DECEMBER 2017 $4.

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Woods-n-Water News
Michigans Premier Outdoor Publication

MICHIGAN TROPHIES

The 1-2-3 Approach for Icing Panfish 'One Shot' Season Success
State Record Cisco Segregation Of The Sexes In Whitetails
Good Late Waterfowl Hunting Part II - Lure Maker Bud Stewart
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OPEN AT 6 A.M. BLACK FRIDAY!
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 SALES: 810-653-0490 CHAPMAN'S SPORTS CENTER SALES: 810-653-0490
CHAPMAN'S SPORTS CENTER
CHAPMAN'S SPORTS CENTER
5605 Davison Rd., 4 miles east
of Downtown Davison CHAPMAN'S SPORTS CENTER
5605 DAVISON RD
5605 Davison Rd., 4 miles east
of Downtown Davison
5605 DAVISON
DAVISON RD
RD Open 6 Days: Monday - Friday 9am-5pm;
LAPEER, MI Open 6 Days: Monday - Friday 9am-5pm;
5605 5605 DAVISON RD
Saturday 9am-2pm LAPEER, MI Saturday 9am-2pm
LAPEER, MI
LAPEER, MI www.chapmanssports.com www.chapmanssports.com

CHAPMAN'S SPORTS CENTER
Offers vary by model. Rebate and finance offers valid on select 2014-2018 new and unregistered models purchased between 11/1/17- 12/31/17. See your authorized dealer for complete details. Rates as low as 2.99% APR for 36 months.
5605 DAVISON RD
Examples of monthly payments required over a 36-month term at a 2.99% APR rate: $29.08 per $1,000 financed; and at an 6.99% APR rate: $30.87 per $1,000 financed. An example of a monthly payment with $0 down, no rebate, an APR of
2.99% APR for 36 months at a MSRP of $9,999.00 is $290.74; total cost of borrowing of $467.60 with a total obligation of $10,466.60. Down payment may be required. Other financing offers may be available. See your local dealer for details.
*Offers valid on new 2015 2018 Polaris snowmobiles. On approved Polaris purchases. Offer may not be combined with certain other offers, is subject to change and may be extended or terminated without further notice. Financing promotions
void where prohibited. Program minimum amount financed is $5,000 and 0% 10% down payment required. Sales tax, registration fees, and dealer fees not included. Rate and down payment based on credit approval criteria. Offer is subject
to credit approval. The 2 Year Factory Warranty offer consists of a standard 1 year factory warranty plus an additional 1 year of additional factory warranty coverage. The 3 Year Factory Warranty offer consists of a standard 1 year factory
warranty plus an additional 2 years of additional factory warranty coverage. The additional factory warranty offer is subject to a $50.00 deductible per visit after the first year. All rebates are paid to the dealer. Valid at participating Polaris
*Offers
dealers valid
only. on neware
2015 2018 Polaris snowmobiles. On approved Polaris purchases. Offer may not be combined with certain other offers, is subject to change and may be extended or terminated without further notice. Financing promotions

CHAPMAN'S SPORTS CENTER

Minimum Amount Financed $1,500; Maximum Amount Financed $50,000. Other qualifications and restrictions may apply. Financing promotions void where prohibited. Tax, title, license, and registration are separate and may not be Offers valid between 11/01/17 12/31/17.
Offers vary
financed. LAPEER, MI
by model.may
Promotion Rebate and finance
be modified offers valid without
or discontinued on selectnotice
2014-2018
at anynew
timeand unregistered
in Polaris models purchased between 11/1/17- 12/31/17. See your authorized dealer for complete details. Rates as low as 2.99% APR for 36 months.
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on eligible
for details. advertised based on minimum score of 700. Amount Financed $1,500; $50,000.
and qualified units purchased from a participating Sheffield dealer. See dealer for product eligibility and qualifications between 11/1/2017 and 12/31/2017. Offer subject to change without
qualifications and
dont mix. All
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void where IndustriesTax,
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*Deferred payments: Example where the Amount Financed is $10,000, your Down Payment is $0 with no interest until March 1, 2018 and no payment until April 1, 2018 followed by 36 monthly payments of $311.02 each. Interest rate is 7.49%.
LAPEER, MI
notice.

YEAR END
financed. Promotion may be modified or discontinued without notice at any time in Polaris sole discretion. Note: The above financing programs are offered by Sheffield Financial, a Division of Branch Banking and Trust Company. Member FDIC. Subject to credit approval. Approval, and any rates and terms provided, are based on credit worthiness.
Other financing offers are available. See your local dealer for details. Rate advertised is based on minimum bureau risk score of 700. Minimum Amount Financed $1,500; Maximum Amount Financed $50,000. Other qualifications and
WARNING: Polaris off-road vehicles can be hazardous to operate and are not intended for on-road use. Driver must be at least 16 years old with a valid drivers license to operate. Passengers, if permitted, must be at least 12 years old. All restrictions may apply. Offer effective on eligible and qualified units purchased from a participating Sheffield dealer. See dealer for product eligibility and qualifications between 11/1/2017 and 12/31/2017. Offer subject to change without
riders should always wear helmets, eye protection, and protective clothing. Always use seat belts and cab nets or doors (as equipped). Never engage in stunt driving, and avoid excessive speeds and sharp turns.Riding and alcohol/ drugs notice.
dont mix. All riders should take a safety training course. Call 800-342-3764 for additional information. Check local laws before riding on trails. 2017 Polaris Industries Inc.
Offers vary by model. Rebate and finance offers valid on select 2014-2018 new and unregistered models purchased between 11/1/17- 12/31/17. See your authorized dealer for complete details. Rates as low as 2.99% APR for 36 months.
Examples of monthly payments required over a 36-month term at a 2.99% APR rate: $29.08 per $1,000 financed; and at an 6.99% APR rate: $30.87 per $1,000 financed. An example of a monthly payment with $0 down, no rebate, an APR of
2.99% APR for 36 months at a MSRP of $9,999.00 is $290.74; total cost of borrowing of $467.60 with a total obligation of $10,466.60. Down payment may be required. Other financing offers may be available. See your local dealer for details.
Minimum Amount Financed $1,500; Maximum Amount Financed $50,000. Other qualifications and restrictions may apply. Financing promotions void where prohibited. Tax, title, license, and registration are separate and may not be

CLEARANCE SALE
financed. Promotion may be modified or discontinued without notice at any time in Polaris sole discretion.

WARNING: Polaris off-road vehicles can be hazardous to operate and are not intended for on-road use. Driver must be at least 16 years old with a valid drivers license to operate. Passengers, if permitted, must be at least 12 years old. All
riders should always wear helmets, eye protection, and protective clothing. Always use seat belts and cab nets or doors (as equipped). Never engage in stunt driving, and avoid excessive speeds and sharp turns.Riding and alcohol/ drugs
dont mix. All riders should take a safety training course. Call 800-342-3764 for additional information. Check local laws before riding on trails. 2017 Polaris Industries Inc.
*Offers valid on new 2015 2018 Polaris snowmobiles. On approved Polaris purchases. Offer may not be combined with certain other offers, is subject to change and may be extended or terminated without further notice. Financing promotions
void where prohibited. Program minimum amount financed is $5,000 and 0% 10% down payment required. Sales tax, registration fees, and dealer fees not included. Rate and down payment based on credit approval criteria. Offer is subject
to credit approval. The 2 Year Factory Warranty offer consists of a standard 1 year factory warranty plus an additional 1 year of additional factory warranty coverage. The 3 Year Factory Warranty offer consists of a standard 1 year factory
warranty plus an additional 2 years of additional factory warranty coverage. The additional factory warranty offer is subject to a $50.00 deductible per visit after the first year. All rebates are paid to the dealer. Valid at participating Polaris
dealers only. Offers are valid between 11/01/17 12/31/17.
*Deferred payments: Example where the Amount Financed is $10,000, your Down Payment is $0 with no interest until March 1, 2018 and no payment until April 1, 2018 followed by 36 monthly payments of $311.02 each. Interest rate is 7.49%.
Note: The above financing programs are offered by Sheffield Financial, a Division of Branch Banking and Trust Company. Member FDIC. Subject to credit approval. Approval, and any rates and terms provided, are based on credit worthiness.
Other financing offers are available. See your local dealer for details. Rate advertised is based on minimum bureau risk score of 700. Minimum Amount Financed $1,500; Maximum Amount Financed $50,000. Other qualifications and
restrictions may apply. Offer effective on eligible and qualified units purchased from a participating Sheffield dealer. See dealer for product eligibility and qualifications between 11/1/2017 and 12/31/2017. Offer subject to change without
notice.

2018 BOATS ARRIVING WEEKLY

SALES: 810-653-0490
5605 Davison Rd., 4 miles east
of Downtown Davison
Open 6 Days: Monday - Friday 9am-5pm;
Saturday 9am-2pm
www.chapmanssports.com
WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 3
 By Tom Campbell
Deer season 2017
M
ichigan and whitetails have been intertwined
for thousands of years. The species has not
only endured modern mans infringement
theyve benefited from the transformations
of habitat and land use practices. The whitetail indis-
putably is the most adaptive big game animal. Deer
are geniuses at finding protective cover and avoiding
predators, locating food and water, mating, and rearing
their young, even when faced with adverse environ-
ments. White-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus have
had more research, more scientific papers and more
deer experts writings than any other species. We are
entranced, enchanted and fascinated with deer and thats
a good thing! The challenge and excitement of pursuing
deer hasnt changed. Deer hunting is an old and honored
pastime and it has become more than taking something
from nature.
The 2017 season is off to an amazing start with
plenty of good hunts and plenty of big bucks taken. We
love hearing your stories and seeing your deer so please
keep sharing with us. Like the guys on the cover and
Jesse Leonetti, Tim Nichols, Steve Kovacs on this page.
Just email me photos and your story to wnw@pageone-
inc.com. You know, to some generations of deer hunters
this will be their good old days! Remember, December
is a perfect time to share the deer woods with a new
hunter, young or old. Be a mentor. December has three
seasons; archery season, muzzleloader and an antlerless
season. Good luck and always hunt safe!n
Tim
Nichols
Tim Nichols has hunted behind
his home for 31 years and always
sees lots of deer but never a big
one! On Oct. 27 he watched 22
does go by and he passed on three
bucksa pretty typical outing for
Tim until this guy walked out, a
record book trophy 10-point and
Jesse Leonetti Tim put a lethal shot on him. With
a green score of over 160, Tim
wonders why people travel out of
Friends of mine had trail camera
photos of this buck star ting in late state for a big buck; his was right
Sept. He remained somewhat active behind his house!
around the area for the month of
Oct. I checked my camera on Fri. and proceeded to curse myself out for
volunteering to work over time on Sat. morning. He was daylight active.
I knew I had to get in there before he went cruising for does as the rut
approached. So, after a sleepless night and asking my boss to get out
of work early, I was finally on my way to the timber. I had no stand in
Steve Kovacs
I watched this buck mature over the sum-
mer and fall months, knowing he was one
Id seen several times on the trail cam-
eras and stands, always a little too far
away, to make a good shot. I have a par-
ticular spot I noticed over the years that
the bucks migrate to when the rut star ts.
Last year I had the idea to put a trees-
tand up in the spring, to hunt the area
and stay out until the time was right. I
never sat in that stand until the morning
I harvested this deer. In early November
I snuck into find many scrapes and rubs
on large trees, his area for sure. The
morning of meeting him, I sat in my usu-
ally blind, then at 9:00 am moved quietly

SEASONS
Open All Year Pike and walleye season on Lower Peninsula
Great Lakes, Lake St. Clair & St. Clair & Detroit Rivers
Open All Year Salmon and trout season on Great Lakes, St.
Marys River, Lake St. Clair & St. Clair & Detroit Rivers
Open All Year Catch-and-immediate-release bass season on
all Michigan waters open to fishing
Now-Dec. 31 Pure Michigan Hunt Application
Now-March 15 Pike, walleye seasons on L.P. inland waters,
U.P. Great Lakes, inland waters and St. Marys.
Now-Dec. 15 Muskie season on Lake St. Clair, St. Clair and
Detroit Rivers
Now-Dec. 31 Bass; catch and keep season on all Michigan
waters open to bass fishing
Now-Oct. 26 Bear season (various BMUs, permit required
and special regulations)
Now-Mar. 31 Cottontail rabbit/snowshoe hare season
Now-Mar. 1 Squirrel season, fox and gray (black)
Now-Dec. 16 -- North Zone goose season
Now-Dec. 22 -- Middle Zone goose season
NowDec. 10 -- South Zone goose season
Now Nov. 26 -- North Zone duck season
NowDec. 3 -- Middle Zone duck season
NowDec. 10 -- South Zone duck season
Nov. 15-30 -- Regular Firearm deer season
Dec. 1-Jan. 1 -- Pheasant season Zone 3 (partial)
Dec. 1-10 -- Muzzleloading deer season in Zone 1
Dec. 1-10 -- Muzzleloading deer season in Zone 2
Dec. 1-17 -- Muzzleloading deer season in Zone 3
Dec. 18-Jan.1 - Late Antlerless Firearm
Dec. 2-3 -- North Zone duck season
Dec. 16-17 -- Middle Zone duck season
Dec. 3031 -- South Zone duck season
Dec. 3031 -- South Zone goose season
Jan. 27Feb.12 (2018) -- South Zone goose season
*Consult the Michigan Hunting and Trapping Digest, Fishing Digest, or
other species-specific hunting digests for a more complete list of dates
and regulations regarding each season or hunt period.
MJC MJC
ARCHERY ARCHERY
MACOMB OAKLAND
19744 15 Mile Rd 3001 Rochester Rd
Clinton Twp. 48035 Royal Oak, MI 48073
586-791-4600 248-589-2480
4 DECEMBER 2017 WNW NEWS
and slowly to the other stand. As I was
the area and the camera had been soaking since the end of Sept. I had getting familiar with the looks of things,
purposely stayed out of this area hoping it would be like a small sanctu- a doe came running right to my stand I
ary. After a meticulous and slow walk, picking every step, I finally got thought theres no way I spooked her,
to the tree I wanted to hunt. It was a very slow evening until about 15 they generally run the opposite direction.
minutes before shooting light ended. I spotted the buck coming out of About 1/2 hour or so later three more
the thick stuff about 50 yards upwind from me. I grabbed my bow with does came nervously walking right by
my left hand and range finder with the right. It was him at 36 yards. He me. A few minutes later he showed up
moved around to my left and I had to move my bow hanger around to with three more does with him. The big
have enough clearance to shoot. He walked behind a group of trees buck was on my right side and it was real
and I was able to draw and get anchored. He was about 30 yards. He difficult to turn and make a shot. I tried
stopped on his own, quar tering away, with his shoulder forward. I picked to position but he continued and stopped
a spot and released an arrow. I panicked, my lighted nock didnt light 20 yards behind me to tend a scrape.
up! Then I heard the arrow smack flesh! As he peeled away I could see I then had to swing back around to my
left. Luckily he waited for me and had
the arrow buried in the bucks side up to the fletchings exactly where
my pin was aimed. After five seconds he bulldozed into the brush and no clue I was there. Unfamiliar with this
crashed. I did it! I killed the biggest buck Id ever seen. After about 10 stand, before I took the shot I noticed my
phone calls and 15 texts, I managed to calm down enough to get out of cross bow limb against the tree so I had
my tree. I wanted a few people to be with me for the recovery. After a to re position, he still waited. I pulled the
shor t blood trail I laid my hands on the one most incredible deer I per- trigger and forgot to take the safety off, I
sonally have ever seen. I was amazed at what age can do to a deer. His was star ting to panic. I got the safety off,
body was massive at 197 lbs. dressed out and he gross scored roughly had him in my sights and made the shot.
The biggest buck I have ever harvested.
158 inches of antler. Still cant believe my plan worked!
Another Montcalm Co. deer suspected to have CWD
The MDNR announced that a second hunter-har- Ingham and Montcalm counties.
vested deer in Montcalm County is suspected posi- As additional deer have tested positive for
tive for chronic wasting disease. A sample has been CWD within Michigan, the DNR has put specific
sent to the U.S. Department of Agricultures regulations in place. This deer was harvested in the
National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Montcalm-Kent Core CWD Area, which includes
Iowa, for confirmation. If confirmed positive, the Maple Valley, Pine, Douglass, Montcalm, Sidney,
1.5-year-old buck, harvested in Sidney Township, Eureka, and Fairplain townships in Montcalm
would be the 11th free-ranging deer in Michigan County; and Spencer and Oakfield townships in
found to have CWD. Kent County. Starting Nov. 15, this nine-town-
The fact that we already have another positive ship area will have mandatory deer check.
deer within Montcalm County is of major con- Chronic wasting disease is a fatal neurological
cern, said Dr. Kelly Straka, DNR state wildlife disease that affects white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk
veterinarian. We strongly recommend hunters who and moose. It is caused by the transmission of
harvest deer in Montcalm County have their deer infectious, self-multiplying proteins (prions) con-
tested. Deer with CWD can look perfectly healthy tained in saliva and other body fluids of infected
even though they are infected. animals. Susceptible animals can acquire CWD by
To date, there have been no reported cases of direct exposure to these fluids, from environments
CWD infection in humans. However, as a precau- contaminated with these fluids, or from the carcass
tion, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and the of a diseased animal.
World Health Organization recommend that infect- Some CWD-infected animals will display
ed animals not be consumed as food by either abnormal behaviors, progressive weight loss and
humans or domestic animals. physical debilitation; however, deer can be infected
Since May 2015 when the first CWD deer was for many years without showing internal or exter-
found, the DNR has tested more than 15,000 deer. nal symptoms. There is no cure; once a deer is
Thus far, 10 cases of CWD have been confirmed in infected with CWD, it will die.
free-ranging white-tailed deer from Clinton, To learn more about CWD, visit mi.gov/cwd.
WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 5

HUNTING
COVER BUCK
Hillsdale County Buck
Jerry Lambert page 8
COVER BUCK
Branch County Buck
Jerry Lambert page 10
Last Chance Archery Bucks
Kenny Darwin page 12
waterfowl hunting
COVER BUCK
Another Hillsdale County Buck
Jerry Lambert page 16
Mark Romanack...page 20
MORE COVER BUCKS
page 24
Mike Gnatkowski page 32
Pure Michigan Hunt Winners
page 36
BOWHUNTING NEBRASKA
Randy Jorgensen page 40 Be ready for first ice this year!
The one-shot deer hunt
George Rowe page 44
Gary Parsons/Keith Kavajecz
Michigan Trapping
Bob Gwizdz...page 54
DECEMBER WHITETAILS
4 Strategies for success
Brian Miller page 62
Late October lull 9-point
John Eberhart page 88
FISHING Jonathan Schechter page 58
Choose the right
size for ice eyes
Mark Martin page 14
NEW STATE RECORD CISCO
Bill Ziegler page 18
COVER PHOTO
(Top left-right)
Bobby White...page 10
Andy Harpster...page 8
(Bottom left-right)
Jason Penberthy ...page 24
Danny Robitaille...page 24
Brian Dorman...page 16
6 DECEMBER 2017 WNW NEWS
Giving back to our veterans MICHIGAN MEANDERS:
Roger Beukema page 68 Pure Magic: A boy and his gun
Tom Huggler page 48
Sporting Collectibles
DEAR FISH DIARY:
Part II: Bud Stewart
Michigans extraordinary Found 18 years later
fishing lure maker Ron St. Germain page 60
Terry McBurney page 78
Accidents happen
Guest Column page 72
TRAPPING...
Beaver castor and beaver stew Humor of the hunt
John Chagnon page 84 Betty Sodders page 92
Great late
OUTDOOR NEWS
DNRs Bill ONeill honored
page 15
DNR to study feeding
habits of black bears
Michigans Early Ice
Richard P. Smith page 37
Top notch steelie action American Woodcock Symposium
Kenny Darwin page 38 Part I: Leave the hens?
Tom Carney page 50
Mark Sak page 43 Elk plates replace
common loon 1-2-3-method
Late fall fishing hot spots
John Bergsma page 46
page 67
of icing panfish
Lake Michigan stocking efforts Mark Romanack...page 26
NEXT BITE...
page 74
Santa gets schooled
Invasive Carp Challenge
page 64 nets more than 350 entries OPINIONS
page 74
FEATURE Moose expert says Michigan
Timber theft in Michigan could have a limited hunt
Jeff Pendergraff page 82 Richard P. Smith page 52
Segregation of the
sexes in whitetails DNR honored for Sportsmen and legislators
John Ozoga page 28
forest certification efforts meet in Traverse City
for National Summit
page 90
Big sinkholes? Drew YoungeDyke page 73
In Michigan?
Darryl Quidort page 34
PERSPECTIVE GUNS/AMMO
Boat Smart...
Nautical gift list Hunting Ethics: GUN CHAT: Bad ammo
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WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 7
 COVER BUCK...
BIG
HILLSDALE
COUNTY
BUCK!
D
uring a time of the season in which
many hunters refer to as the October
lull, social media was going crazy
with people liking and commenting
on another Hillsdale County buck
that could be an archery state record.
I say another, because Hillsdale County already has
claim to the Archery State Record Non-Typical. In
2004, Aaron Davis shot a monster buck that netted
225 7/8 Pope and Young Points (P&Y).
On Oct. 19, 41- year-old Andy Harpster shot
a thick antlered buck with high tines and a twenty
inch inside spread, that according to many of his
friends who were quick to share his success on
hunting social media sites, has an astonishing score
of 186 5/8 P&Y. The current Archery State Record
Typical was shot in 2012, by Robert Sopsich in
Oakland County and scored 182 1/8 P&Y. So, after
the sixty day drying period could this actually be a
new state record?
Well, a couple of days later I was able to talk
Andy Harpsters buck has great mass through his heavy rack, which is a 5x6, 11-point and will score in the mid-170 range.
with Andy and he told me that the 186 5/8 score is On Thursday, October 19, there was a west Harpster is very passionate about hunting and
the gross score. The buck will more than likely net wind so I decided to hunt my seventeen acre woods repeatedly voiced his concerns with Michigans
in the mid-170 range which still makes the buck eli- on the west end of my property. I had cut out the soft management of whitetail deer throughout our phone
gible for the legendary Pope & Young records and maples and left only oak trees so I was hopeful that conversation. He said, The publicity that I have re-
Boone & Crockett Club, or what most deer hunters he would be hungry for acorns. Well, the weather ceived is actually a little overwhelming. I dont own
refer to as being a Booner. predictions were wrong and there was actually a a home computer and didnt post anything about
Harpster was very familiar with this particular northwest wind that wasnt as favorable a wind for shooting my buck but I allowed my friends to do so
buck and had at least four years of history with the this stand. Anyways, I wasnt in my stand for long when they asked and it has been a whirlwind of text
elusive giant before sticking him with an arrow on a before a doe came out and was heading over to one and calls ever since I shot him. I almost wish that he
late afternoon in October. Andy commented, Every of my food plots. Naturally, I watched her and she wasnt so big so that I wasnt getting so much atten-
year for the last four years I would get one or two looked over her shoulder. I looked back to where she tion but I have decided that if my story can just get
pictures of him on my forty acres of land. In 2015, I was looking and I saw the big buck. I knew the mo- two people to decide to pass on small bucks then it
had him at forty yards during muzzleloader season ment I laid eyes on him that it was him. will be all worth it. I strongly believe in the motto,
but didnt shoot because of the thick cover He was walking a path through some let them go to let them grow. If you just want
that he was in. I just didnt want to risk real thick cover. I grunted at him and he meat, then shoot a doe but let the small bucks go.
injuring him. Id rather let him walk than stopped at forty yards and stood in place He continued, I believe that the MDNR man-
injure him. Thats just the way that I am. searching for another deer. When he ages deer as a nuisance animal rather than a re-
Fast-forward to this year, and Harpster didnt see another deer, he started walk- source. In our area EHD destroyed our herd about
once again got photographs of the giant ing away from me. I ranged an open- five years ago and yet the DNR still allows farmers
buck and shifted some work appointments ing in front of him and it read 47 yards. in our area to get crop permits. Personally, I dont
around so that he could have a couple days I grunted and he kept walking. I then shoot young bucks and I feel like our state manages
off to hunt. Andy said, On Oct, 17, I went almost yelled a loud grunt and he stopped for revenue instead of for quality. Im from New
for an evening hunt and saw the buck enter in a small shooting window. He was now Mexico and out there they have about seventy dif-

By Jerry Lambert
a field at 4:30 in the afternoon.
I could hardly believe that he
would be out so early in the
day. I grunted at him, and he would look my way
but wouldnt move. I then took a folding saw and
started raking the tree that I was in. This got him
moving in my direction and he walked to within
60 yards of where I was but hung up and wouldnt
come in any closer. He eventually acted spooked
and took off in the opposite direction. I watched
him as he faded into the distance. Once he left, I
got out of my stand thinking that he wouldnt come
back. The next morning, I checked my camera and
found a picture of him that was taken a little after
seven. He had returned and I was not there.
8 DECEMBER 2017 WNW NEWS
in my hayfield. I took the shot
and the buck ducked and I heard
a loud crack. He dropped to the
ground. I thought that I either hit his shoulder blade
or spine due to the loud cracking noise. I ended up
shooting him at fifty yards and hitting him high in
the neck. I think that my broadhead is actually in his
skull. It was the worst shot that I have ever put on a
deer and I will never take another fifty yard shot at
a deer. I was very fortunate.
Andy says that he shot the buck at 4:30 in the
afternoon. There was no ground shrinkage with
this big buck. He is very impressive. As mentioned
earlier, he carries great mass through his heavy rack
and is a five by six, 11-point.
ferent regions with different rules for each region.
Here, we are listed in Region 3 which includes all
of Lower Michigan. My two previous biggest bucks
were shot in Illinois and Ohio after only a couple
of days of hunting. My Illinois buck was even shot
on public land. I believe we have better habitat in
Michigan than these neighboring states but that
they have better quality of hunting because of better
management.
One thing is for sure when you look at recent
history. Hillsdale County as well as its neighboring
counties (Branch, Calhoun, Jackson and Lenawee)
has the ability to produce world-class whitetails.
Andys monster buck would be a trophy no matter
where it was shot!n
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WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 9

 COVER BUCK...

