from twisting and
ting those great pics doesnt happen without a little doing damage to its jaw.
advance planning and some savvy fish handling
Brook trout, lake trout, browns and other salmotalents.
nids are among the most difficult of fish to handle
Learning how to handle fish to generate attraceffectively. These species are so slimy that they can
tive and pleasing photos is an art in of itself. First
easily wiggle out of an anglers well intended grip.
and foremost the fish must be alive and the picture
Trout are delicate and its not practical to grip
taken quickly. Using a fish bonker makes them
them by the jaw or under the gill cover. The best
easier to handle, but this practice kind of defeats the way to hold trout is to use a glove on one hand and
catch and release goal.
grasp the fish by the tail firmly. Special gloves are
How best to handle a fish depends on the fish
made and marketed for this purpose, but an ordispecies involved. For example, large and smallnary pair of rubber studded work gloves does a fine
mouth bass are a piece of cake to hold compared
job of gripping slippery trout.
to other species of fish. Gripping bass by the lower
The other hand is cradled under the fishs pectojaw immobilizes the fish, doesnt hurt the fish and
ral fins. Held using this simple two grip approach,
makes it easy to handle them. Try that trick with
even slippery trout can be photographed, unhooked
a walleye, northern pike or musky and see how
and released without harm to the fish.
smooth the process plays out!!
Panfish like bluegills, yellow perch, crappie
Handling your fish
As fishermen, one of the skills we all need to master is the

ability to handle fish quickly, effectively and most of all safely
for the angler and the fish...By Mark Romanack
ish are slippery creatures. Often getting a

handle on a fish after it is hooked and in the
boat is more challenging than catching the
fish in the first place!!
As fishermen, one of the skills we all
need to master is the ability to handle fish
quickly, effectively and most of all safely for the
angler and the fish. In part this skill is necessary
because many of the fish we catch must be released
unharmed.
Recently on an episode of Alaska the Last
Frontier I watched in amazement while the fisherman shot a halibut several times with a handgun
before bringing the fish aboard. Maybe that was all
for creating drama in the show, but I can think of
a lot better ways to handle fish!
Proper fish handling skills are also important
for other reasons besides conservation. These days
everyone has a cell phone capable of taking high
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Other Handy Fish Landing Tricks
Keeping a five-gallon bucket in the boat is

another useful tool for handling fish prior to photographing them. When I was in Alaska last year one
of our guides showed me a cool trick for handling
trout. As soon as we would hook a good fish, he
would dip the five gallon pail into the water. When
the fish was landed, it was immediately transferred
head down into the bucket of water waiting on the
floor of the boat.
The trout calmed down quickly and had the
benefit of being able to breathe while the camera
gear was readied. Once the angler and photographer were ready, the fish was plucked out of
the bucket, a couple quick pics taken and the fish
released unharmed.
Landing Net Tricks
Most anglers use landing nets, but a landing net
can be a fish and fishermans worst enemy.

When a big fish like a trophy pike or musky
gets tangled in a mesh landing net, chances
are that fish will die before it can be untangled
and released.
One trick when using a landing net on pike
and musky is to scoop the fish and then keep the
net and fish in the water. Support the net over the
gunwale of the boat and have another angler reach
in and unhook the fish. Lifting a freshly netted fish
into the boat causes the fish to thrash and tangle in
the netting. Keeping the fish in the water helps to
calm the fish and makes it much easier to unhook
and release the fish unharmed.
Rubber nets do a much better job of securing
some species of fish compared to traditional nylon
bagged nets. Walleye, bass, panfish and trout are
all good candidates for using a rubber net. Pike,
musky, salmon and big lake trout are often too
much for a rubber-bagged landing net. When a
rubber net is used to land fish that are too large and
powerful, often the rubber netting functions as a
catapult instead of a landing net!
Cradle Nets
Another option for landing large fish is a cradle.

Essentially a piece of mesh supported by two poles,
a cradle must be placed in the water and the fish
led into the cradle. To accomplish this goal it works
better if the fish is first played out.
A cradle supports the weight of the fish nicely
and immobilizes the fish so it can be unhooked
without thrashing. Like hand landing big fish, a
cradle requires a little practice to master. Its best to
practice on smaller and easier to handle fish before
Using two hands and holding a fish horizontal with

the fishs weight supported is the best way to
handle large fish like this walleye. The same approach works well for holding trophy muskie and
pike. Mark Romanack photos
attempting to cradle up a monster pike, musky or
trout.
Summing It Up
An angler that can consistently handle fish

without harming them is both a conservationist and
a true sportsman. For sure some of the fish we handle are going to end up in a frying pan. For those
that dont, we owe it to ourselves, other anglers and
the resource to become experts at handling all the
common species of fish found in the Great Lakes
State.n
and white bass can be very tricky to hold. All of

these fish have sharp spines and the edges of the
gill cover are as sharp as razor blades. White bass
are particularly tough to hold without sticking or
cutting yourself. Any angler who mishandles one of
these fish is going to find themselves bleeding more
than the fish.
One of the easiest ways to hold panfish for
photos is to leave the fish hooked and use the fishing line to support the fish with one hand, while the
offhand cradles the fish and gives the camera a nice
side view. Because panfish are often sorted during
the fishing process, a fish cleaning glove thats reinforced with Kevlar is a great tool for handling these
fish without running the risk of cutting yourself.
19
Modern
Ice Fishing
Electronics
By Mark Martin
hen it comes to ice fishing, theres a

big difference in what the old adage
paying your dues meant when I was
a kid compared to today.
During my days of youth, paying
ones dues meant many (and I mean
many) fishless days standing on the ice, out in the
open, suffering through wind and nasty weather
while learning the lay of the underwater land, thus
where fish lurked under a lakes frozen surface.
Sometimes it literally took decades before really being able to figure it all out.
Now I admit, I had both a father and grandfather
who had already spent tons of time on the frozen
waterways near our home in Michigans southwestern Lower Peninsula; thus the toll I paid was small,
compensated within years only measuring in single
digits rather than ten at a time.
How lucky I was.
But it was years later, when my elders were too
timeworn to spend a lot of time on the ice with me,
in which I realized just how difficult it could be
to catch fish on bodies of water I had never fished
before. Holes drilled here, bored there and pierced
just about anywhere when in search of fish.
But then sonar came along, then GPS and later
underwater cameras. And because of the advent of
all of these morphing into the modern electronics
we have today, theres no doubting we have it made
when it comes to being spot on when drilling a hole
in the ice, as well know immediately if there are
fish in the area. Add to this fact that within seconds
after a lures lowered, we can figure out if the fish
are interested in our offerings or not, as well can
figure out the precise moment were are about to get
a strike.
And like anything we do, practice makes perfect, and the education we gain each and every time
out just from reading electronics alone increases
our odds of catching more fish during future trips,
whether on the same body of water or a different
one.
Oh, how lucky both you and I are now.
But just because we own the newest GPS couple with a mapping program, sonar and underwater
camera doesnt mean well be filling a five-gallon
bucket with finned critters in no time flat. Theres
more to catching fish while using them than just
turning on the power.
Beyond Routine
20
The first question I usually get asked when Im

giving ice-fishing seminars throughout the Midwest or during my Ice-Fishing Vacation/Schools
is which, of all the electronics I take on the ice, is
the most important. Although my answer, All of
them, may sound routine, the fact of the matter its
true.
As an example of the importance of each, Ill
tell of the average day on the ice for me and how
each piece of electronics comes into play.
Right To It
Before the arrival of GPS, it often took hours
The author, Mark Martin, used his Lowrance Elite-5 Ice Machine in the foreground to get spot on where
the big walleye should be. And as you can see by the fish his buddy Brandon Stanton hooked, he was right
on target. David A. Rose photo
to find structure, and valuable fishing time was lost
in the process. Now all I have to do is look at the
screen of one and know right where I am as well as
where I want to be next.
The first thing I do after hooking up my Otter
portable ice shanty to my snowmobile, and then
filling its deep base/sled with the days fishing
supplies, is boot up the Lowrance Elite-4 CHIRP
chartplotter I have mounted on my rigs dash.
The Elite-4 CHIRP is a color GPS with a 4.3inch screen that is easy to see in both low and bright
light conditions. The unit has a media port for
inserting an SD card filled with Navionics mapping
programs, which is also crucial for being spot-on.
The unit coupled with the Navionics mapping program allows me to drive right over humps, bumps,
holes, points and breaklines - all important areas to
fish no matter my target species.
And GPS with Navionics mapping work wonders for those without motorized transportation, as
well. For example, I use my Lowrance Elite-5 Ice
Machine sonar/GPS at first ice, before travel with
quad or snow-machine is safe. With the unit in hand
and its GPS on, I can walk to likely areas without
working up a sweat. The Elite-5 Ice Machine comes
in a portable pack perfect for the ice angler on foot.
And it holds two Plano tackle totes, which makes
hopping hole to hole easier than ever.
Immediate Gratification
Once Im over structure, all it takes is a pull of

the cord on my StrikeMaster power auger and Im
drilling a swath of holes. Once those are all bored,
I immediately place the transducer of my Lowrance
Elite-5 Ice Machine in each one. Seeing as I already
know the approximate depth due to the precision of
the Navionics mapping program, what Im looking
for is any sign of structure and fish.
Oftentimes, Ill lower a Rapala Jigging Rap or
Northland spoonboth tipped with either a Gulp!
Minnow or lively shiner fresh from my Plano bait
bucketand watch the sonar for any sign of fish
moving in on the lure. I always have the sensitivity
on the Elite-5 set high enough that I can see decipher between the jig and the Berkley ball-bearing
swivel attach a foot above it, which connects my
Berkley FireLine to my Berkley 100% Fluorocarbon leader.
With sonar, I can see fish move in on the bait
and prepare myself for the strike. If several fish
swim off without striking, I know I have to change

up my jigging motion, change lure colors or the
type of bait. Before sonar, I wasted hours just
wondering if there were even fish in the vicinity, let
alone it they were interested in my offering or not.
Clear As A Bell
Underwater cameras are great tools. They will

help you find structure, how a fish reacts to your
offering as well see strikes as they happen.
What Ive learned with my color Marcum
underwater camera, and now my PanCam Camera
System has been invaluable. From determining
what species it is I am marking on my sonar to
watching how fish respond to the lure them has
taught me so much.
With an underwater camera, I have caught fish
by setting the hook the moment I saw them strike.
And these are fish that may have gone totally undetected otherwise. Species like walleye, whitefish
and trout often bite a bait and then spit it out in one
motion. Often without the angler even knowing
they bit. By watching them firsthand on my Marcum, Ive been able to set the hook well before ever
feeling the strike.
Underwater cameras are useful for getting right
on the edge of structure. As an example, I have
drilled holes only to figure out I was not right on
weeds as the day wasted away. But with the aid
of my MarCum, could see the structure and then
pinpoint the direction to go via the units direction
indicator. Once located, all I had to do is move and
drilled holes right along the weed edge. Wha-lah
Fish on!
More Power To You
Without a doubt, you could go fishing without

the aid of GPS, mapping programs, sonar and underwater cameras But why?
Because of modern electronics, we all have it
made when it comes to being spot on when drilling
a hole in the ice, as well know if fish are below, as
when we are about to get bit. Utilize all electronics
and youll be catching more fish. I promise.
Mark Martin is a touring walleye tournament
pro and instructor with the Ice-Fishing Vacation/
School, who lives in Michigans southwestern Lower Peninsula. For more information about Mark,
the products he uses and the Ice-Fishing Vacation/
School, check out his website at markmartins.net.n
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COTTONTAIL
HUNTING
abbit hunting can get no better than this! When the first
blanket of white snow covers the landscape the hunting
excitement for cottontails is
off the hook hot.
Sometimes you are so busy
shooting, reloading, chasing
critters you work up a sweat,
discard layers of clothing as
the sizzling shooting fun keeps
you warm as toast. First snow
is when you can find more
rabbits out dancing than any
other time of year and they are
easy to spot against the
white background. Try
December hunting and
you will definitely come back for more.
Heres why.
There is something irresistible to
cottontail rabbits when snow covers
the ground. The first snow brings them
out of hiding and they go nuts, leaving zillions of tracks to giveaway their
whereabouts. This is the time of year
when deep snow has not knocked down
tall grass and often bunnies are located
far from their protective holes. Look
for them under overturned tall grass,
on south facing slopes next to trees, in
briar patches, bramble ditch banks or
along creeks, hiding under boughs from
conifer trees and more.
December is the best month to be
afield because long cold winter weather
has not yet trimmed numbers. This is a

time of plenty and some days you can
bag your limit at lightning speed and be
home in time to make rabbit stew for
dinner. Often animals are found hiding
in slim cover, often facing
south to enjoy the mid-day
sunshine. Sure, you will find
plenty in alder patches or thick
cover but dont overlook the
likely hiding cover offered
by grassy fields. Sometimes
rabbit hunting reminds me of
days gone by when we flushed
rooster pheasants along ditch
banks, near cattails, in
grassy spots. This is
best described by the
following anecdote.
White sticky snow crunched beneath
my boots as I neared the tall grass field.
There were bunny tracks everywhere,
under brush, along the creek and many
lead to a grass field still standing tall.
My heart was pounding with excitement as I slipped into the hotspot and
the first cottontail zipped from under
foot and dashed for cover. One shot and
he was down and when I reached for
the prize a second rabbit blasted from
beneath the grassy halo and dashed out
of sight before I could get him in the
sights. Sometimes I had trouble keeping my balance in the grassy maze and
the next critter caught me off guard and
dashed for safety. Just seeing the fast
By Kenny Darwin
22
Cottontails are abundant throughout southern Michigan and hunters can look
forward to fun outings, especially when snow helps shooters to track and
see their target.
Soon as the first snow touches the landscape the author rushes to his favorite rabbit patch and stalks brown huddled forms.
moving target gets my pulse pounding,
my forehead dripping with sweat. When
I removed my hat to wipe my brow another cottontail made a dash for cover. I
dropped my hat, shouldered the Benelli
and dusted the prize as it bounced
through the tall grass. Im sizzling hot
and so are the bunnies! I said to myself
when I tucked the second cottontail in
my game vest. In short order I bagged
my five rabbit limit and was headed for
the truck to get a drink of water.
Tired of being indoors? Got cabin
fever? Maybe you should consider a
rabbit outing with shotgun, .22 rifle,
bow, slingshot, pellet gun or to simply
get out of the house. Southern Michigan
populations are booming and most landowners are willing to give hunting permission to chase cottontails on private
property. For some, rabbit hunting is an
excuse to go outdoors, do some deer or
turkey scouting or simply enjoy Michigans great outdoors in fresh snow.
Rabbit season is open until late
March and you can harvest five per day
and have 10 in possession. Lead or steel
shot can be used and most scattergun
hunters prefer a size 6 shot for bunnies.
If you want to increase the challenge
try stalking critters using a .22 rifle and
catch them sitting for a head shot. If
guns make hunting too easy try your
bow, crossbow, pellet gun or slingshot.
Most hunters use a .410 or 20 ga. loaded
with No. 6 or 7 shot. Improved cylinder is ideal for jump shooting but many
hunters use modified and some prefer
full choke for those long distance shots.
My personal choice is No. 4 shot because I prefer less BBs in the meat and
4s provide more knockdown power, especially if you are shooting long range
or hunting snowshoe hare. One of my
favorite rabbit guns is a Stevens over/
under with .22 rifle on top barrel and
.410 shotgun on the bottom. Ive taken
countless bunnies with this system and
used the shotgun for running shots and
the .22 rifle for sitting animals. The

same gun works great on grouse, squirrel and other small game.
I was brought up hunting bunnies with
my mom Marjorie Darwins .410 single
shot and learned how to take careful
aim before touching the trigger. As a
kid I loved the sport and excitement of
chasing cottontails in Midland County.
Dad would only give me a few shells so
I quickly learned how to stalk rabbits,
catch them hunkered down and shoot
for the black eye. On weekends Id travel to Sanford or Wixom Lake and catch
cottontails tucked around old buildings,
overturned boat docks stacked on shore
and other shelters that offered cover.
Cottontails are certain to get your
adrenalin pumping when they blast out
from underneath cover and zip through
snow like their tail is on fire. Jump
shooting rabbit is fast-paced gunning
action at its finest and certain to keep
you and your companions on your toes.
Often they catch you off guard and blitz
out of sight before you can shoulder
your gun and touch off a shot.
Another strategy is to hunt them
with dogs and take stand at likely travel
corridors or bottlenecks. The sweet music of hounds baying while on the trail
of a hot bunny is what rabbit hunting is
all about. Some hunters allow bunnies
to circle several times before they drop
the quarry. For many hunters the thrill
of the hunt surrounds the fun of a family
pet chasing rabbits. Taking of game is
secondary to love for a good hunting
dog.
One deadly trick is to send family
or friends through the brush and briars
while you take stand near likely dens or
holes. When they jump rabbits the commotion is certain to drive them to the
hunter at the opposite end of the brush
waiting on stand.
You can increase your chances of
Sizzling cottontail hunting page 24
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23
Sizzling Cottontail Hunting:

from page 22
success by jumping rabbits from brush

piles, matted grass or trees and limbs
stacked to make a likely hideout. Some
deer hunters stack limbs when trimming shooting lanes to create rabbit
habitat. Bunnies soon take up residency
under the cover and first snow you can
count on sizzling action when you jump
on brush piles and bunnies come scampering out. Savvy hunters place conifer
boughs over piles to keep snow out and
make a perfect roof to protect rabbits.
I must admit that Ive had my best
luck hunting old homesteads. Those
covered with weeds and briars, especially when highlighted by apple trees.
Bunnies love grown over structures,
farm equipment, rundown buildings
and old chicken coops or corn bins. The
trick is to work each old farm for about
an hour, cover all the brush patches,
and then drive on to another. This brand
of run-n-gun bunny hunting gives you
time to rest between hunts and guarantees you will see more rabbits.
Perhaps the best advice I can give
hunters is to slow down. Too often we
rush through likely hot spots and stomp
past targets tucked in deep. Forget
about lifes hectic problems, relax,
move like a predator, always look
ahead, use a heads up approach and you
will catch escaping bunnies. Try moving about 15 yards and stopping, looking, searching the brush and undercover
24
for brown hair or a black eye. Wait

about a minute, and then repeat the
process. Apparently rabbits that detect
you get all stressed out when you stop,
think they have been detected and they
make a break for it. Rabbits are nervous
animals and the suspense of a stationary hunter nearby causes them to bolt
from cover, offering you a shot.
If I could pick the perfect hunting weather I would ask for a damp
day with fresh snow on the ground. I
love hunting on days when fog hugs
the snow and bunnies come out from
hiding. Dont miss the fun of chasing
rabbits when the sun comes out, wind is
calm and critters are on the move.
Rabbit hunting is an ideal way to
expose youth to hunting. You can teach
them to love hunting if you take the
time to show them tracks in snow, share
with them stalking tactics, teach them
how to move slow and make frequent
stops and help them enjoy the sport.
Stalking rabbits, following their tracks
in snow is certain to keep kids interested and warm. If you teach youth how
to carefully inspect brush and weeds
for brown hidden forms they will be
rewarded with the spectacle of a brown
streak bouncing at lightning speed for
cover. One glimpse of a dashing cottontail will provide an adrenalin rush
that can turn a cold winter day into a
sizzling outdoor adventure.n
Stomping on brush piles and stalking through thick brush and tall grass is
great exercise and a deadly method for jump shooting rabbits...always remember safety first. Kenny Darwin photos
Cover Buck...By Jerry Lambert
The first deer he saw that morning

were three does and a spike. Fifteen
minutes later, he saw the buck of his
dreams 125 yards away. Unfortunately, it went over a hill and quickly
disappeared. That was around 8:15
a.m.
After it went out-of-sight, Cory
started second guessing himself and
kept thinking, What could I had done
to bring him closer.
Forty-five minutes later, a doe ran
towards the hunter and the big buck
was following her. He stopped behind
a tree within shooting distance. When
he stepped out, Cory shot him with his
H&R, .44 mag rifle, dropping the big
buck in his tracks.
Cory says, I was so excited, I
might have jumped out of my treestand, because I do not remember
getting down. (Cory hunts from a 15
foot ladder stand. Warning: do not try
this at home!)
What Cory was so excited to get
his hands on was a tall, thick-antlered,
11-point. It has an inside spread of 17
inches, with the longest tine measuring 10 inches. The green, gross,
Cory Williamson celebrates his birthday with his family and deer hunting. This
year he received a special gift...a record buck 11-point.
Boone & Crockett score is 155 inches.
Quite a birthday present for one happy
29 year old!
When Cory settled down, he took
a picture and sent it home to his wife.
Cory says, My kids are all about
hunting. My little girl, Bryleigh (age
7), literally sat by the door from the
time I sent my wife the picture until
the time I got home with him.
Another great birthday spent hunting and celebrating with family. This
is a tradition that Cory hopes to carry

on for the rest of his life. November is
also the month where we Americans
celebrate Thanksgiving. Cory is very
thankful that his good friend, Andy
Johnson allows him the opportunity to
hunt his property in southern Michigans Cass County. After all, its often
the gratitude of landowners which
allow deer hunters to experience these
memorable days afield.
Happy birthday Cory!n
or many Michigan deer hunters, November 15, is considered a holiday. For some, it is
their absolute favorite holiday. This glorious day is the
much-celebrated opener for
the states firearm deer season. The
anticipation leading up to this climatic
occasion is often compared to that of a
kid on Christmas Eve.
Imagine growing up in a deer
hunting family and having your
birthday on this magical date. Cory
Williamsons birthday is November
15, and this date on the calendar has
always served him well. As a kid, I
always got deer tags, a box of shells,
and an opening day hunt with either
my dad (Larry), or brother (Beau).
Plus, if it was a school day, I got to
play hooky. Thats the best part of my
birthday falling on November 15; it
always revolved around two of my
favorite things, hunting and family!
Corys 2015, birthday will be one
that he will not soon forget. Once
again, he was sitting in a deer stand
waiting for the mythical big buck that
so many of us dream about shooting.
25
BIG BOAR...NOT A BIG BUCK

N
By Jerry Lambert
ineteen-year-old Quinn
Tyson did what a lot of
Michigan college students
do when raised in a hunting
family. He returned to his
home in Mecosta County
for Thanksgiving break and went deer
hunting. Quinn attends Alma College and is a sophomore guard on the
basketball team. Sunday night was going to be his last opportunity to hunt
during the rifle season. Quinn told his
father, Jeff, that he was only going to
shoot if it was a big buck because he
had to return to school the following
morning.
Tyson didnt see his wished for
big buck but never-the-less had a very
exciting evening. I went to one of my
favorite stands next to a huge cattail
marsh. Its been a good spot for big
bucks over the years. The first animal
that I saw was big and black and coming through the marsh. I originally
thought that it was a big buck but
eventually I saw more of it and could
tell that it had a more rounded shape
and wasnt a deer. I then thought that
it was a black bear. Eventually, I could
Quinn Tyson with his big tusk pig he took in Mecosta County.
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tell that it was a big pig. I was really

confused. I thought; why is that on
the property? I remembered reading that the Michigan DNR want all
wild pigs shot, so I knew that I was
legal to shoot it. He looked really big
so I started shaking. I guess it was
pig fever. He walked up out of the
marsh onto a ridge 100 yards away
and I prepared to shoot him. He was
broadside for a second but then turned
and walked quartering away from
me. I tried grunting to make him stop
but he kept moving. I got him into an
opening and took a shot. He kind of
just absorbed the bullet and then went
behind a pine tree. He stood behind
the tree for about thirty seconds and
then walked out all hunched up. I took
a second shot and he dropped to the
ground. I was very excited and called
my dad.
Quinns dad, Jeff was hunting
nearby and said, I was surprised to
hear Quinn shoot because he said
that he was only going to shoot a big
buck. When Quinn called with news
that he had just shot a huge hog I was
as surprised as anyone would be and
wanted to get over to where he was at
and see it.
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Tyson Quinns big boar

weighed nearly 300 lbs.
The hog was indeed big. Jeff

wanted to get it weighed so they took
it to Jeffs uncle who owns MacKersie Brothers Custom Butchering
and Processing to weigh it on a certified scale. After being field dressed
the hog weighed in at 277 pounds
which would likely have had a live
weight exceeding 300 pounds.
Tyson mentioned that despite having trail cameras out on the property
they never knew that the hog was
there. Jeff said, I remember seeing
what looked like possible rooting
in some pine trees but dismissed it
as being turkey scratchings. There
was also a good portion of the corn
field where the stalks were knocked
down but I thought that was probably
caused by raccoons.
Quinns big boar sports some
equally big tusk. Jeff measures the
lower tusk from where they first
come out of the jawline at 4 and 2.5
inches. He says that the lower tusk
each measure around 1.5 inches. Jeff
is a taxidermist and is going to do a
life-size mount of the beast.
Quinn sent photographs to the
mibuckpole facebook page and when
the pics were posted they garnered a

lot of attention. As of December 3,
the posting had received 6,638 likes,
3,947 shares and 715 comments.
According to the Michigan
Department of Resources website it
is estimated that feral swine currently number between 1000 3000.
By the end of 2011, more than 340
feral swine had been spotted in 72 of
Michigans 83 counties, and 286 have
been reported killed.

Jeff called the United States Wildlife Services and they sent biologist
Nate Newman to investigate. Via a
phone conversation, Nate told me,
Quinns boar had very pronounced
top tusk. The largest Ive ever seen in
Michigan. The state has an Invasive
Species Order. You dont even need a
hunting license to kill them. There are
wild pigs scattered across the state
and Im trying to eliminate them. I

have confirmed two wild pigs in Mecosta County in the last week. Feral
swine compete with native wildlife
and can be very damaging to habitat.
They also host many diseases including classic swine fever, pseudorabies,
influenza and brucellosis. If you have
a problem with feral swine please call
Wildlife Services at 517-336-1928.
All reports are investigated.n
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27
Where the pheasant is King!

Sorting South
Dakota
pheasants at
the end of a
very successful hunt for
19 Chevrolet
dealers from
all across the
country. Its
the groups
annual trip to
challenge the
high-flying
wild birds,
known as
the Kings of
South Dakota.
Hard to believe South Dakota until you see it!

Will Michigans hunt ever return to glory days?
By Randy Jorgensen
What if I told you I knew
of a place where you and 19 of
your friends could limit out in
wild pheasants in less than an
hour?
Let's see 20 hunter's bagging 60
wild high flying pheasants?
You'd most likely accuse me of
spinning a tall tale. And had I not seen
it and been part of it I'd feel the same
way.
The sight and sound of hundreds of
wild pheasants flushing and cackling is
far too difficult for this writer to properly describe. I'll just say, "I wish you
were there to see it!"
And it happens that way in South
Dakota, where the pheasant is King.
I was able to witness pheasants busting from cover like startled
starlings due to an invitation from
my friend Bruce Milnes. Bruce is a
longtime car dealer in Imlay City and
Lapeer, we've been

on several hunts
together in the past.
I walked into
his Chevrolet
dealership in Imlay
City and Bruce
greeted me by saying, "I was going
to call you to see if you wanted to go
pheasant hunting in South Dakota? Just
found out there is an opening with my
Twenty-Group. (Bruce belongs to an
association called the Twenty-Group,
all similar-sized dealerships from
across the country. They meet and discuss ideas and business practices a few
times a year and also have some short
fellowship trips, like pheasant hunting.)
"When is it?" I ask.
"Oh, umm, got to be in South Dakota day after tomorrow," Bruce says
chuckling, with an encouraging slap on
the back.
"This spot won't last long, can you
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February 20................................................ Walleye Ice Outing, Lake Erie
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April 16..................................................Spring Walleye, Outing Lake Erie
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May 21 & 22............................Salmon Trolling Tournament, Grand Haven
June 4....................................Salmon Trolling Tournament, Harbor Beach
June 11............................... Special People Outing, Toledo Beach Marina
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August 13..................................... Salmon Trolling Tournament, Manistee
August 27.................................... Salmon Trolling Tournament, Ludington
September 10................... Perch and Walleye Outing, Sterling State Park
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Hunters leave
with a limit of
South Dakota
pheasants.
Bruce Milnes,
(center) with
members of
his Chevrolet
Twenty-Group
are all smiles
as they finish
the last hunt.
small fields, pastures, brushy wetlands

and fence rows to large farms almost
road-to-road with row crops. Modern
fertilizers reduced the need to let fields
lie fallow, and uncultivated grasslands
succeeded into brush and forest lands,
depriving the birds of the nesting,
escape and winter cover they need.
Urbanization removed even more habitat, especially from what were some of
the most productive pheasant hunting
counties, including Wayne and Oakland.
The pheasant population although
once one of the best in the country has
been on a steady decline. DNR biologists, concerned civic organizations
like Pheasants Forever and hunters are
doing what they can to help restore
the pheasant population. And progress
is being made, but it's unlikely pheasant hunting will ever be what it once
was. But with the help of many there is
enough reason to be encouraged.
Even South Dakota must deal
with pheasant population issues. There
were recent years when Mother Nature

dumped too much rain and nesting
severely damaged the population.The
state battles loss of acres in conservation reserve programs and finding
and promoting new programs to keep
improving pheasant habitat.
Brothers Trace and Steve Beck own
the Chevrolet dealership in the state's
capitol of Pierre, they are members
of the Twenty-Group and hosts of the
pheasant hunt over the last few years.
They are fine gentlemen who are
leaders in their community, pheasant
conservation and habitat improvement,
among many other things.
"In 2013 we had a very wet spring,
making nesting difficult for the birds,"
Trace told me.
"Our population suffered and it's
just now recovering to what it was just
a few short years ago. As plentiful as
the birds are today it really doesn't take
much to disturb that balance,
Trace went on to say.
What you see out here in terms
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let me know in an hour?" He continued.

At first I told myself there was no
way, but on second thought, well...why
not!
Within an hour I arranged a flight
to Sioux Falls, packed my gear, hunter
orange cap and shotgun. I was excited
for the invitation and the opportunity.
I suppose many of you remember
the days when the wild pheasant was
King here in the Thumb of Michigan.
Schools closed on pheasant opener in
those days and restaurants were filled
with hunters waiting for the season to
officially open.
It was an economic boom in those
days, there were more pheasant hunters
than you could imagine, Im told. It has
all changed now.
The pheasant population crashed.
The cackling flush of a wild pheasant
became a distant memory.
In an article titled, Can Michigan
restore its pheasant hunting heritage?
Author Bob Gwizdz wrote:
Native to China and introduced into
Michigan in 1885, ring-necked pheasants soon became one of the favorite
game animals here. The first pheasant
season was held in 1925, and by the
1940s, one million birds were being
harvested each year. Between 1940 and
1964, there was only one year (1947)
when Michigan hunters failed to bring
home at least a half-million birds.
What happened was an almost
perfect storm that lead to declining
pheasant populations. The landscape
changed from small family farms with
of pheasant population just doesnt happen, it takes a lot of work on the part of
many people, he commented.
Besides the pheasant, South Dakota
has some of the finest grouse and prairie chicken hunting in the nation. I was
told the mourning dove, sandhill crane
and waterfowl hunting is also pretty
outstanding along the river basin as
well.
I witnessed several rutting mule
deer bucks, whitetail bucks and we saw
a dozen or so antelope. I'm confident
there are many quality hunting opportunities in South Dakota.
With the Missouri River cutting the
state in the middle, walleye, northern
pike, bass and panfish are all spectacular. And that is naming just a few.
South Dakota is a lot more than
you think when it comes to outdoor
pursuits. I'd like to visit its rolling hills,
grasslands and river bottoms once again
real soon, this time maybe I'll see if I
can't help some farmer with a prairie
dog problem. It's on my bucket list!
What do you think Bruce, lets
shoot some prairie dogs in the morning...What do you say?n
29
Gogebic Lake - Super Jumbos...

By Mark Romanack
TEETER
PERCH
The term jumbo doesnt really do
justice to the yellow perch anglers
who fish Gogebic Lake in Michigans
Upper Peninsula target. Recently the
Fishing 411 crew headed north to
sample this unique fishery firsthand.
We discovered that anglers who target perch on Lake Gogebic dont have
to exaggerate because the perch they
catch are impressive by any measure.
ichigan has lots of lakes that

produce noteworthy catches of
perch, but I seriously doubt you
can find a lake that produces bigger perch than Lake Gogebic,
says Fishing 411 TV host Jake
Romanack. Lots of anglers head to Lake Gogebic
not to fill their buckets with perch, but to catch their
personal best.
Most anglers dont think of perch in terms of
trophy status, but then again most anglers have
never seen a true two-pound yellow perch! Obviously not everyone who heads to Lake Gogebic is
going to come home with a true two-pound perch
for the wall, but enough of these fish are taken
every winter that odds are a trip here will produce a
perch worth bragging on for years to come.
ent approach than the typical lake. You can fish a

minnow until youre blue in the face and not get a
quality perch to bite, says local guide Jon Sibley,
www.fishwithguy.com. Ive grown up on the lake
and the way to catch these perch is to offer them
their natural forage. Force feeding these perch minnows just doesnt work here.
The natural forage Sibley is referring to is using
live wigglers for bait. Just using wigglers however
doesnt guarantee fishing success. Wigglers are
the best bait for our perch fishing, but there is more
to the puzzle than just buying wigglers and fishing
them.
The biggest mistake anglers make according to
Sibley is they jig too aggressively and too often.
The big perch arent interested in aggressive
jigging presentations, explains Sibley. To get
the bigger fish to bite requires a technique locally
known as dead sticking or simply letting the wiggler rest motionless most of the time.
Sibley uses rod holders to position his lines and
sonar to monitor fish movements. With my flasher
running I know the instant a fish shows up below
me, says Sibley. When I see a fish on the sonar,
I pick up one of my rods and lightly wiggle the rod
tip just enough to get the wiggler quivering. Sometimes this triggers a strike, but just as often the
strike comes on the nearby dead stick that is sitting
motionless.
Keeping the bait still or using very subtle movePerch fishing on Lake Gogebic requires a differ- ments is the key to getting bites on Lake Gogebic.
lots of walleye that run small in size. This is because the forage base of the lake is a little different
than other lakes in the region. Walleye do well on a
steady diet of mayfly nymphs often called wigglers.
This abundant and protein rich forage helps these
fish grow quickly, but for walleye, once they reach
a certain size a diet of aquatic insects doesnt allow
them to continue growing rapidly.
Walleye in Lake Gogebic struggle to gain size
after they get about 13 to 15 inches in length. The
reason is because the lake doesnt support a solid
population of minnows that are required to help
A good base of operation is a place called Tim- walleye pack on the pounds.
bers Resort, www.thetimbersresort.com, located in
Yellow perch on the other hand do amazingly
Bergland, at the north end of the lake. Owned by
well on a diet made up primarily of aquatic insects
professional angler Tim Long, Tim caters to anglers during the winter and early spring. The lack of minlooking for clean and affordable cabins. Anglers
nows in Lake Gogebic doesnt prevent yellow perch
can literally walk out their cabin door, hop on their from growing rapidly and also growing shoulders.
snow machine or Argo and head right out onto the
These fish spend much of their time on the mid-lake
ice, says Long. A lot of perch and walleye are
mud flats that produce the most abundant numbers
taken on first ice, but hands down the time of year
of mayfly larva.
to visit Gogebic Lake is in March when the teeter
Its interesting to note that perch are not the
perch show up on the flats.
only fish keying on Lake Gogebics abundant
A teeter perch is one whose belly is so big when supply of mayfly larva. White suckers also invade
you set them on the ice they dont teeter over!
the same flats and these blunt nosed fish are very
These pre-spawn perch are feeding heavily prior to efficient at rooting the wigglers out of the muddy
the ice break up, but the forage these perch are after bottom. Schools of yellow perch slip in and clean
might surprise anglers.
up the left overs!
Planning A Trip
30
The author recommends Lake Gogebic for anglers who are looking for trophy perch. This fishery isnt
for the guy looking to fill his freezer with perch fillets, but rather for the angler who is after the fabled
two pound yellow perch! Mark Romanack photos
The Forage Base
Lake Gogebic has a reputation for producing
Catching Is A Little Different
Spreading Out Is Important

Another benefit of the tip-up rig is
it helps anglers spread out their fishing lines so they are targeting more
water. The perch of Lake Gogebic are
constantly wandering the flats. Adult
perch dont show up in huge schools,
but instead travel in smaller pods of
other adult fish. When anglers set up
right next to one another they are effectively competing with themselves
and hurting their ability to find and
catch these perch.

The best strategy is for anglers to
spread out on the flats and cover the
most water possible. Being patient is
also important because essentially the
angler is waiting for fish to appear on
the sonar.
The thing to keep in mind with
Lake Gogebic perch is this is not a
fishery where anglers can come and
fill five-gallon buckets. In fact, the
perch limit on Lake Gogebic is only
25 fish a day and only five fish over
12 inches are allowed in the bag.

Special harvest restrictions were
insisted upon by the local lake association who feared that the jumbo
perch of Lake Gogebic could be
easily over-fished. This unique fishery
survives in part because of its remote
location in the western Upper Peninsula. Just as important however are
the special fishing regulations that
help ensure Lake Gogebics teeter
perch will amaze generations of
anglers for years to come.n
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Most anglers dont think of tipups as a viable way to target perch,

but when set up properly a tip-up
becomes a very productive third line.
On our trip to Lake Gogebic we were
introduced to a new tip up produced
in Wisconsin known as the Bite Me
Tip-Up, www.boxtipups.com.
These box style tip-ups feature
a hyper-sensitive trigger mechanism
and reel. When a fish bites, a counter
balance weight on the trigger mecha-
Gabe VanWormer the videographer and editor of Fishing 411 TV took a break
from his filming chores to enjoy a little perch jerking on Lake Gogebic.
LEFT
Perch Fishing With Tip-Ups
nism allows the tip-up to function

with zero resistance. Once tripped,
line plays off the reel smoothly so the
fish has no clue that it is swimming
away with a hook in its mouth!
The box design also keeps snow
from blowing into the hole and these
tip-ups can also be heated by using a
single charcoal briquette to prevent
ice from forming in the hole.
The final piece of the puzzle when
targeting perch and other light biting
fish with the Bite Me Tip-up is using
ultra-light line and also very small
treble hooks at the terminal end. For
our perch fishing we were using No.
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size shot possible to sink our wigglers
to depth.
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Seeing those bites requires another

critical piece of equipment known as
a spring bobber.
Lake Gogebic perch bite so
lightly you cant tight line these fish
and feel the bite, warns Sibley. It
takes a spring bobber to consistently
detect bites.
Light line is also a must for targeting these super tanker perch. One
and two-pound test monofilament
and fluorocarbon lines are necessary
to generate the maximum number
of bites. It also helps to fish the
maximum number of lines allowed in
Michigan which means fishing two
traditional jigging sticks set up on rod
holders and a tip-up as a third line.
31
Get Out And Enjoy Michigans Frozen Waters...By Robert Dock Stupp
Ice fishings practical trends and tactics

I
Pounding/Cadence
and The Knot
ce fishing is getting more and

more popular with the advent of
lighter, warmer clothing, easier
and quicker modes of transportation, more mobile and easier
ways to set up ice shacks, and
of course, all the accurate fish finders,
underwater cameras, and GPS devises
available to modern Michigans ice
angler. Now to fine-tune a few things!
I thought I was pretty good at jigging a jig. One day I went ice fishing
with two Yoopers, a father and son
team from Crystal Falls. Long story
short, we were fishing for perch at first
ice in 30-feet of clear water during the
day. Ray Kauffman and I were fishing
in a small area, while Mark, Rays
son, was moving from hole to hole.
Mark, respecting seniority, drilled all
30-plus holes.
After jigging up and down, jiggling and pounding the bottom of
the lake, Ray and I caught a few nice
perch. Mark, on the other hand, was
icing perch after perch. This called
for further observation. First, he was
using an old plastic reel, taking the
line off the reel by hand, avoiding any
line twist. He watched his garage-sale
locator very carefully, finally hitting
bottom and lifting up and down a
few times. But, heres where the skill
comes in; jigging by lifting the rod up
and down was only the first part of his
presentation.
Mark, by using his wrist, was
making short, vibrating strokes as
if he were a nervous wreck and his
hands were shaking. Sitting right next
to him now, I watched how he replicated the rapid kicking, vibrating life
of real aqua-prey. He made that jig
head dance, in place, with extremely
short, quick movements.
What Mark was doing, all on his
own, I came to know after reading a
few ice fishing magazines, was using
a current style or trend towards the
Genz Pound. Dave Genz is well
known as the modern ice fishing guru.
Next comes the fine tuning.
the fish eats it.

On some days when the fish are
not real aggressive, slow the cadence
down. This might prove to be a better
idea than changing baits to a different
color or size. Yep, its still a process of
elimination until we get it right. And
hey, maybe its the knot.
Knot Positioning
Ice fishing is paying attention to

details. For the best results, Genz has
found that a smaller, but heavier jig
Cadence is the fine tuning tactic,
basically, of how the bait moves, how like a tungsten jig but with a biggersized hook with a wider gap will
fast or slow should the angler go,
simply hold plastics better or several
or what kind of feeling it gives off.
waxworms, for example, but they
When I started practicing the pound,
will drop through weeds quicker and
it was natural for me to stop poundeasier.
ing when I saw the fish right next to
The correct knot on Genzs Dropmy jig and waxworm on my locator.
Wrong! The correct way is to keep the Kick Jig, for example, is to keep the
cadence moving so the fish keep com- jig in a horizontal position. This is
ing and chasing the presentation until important because a horizontal jig re-
Cadence
32
The author caught these perch by fishing on a cloudy day at first ice. He
used an orange tungsten jig with a crystal placed on the head of the jig. He
tipped with several waxworms; the presentation slid right through the green
weeds. Mark Kauffman photo
acts better with the pounding method.
So swivel the knot around so it points
toward the hook point, and check it
after each catch. You can then pound
with a kick, and youll get a kick
out of the numbers and the quality of
fish you catch! To add to your success, lets go fishing by observing the
weather too.
Winter Weather Trends
and the daily times that the moon rises

or sets, giving me a good idea of when
fish are most active that day. Yes, I
like to pay attention to major and minor periods so I can plan my day.
But, it is a good idea to always
remember that local weather trumps
the moon phases.
A common sense way to judge
if the day will be in a fishermans
favor or not is to simply look out your
window to see if it is cloudy or not.
Fishermen have known for centuries
that fish behavior is most likely a
matter of light or the lack of it. Water
temperature, clarity, and current also
play a small role.
Ice fishing is also affected by
snow or the lack of it, because it
determines the amount of light both
predator and prey fish like to operate
in.
Try this experiment: if the ice is
patchy or it has areas of clear ice and
patches where snow has adhered to
the ice, set up your shack over the
snowy patches. You might surprise
your fishing buddies.
To add to your knowledge of
weather patterns, lets listen to what
Tony Boshold, legendary ice angler
and winner of national and international tournaments, has to say. He
discovered what he calls his 3-2
winter rule. He says that what winter
weather lacks in stability, it usually
offsets it with its near-predictability
of its fronts. Especially during first
ice, you can pretty much count on a
front moving through after 3 days of
stable good fishing days. Boshold then
goes on to say that his journals show
an unbelievably accurate pattern of 3
days of stability followed by 2 days
of fronts. His records have proven to
be quite accurate. Planning trips then
becomes an easier process.
So what else can we glean from
our discussion?
Get in front of a front! We have
heard this statement before, but perhaps we should add that some fantastic fishing also occurs right in the
middle of a snow storm. Many anglers
and guides like Minnesota guide and
elite angler Tony Roach, who says that
a falling barometer may account for
the excellent fishing but what makes
more sense is that fish feed more efficiently under semi-dark conditions
and heavily clouded skies. Something
to ponder!
Bright bluebird days, to me, are

often, not so good fishing days. Perhaps a smart thing to do is to hunker
down on these days, staying put and
experimenting with different baits
and tactics on negative or neutral fish.
Then, if you can trigger these fish, you
have just became a better angler.
For years I have paid attention to
the moon and the Solunar Tables; I
have a calendar which shows me the
When should you move and when
times of the full and new moon phases should you stay?
Trending Towards
Move and Switch
Reward in wolf poaching case
Experience and listening to savvy

anglers has taught me this: if you are
on a spot and havent seen any fish
on your locator or even had a nibble
in an hour, its time to move. A good
activity level is to at least see a fish
on your locator at least once every 15
minutes.
The modern ice angler is now
very mobile with modes of transportation like snowmobiles, ATVs,
4-wheel drive trucks when the ice is
thick enough, and those tank treads
that attach to a truck shell. Wow! And
hey, a few of us still walk and pull
a portable shack. No excuse for not
moving. Go where the fish are!
Switching tactics is fun and very
practical; to be able to search and find
a successful method with the plethora
of lures on the market is much easier.
We have much smaller but heavier
jigs with the advent of tungsten jigs.
The use of chains dangling under
spoons with hooks attached, sparkly
widgets to attract and trigger bites,
and the use of soft plastics with artificial but lifelike tails, bugs, and minnow-like lures are fun to experiment
with. And with the scented baits, ice
fishing has become as interesting and
satisfying as any video games on the
market.
Now lets add some new toys.
Besides the continuing improvements
to flasher sonar technology and GPS
devices, of particular interest to me
are the advancements of underwater
cameras. The older models I have
used were heavy and bulky. Also, I
had to twist the cable and clamp it
down to stay on the bait.
Today, with cameras that are so
light, accurate, and portable that you
can put them in your pocket, it easily
opens up the mysteries of the underwater world for all ice anglers to see.
Its just plain awesome!
Get out and enjoy Michigans
frozen inland lakes, Great Lakes, and
rivers.
Sources; Ice Team --2015 2016
Ice Annual Magazine, Jig With A
Kick, by Mark Strand (featuring
Dave Genz). The In-Fisherman 2016 Ice Fishing Guide, Checkmate
Boshold, by Steve Ryan.n
RANDYS HUNTING CENTER INC.
721 E. Huron Ave. Bad Axe, MI 48413

Phone (989) 269-4867 Fax (989) 269-2157
Mark Kauffman Of
Crystal Falls, caught
this perch and many
more by drilling lots
of holes immediately
and systematically
hole-hoping to stay
on fresh fish. Author
photo
The MDNR is offering a Report All Poaching (RAP) reward for information
leading to the arrest and conviction of the individual who shot a gray wolf in
Houghton County Saturday. The shooting took place along M-26, one half-mile
south of Twin Lakes. DNR conservation officers said the shooters vehicle would
have been parked along the west shoulder of M-26, heading southwest. The shooting took place sometime between the hours of 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. EST.
The subject shot from the vehicle and struck the wolf as it was standing on
the snowmobile trail (Trail No. 3) to the west of the highway, said Sgt. Grant Emery of the DNRs Baraga Field Office.
Gray wolves are a federally endangered species and are protected in Michigan.
Wolves cannot legally be killed except in the defense of human life.
The maximum penalty for poaching a wolf is 90 days in jail or a fine of up to
$1,000, or both, plus reimbursement of $1,500 to the state for the animal. Poaching convictions also usually include a suspension of hunting privileges for a period
of four years.
Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the Marquette DNR
District Office at 906-228-6561 or the Report All Poaching line at 1-800-292-7800.
All information provided is confidential.
For more information about gray wolves in Michigan, visit the DNRs webpage
at: www.michigan.gov/wolves.
33
Bear versus deer at bait
that was also being visited by a pair of

bruins. Deer and bear were feeding at
different times, basically avoiding one
another. Most often the bears didnt
arrive at my brothers bait until well
after dark.
But one of the bears decided it
wanted to eat an hour before dark
on October 20. Bruce tried to scare
the bruin away, concerned that its
presence would discourage deer
from coming in to feed. The bear
left grudgingly, but soon returned,
so Bruce scared it away a
second time.
Bruce saw the bear a
third time before dark along
the edge of a nearby swamp.
A trail camera at that location showed that the bear
returned to the bait not long
after Bruce left.
I tried to start a deer bait
at a third location in
Keweenaw County
during October, but
gave up when a camera placed there
captured photos of three bears and one
deer. One of the bears tried to eat that
One of two trail cam photos where two different bears are at two different
camera.
deer baits in Keweenaw County on Nov. 30. Authors trail cam photo
So I was pleased that I didnt
have any bears on the deer bait I was
wasnt using it. Perhaps she knew the
hunting. That is until November 8. A
bear was handicapped and would not
doe was feeding at the bait about 5:00 be able to catch her.
p.m. when I saw a bear approaching
The bear had her nervous though.
from a nearby creek. The doe stopped She turned her back on the bear when
eating and stared at the black animal
she was closest to the animal as it bit
as it approached. When the bear got
down on an apple, making a crunchtoo close, the doe turned and ran to
ing sound. Upon hearing that sound,
the left with its white tail up to signal she quick-stepped away from him
its alarm.
as though she was concerned about
$$$
E
W
V
I figured that was the last time
O
him trying to catch her. The doe went
SAOK N LL
BO R FA
I
was
going
to
see
that
deer
or
any
out of sight not long after that and I
FO
6
$
others that evening. That didnt prove thought she might be gone.
201
to be the case. As soon as the bear
Then I saw the bear make a sudreached the corn, it laid down and
den short dash to the left. I wasnt
Youth & Doe Hunts
started eating. After eating for a while, sure what that was about until the doe
it started staring at something behind circled back under the stand from that
No License Required
me. I followed the bears gaze as it
direction. The bear apparently made
Relaxing Luxury Accommodations
watched something approaching. I
a rush at her. I saw the bear make
was wondering if it might be a buck
moves toward her two more times,
that had been behind the doe.
but he never came close to catching
The bear was watching the doe. She
her.
eventually worked her way underThe bear ate most of the corn and
No Wait neath my ladder stand and came out
apples and he left in the direction the
in front of it. She watched the bear
doe had gone about 6:00 p.m. There
Lets Go Hunting
intently as she moved back and forth, were plenty of apple trees in the
flicking her tail now and then and
direction he went. Perhaps hes eaten
bobbing her head. She obviously did
apples in the orchard before.
not like the bear eating the corn that
Both Bruce and I had bears visitshe thought was hers. Perhaps she
ing our deer baits right up until the
thought her presence might intimidate last day of gun deer season. One day,
the bear and cause it to leave. That
we saw four different bear tracks in
wasnt happening.
the snow. There was an abundant
I was surprised the deer did not
acorn crop in the areas we were huntsnort or blow at the bear. Nor did
ing. It isnt unusual for some bears
she stomp a front foot. The doe got
to delay denning, especially males,
to
within
10
yards
of
the
bear
at
one
to take advantage of a bumper crop
7431 Dickerson Rd., Manton, Michigan 49663
point
as
it
remained
lying
by
the
corn.
of natural food. While they remain
269.624.2230-office 269.217.1487-cell
She might have been in trouble if the actively feeding, its obviously not
hopkinscreekwhitetails.com
bear had four good legs. The males
unusual for them to take advantage of
left front leg was injured and he
deer baits, too.n
ne of the things I like about

hunting is you never know
what you are going to see in
terms of wildlife. You could
see the critters you are after
or something entirely different. I really like it when I get to
observe unusual wildlife behavior and
that happened on the evening of November 8 while bowhunting for deer
over bait in Keweenaw County.
I got to see an interesting interaction between a whitetail deer and
black bear.
The bait I was hunting
over consisted of corn and
apples put out for deer that I
had been maintaining during
most of October. I had seen a
number of deer while hunting the spot, including half
a dozen yearling bucks and
one that was much bigger
and older. Based
on scouting camera
photos at that bait,
deer were the only animals taking
advantage of the bait.
Most UP bears are denned by
November, but my brother Bruce was
hunting a deer bait several miles away
By Richard P. Smith
Michigan Deer hunting

Whitetails for all budgets!
Trophy Hunts
starting at 1500
34
35
Not Sure Im A Good-Enough Driver To Pull A House On Wheels...
Michigan Meanders: Seasonal Memories
lthough it seems like a clich anymore, the year gone

by was one of the strangest ever. For the first time
our lawn stayed green all
summer thanks to plenty of
rain. The wild turkeys rarely gobbled
last spring, andas I write this the
day after Thanksgivingthe bucks
are no-shows so far this deer hunting
season. In June a tornado destroyed
our church. Still, there is much to be
thankful for: a year of good health,
a productive garden, and fun times
outdoors, especially during this finest
of fall seasons. These, then, are the
memorable events of 2015:
WINTER
My wife insists this will be the

Year of the Big Travel Trailer, and
so our family is off to Grand Rapids
in January for the annual camper,
travel and RV show. I do not share
her enthusiasm, unsure that Im a
good-enough driver to pull a house on
wheels and doubtful we can afford it
in the first place. But there they are
at DeVos Place, hundreds of big-boy
toys from those egg-shaped,

retro-style trailers of the
1950s to monstrous Class
A diesel pushers that get a
whopping six miles per gallon.
We settle on a sleek towable, a 38-foot Open Range
model made by Highland.
This trailer has all the
bells and whistles
three slide-outs, inside
and outside showers, an island in the
kitchen, bunkhouse in back for the
kids, outdoor convenience center with
satellite TV hookup, and other musthave amenities. The kids are wild
with excitement, and Moms dream
has come true. I, too, am optimistic
although I wince at paying more than
a thousand dollars per foot for a recreational vehicle with no engine. This
reluctance, however, I cannot help; the
grandson of Swiss immigrants, I am
just being true to the law of my blood.
Any buyers remorse, though, is
fleeting upon realizing I dont have
to haul the trailer home on snowplugged roads. With financial affairs
in place through the dealer,

we arrange for delivery in
late March, just in time for
the kids spring break from
school. Then its off to gather
a bag of FREE brochures
and other information from
campground vendors in the
show.
Back home during one of the coldest
winters I can recall, I
mark five dates on the calendar when
the temperature plunges to 18 degrees
below zero. Like everyone else, we
count down the days to spring.
By Tom Huggler
SPRING
The appointed day for delivery

arrives, and the driver waits with
our trailer on the highway, uncertain
about turning into our long, sinuous
driveway. I have already trimmed the
branches along the drive to ensure the
11-foot-high trailer can clear them.
An S curve near the house, however,
is another obstacle because I remember the day a semi-truck and trailer
got stuck in that curve and had to
Rob Shalvis
stnllc2012@gmail.com
Shalvis Taxidermy North

ARMADA
3rd Generation
FULL TIME Taxidermist
with 38 Years Experience

(over 6000+ Whitetail Mounts)
36
be pulled out by a neighbors 4WD

tractor with dual tires. So I escort the
driver through the tight spot but now
what? He cannot turn around without
taking out the light posts that flank our
front lawn.
We solve the problem by having him drive all the way around our
house. True, the soft lawn will suffer
tire ruts for months, but his truck and
our trailer are now aligned for exit
down the drive. I hope these are not
coming attractions for more trailer
trouble.
All goes well, however, on the
maiden voyage to the campground at
Soaring Eagle Casino in Mt. Pleasant. With the trailer attached to my
pickup truck, we are almost as long as
the cross-country truckers roaring past
while we creep along in the slow lane.
Back home I manage to negotiate our
tricky drive while making a new set of
tire tracks in the lawn.
Success comes in other forms this
spring. While camping at an RV park
near Middleville, I spot a pair of redheaded woodpeckersI had not seen
this bird for at least 20 yearsand
All Mounts Are

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We Use Only Competition
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We are now doing Camo Dipping of

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bag a big gobbler while hunting in

Presque Isle County. Several friends
show up one Saturday to help me
burn my fields of native grass and
wildflowers, a management prescription I have delayed for too many
years. All is well.
SUMMER
Summer is fair time when you

have kids enrolled in 4-H. We decide to take the trailer to the county
fairgrounds and live out of it for the
whole week. Campground space,
however, is at a premium, and so
we are assigned a spot and a time
to show up. Today I will learn an
expensive lesson: Never be in a
hurry when you are pulling a trailer
of any length, let alone one bigger
than the garage. In my haste I turn
too quickly onto the highway, and the
rear corner of the trailer catches the
farm gate at the end of our drive.
What appears to be cosmetic
damage will cost the insurance company almost four grand after my $500
deductible. Ouch!
Back home the chickens are
laying eggs and the garden is coming into production thanks to regular
rainfall. Overall, the summer is so
pleasant we forego the air conditioning, both at home and during forays
with the trailer. Those road trips take

us to Gladwin County a few times
and to Mackinaw City to camp with
friends. Along the way, Im learning
to turn wide and to pay heed to my
wife, the official spotter when backing up is required.
FALL
The hardwoods are reluctant to

change their wardrobe this fall; when
they finally do, pageantry unfolds and
then disrobes. Our annual bird hunting camp in the U.P. starts slowly and
ends well as we figure out where the
grouse and woodcock are this year.
Back home a neighbor claims he
saw a mountain lion cross the gravel
road and enter the woods behind our
house. If true, I wonder why my trail
camera didnt pick him up. On the
other hand, it has also failed to detect
any bucks big enough to shoot.
We enjoy a final camping trip
with the trailer over Labor Day weekend and then have it repaired and
winterized and stored for the season
in the barn of a local farmer. In all,
we have logged 1,800 miles without
leaving Lower Michigan or running
off the road. Even though I am now
a veteran of big-rig driving, I have
no desire to become a long-distance
trucker.n
UP's Becoming an
Outdoors Woman
set for February
The MDNR announced today registration is open for this winters Becoming
an Outdoors Woman (BOW) program,
which is set for Feb. 26-28 in Marquette County.
This winter will mark the 16th annual winter BOW gathering for women,
18 and older, who are seeking an opportunity to improve their outdoor skills
in a relaxed, noncompetitive atmosphere.
Registration for this popular program is already filling up fast, said
Sharon Pitz, BOW program coordinator in Marquette.
Typically, about 80 women attend the weekends activities.
The BOW program is sponsored by the DNR and offers instruction in
more than a dozen different types of indoor and outdoor activities, including
cross-country skiing, archery, winter shelter building, ice fishing, fly tying,
wilderness first aid, wood burning and more.
Instructors provide basic and advanced teaching that is tailored to each
participant's individual ability. The program also includes special evening
programs during the weekend.
BOW participants stay and take their classes at the Bay Cliff Health
Camp, a universally accessible facility overlooking Lake Superior, which is
situated about 30 miles north of Marquette near Big Bay.
Participants will be housed in a dorm-style facility with amenities including a sauna and hiking trails with access to northern hardwood forests and
Lake Superior.
The $185 registration fee includes all food and lodging, as well as most
equipment and supplies, except as noted in the registration materials. Scholarships are also available on a limited basis.
Class information and registration materials are available online at www.
michigan.gov/bow. Registration fee payments may be made online through
the websites E-store.
For more information on the winter BOW program, contact Sharon Pitz at
the DNR office in Marquette at 906-228-6561 or by e-mail at pitzs@michigan.gov.
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37
Outdoor Safety And First Aid: And The Hat Mom Told You To Wear...
Heat loss mechanisms
hether youre spending the night in a snow

cave, heading out on a
multi-day ski tour, ice
fishing dawn to dusk, or
just walking a few hundred yards to shovel snow
off the cabin roof, heat loss
prevention is a necessity for
outdoor comfort, safety and
sometimes survival. Understanding the mechanisms
of heat loss is really rather
basic, but often ignored. And
that is when bad things happen. Nature is always seeking a balance,
sometimes at our
expense. All that
expensive and colorful winter clothing
wont do a darn thing for comfort or
survival without having awareness of
heat loss mechanisms, and clues to the
onset of hypothermia.
There are four basic mechanism of
heat loss. Understanding and respecting those basics add to winter fun and
decrease the chances of becoming a
statistic. Keep in mind that energy
(heat) flows from warm objects to
colder objects. Mom knew that years

ago when she told you to put your
hat on! Thats even more important
now as some of us age and show bald
spots on top, that includes me; but hat
wearing may not be as important as
the myth mom perpetuated.
But one fact is clear: A hat
does not make you warm, but
a hat does keep heat in.
Technically, there is no
such thing as cold. The folks
at Northwest River Supply in
Idaho, paddling adventurers
that celebrate the wilder side
of winter and love to paddle
in less than
ideal conditions
define cold this
way, Cold is simply a lack or deficit
of heat, relative to the norm. Simple
and to the point. And correct. And
lest we forget, our average body core
temperate is 37 degrees Celsius in
most of the world, here in the United
States we call it 98.6 Fahrenheit.
When you understand the effects of
cold on the body, and how the body
responds to that cold, you are far more
prepared to stay comfortable - with or
By Jonathan Schechter
38
without expensive gear - and if necessary make rapid life-saving decisions,

for yourself or for your winter adventure companions.
colder than the body temperature. This

is especially critical in water since
the body loses heat about 25 times
faster in water than in air of the same
temperature.
HEAT LOSS
MECHANISMS SIMPLIFED Evaporation:
Hike with too many layers on in
winter
and you sweat. Chop wood all
Radiation:
afternoon and you sweat. And when
Radiation can be good on a winter

adventure. The heat absorbed from
the warmth of a bonfire is radiant
heat. The sun shining on your face is
warmth by radiation. And the heat
generated from within the body that
is given off to the surrounding atmosphere is radiant heat. Dont forget
moms cap and then read on to the end
for myth busting.
Conduction:
If an ice fisher breaks through the

ice and gets soaked he or she is in a
heap of trouble due to conduction, hat
or no hat. The body conducts heat
to whatever the skin comes in direct
contact with, be it a snow bank, a cold
car seat or water. Conductive heat
loss occurs when the skin is subjected
to air or water or objects that are
you sweat or when your skin or clothing gets wet, the evaporation of that
liquid accelerates heat loss. The natural result is cooling via evaporation
which is perfect in the summer if you
stay hydrated, but in winter months it
may be an accelerant towards disaster.
It should go without saying that one
should not climb into a winter sleeping bag soaked in sweat.
Convection:
Convection can be an insidious,

slow and hard to detect process, or
it can accelerate with lighting speed.
Essentially its the process of air or
water flowing by the skin and carrying away body heat. The process
can accelerate from a simple cool
breeze making you feel cold when not
properly attired. Sometimes it leads

to life-threatening severe hypothermia. Suddenly someone says, Look
at Joe, hes stumbling and mumbling
and acting really weird, one warning
of hypothermia. Wilderness medical
professionals define hypothermia this
way, Hypothermia is the lowering
of the bodys core temperature to a
level where normal brain function
and muscle functions are impaired.
If an ice fisher breaks through into
the murky cold depths, hypothermia
has a rapid onset. And if the victim
struggles in the water the hypothermic process accelerates for when
flailing around the layer of water
immediately against your skin is disturbed and that increases heat loss.
The process of getting in trouble
in winter cold really boils down to the
basics for the human body is always
attempting to maintain a constant
core temperature (Homeostasis)
through a balance of heat loss and
heat gain. Body heat may be normally gained through a great variety
of outdoor activities including hiking,
cross country skiing, wood chopping
or even eating and sitting by a fire
and can be retained by proper gear,
simple or fancy. And when it comes
to dressing for cold weather, the hat
GHT
Dont Miss It!
may not be as critical as mom lead

us to believe. I did a science-based
Internet search on the hat FACT
that most of our body heat is lost
through the head. Guess what? Its
not accurate.
EPILOGUE: HEAT LOSS

THROUGH THE HEAD?
Closer inspection of heat loss

in the hatless reveals the claim to
be nonsense, say some scientists
and wilderness medical professionals. The myth likely was spawned
through a flawed interpretation of a
vaguely scientific experiment by
the US military in the 1950s. In those
studies, volunteers were dressed in
Arctic survival suits and exposed to
bitterly cold conditions. Because it
was the only part of their bodies left
uncovered, most of their heat was
lost through their heads. And a US
Army Survival Manual from 1970
states 40 to 45 percent of body heat
is lost from the head. Heck, mom
told me 90%!
The real reason we lose heat
through our head is because most of
the time when were outside in the
cold, were clothed, says Richard
Ingebretsen, MD, PhD, an adjunct in-
The author is dressed with a hat to ward off of heat loss; and was rewarded
with one smelt. Jonathan Schechter photos
structor in the department of internal
medicine at the University of Utah
School of Medicine. If you dont
have a hat on, you lose heat through
your head, just as you would lose heat
through your legs if you were wearing shorts.
I will add this, wear your hat
and make mom proud. Here is why.
When the head is exposed and allowed to get cold and the body is well
insulated, the bodys core temperature
still drops more rapidly than most
people would expect. The reason
may be that the scalp contains lots of
blood vessels that are just beneath the
surface of the skin. If you are dressed

in warm clothes without a hat, the
cold air or wet snow cools the hot
blood flowing from your warm body
as it passes just under the scalp. And
then this relatively cool blood travels
back through the body cooling it as it
circulates. And keep your pants on
too like the professor said and enjoy
the wilder side of winter in the woods
of Michigan.
Jonathan Schechter is a naturalist/
paramedic in Brandon Township and
an active member of the Wilderness
Medical Society. Email: oaknature@
aol.comn
FR NT SIGHT
Dont Miss It!
Friday, February 26th, 2016
37th
Annual
al
36th Annual
Awards
&
Hunters
Hunter
Awards & Hunters
Convention
tion
Convention
2:00 - 10:00 p.m.
$5.00 Admission
Outfitters, Exhibitors, Awards and Auction
Saturday, February 27th, 2016
Outfitters, Exhibitors, Banquet and Auction
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

5:00 - 6:00 p.m.
6:00 - Close
Registration
Dinner
Live Auction
(Dinner Reservation Required)

For more information, contact Joe Mulders: (989) 450-8727
Partial list of live auction items:
Biggest
Our
Ever!
Our Biggest
Biggest Ever!
Check our Award Winning Website at: wwww.midmichigansci.org
Leuenberger/Iskut River Outfitters Ltd.