BIG
BRANCH
COUNTY
BUCK!
B
ranch County, located in the bottom
tier of counties that sit along the
mittens southern border, is a peren-
nial producer of world-class white-
tails and this year proved to be no
exception. On October 11, this year,
26-year-old Bobby White shot what he calls my
buck of a lifetime.
One of Bobbys deer hunting friends, Jeff
Stanton, says, Bobby lives to hunt.
In confirmation of this statement, Bobby says
that he works at the Walmart Distribution Center
in Coldwater because they offer the opportunity
of working three, twelve hour shifts and having
four days off. In Bobbys mind this means four
out of seven days can be devoted to hunting.
In preparation for the 2017 archery season,
Bobby says, I put in a lot of effort and time in Bobby Whites Branch County monster is a 6x6, 12-point with 9 inch brow tines, 5 inch mass mea-
both scouting as well as hunting. Prior to this surements and an inside spread of 18 inches with a gross green score hits of near 170.
season, Id been keeping an eye on a large agri-
culture field where Ive been able to observe a lot On Friday, Oct. 6, Bobby hunted the stand and After the shot, I was shook up! I ran about
of evening deer feeding. A large number saw the 12-point that he had seen on a thousand yards back to my truck where I left
of does have been quite regular and I also prior scouting trips but the closest that my phone to call my dad and two buddies. (You
saw a rather large 12-point that I targeted the big deer came to the perched hunter know hunting is a great activity if it can have a
as a buck that I would like to shoot. was eighty yards. 26-year old do something without a phone in his
On Wednesday, Oct. 4, Bobby and On Wednesday, Oct. 11, there was a hand.)
one of his hunting buddies, Jeff Dickey, northeast wind which Bobby said was A little while later Bobby returned to the
hung a stand in the woods bordering the perfect wind to hunt that particu- woods with his father Charlie White and good
the field. They chose to hang it on this lar set-up. He returned to the stand for friends Jordan Harmon and Al Dixon. Bobby hit
particular day because it was raining another evening hunt. Around 5:30 p.m., the deer with a rage broadhead (rage in the cage)

By Jerry Lambert
and Bobby thought that the a line of 15-20 does entered
rain would quickly dissipate the green field but they were at
their scent and cause the least least 500 yards in the distance.
amount of disturbance to the area. A little while later, a two and a half year old buck
entered the field and started nudging the does and
scattering them but they remained a long way off.
While watching the deer, White suddenly
heard a commotion behind him in the woods and
it was a big buck pawing at a scrape. The deer
was only forty yards away. Bobby knew that there
was a set of three scrapes behind him with the
third scrape in line only twenty yards away and in
the perfect location for a shot opportunity. Evi-
dently this buck read the script, and moved on to
the second and then the third scrape. When the big
bodied whitetail reached the third scrape, Bobby
already had his Mathews Halon bow at full draw.
He says, I leaned out and took the twenty
yard shot and made a perfect hit, executing a per-
Bobby and his father Charlie after a shor t tracking job. fect double lung shot.
10 DECEMBER 2017 WNW NEWS
and followed an obvious blood trail for a mere
sixty yards before they found his heavy antlered
buck lying on the forest floor. Ironically, this
wasnt the 12-point that Bobby had seen earlier.
This buck was actually bigger!
Bobbys Branch County monster is a six by
six, 12-point that carries heavy mass through-
out its very impressive rack. Some noteworthy
measurements include nine inch brow tines, five
inch mass measurements throughout and an inside
spread of eighteen inches. The gross green score
hits the coveted 170 inch mark.
As stated earlier, Bobby lives to hunt, but his
very favorite thing about hunting is the cama-
raderie that he shares with good friends. He
says, Personally, my favorite part is getting my
buddies together, following the blood trail and
looking for the deer. Thats the best part, spending
time with family and friends and having a good
time.n
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WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 11
LAST CHANCE ARCHERY BUCKS
Late season buck success; a perfect ambushBy Kenny Darwin

Y
our chances of filling a late season
tag are much better and the odds
of success go up even higher for
hunters willing to brave the weath-
er and hunt in the snow. December
is best known as muzzleloader
season for many but a growing army of hunters in
search of fresh venison for the freezer and large
antlers view the late season as a last chance to
score big. Sportsmen who hunt smart and are per-
sistent can tip the odds in their favor. The weather
and predictable whitetail feeding behavior can
give you a big advantage. Many traditional deer
hunters like to harvest game during cold weather
so they can hang the meat, allow it to properly
cure and become succulent, sweet and ideal for
table fare. But some savvy buck chasers are more
interested in patterning mature bucks and am-
bushing them near food sources.
One deadly big buck hunting strategy is to
scout heavily after gun season and locate food
sources. In northern Michigan there was a great
acorn crop in 2017 and deer will gravitate to
the potential tidbits when snow starts falling. In
agricultural areas soybeans and corn is the major
draw. Visit agricultural areas at sunset with binoc-

Bucks often lay low during a blizzard but the
minute the snow stops and the sky clears
they will get up and cover ground looking
for dinner. Brian Smith of Lansing fooled
this dandy late season 10-point by taking
stand soon as a snow storm subsided.
12 DECEMBER 2017 WNW NEWS
Buck nudges doe to test her sexual readiness. Does that were not bred or didnt conceive in No-
vember will go into estrous during December. Young does going into estrous for the first time often
cause rut crazed bucks to become active when snow covers the ground in Michigan. Author photos
ulars in hand. The goal is to cover as many miles
as possible the last few minutes before complete
darkness in search of mature bucks with impres-
sive racks. Next, get hunting permission and plan
a hunt when weather is ideal and the wind direc-
tion works in your favor. Try to slip into a stand
undetected and snipe wary bucks that are visiting
food sources at sunset.
If you want to succeed at tagging a late sea-
son buck Id suggest locating a mature buck on
private land in southern Michigan. The trick is to
find a hiding location that protects mature deer
and allows them to roam freely. Try waiting until
deer establish a feeding pattern. Stay out of a big
bucks territory until you are certain you have
a good chance at catching him off guard. Next,
intercept Mr. Big on his way to the dinner table.
Dont make the rookie mistake of over-hunt-
ing a particular deer and try to execute hunts that
do not disturb deer in the area. The key to late
season buck success often hinges on whether or
not you can execute the perfect ambush. Slipping
in and out of a bucks territory requires stealth,
advanced woodsmanship, respect for the animal
and his keen instincts. Keep in mind late season
bucks are usually the last deer to enter an open
field. Expect does, fawns and young bucks to be
out in the open, feeding before Mr. Big makes his
grand entrance. Keep in mind large deer are often
loners, they travel, sleep and move by themselves
and it is not uncommon to find a brute all by
himself. If scouting your local area does not pro-
duce good results my advice is simple; move. Try
locating deer in a nearby area, switch counties or
take a drive to a whole new location. Sometimes
monster bucks appear in unlikely locations and
when you least expect them. Be prepared for the
unexpected and dont get upset if a landowner
does not grant you hunting permission.
My favorite December buck hot spot is a
parcel of private property in southern Shiawassee
County that is covered with food plots. Years ago
the land owner allowed me to photograph wild-
life from his permanent blinds found throughout
the property. I kicked in some money to help pay
for the crops and we came up with a strategy that
has produced big bucks and whopper turkeys
by the dozen. The entire plot is surrounded with
standing corn used to draw deer from adjoining
private and state land and prevent road hunters
from seeing the big bucks that stick to the food
like glue. The center of the land is sanctuary that
we do not hunt or enter unless we have a buck
down. Permanent blinds found on all four corners
allow us to hunt regardless of wind direction and
can be easily reached by road or ATV which does
not disturb deer. The woods has a cedar swamp
surrounded by thick purple brush of alder and
willow which offers ideal bedding. We have a
local farmer who is contracted to plant the crops
consisting of corn and soybeans.
Come the third day of rifle season the mature
bucks pour into the sanctuary and remain hid-
den for the entire winter and early spring. The
tall corn acts like a buffer to hold deer on the
parcel and it is amazing how many bucks return
to the sanctuary and gather in a huge herd. Im
convinced that the presence of adult 6 year

old bucks is a calling card for other bucks to join
the party. By the time snow flies we have a solid
herd of big bucks just waiting to be hunted. Some
years we tag out early but the majority of slam-
mer bucks come after the main rut. Corn standing
8 feet tall surrounded by waist tall soy beans is
the major draw which presents ideal cover, food
and a sanctuary where deer can hide from hunt-
ers. The property has no high fence but it holds
trophy bucks like a deer farm.
Late season deer hunting offers interesting
challenges and an excellent opportunity to test
hunting skills. But it takes a special brand of
hunter to venture into Michigans great outdoors
when freezing temperatures, snow and wind
make hunting conditions brutal. The trick is to
pick your hunting days. Dont make the com-
mon mistake of hunting when conditions are not
favorable. Keep in mind deer dislike wind and
move little and hunting during a howling wind is
a waste of time. Try to pick calm weather, prefer-
ably when temperatures hover above freezing and
light winds bring slight rain or dense fog. Bucks
love to move when light conditions are low and
humidity is high.
Smart hunters place stands near feeding loca-
tions and they concentrate on late afternoon out-
ings. Hanging a stand in December is much more
difficult than October where leaves can hide your
outline. Select a tree that has a solid base to hug
when deer approach and try to place the stand
where big tree limbs will break up your human
form. Late season deer are always spooky, aware
of their surroundings and sensitive to the slight-
est movement or human scent. It takes skill and
patience to execute with a killing shot when the
temperatures are below freezing. Although I must
Cold weather and snow help wary bucks to
sense human pressure by using their keen
sense of smell. Never take stand if the wind
is wrong and your scent is blowing toward
likely deer bedding locations.
admit on hunting outings and photo trips Ive
noticed how frequently bucks move when a snow
squall suddenly hits and the swirling snow makes
it difficult to see. Almost as though they use the
falling snow flakes to conceal their movements.
Perhaps the biggest draw to the late deer hunt
is the peace and tranquility found outdoors. Gone
are the maddening crowds of deer idiots dressed
in orange, shooting loud guns in every direction
and the spectacle of frightened whitetails running
helter skelter to avoid gunslingers.
When wind is howling and snow flurries
dance in the air it is an excellent opportunity to
still hunt for bucks. For this brand of deer hunt-
ing you want to match your camouflage to the
environment and move slowly upwind or cross-
wind. The goal is to slip into a bucks domain
unnoticed and get a shot at an unsuspecting
target. If you plan to crawl across a snowy field
wear white camouflage but if you are in the brush
you will need to wear clothing that matches the
environment. Make certain to paint your face
or use a mask to hide your face. If you can find
standing corn one deadly tactic is to wear corn
camouflage and slowly walk cross rows looking
for the telltale dark horizontal back of a deer.
Bucks are strange in standing corn and at times
you can sneak close enough for lethal shots inside
12 yards.
Some savvy hunters use deer drives to
quickly cover ground and learn their hunting
property, stay warm and get bucks dancing.
Others harvest does during late season and once
the hide is stripped and meat allowed to hang it
becomes fully cured and simply fantastic eating.
Few foods in life are more succulent than fresh
backstraps sauted in sweet onion and garlic.
Of course you need to stay warm and flex-
ible while hunting. One simple trick is to use
toe warmers in your boots and hand warmers in
your gloves. The idea is to keep your extremi-
ties warm, which tends to make the entire body
comfortable. Most who hunt from pop-up blinds
understand the importance of using a space heater
to remain comfortable while on stand for long
hours.
The thrill of following deer tracks in snow
Author shows off
mature swamp
buck taken in
late season while
snowflakes were
dancing in the
air. This buck was
har vested from
thick brush found
downwind from a
freshly har vested
cornfield. Author
prefers face
cream that best
matches the dark
swamp and thick
brush.
is an added benefit. Some hunters are experts
at reading deer sign in fresh snow and stalking
within shooting range. In most cases you need
to move upwind or crosswind at a snails pace.
Keep your noise level way down and avoid
breaking sticks or snapping twigs. Stop frequent-
ly and carefully survey the woods ahead of you.
Look for brown spots against the white blanket
of snow. The trick to successfully stalking bucks
in snow hinges on your ability to see deer before
they see you. This is a daunting task and requires
advanced woodsmanship skill and keen eyesight.
Once you notice a deer use available cover to
block your human outline. One trick is to slide
behind a tree and peek around the side. Other
times you can use trees to block your approach
and move into archery range. At times the deer
will be bedded, sleeping and you will need to
wait until the animal gets up to stretch, urinate or
change bedding position. This is your opportunity
to shoot. Once you connect and the broadhead
has done its work it is absolutely exciting to fol-
low a blood trail in the snow. The snow makes
it easy to stay on the tracks and often leads to a
fallen deer or second shot.
A ground blind can be a comfortable dwelling
during late season and it acts to block the wind
and snow and conceal your outline. Just make
certain to bring a heater with you to keep the
blind cozy. Savvy hunters brush in ground blinds.
One deadly late season trick is to place the blind
in standing corn and cover the blind with stalks
as camouflage.
Late season is a time of peace, silence in
the woods, uninterrupted hunting pleasure that
offers plenty of challenges. Deer are very cau-
tious after gun season and difficult to fool. Leave
your rattling antlers, deer bleat and grunt call at
home because late season bucks will dash in the
opposite direction if they hear the noise. Some
move only at night or the last few minutes before
dark, others are too crafty and are simply unhunt-
able. But with a little luck you will discover a
dandy buck feeding in a local cornfield, sneak
into a stand location and catch him off guard as
he heads to the dinner table. Are you willing to
accept the challenge of late deer season?n
WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 13
 Choose the right size for ice eyes
Stop and think about the environment of the water youre about to fish...
By Mark Martin

P
icking out a lure or bait
that should grab the
attention of a walleye
while ice-fishing can
seem a daunting task.
When selecting arti-
ficial lures, my first two concerns
become choosing one that is the
right size and shape, and then worry
about color last. And when fishing
with live bait, its also a matter of
picking out the right type, as well
choosing the correct size and shape.
Selecting isnt really all that
hard, however All I have to do is
stop and think about the environ-
ment of the water Im about to fish,
along with paying attention to its
condition once Im there.
Bait Du Jour
If youre an avid walleye angler,
then you know if you figure out the
food sources of any body of water,
chances are youll catch its wall-
eyes. The question you need to ask
before venturing out? What is the
main forage: Aquatic insects? Min-
nows? Young-of-the-year fishes? A
little of everything?
When the Ice-Fishing Vacation/
School will be held on Lake Hurons
Saginaw Bay this year (February 18
through 21, 2018), for example, you
can bet well be using large-bodied
jigs tipped with hearty live bait the
majority of the time. This is because
Saginaw Bay is a huge expanse of
water, and the forage the walleyes
feed on there is made up of large
minnows and young-of-the-year
fishes; baitfish larger than what you
might find living in a small inland Do you know what the walleyes are eating in your favorite lakes? If so, walleyes like this hefty fish Wall-
lake. eye Pro Mark Mar tin is hoisting will be easier to catch. David A. Rose photo
But while the large-lure theory Raps and #-6 Northland UV Forage
will more than likely still be our old standby - a Rapala Jigging Rap. Downsizing Minnows, all tipped with a lively
standard on the bay this winter, the This is because its longer, slender When fishing the inland lakes in minnow or chub.
shape of the lures will more than shape better matches forage thats in my home state of Michigan, my lure
likely change from what we used to Saginaw Bay today. and bait choices usually get down- In The Mood
use here. Nowadays, the average sizes of sized from those I would choose There are times when walleye
This is because the environ- Saginaw Bays baitfish are 3 to 5 on the Great Lakes. Now Im not are in the mood for only the tini-
ment of Saginaw Bay has changed inches, and the size of the jigs we talking the large oligotrophic (deep, est of baits; perhaps due to a foul
dramatically over the past few years, use will be the larger of the Jigging clear and young in evolution) inland change in weather, or because
and alewivesthe wide-bodied Rap line, with W7s and W9s the lakes, in which the baitfish size is theyre feeding on small aquatic in-
shad walleye had been feeding on lures of choice. To the bottom/center similar to the Great Lakes, but those sects. Its times like these when you
most in years pasthave all but treble hook of the Jigging Rap, well smaller, shallower lakes where small may not only have to downsize your
disappeared from Lake Huron; thus have the Ice-Fishing School patrons perch, bluegills, chubs and shiner lures and bait, but downsize your
the walleye have changed their diet adding a fresh, lively minnow to minnows are often on the walleyes equipment, too.
to the thinner-profiled gobies, smelt, thus bulk up the lures silhouette menu. For the most part, when Im
and shiners. even more. Attempting to match the for- ice fishing for walleyes Im us-
This year, from the comfort of Between the large profile of the age, Ill clip on smaller versions of ing a medium-action ice rod, such
my Clam X3000 Pro Thermal, Ill jig and bait, as well the scent waft- the aforementioned jigs, like W5 as a Fenwick Aetos Ice Spinning
open my Plano tackle tote filled ing from the minnow, the combo is and W3 Jigging Raps and 1/4- and Rod coupled with an ABU Garcia
with ice-fishing jigs, and, instead of being deadly. Other overlooked big- 3/8-ounce Airplane Jigs along with Revo X spinning reel, spooled with
clipping on a wide-bodied Ra- water walleye lures include North- wider-bodied jigs (matching the 8-pound Berkley FireLine Micro
pala Jigging Shad Rap to match the lands 1/2-ounce Airplane Jig and wider profile of bluegills and chubs) Ice. Ill tie on the smallest Berkley
shape of an alewife, Ill clip my -ounce Buck-Shot Flutter Spoon. like size-3 and -5 Jigging Shad Ball Bearing Swivel to the FireLine,

14 DECEMBER 2017 WNW NEWS

to which I tie a 1-foot-long Berkley
Trilene 100% Fluoro Leader Mat
of 6-pound test, and then a Berkley
Cross-Lok Snap for attaching my
jig.
My live bait choices, too, shrink
when fishing light lures, and I tip
them with small minnows, 2 to 3
wax worms or spikes.
And if youre not sure what the
forage is in the water you are about
to ice fish, head to the local bait
shop and ask.
making it perfect for hopping hole
to hole.
Color Me This
When it comes to choosing lure
colors its the waters clarity that is
the determining factor. In stained
water, Ill pick brightly-colored
lures painted with ultra-violet paint
in chartreuse, bright orange, Fire
Tiger and hot pink. In clear water,
natural colors or jigs with holo-
graphic tape are my top picks.

Seeing is Believing Ice Eyes are Nice Eyes

Once on the ice, Ill watch the
screen of my Lowrance Hook-5 Ice
Machine for any sign of forage be-
low. In general, if bait is suspended
high in the water column then its
more than likely some sort of shad
or herring; if baitfish are nearer
the bottom, they could be shiners,
chubs, or small fishes. If just small
specks show up on the screen, then
its either very small minnows or
aquatic insects. Once I determine
the forage, Ill choose the jig ac-
cordingly, and then tip it with the
proper bait.
I also like to confirm whats
below me with my Marcum Recon
5 Underwater Viewing System, in
which I can see firsthand the for-
age and gamefish. The Recon 5 is a
very portable smartphone-sized unit,
If youre looking to land more
while through the ice this year, its
as simple as figuring out what the
fish are eating and match their size
and shape. Pay attention to the mood
of the fish, and downsize if neces-
sary. Take note of the water clarity
and pick accordingly.
Do so and youll find that pick-
ing out the lure or bait that should
grab the attention of a walleye while
ice fishing wont seem the daunting
task you thought it was.
Mark Martin is a professional
walleye tournament angler who
resides in Southwest Lower Michi-
gan. Check out his website at www.
markmartins.net for more infor-
mation or to reserve your place in
one of this years three Ice-Fishing
Vacation/Schools.n

DNR's Bill O'Neill honored

by Forest Products Council
In honor of the 57th annual National Forest Prod-
ucts Week, the Michigan Forest Products Council
(MFPC) awarded Michigan Department of Natural
Resources Deputy Director, Bill O'Neill, with its annual
Tuebor Award.
"Deputy Director Bill O'Neill has been and contin-
ues to be a leader for Michigan," said MFPC Chairman
Todd Johnson. "Over the past 31 years, he has an ac-
complished record as a public servant, particularly his
successful effort to help continue the progress the forest
products industry has made since the Governor's first
Forest Products Summit in 2013."
The MFPC cited his efforts to:
Promote an increase in DNR timber sale outputs.
Advocate working relationships with DNR field staff in the forest industry.
Advise a portion of the Governor's Forest Products summits.
Lead the Timber Advisory Committee.
Recognize forest industry opportunities.
Take a boots-on-the-ground approach when it comes to solving industry
issues.
The annual Tuebor Award recognizes significant accomplishments in busi-
ness and natural resource policy and recognition focuses on leadership in sup-
port of well-managed forests that are vital to Michigan's quality of life, environ-
ment and economy.
National Forest Products Week, designated by Congress through Public Law
86-753, started in 1960 and occurs during the week beginning on the third Sun-
day in October. It recognizes the importance of products from our forests.
The total economic benefit of Michigan's forest products industry grew from
$17.8 billion in 2013 to $20.3 billion in 2014 thanks to help from Bill and his
staff. The state has 20.3 million acres of forestland, including 2.5 million acres of
federal National Forests and 312,500 private landowners. Additionally, Michi-
gan's value-added international exports reached $505 million in 2014.
The Michigan Forest Products Council works to promote, protect and sus-
tain a globally competitive forest products industry in Michigan. The Michigan
Forest Products Council is a statewide organization representing the forest
products industry, which owns millions of acres of timberland and employs
over 96,600 men and women in Michigan.
WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 15
 COVER BUCK...
ANOTHER
HILLSDALE
COUNTY
BIG BUCK!
I got him!

I
looked at my phone to check my mes-
sages and the first one to pop up was one
from my good friend, Brian Dorman that
simply read, I got him.
I immediately knew who him was. I
touched the screen on my i-phone to open
up the message and the first thing to pop up was a
photograph of Brian holding up the massive wide
rack of a monster buck!
Back on Oct. 1, 2017, I received a message
from Brian that had a fuzzy trail camera photograph
of a wide buck that appeared to have a high num-
ber of non-typical points. Brian asked me what I
thought he would score and I responded, 180 or
above, true monster.
Brian was trying to be cautiously optimistic and
guessed in the 170 range. We both agreed that he
was the proverbial buck of a lifetime.
On Saturday, October 21, Brian texted me the
following, Good news and bad news, I saw the
Booner buck this morning (11:00 a.m.). Bad news,
I jumped him in his bed when I was moving one of Brian Dormans trophy buck is a main-frame 5 x 6 with freaky mass and five additional non-typical points, making
my cameras. At least I know what area he iswas him a legit 16-pointer.
hanging in. stand was located in a small five acre woodlot that down to a walk and limped, favoring his back leg
As most of you reading this know, early October was wrapped by a 460 acre field planted fifty per- before walking out of sight.
was incredibly warm. When word finally came that cent in corn and fifty percent soy beans. When I got down looking for blood, I couldnt
a potential frost would finally hit on the 26th, Brian Around 5:40 p.m., Dorman heard a low grunt find any. Not even a drop. I then decided to look
asked his boss for the day off so that he could hunt. and saw a small 6-point exit the corn. Brian says, where I last saw him and still didnt find any blood.
Brian lives in Portage but hunts in Hillsdale County. The little buck started acting all weird and pranc- I decided to walk fifty yards down the treeline to
He has a very long drive and usually tries ing around in a marshy clearing. As I see if there was any sign of him. I only went ten
to hunt for two to three day stretches but watched him, I saw him look over his yards when I saw him lying on the ground in a
this time he could only get the day off but back. I looked in the direction that he was marshy opening. I almost dropped to my knees
reasoned that it would be worth the effort looking and could see a deer come out in awe when I saw him. He made it just over one
if he could actually get a shot at his dream of the corn. All I could see was his legs hundred yards without leaving any physical sign of
buck. but he started to tear up a scrape with his a hit. I bent down to lift him out of the grass and it
As predicted, southern Michigan re- feet so I assumed that he must be a buck. was then that I realized that he was the big deer that
ceived its first frost and Brian was perched He then put his head into the air to sniff I had the picture of.
in a tree well before daylight near the spot the scent-wick and I could see that he Dorman has hunted this Hillsdale County
where he had jumped the buck. He soon was thick and looked like an older deer. I property since the mid-1990s. He says, Ive
saw a small 8-point, a much
smaller buck and a few does. By Jerry Lambert knew he was a shooter.
While I watched the big
had my share of big buck sightings and close
calls but was never able to tag one of these brutes
Things slowed down once the buck, the little buck made a until this year. One year, I even saw a big buck
clock ticked nine oclock. Brian was determined to strange sound that sounded like a very high pitched that I now know would exceed the two hundred
hunt all day and brought a lunch which he ate in his attempt at a snort-wheeze but it was a very odd inch mark.
stand. noise. I was then afraid that the little guy was going Dormans trophy buck is a main-frame five by
When the day started the wind was out of the to scare the bigger buck away. Instead the bigger six with freaky mass and five additional non-typical
north and northwest but it eventually switched to a buck took a step forward and was in a clearing. He points, making him a legit 16-pointer. Brian and his
southwest wind. Once it did this, Dorman packed was slightly quartering to me but only twelve yards friend, Paul Campbell, measured the mass monster
up and headed to another stand that would be a bet- away, so I was confident that I could put a good the night of the kill and came up with a gross non-
ter choice for this wind direction. Before he climbed shot on him. When I shot, my arrow entered a little typical score of 181 3/8 Pope and Young points. He
up into the tree, Brian doctored a scrape with some higher and farther back than I intended. He ran off has an inside spread measuring twenty inches and
fresh deer urine and hung a scent-wick. and I could see that arrow partially sticking out of incredible seven inch base measurements.
He was perched in the new stand at 3 p.m. This him. He then crossed in front of me and slowed Congratulations buddy, you got him!n

16 DECEMBER 2017 WNW NEWS

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WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 17

 New state
record cisco
Development of Iron Countys Ottawa
Lake cisco fishery...By Bill Ziegler
M
ike Lemanski of
Florence, Wiscon-
sin caught the new
Michigan State
record cisco while
whitefish angling
this June on Ottawa Lake. His fish of-
ficially measured at 6.36 pounds and
21.8 inches in length. Lemanski said
When I caught this fish I thought I
might have a state record. He had
been targeting lake whitefish and had
landed four of them prior to catching
his record cisco (cisco are a close rel-
ative to the lake whitefish). Lemanski
said I make my own custom-made
lures and states he does not chum for
whitefish and cisco. When asked, he
declined to share what the secret lures
looked like.
Lemanski said he hurried off
Ottawa Lake since he was afraid he
might have trouble finding someone
to verify it. He was delayed as he
noticed something floating on his
way back to the boat landing. The
floating object turned out to be an
overturned older man who had been
kayaking. Lemanski said the man was
too fatigued to grab his extended net
so he pulled his overturned kayak and
him a short distance into shore. The
man was very grateful and thanked
Lemanski for saving him. By the time
he made it to Crystal Falls he said he
was not able to locate DNR officials.
He did contact the Iron County Sheriff
Department who suggested he get it
officially weighed at the local grocery
store on a certified scale. The record
fish was not verified until recently
by Michigan DNR officials who said
they had to verify the record with
genetic tests.
Ottawa Lake is a 551 acre natural
A cisco (also called lake herring or tullibee) that was caught inci-
dentally in a deep oxygenated lake. Note the mouth is at the tip of
the head on a cisco versus at the bottom of the head like its close
relative the lake whitefish.
18 DECEMBER 2017 WNW NEWS
lake with a history of lake trout and
lake whitefish. This lake is within the
Ottawa National Forest and has no
human development other than a US
Forest Service Campground with as-
sociated facilities and buildings and a
public access site. This lake has been
a popular fishing lake over the years.
Different fish management plans have
been prioritized over the years. For a
period of time this was managed as a
trout lake. Northern pike became well
established in this splake manage-
ment lake which forced discontinuing
normal trout management. Trophy
northern pike were taken out for a
few years until that fishery declined
into a fairly typical mediocre pike
fishery. Surplus brood stock lake trout
have been planted at Ottawa in recent
decades and have produced lake trout
fisheries for a period of years follow-
ing those stockings. Walleye finger-
lings were routinely stocked at Ottawa
for over three decades with success.
During that time DNR Fisheries
surveys and observations showed that
the indigenous lake whitefish popula-
tion had declined in the 1980s. DNR
fisheries biologists from Crystal Falls
were concerned about the lack of
forage that would result from declin-
ing lake whitefish populations so they
came up with plan to remedy it.
Proactive measures were taken
when in 1986 and 1987 cisco (lake
herring) were trapped in nearby
Smoky Lake and transferred to Ot-
tawa Lake. In 1986 over 3,000 adult
cisco were captured and transferred.
In 1987 almost 9,000 cisco were
transferred into Ottawa. This was a
significant undertaking since cisco
(members of the whitefish subfamily)
spawn in the fall when the weather in
Michael Lemanski of Florence, Wisconsin, caught this state record cisco on
Lake Ottawa in Iron County in the western Upper Peninsula. MDNR photo
the U.P. is typically cold and windy. walleye, and lake trout.
Cisco and lake whitefish are not easy As a follow up to the cisco
for fishery managers to capture in introduction to Ottawa Lake, the
inland lakes. This is why the large indigenous lake whitefish popula-
transfer of cisco into Ottawa Lake is tion rebounded in the late 1990s and
impressive. That same elusive nature 2000s. This occurred at the same time
is why surveying cisco is also diffi- the cisco population remained strong.
cult short of deploying a considerable These two members of the same fish
number of gill nets which could lead family overlap some on the food they
to significant mortality of the survey eat although the lake whitefish diet is
targeted fish. more diverse. In 2007 and 2008 cisco
As a fisheries biologist I am were also trapped and transferred
interested in the irony that although into Iron Countys Chicagon Lake.
Smoky Lake was an excellent place to Chicagon Lake has a similar habitat
capture the elusive cisco, it was also and fish species as Ottawa Lake. Even
known for smaller fish. Cisco were though that trap and transfer yielded
very abundant at Smoky and rarely much more modest numbers, fish
grew larger than 12 inches long. A surveys indicate it was also successful
typical cisco in an inland lake runs in reestablishing a cisco population
from 10 to about 16 inches. Michael in Chicagon Lake to compliment the
Lemanskis 21.8 inch fish is excep- indigenous lake whitefish found there.
tionally large by cisco standards, as Cisco has a number of common
would be expected for a state record. names in the Lake States and Provinc-
Cisco typically feed on plankton es. Inland in Michigan and Wisconsin
and aquatic insects. It would appear this fish is normally called a cisco. In
forage conditions are favorable for the the Great Lakes in those same Lake
cisco with the great growth potential States this fish is normally referred
in Ottawa versus Smoky Lake. In to by fisherman as a lake herring. In
recent years fisheries scientists have Minnesota, Manitoba and some other
gone to great lengths to only use supe- provinces it goes by the name of
rior strains or best adapted strains of tullibee. On the north shore of Lake
fish to use as brood stock or transfer. Superior, it is often referred to as a
A survey would need to be conducted blue fin. Cisco are found throughout
to verify if improved growth rate is Michigan in deep, cold well oxygen-
common to the Ottawa Lake cisco ated lakes. As a fisheries student at the
population although it would appear University of Michigan I encountered
that the Smoky Lake cisco were more cisco populations in deeper inland
likely forage limited versus geneti- lakes near Ann Arbor in the Huron
cally limited in growth potential. River Watershed.
Lemanski stated that he has caught Lake herring/cisco are often
other good sized cisco at Ottawa caught in the Great Lakes bays.
Lake. Some anglers misidentify cisco Anglers often target them with ice
as lake whitefish. The best way to tell fishing type rigs. Lures imitating large
them apart is to study their mouth. plankton called daphnia and small
Cisco/lake herring have a terminal aquatic insects would be good lures to
mouth at the tip of the head. Lake start with. Swedish pimples or small
whitefish have a sub terminal mouth panfish jigs (tear drops etc.) for ice
in other words at the bottom of the tip fishing is a common lure. The cisco is
of the head. The cisco normally feeds normally a suspended fish so electron-
on suspended plankton and whitefish ics help considerably to adjust to the
feed on organisms and aquatic insects proper depth. While fishing in Cana-
on the bottom. dian lakes we would often catch them
Cisco are a valued forage species off the bottom on a small walleye jig
for predators in the lake. Lake trout, tipped with a half a crawler.
walleye, northern pike, and muskie When you do catch cisco, they are
all prey on cisco. The waters that not widely considered as better table
have cisco in this area are the waters fare than lake whitefish although they
that produce the larger pike, muskie, are very good.n
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WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 19
Great late waterfowl hunting
By Mark Romanack
T
he 2017 Michigan
Waterfowl Hunting
Season stretches into
December statewide.
In the North Zone
the season closes on
November 26, but reopens for one
last crack at the birds on December
2-3. In the Middle Zone the season
closes on December 3, but reopens
for December 16-17 and in the
Southern Zone waterfowl hunters
can target ducks and geese up until
December 10 and again on Decem-
ber 30-31. The Late Goose Season
also runs January 27 to February 12,
2018.
In short, there are lots of water-
fowl hunting opportunities available
late in the season. No doubt the
weather can be tough and closing
the birds more challenging, but
nothing is as sweet as fooling battle
weary ducks and geese into going
feet down over the decoys.
Field Hunts
As cold weather freezes up
smaller lakes and marshes, a big
part of the late season waterfowl
hunting action takes place on picked
crop lands. Across Michigan corn is
king when it comes to attracting late
season mallards and Canada geese.
The first hurdle is spending lots
of time scouting to find the exact
fields the birds are feeding in and
determining the spot on the spot
the birds are favoring. Waterfowl
hunters are often faced with the
Calling works to attract geese but only if your calling skills are exceptional. A
better method for attracting geese is flagging. Not only does flagging attract
birds, it does a good job of keeping the birds lined up on the center of the rig.
20 DECEMBER 2017 WNW NEWS
dilemma of trying to pull birds
because they dont have hunting
permission on the property that the
birds are favoring. Rarely can you
pull birds off the flight path they
want to be on and even trying to
pull birds from one part of a field to
another is usually futile.
The best set up is to hunt the
spot on the spot the birds want to
be at and work harder at creating an
effective hide for the blinds. Most
hunters these days have adapted to
using layout style blinds for field
hunting, but these blinds do not
guarantee success alone.
The trick is learning how to
blend a layout blind into the existing
cover in such a way the birds cannot
pick out the blinds or the hiding
hunters. Late in the season the best
layout blinds are models that are as
low profile as possible.
The Zero Gravity Blind pro-
duced by Alps Outdoorz is a good
example of a low profile layout
blind that does a better job of hid-
ing hunters in skinny cover. This
blind features flaps that when staked
down soften the lines of the blind
and eliminate shadows and corners
so common with other layout blind
designs. The author knows late in the season birds have seen it all and getting
The Avery Power Hunter is a them feet down requires a perfect hide and extensive scouting to deter-
bag style layout blind that also does mine the exact spot the birds want to be.
a nice job of hiding in plain sight.
Both the Zero Gravity and Power All my layout blinds are first treated using this cover to precisely match
Hunter are good late season layout with a good rubbing of dirt to help the field.
blinds, but they need to be thatched eliminate shine and UV reflection If there is snow on the ground, I
properly to achieve the best possible from the fabric. Even camouflage like to sprinkle snow over the blinds
hide. fabrics have an unnatural shine that to help them blend into a back-
can spook wary late season birds. ground thats white broken up by
After rubbing the blinds down stubble. The final piece of the puzzle
with dirt, the next step is adding when hiding layout blinds is to use
a base coat of thatching. I have the decoys to further break up the
found that using raffia grass sold outline of the blinds. Tightly group-
by a wealth of companies targeting ing decoys around and between the
waterfowl hunters works very well. blinds helps hide them.
I mix it up by using two or three dif- Another unique product known
ferent dead grass colors of raffia tied as Blind Door Decoys produced by
to the stubble straps using a simple White Rock Decoys works nicely
overhand knot. for hiding the blinds from birds
The nice thing about raffia is it coming in high. Available in both
can be cut using scissors and lasts rag and full body collapsible styles,
for several seasons. It takes a full these decoys are designed to affix
bundle of raffia grass to treat one directly to the blind doors, further
layout blind. helping to blend the blinds into the
The next step in thatching decoy spread.
requires adding natural thatch from Hiding the blinds with the decoy
the field youll be hunting in. If the spread requires using more decoys
field is corn, use corn leaves to fin- than normal. A minimum of three or
ish thatching the blind. Corn stalks four dozen decoys are needed just
are a thatching option, but they can to hide the blinds and another five
make it harder to operate the blind to 10 dozen decoys added to finish
doors. If the field is wheat, oats or out the spread. Big decoy spreads
another small grain stubble, its im- are a major expense, but they tend to
perative that the blinds be thatched work better on late season birds that
have seen a lot of hunting pressure time to leave the spinning wing de-
coys at home. Instead a better option Late in the sea-
and decoy spreads. son snow and cold
Flagging & Calling
are jerk strings for water spreads to weather complicates
create natural motion and floating matters for waterfowl
Birds that have survived to the decoys that swim or spit water. hunters. The reward
late season have seen their share of Spend less time calling, make for these hunts are
decoy rigs and heard more than a sure everyone has face make up fully feathered birds
little calling. Keeping the calling to on to avoid spooking birds and let like this gorgeous
a minimum and using flagging as those wary birds circle, circle and drake mallard. Mark
a tool to reach out to distant birds circle some more until they finally Romanack photos
works better on pressured birds. commit. Late in the year slam dunk
This goes double if your calling hunts are rare, but that doesnt mean
skills arent as good as they could you cant fool a few more birds be-
be. fore the season grinds to a halt.n
Flagging is amazingly effective
at not only getting the attention of
distant birds, but also keeping ap-
proaching birds lined up in the cen-
ter of the rig. When geese approach
a group of birds on the ground they
naturally start flanking or circling.
Flagging even when the birds are
getting close is a great tool for keep-
ing those birds lined up on the flags
and helps eliminate birds landing
short or on the flanks of the rig.
Water Hunting
A lot of the late season water
hunts are limited to flowing rivers
that dont freeze and larger bod-
ies of water. For those who have a
large enough boat blind to venture
off shore, there are some awesome
hunting opportunities for long-tailed
ducks and scoters on the Great
Lakes.
Running off shore to the natural
flight lines and then drifting with a
string or two of trailing decoys is
how most late season hunters target
these sea ducks. In most years these
weather hardy birds dont even
show up until mid to late November.
Obviously the biggest drawback
to hunting these sea ducks is weath-
er. Calm enough weather to access
the off shore areas these birds favor
are rare late in the season.
Rivers that resist freezing are
more accessible and produce a
mixed bag of geese, diving ducks
and weather hardy mallards. Low
profile layout blinds grassed into the
shoreline cover are one of the best
set ups for targeting waterfowl using
river systems.
If the water is shallow enough,
mixing full body decoys with float-
ers creates an impressive and highly
realistic decoy spread. One of the
keys to a successful water hunt
requires targeting the areas birds are
using for roosting. A good strategy
is to let the birds leave the roost to
go out and feed in the morning, then
quickly set up in that exact spot and
wait for the birds to trickle back.
Final Thoughts
Hunting roost waters isnt nor-
mally a desirable strategy, but late in
the season this is often the only way
to close the distance on battle wise
birds. The late season is also a good
WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 21
 By Drew YoungeDyke
Hunting Ethics:
The shots we
dont take!
C
rouched on a knee in
tall grass, my pres-
ence was blissfully
unknown to the doe
thirty yards away. It
was my first weekend
still-hunting deer with a traditional
bow on public land out of a back-
pack camp, early in the morning on
an unseasonably warm day in the
Green Timbers section of the Pigeon
River Country State Forest. Id
crawled out of my hammock half-
way down the hill and over a mile
from the nearest road, pulled on
my hiking shoes and brush gaiters,
strapped on my three-finger archery
glove and still-hunted uphill through
the tall grass. Just below the crest, I
saw the doe and dropped to a knee
before she saw me.
Thirty yards: just a year ago,
22 DECEMBER 2017 WNW NEWS
I shot a doe at this distance with
my compound, field-dressing her
while two bull elk fought less than a
hundred yards away, but after that I
committed to breaking trad, going
as far as selling my compound to my
brother to avoid the temptation of
switching back. I started practicing
with the recurve last fall, a vintage
45-pound Shakespeare Super Nece-
dah, made in Kalamazoo, sometime
between 1968 and 1972.
I read everything I could about
traditional archery, from books by
Clay Hayes, G. Fred Asbell and T.J.
Conrads to subscribing to Tradition-
al Bowhunter magazine. I received
tips from archers at the Archery
Trade Association Show and my fel-
low members of the Michigan chap-
ter of Backcountry Hunters and An-
glers at the Traditional Bow Expo. I
The author doesnt regret, for an instant, not taking the longer shot, nor
the method, equipment and ethics dictating that he not take the shot.
shot at my archery club, Tomahawk There is no hunting regulation
Archers, the Total Archery Chal- that says you have to be within a
lenge at Boyne Mountain, the Train certain distance to shoot a deer with
To Hunt Challenge near Pittsburgh, a traditional bow, nor should there
Pennsylvania, and the Train To Hunt be. There are certainly archers who
National Finals near Grand Junc- can make that shot without undue
tion, Colorado. I practiced multiple fear of wounding the animal. And
shots throughout the year at thirty- even when taking a shot within our
yard ranges, but the bulk of my effective range, there are a multi-
practice was less than twenty yards, tude of factors which can go wrong.
and thats the range that I can con- I recently received two Facebook
sistently group shots within the vital messages from a friend of mine a
area of a deer at multiple angles and couple weeks apart - a much better
shot positions. traditional archer than me, by the
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way - lamenting two different deer
he missed within ten yards from a
treestand. But one thing we can con-
trol is getting in diligent practice,
and using that practice to establish
an effective range we feel confident
we can ethically take a shot that is
highly likely to kill the animal were
hunting as quickly and cleanly as
possible. Ive done this, and Ive
established my range: twenty yards.
Taking that thirty-yard shot would
have been perfectly ethical for some
bowhunters, but it would have been
unethical for me.
Aldo Leopold - a fellow tradi-
tional bowhunter before there was a
choice to be any other kind - wrote
in A Sand County Almanac, A
peculiar virtue in wildlife ethics is
that the hunter ordinarily has no
gallery to applaud or disapprove of
his conduct. Whatever his acts, they
are dictated by his own conscience,
rather than by a mob of onlookers. It
is difficult to exaggerate the impor-
tance of this fact.
I slowly dropped to my elbows
and belly-crawled to cut the distance
to the doe, seeing that she had two
others with her. Still-hunting deer is
hard; still-hunting a group of deer is
even harder, as I had three pairs of
eyes, ears and nostrils to avoid. With
a nocked arrow on my bow, I cut the
distance halfway to where I needed
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it before she caught my movement.
She looked in my direction, stamped
her foot, huffed, stamped again, and
bounded another twenty yards away
before turning and looking back.
The other two does looked in my
direction, but didnt move. I dont
think they knew I was a human,
but they knew something was up.
The doe slowly walked back and
quartered away downhill through
timber, the others walking with her.
Knowing where a cross-hill deer
trail crossed below them, I crested
the top of the hill, over the edge of
sight, and moved quickly across
the top of the hill before dropping
A thing is right when it tends to preser ve the integrity, stability, and beauty of
down, hoping to cut them off with the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise. - Aldo Leopold
a downhill shot. But they beat me
by another 50 yards, and I let them Natural Resources Commission than their perception of hunting.
go. Through the full process of this can set regulations enforced by the I dont regret, for an instant,
still-hunt, my hunting instinct was Department of Natural Resources not taking the longer shot, nor
fully engaged, fully aware, fully a conservation officers, our concepts the method, equipment and
predator. of fair chase and hunting ethics are ethics dictating I not take the
The difference between us set and enforced by each of us indi- shot. I would have only regretted
and our ancient human ancestors, vidually within ourselves, but that wounding the deer, compromising
though, is that we know the impact makes them no less important to the my own ethics, or losing
we can have on game populations future of hunting and our integrity the privilege to hunt. When it
if we dont have enforced license as hunters. If we dont enforce those all comes together, when I stalk
quotas and adherence to the North ethics on ourselves, our non-hunting within twenty yards of a deer
American Model of Conserva- neighbors will enforce their own with my recurve, draw my arrow,
tion. We also have an increasingly ethics on us at the ballot box; in a hit my anchor, release, track,
non-hunting (not anti-hunting) recent survey of Michigan voters field-dress, pack out, butcher,
populace in a democracy where by the Michigan Wildlife Council, grill and eat that first bite of its
our future as hunters depends on voters favorability of hunters was venison, I know it will taste
their perception of us. While the about 20 percentage points lower sweeter for the shots I didnt take.n
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WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 23
 COVER BUCKS...
Drop-tine Buck
T By Jerry Lambert Danny
he
archery fully slipped an
opener,
October 1, proved to be
a banner day for many Michigan
bow hunters. Deer were up on their
feet during the daylight hours. The
November issue of Woods-N-Water
News had a cover story about a
Jackson County hunter who tagged
out on the archery opener.
Eighteen year old Danny Robitaille,
experienced similar success on Oct.
1, in Ingham County while hunting
on a friends family farm. Danny
went afield with another good
friend, Austin Brown. They had two
stands in the same tree; one on each
side facing opposite directions. They
were hunting a tree line that sepa-
rated two fields; a chisel-plowed
soybean field and a field of winter
wheat.
The two hunters were harnessed
to the big oak tree at 4:30 p.m. They
didnt have to wait very long until
does started eating in the soybean
field. Eventually one of the does got
to within six yards of the tree and
Its not all luck!
J
ason Penberthy said, I got
really lucky on this buck, so
many things fell into place,
if my original plans had
worked, Id wouldve never har-
vested this buck!
Call it lucky, good fortune,
coincidence, or just part of hunting.
Jasons good fortune really hap-
pened years ago in of all places;
Alaska. He had taken a couple
caribou, had them in the back of his
truck, stopped at a store, when he
24 DECEMBER 2017 WNW NEWS
success-
arrow through
the boiler room. Happy to start the
season off with a good clean kill, the
two friends were preparing to get
down when Austin looked up and
saw more does headed their way. A
few seconds later Austin said, Wait
a minute, a big buck is coming in.
Actually three bucks were following
the does right to the tree. Included
in the group were a small 6-point,
a heavy antlered 6-point and a big
tall-tined monster. Austin had a clear
shot at the trophy buck but turned
down the opportunity because of
uncertainty with the rules of a buck Danny Robitaille with his archery season opening day har vest; a
tag. He knew that he had a doe tag doe and this huge 200 plus pound 12-point!
for the area and wasnt sure if a
buck tag had the same restrictions pass through. The big buck went Robitaille tagged a 12-point buck
and had to be used in the region in just forty yards before tipping over which includes a drop-tine, a favor-
which he bought it. (Buck tags are dead in the wheat field. This time, able antler characteristic desired by
good for the entire state of Michi- there was no delay. The two friends many but rarely seen in the state of
gan.) quickly got down to lay hands on Michigan. When the buck was later
The buck then presented the impressive whitetail. When put on a scale it weighed two hun-
Danny with a shot and the happy asked what the moment was like, dred and fifty pounds on the hoof.
hunter successfully arrowed his the successful archer simply replied, A gross green score measured 172
second deer with a double-lung It was a rush, a big time rush! Pope and Young points.n
came out, Jason said, He and some
friends were in the back of my truck
admiring the racks when we came
out of the store. It was in Fair-
banks. The young man said he was
so sorry, he just drove all the way
from Michigan and were so excited
to huntlong story short, we have
been friends ever since. His family
has been so generous to allow me
to deer hunt their land in Clinton
County and for that I am grateful
and lucky!
Continuing with his story Jason
said, I am a coach and our practice Jason Penber thy of Pinconning took this monster 12-point bow-
was cancelled, that was the start hunting Clinton Co. in mid-October. His second buck to be on the
of everything falling into place. I cover of Woods-N-Water News (lower left).
tried to access the property on the
downwind side of my stand, how- hour later he came through. This away. A lot of things went my
ever I could not get permission to buck was a big bodied, 12-point, he way that day and if I had been
enter through other private property, followed a doe downwind of me at given access, I may very well
which turned out to be a blessing in four yards! I was drawn back on him have jumped that buck on the
disguise because this buck was lay- from four yards until he presented a short walk in!
ing between my stand and the house shot at 15 yards. I only had a small Jasons 2017 buck may have
that I attempted to access from. I window through some branches I had some good fortune involved but
was forced to enter through the ma- wish I had trimmed. It was the only dont let that fool you, this isnt the
jority of the property on the upwind shot because the doe began to turn first time hes been on the cover of
sidenot ideal. in a direction where this buck may Woods-N-Water News. He was also
He continued, Once in the have never presented another shot. on the December 2011 issue. ts not
stand, I passed and videoed a decent It was a perfect double lung and I all luckgood hunters make their
2.5 year-old 7-point. About a 1/2 watched the buck fall about 50 yards own luck!n

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WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 25