Mid Michigan SCI auction items
ten day mountain goat hunt for one
Fish Hunt Charters-David James
salmon fishing on Lk MI for up to 4
Captain Jeff Harrison of Burch Tank
sailing trip aboard the 2 mast sailing ship[ for 2-3 people
Froling Farms, Roger and Sherri Froling Zulu Nyala -6 days/nights photo safari for 2
one or two day spring turkey hunt
Wycon Safari, Inc., Wynn Condict Hidden Horns Game Ranch, Brent Fisk 3 day mgt. whitetail deer hunt
3 day antelope hunt 70 SCI scoring and up
Captain Jeff Harrison of Burch Tank
Zulu Nyala -6 day/night photo safari for 2
sailing trip aboard 45 ft. 2 mast sailing ship
Jim Walker -1/2 day small mouth bass trip for one
Wycon Safari, Inc., Wynn Condict unguided 5 day archery elk hunt
Caza Pampa, Luis Managanaro -5 day hunt for
Soaring Eagle Casino 6800 Soaring Eagle Blvd.
two hunters-red stag, water buffalo, and sheep
180 Outdoors, LLC, Matt Wonser -3 day predator hunt for coyotes
Jessie James Outfitting, - archery elk hunt for one
Campeau Guiding, Alvin Campeau 3 day one person coyote hunt
Mt. Pleasant, Michigan
Hepburn Lake Lodges, Arlee Thideman Johann Combrink of Numzaan Safaris
one Nyala each for 2 hunters
5 day black bear hunt/fishing
merica,
Outfitters from North and South America, Africa, Europe,
Africa,
Asia,
Euro
180 Outdoors, LLC, Matt Wonser 5 day whitetail deer hunt for one
Johan Pieterse Safaris 7 day hunt for 2
Outfitters from
North
andand
South
America, Africa,
d
Australia
New
Zealand
Australia
Wild Spirit Guide Service, Dan Kirschner
Campeau Guiding, Mike Campeau
5 day hunt for whitetail deer for one
seven day bobcat or bear hunt with hounds
Europe, Asia, New Zealand, and Australia
Campeau Guiding,
Alvin Campeau -5 day whitetail deer
trophy hunt
Froling Farms, Roger and Sherri Froling
ngs
Trophy Animal Displays
Carvings Artwork
Artwork
Paintings
Pa
Guiding, Alvin Campeau -5 day whitetail deer trophy hunt
one or two day early youth deer hunt
rips
Game Displays
Hunts
Fishing
Trips Guns
Guns
Auctions
CampeauAucti
TrophyBig
Animal
Carvings
Artwork
Paintings
Leuenbergers Baldy Mountain Outfitters Lows Trophy Whitetail, Leon Low
hibitors
Exhibitors
9 day rifle RUT elk and black bear/wolf hunt
3 day hunt for trophy whitetail up to 165
Big Game Hunts Games
Fishing
Trips Guns Auctions
Windy Ridge Outfitting, Nick Boley
Jim Walker -1/2 day small mouth bass fishing for one
by:
Sponsored
by:
Games
Exhibitors
six day whitetail deer hunt for one
Johan Pieterse Safaris -7 day plain game hunt for 2 hunters
Club
International
Safari
Club International
higan
Chapter
Mid-Michigan
Chapter
Sam
Soet carved wood skull w/antlers/horns you supply
Froling
Farms,
Roger
and
Sherri
Froling
Sponsored by
one day hunt for 2 yr. old Buffalo Bull
Safari Club International
Friday & Saturday,
ruary
Friday & Saturday, February 27 & 28,27
2015
&
February
26 6800
& 27th,
2016
00
Soaring
Eagle Casino
Soaring
Soaring Eagle
Blvd.
Michigan
Mt. Pleasant, Michigan
Now
Entertainmen
with more room in the Entertainment Hall!
Now with more room in the Entertainment Hall!
Mid-Michigan Chapter
Page 6
Ea
AUCTION ITEMS MAY CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE
www.midmichigansci.org
28
39
Create Fishing Opportunities Throughout Michigan...
State rears and stocks muskellunge
he DNR recently stocked 27,449 muskellunge fingerlings into 17 water bodies located throughout the state, in an effort to further
enhance Michigans world-class fisheries.
Michigan is home to two strains of naturally producing muskellunge: Great Lakes
and northern. The DNR has reared muskellunge in
its hatcheries since the 1950s. While the hatchery
program initially focused on the northern muskellunge strain, it has shifted focus in recent years to
the Great Lakes strain, as it is native to Michigan
and widely distributed in water bodies throughout
the Lower Peninsula and eastern region of the Upper
Peninsula.
Since 2011 the DNR has collected eggs and milt
(sperm) from adult muskellunge in the Lake St.
Clair/Detroit River system. The offspring then are
reared at Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery in Mattawan. This hatchery is the only facility in the state
currently capable of rearing this species. After hatching, the muskellunge are started in hatchery tanks
and then transferred to outside ponds after a few
months for grow-out.
Historically, muskellunge were reared by stocking fry in ponds and allowing them to grow by eating
natural food, similar to how the DNR currently rears
walleye. Because of the highly cannibalistic nature
of muskellunge, the success of these rearing efforts
was highly variable and often produced low num-
bers. Current rearing efforts at Wolf Lake State Fish

Hatchery produce a much higher survival rate and
more stable, predictable production.
Were making great headway in our efforts
to increase muskellunge fishing opportunities for
anglers, said DNR fisheries biologist Matt Hughes,
who oversees the rearing program at Wolf Lake State
Fish Hatchery. With time and experience, weve
stabilized and increased production so more and
more water bodies can be stocked.
Due to extremely high survival during early rearing stages, an additional 79,948 fish averaging 1.3
inches in length were stocked in early July. Ottawa
Countys Lake Macatawa received 49,972 fish, and
Mona Lake in Muskegon County received 29,976
fish. These fish were surplus due to limited rearing
capacity.
An additional 1,500 northern strain muskellunge
were stocked in Bankson Lake (Van Buren County434 fish), Eagle Lake (Kalamazoo County-142 fish),
Lake Hudson (Lenawee County- 502 fish) and Long
Lake (St. Joseph County- 422 fish). These fish came
from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources as part of a cooperative agreement to trade Great
Lakes strain muskellunge for northern strain muskellunge.
For more information on the DNRs fish-stocking efforts, check out the Fish Stocking Database at
www.michigandnr.com/fishstock/.n
Water Bodies Stocked This Fall

With 9-Inch-Long Muskellunge
Water Body
County Stocked
Austin Lake
Dana Lake
Grand River
Kalamazoo
Delta
Ottawa
Grand River
Ottawa
Hamlin Lake
Kingston Lake
Lake Besser
Lake Diane
McKeever Lake
Muskegon Lake
Otsego Lake
Round Lake
Sanford Lake
Secord Lake
Smallwood Lake
Teal Lake
Mason
Alger
Alpena
Hillsdale
Schoolcraft
Muskegon
Otsego
Van Buren
Midland
Gladwin
Gladwin
Marquette
(120th Street)
(Indian Channel)
1,450
147
687
813
Thornapple Lake Barry
7,671
150
588
425
210
6,225
2,958
280
1,875
1,223
348
699
1,700
Total: 27,449
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Id want to shoot my custom rifle at the range, and hunt with it too...
Gun Chat: Custom Rifle

I might think about a
custom build in .25-06
instead of a .250. That
would be a reason to have
another rifle, but Im not
convinced. The .250 has
been very accurate with
both factory ammo and my
reloads. It has also killed
deer more quickly than any
other rifle Ive used. Its
hard to argue with that
kind of track record.
Ive always admired
Mannlicher stocks but have only one
rifle, a 10/22, so equipped. The Ruger
77 RL came with a conventional stock
with a black forend tip. I like it, but
might like a Mannlicher stock more.
Remington brought out some Model
7s with Mannlicher stocks. I liked
them too and think some were offered
in .250 Savage.
If I was to have a custom rifle
made I might go with a stainless steel
barrel and stainless, or hard chromed,
action. Or, since the bluing on my
M77 has held up well to time in the
woods, and some extreme

weather, I might just stay
with a blued gun. I dont
know if Id want a lot of
engraving on a custom rifle.
Ive seen some masterpieces with game scenes
and scroll work but like
gold-plated revolvers, some
cross quickly from guns to
works of art. Id want to
shoot my custom rifle at
the range, and hunt with it
too. Initials on the actions
floorplate might be nice.
Because of the number of parts and
accessories for both the 10/22 and AR
type rifles, it is actually easier to make
a custom gun on either of those than
on a bolt action. Ive even seen several varieties of synthetic stocks for
the 10/22 and wood stocks for ARs.
I bought a Chiappa .22 upper for an
AR, put it on a lower I had, and added
a riser and scope. Its fun to shoot and
gets to the range almost every trip
I make. It might be called a custom
rifle but I dont think of it as such.
By Lee Arten
The 10/22 I bought years ago

went through a lot of changes. Until
recently, it had a red, white and blue,
laminated stock from Fajen. I put a
Bushnell Sportview 3.5-10 power
scope on it and called it The Patriotic
Rifle. Its back to the original Ruger
stock again now but was my most customized .22 rifle for quite a few years.
In gun magazines in the 1960s people
wrote up their custom rifles made
from Mausers, 1903 Springfields and
other military surplus bolt actions.
Some also sporterized M1 Garands
and a few even changed M1s to larger
calibers. Those conversions got my
attention but Im glad that I never was
involved in making one. The M1 is
fine as is, I think.
So, if I have a custom rifle made,
or find one I can afford to buy on the
used market, it will most likely be a
bolt action. If I could find an early
Ruger M77 action with a tang safety
Id be happy. If I could find the money
to have a custom rifle built around it,
Id be even happier. Its something to
think about over the winter.n
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he column about custom

revolvers got me thinking
about custom rifles. As long as
you dont tell certain parties,
I might admit that I have less
need for a custom rifle than
for a custom revolver. Id also state
that if Id bought the birdseye maple
stock blanks I looked at years ago,
instead of a Krag sporter, Id probably
already have a custom rifle. Or at least
a custom stock for my deer rifle. I
know who ended up with those blanks
but, as yet, have had no luck talking
him out of one.
The other reason I dont feel a lot
of need for a custom rifle is that my
favorite deer rifle, although factory,
covers a lot of the same territory. Any
custom rifle I had made would most
likely be in the .250 Savage cartridge.
My Ruger 77RL already is a .250.
It would be light and handy, and my
Ruger is short and weighs six and a
half pounds with scope and sling. I
like a tang safety and the Ruger was
built before the 77s were switched to a
side safety.
41
Super Finesse Bass
The
Ned
Rig
A
By Buck Mallory
bass setup that swept across

North America in 2015 is
about as simple as a lure
can get. Its the Ned Rig,
a small jighead with a
straight, short, worm-shaped
piece of soft plastic, 2-1/2 to 2-3/4
inches long. The Ned Rig bears the
name of its inventor, retired Kansas
fish biologist Ned Kehde, who also is
a longtime outdoor writer specializing
in bass topics.
If youre reading this story in
Dave Mull of Paw Paw, took this selfie with one of 10 bass he caught on a Ned Rig during last Novembers first snowstorm.
arsenal so youre ready for open-water name, because the plastic lure looks
January, ice might have locked you
bass fishing. Heck, I bet you could go like a Canada goose turd. But the
out of your favorite bass waters. But
initials T.R.D. stand for The Real
ice fishing with a Ned Rig and catch
the Ned will catch bass in any open
Deal, and it really is the real deal for
bass.
water you can find right nowand
catching bass that are finicky because
You can make a Ned Rig with
be one of the most productive lures
of high pressure systems, cold waany kind of soft plastic worm such
you can toss when the ice leaves this
teror lots of fishing pressure.
spring. In other words, add a few dif- as a Yamamoto Senko or a Yum
In fact, its whispered around the
Dingerjust cut the 5-inchers in half
ferent colors and setups to your bass
high-dollar tournament world that
and thread the result on a jig. The
official Ned Rig, however, employs many big-time bass pros have a turd
box safely stashed in their bass boats.
either half of a 5-inch Z-Man Zinker
Mull and I were in my Nitro bass
Z or a whole T.R.D., which is molded
specifically for the Ned. Both these
boat on a small Michigan lake in early
products are made of Z-Mans incred- April when Mull threw a T.R.D. in
ibly tough Elaztech plastic, which is
the New Money pattern (half green
super supple and pliable, yet will hold plastic with green glitter flake and half
up to many, many fish.
brown plastic with orange flake). He
545 West Burnsline Melvin, Michigan 48454
I
first
saw
the
Ned
Rig
in
action
had rigged it on a 1/16-ounce Ozark
M-90 between M-53 & M-19 -- Approx. 50 Miles North of Detroit
when my friend, writer Dave Mull,
Finesse Head in the green pumpkin
fished with me right after ice out last
color. On his first cast, he caught a
spring. The bass world was already
little walleye. A few casts later he
abuzz with news of this simple little
landed a small bass. Although the bigDAILY 7 AM - 10 PM
lures ability to catch lots of fish, and ger baits I was throwing caught some
Mull had a small supply of T.R.D.
fish, the Ned continued to hook up
plastics that the folks at Z-Man Fishwith bass of different sizes including
ing (zmanfishing.com) had sent him
a couple of 14-inch Michigan keepto try out. The inside joke around the ersas well as a few bluegills and a
Z-Man community is the company
crappie.
dropped the U from the T.R.D.
It was obviously a great lure for
Mid Thumb Game Ranch
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Rams & Goats $325 & Up Red Deer - Call for Pricing
Fallow Deer:
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Call For Availability
Does $250 Bucks $900
PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE!
Forest Stewardship Program
just plain getting the string stretched

by whatever was in the lakeand
something to add to my arsenal.
The most popular way to fish the
Ned is on light, to ultra-light spinning gear, spooled with 8-pound test
braided line (such as Power Pro) or
fused line (such as Berkley FireLine
Crystal, which is white and easy to
see above the surface). Both of these
lines are non-stretch, which makes
it easy to feel a fish as soon as it
engulfs your bait. To stealth these
opaque lines up, add a 4-foot leader
of 8-pound fluorocarbon; Seaquar
AbrazX is hard to beat for its invisibility and resistance to abrasion. I
like a rod thats at least 7-feet long
to facilitate long casts. Although its
designed for trout fishing, the G.
Loomis TSR 901-S-1 is a one-piece,
76 ultra-light rod that can fling
small baits a country mile, but has
enough backbone to keep fish out of
weeds. Youre not going to want to
flip to lily pads or blow-downs with
this rod and 8-pound test line, but its
great for covering big flats and taking
long casts down drop-offs. Mull likes
a 7-foot spinning rod from Lews,
model MLS70, which is a mediumlight, one-piece design originally designed for inshore fishermen seeking
speckled sea trout.
You can fish the Ned Rig lots of
ways. Anglers report success taking
long casts and swimming it back
by slowly reeling while shaking the
rod tip to make the lure dart up and
down while retrieved. Sometimes fish
prefer to take the lure when you cast
it out and let it settle to the bottom,
twitching it back like it was a minnow or crawfish darting along over
the sand or mud.
Another retrieve for fish up on
shallow flats is a sort of pumpswim that lets the lure fall and dart.
Its simple to do. Just cast as far as
you can, reel up the slack, pause and
let the lure fall, pushing your rod tip
towards the lure and creating slack in
your line. Now pump the rod, quickly
picking up the slack and making the

lure jump. Reel up this slack, and
point your rod towards the lure to
let it fall and then pump the rod
again. Most fish will hit as the lure
falls and youll just feel some
weight. Instead of setting the hook
when you feel the weight, reel fast
to load up the rod and you usually,
hook the fish.
Several different jigheads work
with the T.R.D. Z-Mans own
ShroomZ Jigheadz are the easiest to
rig in the tough Elaztech plastic that
Z-Man usesit has a small, sharp
keeper that keeps the lure in position behind the head without needing super glue. Gopher Mushroom
Heads, and the Ozark Finesse Head
are two other heads that match up
well with the T.R.D. Gamakatsus a
Round 211 model jighead works well
although the shank of its No. 2 hook
is on the short side. Mull told me his
favorite jig is the Ozark Finesse Head
in 1/16-ounce, with a slightly pricier
No. 1 Gamakatsu hook replacing the
standard Mustad No. 2 hook. Since
this jig head has no collar, you must
add a drop of super glue gel to keep
the plastic in position. Kansan David
Reeves makes these Ozark Finesse
Heads; you can order them by emailing dtrs5kprs@yahoo.com.
A quick word about the Elaztech
plastic: Its amazingly toughyou
can stretch a 2-3/4-inch T.R.D. about
24 inches (seriously, try it) without it
breaking. You can catch 20 or more
fish on one without needing to replace
it. Be careful, though, because this
unique plastic compound reacts horribly with standard soft plastics. Store
the two different kinds in the same
tackle tray and youll end up with a
melted, crunchy mess.
So, theres your primer on the hot,
new Ned Rig. If you have open water,
give it a try now. If you must wait for
ice-out, add a selection of T.R.D.s
and some little jig heads to your bass
arsenal and get ready for a bent rod
this spring.n
For the past 25 years, the MDNR and the Forest Stewardship Program which
helps private forest landowners connect with a professional forester to develop
a voluntary Forest Stewardship Plan have helped private landowners manage,
protect and enjoy their forests. The program, funded by the U.S. Forest Service,
celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.
Unlike many other states, Michigan uses private-sector land managers, not
government foresters, to write plans for its 400,000 private forest owners, said
Mike Smalligan, DNR Forest Stewardship program coordinator. More than 130
professional foresters and wildlife biologists are trained and certified by the DNR
to develop simple yet comprehensive Forest Stewardship Plans for landowners.
In the last 25 years, more than 5,400 landowners in Michigan have developed
their own unique Forest Stewardship Plans to help them manage over 875,000
acres of forest land.
Michigan is home to more than 9 million acres of family forest land. Most of
the properties in the program are between 40 and 80 acres in size, and all private
forest land is eligible.
Michigan family forest owners often use their Forest Stewardship Plans to
obtain financial assistance, enroll in a property tax program, prepare for a timber
sale, improve wildlife habitat, or join the American Tree Farm System to certify
their sustainable forest management.
One example of these forest owners is the Heuvelman family in Newaygo
County.
Rick and Kim Heuvelman, along with Ricks brother Randy, together own a
160-acre forest. The Heuvelmans were interested in the Qualified Forest Program
to lower their property taxes, and they knew that they needed a forest management plan to enroll.
The reduced property taxes are nice, but we really want to be able to pass on
a healthy forest to our children and grandchildren, Rick Heuvelman said. Wood
is a renewable resource and I want to manage it well, even if I dont see all of the
results in my lifetime.
I enjoyed learning new things about my forest the plan even mentioned
frogs and huckleberries. Having a Forest Stewardship Plan has given me confidence that my forest management, based on professional advice, will achieve my
goals for sustainable forestry and better wildlife habitat.
For more information, call the DNR Forest Stewardship coordinator at 517284-5884 or visit www.michigan.gov/foreststewardship.
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43
Gun opener-bow kill

T
For personal reasons the author quit gun hunting nearly 25 years ago, so he bow hunted the gun opener and took this beautiful 8-point buck.
44
his was relatively new ground for me as

it would be the first time since 1997 that I
wasnt going to some other state to continue
bowhunting during Michigans gun season.
My quandary was, since the gun opener was
on Sunday, do I sit home and watch football
and listen to my wife nag me about all the things I
need to get done before winter, or go hunting in the
morning and relax in the tree knowing the odds of
taking a mature buck in Michigan with a bow once
the gunfire starts ringing out, are very slim.
My son Chris had called me the day before
gun season and asked if Id filled my second tag
yet because he was a bit miffed that he had to find
out about my first bow buck by seeing it posted on
Mike Averys Facebook page and had to call me for
the details.
Laughingly, I told him I hadnt filled the tag but
was going bowhunting tomorrow morning on the
gun opener. He said why use a bow when you can
take your .243 rifle and shoot anything within 300
yards. After our call I thought about it and went
in the attic and got it down. I hadnt touched it in
years but had left the last target grouping in the hard
case so I knew exactly where it was hitting. The 3
rounds were all nearly touching and 1 half inches
dead low of center at 100 yards.
Hmmm. When I got home from the evening
hunt that night I put the gun case next to the back
door and would decide in the morning whether or
not to use it. For personal reasons I quit gun hunting
By John Eberhart
14 yards and cross the river into what is a bit larger

marsh bedding area.
About 200 yards to the north is a major eastin 1991 and the next morning I walked past the gun
west
highway and the natural landscape of the timwithout hesitation.
ber
to
the east and southeast funnels deer leaving
On the evening of October 12 while hunting
next to an apple tree a big 8-point came in from the the crop fields to the east to this particular location.
The ground in the timber to the southeast
opposite side and fed on apples. I was perched 12
always
has large areas of standing water, has no unyards away in a red oak and when I prepared the
derstudy,
and is very soft and mucky. During the rut
location had cut a lot of the apple tree out so that I
phases
deer
will chase in that area and whenever
could shoot through the center section of it to the
a
deer
comes
from that direction their legs will be
opposite side because the opposite side had heavy
covered in black muck up to their knees.
cover butting right up to it, making it the most
The ground beneath the mature timber directly
likely side a mature buck would enter from and feed
to the east however is dry and firm and offers some
under.
Thats exactly what happened but by the time I security understudy and the vast majority of deer
Ive seen from that oak over the years had transisaw him (I was hanging from the opposite side of
the oak so I wouldnt get picked and peeked around tioned to me from due east.
The river runs due south from the highway for
it every few moments to look), he was already under the tree and eating and never fed into the open- about 150 yards before making an easterly bend
ing. I watched him eat apples for 10 minutes before and most frequently when deer cross it they do it
vanishing into the brush from the direction he came. just beyond that bend so they cant be seen from the
I knew he was still alive as one of the neighbors highway and the oak sits right alongside the river
just beyond that bend.
e-mailed me a nighttime motion picture of him a
For nine months out of the year I work out to
couple days earlier.
stay in shape for bow season but as I age I find myThe large white oak I would be in on Noself having more difficulty climbing large diameter
vember 15 was in a marsh grass swamp sparsely
interspersed with trees and brush that meandered
trees where arm strength is required for pulling up
along both sides of a shallow but wide river for
my body weight and maneuvering around large
nearly half a mile. It is a bedding area and the only branches on the way up and I have to mentally pretime Id hunted that tree during bow season I had
pare myself for climbing this particular oak because
a respectable 8-point and several does pass within
its extremely difficult to climb and the crotch Im
indeed the 8-point from under the apple tree. The

ground was literally painted with blood from expiration site back to the shot sight and my previously
black Maxima Red arrow was now solid red and
buried into the soft ground.
The arrow had passed through the center of
one lung and severed the main arteries behind the
heart and once finished dressing him out I called
the owner. He knew something had happened as he
could see me in the tree from his blind and saw me
get down. He told me I was on my own concerning
getting him out as he was going to keep hunting all
day. I always have a Versa-Cart, Otter ice sled, and
ramp in my mini-van just for getting deer out so
that wasnt a problem.
After retrieving my camera and Versa-cart I
took several pictures (using the timer setting mode)
where he expired, loaded him on the Versa-cart and
when at the van, dumped him into the Otter sled so
as not to get blood on the carpet, and slid him up
the ramp into the back of the van.
While skinning him I found the previous wound
channel from the other hunters arrow. The shot had
to be an extremely hard quartering away angle and
the hunter had to be relatively low in the tree as his
or her arrow slid forward through the loin and into
the lower neck area and there was no exit wound.
It also obviously never hit the jugular vein in his
neck.
The long wound channel was filled with red/
greenish colored puss and it definitely affected his
eating ability as he had lost a lot of body weight
and it wasnt from just rutting. He also had a
couple inch-long scarred over slash along the top of
his back from an old wound. It sometimes amazes
me at not only how quickly a deer can recover, but
also that they can recover from wounds that would
kill us if we didnt see a doctor.
As hunters we owe it to these beautiful animals to hold out for good shot angles and realistic
comfort range distances. Sure bad shots are going
to happen, thats hunting, but whoever shot this
buck had a very poor shot angle and that shot never
should have been taken.
The first buck I had taken also had an old scar
from a previous wound which validates what Ive
said for years about the vast differences between
hunting mature bucks in heavy consequential hunting pressure areas vs managed or lightly hunted
areas.
To date all but one of my 3 year and older
bucks taken in Michigan have had at least one
old wound from previous encounters with either
gun or bow hunters, whereas none of the bucks
Ive taken in lightly hunted states had ever been
touched by another hunters projectile. This has
a great deal to do with how smart mature bucks
are in Michigan and how difficult it is for hunters
to take one if they dont have access to a managed
area.
John Eberhart is an accomplished Michigan
bow-hunter that specializes in hunting heavy
consequential hunting pressure areas with 28 bucks
listed in CBMs record book from 10 different
counties and 19 different properties. John produced
a 3-volume instructional DVD series titled Bowhunting Pressured Whitetails and co-authored the
books, Bowhunting Pressured Whitetails, Precision Bowhunting, and Bowhunting Whitetails
The Eberhart Way. They are available at: www.
deer-john.netn
10 th Edition of
Michigan Big
Game Records
now available
ommemorative Bucks of Michigan

(CBM) announces the publication
of the 10th edition of Michigan Big
Game Records that includes the
2012, 2013 and 2014 scoring periods. This 256 page book contains
the complete deer, bear, elk and turkey records ever recorded by CBM. There are also
articles, over 150 photos, hunter success
stories and lots of data to analyze. Weapons
are listed as firearm, muzzleloader, handgun, bow and crossbow.
Michigan Big Game Records, better
known as the book, also includes maps
showing where they came from for all four
species and chapter articles by top DNR
personnel. Also included are Annual Category Records.
The Perfect Gift!
Michigan Big Game Records makes

the perfect gift for any avid hunter occasion. It can be used as a thank you to a
landowner, a reference book at a deer camp
or used to motivate a youth hunter. Its the
gift that keeps on giving to hunting friends
and relatives as birthday and Christmas
presents.
To order online go to michiganbiggamerecords.com or order direct from
the publisher by sending a check made out
to Willoughby Press and mail to: Willoughby Press, P.O. Box 306, Owosso, MI
48867. Soft cover books - $37, hard cover
books - $55. All prices include taxes, shipping and handling.
For additional information call: 989723-3360, Monday Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
set up in is 34 feet from the ground to my feet.

Because the oak sits in a small opening in
the marsh and right against the river, that height
is required to reach a multi-branched crotch so
that I dont get easily picked against an open sky
backdrop. I also wear Scent Loks Vertigo pattern
whenever I hunt this location to break up my body
outline.
I received free permission to hunt this property
in 2007 and the owner and another hunter would
be out as well and the owner would also be sitting
along the river in a man-made ground blind with
his trusty Winchester model 94, 30-30 farther to the
south.
At the crack of dawn I heard the first shot
ring out. From that moment until at least an hour
after daylight I dont think any more than a minute passed between hearing shots and most often
shots were heard within 15 to 20 seconds apart.
Within the first hour there were at least five different volleys of rounds fired that I could positively
identify as coming from the neighboring 40 acres
to the south. I thought, oh yea, I remember this gun
season stuff very well.
Around 8:25 am the first deer appeared coming
in from the timber to the east. It was three mature
does and when they got within 20 yards the lead
doe headed north towards the highway and the
other two does stopped and just browsed. I was
expecting to hear some grunting behind them as
typically during the rut whenever there are several mature does in a group, theres a buck not far
behind, but not this time.
Within several minutes another doe with a
fawn came in from the same direction and casually walked past the two does and crossed the river
right below me and disappeared into the tall marsh
grass on the other side. The two does thought about
following her lead by going to the rivers edge, but
changed their mind and headed south along the
river.
By 8:50 I was alone again. From the southeast
I heard a twig snap and as the deer appeared from
behind some cedars, it was the big 8-point. He
came in with nose to the ground and had obviously
been walking the edge of the wet timber in search
of a ready female. When he cut the trail of the
doe and fawn, he turned and continued along their
scent trail towards me. At a distance of 12 yards
and quartering towards me he stopped and started
eating from the cedar bows I had trimmed off to reopen a shooting lane after my previous hunt there a
week prior.
This was my opportunity and while at full draw
and looking for a spot to aim at I noticed a wound
just above his right shoulder. This buck had been
hit by a bowhunter, and not very long ago. The
hole was exactly where my arrow needed to go so
I aimed at it and while Im not the greatest shot,
the Rocket Sidewinder projectile looked to enter
through the exact same hole.
Instantly the lower portion of the sapling behind him got splattered with blood so I knew I had
a complete pass-through. He whirled and headed
due east and although I heard him crash very close
by, I couldnt see him through the tops of the
cedars. Looking at the watch I keep strapped to the
D-ring of my backpack, it was 9:15.
I packed my gear, descended the tree, went
directly beyond the nearby cedars and there he was
not 60 yards from where Id shot him and he was
45
The State Of Michigan Has A Special Claim To Father Marquette...
Father Jacques Marquette 1637-1675
ere in Michigan, the name of

Father Marquette is probably
the most wellknown of any
Jesuit missionary who served
in North America during the
1600s. His lasting influence is
demonstrated by the cities, counties,
rivers, schools, streets, and businesses
that bear his name even
today, nearly 350 years after
his death. As a black robe
missionary, Father Marquette
strove to bring his religion
to the American Indians. In
doing so, he traveled and
mapped much of the unexplored areas of the North
American continent.
Born in France on
June 1, 1637, Jacques
spent his childhood in
a pleasant home with his two sisters
and three brothers. The Marquette
family were soldiers and Jacques
seemed fated to a future of wearing
a French officers uniform. It was
Monsignor Brichanteau, the Bishop of
Laon, who chose the nine-year-old for
admittance to the Jesuit University at
Reims. There, Jacques became an out-
standing student. After seven years of

schooling there, he continued on with
theological training to become a Jesuit
priest. His greatest desire was to travel
to New France (Canada) to take religion to the natives in North America.
Ordained at Toul in 1666, the 29-year
old Jacques Marquette soon sailed
for the New France mission
field.
When he arrived in North
America, he found a wilderness populated by wild beasts
and wild men. There were
only three French settlements
along the entire Saint Lawrence River; Quebec, Three
Rivers, and Montreal. All
were being guarded
against attack by the
Indians, who were
on the warpath. The five nations of
Iroquois were determined to drive the
whites out of their hunting grounds.
The French, who were no strangers to
war, were retaliating.
Father Marquette spent the next
two years working in Montreal and
during this time he mastered six Algonquin dialects. This great aptitude
By Darryl Quidort
Photo of an oil painting of Pere Marquette by Wilhelm Lamprecht of German.
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for quickly learning foreign languages

would serve him well in communicating with new tribes as he encountered
them in his travels to the interior of
the continent.
In the spring of 1668, Father
Marquette set out, in the company of
voyageurs, paddling a canoe upstream
to start a new mission at the place
where Saint Marys River tumbles
down its rapids from Lake Superior
to Lake Huron. This was a tough
trip across Canada by the Voyageurs
route using several rivers. There
were over 40 portages on the way to
Lake Huron, then on up the big lake

to the mouth of the St. Marys River
and upstream to the sault (French for
rapids). Jacques Marquette was a
strong, healthy young man when he
built a simple chapel at the foot of the
falls. This place eventually became
the city of Sault Saint Marie, the first
city within the present day state of
Michigan.
The Canadian, Louis Jolliet, had
traveled into the interior of the continent to trade with the Indians for furs.
When he set up a trading post near the
new mission, he became good friends
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This park in St. Ignace is dedicated to Father Marquette. His grave site is on
the left, the Museum of Ojibwa Culture on the right. Author photo
In the spring of 1673 plans finally
worked out for an exploratory trip
to the unknown Illinois country to
find the river called Missippi. Father
Marquette would minister to the
Indians and Louis Jolliet would start
trade among them. They would also
lay claim to all the unexplored area of
the continent for Marquettes homeland, France. They left St. Ignace on
May 17th with five other paddlers in
two canoes loaded with trade goods.
Father Marquette would never see the
peaceful mission again.
They made good time down Lake
Michigan to the Jesuit mission of St.
Francis Xavier (Green Bay, Wisconsin). From there they had Indian
guides take them up the Fox River
as far as they could go. Marquettes
diary tells of their passage, the trees,
streams, and game animals. With a
compass before him, he was able to
draw a map. The guides warned them
not to proceed farther for the Sioux
warriors would surely kill them. The
guides turned back, while the explorers went bravely on. After a long
y
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portage, they started down a stream

to the west (Wisconsin River). Four
days later they looked in awe at the
Father of Waters, the Mississippi. It
was a mile wide at that point. Each
clear night, as they traveled down
river, Jolliet aimed the astrolabe at the
North Star to establish their position.
190 miles below the Wisconsin River

they were greeted by the Illinois Indians. Again they were advised not to
continue their journey. The explorers
pushed on regardless of being warned
of hostiles and demons downstream.
Passing the mouth of the Illinois
River, they eventually came to the
Missouri. So far, the Indians had all
been friendly. Father Marquette told
them about God and Louis Jolliet,
gave them gifts and laid out plans for
future trading. They made excellent
downstream progress to the mouth
of the Ohio River. Below the Ohio,
they met with Quapaw Indians who
spoke an unknown language. They
didnt seem friendly. Struggling to
communicate, they found one man
who understood the Illinois tongue.
He guided the explorers on down
the Mississippi to the mouth of the
Arkansas River. There they were met
by a multitude of the Quapaw tribe.
To the travelers surprise, the Quapaw
knew about white men. They warned
Marquette that below that point there
were other Indians who possessed
Father Jacques Marquette page 48
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From some visiting Indians,
who called themselves Illinois, they
learned of a great river called Messippi. It was said to come from
the north, where no one had ever
been, past their home, and go on to
the south, far beyond their longest
journeys. Father Marquette dreamed
of traveling that river to minister to
the tribes there. Louis Jolliet dreamed
of exploring the trading opportunities there. But that trip would have to
wait.
In 1669 Father Marquette was
sent to the Jesuit mission at the far
western end of Lake Superior at
Chequamegon Bay. (Present day
Wisconsin) Paddling a fragile, birch
bark canoe the length of that huge
lake was an enormous undertaking.
Leaving Sault Saint Marie in mid-August, Marquette and his Indian friends
faced a voyage of well over 500
miles. Fall came early. Throughout
the long voyage they were constantly
drenched with icy spray and chilled
to the bone by fierce winds. Many
nights it was impossible to even light
a fire and they tried to find shelter
from the wind to curl up and sleep on
the snow covered rocks. On completing the grueling journey Marquette
wrote, After a month amid snow
and ice, which blocked our passage,
and amid almost constant danger of
death...I arrived here on the 13th of
September.
Marquette would serve there
only two years before leading the
Christion Indians eastward to escape
certain annihilation at the hands of
the waring Sioux. They settled at the
Straits of Mackinac (Michigan) where
they built a new mission named Saint
Ignace. Father Marquette spent the
next two years there. Among friendly
Indians for a change, his writings
from Saint Ignace seem more like a
country preacher than a black robe
Jesuit missionary.
www.GladwinGunVault.com 47
Father Jacques Marquette:

from page 47
guns. They killed anyone who went
there to keep them from making
contact with the whites to trade for
firearms.
The next day, Marquette learned
that some of the Quapaw Indians
planned to kill the explorers for their
guns. A hushed meeting was held that
night. They knew from their observations that they were lower than 34 degrees North latitude and had already
surmised that the Mississippi dumped
into the Gulf of Mexico, not the
Pacific Ocean as they had originally
hoped. Lest they be killed, and news
of the exploration lost, they decided
to start home in the morning.
On July 17th, 1673, they started
toward Quebec, 2500 miles away.
Twice the work and twice the time
was required to go back against the
current. The men grew weak as muscles strained to exhaustion each day.
Reaching the mouth of the Illinois
River they went up it, on the word of
an Indian boy, as a shortcut to Lake
Michigan. By the end of September
the seven physically exhausted men
were back at the mission at Green
Bay.
By their own strength and the
guidance of God, through hardships
no one had reckoned, they had traveled 4,000 miles through unmapped
wilderness. They endured the heat of
summer, swarms of mosquitoes, rain,
wind, poorly cooked food, bad drinking water, unknown Indian situations,
and physical and mental fatigue.
On that journey, Father Marquette
and Louis Jolliet had visited an area
where the states of Wisconsin, Iowa,
Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, Indiana, and Michigan would one day be
formed.
Father Marquette stayed at the
Xavier Mission that winter where he
organized his notes on the location of
tribes, routes taken, food available,
timber resources, etc. Then he hand
wrote two copies of his journal. From
Green Bay, Jolliet went on to Sault
St. Marie for a winter of fur trading.
He also made two copies of his maps
and papers. When spring came, an
Indian arrived to deliver a copy of
Marquettes journal to Jolliet. Placing
both precious journals in his canoe,
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Jolliet left for Montreal. When nearly

there he capsized in a rapids. Two
men and an Indian boy drowned and
both journals were lost.
That summer, (1674) during an
Indian battle at Sault St. Marie the
mission was burned to the ground.
The fire consumed the only remaining
copy of Jolliets papers. That left only
one remaining copy of Marquettes
journal of the exploration of the Mississippi River. When the two men
sent to retrieve it reached the mission
at Green Bay, they were shocked at
the sight of Father Jacques Marquette.
He had been ill since returning from
the trip and the winter had been very
hard on him. The men loaded him
into their canoe and started for the St.
Ignace Mission. They were paddling
up the eastern shore of Lake Michigan when, on May 18th, 1675, Father
Marquette died. He lacked 14 days of
being 38 years old. His body was buried at the mouth of a clear, unnamed
river. (Now the Pere Marquette River,
Michigan.)
For two years only a wooden
cross marked the grave in the wilderness. Then, in the spring of 1677,
Indians removed the bones of their
beloved black robe missionary
and took them to the mission at St.
Ignace. There the bones were buried
under the floor of the church.
Ironically, the site of the St.
Ignace mission was deserted after
French life became centered across
the five-mile wide Straits of Mackinaw at Fort Michilimackinac. Wilderness overtook the site and it was
lost for 200 years. In 1877 a gardener
happened onto the foundation of the
old mission. The last resting place
of Father Marquette had at last been
relocated.
Today, Jacques Marquette is
remembered in many ways. A marble
grave marker is located in a peaceful
little park, dedicated to Father Marquette, in the village of St. Ignace.
The park is on the site of the historic
original Jesuit mission and adjoins the
Museum of Ojibwa Culture. There
is also a Father Marquette National
Monument, located on the north
side of the Mackinaw Straits, which
Father Jacques Marquette grave

marker on the site of his beloved
Saint Ignace Mission.
includes an informational, memorial
building and a scenic foot path with
a beautiful view of the straits, now
spanned by the Mackinaw Bridge.
At the place where Father Marquette
died, near Ludington, a large white
cross is visible from Lake Michigan.
It stands atop a sand dune near the
mouth of the beautiful Pere Marquette
River.
The state of Michigan has a
special claim to Father Marquette
because it could be said that he lived
and died here.n
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ured maybe it was time to reconnect. I

have been good this year, well most of
the time.
I even took a couple days off from
hunting to help clean the house, I
know it was raining, but I still helped
clean.
I know I cant complain about
getting stuff I dont want, so I thought
I would share some Christmas ideas.
It seems like every year there is a
struggle between what I really want
for Christmas and what I actually get.
But there is a big difference between a want and a need, for instance,
I dont want any new underwear or
dress shirts, unless it comes in camouflage.
Not that I am complaining, big
guy, but come on, I can buy my own
underwear if I need some, to me that
doesnt count as a present.
I am a sportsman and we just think
differently. Our passion drives us
24/7; its not just a seasonal thing for
hunters like me.
I want the kind of gift that keeps
on giving. I dream of unwrapping a
present that will take me back to my
days as a youngster when Christmas
morning couldnt come soon enough.
I dont want to sound greedy or
self-centered, because that is simply
not the case.
Christmas is the most magical
time of year!
Our family celebrates the birth of
our Savior and there is nothing better
than spending time with loved ones.
That is foremost and what brings me
real, unending joy.
I get it, I really do.
Butif you really want to get me
something, a gift that I actually want,
can it be something in camouflage?
I mean, really, for a middle-aged
man with four kids who hates golf, is
there anything else worthy to sit under
the Christmas tree?
Every November I break out in
cold sweats when the Cabelas Christmas catalog comes in the mail.
Christmas is the one time of year
that I can actually get a bunch of hunting goodies and not get in trouble for
it.
I mean, they were gifts after all
and even the wife cant argue that, tis
the season.
So Santa, here are a few things
that would make great presents this
year. Keep in mind, these gifts are the
types that keep on giving, plus they
benefit other people.
Dont think I am thinking of
myself because as you will see, the
Christmas spirit is flowing through me

this holiday season.
Nothing ruins a hunt faster than
being cold, so this year I would love
a Heater Body Suit. The suit offers
300 grains of Thinslulate, is quiet and
comfortable. It makes a hunter feel
like they are wrapped in love while
trying to fill their buck tag. This past
year, I had a hunt in late-October
that was too cold to sit. I missed my
chance at a big buck and my poor
family had to suffer the remaining of
the season hearing me grumble about
what might have been. I can still wear
my safety harness with The Heater
Body Suit so I am staying safe. The
suit is not only warm, but packs up
and is easy to carry.
I have to be honest, the real reason
I want one is for my wife. Our house
tends to get a little drafty on those
dreary winter Michigan nights. I will
let her use my Heater Body Suit as a
blanket so she can watch The Notebook in warmth and comfort. So really, if you want, you could make this
a couples gift for both of us or count
it as one of hers.
I am sure she would really appreciate that.
Kris Kringle, you of all people
know the value of a good pair of
boots. It has to be tough going in and
out of all those chimneys. A good pair
of boots is like a mirror to the soul,
when they get wet and cold, it affects
a mans spirit.
My feet are begging you for a new
pair of Muck Boots. I am sick of getting wet feet every time I try to cross
a creek or it rains. I have tried all the
cheap hunting boots on the market and
had no luck. I figured you probably
have a good set of Muck boots you
pull out every Christmas, maybe this
is the year for my muck boots. Another reason I need some new boots is
to shovel the sidewalk. My wife is always complaining about the sidewalk
not being shoveled, so this would
solve multiple problems. Again, if
you want to get our family one pair,
size 11 preferably, that snow wouldnt
stand a chance on our sidewalk. I am
sure my wife would appreciate it and
wouldnt be surprised if they were on
her wish list as well.
I need to be truthful Saint Nick,
this one isnt for me. One of my
daughters has wanted to go camping
and I am really having a hard time
finding the perfect tent. We have
looked at a bunch on the market and
cant seem to find one we can all
agree on. A travel trailer is just too big
and expensive, so our best option is to
find a good tent.
I really want this Ameristep
Ground Blind so we can look

at the stars and take it to various state parks camping this
summer. If for some reason I
find it under the tree, I might
even use it for a late-season
hunt. But just make sure it
doesnt leak, my main reason
is for my daughter, of course.
So you see Santa, I really
believe that Christmas is a
time for giving.
I am sure you have
noticed, I am always thinking of others, especially during the Christmas
season.
But if you really want to get me
something, it might as well be something we can all use. If you talk to my
wife, please tell her to get me something in camouflage. The red sweater
was nice last year, but I am really hoping for something different this year.
P.S. I promise to leave an extra
pail of Lucky Buck out for Donner.
Let Blitzen know that he is fortunate,
it would have been a different story if
his girlfriend hadnt winded me. Also,
feel free to share this list with my

friends and relatives, just in case they
are looking for any last minute gift
ideas. I am sure I will be happy with
whatever I get this year, I just hope it
comes in camouflage.
Yours truly,
Lane Walker
Life in the Fast Lane is a monthly

column written by award-winning author and outdoor writer Lane Walker.
Walker has a passion for the outdoors
and sharing his thoughts with WoodsN-Water New readers.n
Dear
Santa:
I know its been awhile, but I fig-
53
Traditional Black Powder Hunting...
Close
to the
Original
Thdddthdddthddd
thdd The sound of steel
striking green wood echoed in
the sequestered hollow...
circular wiggle and a twist of the wrist

dislodged the wild cherry stake from the
damp earth. Duck-shot-sized dirt pattered on brown, dry oak leaves. A blue
jay swooped low and perched on a thin
witch hazel twig, bobbing up and down
in curious silence.
After looking about for intruders, the wooland-linen-clad woodsman reached for another
supple cherry sapling. Stripped free of its branches
and pointed on the butt end by two swift blows of
the trade ax, the sapling leaned with eight others
against a close-by red oak. The woodsman stood
the sapling upright and pushed it in the hole made
by the stake.
Msko waagosh, the returned Native captive
schooled in his youth in the woodland traditions
of the Ojibwe, skootched forward on blue wool
leggins festooned with silk ribbons. Holding the
driving stake at the location of the next sapling,
the cautious woodsman again surveyed the glade
before raising the hand-forged trade ax
above his shoulder. Thdddthddd
thdddthddthdddthdd
A wiggle, a twist, a steady pulla
strong whiff of fresh-turned earth, then a
look abouta move to the right, a long
reach, a selectiona gentle push on the
next sapling
On that pleasant October afternoon in
1795, deep in the Old Northwest Territory, one ridge east of the River
Raisin, the trade axs rhythmic
beats punctuated the placement of
a dozen saplings in a neat circle. Arched over and
tied to its corresponding mate, the saplings formed
an Ojibwe-style wigwams support structurean
18th-century shelter suitable for Msko waagoshs
traditional black powder hunting adventures.
With the mornings wild turkey hunt scribbled
on a folded journal page that days focus turned to
studies in the wilderness classroom. Constructing
the wigwam was the primary lesson, but hidden
within that exercise lurked an opportunity to test a
Ive seen axes made five or six different ways, John Cummins said. This is the best way for this style ax
new, hand-forged trade ax.
The blending of history-based traditions, arms
that use black powder as a propellant and fairchase hunting offers a unique, rewarding
and educational outdoor challenge. The
goal of any traditional pursuit is to re-live
a bygone era and experience first-hand
what a hunter heros life was really like.
Although transporting oneself into the
past is a physical impossibility, traveling
back in time in the living history sense
is still as much physical as it is mental.
Traditional hunters acquire the
clothing, assemble the appropriate
accoutrements and gather other
items of material culture representative of their chosen era, geographical location and station in life. The process of pushing
away what is and replacing it with what was
requires patience, careful research and sometimes,
serendipitous luck.
Three years ago a reference book slipped from
my grip. Pages flipped. A hand grabbed. Two
fingers halted the potential calamity. My throbbing heart calmed as I glanced at a little ax head in
the upper left corner of page 92 in Lar Hothems
By Dennis Neely
54
Indian Trade Relics: Identification & Values.

My eyes caught the words Long Lake, Hastings, Michigan under the photo. The Michigan
provenance, the close proximity to the River Raisin and the estimated time period demanded further attention. Not long after, an actual-size image
of the rusted head showed up in John Cummins
mailbox. I can duplicate that ax, was his reply.
On a humid June morning, with heavy bench
guns booming on the main shooting line at the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Associations Spring
National Shoot, John Cummins sat in quiet contemplation on a metal stool in the white, woodframe blacksmith shop attached to the armory.
During the national shoots, held on the associations home grounds in Friendship, Indiana,
Frank Clifton and John Cummins share that shop,
while across the road Aubrey Williams operates
the rustic, three-sided blacksmith shop near the
log blockhouse in the Curly Gostomski Primitive
Camping area. Both blacksmith shops are key elements of the NMLRAs educational outreach and
frontier skills preservation program.
Using a pair of dividers and a metal ruler, John
penciled lines on an eight-inch steel bar that rested
on his fresh-washed denim jeans. We start with
the poll in the middle of the bar, John explained.

Once its laid out, well fuller out (draw out and
thin) by the poll and start the eye.
The smithy center-punched witness marks for
each of the penciled lines. Theyll go away when
we heat and fuller this area, he explained to a
young couple standing in the shops doorway.
He added two shovels of coal to the brick
forge, then flipped a switch, starting the forges
electric blower. It takes fifteen minutes to build
up a good working fire.
Were working at 1,800 to 2,000 degrees
(Fahrenheit), a couple hundred degrees under
welding temperature, he continued. Using longhandled tongs he dug the bar from the glowing
coals, centered it on the anvil and with a gentle
tap, secured it with a goose-neck-shaped holddown, which freed both hands.
Holding a blunt, shop-made fullering chisel
When the bits first welded in place, the cutting edge

looks rough, John Cummins told an onlooker, but well
change that (top). With light blows, the smithy used
a tapered mandrel to smooth and shape the axs eye
(center). Flames from the quenching oil engulfed the
ax as the cutting edge was hardened, then tempered
(bottom). Wild Rivertree photos
Muzzle Loading State Events

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Water Sportsman Assn.: 586-739-6499
Jan. 9-10Frosted Paw: Columbiaville
Sportsman Club: 810-793-7799
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517-393-2772
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Bridgeport: 989-746-0723
For a complete 2016 shoot schedule, send a
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Experienced hammer control folded the ax blank and

aligned the two halves (top). The borax powder melted
on the hot steel, then flowed into the tight seam where
the two halves met (center). A sharp cold chisel split
the new forge-weld open to receive the high-carbon
steel cutting bit (bottom).
with the tongs, John aligned the dull blade with

the first punch mark. The Hay-Budden anvil,
made in1908, rang with each hammer blow as
the fullering tool left a deep groove on each side
of the poll. Another heat and another pair of
grooves located the eyes forward end.
Then, holding the red-hot bar over the anvils
edge, John thinned the eyes shoulders. Sweat
started soaking through his forest green tee shirt;
the back read Forging Friendships over the
Indiana Blacksmith Associations logo.
Next the tongs positioned the dark-yellow
ax blank poll down over a leg-vises open jaws.
A few swift hammer strikes drove the bar down
and began closing the eye. A quick repositioning
followed by two mighty swings closed the bars
ends to within a quarter-inch. Another heat, four
ringing blows, then light, judicious taps brought
the ends tight together.
The blower whirred. The ax blank grew
orange. Spectators crowded the doorway. John
taught as he set a gray-enameled pie pan and a
glass syrup dispenser filled with a white powder
on the bench. Were going to be forge-welding
the jaws of this ax together. This is borax, the
soap stuff.
Holding the yellow-hot ax head above the
pan, he sprinkled the borax powder over the hairline seam where the two halves met. You can see
the borax melting and flowing on the metal. Its
like liquid glass. In the welding process, the metal
becomes like plastic and when you hit it, it forces
the borax out and welds the metal together, John
said, returning the head to the fire.
With the ax head at welding temperature, the
smithys tense arm muscles slammed the hammer down four times. Sparks showered. Sweat
spattered. Tongs turned the ax on edge. Three
light blows squared the joint. Turned back, four
violent, ringing blasts sealed the weld. Questions
burst from awe-struck bystanders. Johns lips
smiled as he wiped his brow.
Wasting no motion, John pulled the ax from
the fire, clamped the poll in the vise and picked
up a sharp chisel. Now Im taking a chisel and
cutting the blade end open to accept the bit, he
said.
He pushed the ax back into the fire and
retrieved a red-hot file section. This is a square
piece of high-carbon steel that Im going to flatten
for the bit. Ill fit it to the split and forge-weld it
in place. Then well shape the cutting edge, he
said as hammer blows rang out in the shop.
Frank Clifton taught the lesson to the next
group of amazed observers while John forgewelded, then shaped the bit. With the poll area
heated red-hot, John drove a special-made
mandrel through the eye, creating a uniform
tear-drop opening.
To harden the edge, we heat it to orange, the
critical temperaturethen we quench it in oil, he
said, dipping the hot blade in a coffee can of oil.
Removing the head from the oil, John watched
the color bands migrate out to the cutting edge.
When the peacock color disappeared, he again
quenched the bit.
Once the ax cooled, John Cummins wiped it
clean and placed it on the folded paper, below the
actual-size image. Id say that was pretty close
to the original, wouldnt you?
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
55
SlickandWilly
Freak Nasty
Paul Campbell with his Kalamazoo County 11-point.
rent Kissel is a great middle

infielder and Paul Campbell
runs around the bases as fast
as anyone I have
seen play slow pitch
softball. Whats that
got to do with the outdoors?
Well, I met these two
sportsmen on the Portage,
softball fields and ever
since then they have been
emailing me photographs
of big Kalamazoo
County bucks. Unfortunately for them,
most of these photos would come
during the bachelor phase in August
and September. Very rarely, would
they see these bucks during the legal
deer season. That is until 2015.
On October, 9, Trent was hunting in a patch of oak trees for his
first sit of the year in this particular
stand. At 6:30 p.m. he saw what
looked like a thick-horned, 8-point
buck feeding in his direction. He
grabbed his bow and prepared to
shoot.
According to Trent, The buck
was just gorging himself on acorns.
While I waited for him to come
into range, I could hear turkeys

approaching from behind me. He
eventually crossed a lane 30 yards
in front of me but branches
were in the way and prevented me from getting a
clear shot. I told myself
to just be patient. He was
unaware of me being there.
He fed his way to another
shooting lane and with him
standing broadside at 25
yards I shot him. It
was now 6:45 p.m.,
so I decided to wait
until after dark to pursue him.
He continued, When Paul and I
did take up the trail, it was very easy
to follow. I use Rage broadheads and
there was a lot of blood. We found
him at the end of a 100-yard trail.
We instantly recognized him. It was
a buck that we nicknamed Slick
Willy because he didnt have brow
tines. What we didnt expect to find,
was his antlers covered in velvet.
When this was discovered, Paul
immediately discovered that Slick
Willy had both male and female organs. I shot a hermaphrodite deer!
Two weeks later, October 23,
By Jerry Lambert
56
Trent Kissel found out the buck they named Slick Willy had both male and
female organsa hermaphrodite deer.
my direction. Thats when I knew

that the buck that I was looking at
was the buck we called Freak Nasty.
The sticker off of his left G2 was a
dead giveaway. He started walking
towards a small opening that I had
found to shoot through. His body
came into the opening and I mouth
grunted to stop him. At this point he
was about 12 yards away. I dropped
the string and heard the arrow hit
him in the chest. He ran off and disappeared about 75 yards out. Thats
when the excitement set in. I tried
to keep myself together and texted
my brother, nephew and Trent to let
them know that I had just shot Freak
Nasty!
For over 30 years, Harmon has been making effective products to
After dark we all took up the trail
For over
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has been
making effective
and found him about 150 yards
make
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For over 30andyears,
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was an 11-pointer!
make your hunt a success. Harmon offers over a 100 scents, lures,
Trent and Paul have had a lot of
and related scent products.
fun hunting with their trail cameras.
Both of them are quite happy with
their trophies and will gladly pay
taxidermy bills. Trent is getting
a European Mount of the velvetcrowned Slick Willy and Paul is
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Time will tell!n
get
his
get his
get
his
attention
attention
attention
Paul was in a ladder stand that

hadnt been hunted yet. On this
night, Pauls brother and two nephews came to town to hunt. Paul put
his brother and younger nephew in
a two-man stand and put his older
nephew in a stand where they had
regularly seen a 4-point buck in
hopes that his nephew would get
a shot. The wind was out of the
east and Paul did not have high
hopes.
Paul said, I got into my stand
at about 4:45. The stand sits in a
very small tree that is on a wellused game trail. The trail runs down
a drainage that goes across the
property. The drainage is very thick
with scrub brush and small trees
surrounded by tall grass fields. After
getting situated, I waited 15 minutes
and decided to use my Primos buck
roar call a few times. About five
minutes later I heard a deer coming
down the drainage right down wind
of me. He was about thirty yards out
in thick stuff when I first got a look
at his right antler. I knew he was
a shooter but didnt think that he
was going to give me a shot due to
the wind. He raked a bush with his
antlers for a few minutes and then
started making his way through the
brush. When he eventually made it
to an opening, he looked directly in
57
Deer Antlers...
Saving The Memories
eer hunters will usually want

to keep the antlers from the
deer they take each year. Hung
on the wall, those antlers will
bring back pleasant memories
of the hunt.
While they may look the same,
deer antlers are really unique. While
two fork-horns might look very much
the same, closer inspection reveals
that they are quite different. Even
spikehorns show growth over a wide
spectrum of length, diameter and
shape. If you look at the
antlers from a deer that a fellow hunter has taken, the eyes
will light up and that hunter
will be able to tell you how,
when and where that deer was
taken and you will soon know
more than you ever wanted
to know about that deer hunt.
The bottom line is the antlers
preserve the memories of those hunts so
we do what we can to
save and display those
antlers.
If the deer is a truly grand specimen, you might want to get the head
mounted. You will have to part with
some important money for that but if
the deer has once-in-a-lifetime antlers,
you might want to consider it. You
can do this even if all you have is the
antlers and you didnt save the cape or
hide from the deer the taxidermist
can come up with a replacement cape,
which, of course, will cost you a little
more money. The taxidermist can also
prepare a handsome mount of just the
antlers, putting them on a wooden

plaque with appropriate information
inscribed on a little metal plate. The
going price for a basic or standard head
mount these days is about $475. The
tab for an antler mount will run from
$75 to $ 150, depending on the quality of the materials selected. A skilled
taxidermist can make repairs to a set of
antlers, if a tine or even a whole side
gets damaged or knocked right off the
skull. The repair can be done so well
that you wont be able to detect it. You
can buy an antler-mounting
kit; Cabelas has one for
under $20. Or, you can do it
yourself.
The first step is to clean
up the antlers. Make sure
your processor has made
the two cuts right so that the
back of the vertical cut will
be flush against the plaque.
If not, you may have
to cut it anew, using
a carpenters hand
saw or a band saw.
Using dish-washing detergent in the
laundry tub or a suitable bucket, scour
the antlers and the skull plate with a
stiff brush, removing all the dirt and at
least some of the stains left by hooking branches and trees. The cleaned
antlers will be somewhere between
white and tan in color and they wont
be uniform, being marked by many
scars and stains.
Be sure all the matter next to the
bone has been removed or the antlers
will be a bit whiffy while this material
dries out naturally. You can usually
By George Rowe
58
A piece of the arrow or bolt, glued into the base of the plaque, confirms that
a buck was taken with bow and arrow or crossbow. George Rowe photo
satisfy this requirement by simply putting the antlers in an unheated garage
for a few weeks, being careful not to
put them where mice or other rodents
can get at them. The little guys will
nibble away at the bone and can ruin a
set of antlers in a hurry. The little bits
of flesh and sinew and grey matter will
freeze and dry out quite naturally and
can then be brushed away. If the skull
plate has been cut right, you should
have a nice covering of deer hair over
the part of the skull that will show. If
you prefer, you can remove that hair
and cover that area with a piece of soft
leather or fabric. The hair will last for
decades, however, if you give it a spray
of moth-killer once or twice a year.
The next step is to prepare a
plaque. Chose a good flat piece of
almost any kind of wood. If you want
to get fancy, choose oak or maple or
birch but pine will do about as well,
if you stain the piece. Using a handheld jigsaw, a coping saw or a bandsaw, cut an attractive shape out of the
piece of wood. You might choose a
shield, a circle, an oblong or even the
heart-shape that suggests the track of a

whitetail deer. Sand the piece smooth,
remove the dust carefully, stain it if
you wish and then apply two or three
coats or polyurethane, sanding lightly
between coats. If you choose the
water-based finish, you can wrap your
brush securely in plastic wrap from the
kitchen, between coats, and you will
only have to wash the brush once.
Put a hang-up hole in the center
of the top of the plaque. Mounting the
antlers is a bit tricky. Place the antlers
on the finished plaque and draw lines
lightly around the outer edges of the
skull plate. Then, turning the skull
plate over, see where the screws must
be placed in order to hold the plate
to the plaque. Measure the placement
of the needed hole on the skull plate
and transfer that measurement to the
wooden plaque. Drill just one hole first
and then put that screw in and tighten
it just enough so that you can get the
antlers positioned just right on the
plaque. Now you can drill the hole for
the second screw and fasten it in place.
The antlers are very often skewed one
way or the other, in nature, so you will
have to compensate with your anchoring screws to make the mount look as
nice as possible. It is a rare rack that is
entirely symmetrical.
It is nice to put at least a bit of
information on the plaque. You can
get fancy and put this on a metal plate
on the front or just put it on the back
with a felt pen. The information might
include the date, the name of the hunter
and where it was taken and perhaps the
weight of the deer and any significant
details (i.e. Juniors first deer or Dads
first bow and arrow buck).
If the hunters in the camp or the
household use a variety of weapons to
hunt deer, it might be nice to identify
the weapon on the front of the plaque.
This can be done by drilling a hole and
sticking in the remnants of the arrow
or crossbow bolt that took the deer or
by drilling a half-inch hole and sticking
a patched ball or sabot in the hole or
by cutting off the back end of a brass
cartridge case and sticking that in a
hole, showing that the deer was taken
with a 30-06.
Mounted on a wall in the family
room or den or even in the shop or garage, the antlers never stop reminding
the hunters of those very special days
in the woods.n
Great For Snowbirds...By Jeff Pendergraff
Florida Hog Hunting
lorida like many other southern

states is over-run with wild
hogs. According to Florida
Fish and Wildlife, hogs were
first brought to Florida in the
1500s by Spanish Explorer
Hernado Desoto to be used as food.
Some escaped into the wild and
became feral hogs. Hogs reproduce
twice a year and sows can have as
many as 13 piglets. Male hogs are
called boars.
Boars average in weight around
220 pounds and sows (females) average 155 pounds. The largest ever
killed in Florida weighed a little over
1400 pounds. Boars grow tusks out of
the side of their mouth and used them
for rooting things up out of the ground
and they also used them as a weapon.
They can grow as long as several
inches and are very sharp.
It is estimated that there are over
500,000 hogs in Florida, they reside in
every county, and it is also estimated
to be around 1-2 million hogs in the
southeastern part of the United States
with several million in the 39 states
that have wild hogs.
Normally they wont bother
people, but if you get in their way
they will try to run into you and or use
their tusks to injure you.
The states that have wild boars
incur lots of damage, especially farmers. They can destroy crop fields very
quickly by rooting up the ground in
order to find food. They also eat and
destroy a lot of oranges that are grown
in Florida. They are destructive to na-
tive habitat, wildlife and agriculture.

They are omnivorous; meaning
they will eat just about anything.
They are in competition with other
animals like deer, turkey and squirrels
eating the same food as they do. They
can also consume the nest of young
reptiles (including turtles) ground
nesting birds and mammals, including deer fawns. They have also been
known to prey on young livestock,
including poultry, lambs and goats.
So, from what you just read you
see why no state wants them nor does
any state that doesnt have them, want
them! Michigan has had its own problem with wild hogs. Mostly from them
escaping from hunting enclosures.
There is an open season on wild hogs
in Michigan.
Florida like many other states
have liberal hunting seasons and
methods they allow hunters and landowners to use in order to at least try
to keep the hog population in check.
On private land in Florida there is no
closed season on hunting hogs. You
can hunt them at night with an artificial light. You can hunt them with
dogs day or night, no hunting license
is required and there is no limit on
how many you can harvest.
Once you get off the shorelines
Floridas interior is made up of large
ranches either with cattle or some
type of crop, sugar cane, oranges, etc.
Most of the land in Florida is private
property.
Its very difficult to get permission
to hunt on private property in Florida.
Most land is either leased out to hunting clubs, outfitters or the property
owners have trappers come in and set
up traps. These traps are fenced in areas where bait is left inside and when
the hogs come to eat the bait the door
shuts them in.
The trappers then sell the hogs to
outfitters who release them on their
property. Outfitters have enough feed
on their property to keep the hogs
there once they are released.
A few years ago I went to Florida
with my two brothers, son and grandson to do a hog hunt with Danny Sant
Angelo. Danny and Carla Sant Angelo
own Okeechobee outfitters located in
Lorida, Florida. They offer very affordable hog hunts along with alligator and Osceola turkey hunts.
We drove down over the Presidents holiday weekend in February
and were very pleased with our three
day hunt. We saw lots of hogs and we
took several as well as other hunters
in camp. The cabins we stayed in were
great, as was the food.
This past February, while in Florida I was able to stop by Okeechobee
outfitters. I only had one evening to
hunt. While I didnt see any hogs during my sit, other hunters took three
So You Started This Hunting Season:

- Thinking this year was going to be different
- With new strategies you saw in a magazine and on TV
- And now youre asking the same question again..
good hogs that evening plus many

others during their hunt.
With so many people wintering
in Florida or spending spring break
there from Michigan you might want
to give hog hunting a try. Its a very
affordable hunt, lots of fun, plenty of
hogs and a chance to add some pork to
your freezer. Or if youre like me and
starting to have hunting withdrawals
in winter, what a better place to do it
while in Florida and waiting between
seasons to be able to hunt again.
Its also a very easy hunt for a
youngster with close shots. Its the
first animal my grandson hunted and
his first harvested animal at nine
years old. You can hunt with archery,
crossbow and rifle. They use ladder
stands as well as ground blinds. This
is probably the cheapest hunt youre
going to find anywhere in the US. For
more information you can go to www.
okeechobeeoutfitters.com.n
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59
Can The Ice Fishing Be As Good As Last Year?
Icy Michigan Hotspots

By Mike Gnatkowski
(gnatoutdoors.com)
ichigan sporting goods stores and

tackle dealers sold a lot of one product
last winter they dont normally get
much call for-ice auger extensions.
The winter of 2014-15 was one for the
record books. Many places had safe ice
in early December and it lasted into April, even in
southern Michigan. Retailers were caught off guard.
In recent years, it was chancy stocking ice fishing
gear and tackle because you never knew exactly
what kind of winter we were going to have. Last
year, you couldnt find any ice tackle at many retailers by early February.
Are we going to have the winter of the century
again in 2015-16? Not likely, but if we get even
close to a normal winter look for these cold water
destinations to produce some hot action.
Saginaw Bay
60
Anglers had an epic year on Saginaw Bay last

year. The major bugaboo, ice conditions, was a nonfactor last season. Given another real winter, there
are plenty of walleye there for the taking.
Ice conditions were good last year, said Ernie
Plank of Franks Great Outdoors (franksgreatoutdoors.com; 989-697-5341) It was good ice from
Sebewaing all the way to Au Gres and Bay City. It
was the best ice I can ever remember and Ive been
fishing the Bay for more than 20 years. A lot of
guys were just driving their trucks and trailers right
out on the ice. There were still pressure cracks that
you had to watch for, but for the most part it was
pretty safe. Thats unheard of on Saginaw Bay.
Plank said the east side of the Bay always has the
best ice conditions, but you have farther to travel to
the best fishing.
Fishing got started in early December in 7 to
10 feet of water and just got better as the winter
went on, said Plank. Fishing slowed a little bit
in mid-winter. I think the ice just got so thick that
it was affecting light penetration. There were days
when the bit wasnt fantastic, but you could always
catch a few fish. Plank said that even with the
thick ice and poorer visibility the hottest action was
right at first light and just before dark.
Plank said there are a lot of 2-1/2- to 3-pound
walleye in the Bay right now and theres not a lot
for them to eat. That would seem to bode well for
anglers. Hungry fish are easier to catch. The forage
base on the Bay is way down, said Plank. Alewives are way down. Gizzard shad are scarce. And
theres the highest number of walleye in the Bay
since they started keeping records and they are all
from natural reproduction. A 28-inch walleye that
used to weigh 8 or 8-1/2 pounds now weighs 6 or 7
pounds. About the only forage they have right now
are perch and gobies. Thats like eating a hamburger
versus a salad. Plank said that upwards of 70% of
the forage for walleyes in the Bay is now yellow
perch.
In spite of the fact the Saginaw Bay walleyes
are now eating mainly perch, winter walleyes still
have an affinity for bright lures. The brighter
Jumbo perch, like the one Josh Delbarker is displaying, are a bonus catch for anglers on Hamlin Lake.
patterns and glow seems to work best in winter, offered Plank. Orange, fire tiger are good colors, too.
Again, the mid-day bite is inconsistent, so concentrate on the low-light periods. Do Jiggers, Rattlin
Buckshot Spoons, PK Lures and Jigging Rapalas
are all good. 1/4 to 1/2-ounce Northland Whistler
Jigs can be good when fish are semi-active.
For bait, tackle and Saginaw ice and fishing
reports contact Franks Great Outdoors in Linwood.
Lake St. Clair
Lake St. Clair is a Mecca for perch anglers and

the winter of 201314 provided the best ice conditions in decades.
Perch fishing on Lake St. Clair is kind of
unique, offered Joe Balog. Youre fishing relatively shallow water and you can usually just walk
out. Theres a lot of perch right now in Lake St.