The 1 2 3
method of icing panfish
I
n the fishing game, set-
ting more lines and hooks
adds up to more bites and
landed fish. During the
open water period just
about everyone
is fishing the maximum
number of lines, lures and
boards in an effort to spread
out and cover as much
water as possible.
Come ice fishing season
that more is better at-
titude seems to evaporate.
Ironically, ice fishermen
tend to huddle
over one hole
and hope for the
By Mark Romanack
best. Aggressive tactics work great
for finding and catching fish in open
water and they work just as well for
many ice fishing applications.
Getting creative with ways to
fish two and even three lines, lures
and set ups at the same time is the
fast track to ice fishing success.
The Two Hook
Perch Spreader Rig
Just about every angler I know
who targets perch during the open
water period routinely fishes with a
variety of spreader rigs that incor-
26 DECEMBER 2017 WNW NEWS
porate two or more hooks and baits.
Ice fishermen rarely take the same
approach.
Fishing a modified ice fishing
version of a spreader rig is one of
the ways anglers can double
down on perch, bluegills,
and crappie.
Traditional panfish
spreader rigs designed
for open water fishing are
obviously too bulky for
ice fishing applications.
However, using the same
concept and custom tying
spreaders made
from ultra-light
fluorocarbon
line and weightless hooks is another
thing all together.
To create an ultra-light spreader
rig ideal for ice fishing yellow
perch, start with a length of two
pound test fluorocarbon leader mate-
rial about two feet long. On the bot-
tom tie in a spring steel fly fishing
snap and on the top a No. 12 barrel
swivel. Tie the main line from your
fishing rod to the barrel swivel and
add a small 1/16 or 1/8 ounce barrel
sinker to the fly fishing snap. About
eight inches below the barrel swivel,
tie in a small loop using a double
overhand knot and tie a similar
loop about eight inches above
the weight.
Now finish the rig by cutting a
couple three to four inch leads and
hooks from a sabiki rig. These are
rigs that are commonly used by
saltwater anglers to catch bait. A
few anglers here in the Great Lakes
use them for ice fishing smelt in the
winter time.
Tie the sabiki leads and hooks
to the loops in the line and bait the
hooks with a wax worm, mousie,
spike or small minnow.
The sabiki rig feature various
sized small hooks that are dressed
in mylar and other attractors that
pulsate in the water. The smaller No.
10 and 12 hooks are ideal for fishing
wax worms and other small grubs
and a slightly larger No. 8 hook is
better when using minnows.
This two hook spreader rig is es-
sentially similar to the spreader rigs
used in open water, but made using
downsized line and terminal tackle
more suitable for winter perch fish-
ing. Because perch are most often
found on or near the bottom, lower
this rig to bottom and bounce the
sinker on the bottom to stir up sedi-
ment and call in hungry perch.
A fist full of bluegill like this is
enough to warm even the coldest
winter day. Fishing two lure rigs that
feature a tungsten jig on the bottom
like pictured here and a second tear
drop or jig tied in-line a few inches
above doubles the bait, hooks and
chances to catch fish.
The Two
Hook Panfish Rig
Perch arent the only fish that
can be caught using two hook rigs
through the ice. Bluegill, pumpkin-
seed sunfish and crappie are also
suckers for the two hook rig.
For bluegills, instead of a modi-
fied drop shot rig like described for
perch fishing, I prefer to tie two
panfish sized jigs and/or tear drops
directly onto a short leader of two
pound test fluorocarbon leader
material. At the terminal end I
like a tungsten jig such as a VMC
Tubby Jig that hangs horizontal in
the water. Above the tungsten jig
about eight to 10 inches I add in a
Bait Rigs Cobra Panfish Jig that is
essentially a weighted wide bend
style hook.
Besides doubling up on the
amount of lures and bait in the
water, this two jig set up gives the
fish both a horizontal and vertical
presentation to choose from. I can
mix and match live baits as well, us-
ing a larger wax worm or soft plastic
on the bottom jig and a smaller
mousie or spike on the vertical jig.
If the fish tend to favor one live bait
over another, its a simple step to
double down on the most popular
bait choice on any given day.
Double Down
With Dead Sticks
The idea of jigging with one rod
and fishing a dead stick or stationary
rod as a second line is popular with
winter walleye fishermen, but most
panfish anglers havent adopted the
two rod concept. A dead stick works
best when used to present a second
rod/line/lure that is different from
the primary jigging rod.
When applying the dead stick
concept to panfish like bluegills
or crappie, I like my dead stick to
feature a smaller jig or tear drop
packed with two or three live grubs.
The Bait Rigs Cobra Panfish Jig is
ideal for this because the wide bend
in the hook allows two or even three
wax worms to be packed on the jig
at once.
The extra bait on the dead stick
serves a couple purposes. For one,
the extra bait tends to attract larger
panfish on average. Secondly, if
a fish nips at the dead stick and
doesnt get hooked, there is still
bait on the hook so that fish can be
jigged up and caught without having
to reel in and rebait.
Its also important that a dead
stick features a super soft tip. Ide-
ally you want the fish to bite and
move the rod tip without detecting
anything unnatural. Lots of guys use
a spring bobber in combination with
an ultra-soft rod tip to accomplish
this soft touch effect.
Spacing the Jigging
and Dead Stick
When fishing a dead stick in
combination with a jigging rod, its
best to drill three holes in the ice.
One hole is used for jigging, the sec-
ond to position the sonar transducer
and the third for the dead stick.
Positioning the sonar transducer in
the middle hole enables both the jig-
ging and dead stick to appear on the
sonar screen at the same time.
Its also important to position
the sonar transducer so that it rests
just below the ice. If the transducer
is too far below the ice, a hooked
fish can easily get tangled in the
transducer cable. To help eliminate
fish hooked on the jigging stick
from getting into the dead stick line,
I space my three holes about 24
inches apart.
This configuration works great
for open air fishing and also in
larger shelters, but in smaller one-
man style flip shelters its tough to
fish the dead stick without running
the risk of a hooked fish tangling
another line. The solution to this
problem is to set the dead stick just
outside the door of the flip shack.
Position your flip shack with
your back to the wind and leave
the zipper door on the shack open.
This way you can monitor the dead
stick and get to it quickly if a bite is
detected.
Wi-Fi for More Bites
The latest innovation used by
anglers who fish dead sticks is to
position a sonar unit that is Wi-Fi
capable in the hole with the dead
stick and monitor whats going on
by watching a second monitor in the
shelter. The second monitor can be a
cell phone, iPad or tablet rigged on a
mini-tripod.
This rather sophisticated system
for monitoring a dead stick using so-
nar was first popularized by walleye
fishing pro Gary Parsons and fishing
guide Jon Sibley of Clam Corpora-
tion. Parsons and Sibley use this
technology primarily when targeting
perch and also walleye, but it can
also be applied to targeting blue-
gills, sunfish, crappie, white bass,
pike and even trout.
The key to making this work
is using a sonar unit that is Wi-Fi
capable. The Lowrance HDS series
of sonar/GPS units are perfect for
this unique means of monitoring a
dead stick. The advantage here is the
angler doesnt have to monitor the
rod tip constantly, but instead can
see when fish show up in the hole,
then slip over and be in position
to catch that fish if it bites. Also if
the fish doesnt bite right away, the
angler can tease the fish into biting
by lightly jigging and lifting the bait
up and away from the fish.
Tip-Ups for Panfish
Tip-ups are primarily used by
anglers targeting walleye, trout and
pike, but panfish can also be tar-
geted with tip-ups. To target panfish
requires using a tip-up with a near
zero release tension. If the fish feels
any resistance it will most times
drop the bait and not get hooked.
The Bite Me Box Tip-Up is
unique in that the reel and trip
mechanism allow the fish to pull
out line and trip the flag without the
fish feeling any resistance. This box
style tip-up can also be heated with
a charcoal briquette to prevent the
hole from freezing. The Bite Me
Box Tip-Up is a new product and
not carried by many retailers at this
point. For more information visit
www.boxtipups.com.
Summing It Up
The fast track to more winter
perch and panfish fun starts by us-
ing creative ways to fish more rods,
lures and bait options. Using dead
sticks and tip-ups to spread out and
cover more water is also critical.
Another cool step involves using
sonar that is Wi-Fi compatible to These jumbo perch were caught using an unique tip-up called the Bite
monitor dead sticks. This ultra-cool Me Box Tip-Up. Tip-ups arent normally used for perch and panfish, but
technology creates a whole new this one is so sensitive fish cant detect resistance and hook themselves
strata of ice fishing savvy.n unknowingly. Mark Romanack photo.
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WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 27
Segregation of the sexes in whitetails
I
Deer seasonal differences in food, cover, and social requirements are seldom considered in deer management plans...
n white-tailed deer, the
adult sexes live separately
during much of the year,
just as they do in mule
deer, red deer, elk, moose,
bighorn sheep, and other
ungulates. Scientists refer to this
social and spatial separation, which
is pronounced during the nonbreed-
ing months, as sexual segregation
or niche separation of the sexes.
Related does live in a close-knit
matriarchal society, composed of
mothers, daughters, grandmothers,
great-grandmothers, and so forth.
Bucks, on the other hand, form fra-
ternal or bachelor groups generally
composed of unrelated males. In
either case, social group size and the
degree of social complexity vary,
depending upon many different fac-
tors that influence deer herd sex-age
composition and density.
While the female whitetail might
spend her entire life on a relatively
small ancestral range, the
male is inclined to disperse
to new range. At some
point in time, the young
male must leave one soci-
etal unit and join the other,
if someday he is to become
a successful breeder.
Because the adult bucks
and does differ so much in
By John Ozoga
their behavior, it has
been said, the sexes
might be treated as
though they were different species.
Unfortunately, the adaptive ad-
vantages of the totally different life-
styles demonstrated by the whitetail
sexes are still hotly debated by
investigators around the world.
Equally unfortunate, their seasonal
differences in food, cover, and social
requirements are seldom considered
in deer management plans.
Given the potential significance,
herein, some of us deer researchers
question whether current deer habi-
tat and herd management strategies
adequately serve both sexes. All
too often, we are bound to a system
that over exploits the male segment
of the population, and only mini-
Since the whitetail sexes differ in many aspects of physiology, behavior, and anatomy, then they must have
evolved differently. MDNR photo
28 DECEMBER 2017 WNW NEWS
In an age-structured male society, a high rank is not easily attained; it requires experience and the
learning of competitive skills. A bucks chances of breeding are largely determined by his rank in the
male dominance hierarchy. Rober t Weller trail camera photo
mally harvests females. The goal, it
seems, is to produce an abundance
of whitetails for political reasons,
regardless of their condition, to sat-
isfy steadily increasing recreational
demands for this intriguing species.
In many parts of the
country, antlered bucks are
currently being harvested
so intensively that mature
bucks and true buck groups
are virtually nonexistent.
From the standpoint of
whitetail social evolution,
groups of yearling bucks, in
the absence of older bucks,
do not represent true
fraternal groups.
Groups of yearling
deer may also include females, and
tend to occur only during late spring
and summer while does are rearing
fawns. Thus, these groups of young
deer differ greatly from exclusive,
age-structured groups of older
bucks.
In a natural population, rela-
tively few dominant bucks do most
of the breeding. A young male can
only hope to become a dominant
male by engaging in competition
with other bucks over a long period.
The achievement of dominant status
by young males requires outliving
older, stronger males and dominat-
ing males of similar age. It is not
enough to maintain a rank; to suc-
ceed, the young male must continu-
ally strive to move up in dominance.
This requires that he associate not
only with animals of lower rank, but
also with those of higher rank.
In an age-structured male
society, a high rank is not easily at-
tained; it requires experience and the
learning of competitive skills. Suc-
cess, as in any contest of strength,
skill, and endurance, comes from
long and diligent training. A young
male choosing not to join all male
groups would not be able to obtain
the necessary skills to compete suc-
cessfully.
Considering the whitetail bucks
chances of breeding are largely
determined by his rank in the male
dominance hierarchy, the young
buck has little choice but to associ-
ate with other males. Although he is
tightly linked to the mother-young
system early in life, he must even-
tually break those bonds. When
sexually mature, the buck must
seek-out and interact with older
males, achieve male group member-
ship, and rise in dominance rank.
If he doesnt, but instead chooses
to remain with female relatives, its
my guess that he would become a cluded that, due to sex differences in
hen-pecked psychological cas-
trate, never achieving respected
breeder-status.
It should also be obvious, even
to the casual observer, that as with
any behavioral trait, the whitetails
social organization -- sexual segre-
gation included -- is an adaptation.
It evolved in response to numerous
environmental stresses, including
predators, diseases, climate, habitat
conditions, and hunting by Native
Americans. And, as with any adapta-
tion, the whitetails social organiza-
tion is genetically-linked, inherited,
and essential for the species health-
ful existence -- it promotes social
order, genetic selection and physical
fitness, and improves the prospects
for survival.
Pardon the complex reasoning
involved here, but since the white-
tail sexes differ in many aspects of
physiology, behavior, and anatomy,
then they must have evolved differ-
ently. For example, bucks and does
differ in size, shape, growth rate,
metabolic rate, life span, food and
cover requirements, and in many
aspects of physiology and biochem-
istry that result in behavioral traits
that differ between the sexes.
Based upon intensive behavioral
investigations conducted in South-
ern Michigans George Reserve,
investigator Dale McCullough con-
use of space, food, and cover, white-
tail bucks and does do not compete
equally for the necessities of life on
a year-round basis.
One might carry this logic one
step farther. That is, if bucks and
does evolved differently, then they
must also respond differently to
environmental change. As a result,
habitat management practices that
benefit female deer may not nec-
essarily benefit bucks equally, or
sometimes may even be detrimental
to bucks.
Also, harvest management
strategies that inflict unnatural pat-
terns of mortality (such as buck-only
harvesting) and create deer herds
with abnormal sex and age compo-
sition -- thereby altering important
aspects of the whitetails social
Sex Segregation page 30
WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 29
Whitetails sex segregation:
branches, serves to intimidate other result of too many female deer, not
from page 28 deer, including pregnant females because of too many bucks.
that require solitude for fawn-rear- Martin Main probably hit the
environment -- could impact the during this period, when conditions ing. As a result, buck scent marking proverbial nail on the head when he
welfare of one sex, either favorably are most favorable for rearing young helps to segregate the adult sexes criticized that traditional deer man-
or otherwise, more so than the other. and this is when the reproductive and distribute the herd more evenly agement practices which promote
Many hypotheses have been patterns of the adult sexes differ during the nonbreeding period when and expand female groups -- espe-
advanced to explain the evolution of the most and they show the greatest does are rearing fawns and bucks cially predator control efforts and
sex segregation among ungulates. separation. are growing antlers. bucks-only harvesting -- run counter
However, Oregon researchers, Mar- The Oregon researchers empha- In McCulloughs words, Re- to how the white-tailed deers social
tin Main and Bruce Coblentz, pro- size that the males mating suc- source partitioning between the system evolved.
pose that females select habitat that cess is influenced by his body size, sexes in white-tailed deer adds a Wherever fawn-rearing females
is best suited for rearing offspring. physical strength, and general body new dimension to the role of social are overly abundant, overbrowsing
Normally, that means diversified condition, as is winter survival. behavior as it relates the animal to and range forage depletion is likely,
food and cover arrangements with Therefore, the replenishment of en- its environment. Indeed, if bucks thereby excluding buck use of such
ample hiding cover for both mother ergy reserves should coincide with differ from does in their use of habitat. Conversely, female groups
and young, as a predator defense, major growing seasons, and optimi- space, food, and cover resources, on may be prevented from becoming
during the critical stage of early zation of forage resources by males a seasonal basis, then deer herd and established in areas used by males,
fawn-rearing. should be most evident during these habitat management considerations because predation or other factors
By comparison, when available, periods as they prepare for rut. Op- take on an entirely new level of reduce fawn-rearing success.
males tend to select areas where timal foraging by males may require complexity. In other words, when deer den-
nutrition is superb, which allows for avoidance of heavily grazed areas McCullough warns that this sity is high, whitetail bucks often
maximal body growth necessary for or adoption of foraging patterns that complex issue should be care- occupy certain habitat strictly by
the attainment of high dominance exploit temporal resources of high fully considered, especially when it default -- browse depleted areas
rank and improved breeding suc- quality. The importance of maximiz- comes to determining deer harvest where no does live or where does
cess. ing body condition for males appar- management strategies. As he points live in very low numbers.
Generally speaking, both male ently exceeds even increased risk of out, Unbalancing populations Today, young bucks in high deer
and female whitetails subsist upon predation. toward females intuitively would density herds probably have great
relatively poor quality forage during When a deer population is be expected to increase productivity, difficulty finding suitable habitat
winter and leave winter range in socially balanced, my observations but in practice seldom does in during spring and summer, in an
depleted, poor physical condition. indicate that adult bucks intensively moderate to high density popula- environment saturated with too
Forage and environmental scent mark their favored summer tions. many antlerless deer. Many bucks
conditions normally become much habitat as soon as they return to it Clearly, poor growth rates probably wind up settling in nutri-
better in spring and summer, allow- in spring, probably as a means of among young deer and reproduc- tionally poor areas, where they grow
ing for fairly rapid replenishing of re-claiming range that had been va- tive failure among adult does, when poorly, sport undersized antlers, and
energy reserves. All north temperate cated during winter. This marking, associated with food competition may even suffer greater than normal
ungulates have evolved to give birth which is done primarily on overhead and malnutrition, invariably are the overwinter mortality.n

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designs, features, models or equipment without incurring obligation. Some models depicted may include optional equipment. Read the BRP side-by-side Operators Guide and watch the Safety DVD before driving. Fasten lateral net and seat belt at all times. Operator must be
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 Winter & Time
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Kimber Micro 9mm Desert Tan Sig Sauer P238 Equinox .380 ACP Smith & Wesson M&P Shield 9mm winter hours seem longer. time of year, so they behaved as if
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enough time to accomplish We often drifted within a few feet
Check out our .38 Special everything you want. But of them bedded on the banks and
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when Im filling
the bird feeders, a By Jerry Dennis the Au Sable River.
We viewed them
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where they had packed the snow ward Shore: A Winter on the Great
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*CLOSED THANKSGIVING*

* ALL ITEMS SUBJECT TO STOCK ON-HAND. NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR PRINTING ERRORS. NO DEALERS PLEASE. NO RAINCHECKS. FIREARMS foliage to the precise height they
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PURCHASE TO ANY CUSTOMER. NO RETURNS, REFUNDS, OR ADJUSTMENTS FOR PRIOR PURCHASES OF ANY BLACK FRIDAY ITEMS.

WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 31

Michigans Early Ice
First ice always produces some hot fishing, but you never know when first ice is.
All ice anglers can really
do is pray for cold
weather, make sure the
auger blades are sharp
and have your gear at
the ready. If Mother
Nature obliges, following
are some early-season
hot spots youll
want to sample...
By Mike Gnatkowski
Lake Gogebic
If you want to get a jump on the
ice-fishing season and arent afraid
of winter driving heading to the
western Upper Peninsula will add a
month or more to your season.
Last year we really didnt get
on the ice until Christmas, said
Tim Long of The Timber Resort in
Bergland. The year before we were
fishing at Thanksgiving. Fishing was
hot when we did get on the ice. We
just crushed em. We caught limits
of walleyes on first ice right off the
weed line in front of the resort in 7
or 8 feet of water. Surprisingly, tip-
ups were the best baited with suck-
ers. Flathead minnows on jigs took
their fair share of walleyes, too.
Long noted that some of Go-
gebics prized jumbo perch were
mixed right in with the walleyes.
There is a strain of perch in this
lake like no other, said Long. Perch
in the 15- to 17-inch range are com-
mon. Later in the winter schools of
the jumbo yellowbellies concen-
trate on the 27- to 28-foot flats and
wigglers fished on slip bobbers and
dead sticks take buckets full of the
A good tactic for jumbo yellow perch is to use small spoons just like
you would for walleye. Mike Gnatkowski photos
32 DECEMBER 2017 WNW NEWS
jumbos. Selective harvest is strongly
encouraged though.
To book a winter excursion
contact The Timber Resort at 906-
575-3542 or online at http://www.
thetimbersresort.com.
Lake Independence
Winter comes early to the U.P.
Many years anglers are sneaking out
onto Marquette Countys Lake Inde-
pendence by the first part of Decem-
ber. First ice produces hot walleye
action and some of the best fishing
for the lakes famous jumbo perch.
Schools of perch tend to roam
the 20- to 30-foot flats near the
center of the lake during the winter
months. Anglers take perch up to
16 inches using slip bobbers baited
with minnows or wigglers or by
tying a dropper off of a Swedish
Pimple baited with wigglers or wax
worms.
Walleyes in Lake Indepen-
dence are more structure orientated
although they can be caught right
along with the perch at times. Drop-
offs near the mouth of the Yellow
Dog River, the outflow of the Iron
River and contours straight out from
the public access on the west end
of the lake offer more consistent
walleye catches. Most of the eyes
will average 16- to 18-inches, but 6
pounders arent unheard of.
Giant pike patrol the depths of
Alder Bay and off the mouth of the
Yellow Dog River. Stumps, brush
and weed edges attract cruising pike
there. Anglers spot jumbo suckers or
dead smelt rigs for pike that occa-
sionally top 20 pounds.
For information on bait shops
and accommodations in the area
contact the Marquette County Con-
The author with a pair of jumbo yellowbellies caught with slip bob-
ber and live minnows.
vention & Visitor Bureau at (800)
544-4321 or online at www.mar-
quettecounty.org.
Lake Antoine
Dickinson Countys 748-acre
Lake Antoine is a surprising lake.
The lake hosts a variety of spe-
cies that include walleye, pike and
panfish. Ice fishing for all of the
species can be very good and the
fish reach good size. This is all in
spite of the fact that Lake Antoine is
located almost in the city limits of
Iron Mountain and receives plenty
of fishing pressure.
One reason the panfish fish-
ing is so good is that Lake Antoine
has a good predator base that keeps
panfish numbers in check, said for-
mer Crystal Falls District fisheries
biologist Bill Ziegler. Lake Antoine
is a surprisingly good bluegill lake.
Another reason Lake Antoines pan-
fish fishing is so good, particularly
for bluegills, is that Yoopers arent
real interested in panfish. Theyd
rather chase walleyes or trout rather
than dinky panfish. That only leaves
more for you and me!
Those looking for a mess of
fried bluegill fillets will have a
good chance of securing the main
course by concentrating on the 5- to
15-foot depths off the island on the
south side of the lake, near a hump
that rises to 5 feet directly in line
with the Senior Citizens Park on the
northwest shore of the lake. Around
that island can be good, too. Use
teardrops with larva for the gills
that will run around 8 inches. Youll
likely find some goodsized pump-
kinseed sunfish and crappies mixed
in.
Perch tend to frequent the 20- to
25-foot flats on the east end of the
lake. Use minnows for them fished
right on the bottom. Wigglers can
be good at times. The perch will run
from 8 to 10 inches.
Predator species abound in Lake
Antoine. Walleye can be found
along the north shore where the
water shelves from 5 to 25 feet and
over the deeper flats. Pike can be
found cruising just about every-
where. The eyes will average 18
to 20 inches, but fish crowding 28
inches arent unheard of. The north-
erns generally run from just legal to
about 30 inches. Tip-ups and jigging
will take both species.
For more information on ice-
fishing opportunities on Lake
Antoine contact the Northern Lake
Michigan Management Unit of
the MDNR at (906) 875-6622. For
information on lodging, bait shops
and amenities in the area contact
the Tourism Association of the Iron
Mountain/Dickinson County Area at
(800) 236-2447.
Cisco Lake Chain
Its a pretty safe bet that you
can be ice fishing on Cisco Lake
in December. Cisco Lake is one of
15 lakes in the chain and is located
in Gogebic County about 13 miles
southwest of Watersmeet. 13- to 14- inch range. Walleyes are Blue Lake offers sloping contours 80 feet of water. Then move and jig
Some of the best ice fishing of an added bonus. Look for winter to 80 feet over most of its 114 acres. with a second rod. Lakers tend to
the year on the Cisco Lakes Chain is eyes in the north-central portion of While Manistee features fishing for inhabit the deep water and splake,
on first ice and again just before the the lake in 10 feet of water. warm water species, trout are the browns and rainbows will be found
walleye season closes. Hot first ice For live bait, tackle and lake ticket on Blue Lake. shallower, often suspended. Use a
action takes place on the east side of maps contact Jacks Sport Shop in This clear, spring-fed lake fea- graph or flasher and keep moving
the lake near the islands there. Kalkaska at (231) 258-8892. For tures two basins that are ideal for until you find the fish. Wigglers,
With the deepest water in the accommodations in the area con- trout. Though relatively small, Blue spawn, minnows, wax worms will
lake being a little over 20 feet, tact the Kalkaska Area Chamber of Lake can produce some big trout. all work at times.
fishing for most species on Cisco Commerce at (800) 487-6880 or Lake trout to 8 pounds are fairly Blue Lake is marginal for warm
Lake is a shallow water proposition. online at www.kalkaskami.com. common. Blue Lake has been plant- water species, but some decent perch
On first ice youll find just about Blue Lake ed with lake trout, browns, rainbows are taken on occasion along with
everything in 6 to 8 feet of water. Though located only a few miles and splake on different occasions so some slab bluegills. Ciscoes are also
Walleyes averaging 2 pounds, but apart, Blue Lake and Manistee Lake you have a chance of catching them available in the lake. For more infor-
occasionally topping 8 pounds, are are like night and day. While Man- all. The best tactic is to spot some mation on Blue Lake contact Jacks
taken on tip-ups with minnows or istee Lake is shallow and featureless, tip-ups along the drop-offs in 20 to Sport Shop in Kalkaska.n
by jigging with lures, like Swedish
Pimples. The walleyes gradually
move deeper as the winter pro-
gresses. Cisco Lake gives up some
surprisingly good perch. Yellow
bellies topping 13 inches are not un-
common and 8- to 10-inch perch are
common. Try wigglers in the 15 to
20 foot depths near the center of the
lake for the most consistent perch
action. Cisco Lake also produces a
consistent winter fishery for panfish.
Look for hand-sized bluegills and
sunfish near the east side islands
and near the outer islands on the
southwest side of the lake. Larva
works best for them. Crappies are
becoming increasingly common and
specks in the 12- to 14-inch class are
routine. Like most places, Ciscos
slab crappies have a hard time re-
sisting a lively shiner minnow.
Ice anglers can gain access to Cisco
Lake at a public access on the north-
east corner of the lake. For informa-
tion on lodging and amenities in the
area contact the Watersmeet CVB
at 906-358-9961 or online at visit@
watersmeet.org.
Manistee Lake
Manistee Lake (not to be con-
fused with the Manistee Lake in the
county of the same name) is located
in north-central Kalkaska County.
The 860-acre lakes deepest spot is
only 16 feet, but the outflow of the
Manistee River and several creeks
entering the lake insure a steady
supply of nutrients and oxygen.
Manistee Lake is a lot like
Houghton Lake. The lake is pretty
featureless, so theres not much in
the way of structure. In spite of that
fact, the lake gives up some jumbo
crappies and perch. A hotspot for
big specks is north of the public
access on the east side of the lake
where the bottom shelves from 10
to 16 feet. The bite usually picks up
right before dark. A good tactic is to
fish one dead rod with a minnow on
it and jig the other. Crappies to 14
inches are fairly common. Like most
places, the crappies tend to suspend
so a flasher can be a big help.
There are some big perch in
Manistee Lake, too. Perch that
weigh nearly two pounds have been
caught from Manistee Lake. Ice
anglers using big blue shiners for
walleye routinely catch perch in the
WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 33
Big Sinkholes?
In Michigan?
I
t seemed that we had
the area all to ourselves.
There wasnt a single boot
track in front of me on
the sandy trail that hot,
July afternoon when my
Chocolate Lab, Hershey, and I hiked
Michigans Sinkholes Pathway. An
aging split-rail fence guarded the
steep drop-off as the trail
skirted the north rim of the
first sinkhole. A rickety, old
viewing platform hanging
over the edge of the sink
reminded me of an ancient
tourist attraction which
had been long forgotten.
An abandoned looking
stairway near the
platform led out
of sight, down
By Darryl Quidort
into the deep hole, 180 steps would
take a person to the bottom of the
cone. Looking down from the edge
of the sink, tall trees hid the sides
and bottom of the pit blocking much
of the view from the top, and from
the bottom I supposed. After leaving
the first sinkhole, the foot trail led
through a mixed hardwood forest
and soon we walked along the brink
of a second huge sink. Then a third.
Butterflies flitted around the forest
openings in the bright sunlight and
a blue jay squawked at us as we
passed.
The Sinkholes Path-
way circles five big natural
sinkholes, each about 100
feet deep, which stretch
out in an east to west line
for nearly a mile. Some of
the holes are deep enough
to create their own mi-
croclimates where plants
more typical of
northern Canada
can survive. This
creates an opportunity for bota-
nists to study arctic plants growing
naturally right here in Michigan. A
two mile loop circles all five large
sinkholes, but taking a cross trail
between the sinks will shorten the
A viewing platform, perched on the brink of a sinkhole, allows a
view down into the 100 foot deep hole. Author photos
hike to less than a mile. Shoepac and clay brought into a sinkhole
Lake, which is a sinkhole lake, is by small streams can eventually
located at the west end of the line of seal off the bottom and stop the
dry sinkholes. underground drainage. When filled
Sinkholes are depressions in the with water this forms a sinkhole
landscape formed by underground lake. Blue holes, in the bottom
streams which slowly dissolved of Lake Huron, are named for their
and carried away the underground
limestone base. That action formed
dark blue color when viewed from
above. Once thought to be underwa-
underground caves, which eventu- ter sinkholes, recent research shows
ally collapsed under the weight of springs bubbling up in the bottom of
the land above them, resulting in the holes. It is now thought that they
deep, conical depressions. Sinkholes may be the drainage outlets from
are not only found as dry holes on sinkholes on land. More research
the landscape, but also as lakes. Silt needs to be done in this area.

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34 DECEMBER 2017 WNW NEWS
 In geological terms, a karst is a geology, hydrology, biology, and
limestone region where sinkholes history. They also do volunteer
have formed. Northeast Michigans work of cleaning up illegal dumping
karst region is spread across Presque which has occurred in many Karst
Isle, Alpena, and Montmorency areas. MKC receives no govern-
counties. There are more than 200 ment support and relies solely on
sinkholes of various sizes in that members and the public for funding.
area but most are located on private The MKC owns two karst preserves,
property. The sinkholes on Michigan and co-owns a third one which are
Karst Conservancy land and in the open to the public. For more in-
Shoepac Lake area are the only ones formation, google Michigan Karst
readily accessible to the public. Conservancy.n 180 steps will take a person to the bottom of the sinkhole.
The Sinkholes Pathway is
located in Presque Isle County in
a 2,600 acre non-motorized area
T HERES NOT HING DIF F ICULT A BOU T I T.
of the Mackinaw State Forest. To
reach the Sinkhole Pathway, drive T HERES NOT HING DIF F ICULT A BOU T I T.
16 miles north of Atlanta on M-33
and turn east (right) on the Toma-
hawk Highway (a dirt road). In 2
miles turn north (left) on a dirt road
to the Shoepac Lake State Forest
Campground. Continue past the
campground to a small parking lot
by Shoepac Lake. The trailhead for
the pathway is just across the road
from the lake. Although there is a A N E W W O R L D D E M A N D S N E W H O L L A N D.
A Boomer compact tractor is the definition of ease. Controls are intuitive, your visibility is unmatched, and
fee for using the campground, there A Nthe
both EW ROPSWplatform
O R L Dand DE cabMareA Nlarge
D Sand N clutter-free.
E W H O LBoomer
L A N D. tractors continue to be the ultimate power
tool for homeowners,
A Boomer rural lifestylers,
compact tractor landscapers,
is the definition of ease.farmers,
Controls municipalities, andvisibility
are intuitive, your anyoneiswho needs reliable
unmatched, and
is no fee for hiking the Sinkholes performance
both the ROPSinplatform
tool
Easy-to-use
a maneuverable,
for homeowners,
and cab arecomfortable
rural lifestylers,
transmissions:
package. Boomer tractors continue to be the ultimate power
large and clutter-free.
landscapers,
shuttle-shift or 3-rangefarmers, municipalities,
hydro with and anyone who needs reliable
cruise control
Pathway. performance in a maneuverable, comfortable package.
Fuel-efficient power and an emissions system that is completely automatic
The
Easy-to-use transmissions:
peace of mind shuttle-shift
of the Boomer or 3-range
Guard6 six-year hydro
limited with cruise control
warranty*
As my dog, Hershey, and I Fuel-efficient
Simple routinepower and an emissions
maintenance system that
and easy-to-switch is completely
implements
The peace of mind of the Boomer Guard6 six-year limited warranty*
automatic
and attachments
Learn more about these 35- to 55-HP tractors at www.newholland.com/na
walked past the third sinkhole the Simple routine maintenance and easy-to-switch implements and attachments
Learn more about these 35- to 55-HP tractors at www.newholland.com/na
pathway entered an area of scattered
Jack Pines, which I later learned
were the result of a 1939 forest fire.
Its a pretty steep climb from the www.burnips.com Burnips Equipment Companmail@burnips.com

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y
55232 FRBAN KLIN DRIVE, THREE RIVERS, MI 49093
urnips Equipment Company
north side of the sinks to the south

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WORK DONE,
side where the trail swings back to Dorr, MI Big Rapids, MI Coopersville, MI 269Hudson,-273-325MI 3 Three Rivers, MI
the west to return to the trailhead 3073 142nd Ave. 18612 Northland Dr. 7353 State Rd. 15838 Carleton Rd. 55232 Franklin Dr.