Clair in the 5- to 7-inch range, so the key is to keep
moving and find the 8inch keepers.
Balog said the key to finding bigger perch on
Lake St. Clair is to power fish. No shanties here.
The idea is to run-and-gun until you find THE
school. Move a lot, fish for short periods of time
and use artificial lures to catch aggressive fish to
find the big schools, said Balog. Balog advised
targeting 3 to 9 feet of water, punch holes and using
flashy spoons like local favorites, Jacks and Kens
spoons, with a plastic bead or rubber egg. Its kind
of an old technique that was developed in the 50s
on Saginaw Bay when people were fishing for subsistence, claimed Balog.
Balog said to keep moving, find holes in the
weeds and use the flashy spoons to get schools fired
up and make the most of your opportunity. Good
Hamlin Lake
Mason Countys Hamlin Lake is known for its

hot first-ice bluegill bite. But if you waited for the
traditional time to get in on the action, you missed
it. Last year we were on the ice on Dec. 8, shared
Pat Barcelli of Ludington. It was really good for
a while and it took a little while before everyone
of water. The crappie fishing on Hamlin gets hot in

February and lasts through March most years.
To learn how to catch suspended crappies on
Hamlin Lake contact West Michigan Ice Guides
at 269-377-1313 or on-line at www.michiganiceguides.com.
Lake Missaukee
I didnt get to fish Lake Missaukee a lot last

winter, said Central Lake Michigan Management
Unit Fisheries Biologist Mark Tonello, but I heard
the fishing was good. Youll find a mix of bluegills
and sunfish, not trophies, but good numbers in the
7-to 8-inch range.
Tonello suggested trying the south end of the
lake off Green Road, off the access on the northeast
corner of the 1,985-acre lake and off M-55/M-66
right in town.
While bluegills and sunfish are the main quarry,
there are some good crappies and perch in the lake
too, said Tonello. Try anywhere between 6 and
17 feet, with 9-14 feet being the best. Just keep
moving the look for weed edges. Youll run into the
occasional footlong crappie and jumbo perch, but
the majority of the perch right now are small. We
had a moratorium on walleye planting so there was
a five-year gap where we didnt plant walleyes. The
MDNR stocked walleyes again in 2011 and 2013.
So, once those get established we should see better
perch fishing on Lake Missaukee.
Make sure you have your bait and tackle before
you hit the lake. The tackle shop in town is rarely
open.
Cadillac/Mitchell
Ice anglers found an abundance of walleye on

Saginaw Bay last year like the one Dave Rose is
admiring. gnatoutdoors.com photos
found out about it.
Ice usually forms first on upper Hamlin Lake
between Wilson Park and Victory Parks first.
Schools of slab gills move into the 6- to 8-foot
depths. Limits of 7- to 9-inch slabs are the norm as
soon as you can get on the ice.
Bluegill fishing slows as the winter progresses
and you need to resort to finesse techniques to continue to catch fish. Light line, sensitive graphs or
flashers and delicate spring bobbers are necessary.
A hot crappie bite on Hamlin starts about midwinter. The area off Lincoln and Grace roads in
the traditional crappy grounds was good last year,
offered Dave Ellis. The specs were in 34 to 36
feet of water and they were suspended 90% of the
time 6 or 8 feet off bottom. You really needed some
good electronics and you needed to move around
to find them. Once you did, plastics were the ticket.
The crappies werent huge, but you could fill a
bucket with 10 to 13 inchers. Little Atom (http://
www.little-atom.com) Nuggies and Wedgies were
the ticket. Hotspots for specks are off Indian Pete
Bayou to the east and to the north in 20 to 22 feet
Lakes Cadillac and Mitchell are perennial ice

fishing favorites, but last winter effort was down
because of the extreme weather. Ice fishing in
general was not good, said Tonello. It was so
cold people just didnt put forth the effort. Lakes
Cadillac and Mitchell are always good, you still
have to go.
Tonello said that both lakes have become primarily winter crappie fisheries. Fishing pressure
on Cadillac and Mitchell is heavier when theres no
ice downstate, he said. Last year, they had good
ice downstate so everyone stayed south.
If you were brave enough to go out you can
catch some crappies, said Tonello. Youre not going to catch 17-inchers. Most will be 8- to 10-inch
eaters, but occasionally you find some that are 13
or 14 inches.
Cadillac and Mitchell crappies feed a lot on
aquatic insects. Plastics are the ticket when specs
are feeding on the freshwater shrimp or scuds that
are present in the lakes.
Tonello suggested trying off the causeway
along M-55 and off the library near Kentwood Park
on Lake Cadillac. Crappies can always be found off
Big and Little coves on Lake Mitchell in 10 to 15
feet of water suspended in the weeds.
For bait, tackle and fishing reports contact Pilgrims Village & Resort (231) 775-5412 or Schafers Bait & Sporting Goods (231-775-7085).
Crystal Lake
Ice anglers who target lake trout on Crystal
Lake welcomed the brutal winter with open arms.
The 9,711-acre Benzie County lake is slow to
freeze, but last year anglers got on the ice sooner
The author loves it when the crappie bite heats up.

than any time in recent memory.
Fishing was very good for lake trout on
Crystal last winter, offered Tonello. We surveyed
the lake recently and found a lot of trout up to 32
inches.
Tonello said that smelt numbers in Crystal are
high right now so theres plenty for the trout to eat.
When smelt numbers are low, you can catch trout
on blue or gray shiners. But when smelt numbers
are high, like they are right now, youd better have
live smelt if youre going to catch any fish.
Many anglers fish for smelt the night before
and use them for trout during the day. Lakers can
be caught in the 70 to 140-foot depths off Lobb
Road, Railroad Point, Warren Road and Herdmans
Point. Most will average 5 to 10 pounds.
For tackle shops and amenities in the area
contact the Benzie County CVB at http://www.
visitbenzie.com/.
Little Bay De Noc
Perch numbers are coming back, stated

Kevin Lee of Sall-Mar Resort (http://www.sallmarresort.net/; 906-553-4850) on Little Bay De Noc.
The lack of alewives has really helped the perch.
Were seeing several good years classes in the bay
right now. We saw a lot of people fishing perch this
past winter.
Lee said a prime location for perch on Little
Bay De Noc is north of the coal piles at Gladstone
east of Butler Island in 23 to 28 feet of water.
Most of the perch will average 9 to 10 inches, but
14-inch jumbos are not uncommon. Lee said jigging spoons, Jigging Rapalas and tear drop all take
perch. Lure weight is determined by the currents
that are present in the area. Theres current that
comes and goes depending on how the water backs
up in Green Bay, said Lee. Usually, that makes for
some treacherous ice conditions, but not last year.
Nothing affected the ice last year, joked Lee.
About the only thing that did affect ice fishing on
Little Bay De Noc last season was too much winter.
There got to be so much snow and slush on the ice
that people just quit fishing, said Lee. The guys
up here use mainly four-wheelers and it got to the
point where they couldnt get on the ice.
I guess there is a point where you can have too
much of a good thing.n
locations are on South Anchor Bay, especially

on first ice, and anywhere south of Lake St. Clair
Metro Park.
For bait, tackle and reports on ice conditions
contact Sportsmans Direct (586-741-6052; www.
sportsmensdirect.com) or Joes Bait & Tackle (586469-3517.)
61
Boat Smart...By Capt. Fred Davis
POWER UP!
o you remember your first

boat? Mine was an old, beat
up 14-footer that had been
tossed out. It had a little soft
wood and it was a real challenge to dry out all the rot.
By the time I accomplished that, I had
created a need for more than just Git
Rot.
Too bad I dont have a picture of
that first attempt it turned out pretty
well. After I got the hull in good
shape it was time to select power. I
found a used, 25-hp outboard (thought
to be a big power source at that time)
to match up with my restored vessel.
The 25 hp motors back in those days
were the fastest available but were
very heavy and often temperamental.
On my small boat, I could pull a water
skier around in calm water.
My next restoration effort was a
fiberglass 16-foot outboard with the
latest power choice; a 35-hp Evinrude
what a great choice. This boat, with
the larger power choice, just flew over
the water pulling skiers with ease.
As years went by, I continued to
own and restore boats; inboards and
over a dozen outboards. Each of the
outboards had increased horse power.

I saw other boats powered with twin
outboards but I never felt the need
for more than one motor. When I got
to the 250-hp Yamaha, I felt that was
just right for the 24-foot vessel it was
mounted on. I could reach speeds
of 50 mph quickly which was fast
enough for a pleasure boat excursion.
Little did I know at that time where
the future of outboard power was
headed.
Inboard/outboard (I/Os) power
increased rapidly and with twins
soon exceeded the capacity of the
outboards. Twin inboards were also
available with greater horsepower,
some were even super-charged. They
could reach speeds never known
before when competitively racing.
When outboard powered boats were
made available with twin 250-300-hp
motors, I was sure they had reached
the maximum with 600-hp moving a
small vessel over the water.
I was still happy with my single,
250-hp on the 24-foot center-console
I was enjoying on the water, it was
just right for my needs. That fact did
not stop me from going to the big boat
The author, Pat Davis, found this old

motor still ready to go in the back of
his son-in-laws garage and it looked
just like his first one! Above: the Palm
Beach Boat Show had many choices of
1,400 hp of outboard power.
shows; Miami and Palm Beach, and
checking out the latest to hit the marketplace. Each year I saw changes,
bigger power being introduced year
after year. At Miami last year, Seven
Marine debuted the worlds largest
outboard engine; an incredible 627-hp
goliath.
I just could not believe what I
saw when I visited the Palm Beach
International Boat Show in March
last year. Several makes of vessels on
display were powered with four, 350hp engines. That equals 1,400-hp on
an outboard boat. I knew they were on
the market because I had seen some
at local marinas. The cost of any
one of those engines exceeds the total
value of many boats Ive owned. The
manufacturers do not neglect style as
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Guest Column By Gabe Forro
Huntress, 9 months
pregnant takes first
deer and its a monster!
veryone in the house had

overslept and we missed the
morning hunt. My brotherin-law Brian Dunaway called
and said we should re-bait and
move my bait-pile. This year
we changed all of our crops from hay
to soybeans and the deer action has
been much slower.
We arrived at the farm near Davison by noon and fired up the tractor to
replenish the bait piles, then headed
out to hunt by 2 pm. Sandra Johnson
(my fianc) had a birthday party to be
at but really wanted to hunt but since
shes nine months pregnant she asked
to be picked up at the barn and drive
her out to the blind. Well, everything
didnt go as planned. With the recent
snow I had to plow a trail from my
new bait pile to the woods so the deer
could see it, and re-baiting all of the
stands took much longer.
At 2:30 pm I find I locked my
keys in the door and have to drive 20
minutes home in my brother-in-laws
truck to get my spare set. Finally at
3:10 pm I drove the quad to my blind
so I would have it when Sandra was
ready to be picked up which happened
25 minutes later. So, back on the quad,
up to the barn, pick Sandra up, drop
her off right at her stand and help get
situated. I parked the quad in a safe
parking spot out-of-the way, normally
we always walk out and never use the
quad. This entire time Im thinking
we are never going to see any deer,
with tractor and quads driving all
over and just a lot of commotion
going on.
I changed my plan of sitting in
my treestand and sat with Sandra, at
least we could enjoy some quiet time
together. Two does came in around
4:45 pm and they were quite weary,
as I mentioned earlier we changed the

crops from a ten-year run of hay and
the deer just act different. The two
does only stayed a minute and I was a
bit frustrated and wined a bit because
I was just not used to not seeing deer
on our farm. In years past it always
produces several wall hanger bucks
and the majority of them come from
my stand.
At 5:20 pm a spike appeared and
wearily made his way to the bait, I
asked her if she wanted to shoot it she
irrefutably said no. Our farm has a let
the little ones go and let them grow,
philosophy. I then told her how I have
noticed a lot of times the little bucks
are messengers and run cover for the
big bucks, two times in years past,
when I passed on little bucks, a big
guy showed up! Just as I finished
telling her the story, in the northeast corner of the field, at the tree
line, watching the spike, a big guy
emerged. We didnt count points it
was clear he was a shooter, the
buck made his way very slowly
into the field but was not presenting
a good shot. I motioned for Sandra
to get ready; the buck seemed to
becoming weary of his surroundings
and was looking like he was
getting ready to bolt. As he
presented a quartering shot Sandra
squeezed the trigger and H&R Ultra
Slug 20 ga. rang out.
In her condition, Sandra waited in
the vehicle as Brian and my dad, Jim
Forro, took up what turned out to be
a short blood trail as the big 10-point
didnt go far. We returned to the jeep
and cleared a path and led Sandra to
her deerher first deer, the 10-point
that was captured on a trail camera and Sandra declared it to be her
10-point!n
Sandra Johnson
with her trophy
10-point she
claimed after
seeing a trail
camera photo.
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63
Autumns Monster...Guest Column By Autumn Stawecki
Dads advise...
Be Patient
headed out to my tree stand

thinking it was going to be much
like my morning hunt with warm
weather and a less than favorable
wind. The only bucks spotted that
day had been seen by my dad on
the other end of our property. He had
offered me his spot thinking I would
have a better chance in his stand than
mine. I have been hunting with my
dad since I was four, and although he
usually never proved wrong, I knew
itd be the time I switched that the big
one would walk by where I should
have been sitting. Explaining this
logic to him, we laughed off the suggestion and parted ways, heading off
to our designated stands.
It hadnt been ten minutes when
my dad texted to say he had a lot of
deer traffic at his end of the woods
and that he had just let a 7-point pass.
I became frustrated, second guessing whether I should have actually
switched with him. I replied that I had
yet to see anything, but he told me to
be patient; I was in a good location.
Great
Gift
For
The
s
day
i
l
o
H
After sitting for almost two hours,

I heard a crunching sound from
behind me. I turned slowly and saw
a timid doe heading towards me. I
feared shed give me away with a
snort, but my scent didnt faze her;
she was on a mission to get to my bait
pile.
If she agreed to stay quiet about
my location, then I was pleased to
have her; like my dad taught me, she
was not only the perfect decoy but
also an extra pair of eyes and ears.
Standing at the pile, the doe kept her
gaze fixed on the dense area of brush
she had just come from. I joined her
and focused my attention on the same
opening.
Through the thick wooded area, I
caught a glimpse of white among the
tangle of dark branches. It was a monster buck and it was walking in the
opposite direction I wanted it to. My
Twenty-five-year-old Autumn Stawecki of Yale took this record book buck on Nov.
stomach dropped as I thought about
18, hunting with her dad. The buck weighed 200 lbs. and had a 21 inch spread.
losing him. As fast as I could, without startling the doe at my bait pile, I
Suddenly, he changed direction and
to get his attention. To my relief, he
snatched up my grunt call and called
began to stumble towards me. I shot
turned his head and changed direcagain. He piled up below me. My
tions towards me. At that moment,
buck fever immediately kicked in. I
another doe darted out of the thicket
almost started to cry with excitement
towards the bait pile.
seeing this monster buck lying just
With new purpose, he began
feet from my stand.
trailing after that doe at a fast pace.
I called my dad to tell him I had
I stood and readied myself for the
shot a monster, but hed already
perfect shot, but then hed stopped
known it was me. He told me to sit
behind a tree. The large trunk halved
tight, he was on his way. When I saw
the buck, his rack visible on one
my dad approaching, I climbed down
side and his butt on the other. What
from the tree. He could see me smilseemed like an eternity was actually
ing from ear to ear. His own emerging
only seconds before he stepped out
smile mirrored mine as he pulled me
from behind the tree and continued
into a hug. Im proud of you; this
walking.
is a once-in-a-lifetime buck. I told
I prayed he would pause just one
him the story of the kill as we drug
more time. A few steps later he did,
and I shot. He jumped and arched his my buck to the trail to hook up to the
quad. As we drove through the woods,
back, kicked his hind legs out, and
I replayed the scene in my head and
started to run to the opening from
which hed emerged moments before. knew that my dad was right.n
SUCCESSFUL HUNTERS
64
GET YOUR
DEER & TURKEY
OFFICIALLY SCORED!
Go To:
www.buckfax.com
Commemorative Bucks of Michigan P.O. Box 307 Owosso, Michigan 48867 Phone (517) 679-6226
Commemorative Bucks of Michigan is a non-profit organization that measures and maintains records on trophy class Whitetail Deer,
Black Bear, Elk and Turkeys, taken by fair chase in the state of Michigan. We use the Boone and Crockett method to score all three
big game species. Visit our web site to learn more and get connected to the latest in Michigan hunting. www.Buckfax.com
THE DISCIPLINE
Guest Column...By Paul Zalewski, St. Clair Shores
y brother Mike and I

always make our annual
pilgrimage to northern
Missouri in the last week
of October for a do-ityourself hunt in an effort
to harvest trophy bucks and take home
some venison. As avid Michigan
bowhunters, we enjoy showcasing
to our Missouri blood brothers the
superior skills and knowledge that a
true Michigan archer acquires from
years of hunting our elusive and
well-educated whitetail. As lifelong
Mike dropped a big doe within two

hours on his initial evening sit, he immediately followed the next morning
by center punching a Pope and Young
quality, non-typical 12-pointer, sporting a massive split brow tine and a
Maine quality crab claw on his G4.
This was his biggest buck to date and
an impressive trophy by anyones
standards.
Not to be outdone by little brother,
day three for me resulted in a 40yard double lung shot on a gnarly
300-pound, 12-pointer, complete with
Avid Michigan bowhunter, Mike Zalewski took this trophy buck in Missouri.
the local locker busy processing our
venison.
The devotion, experience and patience we have acquired as Michigan
bowhunters certainly paid off on this
annual Missouri road trip. When The
Discipline returns next year to the
draws, river bottoms and sloughs that
snake around north Missouris endless
farm fields, those deer will find new
Sign your
Kids up
(9-15 years old) for
Not to be outdone by his little brother, the author arrowed this big bodied
buck with a unique set of antlers including a droptine.
Michiganders that were born hunting
and fishing from the time we could
walk, what my brother and I have
discovered is being a true Michigan
bowhunter is not a sport - its a discipline. The name stuck with us.
Punching four tags in four days
this year sent a strong message that
The Discipline crew from Michigan
was back in town. When First Night
a droptine and massive palmation on

the left side. The local taxidermist
and processor aged the buck at 7 1/2
years old, but even in its decline this
chocolate antlered beast is my most
impressive bow harvest to date.
As the cherry on top of our hunt,
day four closed for me with a perfect
heart shot on a nice doe. In four days
we were both tagged out and keeping
FREE Hunters
Safety Classes
beginning
June 1, 2016
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Dec. 30th
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sets hanging upwind in inconspicuous nooks, and the Michigan brothers

will once again do their best to fill the
coolers with backstraps and occupy
the increasingly scarce wall space in
the Up North cabin with some more
shoulder mounts! But for now, we
have some Michigan tags to fill and
prime time for archery is just beginning in the Mitten.n
Mid Michigan Chapter of

Safari Club International
Big Buck
presents
Night
Open to the public
Friday, January 22nd at the Comfort Inn

2424 S. Mission Mt. Pleasant MI 48858
Adults $25 Kids under 12 $20 Under 5 yrs. FREE
Call 989-330-4463 for a reservation.

For more Information
Contact:
Bring your rack that you shot in 2015 and get

it professionally scored plus get in the FREE
gun drawing with your scored rack.
Mike Strope
Cell: 989-506-1113
mstropecustombuilder@gmail.com
Trophies for Non-Members Two Prize Gun Drawings

Youth Hunters Awards Awards for Members and
Non-Members Special Guest Speakers
Reduced Rate on Rooms Free Membership Drawing
All Tickets are pre-sold. Must have ticket prior to event.
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Whitetail and Mule Deer
65
Next Bite...By Gary Parsons and Keith Kavajecz
If youre looking
for electronics,
its all about
VISIBILITY
W
inter has arrived, but
spring will be here
quicker than you think!
If you are like us, when
youre not on the ice
chasing walleyes, you
are using this time to spool new line
on your reels, reorganize tackle, and
sort out all of the odds and ends that
somehow made their way into the
glove box of the boat over the summer!
The off-season also means it is
time to check out electronics options
for anyone buying a new boat or anyone who is looking to upgrade their
current sonar and GPS unit.
When we first started fishing for
walleyes, our sonar was the Green
Box and our GPS was using our
eyes to triangulate a tree, a silo and a
house to put our boat in the general
area that we wanted to be. We marked
waypoints by throwing out a marker
buoy once we found a school of fish
or a piece of structure.
Weve come a long ways since
then, as advances in electronics have
created efficiencies in locating fish
and finding a spot on a spot. However,
there are some very basic considerations to factor in when you are
selecting a new unit.
The HDS Gen3 benefits the angler by turning out the fastest HDS ever. Those
keys are made for pushing. And, we know it is important for you to feel how
the touch screen functions. A remarkably fast processor ensures that HDS
Gen3 will perform the way you fish.
Motorguide Xi5 bow mount trolling motor. What does that mean to
an angler? One example is to locate
a piece of structure from the unit on
your console that looks fishy maybe
a windblown point. With the Motorguide Gateway, you can move the
GPS cursor just upwind of the spot
then press a few buttons and tell the
Xi5 to Anchor at Cursor. If the
approximate positioning was not just
right, you can also use arrows on the
HDS unit to jog the trolling motor to
just the right position.
unit if you want to be able to see multiple views of what is under the water
by watching several windows on the
screen at the same time. Some of these
views might include GPS, conventional sonar, SideScan, DownScan, 3D
StructureScan and one window might
even have controls for the Xi5 Motorguide bow mount trolling motor.
This requires a minimum of an HDS
9 or HDS 12. The option we use is to
mount two units on the console
just so we can see all the data at a
glance.
You also have to take into considMost units have the GPS built
eration how far away you will be from
right in. In addition to saving waySo how do you decide what size
the electronics in your boat and how
points, the GPS can help you follow
unit is right for you? That depends on much you need to see from a distance.
contours to find fish that are relating
your needs and your budget. The price Are you usually at the console while
to breaks and humps. While some
of the unit within each series is depen- trolling? Can you see the detail you
units come with preloaded maps, you dent on the size of the screen and the
are looking for when you are by the
can also purchase a chip containing
processor needed to drive that screen. transom?
maps to insert into your electronics.
The transducer, sonar technology, and
The second area on a boat that
For many lakes, these maps will help GPS technology are all similar from
The first is having a color screen.
needs a unit is the bow. We recomfind great areas before you even get
model to model.
Most electronics now come with
mend a minimum of an Elite 7 or
If your unit is being used strictly
color screens that show the bottom in on the water. Look for sharp breaks
HDS 7 (if you just want to split the
close to deep water, feeding shelves
for ice fishing, a Lowrance Elite 5 is a screen with conventional sonar and
yellow with a thin blue line. You can
good choice because you only need to GPS), all the way up to an HDS 12
change these colors by selecting a dif- and even expansive mud flats in the
20 to 30-foot range.
view one screen at a time. While you (if you want to have more windows
ferent pallet, but for this article we
One reason to consider a higher
are jigging you can watch the sonar
will talk about the colors that show up
showing more data). Remember, it is
end unit is that the computer processcreen and when you decide to travel all about visibility!
on the default pallet for a Lowrance
sor inside the unit will update these
to another spot you can switch over to
unit.
Once you have found the electronthe GPS screen.
A strong sonar echo (hard bottom) complex maps on your screen much
ics that are a right fit for your needs,
If you are putting a unit on the
shows up as a wide bright yellow area, quicker. Plus if you want to scroll to
take some time to view videos on the
different areas of the lake, the faster
console of your boat to use while
while a softer echo (mud) will show
internet, read articles and talk to variunits will more quickly draw all the
you are searching for fish, you will
up with red or blue intermixed in the
ous pros at sport shows to learn more
mapping contours.
want to choose an Elite 7 or 9 or a
yellow. The colors make it easier for
about how they use different features
One feature that is becoming more Lowrance HDS 7 or HDS 9. This will on their GPS and sonar in different
you to distinguish fish from structure
allow you to run a split screen showand the bottom. Often a walleye tight prevalent is the ability to control an
situations. Before you know it, the ice
electric trolling motor from the fish
ing both the sonar and GPS at the
on the bottom will show up as a yelwill be breaking up, the ramps will be
finder. The GPS functions on the
same time.
low bump, but just below the bump
open and you will be prepared to find
will be a thin red line showing separa- Lowrance HDS integrate with the
You will need to go to a bigger
your Next Bite!n
Key Sonar Features
66
tion thats a fish! On non-color units,

it is hard to tell the difference between
various shades of gray that represent
the fish, structure and bottom.
Next, your unit should run with
minimal adjustments straight out of
the box. The bottom of the screen
should be bright yellow and the blue
line representing the bottom should
be crisp. Bigger fish should show
up as arcs surrounded by red with a
yellow middle. If this is not the case,
turn up the sensitivity to show a little
bit of clutter in the water column.
This should make the yellow appear
sharper.
Finally, it is important to have
a good chart scroll speed and ping
speed. The faster the chart scrolls, the
more pixels are turned on as the fish
passes through the cone, giving you
more detail about whats happening
below the water. This speed will also
let you search faster but still show you
the clues to tell you fish are present.
Key GPS Features
Does Size Matter?
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lights, TV or even a stove for all the fish youll reel in.
The EU Series features generators that are easy to

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quiet. Plus, theyre covered by our 3-Year Warranty.
Theyre the catch of the day. And thats no fish story.
gen.honda.com
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67
TROPHY PAGES
Huntin' Time Expo coordinator, Beth Antor took

her first buck this fall. This
heavy tall tined 8-pt.
Brittni Filipiak of Westland was

in her stand, in Sanilac Co., for
less than 10 minutes when she
took this nice buck at 17 yards
with her bow.
Rob Preisel took this 11-pt Lapeer Co. buck at 8:08 am Halloween morning.
Vincent Casetti, 15 of
Clarkston took this buck
on Oct. 26 in Lapeer Co.
with a crossbow. This is
Vince's third deer.
Tyler Kinnunen took this wide

9-pt. hunting Montcalm County.
Eightyear-old
Konner
Hewitt
of
Chelsea
with a
huge
tom
taken
on Oct.
23 with
a crossbow.
Jordon Thomas, 9 took

his first turkey this fall
hunting with a crossbow at 30 yards.
Cameron Behnke
caught this 26 1/2"
bowfin on Lake St. Clair
during the summer.
Jake
Hessler
took this
huge
raccoon.
Ed Mox caught this 24 inch

brown trout on the Au Sable
River above Mio.
68
John Force
of Comins
took this
nice 8-pt.
on state
land in
Montmorency Co.
with his
crossbow
on Nov.
10.
Sam Nouhan of Oakland

Twp., first time he applied
for an elk tag and he was
the first to report a Michigan elk in 2015, taking this
bull just outside Atlanta.
Christian
Webb,
11 took
this 6-pt.
buck on
Nov. 14
with a
crossbow in
Osceola
Co.
Sam Friedrich, 12 of Temecula,

CA caught and released her
first largemouth bass. The trophy bass was 26.75 inches and
weighed 8 lbs.
Ryan
Ruby of
Alpena
took an
8-pt. on
opening
morning
of the
firearm
season.
Alexa Dyer, 16 from

Macomb Twp. caught
this largemouth bass on a
wacky worm on Lakeville
Lake.
Sevenyear-old
Thijs
Herweyer,
caught his
first largemouth
bass
fishing a
private
pond in
Holland.
James
Hope
took this
dandy
buck
near
Marysville Nov.
15 with
his bow.
Lauren Bielby, 11 of Saginaw took this

nice 8-pt. buck Sept. 19, hunting with
her Grandma in Iosco Co.
Keith
Leighton
with a nice
archery
8-pt. taken
in Van
Buren Co.
on Nov. 1.
Joe
Andrews
with granddaughter
Eva took
this nice
buck hunting near
Jasper.
Dennis Baur
caught this
dandy split brow
tine buck, on his
trail camera and
harvested Oct. 6
near Imlay City.
Jeb Allen took a beautiful 9-pt. green scoring 132 and weighing 205 lbs. on Oct. 2 in
Isabella Co.
Taylor Gross, 13 took this bruiser 10-pt. on

Nov. 1 with a crossbow in Saginaw Co. Tyler
Gross, 12 took this 6-pt. Nov. 7 with a crossbow in Saginaw Co.
Kendra
Rensberry
took this
8-pt. in
late Oct.
bowhunting near
Rogers
City.
Lowell
Sanders
arrowed
this big
10-pt.
with an
18" inside
spread in
St. Joseph
Co. Oct.
31.
Taylor
Kinnunen
took this
beautiful 8-pt.
hunting
Montcalm Co.
Michael Cannon took

his first deer with his
crossbow Oct. 4 while
hunting with his dad in
Charlevoix Co.
Mike
Pelton of
Muskegon
took this
dandy 14pt. with a
16 spread
on Oct. 7.
MJ
Resnick,
14 of
Imlay City
took this
6-pt. near
Coleman.
Shelly
Koger of
Utica took
her first
buck ever
and what
a stud,
an 11-pt.
taken near
Capac on
Nov. 1.
TROPHY PAGES
69
TROPHY PAGES
Jared Gillman, took this big 11-pt. bowhunting St. Clair Co. Nov. 13 with an incredible shot with his Bowtech.
Jeff J.
Brenske
harvested
this beautiful 14-pt.
hunting
with his
son Ryan
their best
opening
day in 28
years.
Lifetime best buck for Bob Groat of

Brown City! The secret to taking the
trophy 10-ptits all about being at the
right place at the right time!"
Bruce
Watson
with his
terrific,
tall-tined
10-pt. buck
taken in
St. Clair
County.
17-point
Allegan
Co. monster buck
taken
by John
Frost November
18 with
a muzzleloader.
Sarah Dickey, 16 of
Warren, with her first
buck, a nice 8-pt taken
Nov. 22 on the familys
property in Macomb.
Paul Chappel of Cass

City took this wide 12pt. with his crossbow.
Nichelle
Watson
took her
third
deer
with a
bow.
This
buck
was
taken in
Berrien
Co.
70
Mason Johnson of Breckenridge took

this brute 8-pt with a 20 2/3 inch
spread on Nov. 18.
Tyler
Eldridge,
14 of
Allenton
took this
12-pt.
buck near
North
Branch
Nov.
15. He
also took
a 6-pt.
during
the youth
hunt.
Brandon
Weingartz
with a
heavy
beamed
10-pt.
taken in
Lapeer
Co.
Caden
Roszczewski
took
this
dandy
9-pt.
near
Lapeer
during the
2015
youth
hunt.
Courtney
Davis, 13
of Westland took
this 4-pt. in
Alcona Co.
on Thanksgiving Day.
Kinney Caudill took this
8-pt. the evening of
Nov. 18 in Lenawee Co.
MICHIGAN'S
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71
Hot Topics, My Thoughts, My Views...
DNR COs targeting illegal importation of deer
72
DNR conservation officers in southwest Michigan recently conducted

enforcement operations
targeting illegal importation of harvested
deer into Michigan from states with
chronic wasting disease (CWD) in
their free-ranging deer herds.
Conservation officers conducted
operations near the I-94 corridor of
the Michigan/Indiana border, resulting in the seizure of six harvested
deer. Five deer were transported
into Michigan from Illinois, and one
was transported from Wisconsin.
Michigan law prohibits importing
deer from CWD-positive states and
provinces.
Five Michigan residents have
been charged with the illegal transportation of deer into the state. They
will be arraigned in the 5th District
Court in Berrien County. Violation of
Michigans wildlife importation laws
may result in fines of up to $500 and
up to 90 days in jail.
The seized deer have been transported to the Michigan DNR Wildlife
Disease Lab in East Lansing where
they will be tested for CWD and then
incinerated.
The transportation of whitetail
deer into Michigan from a CWD-positive state is a very serious concern,
said Conservation Officer Andrew
Bauer, who organized the enforcement operation. CWD can spread
from illegally imported deer to our
deer herd, causing a very significant
negative impact.
The DNR announced in late May
2015 that CWD had been found for
the first time in a free-ranging whitetail deer in Ingham County. Since that
time, two additional deer also have
tested positive. CWD is a neurological (brain and nervous system) disease found in deer, elk and moose.
There currently is no treatment for
CWD; it is fatal in all cases.
Current scientific understanding
suggests CWD may be transmitted
both directly through animal-toanimal contact, as well as indirectly
through a contaminated environment.
Previous studies have shown that
CWD prions exist in the saliva, urine,
blood and feces of infected cervids.
Additionally, a study by the University of Wisconsin suggests that the
CWD prion can remain indefinitely
in certain types of soil, and binding to
soil dramatically increases the infectiousness of CWD prions.
To date, there is no evidence that
chronic wasting disease presents
any risk to non-cervids, including
humans, either through contact with
an infected animal or from handling
venison.
However, as a precaution, the

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
the World Health Organization recommend that infected animals not be
consumed as food by either humans
or domestic animals.
Many western states do have chronic
wasting disease, which is why the
Michigan DNR has strict importation
laws.
Harvested free-ranging deer, elk
or moose from Colorado, Illinois,
Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota,
Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico,
New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Utah,
Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin,
Wyoming, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan all
have importation restrictions.