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www.burnips.com mail@burnips.com (616) 896-9190 (231) 592-1200 (616) 997-9190 (517) 448-2071 (269) 273-3253
at the parking area. As on the other

TO TOUGH
*Including 2 years of bumper-to-bumper coverage plus an extra 4 years of powertrain protection. 2017 CNH Industrial America LLC. All rights reserved. New Holland is a trademark registered in the United States and many
other countries, owned by or licensed to CNH Industrial N.V., its subsidiaries or afliates. Equipped For A New World is a trademark in the United States and many other countries, owned by or licensed to CNH Industrial N.V., its
s*uInbcsliuddiairniges2oyreaafrslioaftebsu. mper-to-bumper coverage plus an extra 4 years of powertrain protection. 2017 CNH Industrial America LLC. All rights reserved. New Holland is a trademark registered in the United States and many
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subsidiaries or af liates.

Dorr, MI Big Rapids, MI Coopersville, MI Hudson, MI Three Rivers, MI

GET YOUR
down into treetops in the sinkholes, 3073 142nd Ave. 18612 Northland Dr. 7353 State Rd. 15838 Carleton Rd. 55232 Franklin Dr.
AND GET 0% INTEREST
TRADE UP
so much of the effect of the depth (616) 896-9190 (231) 592-1200 (616) 997-9190 (517) 448-2071 (269) 273-3253
was lost. I wondered what it would
WORK DONE, AND GET REAL MAHINDRA SAVINGS

AMERICA
look like in the winter when there
would be no leaves on the trees. PROUDLY DEALING
TO TOUGH
It was a hot day and at 10 years Shown: 1526

old, and maybe slightly overweight,

Hershey was suffering from the heat AND GET 0% INTEREST
on the way back. When we finally AND GET REAL MAHINDRA SAVINGS
returned to Shoepac Lake, he waded
right in for a big drink and a refresh- Shown: 1526
ing swim in the cool, clear water.
Although I had enjoyed the hike
and the view of one of Michigans
natural wonders, Hershey looked so
happy that I had thoughts of joining
him.
Sadly, many of Michigans
sinkholes have been used as dumps, TRADE IN YOUR TRACTOR FOR:
landfills, or have been filled in
for farming. This abuse can cause 0% FINANCING OR
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UP TO $X,XXX
to the acquisition, management, and 3073 142nd Ave. 18612 Northland Dr.* 7353OR State Rd. 15838 Carleton Rd. 55232 Franklin Dr.
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tion, conservancy members con- 3073 142nd Ave. 18612 Northland Dr. 7353 State Rd. 15838 Carleton Rd. 55232 Franklin Dr. 0000 Street Name .Town Name
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* With approved credit. Program restrictions may apply. Limited time. Tractors less than 10 years old.
educational programs covering **With approved credit. Program restrictions may apply. 20% down, 0% for 84 months. Limited time.

WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 35

 Pure Michigan
Hunt winners
E
very year, Pure Michi-
gan Hunt winners get
to spend their hunting
seasons living out their
dreams pursuing elk,
bear, deer, turkey and
ducks in Michigans outdoors.
This year, all three winners
bagged a beautiful Michigan bull
elk and a black bear.
Michele Ketchum of Sparta harvest-
ed a 6x6 bull elk in Montmorency
County on the morning of Aug. 29
with the help of her guide, Tim, at
Elk View Cabins and Guide Service.
The hunt didnt last long, but
it was the most exciting thing Ive
ever done, said Ketchum. Just to
be that close to these impressive ani-
mals was exhilarating, and I am so
thankful that I had this opportunity.
If I hadnt won the Pure Michi-
gan Hunt, I may have never had a
chance to hunt elk in Michigan.
Ketchum also harvested a nice
black bear in Mackinac County with
the help of her guide, Gary Morgan
of Wild Game Dynasty.
On Sept. 15, Richard Farris of
Almont harvested an impressive 5x5
bull elk in Otsego County with the
help of his guide, Preston Cassle-
man. He also harvested a black bear
in Mackinac County Sept. 20.
It was an incredible experience
to harvest a beautiful Michigan bull
elk and five days later, harvest a
black bear, said Farris. This fall is Pure Michigan Hunt winner Michele Ketchum of Spar ta har vested a black bear in
Mackinac Co. and a 6x6 bull elk in Montmorency Co. MDNR photos
one that I will never forget.
Jerry Peak of Crystal had a
unique opportunity this hunting
season. Along with winning the Pure
Michigan Hunt, Peak also drew a
Michigan bull elk tag, so he gra-
ciously transferred his Pure Michi-
gan Hunt elk tag to his son, Jim.
I was totally shocked when I
found out about drawing a bull elk
tag in addition to my Pure Michigan
Hunt tag, said Peak. I knew right
away that I would be transferring
my Pure Michigan Hunt tag to my
son so we could hunt together.
On the evening of Sept. 18, Jerry
Peak harvested a massive 6x6 bull
elk in Cheboygan County. Earlier
that morning, Peaks son Jim also
harvested a 6x6 bull elk in Cheboy- Pure Michigan Hunt winner Richard Farris of Almont with the black bear he har vest-
ed in Mackinac County and his Otsego Co. 5x5 elk with guide Preston Cassleman.

Pure Michigan Hunt winner Jerry Peak (right) of Crystal, his son, Jim Peak, who hunted
with the elk tag his father transferred to him and Jerrys 350 pound Lake Co. black bear.
gan County using the transferred
tag.
The conservation officers and
DNR staff were extremely helpful
when we got our elk, said Peak.
We want to thank everyone in the
Protect your property from deer or trespassers. DNR for giving us this once-in-a-
lifetime experience.
Enough said. Call us today! In addition to the bull elk, Peak
also harvested a 350-pound black
bear in Lake County.
All three Pure Michigan Hunt
winners have the flexibility to hunt
many different places, said Jordyn
Richardson, Michigan Depart-
ment of Natural Resources wildlife
231.510.8122 www.BeemFence.com outreach technician. Life gets very
busy, but because of this golden
36 DECEMBER 2017 WNW NEWS
ticket, all three winners have the
ability to pick and choose hunt
areas and times so they are able
to work these hunts into their
everyday lives. They also have
the option to transfer a license to
someone else.
For hunters who have dreams
of experiences like these, theres
still plenty of time to make 2018 the
hunt of a lifetime, by applying now
and applying often. Along with all
of the hunting licenses, each winner
will receive a hunting prize package
valued at more than $4,000. Visit
mi.gov/pmh for more information
and to purchase Pure Michigan Hunt
applications.n

DNR to study feeding yourusesecret spot
the
outpost
habits of black bears the stealth feeder
T
he DNR started a
study of the feeding
habits of Michigan
black bears by collect-
ing hair samples from
bruins registered at
DNR offices during 2017 bear sea-
sons. The objective is to determine
how much of the animals diets are
naturally produced foods such as
vegetation, fruits, nuts and animal
matter (primarily insects and fawns)
versus foods provided by people.
Agricultural crops such as corn and
oats are considered among anthro-
pogenic (human related) foods that
bears eat.
Understanding their diet more
precisely will help us in many
ways, DNR bear program leader
Kevin Swanson commented. We
can better learn what constitutes a
bears diet in the U.P. and northern
L.P., what proportion of their food is
meat, vegetation and anthropogenic.
It will be interesting to compare
these in each Michigan region.
Wisconsin did a similar study
and they found that more than 40%
of the diet of bears there comes from
human sources. Part of the reason
for that is they have a long bait-
ing season in that state. Hunters in
Wisconsin can begin putting out bait
for bears in April and can continue
baiting until hunting season ends.
We think all of that bait con-
tributes to the high bear
population that Wisconsin
has. The abundance of food
starting in April makes
females more productive.
We do not want to artifi-
cially inflate bear numbers
in Michigan.
Some Michigan bear
By Richard P. Smith
hunters have
asked the DNR
to lengthen the
amount of time that bear bait can
be put out for bears before hunting
season opens. It is currently legal to
begin baiting bears in the state one
month before hunting season starts.
In my opinion, the research
from Wisconsin lends weight to
the Michigan DNR opinion that we
should not begin baiting earlier,
Swanson stated.
The DNRs objective is to obtain
600 samples of bear hair from bru-
ins registered at DNR offices across
the state. Each sample is supposed
to contain a minimum of 100 hairs.
Employees who register bears were
instructed to pull plugs of hair from
between the shoulders of bears.
The intent of this project is
to estimate variation in diet among
three food groups (plant, meat and
A Wisconsin study found that more than 40% of the diet of bears
comes from human sources. MDNR photo
human-based) by sex and age class-
es of bears, a description of the
study states, as well as spatial and
temporal variation in the relative
contributions of these food groups
in their diet. From this we can also
estimate the energetic contributions
of these food groups to black bears
overall.
Many hunters may be
surprised that what a bear
has eaten can be determined
from its hair. Isotopes are
used in a lab to accomplish
this.
Stable isotopes are
a rapid way of estimating
categories of
foods animals
consume,
including vegetation, meat and
human-based, the study description
explains. Analysis typically use
isotopes of carbon and nitrogen to
compare against background levels
and the levels contained in these
food groups. From this, the percent-
age contribution of each food group
in a bear can be estimated.
These isotopes occur in all tis-
sues of an animal. Hair is commonly
used as it is easy to collect and store,
and grows continuously from spring
to autumn each year. Another ad-
vantage of using hair samples is that
we can segment the hair to represent
different times of the growth period,
with the most recent diet estimates
near the hair follicle. This will allow
us to examine diet before and after
the legal baiting period.
Dont expose
Blends into
Surroundings
AS SEEN ON
MICHIGAN
OUT OF
DOORS
SQUIRREL
RESISTANT
CAP
holds
20 lbS
corn
To be most effective, the study
of bear diets should include some
information on the availability of
natural foods during years the study
is conducted. When natural foods
such as acorns, beechnuts and wild
cherries are abundant, for example,
bears can be expected to have a
higher proportion of those foods in
their diet than years like this one
when natural foods are scarce. Since
natural foods are in low supply DURABLE
BROADCASTER
this year in the western U.P., bears
in that region can be expected to
rely more heavily on bait than they Great For
would at other times. PUBLIC or PRIVATE
A possible problem with such Land Hunters
a study is determining the source
of foods such as corn and apples. Carry Sack Holds
Corn and apples are commonly used 20 Pounds
as bait by deer hunters as well as For Easy Refill
bear hunters. Bears also frequently
eat corn that is planted in fields by
farmers. Bears get apples from feral
Programmable Timer
apple trees throughout the state, too. Drop 1# / Day
How is it possible to determine Lasts Up To 3 Weeks
if apples and corn that bears ate
were bait provided by hunters or Hanging Wire & Throw Line
were eaten in a farmers field or INCLUDED
from feral apple trees? With Metal Throwing Disc
For corn we will be able to
compare areas with and without
agriculture because we will know
where the bears were harvested,
DNR wildlife researcher Dean
Beyer responded. The Wisconsin
analysis looked at the proportion of
land cover in corn and the level of
bear damage to corn crops to assess www.outpostfeeder.com
the importance of that potential food
source. Apples are apples.n outpostfeeder@gmail.com
WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 37
 Top notch steelie action
One question I By late October salmon runs are
finished and most stream fishermen
constantly get from have made several trips to fill freez-
river fishermen is, ers or make canned salmon. Then,
When is the best like clockwork, Halloween rolls
around and the weather takes a dras-
month to fish for tic turn for the worst, days become
steelhead?

T
shorter, nights become colder and
heavy rain causes local waterways
he answer is simple, to swell. This is when fall steelhead
fall is the season and if make their major run from the Great
I had one time to catch Lakes into tributaries. Prime time is
piles of fish it would not October but November,
be November, starting around the first
no question. and lasting until ice up in
If you have not had the op- December. If I had to pick
portunity to take advantage an ideal date for top notch
of this world class trout steelie action it would be
fishery, you are missing out around the middle of the
on some fishing that is best month, when most sports-
described by one word men are hunting deer, riv-
fantastic! Heres why. ers are no longer crowded
with fishermen.
By Kenny Darwin
What hap-
pens every year Overnight,
in Michigan is the chrome steelies
changing season and fall rain brings rush rivers and streams and popular
spawning runs of chinook, coho holes that held a couple steelies in
and a few browns mixed in, start- early October suddenly become
ing in September and early October. choked with monster trout eager to

November steelies are mint silver, firm fleshed and fight like a
VALID TIL 12/31/2016
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VALID TIL 12/31/2016

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38 DECEMBER 2017 WNW NEWS
take any hook. superb physical condition with ideal ever, it has been my experience that
Fall steelies are much more ag- water temperatures and you can the hottest fishing comes when slate
gressive than any other time of year. count on impressive battles that are gray clouds brush the tree tops, cool
No one knows exactly why, but they absolutely impressive. The acrobat- rain pounds the river surface and in
will smash almost any presenta- ics of a fall chromer make most order to stay comfortable you need
tion and leap out of the water like other fish seem weak by compari- insulated waders, down jacket, and
a runaway tarpon. Ive watched son. warm expedition underwear.
schools of fish in the clear water of This is my favorite time of year There is much more to steel-
the lower Platte, where they congre- to chase mint-silver steelies. My heading than the solid jolt of a large
gate in deep, slow moving, gin clear strategy is simple, catch fish. I use trout on the end of your line. The
water. Toss out a spawn bag, let it spawn bags tied from fresh king aesthetics of river fishing revolves
drift in the current and steelies will salmon roe. Bright bags attract fish, around the perfection of Michigans
march several yards and gulp the try veil colored red, orange, pink, many trout streams with pristine
offering like they are starving for chartreuse, yellow and white. Make water and abundant natural resourc-
food. Come fall, nine out of ten are them somewhat large, using 5-10 es. Steelhead rivers are attractive
willing to strike and when you set king eggs per bag. Dangle the offer- because the moving water enhances
the hook they go absolutely berserk; ing off a size #4 Mustad hook using artistic excellence by reflecting light
they fight harder than any other time 8 pound fluorocarbon leader and and complementing the charm-
of year; jump like tarpon, burn line 10 pound main line. The trick is to ing outdoor environment around
off your reel and endlessly bulldog keep fishing, cover plenty of water, them. Steelie rivers always give off
before being beached or net. and spend only a few minutes in an appealing fragrance; the sweet
Fall fish simply fight twice as any given location. The more water smell of freshwater is very refresh-
hard as spring fish. Most impor- you cover the more fish you catch ing, somewhat therapeutic. And the
tantly, they love to break water, time and eventually you will hit on the sound of the rushing water is like
and again. There are few spectacles mother lode. music composed in the heavens, it is
in nature more exciting than the Fall steelies are aggressive and enchanting and remarkably sooth-
acrobatics of a hooked steelie. Their will chase and smack an offering. ing. But when the sudden jerk on the
unbelievable antics are highlighted Work each location thoroughly end of your line signals a strike and David Dietrich holds trophy Elk
by head-to-tail switching leaps, rat- but dont spend all day standing in you set the hook the awesome spec- Rapids steelie that gulped a pink
tling of gills, the resounding splash one spot. Fall steelies are often in tacle of a giant trout going airborne spawn bag dangled 5 feet below a
as they crash back into the water, schools and it is not uncommon to is simply fantastic.n custom made Danny Hale bobber.
leaving a halo of water in a minia- catch several fish from the same
ture rainbow, only to sprint out line hole.
at a miraculous speed, and blast Fall fishing is very productive,
from the water again like a run- when schools have arrived, if not,
away Polaris missile, leaving your move downstream or try another
knees shaking and heart pounding. river in search of a big migration.
A steelie in mid-air is heaven sent, a Michigans larger rivers host big
beautiful sight. It is the highlight of runs each fall. Top spots include:
any outing, an unbelievable spec- St. Joseph, Kalamazoo, Grand, Mus-
tacle of a gorgeous fish, the sublime kegon, White, Pere Marquette, Big
grandeur of their energized acrobatic Manistee, AuSable, Betsie, Platte
ability, an exciting display of their and many more.
radiant brilliance and silvery flanks. The most important variable in
Just one spectacular jump from a the equation is timing. Fishermen
fall fish will give new meaning to have learned to time outings im-
the attractiveness of wild fish in mediately following rain, to take ad-
wild places. vantage of the increased flow which
Part of the reason fall steelies draws maximum numbers of fresh
are so energetic is they are mint fish. Concentrate your efforts on
silver, white bellied, firm fleshed, late November. Warm weather may
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 Matriarch of
the Uhlir fami-
ly, Elaine was
given a shoul-
der mount of
the largest
deer she has
ever shot on
the ranch as a
gift from the
rest of the
family.
Pictured from
(L to R)
Abbey, Ethan,
Elaine, Brian,
Brock, Carla
and Darin.
Elaine shot
the buck dur-
ing rifle sea-
son with her
sons at her
side.

Creating a legacy, for the right reasons

O
ne of the nice parts of
my job is traveling and
meeting people. People
who share my interest in
the outdoors. In early November I
was introduced to the Uhlir fam-
ily and Id like to tell you a little
more about them.
As much as brothers Brian
and Darin Uhlir are different they
are remarkably alike. Darin is
excitable and determined, Brain is
more methodical and calculating.
Together they make a great team.
Both love their family of
course, both have a passion and
respect for hunting, and an unde-
niable energy to pass on a legacy
for the land they grew up on,
Oakview Ranch.
Part of that legacy includes
the memory of their older brother
Kevin who died tragically in a car
accident in the late 90s. Kevin
ran the farm which consisted of
a few hundred cattle, cash crops,
alfalfa and a sawmill. He was an
expert marksman, hunter and a bit
of an entrepreneur. Kevin had a lot
of ideas, which included a guiding
service.
For brothers Darin and Brian
it only seemed fitting to honor
the memory of their brother by
continuing his work and preserv-
ing the ranchs long history and
traditions. They
and their family
have been doing
just that since
1999. And they
are very good at
it.
By Randy Jorgensen
Oakview Ranch...
Oakview Ranch, outside of
ONeill Nebraska is 2,500 acres
of whitetail country. The rolling
hills, abundant meadows, nearby
farmland and river bottoms make
perfect habitat for big whitetail
bucks. The seemingly endless
landscape of hilltops and valleys
are home not only to whitetails,
but mule deer, elk and a very
healthy population of wild turkey.
The deer are big bodied and most
sport impressive racks. Its clearly
a hunters paradise.
The deer are not pressured
as they are here in Michigan and
in most cases dont look up, if
they do, they lose interest soon.
The buck to doe ratio is in bal-
ance which makes hunting the rut
exciting. It was also fun because Michigan hunter Joe Seaman scored on this nice Nebraska
rattling and grunting are great buck on the very first day. It was Joes fifth Oakview hunt.
whitetail tools during the hunt.
Whitetails actually do what become a long standing tradition right reasons, he went on to say.
they are supposed to do, said one for the Michigan hunters. They Both brothers have good jobs,
hunter. make the trek to northeast Nebras- they dont guide for the money,
ka every other year and are mak- they do it because they have a pas-
Walking the walk... ing plans again as you read this. sion for it, they do it for their chil-
It was a pleasure to watch And why not, the opportunity to dren and the continued well-being
the two brothers in action as they arrow a big whitetail is excellent, of the ranch. Theres no need to
treated a group of Michigan hunt- I dare say as good as any whitetail call and ask if you can book a
ers to some fantastic whitetail woods anywhere. hunt, they have all the clients they
archery hunting and hospitality on I soon realized the Uhlir fam- want for now.
their beloved ranch. ily walks, talks, sleeps and eats an
Myself, son (Keil), brother-in- outdoor lifestyle that was conta- Outdoor lifestyle...
law (Tom Campbell) and Aaron gious. The entire Uhlir family
Woodruff were lucky enough to I think Aldo Leopold once embraces an outdoor lifestyle as
be invited for the first time this said, We are stewards of the land I mentioned. And they encourage
year. Norm Neilsen, Gary Neilsen, and if you take care of it, it will a sense of outdoor adventure and
Nate Neilsen and Joe Seaman take care of you, Darin told me curiosity with their children. They
have a little over a decade or more as we drove down the dusty dirt teach respect and honor of the
experience on the ranch. It has roads after a long days hunt. game they hunt. They teach safety
For my brother and me, at
the end of the day this ranch is
about doing the right thing for the Legacy page 42

40 DECEMBER 2017 WNW NEWS

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Legacy:
from page 40
and challenge their children to push
themselves physically, and spiritu-
ally. The children all understand
their place in the food chain.
Its hard work guiding other
hunters. There is the exhaustion of
setting tree stands, trail cameras and
ground blinds. The long hours of
cutting shooting lanes and endless
hours glassing ravines and hillsides
hoping to get a better idea of the
whitetails movement and patterns.
Its preparing food for a dozen
or more and getting them out before
first light and back to camp after a
long days stand sit. Yes, the Uhlir
family understands well the work it
requires to run a successful camp.
They understand its not all fun and
games.
Trail cam and names...
Although fun is an important
ingredient in hunting camp life and
the family are masters at it. Perhaps
they learned it from their mother
Elaine who often sat with the
hunters, laughed, joked and shared
stories of the ranch and area. names, like Middle Earth, Butta-
Long before you arrive Brian starts
sending trail cam photos of bucks
at different stand locations to your
The New
Call for prices and availability 810-656-0153
LIMITED HUNTS AVAILABLE FOR 2017 SEASON!
42 DECEMBER 2017 WNW NEWS
Keil
Jorgensen
put his time
in to get
this dandy
10-point Ne-
braska buck
on the last
day, just min-
utes before
dark.
phone. The photos not only get your
heart racing, it creates a high level
of anticipation allowing you to think
one of those bucks just might cross
your path.
Brian and Darin begin
giving the photographed bucks
names like, Goliath, Infinity,
Ghost, Son of Ghost, Chubby,
Fat Boy and Turkey Toe. And
the stands themselves also get
Butt, Rubber Boots, Hot Tub,
Grandmas Chair, Graveyard and
Tombstone. Again a brilliant way
Lost Arrow
Hunting Preserve
936 acres
True hunting experience
Hunts available for all budgets
to keep the hunt fun, exciting and
upbeat.
It also helps knowing a trophy
buck might walk out anytime dur-
ing the hunt, sitting for up to five
days in stand from daylight to dark,
facing a strong, cold north wind
is not easy. Anything to lift your
spirit when you have a slow day is
encouraging.
Some sat and passed on bucks
others wouldnt. Some shot bucks
others wouldnt. In total after five
days and eight hunters in camp, five
bucks were taken.
Gladwin, Michigan
(2 hours north of Detroit)
Above and beyond...
The respect Darin and Brian teach
their children is not just talk, both
will go above and beyond to honor
the animals on their ranch. They will
stop at nothing and do everything
they can to recover a wounded ani-
mal.
I unfortunately made a poor shot
on a nice 8-pointer. Darin, Brian
and fellow guide and friend, Shawn
Killian tracked the buck on what
sometimes was just blood specks.
Shawn is one of those outdoors-
man that could catch fish out of
a mud puddle and track deer by
smell alone. The buck was fatally
wounded, however it was going to
take time, the call was made to leave
the buck overnight and return in the
morning. They didnt want to stop
before recovery, but there was no
other choice.
Lets hope we get to him in the
morning before the coyotes do, its
about 50/50, Brian told me.
As was feared, the coyotes got
to the buck before we did. I was sick
and saddened. And disappointed
with myself.
All three, Darin, Brian and
Shawn worked so very hard to
recover that buck. I respected their
efforts and appreciated the respect
they had for the wounded animal.
I hope Im able to hunt with
these fine people again. n
 Be ready for first ice this year!
W
e are due for a real
winter again here
in Michigan. I
know what youre
thinking about that
statement, but for all who are true
ice fanatics, we know if we get what
winter usually brings us first ice can
be the best fishing of the season. As
I watch for all those signs which
weekend to harvest a limit of blue-
gills. Thats why on our lake the ice
anglers really have more impact on
the panfish than summer anglers.
Why is first ice so good?
We need to look at available
food sources and metabolism. Most
of the bait spawned in the spring has
now grown to a size that is not only
reaching a point of being too large
waypoints when ice is thick. It is
magical. I can run to three different
weed beds, drill holes quickly and
check immediately with my flasher
to see if it is worth setting up on. It
cuts hours off the search and find
portion of the day. Quite frankly, I
dont usually get to my third spot as
I am in a good bite by the second set
of holes, but the reason it is im-

indicate what kind of winter may
be on the way, every long-range
forecast as well as Mother Natures
own signals indicate we return to
winter this year. If we can get some
sustained cold to lock our lakes up
before heavy snow blankets things
we could be in for an outstanding
hard-water season.
The last two years of marginally
consistent ice conditions has greatly
reduced the overall harvest of pan-
fish that normally would be caught
during a usual winter in Michigan.
That means more numbers of big-
ger fish in the system. That is good
news for you and me. Ive noticed
on my lake the overall size of gills
and crappies is very good as I do
take a limit or two in September.
But I am one of the few who do
that. Throughout the summer season
there are very few that go out every
for bluegills to eat, but these bigger
fry are now eating much of the same
available food the mature bluegills
are eating. That competition utilizes
a sizeable portion of the available
food. While sustained cold certainly
has an impact on fish metabolism,
many times during first ice fish are
still feeding voraciously and since
there isnt an overabundance of food
in the system, we can experience
non-stop action.
Areas to target include many of
the same spots anglers may have
fished a month after the spawn.
Weed beds are still some of the
highest percentage areas in the sys-
tem as they havent completely died
out yet. Panfish use them for cover
from predators and they hold food
for gills, crappie and perch. I mark
these weed edges on my sonar dur-
ing the summer, so I can use those
portant to have several locations is
usually the ever-present marauding
pike. They can clear out a school of
gills in a hurry. I also have a couple
go-to spots that include underwater
shoals that provide structure for
feeding gills, and often I may move
out from these breaks over deeper
water to fish for big suspended crap-
pie.
Baits to use on first ice. I really
like the new tungsten ice jigs. Tung-
sten drops to the bottom twice as
quickly as most other ice jigs. It al-
lows the angler to have less tangles
in the line while dropping down and
it really allows me to fish as effi-
ciently with one rod as I used to fish
with two. Many companies produce
them now and I prefer ice jigs that
imitate insects. That means a little
hair is tied into the jig which gives
the bait additional action under
By Mark Sak
water. I prefer mousies on the busi-
ness end over wax worms. Mousies
are tougher for fish pull off the hook
and steal. I often will catch walleye
and largemouth as well through the
first ice period as most species are
looking for a quick meal.
Remember safety is imperative
all year long but especially during
first ice. Ice often doesnt freeze
an entire bay early in the season
so there may be several different
thicknesses of ice. Springs can also
make first ice treacherous. Use a
heavy spud to punch at the ice as
you check it and wear a life jacket
or a floating ice suit which several
companies are now producing. Al-
ways fish with a friend. Ill see you
on the ice this year.n