These states and provinces have
detected CWD in free-ranging animals; therefore, only the following
parts of deer, elk or moose carcasses
may be brought into Michigan:
deboned meat, antlers, antlers attached to a skull cap cleaned of all
brain and muscle tissue, hides, upper
canine teeth or a finished taxidermy
mount.
If you are notified by another state
or province that a deer, elk or moose
you brought into Michigan has tested
positive for CWD, you must contact
the DNR Wildlife Disease Lab within
two business days (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
at 517-336-5030 and provide details.
In addition, the U.S. Department of
Agriculture may have regulations on

importation from Canada. Call 301851-3300 for details.
Michigan citizens should call the
DNR Report All Poaching hotline
(800-292-7800) with any information
regarding importation violations.
For more information on CWD,
please visit www.michigan.gov/cwd.
Michigan conservation officers are
fully commissioned state peace officers who provide natural resources
protection, ensure recreational safety
and protect citizens by providing general law enforcement duties and lifesaving operations in the communities
they serve. Learn more about Michigan conservation officers at www.
michigan.gov/conservationofficers.n
HUNTERS ARE GOOD PEOPLE!

And Good Things Happen To Good People, Like Gran
Guest Column
By Ted Rickabus
t has been an interesting deer

hunting season for me, some ups
and downs, but It recently brought
me a perspective that has filled my
soul.
As usual, this year has been
a lot of hard work in the deer woods,
but as always, a labor of love. Love of
the sport of hunting, the respect of the
animal we love to pursue, and the love
of the companionship that we share
with family and friends.
Its been a busy year finding the
right spots to hunt on state land in
the north for my hunting crew, plus
plenty of time spent on my own 30
acres at home; working the food plots,
optimizing the treestands and ground
blinds, monitoring the trail cams,
clearing deer trails of brush.
This year I had the opportunity to
mentor a new hunter. A 48-year-old
buddy Keith, who has spent most of
his life doing city things and had not
really had the opportunity to enjoy the
spirit and wonder of the wilderness.
Keith learned the craft quickly and
found himself standing over his first
bow-killed deer this October, a special
time that we will always remember.
My schedule and an amazingly understanding wife allowed me, for the
first time ever, to concentrate 10 days
on the rut hunt. From November 7-16,
I was able to focus on my passion of
hunting Michigan whitetail during the
peak of the season.
With the warmer weather deer
sightings were painfully slim. The
Phyllis Rickabus
(Gran to her family) with her first
buck! Taken opening day of firearm
season hunting by
herself in lower
Michigan while the
rest of the family
was hunting north.
Proof that good
things happen to
good people.
first five days yielded only two deer

at a distance of 80 yards for me. My
brother-in-law saw two does and a
reasonable buck and the rest of the
crew were pretty disappointed and perplexed. Camp was still fun, but there
was an element of frustration hanging
over it.
The second half of the week was
a trip north. State land and the annual
crap shoot of acorn production, hunting pressure from other hunters. The
first two days the rain blasted down in
sheets. In the afternoon of the second
day, November 14, rain drizzled away
on me while I sat in the tree. Finally
around 3:00, the rain subsided and
a nice little 6-point came in. After a
short track, I was looking at a state
land buck that I would actually take
home for a change. I took photos and
sent the notice to my hunting crew.
Not wanting to disturb their hunt, I
convinced them that I could drag the
deer to the truck myself. Not re-
membering that a deer was heavy, the

distance was over a half mile, and I
was 53 years old.
Pulling this beast up and over a
couple of ridges had my heart about
pounding out of my chest. I had to
make the call and ask for help. Not
something I typically do. To the
rescue came my brother-in-law, fatherin-law and nephew. They interrupted
their hunt to come help me.
My brother-in-law Don said, This
is why we hunt. To share the experience with each other. We all need to
be a part of the process. Its what we
do.
A generous sentiment for sure.
The next morning, the firearm
opener, it wasnt long before a text
came in. My step mother wanted to
hunt my private land while all of the
guys were up north and she was alerting me that she was all settled into the
Hunters are good people page 74
My Thoughts, My Views, My Opinions...
Could social media turn Michigan into a Big Buck State?

By John Bischoff
ichigan has long been known as a state

where seeing a mature buck cruising
under your treestand would be the
equivalent of seeing a monkey riding
a unicorn past you. When I was young
I remember how exciting it was to see
any buck let alone something that was bigger than a
year-and-half-old spike horn. When Michigan hunters wanted to shoot a mature buck they often would
be traveling to places like Ohio or Iowa. But now as
I scroll down through the newsfeed on my phone I
see one Michigan monster after another.
Now that almost every hunter has access to
Facebook or Instagram from the convenience of
their treestand, it seems like things are changing.
While waiting for a buck perched 20 feet up in a
tree, in the middle of Gods country, people are
scrolling through their smart phones looking at pictures from hunters all across the state. This enables
us to instantly look at what bucks other people are
passing on or what other hunters are killing. Could
this be the beginning of the end to If I dont shoot
it my neighbor will?
This instant information is available to us in a
way that has never been possible before. It seems to
be showing that Michigan does have the potential to
be one of the famed big bucked states. As more and
more hunters become entangled in the ol internet,
I see more posts asking questions like How old is
this buck? or Shoot or pass? Often the answers
are what other hunters in the state have been doing
on their land and how it has worked for them.
I have no problem with hunters taking any legal
deer by any legal means let me be very clear on
that. But I do feel like the general consensus

of Michigan hunters is starting to change from
the old brown and down thought school. How
many guys do you know that ten years ago would
have let a young eight point walk through their
shooting lanes because he was only 2 -years-old?
Now almost every day I see people passing young
eights saying In a couple years he will be a monster!
The other high value information hunters are
gaining from social media is the conditions of deer
movement throughout the state in that exact moment of time. This is giving hunters the encouragement to stay on stand longer if they know that other
hunters from across the state are seeing good deer
activity that day. This might also have a large part
in why we are seeing so many good bucks get taken
in recent years. Having this instantaneous informa-
tion at our literal fingertips can make the difference

in the outcome of our deer season.
Now there are some downsides to the social
media trend that has been evolving throughout the
last few years. Time that used to be spent absorbing mother nature is being filled by hunters sliding
their thumb up and down staring at a small glowing screen. Who knows? This might be one of the
reasons we are starting to see more mature deer because a lot of them are sneaking by while your nose
is buried in your phone! I truly enjoy sitting out in
my tree stand and having all my senses maxed out
picking up flickers of movement and faint sounds
but since the smart phone there has been this nagging in my pocket to check Facebook to see how
other hunters are doing. It usually takes me around
three or four hunts to be able leave my phone in my
pocket and just hunt.
One thing that really needs to stop, though is
the social media bullying of other hunters pictures.
This is disgusting to me. We have all seen it and it
needs to stop, so if the deer is taken legally and you
have a problem with it please just keep it to yourself. It is awfully easy to type a few mean words
from behind a keyboard but remember what you
type could turn a young or new hunters off from
hunting for life.
So is social media changing hunting?
Absolutely and there are both positive and negative changes that I can see. It will be interesting to
see how this will change the hunting community as
a whole. One thing that I know is it sure is great to
see pictures of smiling kids holding up big bucks
as I slide my thumb along that screen, while a big
mature bucks is sneaking unnoticed behind my
treestand.n
Deer season successlooking good!

Same story Ed!
Jerry tells us that he has been processing deer
for 15 years and the best opening day was 115
deer. This year they received 158 deer total for the
opener. He and I talked about the reasons
for the big improvement not only on the
big and number of older bucks being taken
but their physical shape. We agreed that the
acorn crop in the lower of 2014 was more
than awesome and the winter of 20142015 didnt start until mid-January 2015.
February was brutal but that was not a bad
thing for spring broke by mid-March and
the freeze lasted six weeks without
a thaw, which is also a good thing.
A rough, but short winter toughens
up the deer. There was no hard frozen crust on the
snow which could cut open the deers legs. My
view of last winter is that it couldnt get any better
for Michigans lower!
Do deer like acorns? They were available for
deer right into late spring. The above good fortune
makes it possible for bucks to survive and avoid
hunters in 2014. Why would deer go to a bait pile
when there is better stuff? Also hunters walk and
By Ed Spinazzola
Deer season success page 75
ts the third day of the firearm deer season,

my son Steven and I are looking at a bunch of
deer laying on the floor of Stutzsmans Butcher Shop in Clare County. Seven of the bucks
were sporting impressive racks and
now Steves buck adds to the count. I
ask Jerry Stutzsman if he read my March
2015 Woods-N-Water News article;
What happened to all of our deer? Jerry
says, Ed we are on the same page, I
predicted a bumper buck crop this year
same as you, you wanna see something,
follow me.
We enter Jerrys large cooler
and see at least 60 large deer
carcasses and the same amount
of impressive buck heads skinned for a shoulder
mount lying against the wall. Jerry says that every
one of those carcasses and heads are 2-1/2 years
old or older bucks, we processed the yearling
bucks and does to allow some aging on these older
bucks. Jerry points to the deer heads and notes that
none of the racks look like they came from a 2-1/2
year old buck, more like 3-1/2 and the weights are
good.
What are the other deer processors saying
Jerry? I asked.
73
Hot Topics, My Thoughts, My Views...

Hunters are good people... from page 72
take it any longer and I was on the
phone. Never mind my hunt; Gran
had a buck on the ground!
She answered and I started with
the questions: Is it a good buck? Can
you send me a picture?
Yes, she said, I was trying to
send you the picture from my phone
but you keep calling me!
Okay, I said, Ill hang up.
The photo that came over was astounding. Grans first buck ever was
a 140-plus class 9-point that had tried
awful hard to be an 11-point.
After my congratulatory texts
Gran replies, Yeah, NOW WHAT?
I laughed right outloud 24 feet above
the leaf strewn wilderness.
This was her first deer ever. She
had never field dressed one and was
all alone on my property. Now what
indeed!
I started sending the update out to
my extended deer hunting brethren.
We have a group of guys that e-mail
about the deer season all year long;
we call ourselves the Deer Hunting
Addicts. I sent the first photo and
situation out to them on e-mail. I also
posted the photo and situation on the
Deer Hunting Addicts Facebook page.
It wasnt long before I got a
response from my good friend, Dave
pop-up blind my dad usually used.

She is a well-read poetic 70-yearold and the first words were typical
Gran as the kids like to call her (or
Grandolph the Gray, a reference to her
wisdom and of the Lord of the Rings
saga). The woods are lovely, dark
and deep... a line from a Robert Frost
poem and I hear gunshots, but far
away.
I enjoyed the fact that she contacted me. The ability to text makes
the distance seem less and the ability
to experience the hunt although miles
away, very special.
I sent a note back but there was no
immediate response. For a 70-yearold, she was usually fast on the draw
with text responses. I waited and
thought she must be staring at a deer.
Shortly a text came back, My
hands are trembling, I think that I just
shot a nice buck.
Really? I thought. Already? She
just got to the stand.
We texted back and forth. How
big? Do you think it was a good hit?
Did you see where it went? The usual
stuff.
Minutes later and a few texts of
cautious strategy and she was standing over what she had thought was a
6-point when she shot it. I couldnt
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VanHorn. Dave said, Im an hour

away, but if you give me the address
I will go help her out. Just as I was
about to suggest that to Gran, she sent
me a text. I got a hold of Fred; he is
coming to help me.
Fred Dehnke has been one of my
dads best friends for as long as I can
remember. Fred is an avid hunter and
would never miss an opening day, but
recently his wife had become very ill
with the progression of Huntingtons
disease and she required his constant
care. Understanding Grans predicament, he rushed over to help while his
wife slept.
The texts continued to fly
instruction on how to get into the
barn, for the quad, etc. All while I
occasionally scanned for a deer in my
neck of the woods. By 11:00 the deer
was hanging nicely in the pole barn
at home and Fred hurried back to his
wife, but was happy to experience
some opening day excitement afterall.
I sat there for a while and thought,
Why couldnt I be that lucky? I
have spent thousands of dollars on
gear, land and treestands. I have spent
countless hours preparing myself by
practicing my bow, my rifle, and my
approach to the sport. I have hunted
the wilderness for 39 years and the
best that I could do was a modest
8-point for all of that investment.
I have committed 10 days to be as
intense of a hunter as I could be and
Gran walks into the woods and after
15 minutes bagged a buck of a lifetime? I had no answers.
Now Gran wanted to get to Ray
Cs Buck Pole in Lapeer because she,
might win a prize! But with only a
rented two-door sedan (dad had their
only vehicle up north) and no one to
lift the deer into a truck, she would
need a plan B.
Off she went to Ray Cs where
the buck pole contest has been held
for the last 11 years. She thought
someone there may have a solution.
Sure enough Gran ran into one of the
workers, Gordo Schawb, a very nice
man that was willing to help. Gordo
gathered two other eager participants
and off they went in Gordos truck to
get the deer. Not only did they help

her get the deer to the event, after
winning a couple of prizes, giving
a brief interview to the press and
providing a speech to the crowd, they
helped Gran get the deer back to the
barn and hung back up by 9:00 pm.
What a day she had!
The next morning, I awoke at 5:00
a.m. As I lay there in the darkness of
the north woods cabin bedroom, I had
an epiphany. My question the day
before had been answered. Why was
it that Gran was so lucky?
They say good things happen to
good people. She is good people.
Gran is actually one of the best.
Along with my giving father, she has
spent years of her life in the service
of others. From being the administrator at her church for years, known as
the church lady, to helping out the
election board at the township hall,
to working with the homeless at the
Baldwin Center in Pontiac, to driving
cancer patients to and from their doctor appointments, to donating gallons
of life-giving blood over her lifetime, to aiding my adult brother with
Cerebral Palsy, to putting up with the
chaos that fitting into a family after a
divorce, Gran is the epitome of good
people.
As I lie there in bed thinking of
everything that transpired over the last
24 hours my family members demanding to suspend their hunt to help
drag my deer, from Dave offering to
assist Gran by driving an hour to help.
Fred taking the time to care for Grans
deer when his plate was already
overflowing with his wifes needs, to
Gordo who was willing to help this
little gray-haired lady enjoy a moment
of celebrity and the ladies of Ray Cs
who pooled their own money to present Gran with a surprise necklace and
earrings. To Gran herself who over
the years had sacrificed thousands of
hours to help others. I realized at that
moment that I was lucky. I was lucky
to be in the hunting community. A
community that cares, is selfless and
giving. I was lucky that I live in a
world where there were still so many
good people.n
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Hot Topics, Letters, My Thoughts, My Views, My Opinions...
Deer season success:

still hunt much less now, and the firearm and muzzle season was exceptionally warm, thus many bucks were
not seen last year.
It was rather warm this 2015
firearm openerwhy the difference?
Its elementary my dear Watson,
much less acorns and now bait works
and deer just move more for the less
available forage.
We stopped at Mitchells Taxidermy in Beaverton, Gladwin County
to check on a mount one of our youth
hunters and Mitchells floor looked
like Jerrys floor.
Greg Mitchell said, Its a record
year Ed, we have taken in unbelievable numbers of 2-1/2-year-olds and
even a 6-1/2-year-old buck, which is
our very first buck that old.
Im sure every one of you has
read about the tough winters we are
experiencing. We were told by our
MDNR agents that last winter of
2014-2015 was the third hard winter
in a row. We had 30-plus inches of
snow in the first half of November
2014 in the Marquette area, which
encouraged many deer to migrate to
their winter grounds early. This odd
character of Mother Nature created
a panic within MDNR officials; they
predicted dire things for the health of
our UP deer. I spent some time with
respected outdoor writer Richard P
Smith at the September 2015 WoodsN-Water News Outdoor Weekend In
Imlay City.
The story as related by some for
the UP is not quite right. Richard tells
me that the snow was gone by the
end of December and the deer came
back for acorns for the crop was pretty good. Then the winter didnt come
back until mid-January and broke in
mid-March. Richard thinks that the
UP winter was not bad and the deer
are in pretty good shape. We are still
reading articles by MDNR how bad
this last winter was. Is Mr. Smith the
only one that actually checks on the
UPs deers habitat and herd health
condition?
from page 73
The Problem And Answer
This past winter especially the

Upper Lower was the best winter we
have had in decades. It couldnt get
any better. Many of the 2-1/2-yearold bucks being taken this year were
yearlings last year passed by deer
hunters that believe our deer need to
be managed. Will we see this again in
the future? Yes, but only if our NRC,
MDNR and the majority of Michigan
deer hunters buy into the practice
of scientific land and deer management, aka Quality Deer Management,
(QDMA).
I noticed that our DNR Director
received an award for forest management. Forest management according
to our DNR forest division is harvesting the forest when it reaches prime
condition. Prime condition is another
word for maximum dollar value. That
means for certain types of forest in an
ideal soil condition we cut the trees
at 60-years of age. Not all trees are
prime at 60, some may reach prime at
40 or 50. Never the less this is a long
time between cuttings and though it
means there is adequate deer forage
within these cuts for 7-12 years, there
is up to 50 years of minimum wildlife ground forage, (think 50 pounds
of deer forage per acre for 50 years)
with 50 pounds of forage per acre per
year we need a minimum of 60 acres
of these woods for a single adult
deers survival, (3,000 pounds forage
per deer per year equals 11 deer per
square mile maximum for decent
deer survival).
Not only do we have lack of
good deer management, our land,
forest, management is worse. This
is serious, especially in the UP, but
it doesnt have to be. Normally if a
QDM program is seriously practiced
one will usually experience a slight
drop in buck kills. If the area was
poor in deer management one should
expect an increase in total buck kills.
If the area was poor in both land
and deer management and both then
corrected you can expect a definite

increase in deer numbers, deer health,
fawn recruitment, buck body and
antler size every year there after.
We have over seven-million
acres of state and federal forests plus
another four-million acres of private
forests. Thats a lot of woods. A
program of Continuous Rotational
Clear Cuts of just 25 percent of these
forests or 2.75 million acres, will
produce approximately 1-1/2 billion pounds of quality forage yearly
and forever. In other words for six
months of the year at six pounds of
forage per day per adult deer including the winter season, there is nutritious forage enough for 1-1/4 million
deer.
Late spring, most of summer and
early fall are times of plenty of forage for wildlife. Its the cold seasons
that need attention. When we have
a bumper crop of acorns, the picture
turns rosy indeed. We covered this
subject in an earlier article and we
will again in detail in the future. With
a well planned and followed land and
forest management program, there
doesnt have to be any such thing as
deer winter kill in the UP.
A short description of a continuous rotational clear cut program
would be taking a section of land, say
640 acres and clear cutting 1/ 4 (160
acres) every eight years. The 32nd

year we would clear cut the first cut
again and on and on forever. One can
expect at least 1,000 pounds of forage per acre the following three years
of the cut and slightly less each year
for about 12 years. The average for
the entire section would be about 500
pounds of forage per year per acre in
typical forest soil forever.
It is possible to reach 3,000
pounds of forage per acre the first
three years in the better forest soil.
Aspen is the preferred target tree.
If you have oaks, the habitat gets
better. Select six productive oaks per
acre and save. Now, rotational clear
cut the rest of the woods and brush
as above. In time these oaks will
develop crowns and expect them to
live 50-100 years longer with super
acorn crops within that crown. With
six oaks per acre their average spacing is 85 feet. That leaves plenty of
room for forest regrowth and dense
ground cover. Sounds like a choice
place to deer hunt following a good
acorn crop with you up in that huge
oak tree.
Ed Spinazzola is an associate
with Tony LaPratts Ultimate
Land Management. For more
information: www.tonysulm.com or
www.deerattraction.com or call
586-784-8090.n
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75
Sporting Collectibles...
Unusual Michigan
wo months ago I wrote about

two unusual Michigan wood
lures - the previously unknown Nudell lure from Flint
and the rare Water Witch
Pork Rind Wiggler from Lake
Odessa. This month I am going to
explore four more exceptional Michigan lures that should be of interest to
my readers.
The first were two series of metal
spoons created by legendary Michigan lure carver,
Elman Bud Stewart. He
was best known for his wood
lures and spearing decoys
hand-painted over a 50-year
career. Bud was born in 1912
in Vancouver, British Columbia, the eldest of three sons.
His parents were Norman
Stewart from Bathgate, North Dakota
and Elsie Metcalfe
of Vancouver. Buds father initially
moved to Canada to work for an uncle
who owned a successful laundry business. The family migrated to Detroit
around 1918 and lived there for a
year before moving to Flint. Their
home was located at 1031 Ann Arbor
Street, only several hundred yards
from Schwartz Creek, which flowed
into the Flint River a mile from their
home.
Bud grew up fishing Schwartz
Creek, as well as other local streams
and lakes surrounding Flint. He began
carving his own lures at fifteen when a
family friend showed him his favorite
baits and entertained Bud with fishing
stories of his catches. His friends
favorite lure was a Shakespeare
Swimming Mouse, a classic surface
bait, so Bud took some of his hardearned money and bought one. The
Shakespeare mouse was okay at best.
He caught bass using it, but he knew
he could whittle one that would swim
better and catch more fish. Bud carved
what would eventually be known as
a Stewart Crippled Surface Mouse,
a bait he creatively painted with red
paint simulating blood flowing down
from two gashes.
Soon Bud was carving more
designs and field-testing them. Friends
told their friends about his amazing
lures that really caught fish. The word
spread and quickly he was selling all
he could make. Eventually, he went

into full time lure making, selling
his lures through word-of-mouth,
at sport shows he attended across
Michigan and the Midwest each year,
and through ads run in several of the
national outdoor magazines.
Best known for his wood lures
and spearing decoys, Bud also created
two different series of metal spoons both examples of his creative talents.
The first series is known
as Stewarts S.S.S. Minnows or Stewarts Shiny
Shiners - two-piece spoons
shaped like a minnow. He
painted a wide variety of
S.S.S. Minnows, all twopiece creations made from
a die-cut fish-shaped spoon
riveted to a second piece of
metal sometimes cut
into a round shape,
sometimes a smaller
fish-shape or a hammered willow
leaf spinner or some other decorative
silhouette. Many of them were painted
with eyes staring back at the angler.
Some were decorated with reflective
tape, while others had glitter sprinkled
into the wet paint before it dried. He
sold them for just $.85!
His second series was aptly called
Bloody-Eyed Killers and are my favorite Bud Stewart spoons. The front
of the spoons are beautifully painted.
Many come painted with eyes while
others come with swirled colors and
stripes, while some show dripping
blood to simulate a wounded minnow.
My favorites have eyes fastened to
them. Some of the eyes are painted
metal while some are actually glass
eyes affixed to the spoons. What is interesting is that the metal spoons that
Bud painted were the cheapest metal
spoons he could buy from suppliers
such as Herters of Waseca, Minnesota or Weber Tackle of Stevens Point,
Wisconsin. He turned these inexpensive spoons into works of art after his
retirement in 1980 - all of them hand
painted with many of the designs oneof-a-kind. Unfortunately, I have never
found a Bloody-Eyed Killer in any of
the hundreds of tackle boxes I have
gone through over the years. Maybe
in 2016!
His wood lures, spearing decoys
and fishing related folk art have
By Terry McBurney
76
Top: Five Examples of Stewarts Shiny Shiner or S.S.S. Minnows. The

2-piece spoons retailed for $.85. Frank Baron collection. Middle and Bottom:
Bud Stewart painted these Bloody Eyed Killers after his retirement in 1980
during what is called his Collectors Period. Courtesy of Frank Baron, Tony
Przybylo and Rochelle Molyneaux.
become treasured examples of American folk artall from an artist with
no formal training. His carvings, the
distinctive use of unusual hardware on
many of his lures, and the unique way
he painted his creations contributed
to Bud being recognized by numerous organizations for his artistry. The
Michigan Heritage Award was presented to him in 1986-87 by Michigan
State University and the Michigan
Folklore Society and a certificate of
appreciation from the Smithsonian
Institution in 1987. Elman Bud
Stewart passed away on February 16,
1999.
The second lure this month was
another Michigan fishing lure that
was patented but was thought to have
never been manufactured. Henry L.
Phippen of East Detroit, Michigan
applied for a patent for his Surface Artificial Fish Lure on June
16, 1949, and patent #2496231 was

granted to him on January 31, 1950. I
was aware of the Phippen patent but
had never seen one of Phippens lures
until a 3 -inch red and yellow Phippen lure was found in the bottom of
an old tackle box several months ago
by a Pennsylvania lure collector who
miraculously remembered the little
known patent and identified the lure.
I also found a photo in my archives
of an unknown Michigan fishing lure
box reading: HORNET - Puts the
Bee on Fish, Henry L. Phippen and
Company, East Detroit, Mich.
Not much is known about Henry
L. Phippen except that he and his
wife, Elsie, lived in a home at 23078
Columbus in East Detroit, Michigan
(now known as Eastpointe) during
at least the 1940s and early 1950s
while he was employed by a company
named Arkin Brothers. His nicely
The Moonlight Dreadnought bait

with the box in near perfect
condition sold at auction in 2015
for an astounding $24,000!
painted surface lure was made of
cedar and came with a winged aluminum lip - kind of a bizarre take-off on
the popular Arbogast Jitterbug. The
lure has two screw-eyed held treble
hooks, one on the belly and the second at the rear. Both are recessed into
small metal cups. The patent claimed
several key points - one was that the
streamlined body resembled a large
insect similar to a hornet. The second
claim was the construction of what
Phippen called the actuating plate
or the front metal lip. He planned to
make it from anodized aluminum in a
variety of attractive colors. Secondly,
the actuating plate was designed in
a complex diamond shape.
The red and yellow lure pictured
is shaped the same as the patent drawing. My best guess is that the lure is
actual production even though it has
a stamped aluminum lip rather than
the more intricate diamond design.
The stamped lip would have been far
simpler to produce. The Hornet box
photo unfortunately does not picture
the lure, only a stringer of fish, but it
lists the same address as the Phippen
address in East Detroit. Therefore,
we know what the lure looked like,
and that it was called Hornet. We
also know that the Henry L. Phippen
Company of East Detroit manufactured it, and that it retailed for $1.25.
Now the challenge is to find several

other examples in different colors as
well as one in a cardboard box with
printed instructions!
The third lure this month is
another extremely rare Michigan bait
called the Kumms Fish Spotter. This
unique bait has been found in three
different versions - a wood model
and two plastic versions that were
manufactured by Arthur J. Kumm of
Dearborn, Michigan. Arthur Kumm
was born in Ontario on March 23,
1902, and migrated to the U.S. in
1923. The first reference I have been
able to find of him living in Michigan
is in the 1928 Dearborn city directory
where he was listed as a barbershop
proprietor. He filed for his fishing lure
patent on July 31, 1933, and patent
#2001844 was granted to him on
May 21, 1935. His original 2 -inch
two-piece lure (pictured) was made
of wood and ingeniously constructed
so that the head portion remained
upright because it was ballasted with
weighted flat metal fins. The rear portion revolved as it was pulled through
the water by means of two curved
metal blades attached to the front of
the rear section. I have seen three different color variations for the wood
model, all with tiny yellow glass
eyes - a red head with a white body
with black and red spots, an all red
Two of the three versions of the Kumm Fish Spotter both measure 2 -inches
in length. The pre-WWII wood lure is on the top and the plastic model made in
the late 1940s or early 1950s is on the bottom. Author photo
lure, and a frog version painted green

with black and yellow spots. The
wood Fish Spotter came packaged in
a extremely rare two-piece cardboard
box with a printed top label showing
the lure plus basic copy.
Kumms second version was
made of plastic (pictured) and also
measured 2 -inches in length. Both
sections and the fins were made
of clear plastic with printed paper
providing the lures coloring rolled
up and sealed inside the plastic body.
I believe that this plastic Fish Spotter
came in only one color scheme - red
and white head with a white rear
section with red and black spots. The
third version (not pictured) was a
slightly shorter 2 -inch molded plastic model. The only coloration I have
seen for this bait had a red and white
head with white fins along with a

yellow body with black fins and black
spots. The two plastic models were
most likely produced after WWII in
the late 1940s or early 1950s.
The fourth lure this month is the
oldest. First introduced in 1912, the
Moonlight Dreadnought was made by
the Moonlight Bait Company of Paw
Paw, Michigan. Up until last July, I
had never seen one. Luckily, I spotted
the red and white Dreadnought with
the original cardboard box on display
at the Morphy Auctions booth at the
NFLCC (National Fishing Lure Collectors Club) Convention in Springfield, Missouri. This Michigan lure is
beyond rare and one with the original
box is through the stratosphere!
Unusual Michigan Lures page 78
Left: The recently

found red and
yellow Phippen
Hornet on top of
the 1950 patent.
Below: Made
in East Detroit
during the early
1950s, the Phippen
Hornet measures
3 3/8-inches in
length. Author
photos. Bottom:
A photo showing
the top of the
Phippen Hornet
cardboard box.
77
Unusual Michigan Lures:

from page 77
The Moonlight Bait Company, located in Paw Paw, Michigan, dated its
beginning to 1906 when the Moonlight Bass Club was formed by a
group of friends, all fisherman, who
especially liked to fish for bass at
night. One club member, Horace Ball,

made his own lures and shared them
with other club members. In December 1908, Ball and Charles Varney
formed a partnership to manufacture
his lures under the Moonlight Bait
This 4-inch Moonlight Dreadnought with its original box was featured in
Morphys October 2015 Auction and sold for a remarkable $29,280 including
buyers premium. Photo courtesy of Morphy Auctions
This 1912 Field and Stream magazine ad promoted the new Dreadnought. It
reads in part, Makes a wake like a battleship.
Company banner with production beginning in 1909. The 4-inch red and
white Moonlight Dreadnought was
introduced in 1912 and advertised as
A Fish Pirateprice $.65, postpaid
and in a second ad Makes a wake
like a battleship. This 5-hook wood
bait came in a red and white and
possibly a black and white version,
though I have not seen one.
Moonlight borrowed the name
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Dreadnought from the famous British battleship, Dreadnought, which

was launched in 1906. One other fact,
the correct spelling is Dreadnought
though the pictured ad in this months
article misspells the name as Dreadnaught! The lure was apparently not
popular and disappeared from the
Moonlight lineup within a few years.
The pictured Moonlight Dreadnought bait with the box was in near
perfect condition and probably had
never been fished. The combo was
featured in Morphys October 24,
2015 inaugural fishing auction and
was originally appraised at $4,000
to $7,000. The actual selling price
was an astounding $24,000 plus a
20% buyers premium or $29,280!
Wouldnt you like to find one of those
in an old tackle box!
I would like to thank the following people for allowing me to
photograph their lures - Frank Baron,
Tony Przybylo and Rochelle Molyneaux for their Bud Stewart spoons. I
would also like to acknowledge Frank
Baron and Ray Carvers book, Bud
Stewart, Michigans Legendary Lure
Maker. Thanks to Scott Jedd for his
help with background information
on the Phippen Hornet and Morphy
Auctions for their cooperation with
Michigan lures in general and specifically for allowing me to use their
photo of the amazing Moonlight
Dreadnought.
Feel free to contact me at antiquefishing@comcast.net with your
fishing related questions. Photographs
are important in helping me with
identification and giving me an idea
of the condition of the item.n
Focus On Fine Points Of Ice Jigging, Including Theories And Experimentation...
Speaking the language of fish with your jig

out a restraining order against him if
he knew how much time he spends
just watching how Dave experiments
with this important speed factor.
What you want to avoid,
says Genz, is sitting there too long
experimenting with presentation. The
Winter Fishing System is built around
the idea that you should stay mobile
and go find fish that are ready to bite.
If the fish dont bite, go to a new spot
and drill more holes. Dont give up on
the idea that there are biters somewhere. But the longer you go into the
day without catching fish, the more
you should be changing how youre
working the bait. It can make a difference when the bite is tough.
Dial
in the Knot
In addition to varying the pace of
the cadence while presenting a jig,