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WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 43
The One-Shot Deer Hunt
I
n Michigan, we late hunt from the regular
have a one-shot firearm deer season. The
deer hunt every muzzleloaders taken to the
year, in Decem- woods in December were
ber. It is, of once rather primitive and
course the muz- weapons of limited range.
zleloader season. It seems The muzzleloaders now
important to recognize that on the market are anything
the one-shot limit is about but primitive and they can
the only thing that
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take advantage of another firearm The Bedding Area Stalk deer that are scrambling for cover, a productive in the evening than at
deer season, some cling to the past Another way to get deer mov- shotgun or a rifle with open sights is dawn.
and enjoy hunting with their rustic ing in a controlled fashion is to a good choice. The muzzleloader deer season
arms. sneak through bedding areas on a runs from December 1st through
December Hunting solo basis. If there is snow on the Take a Stand at Dusk the 10th in the U.P. and the northern
ground or if the woods are wet and Stand hunting is not going to be L.P. and from December 1st through
What can one expect to find, in the 17th in the balance of the state,
December, for deer hunting? For windy, a careful hunter can get close fruitful for most of the day, but the
enough to bedded deer for a shot. deer are hungry and anxious to get providing the hunters is the southern
one thing, there will be a lot fewer part of the state more time to deal
deer. Many of the bucks will now Be prepared to have six deer stand going late in the day. Taking a stand
up when you get too close to the late in the day can be productive as with their more abundant deer.
reside in someones freezer. If you
one you have seen and are stalking the deer move from bedding areas The muzzleloader season is still
planned ahead and saved your
antlerless tag for the muzzleloader and be equipped for a quick shot. toward feeding spots. In December, a challenge, even if you use the
season, you will have a much easier Since many of the shots will be at stand hunting seems much more most modern of one-shot rifles.n
task in putting some venison in your
freezer. If you are set on taking a
buck in December, be prepared to
hunt long and hard. The deer that
remain will have had no time at all
to get over the shock of the firearm
season and they will still be spooky
and reclusive. Mature bucks are
likely to be almost totally noctur-
nal, if they have felt the pressure of
the regular season. There are a few
special tactics, however, that will
help your hunting and improve your
chances for putting some venison on
CROSSBOWS
the table.
Explore Heavy Cover
If you have the opportunity, get
way back off the road and try to
explore some cover that hasnt been
hunted. If you can find even twenty
acres that hasnt been tromped
by the army in orange, you might
find some deer that are prepared to
act normally and even pursue the
rut. There will still be some does
that havent been bred yearlings,
mostly, and even some fawns of
the year will be bred in December.
Look for fresh scrapes and be alert
for bucks chasing does. Try ventur-
ing into that swamp adjacent to your
VISIT YOUR LOCAL AUTHORIZED
usual hunting territory. Some nice
bucks will retreat to heavy cover at
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WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 45
 By John Bergsma
Late Fall
Fishing
Hot spots
Southeast Michigan
The fall means one thing to me,
big fish. November and December
in Michigan are great times to get on
the water. It can be your best time
of the year for a trophy catch with
minimal boat traffic. My favorite ac-
tivities are chasing trophy muskies
and walleyes.
Fall muskie fishing on Lake St.
Clair consists of trolling monster
crank baits, casting pounders and
medusas, and jigging Bondy Baits
in the Detroit river. I concentrate on
the river mouths and large underwa-
ter peninsulas. Remember, most of
the weeds are dead so water color
will help locate the fish. Find that
good off colored water with sev-
eral feet of visibility.
If walleyes are your thing, my
favorite locations are the Detroit
with your host
n B e r g sm a
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Destinations Fishing Reports
Our Show Cooks Corner
46 DECEMBER 2017 WNW NEWS
River and the St. Clair River where
its all about vertical jigging. The
rivers are loaded with bait, so natu-
ral colored baits are a good starting
point. The big key here is to stay
vertical. It cannot be overstressed,
if your jig blows out or gets away
from you, you simply will not catch
very many fish. Boat control is the
key. One tip is to always face the
wind, this gives you better control of
speed and direction. My tip for this
season is the stretch of river from
Port Huron to Algonac, it can be the
best walleye fishing in the state dur-
ing the late fall!
Saginaw Bay area
Late fall on Saginaw Bay means
it's time to get the stickbaits out
and start trolling. My spread in-
cludes Strike King Banana Shads,
Smithwick Perfect 10s and Top 20s, There is a reason Lake Erie is called The Walleye Capital of the World.
Rapala DHJ-12s, Reef Runner 800s
and Bandits. Make sure you get
your speeds down, usually 0.8 to 1.5
mph. Drive around and find bait and
suspended fish, then start trolling.
The fish will come shallow as the
water cools down.
A visit to Franks Great Outdoors
in Linwood is a great place to get
some basic locations for the fish. I
typically fish out of the launch at
Linwood Beach marina, and fish
that general shoreline in 12-24 feet
of water. Perch will begin to move
toward the shallows, and also into
the many marinas that are along
the shorelines of Saginaw Bay. Not
every marina has fish all of the
time but they will move in and out
randomly as they cruise the shal-
lows and shorelines in search of
minnows. Don't be afraid to move
around until you find the active
fish. Don't put the boats away yet!
Looking for a great fall adventure?
Captain Eric Long at Long Line
Charters 248-343-8863 www.char-
tergreatlakes.com
Lake Erie and the
Shores and Islands Area
Fall walleye fishing on Lake
Erie is the reason that it is called
The Walleye Capital of the World.
November and December, from
Lorain to Port Clinton, can produce
not only numbers of walleye but
also give you the opportunity to
catch a fish of a lifetime. A 12 to 14
pounder is realistic in these areas
this time of year. Whether youre
fishing during the day or night, troll-
ing crankbaits high and low in the
water column can get you the results
you are looking for.
During the day, trolling 2 to 5
miles offshore in water depths from
20 to 45 feet is a good place to start.
Using your electronics to find active
fish feeding on bait is very impor-
tant. You do not want to waste time
trolling unproductive waters. Once Perch will begin to move toward the shallows, and also into the
you find the area to fish, deploying many marinas that are along the shorelines of Saginaw Bay.
the right lures at the right depths
will allow you to start putting fish in try to go as fast as you can go and Ripsticks high up in the water col-
the boat. Crankbaits such as Strike still catch fish. Speed can be as slow umn above the fish is key. Using the
King Banana Shads, Perfect Tens, as 1.0 mph up to as fast 2.0 mph de- same Offshore planer boards with
Bandits, Reef Runners, Flicker pending on water temperature. Color an attached glow stick so you can
Minnows, and Husky Jerks are all can drive you crazy at times, but a see when you get a strike is essen-
great crankbaits to use. Set your good rule of thumb is the cleaner the tial. Speed again is 1.0 to 2.0 mph
baits in the water column just above water the more natural the color and depending on water temperature.
where your most active fish are. the dirtier the water the more your Casting from shore or piers using
Make sure you know how deep oranges and chartreuses come into KVD jerk baits is also an effective
the crankbait is getting. Using the play. presentation.
Precision Trolling app can help you At night, trolling the same ports Lake Erie is truly the walleye
determine how much line to let out along the shoreline from water capital of the world. If you ever
to achieve the correct depth. Using depths of 4 to 20 feet are the best want to get in on this great walleye
Offshore Planer boards is essential areas to fish for active walleyes. fishing, feel free to look up my good
to achieve a good lure spread and The walleyes come into these areas friend Capt. Gary Zart at: Bluedol-
presentation. to feed on baitfish. Use your elec- phinwalleye.com Keep up on the
Speed is also important. The tronics to find active pods of fish current fishing reports for this area
colder the water the slower the feeding on shad. Using Perfect Tens, by following Garys reports at:
speed. Experiment with speed and Shallow Bandits, Husky Jerks and www.fishermansdigest.com.n
WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 47
 Pure Magic: A boy and his gun
T
he deer appeared
from nowhere as they
often do when you are
mentally balancing the
checkbook or thinking
about what to fix for
breakfast. Whispering to my ad-
opted son, Daniel, sitting next to me
and scanning a different part of the
woods, I said, Theres a
doe 50 yards in front of me.
Shes heading our way.
Dad, thats a buck!
Daniel hissed.
Youre right. Dont
move! Let it come closer.
It was early Sunday
morning during the Youth
Liberty Hunt last Septem-
MICHIGAN MEANDERS
ber. Daniel,
who would
turn 12 in a
couple days, By Tom Huggler
had passed
Hunter Safety Certification class
earlier in the spring. Today was his
first real hunt.
Spotting what it might have
thought was a pair of strange-look-
ing pumpkins, the buck froze and
48 DECEMBER 2017 WNW NEWS
dared us to move. We didnt and the
minutes slowly ticked bythree,
four, five. The buck flicked his tail
and stomped a foot. Satisfied we
posed no threat, he lowered his
head and resumed strolling our way.
When he disappeared behind a mas-
sive wild cherry, I told Daniel to get
on his knees and take his best shot.
I didnt have to remind him
that would be a slug to the
neck.
The buck stepped from
behind the tree, tensed and
scrutinized us once more.
Daniel fired and the animal
folded as though jerked to
earth. The 20 gauge slug
had hit the five-pointer
square in the
face.
Sorry,
Dad, Daniel
said a moment
later. I aimed for the neck like you
told me to, but I guess I missed.
Ha! I told him a lethal hit that
wastes no meat needs no apology.
And that a 35-yard shot from a The authors 12-year-old adopted son Daniel with his 5-point buck
beaded, smooth-barreled gunwas and the 20 gauge Stevens single shot he used. Author photos
solid proof of a real marksman.
Daniel beamed. Maybe theres
magic in my new gun, he laughed.
Yes, there is magic. The single-
shot Stevens is the same hammer-
less gun I had bought 60 years
earlier from a boyhood friend, when
we were about Daniels age. Brady
Borton had agreed to sell me the gun
for $6, but when his dad found out,
he upped the sale price to $9. It has
been in my family ever since.
I used that little gun to hunt
rabbits, pheasants and squirrels in
Genesee County where Brady and
I grew up. In time I upgraded to a
12 gauge Remington Wingmaster
pump, a gun I still own. Brian, my
other son who is now in his fifties,
relied on the 20-gauge single-shot
to kill his first duck, a green-winged
teal, when he was 14 along with
a ring-necked pheasant during an
Iowa hunt we shared. When Brian
went on to other pursuits, I put the
Stevens in the gun cabinet where it
stood idle for a few years.
Then, some 30 years ago, I gave
it to my nephew, also named Daniel
(Dan) for a Christmas present when
he was about 12. Nephew Dan shot
small game with this gun, along
with his first wild turkey. Now a
high school teacher and wrestling
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coach, Dan has two boys, both of
whom cut their teeth on that little 20
gauge.
Magic? Definitely.
One evening last summer my
phone rang. Dan was on the other
end.
Hey, Uncle Tom, its your
nephew, Dan. Remember that
20-gauge shotgun you gave me for
Christmas when I was a kid?
Sure do.
How would you like it back for
Daniel to use? You know, keep it in
the family that way.
What a great idea! Thanks for
thinking of us.
On the eve of the Youth Liberty
Hunt, I drove to Lapeer County,
where Dan lives, and picked up the
gun I hadnt seen for three decades.
It was in great shape, thanks to my
nephews care. Turning it over and
over, I recalled the day I bought it
from Brady and, with a twinge to The authors nephew Dan Huggler, with the gun he gave him for
the heart, thought about the eulogy Christmas about 30 years ago, to hunt small game and turkeys.
I gave for his family about 15 years
ago. coln used to kill his first wild turkey Gun and Knife Show in Gladwin a
Six boys. Sixty years. I can only as an eight-year-old Kentucky boy. couple weeks before Daniel shot his
hope there are more chapters to this Did it, too, get passed along through five-point buck.
story. his family? But for me, and now my young
All guns, of course, have a his- The Stevens 20 gauge I bought son turned deer hunter, its priceless.
tory. I wonder, for example, what for $9 is now worth $135, accord- After all, how do you put a value on
became of the musket Abraham Lin- ing to a similar gun I saw at the magic?n
WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 49
 11th American Woodcock Symposium...
Part I: Leave the Hens?
A
crisp autumn after- For many species of game, hunt-
noon in Michigans ers are restricted or limited in the
Thumb: Four hunt- taking of females. They might be
ers walk in a line, able to do the same with woodcock.
crossing a patch of Thats one of the concepts presented
waist-high during the 11th American
brush that borders a corn- Woodcock Symposium held
field as the dogs scour the at the Ralph A. MacMul-
ground in front of them. Far lan Conference Center near
to the right, theres com- Roscommon recently.
motion, a blur launching Hosted by the MDNR,
itself into the sky, and the Ruffed Grouse Society,
wind-muted sound of Hen American Woodcock Soci-
Hen Hen! ety, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Miles away in a duck Service (USFWS), and
blind on Harsens
Island: One hunter By Tom Carney the Hal and Jean
Glassen Memo-
lowers his face rial Foundation, the
while another checks out four in- symposium attracted biologists from
coming ducks through his binocular. 20 states and five different coun-
Two Suzys on the right. Gotta let tries. Over a three-day period, they
em go. presented scientific papers covering
The following spring atop a hill the general topics of Population
populated by oak trees and over- Assessment, Habitat Dynamics,
looking a stream: A hunter holds Singing Ground Survey Evalu-
his thumping heart in check until ation and Management Tech-
a beard appears on the wild turkey niques. The final afternoon, open
slipping into view over his left to the public, featured a Special
shoulder. Session for Hunters and Woodcock

In a change from the traditional practice of determining the sex of a wood-

cock in hand by comparing the length of its bill to the width of a dollar
bill, retired USFWS biologist Frank Bowers, suggested hunters can make
more accurate guesses by marking the top of the dollar and measuring the
W W W. S L AY E R O U T D O O R P R O D U C T S . C O M woodcock bill across its length.Tailfeather Communications, LLC photo
5-SIDED HUNTING BLINDS Enthusiasts. Much of that final ses- of a woodcock before they shoot.
Outfitter Grade Hunting Blinds! sion focused on habitat management Some hunters quit hunting
and how both private landowners for the day if they shoot one or two
One Floor Plan, Two Window Options can get help from programs to man- females, Bowers said, and the
Modular Design Aluminum Frame age their land and the public can technique he described can help
get involved in public land habitat them decide whether or not to shoot
management. in the first place. Other factors that
In Can Woodcock Gender Be might play a role in a hunters deci-
Identified In Flight? Frank Bow- sion to employ this technique are if
ers, a retired USFWS biologist from they are hunting in areas saturated
Georgia, suggested that concerned with birds, and if they want to test
hunters can often determine the sex their ability to identify the sex of the

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in-flight bird.
Bowers further explained his
technique has the potential for long-
range positive impacts at the local
level, more likely with small, indi-
vidual coverts hunted over and over,
year after year. And he explained
the biggest threats to woodcock are
not hunters.
Al Stewart agreed and added
that studies have shown the chief
detriment to the woodcock popula-
tion is human expansion and the en-
suing destruction of habitat. Stewart,
Upland Game Bird Specialist for the
DNR, cautioned hunters that passing
up shots on females is not a cure-
all. It would probably not have a
significant impact on the woodcock
population he said. It would be more
of a voluntary restraint proposi-
tion rather than an exercise in solid,
smart scientific practice.
Now, to be sure, Bowers find-
ings are based on anecdotal records
rather than scientific experiments in
a controlled environment. Steward
cautioned, Its not scientifically
confirmed. Its a theory, a propos-
al. Nevertheless, to anyone who
enhances his autumn in pursuit of
the birds the technique does present
an interesting possibility and a real
challenge.
Bowers used a simple, clear
process to test his theory. During
Phase I over a 4-year period, hunt-
ing the lake states of Wisconsin,
Minnesota and Michigan as well as
Georgia, Louisiana and Alabama in
the Southeast, he would try to de-
termine the sex of birds he had shot
before picking them up and examin-
ing them. He based his estimates on
flush and flight behavior and body
size. He also tried to gauge the
length of the woodcocks bills, since
generally speaking the females bill
is longer than the males.
He was able to correctly predict
the gender of the birds he had shot
80 percent of the time. But remem-
ber, he was able to sit there and re-
play all aspects of the flush and the
shot before going over to examine
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the unmoving bird on the ground.
Things then changed drastically.
In Phase II, Bowers tried to make
the determinations in the amount of
time between the flush of the birds
and his pull on the trigger, which
is what hunters would have to do if
they didnt want to shoot any more
females. His accuracy dropped to 66
percent.
One of the problems: The
size of flushed birds could not be
determined within time to pull the
trigger. And, Bowers reminded his
audience, he has had over 40 years
experience woodcock hunting.
The length of the bill also cre-
ated a problem in identifying the sex
of the flushed birds. In fact, Bowers
offered an adjustment to hunters
time-honored method of determin-
ing the sex of a bagged woodcock.
Like many people, he carries a
dollar bill for this purpose. But he
says the traditional, if the bird bill
is longer than the dollar bill is wide,
its a female determiner isnt as
accurate as measuring the woodcock
bill along the length of the dollar
instead of the width. Heres why:
A dollar bill is 6.5 cm wide.
Ninety-five percent of the time a
woodcock bill longer than 7 cm
belongs to a female. But in that no
mans land of woodcock bills mea-
suring between 6.7 and 6.9 cm, the
bird can be either male or female.
Bowers puts two marks on the top
of his dollar bill, one at 6.7 cm and
the other at 6.9 and measures from
the end to or past the marks. That
helps him get a more accurate read-
ing of gender.
So, body size and bill length
cannot be effectively estimated in
a flush bird. What else can Bowers
use to determine the sex of the bird?
Flight behavior.
Hunters can voluntarily select
females by not shooting towering
birds, he said.
He found 60 percent of the time
birds that reach 10 feet in height
within 10 to 12 yards are females.
He called this behavior a tower
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Woodcock Books
Good Science was not the only offering on the menu at the 11th
American Woodcock Symposium held at the Ralph A. MacMullan
Conference Center near Roscommon recently. After a week of heavy
duty, technical papers on topics such as woodcock populations, habitat
dynamics and lessons from migrations and just in time for the drafting
of Christmas lists the talk turned to Good Books.
The after-dinner presentation was provided by Glen Blackwood,
owner of the fly shop/classic sporting literature store Great Lakes Fly
Fishing Co. in Rockford, Michigan, and classic books columnist for The
Upland Almanac magazine, and treated participants to a tour of the
Top 10 Timberdoodle Titles.
Informed by history, tradition, and to no small degree by his personal
opinions on the topic, Blackwood gave the audience a list of the best
woodcock books. He thought he could provide a better assessment by
keeping the technical books separate from the literary, so he provided his
top five in two categories, Biological & Instructional and Lyrical. And
to make matters more specific or worse for people whose favorites dont
appear here he included only books that were devoted 100 percent to
woodcock; no grouse and woodcock or general upland game birds
collections.
Heres what he came up with:
Biological & Instructional
1) Sheldon, William, The Book of the American Woodcock
2) Mendall and Aldous, The Ecology and Management of
the American Woodcock
3) Pettingill Jr., Olin, The American Woodcock
4) Smith, Steve, Woodcock Rising
5) Knight, John Alden, Woodcock
Lyrical
1) Davis, Edmund, Woodcock Shooting
2) de la Valdene, Guy, Making Game
3) Huggler, Tom A Fall of Woodcock
4) Countrysport Press, Come October
5) Evans, George Bird, The Woodcock Book
To reach Glen Blackwood: www.troutmoor.net, (616) 866-6060,
glffc@troutmoor.net.
By Tom Carney
flush. He also mentioned, Males bird size, to determine the gender
have a more horizontal flush with of birds in hand and his shooting
a faster wing beat. They dodge and prowess.
weave as they flush. Perhaps the biggest factor to
Thus, he found flush and flight recognize: The technique is not
behavior within the first 30 to 36 infallible.
feet to be an acceptable determiner It does, however, offer a new
for gender estimates. The greater wrinkle for woodcock hunters to
percentage of tower flushing birds is carry with them each autumn.
female. For an illustrated discussion of
Bowers mentioned several sexing and aging woodcock, check
factors that help govern a hunters out a publication from the Ruffed
success when trying to use his tech- Grouse Society, A Woodcock in the
nique. These include his ability to Hand (Revised), at www.upland-
see clearly in the habitat, to estimate store.org. Part II of this series will
height and distance, to estimate discuss woodcock migration.n
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WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 51
 Moose expert says Michigan
could have a limited hunt
M
oose expert Vince
Crichton from Win-
nipeg, Manitoba says
that having a limited
moose hunt in the
Upper Peninsula for
bulls only would not hurt the popula-
tion and such a hunt could generate
valuable research dollars, so more can
be learned about the regions moose
herd. Crichton also says that the U.P.s
increasing black bear population may
be responsible for limiting
growth of the U.P. moose
herd through predation on
calves.
Crichton was the lat-
est speaker in the Wildlife
Through Forestry series
sponsored by the DNR in an
effort to encourage private
landowners to seek profes-
By Richard P. Smtih
sional help to
manage their
property for
wildlife and other values. He gave a
presentation on moose at the River
Rocks Lanes and Banquet Center in
Ishpeming in mid-October.
Absolutely, you could have a
draw for 10 permits or 20 for bulls,
52 DECEMBER 2017 WNW NEWS
Crichton responded to a question about
having a limited hunt for bulls only in
the U.P. Or you could put 10 or 20
permits up for auction like they do for
wild sheep and use the dollars gener-
ated for specific moose projects. The
U.P. has essentially a closed system
for moose and you can get by with a
limited hunt.
Now, the issue you will face if
you give out or have a draw of some
sort for 10-20 permits, how will you
handle the request from Na-
tive Americans in the U.P.?
How many will they get and
how do you distribute them
amongst the various native
communities? This is an issue
that needs to be thoroughly
thought out.
In terms of the number of
bulls that the DNR currently
estimates are
part of the west
U.P. moose herd,
far more are present than are needed
for breeding purposes. The aerial
survey conducted last winter estimated
that there were 110 bulls for every
100 cows. In most areas where moose
hunts are held, Crichton said biologists
try to manage for 60 to 70 bulls per
100 cows.
At the present time, the moose herd
in the western U.P. is only surveyed
from the air during the winter every
other year. And the aerial survey
planned last winter was not completed
due to a warm spell during January
that melted much of the snow that
helps make moose visible from the
air. No other research is underway
to determine what factors may be re-
sponsible for the populations reduced
growth rate.
A Moose Advisory Council was
established during 2011 to study the
feasibility of having a moose hunt in
the U.P. That council recommended
that a hunt should only be held as long
as the moose herd increased by at least
3 percent per year. The growth rate of
a moose population isnt as critical,
however, when only bulls are targeted
during a hunt and the herd includes
such a high number of bulls. Such a
hunt would not impact cows, which
are the most important segment of the
herd in terms of reproductive potential.
During Crichtons presentation,
he said he would not recommend a
hunt of a moose herd that includes less
than 1,000 animals. When I made
that statement, I was referring to an
open season for any moose, including
cows, he clarified. For populations
in the 1,000 range, I would not be hav-
ing a cow season. It is possible to have
a carefully controlled hunt with less
than 1,000 moose when only bulls are
hunted.
Prior to 2013, the U.P. moose
population had been increasing on an
annual basis. The aerial survey con-
ducted during 2015 then showed the
herd may have declined. During 2012,
the number of bear licenses issued in
the U.P. declined by more than 30 per-
cent to allow bears to increase and the
number of bear licenses issued since
then declined even further. Is it pos-
sible that an increasing bear population
could have been partly responsible for
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fewer moose?
Yes, bear predation likely is hav-
ing an impact on the moose population
in the U.P., Crichton answered.
He used a study from Saskatch-
ewan to illustrate what impact black
bears can have on moose calf survival.
One year, 12 male black bears were
removed from a study area during May
and June when most moose calves
are born. Eleven of the 12 males were
large adults.
Moose calf survival was deter-
mined through aerial survey flights
the following December on the study
area and another location where no
bears were removed. There were 80
calves/100 cows in the study area
versus 40 in the control area. The fol-
lowing year during May and June, 26
black bears were removed from anoth-
er area. By December, the number of
calves was 87/100 cows where bears
had been removed and 39/100 cows
where bears had not been removed.
This Saskatchewan study clearly
shows that by removing only a small
number of large males there was a
significant positive impact on calf
survival, Crichton wrote.
Heres an idea auction off say
20 bull licenses and the dollars go to
a study on the impact of black bear
on moose calf survival. Collar some
adult cows, say 20, that are known to
be pregnant and then watch in spring
to see what happens to calves that are
born!
Moose populations are declining in
parts of North America such as Minne-
sota and some people have suggested
climate change might be responsible
for those declines.
I dont believe climate change is
impacting moose, Crichton told the
audience in Ishpeming. If climate
change is an issue, moose wouldnt be
increasing in Saskatchewan. The popu-
lation is booming in Saskatchewan,
even on the prairies.
In Minnesota, Dave Mech, who
is a wolf man working in Minnesota,
Hifivekennels.com
Hifivekennels@aol.com
Michigan - Georgia
wrote a paper saying that wolves are
responsible for the decline of moose
there. Brainworm and liver flukes
that moose get from deer may be a
more important cause for the decline
of moose in the northwest part of the
state. Moose populations are down
in parts of southern Manitoba due to
brainworm and liver flukes and over-
hunting.
Winter or moose ticks can have a
major impact on moose populations
like predation and parasites when
theres an outbreak, according to the
expert.
During 2002 we lost 40 percent
of our moose in Manitoba due to a late
spring and an outbreak of ticks, Vince
said. The average number of ticks
counted on bulls that year was 26,000,
39,000 on cows and 56,000 on calves.
One bull had 97,000 ticks on him.
When you get above 45,000 to 50,000
ticks on moose, its bad. An average
of 15,000 ticks per moose is common
during a light year.
Some organizations have peti-
tioned the US Fish & Wildlife Service
to list the northwestern subspecies of
moose as endangered due to recent
declines. When asked if he thought
that those moose should be listed as
endangered, Crichton said that he
didnt think they should be.
Crichton also shared with the
audience other facts of interest about
moose such as both bulls and cows
have light colored snouts during the
summer, but the snouts of adult bulls
darken during the rut from increased
testosterone levels. Both bulls and
cows have rope-like bells grow-
ing from their chins, but cows have
smaller bells. Vince said the ropes or
bells fall off during the winter.
When it comes to hooves, those
of bulls tend to be rounded and cows
have pointed hooves.
The peak of the moose breeding
season is during late September, ac-
cording to the Canadian moose expert.
The earliest he knows of a cow moose
being bred is August 21 and the latest
is November 21. He said most cows
breed when they are 2 -years-old
and have a single calf when 3- years-
old. Cows that are at least 6-years-old
are more likely to have twin calves.
Crichton said cows can have as many
as four calves. Moose exper t Vince Crichton.
The presence of mature bulls is
also critical for successful breed-
ing, according to Crichton. He said Management of the North American guished Moose Biologist Award by
the reason for this is that sperm from Moose. He is past editor, and cur- his peers. In September 2016, he was
mature bulls are most often properly rently associate editor, of ALCES: A co-chairman of the 50th North Ameri-
formed and better able to impregnate Journal Devoted to the Biology and can Moose Conference/8th Interna-
cows. The sperm of young bulls are Management of Moose. He is also a tional Moose Symposium in Brandon,
not properly formed, resulting in fewer member of editorial panels for various Manitoba. There, he was presented
pregnancies. other journals and is co-editor of The with a special award for his long-
Crichton worked for the Manitoba Moose Call newsletter. time contributions to North American
Wildlife and Ecosystem Protection Vince is past president of the moose conferences and international
Branch for 40 years, retiring in 2012. Manitoba Big Game Trophy As- symposia.
Many of those years he was involved sociation and is currently Canadian Anyone interested in getting pro-
with moose research and manage- vice president of the North American fessional advice about managing their
ment. The moose biologist has been Moose Foundation. He is a hunter, property for any species of wildlife, in-
published in various scientific jour- conservationist, university lecturer, cluding moose, can contact UP private
nals, popular magazines and he wrote guest speaker and amateur photog- land forester Gary Willis at the Baraga
two chapters in The Ecology and rapher. He was awarded the Distin- office (906-353-6651), ext. 112.n

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 Michigans trapping tradition, a
challenging, time-honored pursuit
By Bob Gwizdz MDNR
A
nyone who has spent founded as a fur-trading post, the first
much time in Michi- in Michigan, said Dale Hendershot, a
gan knows that 67-year-old retired diesel mechanic and
hunting and fishing past president of the Michigan Trappers and
have always played Predator Callers Association. Michigan
major roles in the trappers settled our state they were the
states heritage. first ones in here, paving the way for others
Michigan is, and has to come.
long been, known nationally for the quality Trappers have certainly played a big
of its outdoor recreation. role in Michigan history.
But one natural resources-based recre- Indeed, some say trapping was so im-
ation coterie, which garners very little atten- portant in pre-settlement times that Michi-
tion, is quick to point out that its members gan became known as the Wolverine State,
pastime is at least equally as important if even though its not certain that the fero-
not more so as anyone elses in Michigan cious creatures ever lived here. But wolver-
history: trappers. ine pelts certainly showed up in Michigan,
Trappers are the invisible men and which was the gateway to western U.S. and
women of outdoor recreation. You dont see Canadian trapping expeditions.
them in blaze orange or towing metal flake- Roughly 30,000 people buy fur har-
finished boats to the lake. But they are out vester licenses in Michigan every year,
there, often daily, participating in a pastime about half of whom are trappers. (The
that brought a lot of folks to this part of the other half are those who hunt furbearing
country in the first place. species, though some do both). Of those,
The city of Sault Ste. Marie was however, only about half participate in any
Beaver trapping on an April day with Richard and Cole Stowe in Presque Isle County. MDNR photos
54 DECEMBER 2017 WNW NEWS
Trapping is a cherished tradition in Michigan.
given year. In the most recent survey (2015)
conducted by the Michigan Department of
Natural Resources, only about 14,000 of
the 28,000 license buyers hunted or trapped
furbearers.
The DNR has been tracking the num-
bers of fur takers since the late 1950s, and
the number of participants has remained
relatively constant. The DNR lacks histori-
cal data, but it is assumed there were more
trappers in Michigan years ago, especially
during the Depression and before the wide-
spread use of synthetic fabrics for clothing.
Participation grows modestly when fur
prices are high and falls when they are not,
but the bulk of trappers will tell you theyre
not in it for the money anyway.
When prices are good, you can make a
little money trapping, but its nothing like it
used to be, said George Cullers, 78, a life-
long trapper and a past trappers association
president. Most people do it for a hobby
and the love it. I just love doing it when
Im out there trapping I dont feel any aches
or pains.
Im hoping I can do it another 10
years. Its excellent exercise. And after deer
season, I have the whole outside world to
myself. I hardly ever see another hunter or
trapper out there.
Because it was somewhat lucrative
in the past, trappers were often secretive
about their pastime, preferring to keep their
secrets to themselves.
Historically, trappers wanted pri-
vacy, said Adam Bump, the DNR Wildlife
Divisions furbearer specialist. It attracted
people who were more solitary. Trappers
wanted to fly under the radar.
But trapping is not well understood by
do that.
We do have a few young ones coming
on, but all of the outdoor sports are hurting
in that area its that little thing (cellphone)
they hold in their hand thats their whole
world. Id like to see more kids getting into
it, but weve got our work cut out for us.
Cullers, who still runs about 70 traps,
said his father was a trapper but was tight-
lipped about it, even with his own son. He
pretty much had to learn it on his own and
has done his best to pass his knowledge
along to his nephew and grandson.
Trapping, like other pastimes, has
evolved over the years. At one time, trap-
pers used only foot-hold traps. But over the
years other styles, such as body-gripping
traps and dog-proof paw traps, have come
into use. Cable restraints, which were legal-
ized in Michigan a number of years ago,
have become popular with some trappers
for coyotes and foxes.
The DNR regulates the use of various
types and styles of traps to minimize con-
flicts with other recreationists and prevent
problems.
There are a lot of options, and the
traps are a lot more selective, Bump said.
Back in the day, trappers would catch
whatever they could. Now theres a lot more
focus on catching what you want and avoid-
ing what you dont want. The regulations
allow trapping to occur while minimizing
the catch of non-target species and avoiding
the general public, Bump said, and thats
led to a new willingness on the part of trap-
pers to discuss their sport, something that
even some of the old-timers welcome.
We have a lot of trapper education
instructors, and a lot of our members will
go into schools and put programs on, to
introduce students to furbearers, Hender-
shot said. There are a lot of people who
misunderstand trapping. There are a lot of
people who believe all the things the antis
(anti-hunters) have to say that simply are
not true.
Cullers agrees.
Trappers should be willing teach the
young ones, he said. Thats our heritage.
And a lot of them are willing now; its not
as bad as it used to be. It should be your
responsibility to pass it along to the younger
people. I think its your duty as a trapper to A young girl is all smiles with her trapped muskrat catch at Holly State Recreation Area.
conflicts with other users.
Because of the increased complexity of
trapping with participants needing famil-
iarity with a variety of regulations, equip-
ment and techniques teaching tools like
Michigans trapper education program are
important.
Theres a vast misconception on trap-
ping in Michigan, Hendershot said. We
pushed for a trapper education program
because so many people didnt understand
it. We wanted people to know how to do it
properly, to teach them how to do it right
and give them the resources that if they
dont know what to do, where they can go
to learn.
Hendershot is convinced that trappers
are among the states most knowledgeable
sportsmen.
I enjoy matching wits with the
animals, he said. You have to figure out
where that animal is going to put its foot,
and youve got to put that pan (which trips
the traps) thats about an inch in diameter
right there to make it work. Thats the chal-
lenge. It forces you to learn the habits of the
animal.
I teach hunter education, and bow
hunter education, but I tell my students that
if they really want to get to be good, they
should learn how to trap. Its a whole differ-
ent ballgame.
For more information on trapping visit
www.michigan.gov/trapping.n
WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 55
 Michigans trapping tradition, a
challenging, time-honored pursuit
By Bob Gwizdz MDNR
A
nyone who has spent founded as a fur-trading post, the first
much time in Michi- in Michigan, said Dale Hendershot, a
gan knows that 67-year-old retired diesel mechanic and
hunting and fishing past president of the Michigan Trappers and
have always played Predator Callers Association. Michigan
major roles in the trappers settled our state they were the
states heritage. first ones in here, paving the way for others
Michigan is, and has to come.
long been, known nationally for the quality Trappers have certainly played a big
of its outdoor recreation. role in Michigan history.
But one natural resources-based recre- Indeed, some say trapping was so im-
ation coterie, which garners very little atten- portant in pre-settlement times that Michi-
tion, is quick to point out that its members gan became known as the Wolverine State,
pastime is at least equally as important if even though its not certain that the fero-
not more so as anyone elses in Michigan cious creatures ever lived here. But wolver-
history: trappers. ine pelts certainly showed up in Michigan,
Trappers are the invisible men and which was the gateway to western U.S. and
women of outdoor recreation. You dont see Canadian trapping expeditions.
them in blaze orange or towing metal flake- Roughly 30,000 people buy fur har-
finished boats to the lake. But they are out vester licenses in Michigan every year,
there, often daily, participating in a pastime about half of whom are trappers. (The
that brought a lot of folks to this part of the other half are those who hunt furbearing
country in the first place. species, though some do both). Of those,
The city of Sault Ste. Marie was however, only about half participate in any
Beaver trapping on an April day with Richard and Cole Stowe in Presque Isle County. MDNR photos
54 DECEMBER 2017 WNW NEWS
Trapping is a cherished tradition in Michigan.
given year. In the most recent survey (2015)
conducted by the Michigan Department of
Natural Resources, only about 14,000 of
the 28,000 license buyers hunted or trapped
furbearers.
The DNR has been tracking the num-
bers of fur takers since the late 1950s, and
the number of participants has remained
relatively constant. The DNR lacks histori-
cal data, but it is assumed there were more
trappers in Michigan years ago, especially
during the Depression and before the wide-
spread use of synthetic fabrics for clothing.
Participation grows modestly when fur
prices are high and falls when they are not,
but the bulk of trappers will tell you theyre
not in it for the money anyway.
When prices are good, you can make a
little money trapping, but its nothing like it
used to be, said George Cullers, 78, a life-
long trapper and a past trappers association
president. Most people do it for a hobby
and the love it. I just love doing it when
Im out there trapping I dont feel any aches
or pains.
Im hoping I can do it another 10
years. Its excellent exercise. And after deer
season, I have the whole outside world to
myself. I hardly ever see another hunter or
trapper out there.
Because it was somewhat lucrative
in the past, trappers were often secretive
about their pastime, preferring to keep their
secrets to themselves.
Historically, trappers wanted pri-
vacy, said Adam Bump, the DNR Wildlife
Divisions furbearer specialist. It attracted
people who were more solitary. Trappers
wanted to fly under the radar.
But trapping is not well understood by
do that.
We do have a few young ones coming
on, but all of the outdoor sports are hurting
in that area its that little thing (cellphone)
they hold in their hand thats their whole
world. Id like to see more kids getting into
it, but weve got our work cut out for us.
Cullers, who still runs about 70 traps,
said his father was a trapper but was tight-
lipped about it, even with his own son. He
pretty much had to learn it on his own and
has done his best to pass his knowledge
along to his nephew and grandson.
Trapping, like other pastimes, has
evolved over the years. At one time, trap-
pers used only foot-hold traps. But over the
years other styles, such as body-gripping
traps and dog-proof paw traps, have come
into use. Cable restraints, which were legal-
ized in Michigan a number of years ago,
have become popular with some trappers
for coyotes and foxes.
The DNR regulates the use of various
types and styles of traps to minimize con-
flicts with other recreationists and prevent
problems.
There are a lot of options, and the
traps are a lot more selective, Bump said.
Back in the day, trappers would catch
whatever they could. Now theres a lot more
focus on catching what you want and avoid-
ing what you dont want. The regulations
allow trapping to occur while minimizing
the catch of non-target species and avoiding
the general public, Bump said, and thats
led to a new willingness on the part of trap-
pers to discuss their sport, something that
even some of the old-timers welcome.
We have a lot of trapper education
instructors, and a lot of our members will
go into schools and put programs on, to
introduce students to furbearers, Hender-
shot said. There are a lot of people who
misunderstand trapping. There are a lot of
people who believe all the things the antis
(anti-hunters) have to say that simply are
not true.
Cullers agrees.
Trappers should be willing teach the
young ones, he said. Thats our heritage.
And a lot of them are willing now; its not
as bad as it used to be. It should be your
responsibility to pass it along to the younger
people. I think its your duty as a trapper to A young girl is all smiles with her trapped muskrat catch at Holly State Recreation Area.
conflicts with other users.
Because of the increased complexity of
trapping with participants needing famil-
iarity with a variety of regulations, equip-
ment and techniques teaching tools like
Michigans trapper education program are
important.
Theres a vast misconception on trap-
ping in Michigan, Hendershot said. We
pushed for a trapper education program
because so many people didnt understand
it. We wanted people to know how to do it
properly, to teach them how to do it right
and give them the resources that if they
dont know what to do, where they can go
to learn.
Hendershot is convinced that trappers
are among the states most knowledgeable
sportsmen.
I enjoy matching wits with the
animals, he said. You have to figure out
where that animal is going to put its foot,
and youve got to put that pan (which trips
the traps) thats about an inch in diameter
right there to make it work. Thats the chal-
lenge. It forces you to learn the habits of the
animal.
I teach hunter education, and bow
hunter education, but I tell my students that
if they really want to get to be good, they
should learn how to trap. Its a whole differ-
ent ballgame.
For more information on trapping visit
www.michigan.gov/trapping.n
WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 55
 Boat Smart...
Nautical gift list
I
ts time for gift shopping
for the boat. Where you
use it; in fresh water or
salt, when it is used, sum-
mer, winter or year round,
must all be considered.
No matter what the size of the
boat, fenders or bumpers
are needed. If the ones
on board are worn and
stained, they have done
their job its time to retire
them. Look for the new,
color matching styles that
will dress up the boats ap-
pearance.
If the boater youre
gifting is a fish-
By Capt. Fred Davis
erman, charter
captain, scuba
diver, skier, tuber or one who just
anchors offshore to take a dip a
good, waterproof chronograph is
a great gift. One with adjustable
alarms, timers, and day and date
month calendar readouts provides
many needs with just a glance. Note
the depth limit for waterproof, it
varies.
Jewelry for a nautical person
on your list can be found in many
presentations. Chains with anchors
or various fish can be designed
by jewelry craftsmen. Matching
earrings and bracelets provide gift
options for future years.
You may have to plan in
advance for this choice.
On the practical side,
a waterproof jacket with
zip-out lining may be
welcome. Custom designed
with the boats name is a
choice or just color coordi-
nated to match the boat.
Dock
lines may
seem a boring
gift but if the old ones are frayed
and stiff they may be very wel-
comed. When purchasing mooring
lines, determine the diameter to fit
the cleats and choose braided ones,
they last forever. Once again, try to
color-match to the trim for a great
accent.
Fenders come in all sizes, shapes and colors and make for a BIG
gift under the tree. Author photo
For your techie boater there
are a myriad of choices. Be pre-
pared with a receipt for your
purchase however because some of
them are very particular to the user.
A GPS (global positioning system)
unit can range from a simple hand-
held to a dash mounted, complex
system incorporating many func-
tions. Remarkably, smaller units
may not offer as much information
but can be just as accurate in deter-
mining position.
If your gift recipient is a
long range cruiser or adventure
sailor, a great gift would be a set
of charts for the area they plan to
cruise. Although they are available
digitally, paper charts may also be
helpful. They are inexpensive and
usually waterproof and tear resis-
tant. Include charting tools; such
as plotters and protractors plus a
waterproof container for storage.
An item boaters just dont
think to buy for themselves is
foul-weather gear. Those who
have an open boat or large
fishing area would really
appreciate this gift.
If you cant come up with the
perfect gift, invite your boater to
visit their favorite marine store with
you and let them pick one out.n

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 ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH:
An outdoor safety and first aid adventure
The wild requires that
we learn the terrain,
nod to all the plants and
animals and birds, ford
the streams and cross the
ridges, and tell a good
story when we get back
home. Gary Snyder in
outing, including a single-mindedly
driven day in the woods in an at-
tempt to quest your insatiable thirst
for a monster buck to set the stage
for bragging rights with your bud-
dies.
But this months ramble is not
really about your deer hunt; its

E
The Practice of the Wild
very journey starts
before the trek. At least
thats the way it should
be. A bit of knowledge
and pre-plan-
ning does more
than increase the chances
of a good outdoor adven-
ture, it sharply decreases
the chances of waking up in
an emergency room, com-
ing home in a body bag, or
perhaps making a missing
By Jonathan Schechter
persons
list and not
being found
until next spring when mushroom
hunters find vultures tearing on your
decomposing remains.
Fundamental rules of outdoor
safety and first aid should apply to
more than a bushwhacking trek in
the Upper Peninsula, a deer hunt
on the splendid isolation of North
Manitou Island, or an overseas
expedition along less than friendly
borders. It should apply to every
No Electricity? Keep Your Food Cold!
about my week long Rocky Moun-
tain High adventure last month with
friends and associates from our
National Park Service. Some of the
lessons learned were from my Day
2 training with the Rocky Mountain
National Park Search and
Rescue team. Practical ap-
plications followed quickly
on hiking adventures with
other rangers.
The ancient snow-
capped mountains of
Rocky Mountain National
Park are so damn attractive
they attract
many po-
tential vic-
tims. Some visitors become victims
and never go home, perhaps due to
their lack of respect for the moun-
tains, inexperience in the wilds,
fatigue, or a bit of alcohol at eleva-
tion. Photographers pay the price
too with an understandable but fool-
hardy obsession to get to the edge
of an 800 foot cliff, or come close
to a bull elk to capture that perfect
photo in the perfect light. And then
there are the folks that take rapidly
changing weather, lightning, wind
and even gravity for granted. They
drive to a trailhead, and start to hike.
They pay the price. Some die.
I met rangers that shared their
recovery tales of mashed, mangled
and gnawed bodies, and discovered
there was often a common factor
in those that were carried out in
body bags. They often took short
cuts both in planning their adven-
ture, and once on the move they
took short cuts on trails. Some of
those trail short cuts led to unwise
descents, and facts on the ground
hinted that trying to dig for their
new exact location from a tired and
foggy brain just did not work. Oh
you have a GPS unit you say? Well
guess what? GPS units do not show
changing trail hazards, icy rocks,
rising flood waters, or warn of bear
activity, nor do they disclose the
location of a bull elk that does not
want you anywhere near his harem
and habitat. And GPS does not pack
equipment for an unexpected night
out, or teach you what to do if the
trail just ends at a massive rockslide.
The National Park Service cannot
always protect you from the park,
any more than rangers can always
protect the parklands from the ac-
tions of people. That fact spins over
to Michigan for Isle Royale National
Park, Sleeping Bear Dunes and Pic-
ture Rocks National Lakeshores, and
treks on our more challenging trails
including the North Country Trail.
Personal responsibility, prepared-
ness, and knowledge of equipment,
coupled with situational awareness
and common sense goes a very long
way in not become a statistic and
having a good tale to share when
back home, no matter where you

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58 DECEMBER 2017 WNW NEWS

hike, hunt, explore or camp.
Its basically back to the basics
(something we often forget) whether
its a local trek in Michigan or an
adventure at altitude in the moun-
tains, or anywhere else on Planet
Earth. Plan first and then do it. Its
been that way for a very long time.
Ask for the ancient paths where the
good way is; and walk in it and find
rest for your soul. Jeremiah 6:16
So back to the Rocky Moun-
tains tale. I prepared for medical
and physicals hazards and had a
hell of a good time. I read a lot
before I left and had an idea of the
challenges and opportunities that
would present. The pleasures of
trekking in mountain ranges can-
not be overstated. Neither can the
dangers. Altitude sickness can occur
in some people as low as 7,000 feet,
but serious symptoms do not usually
occur until over 12,000 feet. A rapid
ascent increase the chances of Acute
Mountain Sickness (AMS). And this
may come as a surprise to some, but
folks in their fifties and even sixties
often do better at altitude than the
much younger, allegedly fit super-
hero type men and women that go to
altitude. Why? They think they are
indestructible and go for the rapid
ascent. Rapid ascent is the acceler-
ant to failure.
Going to altitude in a chal-
lenging and potentially dangerous
environment is not just a matter
of hiking upwards with enough
equipment in the day pack for an
unexpected night out if the adven-
ture went south. Acute Mountain
Sickness can cause more than a
headache or just a feeling of unease.
It can lead to life-threatening Acute
Pulmonary Edema or Acute Cere-
bral Edema. Knowledge is a good
thing and there are some subtle and
insidious aspects of AMS. Even in
the early stages, AMS decreases
good judgment. From there it can
rapidly progress and is character-
ized by altered balance, confusion
and decreased muscle coordination.
Its never good to have diminished
judgement at the edge of cliff, or
when debating to hike into the
snowfield, or cross rocks in a fast
moving creek bed.
I am old enough to vaguely
remember when The Beatles sang I
get high with a little help from my
friends. So did I (get high with a
little help from my friends), for my
rocky mountain hike. But my get-
high friend was Acetazolamide
prescribed to me by my doctor who
understands that I am a bit crazy and
push the window a bit at time. I fol-
I had just crossed from the Subal- Falling trees and lightning can
lowed her instructions and took the
125 mg tablets when and how pre- pine Zone (9,000-11,400 ft.) into kill you. Chose campsites carefully.
the Alpine Zone (above 11,400 ft. Pack for the unexpected night
scribed. Without going into the fine
elevation) when my heart breached out. Just in case.
details of how it works, Acetazol-
the 160 beats per minute mark and Use your GPS but rely on com-
amide increases the breathing rate
told me to slow down. I listened, mons sense and facts on the ground.
and helps the body function more
drank more water and hiked on at Wet rocks are slippery.
effectively in rarified air, but even
a slower pace. Shortly thereafter, Cold water and hypothermia
proper oxygenation to the brain does
combined with the fact that dark- kills.
not make one invincible.
ness was 4 hours away, and the Learn to read and use and al-
trail was getting slippery with ice, ways carry a topographical map and
we decided it was time to seal that compass.
rocky mountain high hike into Tell someone where you are
our memories and descend. And so going.
the five of us on that trek along the No ice is safe ice.
Glacier Gorge Trail did. Stay hydrated.
Winter draws near. Adventures Dont leave food in a tent.
loom, for you, and for me. I will Chipmunks and bears will thank you
return to the Rockies, but not this for the food.
winter. Be safe, hike on, and share And of course, alcohol is never
a good story when you get back a friend of a hunter or hiker.
home. The common sense tips that Jonathan Schechter is the Na-
follow might just increase your ture Education Writer for Oakland
chances of making every trek into County Government, a paramedic,
the wilds pleasantly uneventful. and a member of the Association
The perils of weather predicat- of National Park Rangers. E-mail:
ing are proverbial. Be prepared Oaknature@aol.com n
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WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 59
 Strangest thing you ever caught while fishing...continued

Found18 years later

L
Dear Fish Diary:
osing something that
is important to you can
really pull at the heart
strings. It doesnt matter
how much time passes.
If youve lost something
that was sentimental, and Im not
talking about a trophy fish, there
is always that feeling of emptiness
inside you. There is a constant hol-
low reminder that a part of you is
missing. Whether it was a family
heirloom, a special gift from a loved
one, or in the case of Wes Eddy, a
college class ring, nothing can re-
place an item that was so significant
and so much a part of you.
There isnt a kind word or
gesture that will help penetrate
that empty roadblock and fill the
void in your heart when something
special just disappears and is seem-
ingly gone forever. You will spend
eternity blaming yourself, its just
not something you eventually get
over because you were connected in
a very unique way and nobody will
ever quite understand the bond. You
never stop looking for that missing
object. Not a day will pass that you
give up hope of finding it again.
Wess search began in the sum-
mer of 1971. He was attending a
get-together with 20 of his
classmates from Western
Michigan University that
was hosted by his good
friend Patrick Hudson.
The group assembled at
Patricks parents cottage
on Mill Lake, just north
of Gobles. These are the
type of gather-
ings where old
friends might By Ron St. Germain
be saying goodbye for last time as
they begin their careers and adult
journey through life. Its not the
type of meeting you expect to be
saying goodbye to your expensive,
hard earned class ring.
What started as a friendly game
of football in the shallows of Mill
Lake, soon created an all-out blitz
in a frantic search. Wes dropped
back to pass, the rush was on, he
spotted his receiver splashing down
the shoreline, he released the ball
and his class ring followed. Nobody
remembers if the receiver caught the
ball, or even scored. Either way, it
was an incomplete pass as far as the
lofted class ring went and it
fell hopelessly submerged
somewhere in the shallows.
As it is often in sports,
here were a bunch of ball
players hopelessly search-
ing for a ring. But in the
sporting world, youre
supposed to win a ring, not
lose it. One
has to wonder
what Wes was
thinking wearing his beloved ring in
the water, especially while playing
football. I mean, nobody ever sees
Tom Brady march onto the playing
field wearing his five Super Bowl
rings do they? Theres probably
a good reason why. But no sense
kicking an extra point here, Im sure
Wes tackled himself hard enough
over the years.
With every summer the missing
ring became a topic of discussion at
the Hudson cottage family gather-
ings. Patricks father Pat, would
kick off the cottage season with a
calming search in hopes that the
ring had somehow washed ashore,
or possibly waves had exposed it.
Visitors to the cottage had heard the
story and they too would casually
look. But just like the Detroit Lions,
every season passed without a ring.
Eighteen years of searching later,
David Koskinen was invited to the
Hudson cottage by Patricks young-
est sister Kate. The two had been
dating for about five months and
this was a good opportunity for the
family of ten to get to know Dave
a bit better. I imagine from Daves
perspective he was probably a bit
nervous. It probably appeared to a
young man like a fourth and goal
situation with the game on the line
while a hardnose defense stares you
down anticipating your next move.
A young man in this situation just
wants to make a good impression.
He just wants to move the ball accu-
rately down the field without risking

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a turnover or un-sportsmanlike pen-
alty. He wants the hometown fans to
cheer him, not boo him.
While drifting in a canoe with
Kate that warm summer afternoon,
Daves chance at glory came to
fruition. Instead of admiring Kate
and how beautiful she looked in the
glowing sunlight with the blue lake
set as a backdrop, he was staring in
the shallows at fish nests. Yes, thats
right, fish nests. But Daves sudden
fascination with panfish nests and
temporary lapse of interest in Kate
paid off. At the corner of a circular
nest, just to the inside of the bowl,
a glimmering object caught Daves
eye. Dave put a canoe paddle into
the soft sand and quickly realized
this shimmering object was no ordi-
nary reflective surface. It was Wess
class ring.
After 18-years of being sub-
merged in water, its gold weathered
and tarnished, the longest pass play
in the history of football was finally
complete. Daves find made him the
centerpiece of the Hudson family
folklore. It was indeed their ver-
sion of the immaculate reception.
And yes, Dave scored, as one year
later he and Kate were married. But
sadly, nobody felt a bit of shame for
Who knew panfish like to decorate their nests? Now that the author
knows this, hell be paying much closer attention to them in the
future in hopes of a big payoff. Author photo
stealing that beautiful decoration
from that poor bluegills home.
Patrick found Wes through
the Western Michigan University
Alumni Association and was able
to finally deliver the news that his
ring had been found. Wes was now
married and had shared the story of
the missing ring with his kids. Soon
after receiving his ring, Wes stepped
into his shower at his home, the ring
slid off his finger and disappeared
down the drain forever just kid-
ding, but it sounded like a fitting
ending to this unusual fishing story.
But oh, what a fabulous Christmas
story this is.
Since Dave shared this story
with me, Ive been more neglectful
of the people in my boat while
steering my attention and focus
on scanning panfish nests. Now
that I know panfish are such
prolific hoarders of expensive
jewelry and such meticulous
decorators, Ill be searching for
my pot of gold. But I will at least
have the common courtesy to leave
them something much less valuable
as a replacement.
It is amazing that it took 18-years
to find this missing ring that seem-
ingly never drifted too far from its
original landing spot. However, in
this folklore story, it is rumored that
because of the way Dave found the
ring it created a famous catch phrase
for Western Michigan University. If
you want to find gold, you just have
to row the boat.
Merry Christmas my Dear Fish
Diary friends
Funny fish stories wanted:
Strangest thing
youve ever caught
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. Contact - Woods-N-Water
News columnist Ron St. Germain
by calling (517) 626-2814, email-
ing DaPhotoDude@aol.com. Visit
the authors Facebook page www.
Facebook.com/BearwaveBooksn

BE READY THIS
SEASON!!