Genz has also begun to experiment
with moving the position of the knot
to different angles on the eyelet.
When you bring the knot all the
way around on the eye, toward the
hook point, he says, that gives you
the most vibration. Thats the position
I use most of the time. But now Im
working on what happens when you
dial the knot to different positions on
the eye.
Maximizing vibration, keeping
that jig fishing in a horizontal posture,
creating that buckin bronco kick to
the hook end (which causes the maggots, plastic, or other add-ons to pulse
around enticingly) will produce really
well on most days, as weve already
said. Attention to detail in this regard,
according to Genz, is one sign of an
accomplished angler.
Rotating the knot on the jig eye
has to become a habit, stresses Genz.
Last winter, watching my brother,
Any time fish dont pounce on a
Jerry, whos 80 years old, he autopounded jig, Genz makes a mental
note of that and begins to experiment matically rotates the knot each time,
with the pace of the pound. Its some- before putting the line down the hole.
thing he has done for so long that its Even though hes one of the oldest
become a muscle memory, something guys out there, many times he has the
he hardly thinks about. He just does it. best quality fish at the end of the day.
But, as Genz points out, there are
Rather than tying on a new jig,
times when fish dont bite well on
or thinking about changing colors,
the go-to presentation. Thats when
says Dave, my first reaction is to
experiment with the cadence. You can its time to experiment. In addition
to changing up the speed and style of
slow it down, which also lessens the
vibrations being sent out by the jig. It his cadence, Dave has been playing
changes what your presentation looks with the position of the knot to alter
the motion and vibration signature,
like, and feels like, to the fish. It has
to look for what triggers fish on any
to feel right to them.
Listening to Genz and his friends given day.
I think of the jig eyelet as the uptalk about what the fish wanted at the
end of a day on the ice is fascinating. per half of a wheel, says Genz, and
I move the knot to different positions
And carefully watching Genz work
his way through various cadence rou- on the wheel to see what it does to the
presentation, and how fish react to it.
tines can be instructional. Pat Smith,
a deadly ice fisherman himself, jokes Im fairly early in my time of doing
about how Genz would probably take this, so Ill have more to report as this
Pacing the Pound
When hes figuring out how to trigger fish, Dave Genz experiments with how fast he
pounds the jig, and where his knot is positioned on the jigs eyelet, before tying on a
new bait. When he gets it right, the fish tell him by biting. davegenz.com photo
winter goes on, but its an interesting
Between these two extremes, the
variable to test.
If you look at the entire eyelet and wheel offers other knot positions to
experiment with.
think of it as that half wheel, on
So many people are quick to
which you can place the knot at difchange
the color of the lure, or tie on
ferent positions, its easy to imagine
a
different
type of bait, says Genz.
the possibilities. When the knot is all
Thats
not
wrong to do, but by alterthe way toward the hook point that
ing
how
youre
presenting the jig you
forces the jig into more of a horizontal
already have on there, you can do a lot
swimming attitude, and produces the
maximum vibration with each kick of testing before you change color or
tie on a different bait.
as you rapidly move your wrist and
Besides doing this, make sure
the rod moves up and down.
your
plastics are on there straight,
At the other end of the wheel the
so
the
jig can work properly, and if
jig assumes a vertical posture. This is
youre
using live bait, make sure its
the position it takes every time you
fresh.
Make
sure theres fresh juice
catch a fish or snag on something and
coming out of those maggots, before
have to pull free. While Genz stands
by the notion that rotating the knot all you start thinking about changing jig
colors.
the way toward the hook point will
Every day of fishing is a big
catch you more fish on most days,
experiment,
where you are asking the
there are times when a vertical jig carfish
what
they
want by showing them
ries the day.
things
you
think
they might want. And
Sometimes, fish like the lure risnow
you
know
a
lot more about what
ing up off the bottom, looking like its
Dave Genz does, in addition to drillswimming to the surface, explains
ing more holes. Some of those little
Genz. This is something fish have
seen, when insects emerge and rise up. things you can try, he says, make a
big difference on some days.
When they want it rising, having the
Heres to your winter of experijig hang more vertically is important.
mentation
with cadence, pounding
To test whether this approach will
styles,
and
knot positions.
be effective, Genz moves the knot
Dave
Genz,
known as Mr. Ice
away from the hook point, so the jig
Fishing, was the primary driver of
hangs vertically. I rotate that knot
the modern ice fishing revolution. He
around, he says, drop the jig to the
has been enshrined in the National
bottom, pound it into the bottom a
Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame
few times, and start rising it up with
and Minnesota Fishing Hall of Fame
a swimming, kicking motion. If they
for his contributions to the sport. For
want that, theyll bite it. Its another
more
fishing tips and to order his new
method to try when fish are down
info-packed book, Ice Revolution, go
there and youre struggling to get
to www.davegenz.com.n
them to bite.
ce fishing legend Dave Genz has

proven the magic that happens
when you fish a jig designed to
ride horizontally in the water on
fresh line, using a good jigging
rod, with the knot positioned to
keep the jig horizontal. Its known as
the Genz Pound, or just pounding,
and it is the classic presentation that
rules over all others in modern ice
fishing.
If you did nothing but rotate the
knotall the wayin the direction
of the hook point, and became good
at rapidly vibrating your wrist to keep
your jig looking alive down there,
you would have one good day after
another out there on the ice.
But lets say for a second that you
want to know more. That you want
to know what Genz does when the
classic pounding presentation doesnt
bring as many bites as it usually does.
To start out the day, says Dave,
I think about what spots the fish are
probably in, and go to one of those
spots and drill some holes. Then we
fish those holes, quickly, aggressively,
looking for fish that are ready to bite.
Look for fish on your electronics, and
drop a bait down all of them, to see if
you can pull fish in, even if you dont
see anything right away.
You use what happens at that
first set of holes to decide where
youre going to drill your next set
of holes. I start off pounding it, and
that usually works. When the fish get
harder to catch, we move on and drill
more new holes. But sometimes the
fish dont bite right away. They want
something different, so you have to
give them something different.
79
Even Though Fewer Bear Licenses Were Issued...By Richard P. Smith
2015 bear harvest increased
ore bears were bagged by

Michigan hunters during
2015 seasons than the
year before, according
to preliminary registration figures from the
DNR, even though fewer bear licenses
were issued and natural foods such
as acorns and apples were abundant.
When natural foods are in good supply like they were during 2015, the
bear kill tends to decline because
bruins spend less time at hunters baits
and they dont have to travel as far to
find food.
A total of 1,718 bears were
registered in Michigan during 2015,
according to preliminary DNR figures.
Seventy-one of those represented the
tribal harvest and state licensed hunters registered 1,647. There were 193
more bears registered in 2015 than the
1,525 that were brought to check stations in 2014.
The most likely reason for the
increased harvest is an increase in the
bear population. Bear license quotas
have been dramatically reduced during each of the last four years to allow
bears to increase and thats what has
been happening.
In 2011, 11,742 bear licenses were
available in the state. That was reduced by 3,751 to 7,991 for 2012. The
number of bear licenses was cut by
85 during 2013 to 7,906 and another
75 in 2014 to 7,831. Only 6,951 bear
licenses were issued by the DNR for
2015.
Every year, the DNR calculates a
desired harvest for each of the states
10 bear management units (BMUs),
based on what they think the bear
population is. The DNRs desired harvest for 2015 was 1,374 -- 344 fewer
than were registered. The desired
harvest was exceeded in every BMU,
enough to prevent the bear population from increasing, but that isnt the
case. It is important to keep in mind
that bear licenses have been cutback
dramatically over the last four years
to allow bears to increase. The harvest
of 1,718 bears during 2015 will still
allow the bear population to increase,
but not as much as if fewer bears were
taken.
Prior to 2012, the states bear kill
exceeded 2,000 annually for more
than a decade. The highest number of
bear registrations during that period
was 2,475 recorded in 2006. Reduced
license quotas since 2012 has dropped
the annual bear harvest well below
2,000 levels, allowing the population to increase. The number of bears
registered for 2014 of 1,525 was the
lowest harvest since 1998 when the
tally was 1,520.
There were 1,615 bruins registered
during 2013 and 1,684 for 2012. If
bear licenses had not been reduced
Elaine Bielby of Hale took this 375 pound bear on Sept. 25, 2015 in Alcona Co.
the last four years, the kill would have
One of the estimated 340 bears taken in the northern Lower Peninsula.
remained at the 2,000 plus level. So
the reduced harvest since 2012 has
tions were 107 bears higher (368) in
with the exception of Amasa.
saved a minimum of 1,458 bears. The
In the Amasa BMU, which has the the Newberry BMU than the desired
number of adult females that were
harvest of 255.
highest bear population in the state
For the three BMUs in the Lower among those not harvested over the
and where hunter success is among
last four years would have added more
the highest, the desired harvest of 150 Peninsula, there was less than a 100
animals to the population through cub
bear difference between the desired
was actually three more than the 147
production.
harvest and preliminary registration
that were registered.
Of the 1,718 bears registered
figures. The desired harvest in the Red
For the Gwinn and Bergland
in Michigan during 2015, most of
Oak BMU was 192 compared to the
BMUs the desired harvest was not
257 that were registered, a difference them (1,378) came from the UP. The
exceeded by much. The desired harof 65. There were 60 bears registered remaining 340 were bagged in the
vest was 180 in Gwinn, for example,
northern Lower Peninsula. Fiftyin the Baldwin BMU, 17 more than
compared to registration of 193. The
the desired harvest of 43. Eight more seven percent of the bears registered
desired harvest in Bergland was 190
were males. Average bear hunting
bears were registered in the Gladwin
versus 203 that were registered. And
only 36 more bears were taken in the BMU (21) than the desired harvest of success for the state was 23%, but
61% of those who drew licenses
13.
Carney BMU (126) than the desired
Some hunters consider the number for the Baldwin BMU were successharvest of 90.
of bears registered over and above the ful and 60% of those who hunted the
For the Baraga BMU there was a
first hunt in the Amasa BMU tagged
62 bear difference between the desired desired harvest, an overharvest. That
bears.n
could be the case, if the kill is high
harvest of 260 and 322. Registra-
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www.jankspheasantfarm.com
DNR COs to enforce

snowmobile noise
decibels at 50 feet, as measured using

the 2003 Society of Automotive Engineers standard J192.

For a stationary snowmobile
manufactured after July 1, 1980, and
sold or offered for sale in Michigan,
88 decibels at 13.1 feet, as measured
using the 2004 Society of Automotive
Engineers standard J2567.
More than 6,200 miles of desig-
Noncompliance could damage Michigans

nationally recognized trail system
nated snowmobile trails are located
throughout state-managed forests,
national forests and privately owned
lands. Michigan is one of only three
states that offer a large system of
interconnected snowmobile trails.

For more information on snowmobiling in Michigan, including current
laws and regulations, go to www.
michigan.gov/snowmobiling.n
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DNR conservation officers will be enhancing statewide efforts

to enforce snowmobile
decibel level rules this
winter. Noncompliance
of the rules could damage Michigans
nationally recognized trail system because 50 percent of trails pass through
private land.
Enhanced efforts will focus on the
DNR-managed trail systems, highuse areas and areas where complaints
are received. While on routine patrol,
conservation officers also will conduct
decibel-level testing of snowmobiles.
The penalty for violating the
sound levels for snowmobiles is a
civil infraction, with fines up to $250.
Conservation officers are stepping up decibel-level enforcement to
ensure snowmobilers are in compliance with state law and acceptable
noise levels, said Cpl. John Morey,
who oversees the snowmobile safety
and education program within the
DNR Law Enforcement Division.
In addition to the operators legal
ramifications of operating a loud
snowmobile, this excessive noise has
consequences that can affect other
snowmobilers, including the loss of
popular snowmobile trails.
Morey noted that Michigans vast
snowmobile trail system is the result
of partnerships with private landowners who, through annual permits
between the landowners and snowmobile clubs, open portions of their land
for snowmobile trails.
Without this partnership, the
expansive, interconnected trail system
enjoyed by thousands of snowmobilers each year wouldnt exist, Morey
said. When snowmobilers behave
unethically or illegally, private land
owners can and have opted out of
signing another annual agreement, and
the trail is closed. A reason for this
includes excessive noise.
When a snowmobile leaves the
factory, it is in compliance with legal
decibel levels. If a snowmobiles exhaust or muffler requires service, the
DNR recommends that the repair be
done with Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts for that specific
snowmobile. Deviation from this
repair recommendation, or modifying
the exhaust or muffler, could result in
the operator being in violation of state
law.
Under Michigan law, the muffler
on a snowmobile must be in good
working order and, when in constant
operation, noise emission cannot exceed the following levels:

For snowmobiles manufactured after July 1, 1977, and sold
or offered for sale in Michigan, 78
81
Reader Trail Cam Photos

Send your Reader Trail-Cam Photos to:
wnw@pageone-inc.com
Larry Adams
of Grand
Rapids captured this
trail cam
photo of
two unlikely
friends at his
Delta County
camp.
Len Gerlach sends a trail cam photo from his

Frankfort property of a very healthy bobcat. Len
sent several more we will share in future issues.
There you go fellas....this is the kind of trail cam we

all want to see. Thanks Larry Piotrowski for sending
and sharing this great trail cam photo.
Jackie Peace
of Curran
shares a close
up trail cam
photo of a
bobcat she
got in camp.
82
Doug Whites trail cam taken in Kalkaska County needs no further

explanation. Thanks for sending it.
Now this is
getting a little
weird!
Jeff Konz captured this very
unique photo
of a doe with
antlers nursing
a fawn in Irish
Hills. Not something you see
everyday.
By Mark Sak -- It Is Time To Think About An Upgrade...
The ice shanty evolution
Todays shelters are lightweight and either come in the form of a packable pop-up type shelter or with their own attached sled and folding frames. Mark Sak photo
pike spear, a minnow bucket and my
sonar flasher. When Im not using the
equipment, a nice cover fits snuggly
over the retracted cover and snugs up
to the sled and the entire shelter sits
in my snowmobile trailer right next
to my sled. In fact it has been there
all summer and fall. I dont have to
gather anything together for the hard
water season.
The very best thing about the
new ice shelters is they are actually designed for extreme conditions
anywhere on the planet and focus on
the materials that make up the shell. I
spoke with Otters Joel Nelson on the
newest shell technology. Joel states,
Otter has produced a new line of
Shelters that offer the ThermalTec
layering system. The inner and outer

layers of the line function independently. The outer shell features
minimal seams to allow frost, wind
and light in while a full thermalquilted inner layer provides higher
loft qualities while virtually
eliminating condensation. Condensation may not seem to be a huge
issue out on the ice but it greatly
affects the life of the fabric as folding
up wet fabric can lead to mold and
shortened life of the product. The
quilted fabric means the angler will
start in a warmer shack before even
turning the heater on. I have found
that on many days there is no need
for a heat source.
The functionality of these new
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Ice Shelters is incredible. I can easily

spear pike, fish big suspended crappies at night or pull these units fully
loaded across Saginaw Bay. They
are sturdy, easy to move and the shell
material is very tough and does not
freeze solid or become brittle like the
old portables of just a few years ago.
So rather you are a hardcore big water
walleye angler or just want a warmer
environment to take the kids out ice
fishing for pan fish, the new shelters
are the way to go. I hope you have
a safe and productive winter on the
ice.
Check out our travels on our new
ice fishing page GreatLakesSportsman
fishing with Mark Sak. Ill see you on
the ice.n
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remember the good old days well.

Trudging out to my wood spearing shack only to find someone
had broken the door off thinking
there was a treasure of rods and
lures in there. Then the days
when we had to get some friends to
help pull the waterlogged shack to
shore after it almost sank due to rain
and warm winds during the January
thaw. Those days are a thing of the
past for most anglers on the cutting
edge today. Ice angling has gone
through a new revolution and so have
ice shelters. Here is why it is time to
think about an upgrade.
Many of us have built a wood
shack for spearing or just trying to
stay out of the bitter winter winds
Michigan can send howling across
our lakes. The challenge was always
figuring out a way to make that big
shanty skid across ice without becoming a slush plow. Trying to find skis
that worked well and could stay on
for more than one trip on the lake
was a huge experiment in ice angler
engineering. I cant tell you how
many times I looked at my snow skis
and had visions of screwing them to
the bottom of my shack. Then the
profile of a big spearing shack caused
all kinds of issues. More than once
the wind caught my shack and sent it
sailing across the lake crashing into a
dock on the opposite side.
Todays shelters are lightweight
and either come in the form of a packable pop-up type shelter similar to the
ground blinds used in turkey hunting,
or with their own attached sled with
an attached fold-over roof with lightweight retractable aluminum frames
that fold over the angler and lay on
the surface of the ice. The exceptional characteristics that make these
type of units stand out for me are the
sled carries everything I fish with. I
can fit my Jiffy ice drill, all my rods,
tackle and heater as well as a 4 foot
83
Help eliminate
CWD in Michigan
he 2015 Michigan deer season

is the first being conducted
following a finding of chronic
wasting disease in a freeranging deer in Michigan. The
disease was first detected in
an Ingham County white-tailed deer
this past spring.
Wildlife officials are optimistic,
however, that CWD can be eliminated
in Michigan and are asking for hunters assistance.
So far, public response has been
overwhelmingly positive, said Chad
Stewart, the Department of Natural
Resources deer and elk specialist.
Most people right now are on
board with what we are doing, he
said. They seem to understand the
regulatory changes weve made. Not
everyone likes them, but they understand them.
In April, Meridian Township
police dispatched a 6-year-old female
deer that was exhibiting signs of neurological disease. An initial screening
at the Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Disease Laboratory
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identified the deer as a CWD suspect.

Soon, the National Veterinary Laboratory in Ames, Iowa, confirmed the
DNRs suspicion: Michigan became
the latest state to have found CWD in
its free-ranging deer herd.
CWD is a type of transmissible
spongiform encephalopathy (TSE).
The disease is an always fatal affliction for cervids deer, elk and moose
that attacks the brain, causing lesions, which leads to emaciation, loss
of fear of humans, loss of body control, drooling and, ultimately, death. It
is not caused by bacteria or virus but
by prions, which are mutated proteins. It is spread by animal-to-animal
contact with saliva, urine, feces, blood
or infected soil. There is no treatment
for CWD in deer. The ailment has
never been shown to cause illness in
humans. For more than two decades,
CWD has been present in free-ranging
populations of mule deer and elk in
Colorado. During this time, there has
been no known occurrence of a human
contracting any disease from eating
CWD-infected meat.
Because of the occurrence of
CWD in other states, the Michigan
DNR has been vigilant about testing
for the disease. Since 1998, tens of
thousands of free-ranging deer have
been tested in the state. The Meridian Township deer marked the second
time CWD was identified in Michigan. In 2008, a single deer was found
to be CWD-positive in a captive
cervid facility in Kent County.
With the most recent finding, the
DNR immediately instituted a policy
that called for reducing deer numbers
in the area of the infected deer and
testing all deer those taken by federal animal damage control officials as
well as road kills from the area for
CWD.
In July, a 2-year-old buck found
less than a mile from the initial CWD-
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DNR wildlife pathologist Tom Cooley and Julie Melotti test deer at the MSU
Wildlife Disease Lab as a result of a CWD-positive deer found in Meridian
Township. MDNR photo
positive female tested positive. In August, a 5-year-old CWD-positive female was found in close proximity to
the other two. Genetic testing showed
all three positives were related. Finding deer with CWD within the same
extended family is not uncommon.
Wildlife officials are encouraged
that so few additional CWD-infected
animals have been found and that
those found were closely related.
When we found the first one,
we didnt know what we would
find, Stewart said. Given that that
deer was symptomatic it obviously
had the disease for some time we
expected to find additional animals.
Its encouraging that the ones were
picking up are from the same family
group and relatively close to where
we found her. But we still have a long
road ahead of us.
Last week, a suspect positive deer
was found in DeWitt Township, which
is still pending final testing.
Prior to deer season, the DNR
established a CWD Management
Zone consisting of Ingham, Clinton
and Shiawassee counties as well
as a nine-township Core CWD Area
(also known as Deer Management
Unit 333). The nine townships Lansing, Meridian, Williamstown, Delhi,
Alaiedon and Wheatfield in Ingham
County; DeWitt and Bath in Clinton
County; and Woodhull in Shiawassee
County have stringent regulations
relating to possession of deer.
It is illegal to salvage a deer killed
by a motor vehicle, and no rehabilitation of deer will be allowed within
DMU 333. Hunters who shoot deer
in the core area are required to bring
the entire carcass to one of three DNR
check stations within 72 hours. The
DNR will retain the head for testing;
if its a trophy-caliber animal, the
DNR will work with the hunter to
make sure the trophy is not marred but
the necessary tissue is made available
for testing.
Once the deer has been checked,
it may be processed. All leftover parts
should be disposed of in the garbage,
a landfill, or the dumpster provided by

the DNR at check stations.
Negative test results will be posted
online at www.michigan.gov/dnrlab
within a week after the head has been
submitted for testing. Hunters with
deer that test positive will be notified
by telephone. And although human
health effects have not been documented for people eating CWD-infected deer, the DNR recommends that
only healthy animals be consumed.
Hunters are reminded that there is
no baiting or feeding of deer allowed
in the three-county CWD Management Zone. Nose-to-nose contact of
deer can spread the disease. Hunters
who travel out of state to hunt deer,
elk or moose are reminded that there
are restrictions on bringing carcasses
back from states or provinces where
CWD has been found. Only deboned
meat, antlers, hides and skull caps
that have been cleaned of all brain or
muscle material may be brought into
Michigan.
Any hunter who has been notified
by out-of-state authorities that a deer,
elk or moose they brought into Michigan tested positive for CWD must
contact the DNRs Wildlife Disease
Lab within two business days and
provide details. The DNR can dispose
of any meat from a CWD-infected
animal.
Extensive testing of deer from the
CWD-infected area is ongoing. As of
Nov. 13, of the 1,403 deer tested in
DMU 333 and another 337 in the
three-county area only three have
been determined to have chronic
wasting disease, with a fourth suspect
positive waiting final testing.
All 141 tested from other counties have been negative. Hunters who
harvest deer outside DMU 333 and
are concerned about CWD may submit their deer for testing at any DNR
check station. (A list of check stations
is available at www.michigan.gov/
deer).
For more information on CWD
visit www.michigan.gov/cwd.n
Prepared By MDNR
Dear Fish Diary... January 2016
Im sticking to that New Years resolution this time

but I simply dont have time for that.
Dont you think its just easier, or
rather better sometimes to go and buy
a new reel rather than replace a tencent pin? What a pain, because as Im
finding out, you can always
sell that broken reel at a
garage sale.
What? You think Im
asking too much? Pfffffft
So lets see, between the
rods and reels, Im looking
at banking around $2,049.
Wow, I am feeling better about this New
Years Resolution
already.
I am going to
throw in a couple fishing nets at $50
each, three dull filet knives at around
$25 each and a pair of old waders that
have been patched like 25 times and
Ill let those go for $100. So add another $275 to that profit list. Oh come
on, thats a deal and you know it.
This is kind of fun. I came across
these old vintage fishing tee-shirts
and I think its finally time to get
rid of them. This one says Mine is
Bigger, I think thats worth at least
$15. Heres one that says Let me
Show You my Big One, thats worth
another $15. Fisherman Have Longer Rods, Hmmmm what do you
think? Okay, $15 on that one too. All
Work and No Fishing Turns Me Into
a Rotten S.O.B. I think Ill keep this
one since that was my own creative
design but I am going to let this Id
Rather be Fishing one go for a bargain price of $10.
Hey, Im up to $2,379! You can
get them new and cheaper on Ebay?
Whatever, go right ahead.
Im going to throw in three old
tackle boxes that have not been used
for years. In fact, Im not even going
to clean them out, whomever gets
them will get an assorted grab-bag of
stuff. And not even fishing stuff. So
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Wing Shooting in Jackson County, MI

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let me put $25 on those and add another $75 to my total. Three old boat
anchors anyone? Going for $15 each,
and Ill throw in this old hook extractor for an extra dollar. That brings
my profit up to $2,500. Im
really sorry if you dont like
my prices.
I will round it off by including this bag of old fishing lures that never caught a
dang thing for $500. I dont
even know how many lures
are in there but I know they
are anywhere from
20 years old to a year
old. Ahhhh, and now
an even $3,000 in
extra spending money, simply because
I kept more unneeded fishing junk
for so long. Why so much? There has
to be some classics in this grab-bag,
some of these lures might even be collector items, but I dont really know
so Im jacking up the price anyway.
What? You dont like my prices?
You think theyre too high? You think
you could go to the store and buy new
items much cheaper than Im selling off my old ones? Well look, this
is about a New Years resolution and
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making myself feel better. It made me

feel good to actually go through all
of this old stuff and finally sort it out.
However, Im not so sure it would
make me feel better to actually sell
it. However, I might feel a bit better
if I sell for more than its probably
worth. So yeah, maybe my prices are
a bit too high, but dont even try and
talk me down. Do you think this is a
garage sale or something?
I Need Your Fishing Stories
Have a funny fishing story to

share? 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.comn
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DateCk#$
ont kid yourself, you make

resolutions every year and
you dont stick to them either.
New Years resolutions are
supposed to make us feel
better about ourselves. They
are things like losing weight, getting
in shape, backing off on the liquor, being a better person all-around. Those
types of things.
Every year I claim Im going
to quit smoking, sometimes I do,
sometimes I dont. The key is to find
a resolution that doesnt make you
dread New Years Day coming. It
would be easy to say this year Im
simply going to go fishing more often
rather than saying Im going to fish
less and spend more time helping
around the house. It would be easy to
say Im going to gain weight rather
than lose weight or drink more rather
than drink less.
So this year I think I have it
pegged. Im going to have a garage
sale and sell off all of that old fishing gear that has been doing nothing
but taking up space I actually need
for other things. Like my boat for
instance, at the end of every salmon
run my boat becomes stockpiled with
junk. And I do mean junk. It stays
there all winter until spring, then it
gets unloaded, stuck somewhere else,
unused, until late fall where its put
right back in the boat.
I should start there. There are at
least 15 fishing rods I have not used in
15 years that are constantly shuffled.
Easy enough, Im putting $70 price
tags on them now. Done, 15 used
fishing rods at $70 each should net
me about $1,050. Im off to a great
start. Now for those reels. Im finding at least 10 reels that have not been
used in many years. Eight of them I
will mark at $100. The other two Im
going to mark down to $99.50 because they are missing probably just a
ten-cent pin that needs to be replaced,
85
By Kenny Darwin
Killer moves
STEELHEAD
for
This is perhaps the hottest fishing of the entire

season and unlike spring,
spawning fish fall varieties
are super charged, firm
fleshed and chrome as a
newly minted silver dollar.
hile steelies are famous

for frequently leaping
out of the water when
they feel the sting of the
hook, late fall fish are
unbelievably acrobatic,
tail walking maniacs that will get your
heart pounding and bring you back to
the river again and again.
As a rule, steelheads are not really
feeding once they enter area rivers and
the majority have an empty stomach.
But late fall steelies are an exception
to this rule and they have baitfish,
salmon spawn, and a variety of bugs
in their stomachs. These chromers
slam your offering with reckless abandon as if they are hungry, feeding, and
anxious to take a well-presented lure,
spinner, fly or bait. Fall fish bite like
gangbusters and often the first presentation gets slammed. One trick is
to hit waterways at dawn, beat other
fishermen to prime steelie locations
and pick off the active fish before the
crowds arrive. Savvy anglers learn
to use a run-n-gun strategy and have

several prime fishing spots in mind,
when one gets crowded they bounce
to another.
Success often hinges on predicting the run. As a rule of thumb best
fishing coincides with rain and the
more rain the better. If Great Lakes
water temperatures stay warm you can
expect a late run. A northwest wind
that rolls the lake over can push ideal
water along the beach and surf fishing
can be fantastic. Steelies dont always
run rivers in massive numbers during
fall. Sometimes the surf is the place
to be armed with floating spawn bags
and flashy spoons. Rain runoff sets up
great fishing and if we have a warm
fall with heavy rain in late October
and throughout November you can
expect excellent fishing into late
December. By early December, water
temperatures have cooled and steelies rush the rivers all along the Lake
Michigan coast. These are chromers,
silver bullets with silvery firm sides
and blueish/greenish backs and few
dots. They have spent the summer
and early fall roaming the cold water
depths in search of food. Now, they
run up rivers and streams to feed and
spend winter in slow moving deep
holes in preparation for spring spawning chores.
The size of the run and number
of fish is often determined by rain.
If we have a wet fall and plenty of
rain that causes rivers to increase in
flow you can expect excellent steelie
When the author is fishing in a crowd hell switch jigs often, move the float up or down
86 to get the perfect drift height and constantly change bait. Kenny Darwin photos
The author with a dandy steelie knows success often hinges on predicting the run.
runs. When river water belches into
the Great Lakes it draws fish from far
out on the open sea and they rush up
stream amazingly fast. One factor
that should help fishermen is the hot
2015 September weather slowed salmon runs and late spawning fish will
supply eggs for steelhead food. Fresh
eggs can be a draw for hungry steelies
and once they get their jaws working
they can be easy to catch with spawn
bags, which is Michigans number one
trout bait.
Ive followed fall runs of steelies
up the super clear Platte River and
when conditions are ideal they will
pass lower river deep holes and blast
several miles inland. If conditions are
not ideal you can expect fish to congregate in the deep slow moving holes
of the lower river and slowly filter
upstream. If the river water is raging, discolored and flowing fast you
can bet steelies will swarm runs and
holes far from Lake Michigan. The

rise and fall of river water levels can
draw fish. Michigans AuSable River
with hydroelectric operations can trigger fall runs and provide the brand of
steelhead feeding activity that make
December fishing fun. Daily flow
fluctuations can get them biting or
cause them to go negative. Try fishing the AuSable when river water is
rising. No flow or slow flow can be a
dead fishing period.
If your goal is to intercept fresh
run silver bullets, it is a good idea
to schedule trips shortly after heavy
rain. Steelies also like to run upriver
when skies are dark and low hanging
gray clouds filter bright sunlight and
weather is downright dark, almost
gloomy. This period began in November and lasts through December,
depending on temperature. If Decem-
Killer moves for steelies page 88
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87
Killer moves for steelies:
from page 86
88
ber is warm and balmy the steelie

fishing will be fantastic, while freezing temperatures and deep snow can
cause steelie runs to slow.
I gauge the size of the run and
size of fish by what I catch while
salmon trolling from July through
early September. This year steelies consisted about 30 percent of
the Great Lakes catch and following northwest blows the steelie
action was top notch. Hey, my last
trip to Lake Michigan on October 3
yielded 12 kings, one Coho and six
steelies. King salmon runs this fall
were not impressive on most Lake
Michigan streams and many showed
up late in September because of the
warm weather. Trollers using orange
spoons had a heyday catching steelies this past summer and I expect
good numbers to show in traditional
steelie rivers. However, the size of
steelies I caught and saw at the summer filet table leaves plenty to be
desired. My average fish was about
6 pounds. Unlike years past when
steelies were fat as footballs, todays
fish are rather thin. I saw some fish
that simply looked sick, thin as a
bean stalk, baseball bat-shaped with
large head. I probably laid eyes on
about 100 steelies this past summer
and fall with the largest being about
9 pounds. I saw no 10-15 pounders,
period. Those days are gone, but that
is another story.
I feel fortunate to have lived during Michigans heyday of trout/salmon fishing. To have actually boated
30 pound kings, 18-pound coho and
put three Master Angler 18 pound
steelies on the bank of the Little
Manistee in less than an hour. Ill
never forget 100-fish steelhead days
and fishin fun with many talented
anglers like Dick Swan, John Westley, George Richey and many, many
more. Over the years the fisheries
have changed but so have fishing
tactics. Heres why.
Michigan has gone through a
float fishing revolution like no other
place on planet Earth. With clearing
waters, fewer fish and smaller steelies, anglers were quick to adopt float
fishing tactics to increase strikes.
Sure, there will always be Dick Swan
acolytes that use light line and long
leaders to temp smart fish in crystal
clear water. But most have switched
to spinning gear with bobbers or center pin-style reels with custom floats.
This brand of finesse fishing is the
most deadly steelie tactic going.
Now, dont get me wrong, drift
boats will take plenty of fish using
plugs, cranks or diving lures and Jim
Bedford followers will catch fish
using fancy spinners but the hottest
tactic going is float fishing. Heres
why.
Center pin reels allow anglers
to cast long distances and maintain
line control when fishing floats. The

reel is so smooth it eliminates line
drag on the water surface and helps
to keep the float straight up. This
means the offering below is moving
the exact speed as the river current.
This perfect natural drift is appealing
to steelies.
Floats and bobbers are set to
drift offerings above fish, rather than
bouncing bottom and constantly
snagging debris or spooking fish with
line or weight in their face. When
late December arrives and steelies
move to slow moving deep holes
and runs, floats or bobbers are used
to keep offerings at the ideal depth
and maintain drift speed that matches
the current. Find a swirling pool,
drift the float on the inside of the
curl where the water is slower than
the main river and you can count on
plenty of action.
Years ago my best winter bait was
a large wiggler on a size #8 model
181 Eagle Claw hook. Steelies could
not resist gulping a huge wiggler
dangled four-feet below a bobber.
Sometimes Id hook them in the tail
and the twitching wiggler would send
out vibrations that attracted savage
strikes from steelies. Gotta love
those monster wigglers from Pappys
Bait and Tackle found on M-55 near
Wellston.
The number one stream steelie
bait when water temperatures are
ideal is a spawn bag. Best spawn
to use is ripe brown trout eggs, with
steelie eggs in second and king spawn
third. If water is discolored, make
large bags but in gin clear water try
bags the size of your pointer finger
nail. Use a variety of netting colors
until you hit on the color they prefer.
One tactic is to switch colors and
give steelies a peek at something new,
brightly colored orange, red, pink,
white and more.
During early fall I like to float
chunks of fresh king eggs in the cluster. I cut up the skein with scissors
and roll the skein on newspaper while
sprinkling the skein with 20 Mule
Team Boraxo hand soap. The Boraxo
firms the eggs so you can fish them
on a size #4 Gamakatsu Octopus single hook or Mustad #92181. When
flow decreases and streams become
clear plan on switching to single eggs
colored orange, red or pink.
However, when water temperatures drop you need to make the
switch to jigs tipped with wax worms.
There is something powerfully attractive about a brightly colored jig
horizontally drifting in current with a
tantalizing white grub wiggling for a
tail. Waxies have taken steelie fishing
by storm and fast become the bait of
choice for those seeking limit catches
of stream steelhead. No one seems to
know why. Some think it is the smell
given off by the oily body fluid, oth-
This is the time to put away the deer gear and get out your fishing rod and reel. You
will quickly understand the addictive draw that steelies have.
and constantly change bait. Overused
ers claim it is the rippling action of a
critter complete with segmented body waxies get soft, flat and lose their
color. I dont refrigerate my waxand attractive white color.
ies, I store them at room temperature
I absolutely love fishin waxies
and feed them oatmeal to make them
off jigs made by Danny Hale, Ionia
plump, juicy, lively and the fish smell
Custom Jigs. I use one waxie to
them a mile away. Another trick is to
catch a fish or two, then switch to
take off the jig and try a small pink
two waxies for added action and visspawn bag just to give fish a new ofibility to fire up steelies and getem
fering.
chomping. I cast to the head of the
Never overlook the power of a
slow moving deep hole where resting
steelies wait. Reel up slack line, keep yarn fly trimmed with sharp scissors
to mimic a large single egg. Yarn
rod tip at 12-noon high in the air to
reduce line drag and let the float drift puffs up in water and actually has
action. It looks like big king salmon
the exact speed as the current, dont
pull it, dont let the wind push it. The eggs drifting the exact speed as the
current and is deadly on fish holdidea is to float the offering slightly
ing in current. One trick is to place a
above or at eye level to fish and
small spawn bag or wax worm on the
have the current move the bait into
hook below the yarn which gives the
the strike zone. Steelies are the eye
balliningest critters alive and strikes presentation a whole new look and
usually come after they have seen the smell that can fool wary steelies.
When fresh runs hit Michigan
natural drift several times. Oh sure,
the first float through a fresh hole will steams seeing all those magnificent
silver bullets can get your heart
get slam dunked the very first drift
pounding. This is the time to put
but after that plan on making hunaway the deer gear and get out your
dreds of casts for every strike. Use
fishing rod and reel. You will quickly
just enough shot to keep the offering
understand the addictive draw that
vertical in the water, too much and
steelies have when your bobber goes
the fish see the weights, too little
down, you set the hook and all hell
shot and the offering will be angled
breaks loose. Better have your reel
downstream.
drag set to peel out line to the impresWhen Im fishing in a crowd Ill
sive surge of Michigans most powerswitch jigs often, move the float up
or down to get the perfect drift height ful freshwater trout.n
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89
Big Bucks Of 2015...
Never say never and give up

L
adies are making a strong and
positive appearance in the
hunting arena these days, so
much so there is now hunting
clothing and gear designed
specifically for women and
girls. What was once thought to be
primarily a male pastime is no more
and I firmly believe that is an absolutely marvelous fact. I can remember
when girls were a rarity attending
Hunter Education Classes, but as a
Hunter Education Instructor, I can
testify that girls attending today are definitely increasing
and in many cases, make up
nearly half the number of the
class. It also pleases me to no
end when a mother decides to
take the class with her child
as well.
Connie Osentoski of Cass
City and her husband Marty are well
known figures in the
local outdoors related arena because
of all the time they donate to supporting various conservation benefits;
Ducks Unlimited, National Wild Turkey Federation, Whitetails Unlimited,
Friends of the NRA and you name it,
through their family owned business,
Osentoski Auction Service. Marty is
the man at the microphone during live
auctions, and being an auctioneer is a
talent he grew up with.
He also grew up with hunting, a
pastime he pursues with a passion and
especially enjoys local deer hunting in
the Thumb. In 1998, his wife Connie
let him know she would like to give
deer hunting a whirl, something she
had never attempted in her life before.
She soon found herself in a blind that
fall armed with a scoped, 12 ga Remington 1100 and had a buck approaching her front window at first light.
This is when she discovered it doesnt
pay to scrunch into matters, especially
with a scope tucked in too close near
your nose and eye, which can easily
happen while leaning into matters out
a blinds window.
Personally Ive been there a time,
or two myself and getting kissed by
a scope is a very sudden and painful experience (I had some metal eye
glass frames that were never the same
again). It is also amazing how profusely a scope smile can bleed.
Connie experienced all of this,
including mashing her nose. Marty
was with her, and according to Connie he turned pale as a ghost when
she crunched her bent nose back into
place. What really peeved her was that
she had completely missed the buck.
For a fact though, she was truly smitten with the deer hunting experience,
something she would instinctively

become as passionate about as her
husband.
That Christmas Connie received
a special gift from Marty, which was
her own deer gun, a heavy barreled
and scoped 20ga H&R Ultra Slug
single-shot she has grown to truly
appreciate due to its accuracy and
noticeable lack of recoil with Lightfield slugs. The following (1999) deer
season Connie bagged her first buck, a
tall-tined spike-horn. During the 2000
season she would bag an
8-point and that is when she
made the personal decision
that if she didnt want to pay
to have a buck shouldermounted, she wouldnt shoot
it. It was big bucks or bust
from then on, and she has
managed to take a nice buck
every year since, and
in recent years, while
using an Excalibur
crossbow as well (she thoroughly
loves the archery deer season too).
This year the pieces didnt come
together right away, even with a lot
of time spent afield, including the
archery season. Connie saw plenty
of smaller bucks, but none that met
her personal requirements. One thing
she has learned is to never say never,
and give up. It pays to do the time
and keep a positive attitude. During the evening on the last Saturday
(November 28) of the 2015 Firearms
Season she decided to try a particular
deer blind. Marty would accompany
her, but all he carried was a binocular,
range finder and a couple bottles of
water.
After waiting patiently in the blind
a bit, some deer began appear on the
scene entailing several does and an
amorous 6-point, and one of the does
appeared to be in heat. It was then
Connie and Marty saw a large deer
emerge at the edge of a field, and even
at 400 yards away it was clear with
the naked eye that it was a buck, and
when Marty glassed it, he confirmed
it was a very nice buck. It was also
making a very slow and steady progress in their direction. An hour and a
half would slowly tick by and darkness was creeping in when the 6-point
realized the larger buck was closing
the distance at a confident swagger
along a ditch while heading for the
does, and the smaller buck decided it
had other places to be, in a hurry.
Up to this point, Connie had never
shot a buck at beyond 90 yards with
her H&R, and it was clear according
to the range finder Marty was using,
it was going be a 125 yard shot when
the buck stepped into the only hole
By Tom Lounsbury
90
Connie Osentoski of Cass City is a dedicated deer hunter who believes in

never saying never, and maintaining a positive attitude throughout the
season. Connie Bagged this dandy Thumb nine-point on November 28. Marty
Osentoski photo
available in the cover. Connie was
hesitant to try for a shot because she
didnt want to just only injure the
buck, but Marty let her know that her
H&R 20 ga shotgun and its (Lightfield) load were fully capable and so
was she. Connie made ready with a
solid brace and locked on.
The large buck appeared in the
hole at a head on frontal angle but
finally and slowly turned broadside
and was only a step away from
disappearing in the heavy cover
when Connie fired. The buck leaped
up and away at the shot and quickly
disappeared.
A beauty of having a second set
of eyes is that Marty could tell it was
a good shot and was able to mark
exactly where the buck was last seen,
followed by a loud crashing noise in
the brush. He was sure the buck was
down for the count. Upon leaving the

blind in the fast failing light, no blood
could be found, but the couple headed
for the spot Marty had marked where
the buck had disappeared, and not
far beyond they discovered the dead
buck. Connie had accomplished a
heart shot.
Upon examining the deer close
up, Connie realized it was even much
bigger than she first thought when she
looked at it through her scope. It was
a fully mature Thumb 9-point, and her
hand couldnt even fit around the base
of its antlers.
There is little question that a new
shoulder-mounted trophy is destined
for the wall, and according to Connie
Osentoski, no matter how late the deer
season has progressed, you keep trying right up to the very end.

It works for her.n
Woods-N-WaterNews Classified Section

MISC.
WANTED
GUIDED TRIPS TO ISLE

ROYALE NATIONAL PARK
By ferry or float plane. Camping,
backpacking, canoeing, hiking.
Photograph Moose! All inclusive.
Total Wilderness Adventure. Senior
trips also. Call 231-564-1631. M-123
................................................
A TEMPUR-PEDIC MEMORY
FOAM MATTRESS SET.
Clean. Never used. As seen on TV.
Cost $1700. Sell for $695. 989-8322401. M-4-14-TFN
................................................
AN
AMISH
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pillowtop mattress set. New. Sell all
for $275. 989-923-1278.
M-4-14-TFN
................................................
AMISH LOG BEDS, ANY

SIZE $199. 5 drawer log chest
$199. Good quality. Lowest prices in
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................................................
LOG BUNK BEDS. $495. Amish
lodge furniture. Call Dan 989-8321866. M-4-14-TFN
................................................
TIMBER: Buying all types of timber, 5 acres or more, top price paid.
Cash in advance. Improve wildlife
habitat. Patco Forest Products, 989539-7588 after 6 p.m. W-7-12/15
................................................
SERVICES
ICE SAWS, COMPLETE

LINE OF SPEARS &
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DECOYS,
Mickey Mouse and Bunny
boots, Pike Busters - the battery powered decoy system.
www.dream-outdoors.com 269330-6422. F-12-3
FISHING
LET ME HELP YOU FIND

YOUR HOME OR PROPERTY UP NORTH! Not limited to,
but specializing in Charlevoix, Emmet
and Antrim Counties. Call 231-3500928. S-12-3
................................................
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GARSON'S
FLY-IN
OUTPOSTS. Your fly-in moose
hunting adventure awaits . . . Two
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Ont. Your flight in a bushplane will
take you over some of Ontario's most
scenic wilderness. Bull & cow tags
available in WMU 22.
www.flyinfishingoutposts.com
or 705-253-4938. H-1-2
................................................
BUFFALO HUNTS $1,800.
RUSSIAN
HOG
$550.
STOKER HOG $395. RAMS
$500. BOOK NOW! Free hog
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H-12-2
................................................
NORTHERN
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BEAR HUNTS: Booking now for
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Very experienced guides. High success rate. 3 hours from the Soo.
References on request. $960 U.S.
705-869-3272 www.texasandsons.
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................................................
REAL ESTATE
53 ACRES, Variety, Farmland,
Hard Woods, Meadow Grasses, &
River/Creek, 624 x 2615 irregular. N.
Branch Twp., Lapeer County,
$140,000 Just Land Sales 586-4196716 facebook.com/justlandsales
RE-1-1
................................................
ADDRESS
(7)
CANADIAN
FISHING
TRIP. Want to go fishing?
Book early and save. One of
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Perch and other fish. Well
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To reach an immense outdoor market use the . . .
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D = Dogs
F = Fishing
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BOX MY CLASSIFIED - $5 Extra
216 ACRES HUNTING

PROPERTY, MOSTLY
WOODED.
AuGres
Township, Arenac County,
Twining Michigan. Existing
trails, 7 elevated hunting blinds,
old cabin that will sleep 10 with
newer well and electricity.
$1,800 per acre. This includes
mineral rights. (989)313-1815
or email ncmckeon@hotmail.
com RE-1-1
90 ACRES, wetlands, farm field,
woods, deer Eden Township, Mason
County, Mi. $200,000 248-752-0047.
RE-1-1
REAL ESTATE
REAL ESTATE
40 ACRES, 3 Buildings, Small

Pond, 2 wells, Cedar Swamp, Lots of
Deer & Bear,70% Wooded, Avery
Twp. Montmorency County $60,000
Just Land Sales 586-419-6716
JustLandSales.com RE-1-1
................................................
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
586-419-6716 facebook.com/justlandsales RE-1-1
................................................
3 BEDROOM, 4 BATH
COUNTRY RANCH HOME
HAS MUCH TO OFFER.
Amenities includes a fabulous kitchen with appliances, a counter bar,
master suite with posh private bath,
main floor laundry. Wood burning
fireplace, central air, loads of storage, deck with portable gazebo. An
incredible property situated on 10
trailed acres just 10 miles west of
Adrian. $184,623. Call Mark at Faust
Real Estate, LLC 517-499-9770.
RE-1-1
................................................
16.79 ACRES Tree-Lined
Farmland, with 2 Road Fronts. 641x
1181 with 192 on Vandyke.
Evergreen Twp Sanilac County
$62,500 Just Land Sales 586-4196716 facebook.com/justlandsales
RE-1-1
................................................
30 ACRES, 4 miles northwest of
Newberry. Buts up to over 400 acres
of state land with trail thru it. 24x40
garage, wired and insulated, shallow
well, Newberry power. $125,000 High
and dry. 989-329-4142. RE-1-1
................................................
GREAT 10 ACRE HUNT
CAMP. 2 Elevated Blinds in Place.
330 x 1324, 50% Wooded. LynnTwp
St Clair County $43,000 Just Land
Sales 586-419-6716 JustLandSales.
com RE-1-1
................................................
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-1-3
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 RE-1-1
................................................
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-1-1
40
SQUARE
WOODED
ACRES, Excellent Hunting, a
Creek & 2 Rd. Frontages. 1320 x
1320 90% Wooded. Burnside Twp,
Lapeer County $119,000 Just Land
Sales 586-419-6716 facebook.com/
justlandsales
RE-1-1
................................................
DOGS
AKC
OFA
BRITTANY
PUPPIES born 9/9/2015, Orange
& White, 3 well-tempered, beautiful
males with hunting and show pedigrees, $900, 248-752-0047. D-1-1
................................................
AKC GERMAN SHORTHAIR
PUPS. Ready 12/22/15. Parents
guide dogs at Janks Pheasant Farm.
Great breeding with strong pointing
and retrieving instinct. Your next
hunting/family companion. Point
Blank Kennels. 989-627-0228 or
989-673-5350. kunsefamilyfarms@
gmail.com. D-1-1
................................................
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-1-2
Subscribe Today!
(810) 724-0254
MISC.
91
Heres your guide to success!

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theres a sure way to up your odds . . . simply try new fishing waters. Fish where few fishermen ever fish.
Michigan is loaded with great fishing waters . . . many of them over-looked. From the AuSable River to all of the
Great Lakes tributaries to the Pere Marquette River . . . thousands of miles of streams, lakes and rivers are now easyto-locate on one map.
Professor Higbees Stream Map of Michigan is the first and only highly detailed map of its kind. This new 4 foot by
4 foot color map shows virtually all for the 35,000 miles of Michigan streams & lakes on both peninsulas. Thats almost
two times the earths circumference!
STREAMMAPOFMICHIGAN is available either rolled or folded. And, in heavy gauge clear lamination, write-onwipe-off surface with brass eyelettes for easy hanging, rolled only.
ROLLED $26.00 FOLDED $26.00

T a x
&
P o s t a g e
LAMINATED $46.00
I n c l u d e d
NAME
ADDRESS
92
CITYSTATEZIP
Check/Money Order Visa/Mastercard
Card#Exp. DateSignature
Mail To: Woods-N-Water News P.O. Box 278 Imlay City, MI 48444 (810) 724-0254
95 ACRES OF PRIME HUNTING PROPERTY!

5 A meadow, 3 A food plots, pond, apple
trees, 25 tower blind, 14 permanent
tree stands, 3 sites motorized feeders,
mobile home (sleeps 6), 3 outbuildings.
$169,900
Mary Tess Hoey, Sales Agent
Drummond Island Realty, 877-493-5344

www.DrummondIsland-Realty.com
E. Johnswood Road, Drummond Island, MI 49726
Pages 93-97
FOR SALE
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.
MAINSTREET
844 Van Dyke ALMONT
FOR ALL YOUR REAL
ESTATE NEEDS CALL
$209,000
Sharon LaFrance
810-441-6002
Im not #1, you are.
RE-38-1
R
P
O
T
P
E
C
R
E
T
F
I
R
E
P FOR HUNTERS! ES
8359 MOWATT RD.
Over 37 acres of
Pure Heaven in Lapeer
County awaits you if you are
a hunter or just the nature
lover. Lots of wildlife.
Go fishing or just take a
walk along the lake or pond! Home is a 3 bedrm, 2 bath with a full basement just
waiting to be finished off. North Branch schools. $189,000
4700 PHELPS LAKE RD.
10 acre slice of Heaven in

Silverwood, MI. This 5 bedrm
home back in the woods
features a covered wrap around
deck, and large 60 x 40 pole barn/
garage. Enjoy this winter with
your family around the fireplace
in the living rm or in the family
rm. Open Kitchen and Formal dining area. 2nd level Master bedrm has a walk in closet and
Master bath is separate from the vanity. Versatile large 3rd level can be a gaming rm or bedrm.
Finish off the basement for more sq ft. for entertaining or extra living area. $269,900
2855 WHITE CREEK RD.

Your new home is private
and secluded on 41.5 acres
in Tuscola County, 60%
wooded. Newly remodeled
2,112 sq ft ranch home,
32x52 pole barn, all new Anderson windows. Beautiful
new kitchen with quality cabinetry and granite countertops, great for entertaining!
All stainless steel appliances are included. Abundance of wildlife on this property!
Woods, clearings, trails this property has it all! $239,900
Drummond Island Realty
93
231-652-7000
- or -
231-250-8200
WE NEED LISTINGS 40+ ACRES AND LARGER

330
ACRES
LAKE
COUNTY
Good Trail
System, Food
Plots, Small
Spring Fed
Creek
NG
I
ND
E
P
Allegan County, 71+/- Acres. Good Trail

System, Excellent Deer & Turkey Hunting
$99,900
Jackson County, 43 Acres

I-94 & M-99 Exit, Tillable
$299,000
Delta County, 39.6 Acres

1,000+ ft Frontage Lake Michigan
$79,000
Iosco County, 52.51 Acres

Food Plots, Trail System, Elevated
Blinds, Pond & Shed
$99,000
Isabella County, 156 acres

5,000 ft on Trout Stream, Good
Trails, 30 Ac Tillable
$590,000
Genesee & Shiawassee County, 140

Acres, Half Agricultural Land, 1,300
sq ft Lodge, 24x40 Pole Barn
$475,000
SO
Jackson County, 26 Acres 40x120

Commercial Building, I-94 Frontage
$275,000
Arenac County, 146 Acres Rifle River &

Saginaw Bay Access, Tri-Level House
$399,999
L
SO
LD
LD
SO
NG
I
ND
E
P
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
LD
SO
Jackson County, 119 Acres, Little Montague Lake

Frontage, 40+/- Tillable, Excellent Wildlife Habitat
$315,900
SO
Mecosta Co 28 ac 1320
Chippewa River, Nice Cabin
$165,900
Lake Co, 5 Acres, 1,200 ft. Middle Branch

Pere Marquette River, Rustic Cabin
$68,000
Jackson County, 162 Acres CRP Program, 6 Elevated

Blinds, 115 Ac. Tillable, Pond, Big Buck Country
$599,000
LD
Mecosta County, 40 Acres

Mecosta County, 120 Acres, 60 Ac TillMecosta County, 40 Acres
Frontage on Mud Lake, State Land on 2 sides 12 Acre Private Lake, 5,000 sq ft House able, 60 Ac Wooded, Excellent Hunting
$349,000
$299,000
$60,000
Midland co 80 ac Pond,
25 ac Tillable, Nice House
$349,900
NG
I
ND
E
P
Missaukee Co, 40 Acres, Good

Missaukee Co, 40 Acres
Trail System, Excellent Hunting 3 Bedroom Cabin, Food Plots
$62,900
$112,900
94
Osceola County, 80 Acres

Lots of Deer, Excellent Bedding
Cover, Great Hunting
$89,000
Osceola Co, 94+/- Acres, 1,000 ft.

All Sports Goose Lake, Older Farm
House, Excellent Hunting
$335,000
Missaukee County, 75 Acres Pond, Creek,

Guest Cabin & 2 Bedroom House
$199,000
Otsego County, 160 Acres Private

15 Ac Lake, 6,000 sq. ft. House
$1,749,000
Missaukee County, 77 Acres, Rough

Country, Big Bucks, Trout Stream
$77,000
Missaukee County, 200 Acres

Cabin, Pond, 8 Enclosed Blinds
$289,900
Newaygo County, 129+/- Acres, 2,000 ft

Muskegon River Frontage, Trail System,
1/2 Mile County Road Frontage
$299,000
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
WildLifeRealty.com
www.
GET
Better than new colonial on 5
splittable acres - corner parcel.
Newer colonial. Ceramic floors.
Master suite. HUGE covered
deck. Imlay City area.
$215,000
NOTICED!
a
h
t
i
W state
E
l
a
e
R Ad!
Secluded, Up North setting in

Oakland County- award winning
Lake Orion schools. Over 2700
sq. ft. of living space is move in
ready! 6 wooded acres on a private road. Hunt in your back yard.
$350,000
BIG BUCK
PROPERTIES
HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN
LENAWEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN
To view these and other listings visit

our website www.gilhenry.net
LIST YOUR
PROPERTY
TODAY!
Woods-n-Water News
Call: (810) 724-0254
or email our team at

wnw@pageone-inc.com
SEAMAN LAKE 5103 N. WAITE ROAD IRONS Come see this

charming year-around cottage sits on two wooded lots with 150'
frontage on Seaman Lake which is a 23 acre private lake. The 2
bedroom cottage has an open concept design, with great flow, a
kitchen with an island, dining area, family area and a newly added
sun room, two sets of sliders lead out to the newer, spacious deck
with stairs going to the dock. There is also a main floor laundry room
with access to the attached 1 car garage and an office. Outside you
will find 2 nice sized storage sheds and a wood shed. Located on a
private road for lots of seclusion. You can ride your snowmobile/
ORVs to the trails. $149,900 (CRA)
LOG CABIN ON 19.75+/- ACRES 2510 N PEACOCK ROAD
WELLSTON This 20 x 23 rustic, log cabin sets on 19.75 acres
adjoining 100s of acres of Federal property. The cabin has a kitchenette, sitting area with a wood stove and a full loft with room for
several beds. The bathroom contains a toilet and sink. Preparation
work has been started to install a shower and water heater. With just
a little bit of work this would make the perfect family get-away or a
hunt camp for the gang. The exterior has a steel roof, a large porch
across the front of the cabin and your own concrete barbeque grill.
The stainless steel 4 well is 128 deep. There is a septic and drain
field. The 24 x 40 pole barn has a steel roof and a cement floor. A
10 x 12 shed great for yard tools and an outhouse sets next to the
barn. Close to the Dublin Store, Tippy Dam, many lakes and 1000s
acres of Federal Land. $95,900 (MEA)
18 ACRES NORCONK ROAD ARCADIA This 18 acre parcel
of land is located on Norconk Road in Arcadia Township in Northern
Manistee County. Close to M-22, Lake Michigan, Arcadia Lake and
Bear Lake. Ideal location for your new home or if youve been looking for that property to build a garage or pole barn on to store you
toys this might just be for you. There is about 10 acres of tillable
land and 8 acres of maples and other hardwoods. The drive is into
the back of the property! There have been a few bucks taken from
this property also if youre a hunter! $69,900 (RUS)
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
3,800 sq. ft. home with 5 bedrooms, 2 baths, 60 +/- acres (25
acres woods), farm rent $325,000. Call Bill 517-366-9201
58 acres -lake, swamp, woods,

tillable- unbelievable hunting$174,900. Call Brad 517-605-1020
PROPERTIES
LAKE ELEANOR 4554 LAKESIDE DRIVE BRETHREN This

year around home or Up North getaway has 81 frontage on Lake
Eleanor which is a great swimming and fishing lake. It sits on an
acre of land with underground sprinkler system, rock terracing, picnic area, and blueberry bushes. This home features 3 bedrooms, 2
1/2 bathrooms, a kitchen with lots of cupboards, eat-in breakfast bar,
dining and living room with hardwood floors and main floor laundry
room with laundry chute. The fully finished basement has barn board
siding, a wet bar area, 3 piece bathroom, 4th bedroom, large storage
area, built in seating, and Michigan rock planter and rock wall. A
private office that adjoins the house and 1 car garage has a wet bar,
built in bookshelf and is perfect for a home office or business. There
is an additional 1-car garage with lean-to and workshop perfect for
storing and working on all your toys! $170,000 (LAG)
3,800 sq. ft. all

brick home with
full, unfinished
basement, 4
bedrooms, 4 baths,
pole barn, pond, 30
+/- acres - $380,000.Call Bill 517-366-9201
38 acres - 60 x 80 fully finished pole

barn, 2 ponds - $225,000.
Call Brad 517-605-1020
IG RIVER
95
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
"UP NORTH" YEAR ROUND HOMES AND GETAWAYS!!!

1804694
1808754
5.1
ACRES!!
BEAUTIFUL
SETTING!!!
40 ACRE
HORSE
FARM!!
This 2-bdrm cabin needs your TLC and

updating to make your cozy getaway or
hunt camp! Wood burning FP will keep
you warm. Near trails for winter fun!!
Gorgeous rolling prop ADJOINS STATE

LAND, great for horses with 80x120
outbldg, riding arena, stalls, tack room,
fenced pastures, alley way & more!!
Small cabin that needs fixing up on over

5 acres with creek running thru property.
Would make an excellent hideaway or
a weekend place to get away to relax!!
2.88 ACRES, at end of road, with

3-bdrm home, newer carpet, cabinets
& other updates, garage, deck, pond,
pole bldg, small cabin & much more!!
Possible 3-bdrm, large lot, near

lake, sandy beach & parks, open
floor plan, newer well, knotty pine
interior, great recreational area!!
$20,000
$260,000
$20,000
$219,900
$23,900
1807867
1805328
ALL SPORTS
MOVE-IN
CONDITION!!
HENDERSON
LAKE!!
1807457
1807023
1804987
GORGEOUS
VIEWS ALL
AROUND!!
WALK TO ALL
SPORTS LOON
LAKE!!
WELL
MAINTAINED!!
OVER HALF ACRE, with beautiful custom built 3-bdrm home, appliances,
AC, lakeside deck, newer boat dock,
sandy beach & quaint guest cabin!!
Spacious 3-ndrm, 2 ACRES, covered

front porch, back deck, garage, AC, open
floor plan, near Rifle River for fishing and
canoeing and State lands for hunting!!
COZY GETAWAY!! 2-bedroom home on

paved road with shed for additional storage
would make a nice vacation getaway or hunt
camp not too far from Huron National Forest!!
Spacious 3-bdrm, 2 full bath with

garage that has upstairs and a 30x24
workshop, nice deck and more. Year round in
fantastic area!!
3-bdrm modular home has over 1250 sq ft,

appliances, walk-in closets, master suite,
open floor plan, mostly furnished plus front
and rear decks for relaxing!!
$164,900
$129,900
$25,000
$124,900
$64,900
1808557
1808082
1803706
1808352
1804117
NICE PLACE
NEAR IT ALL!!
171 ON ALL
SPORTS
LAKE!!
LITTLE LONG
21+
ACRES!!
NEAR RIVER
AND NATL
FOREST!!
LAKE
ACCESS!!
Up north getaway or year round home

with knotty pine, family room, den, some
furnishings, enclosed porch, fenced yard,
garage & lots more!!
3-bdrm home on full finished walkout

basement, FP, large garage, extensive decking, fantastic views, great
subd and private Forest Lake access!!
Large lot with shade trees and nice 1.5 story,

3-bdrm home with newer roof, siding and furnace.
Also has front deck, storage shed and your own
balcony!!
2-bdrm, 2 full bath home, wooded property, beautiful views, garage and workshop, open floor plan door walls to nice
deck, wood stove and much more!!
Cute 2-bdrm home on 3.5 lots is mostly

furnished, gas tone FP, enclosed porch,
newer electrical and blacktop drive.
Close to beautiful AuSable River!!
$42,000
$119,900
$43,500
$117,000
$44,000
1804013
1802837
1804400
1805393
1803086
140 ON
NO WAKE
LAKE!!
LOTS OF
UPDATES!!
WALK TO
FLOYD LAKE!!
3.93 ACRES
& CANAL
FRONTAGE!!
1.55 ACRES with super 3-bdrm home,

wood stove, bath on both floors, garage,
mostly furnished and move-in ready,
lakeside deck and gorgeous views!!
NEAR
SEVERAL
LAKES!!
1500 square foot mobile home with additions in nice setting and great area for
year round fun!! Newer metal roof and
large back yard for relaxing!!
1.2 ACRES and nice 2-bdrm home with

updates like newer well, septic and roof.
Also has full bsmt, garage, pole bldg,
patio, wood stove and much more!!
Possible 3-bdrm home on 2 lots with

workshop, encl porch, deck, large yard,
privacy fence, 2 full bath & over 1400
sq feet. Near lakes & Natl Forest!!
Super clean 4-bdrm home on canal to FEEDING GROUNDS LAKE. Has FP, spacious
kitchen, master suite, garage, & rear deck w/
beautiful views!!
$115,000
$47,500
$114,900
$47,900
$99,900
1803058
1805259
1808492
1807233
1808784
SEMISECLUDED!!
HENDERSON
LAKE!!
OVER AN
ACRE!!
SPACIOUS
YEAR
ROUND!!
OVER AN
ACRE!!
AN ACRE of property with 3-bdrm home

surrounded by shade trees and sitting
back off of road. Lots of windows, nice
views, fruit trees, garage, deck & more!!
Nice lakefront cabin on 172 acre all sports

lake, newer roof, flooring, water heater
and freshly painted. Fantastic views, rear
deck, boat dock at water & more!!
This cozy 2-bdrm cottage is near it all

and has knotty pine interior, newer furnace, deck & pond and is clear popular
Clear Lake or you can walk to Elni Lake!!
2 ACRES & super nice 3-bdrm, 1.5 bath

home, two garages, covered porch, deck,
garden areas, and a large pond stock with
bluegills.
Well-maintained possible 3-bdrm home has lots

of storage, large garage, huge storage building
and shed plus covered porch for relaxing and
newer roof & siding!!
$49,900
$89,900
$49,900
$89,000
$54,900
1808188
1807454
NEAR ALL SPORTS
NEEDS
YOUR
TLC!!
GEORGE
LAKE!!
96
1803104
1807482
1.34
ACRES!!
Super nice and move-in ready 3-bdrm, 2 full bath
with large rooms, formal dining with doors to deck,
nice views, jetted tub, 1500 sq ft and appliances!!
$79,900
FOR MORE LISTINGS
VISIT OUR WEBSITE:
1804599
1805254
1805656
ACROSS FROM
STATE LAND!!
NEAR
TRAILS
AND LAKE!!
SECLUDED
HUNTING
CABIN!!
This nice 3-bdrm manufactured home has

breezeway to garage, workshop laminate
floors, double closets in all bedrooms, rear
deck, large yard and more!!
Beautiful setting on 1.89 ACRES and 3-bdrm,

2 full ba home. Has 2 FP, rear deck, nice yard
& garage with finished area that could be your
game room!!
Perfect place for year round fun w/3-bdrm

home on ONE ACRE with 2000 sq ft, maple
cabinets, covered porch, deck and partly
fenced for your pets!!
18 ACRES ADJACENT TO STATE LAND with cute

cabin with appliances, wood heat, propane lights
and gravity tank. Great rustice spot for hunting!!
$55,000
$79,900
$57,900
$69,900
1805084
2.81
ACRES!!
WWW.CAHANES.COM
Land and Lakes Real Estate Co.

TARGET REAL ESTATE SPECIALIZES IN
WATERFRONT HOMES AND HUNTING PARCELS
WE REPRESENT BUYERS AND SELLERS
EAST TAWAS
OSCODA
"Serving the NorthCentral Upper Peninsula"
Phone: (906) 387-5100

www.landandlakesrealestate.com
Land And Lakes Real Estate Is Proud To Announce Our Exclusive Partnership With LANDLEADER
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
MLS#1806925
Listed at $279,000.00
MLS#1801740
Listed at $695,000.00
GREENBUSH - $49,900, Nice square 40 acre parcel joining Federal and State land. This area has proven to hold
quality bucks over the past years, QDM is practiced here. MLS#1799955
GREENBUSH - $59,900, 45 acres of hunting land off the beaten path. This rolling parcel is heavily wooded with hardwoods and evergreens. Call today. MLS#1799569
GREENBUSH - $79,900, 50 acres of prime hunting land situated just north of Oscoda. Gated entrance to this park-like
setting wildlife sanctuary! Many trails for easy access, several additional cleared areas for camping, food plots or building sites.
There could be potential value in standing timber as well. Power and natural gas available at the road. MLS#1809059
MIKADO - $89,900, 61 acres of prime hunting land. Joins State land and agricultural land. Trails thru-out the heavily
wooded parcel with hardwoods and Tag Alders, and openings for food plots. MLS#1806759
EAST TAWAS - $125,000, 200 Of Lake Huron frontage accompanies this 9.87 acre parcel in AuSable Dunes Estates. Sandy beach frontage, partially wooded, some wetlands. MLS#1789219
MORE PARCELS ARE AVAILABLE . . .

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

info@TargetRealEstate.com
www.TargetRealEstate.com
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
160 acre hunting camp. QDM is practiced here with food Custom built half log home on 288+/- acres w/2 pole
plots, ponds, Kunze Creek and lots of mature cedar. The barns and several food plots. The 3 bdrm, 2.5 bath home
turnkey camp has 1 bedroom and 1 full bath.
includes a long list of custom amenities.
97
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

from
98
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
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$4.

Larry Kreps Jr.

www.woods-n-waternews.com Like us on facebook

HUGE END OF SEASON

2208 W. M-43 Highway,

STOP IN OR SHOP ONLINE AT BOBSGT.COM

STOP BY TODAY FOR INCREDIBLE OFFERS AND

STOP BY TODAY FOR INCREDIBLE5605

CHAPMAN'S SPORTS CENTER Open 6 Days: Monday - Friday 9am-5pm;

CHAPMAN'S SPORTS CENTER

Add your own message by selecting:

CHAPMAN'S SPORTS CENTER

CHAPMAN'S SPORTS CENTER

CLOSE-OUTS ON ALL REMAINING

Open 6 Days: Monday - Friday 9am-5pm;

JANUARY 2016 - WNW NEWS

By Tom Campbell...Field Notes

Good hunting-but CWD!

bowhunting continues until Jan. 1, 2016 and the late

Kyle Phillips shared this

JANUARY 2016 - WNW NEWS

U.P. Focus: Firearm deer hunting season a mixed bag

MDNR wildlife biologists said

individual stations. The Escanaba station

gan Natural Resources Commission from

Now - Dec. 31 - Michigan Pure Hunt Application period

JANUARY 2016 - WNW NEWS

State rears and

Michigan Grand Slam

Icy Michigan Hotspots

Gun Opener-bow kill

The ice shanty evolution

Slick Willy & Freak Nasty

Killer moves for steelies

Deer Hunting '15

Father Jacques Marquette

Ice fishing's practical

Jerry Lambert ...page 26

Bear versus deer at bait

Hunters are good people!

Outdoor Safety &

Could social media

Deer season success...

Gun Chat: Custom rifle

Dear Fish Diary...

Larry Kreps Jr.

www.woods-n-waternews.com Like us on facebook

Use this handy order

One year $29

Two years $55

If renewal please attach old mailing label

One year $29

If renewal please attach old mailing label

Two years $55

If renewal please attach old mailing label

(Mailed out January 15th)

One year $29

Two years $55

If renewal please attach old mailing label

(Mailed out January 15th)

One year $29

Two years $55

(Mailed out January 15th)