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Steven L. Lamier huntin.it.info@gmail.com
Owner/President www.huntin-it.com
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 DECEMBER WHITETAILS
4 strategies to ensure success during the late season...By Brian Miller

I
just stepped out of my
warm car into the frigid
cold. Momentarily I
hesitated when I inhaled
my first breath of cold air.
The air felt like it froze
my esophagus. However, that cold
air made me smile; this weather was
exactly what I was waiting on. A
nice new layer of snow and the first
really cold front just rolled in. Its
just what I needed for an awesome
December whitetail hunt.
I quickly gathered together all
my gear and headed out. Each step
was crunchy as I moved across the
open field. My trek took me to a
tree situated right between a dry
swamp and a picked bean field. The
deer were funneling down to a nar-
row strip of cattails as they swung
around a long narrow pond. It is
really an excellent location to catch
deer moving in the evening hours.
After two hours of managing to
stay warm I spotted a good buck in
the heart of the swamp. There was a
lot of ground between us, however
I had plenty of daylight left. After
scent checking the area for danger,
he was on the move towards my lo-
cation. Off and on I kept seeing him
appear in openings, each time get-
ting closer. With a full hour of day-
light still left he made his final steps
getting into position as he circled
around the ponds. This funneled him
right into my shooting zone.
I took a moment to stay calm as
I pulled my muzzleloader up, cen-
tered the crosshairs on his vitals, and
squeezed the trigger. BoomAfter
the smoke cleared I didnt see any-
thing. It wasnt until I walked over
to that spot did I see him lying in
his tracks among the cattails. After
a long season of chasing whitetails I
was overjoyed to have successfully
ended the season.
Hunt travel routes near the best available food during the late sea-
sons; archery or muzzleloader.
Lets rewind and discuss the
finer details of hunting December
whitetails. There are some lessons to
learn on how to recreate your own
December success.
Post Gun Scouting
It was right after gun season
when I wanted to learn more about
this particular public ground sec-
tion. With an open tag in my pocket
it was time to get aggressive and
do some reconnaissance work. I
am a huge proponent of low impact
hunting, essentially staying away
from your hunting ground before
and during season unless its time to
hunt. However there are times when
the situation warrants a different ap-
proach. This was one of those times;
I needed information to get into the
exact right location. My real goal
was to gather information for the
next season but sometimes youre
given a golden nugget and you have
to capitalize on it.
Right after gun season is a great
time to scout for whitetails that have
hidden from the gun hunters. This is
predominantly important on public
ground and heavily hunted areas.
Most of us in Michigan are hunting
locations that would fall into this
pressured category.
While looking in some key
locations I discovered a very fresh
rub line, deer feces, and I jumped
a couple deer. This little pocket
of cover was so obvious that most
hunters overlooked it. After jumping
the deer I gathered the information I
needed and left so I would not alarm
any more deer.
If you locate deer after the gun
season make sure to mark down
the location and revisit it to hunt.
Attempt to understand why they are
in those locations because when the
pressure heats up these will become
hot spots. I find these locations to
become better as the surrounding
hunting pressure increases. Even if
the spot does not produce this year
make sure to revisit it in future years
when the pressure is on!
Weather Front
As a hunter its daunting to
understand how much bucks move
during the post-rut and into the late
season. Its better said, how much
bucks dont move. Were already
hunting a deer that is reclusive but
now his movements have been
dramatically reduced. Combine that
with two full months of hunting
pressure, his ability to avoid hunt-
ers, and youre faced with a nearly
impossible task. If it wasnt for
weather fronts wed be better off
watching hockey. How does weather
really impact whitetail deer move-
ment and how can hunters most
effectively capitalize on it? Late
season weather is very different then
the main season because both cold
fronts and warming trends cause
movement.
Cold fronts are what most hunt-
ers look for throughout the season.
Rightfully so, they get deer mov-
ing right before and during colder
weather. However during late season
Im looking for either snow or ex-

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treme cold. Snow reduces the avail-
able food and forces deer to move
to the best available food source.
Bitter cold also forces more daylight
movement. Youll see the crop field
getting pawed away as deer dig for
food. If the snow gets deep enough
even that food becomes scarce. Dur-
ing cold weather look for deer trails
leading to the best available food
sources.
However, during years with sus-
tained colder weather a warm front
causes deer to move. After such a
long period of cold weather a warm-
ing trend helps whitetails. Dont
overlook the warming trends. Watch
out because when the weather gets
too warm this can be detrimental to
movement.
Food is King
Not every food source is created
equal. Its important to find high-
carb food sources that are still avail-
able. During this time of the year
there is a limited amount of food.
Many acorns are gone and agricul-
tural crops have been picked leaving
little to pick from. Any late falling
nuts, winter wheat, or leftover agri-
culture tends to hold deer. However
locations that have thicker bedding
locations or unpressured areas in
close proximity will be important.
It was not long ago I had a
freshly seeded alfalfa field that had
grown just a couple inches before
a hard frost. This was the core food
location that was directly perpen-
dicular to a small brushy bedding
location. It was such a small section
that many gun hunters overlooked
the location. This combination made
it a hot spot for late season hunting.
Although I typically dont hunt field
edges in Michigan this spot was the
exception. Stepping foot into the
brush would have pushed everything
out. After hunting hard I had the
Finding a tiny sliver of cover
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Second Rut
For the longest time I chased the
so called Second Rut. After failing
to see rut activity I thought that
maybe it was just something that
didnt happen in Michigan. Maybe it
was just something writers made up
or it only occurred on highly man-
aged farms. Then after chasing the
second rut for years, I quit looking
for it. Instead I put together solid
hunting strategies around everything
else; unpressured pockets, food
sources, and weather conditions. It
was only then I started to notice a
hint of the second rut.
What I noticed is a small uptick
in buck activity during the first
week of December. This usually
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to create strategies around.
Now each year I spend those
first few days ensuring that Im
hunting locations that hold higher
doe quantities. Once targeting this
time frame youll see bucks nudging
does, nothing crazy like the Novem-
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WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 63
 Santa gets
schooled
Next BiteBy Gary Parsons/Keith Kavajecz
I
n the calm before the
storm, it is pretty typi-
cal for our good buddy
Santa to give us a call to
go fishing one last time
before production ramps
up in the North Pole for the Christ-
mas season. This year we decided to
go to a cabin on one of our favorite
lakes.
We arrived with our rigs early
Friday evening and lit a campfire
outside. Just as we were settling into
our chairs, we saw Santa approach-
ing on his sleigh. As he approached,
we noticed something seemed a
little bit off. It looks like someone
is with him, said Keith.
Sure enough, there was someone
else in the sleigh. It was Mrs. Claus!
The guys had never met Santas bet-
ter half, so they were pretty excited.
The sleigh landed and Santa in-
troduced her to Gary and Keith. The
group spent the next couple hours
chatting by the fire before turning in
for the night.
The next morning was one of
those classic walleye days. The
temperature was just right, the sky
was slightly overcast, and there
was a good walleye chop going.
As Santa looked out over the lake
he commented, Wow, looks like a
back-breaker out there. Kind of like
my honey-do list!
Gary and Keith gulped, not
knowing what kind of reaction Mrs.
Claus would have.
She simply paused and gave him
the look before saying, Really? And check this out. Gary opened
How about a challenge? Lets split
up today. It will be Gary and I com-
peting against you and Keith. Meet
back here at 5 oclock and the team
with the most fish wins. Losers have
to clean them so, you might want to
just add that to your list now.
She then smirked and looked
at Gary. We got this! Gary said,
You bet we do! They then hopped
in the Nitro Z21 and took off.
Santa got into the other boat and
Keith fired up the Mercury. They
hadnt even cleared the dock, but
Santa was already white-knuckled
from clenching the seat in anticipa-
tion of a rough ride. It didnt take
long for him to loosen his grip and
enjoy the trip across the lake.
When they finally stopped he
said, Wow, that wasnt bad at all! the board slide back and grabbed
Keith pointed down below his seat.
Thats because you are riding on a
WavePro Air Suspension Boat Seat
64 DECEMBER 2017 WNW NEWS
Pedestal. The air spring chamber al-
lows for 0-200 psi of air spring pre-
load to accommodate rider weights
up to 380 lbs!
I wish I would have known
that before I made the back-breaker
comment to Mrs. Claus, chuckled
Santa.
Keith didnt waste any time
trying to put fish in the boat. He
handed Santa a rod with a Moon-
shine Shiver Minnow tied to the
end. Santa took a close look at the
bait. What is this?
Keith replied, Thats a money
bait! These little lures have done
well for me over the past couple of
years in tournaments. You should
use them for stocking stuffers.
This is a cool color for a bait,
said Santa. Whats it called?
Thats the Cranberry Shad.
Its one of the holographic patterns.
You might want to cast it out big
guy. You arent going to catch any
fish with it out of the water, Keith
replied.
Santa took the hint and made a
cast going right over Keiths line,
creating the first tangle of the day.
While they were working on getting
their lines separated, Gary and Mrs.
Claus were setting up for their first
trolling pass.
Were going to be running one
of my go-to baits to start out, said
Gary. This is a Berkley Flicker
Minnow. I won a tournament a
couple years ago on them and they
have been producing ever since.
up the rod locker and pulled out a
9 foot Bass Pro Shops Walleye
Angler Trolling Rod. This is a
new rod coming out that is made of
lighter high-tech materials. Not only
can it collapse down small enough
to fit in the rod locker, but I bet it
would fit just right in Santas sleigh
to hand out on Christmas Eve.
As he put out the line, Mrs.
Claus had a puzzled look on her
face. What is that yellow thing and
what does it do?
Thats an Off Shore Tackle
Planer Board. It pulls the line away
from the boat when we are troll-
ing, said Gary. These boards are
perfectly ballasted, which makes
them great for running in waves like
this. A minute later Mrs. Claus saw
the rod to reel in the first eater of the
day.
From a distance Keith and Santa
Keith Kavajecz caught this walleye on his money bait, a Moonshine Shiver Minnow.
saw the high-five in the other boat gles. It also has a high-performance
and knew they were already one fish processer to give faster redraws.
down. With his game face on, Keith I just may have to put one of
made a cast to a hump in the op- those under the tree for myself,
posite direction of where Santa was Santa joked.
casting. Got one, Keith yelled. With the sun starting to go down
Its a nice fish! Grab the net! it was time to head to the cabin to
By the time Santa got to the see who would be cleaning fish.
front of the boat, the fish was begin- Back on shore, each team was eager
ning to surface and Santa missed it. to show off their catch, only to find
Keith brought the fish back up and that they were tied! Gary and Mrs.
this time Santa got it. Claus had the heaviest fish, but
Back in the other boat, Gary Santa and Keith had the longest fish.
decided it was time to switch things This meant there was only one way
up. Were going to put on another to declare a winner. There would
one of my favorite baits, he said as have to be a sudden death fish-off
he pulled out a different lure. This from the dock.
is a Berkley Flicker Shad. Lets run Santa and Mrs. Claus would go
it about 15 feet down. Let me show head to head. Santa reached into his
you how to know how much line tackle box and put on something
to let out to get the lure where you that looked like a cross between a
want it. Hula Popper and a Jitterbug. Made
He pulled out his phone and it myself in the workshop, he
brought up the Precision Trolling proudly proclaimed.
App. Its really easy. Just select Oh boy, said Mrs. Claus. I
the lure you are using and dial up feel like I need something unique
how deep you want it to run. The to compete with that. Gary smiled
app will tell you how much line you and said, Here try this! Mrs. Claus
need to let out! shrieked with excitement. Where
While she was setting the line, did you get this? This lure looks
Gary kept the boat on course with a amazing!
FOB around his neck that runs his For the past several years a lot
PowrTran Python Kicker Steering of guys have been custom paint-
System from anywhere in the boat. ing their lures to get exactly what
There is no need for two throttles they want in a pattern. Well now
to keep the boat at the right speed Renegade Outdoor Innovations
either, as the system works in con- is taking custom lures to a whole
junction with the iTroll, which can new level! Not only can you create
fine-tune trolling speeds to a 1/10th your own pattern, but you can also
of a mile! take a picture of a perch or another
Back in Keiths boat, Santa had baitfish and have that pattern put on
started pacing around. Keith thought a lure. The coolest part is not only
that he might be getting nervous. can a custom pattern be put on a
Even though they had caught a crankbait, but it can be put on an
few more fish, they knew that their artificial tail as well. Go to renegad-
competition had also boated a few eoutdoorinnovations.com and check
more. Finally Santa spoke. Your it out!
Lowrance looks different. It seems Santa and Mrs. Claus headed
easier to see than your old one. down to the dock to begin the
Youre right! Its the new Low- fish-off. We would tell you how
rance HDS Carbon. It has great LED the story ends, but were pretty
back lighting and an anti-reflective sure you can figure out who got
coating giving it wider viewing an- The Next Bite!n
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WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 65

GUN CHAT: Bad Ammo
I
ts not too uncommon to
find .22 ammunition that
wont fire. Ive had it hap-
pen with several different
brands, and not always
just with cheap loss
leader rounds. Ive read that prim-
ing is spun into the rims of rimfire
cases and sometimes the coverage
isnt full all around the rim. Turning
the shell in the chamber so the firing
pin hits a new place on the rim will
often fire the round. Its not
something Id want to have
to try while hunting, but at
the range I will sometimes
do it.
I was at a Bullseye
match once. Other shooters
were using the same brand
of .22 ammo as I, but the
target version. Several
had misfires and had
to take alibis and re- By Lee Arten
shoot parts of stages.
I was firing Remington Thunderbolt
which were selling for $10 per 500
at the time. I had no misfires in the
match and also shot small, well-
located groups. Some months later,
I did have a single misfire with the
NO TIME
FOR A WEEK
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66 DECEMBER 2017 WNW NEWS
Thunderbolts in a Bullseye practice
session.
My own reloads have some-
times turned out to be bad. Some
.38 Specials made years ago were
loaded too light. The bullets looked
like bumblebees flying down range.
Some bullets barely made it through
the target boards. My son and I
started shooting them in a .38 snub-
nose. When we switched to a Ruger
Blackhawk .357 with a six and a
half inch barrel, I stuck a
bullet in the barrel. Not hav-
ing a cleaning rod with me,
I had to bring the gun home
to drive the bullet out.
More recently, I didnt
crimp some .41 Magnum
rounds correctly. Those
rounds dont fit some of my
revolvers. Ive been
shooting them up,
slowly, in the gun that
they do fit. Ive been
very sure not to try any of them in
my Marlin 1894 in .41 Magnum.
I hear the rifles are a bear to clear
when jammed.
When Ive made rifle ammo
reloads its usually been in smaller
quantities than my pistol loads. I
havent had much trouble with .30-
06, .308 or .250 Savage reloads.
Ammo in .223 was a different
story, I dont think the cases were
resized properly. The round didnt fit
my target AR-15s chamber.
Factory rifle rounds have a
good track record, overall. I did
meet a hunter in deer season once
who found a bad round on opening
day morning. The bullet had been
seated incorrectly and was bent
to the side. It almost looked like a
finger crooked to call someone over.
I wondered then, and still wonder
now, how that round got through
quality control.
I remember crimps on shotgun
shells that werent always as tight
and enduring as one would like
them to be. In the past I had shells
that leaked shot because of loose
crimps. That may have happened
more when plastic shells were just
coming onto the market. I havent
seen it lately.
The other day, while hunting,
I found a bad shotgun shell. Id
jumped a grouse and seen it well
enough to fire at. I missed, partly
due to a couple of birch trees that
suddenly grew up between me and
the bird. (How do they do that?)
After the shot, I broke the over
and under, pulled out the empty, and
loaded another 20 gauge shell from
my hunting vest. Then I had trouble
getting the gun closed.
I looked at the gun, and the new
shell in the lower barrel, but didnt
see anything wrong. I got the gun
closed and went on hunting.
Back at the truck I got the gun
open but couldnt get the shell out of
the bottom barrel. After 45 min-
utes in the woods, I broke the gun
down, cased the barrels, and put the
stocks in other places in the truck.
At home, using a shotgun cleaning
rod, it took several tries to drive the
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stuck shell out of the barrel. I rested
the barrel on an old desk with the
upper barrel supporting it. There
was nothing that could touch the
primer but air. Even so, it wasnt the
most comfortable thing to do.
Before getting the shell out, I
thought something might have gone
wrong with the shotgun. Since then,
Ive tested the gun with empty shells
and shot it at two more grouse. The
gun is fine. The shell wasnt.
Although I had not seen, or felt
it, the shell had damage at the base.
I think it had to have occurred in
manufacturing. A sharp lip had been
raised on the top edge of the base of
the shell. It was just high enough to
stick on the shotguns extractor and
prevent the shell from being with-
drawn from the gun.
Had I looked at the shell while
loading it I might have seen the
defect. I didnt look because I was
intent on seeing where the grouse
went, or spotting others that might
have been with it. Had I picked the
shell up differently, I might have
felt the lip with my fingers. It would
have to have been handled just right.
I tried again, and I can get two fin-
gers and a thumb on the base of the
shell without any of them contacting
the lip.
Since then, Ive looked at all the
shells in my vest, and the others in
sweatshirt and jacket pockets. So
far, all are fine. Its not possible to
check .22 shells for bad primers. It
is possible to check rifle and shot-
gun rounds either before the season,
or while filling up a vest or jacket
before hunting. Ill have to remem-
ber to do so, now.n
GET YOUR
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 New wildlife license plate available December 1...

Elk plates replaces common loon

S
tarting Dec. 1, a new
wildlife license plate
will be available in
Michigan. The current
common loon plate
will be replaced with
an elk plate to help celebrate the
100th anniversary of the reintroduc-
tion of elk in Michigan.
We are excited for the changing
of the guard, said Department of
Natural Resources Wildlife Division
Chief Russ Mason. The loon license A new wildlife license plate, available Dec. 1, celebrates 100 years since the reintroduction of elk in Michigan
plate has had a long run, and helped and replaces the common loon plate. Purchase of the new plate will continue to suppor t wildlife habitat.
to raise over $2.6 million for wildlife
habitat since 2006. annually when drivers renew their
Next year marks 100 years since registration. The funds from this Enjoy
elk were reintroduced to Michi- renewal fee are given directly to the
gan, and celebrations are planned DNR for wildlife habitat work.
Upland Bird Hunting
throughout the year. Order specialty license plates by August 15April 30
Once common in Michigan, elk mail or fax or at any Secretary of
had disappeared from the state in State branch office. To purchase a
the 1800s due to unregulated take plate by mail or fax, complete and
and lack of habitat. print the Wildlife Habitat License
In 1918, seven elk were brought Plate Order Form. The plate will No Hunting
from the western United States to be mailed within 14 business days License
Wolverine, Michigan. The healthy
and abundant elk population in the
from the date it is ordered. Nov. 30 Required!
is the last day to purchase the loon
state today is a result of intentional license plate and Dec. 1 is the first
land management and increased law day to purchase the new elk license
Michigan Association of
enforcement. plate. Gamebird Breeders & Hunting Preserves
All funds from the sale of the To learn more about the states For information & listing of our preserves near you go to:
elk license plate will continue to elk population and history, visit
help wildlife management, said michigan.gov/elk.n
www.michiganhuntingpreserves.com
Mason. This funding is extremely
important because it helps all wild-
life. www.ROOSTERRANCH.com
Those interested in purchasing Open Since 1987
the current common loon plate have
until Nov. 30. Those who already
have the loon license plate can keep Enjoy
it, with thanks from the DNR for Upland Bird Hunting
supporting wildlife.
A new license plate can be pur- August 15April 30
LLC.
chased from the Secretary of State at
7480 Germania Road Ubly, Michigan 48475
any time for $35. An additional $10 Visit us on the Web: WWW.roosterranch.COM
specialty license plate fee is charged
989-658-2332
No Membership Required!

Your Woods-N-Water News is

OPEN August 15, 2017 April 30, 2018
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August 15April 30 WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 67
 Giving back to our Veterans
W
hen theres a
chance of fish-
ing Burt Lake
with profes-
sional anglers
and
guides, 30 veterans associ-
ated with Operation Injured
Solider got on board for the
event. Headquarters and
gathering spot would be the
Brave Hearts Resort just
outside of Pellston. Opera-
tion Injured Soldiers (OIS)
is the organization sponsor-
necessary handicapped adaptations
making it an ideal place for such a
gathering.
Veterans came from hometowns
around the state including South
Lyon, Davisburg, Manistee,
Jennison, Grandville and
Montague. Some arrived
in wheel chairs or were
using crutches and canes;
others brought a caretaker
or family member along
for assistance. Some had
withdrawn into themselves
while others had come
Some participants had never fished,
others not since before their military
service and some never with meth-
ods introduced by their respective
captains.
Besides a wonderful fishing ex-
perience, walleye professional Mark
Martin held discussions and gave
a seminar about fishing on Friday
night.
This is my third year doing
this event along with three years
with an ice fishing event, Martin
said. We all wanted to put these
guys on some fish, we want to show
swimming and travelling about this
northern part of Michigan.
As a result of Martins seminar
along with visiting with pro anglers,
participants leave knowing if they
wanted to fish again they would
have a good idea on where, what,
and how. When launch time came
Saturday morning, vets werent just
along for the ride. They were active
participants, setting lines, observing
and catching fish, Martin said.
We werent plunking someone in a
seat to reel fish in but trying to get
them involved and help them forget

By Roger Beukema
ing various
outdoor ac-
tivities for vets
who served in combat or received
wounds as a result of their service.
This fishing event is was one of
many events OIS presents each year.
Situated on 300 acres, Brave
Hearts Estate comprises 8,000
square feet that includes eight
bedrooms and four bathrooms, with
handicapped accessibility on the
main floor. The lodge is both com-
fortable enough and fitted out with
home and were
able to pick up
where they left
off. Before they went to serve, many
enjoyed outdoor sports such as hunt-
ing, fishing, three wheeling and so
the list goes.
To help make the days fishing
a success charter and tournament
anglers donated their time, equip-
ment and expertise to see to it that
these men enjoyed themselves for
a day and perhaps take their mind
off injuries or their experiences.
gratitude for what the veterans have
done for us. Without them and their
contributions we wouldnt be able
to do what we do. We are trying to
put some enjoyment back into their
lives. They did the dirty work. We
give them our expertise on fishing.
They gave theirs out in the field.
In August 2015, OIS began to
welcome guests to Brave Hearts
estate to enjoy outdoor activities.
Since then, about 500 veterans have
participated in events that include
hunting, fishing, sporting clays,
what happened to them, if just for
the day.
Veterans interested in any of the
OIS programs should visit injured-
soliders.org or call (248) 437-3130.
Paula Brown, Brave Hearts
manager, says the largest percentage
of attendees suffer from PTSD along
with para- and quadriplegics. She
explained guests are generally quiet
when first arriving, sort of checking
each other out. By evening they are
chatting with each other, she said.
They often need someone to

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talk with. Many have gone through
various therapies, but military peo-
ple open up and speak more about
their experiences with others that
have served, Brown said. Its a
good thing for them to get outdoors
and socialize.
Paula, who along with Mike and
Jay Brown, all Pellston residents,
manage and care for the property
including maintaining it on a volun-
teer basis.
Since returning from combat
or recovering from injuries, its
not uncommon for vets to shut off
the outside world, retreating into
themselves. These feeling are due to
several things including embarrass-
ment at being injured, not comfort-
able with asking or receiving help
and difficulty blending into civilian
life.
Manistee resident Jesse Ray-
mond served in the Navy aboard the
U.S.S. Franklin Roosevelt (CVN-
71) the fourth aircraft carrier built in
the Nimitz class. (The U.S.S. Roo-
sevelt radio call sign Rough Riders,
the nickname of president Theodore
Roosevelt. She is known is naval
circles as Big Stick). Raymond,
along with army vet Richard Lam-
berts who served in Viet Nam, was
aboard Stantons Team Gunsmoke
boat.
These trips have brought me
out of my shell, Raymond said.
I would see other guys moving
around which helped me. I have
trouble with Multiple Sclerosis
brought about by my military ser-
vice. Being in Afghanistan aggra-
vated the condition.
Jenison resident Lamberts was
a truck driver in Viet Nam. He was
exposed to Agent Orange causing
several medical issues.
A Korean veteran donated the
estate and nearly 300 acres to OIS.
Open to wounded military veterans
with a 30 percent disability rating or
more or combat experienced. Veter-
ans from all wars are eligible.
Programs offered: Besides fish-
ing, hunting is available for attend-
ing vets. We have wheelchair and
track chair accessible blinds, and a
sip and puff firearm for hunters to
use along with other long guns,
David Skurta said. Hes the hunting
coordinator for OIS events.
Some of the vets were hitting the
firing range to zero in guns in hopes
of getting a deer during the early
season. Other hunts on the schedule
include rabbit, pheasant and the
largest hunt, a muzzleloading hunt
in Vassar. There is a great 3-D
range on the property that is open
to the public on weekends, Skurta
said. Materials for the course have
all been donated. Any proceeds
from public shooting fees go toward
course maintenance.
To get anglers on the water,
several boats were donated along
with captains and equipment. Wall-
eye angler Joe Giuliani made the
trip from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.
Left-right:
Brandon
Stanton, Team
Gunsmoke,
Veterans Jesse
Raymond and
Richard
Lamber t.
Author photo
Brandon and Lisa Stanton of Team,
Gunsmoke, came from Elkton. Dan
Locke, Ralph Pike, Ernie Plant,
Jeff Sowa, Todd Sokolow and other
captains volunteered their boats and
experience.
Brave Hearts is a welcoming
destination. Once veterans come
through the door they experience
a sense of warmth and peace just
being in the home. Once they get
comfortable here they dont want to
leave, Brown said.
Email Roger Beukema at
dutchbeuk12@gmail.com.n

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TROPHY PAGE

Khloey Fisher, 7, was hunting with her

father Charlie on Oct. 25 when they spot-
ted this 5-pt. Khloey instructed her dad to
use the doe bleat and brought the buck
in for a perfect shot from her crossbow.
According to Khloeys dad the excitement
and memories this hunt created will never
Gina Mallo, 14, harvested this be forgotten and how thankful they live
Dawson Sugars, 15, of 5-pt. buck on opening day of in a state that gives kids under age 10 the
Macomb took this monster Ashley Keeley, 13, of Brown opportunity to hunt!
the Youth Hunt on Harsens
11-pt. nicknamed Bananas City took this 5-pt. with a Island.
in St. Clair Co. on Oct. 26. crossbow on October 18.
James
Blackburn,
Brynn 12, took
Anderson, this 8-pt.
11, of Grand during
Ledge took the youth
her first deer hunt at his
with her grandfa-
compound thers farm
bow. The ar- with a
row she used perfect .44
was fletched mag shot.
with feathers Deer
from the tur- manage-
Anthony Mazzali, 8, key she shot
took his first deer, ment at
Grant Ingle, age 10, with last spring! work.
this nice 7-pt. near his first deer, taken in
Owosso.
Roscommon county.

Lillian Logan
Jayden Lang, 10,
McPeake, Jessica Hayter of had the
11, of In- Sczepanski Lenox took best day
terlochen from her first of his life
with her Midland buck, a 7-pt., when he
first buck, during the took his
took this first buck,
a 3-pt. still evening hunt
great this nice
in velvet, on Oct. 20. 8-pt. hunt-
pictured 4-pt. on
She placed a ing Lapeer
with her October perfect shot Co. during
stepdad 16. the Youth
at about 25
and a big Hunt.
smile! yards.

Samantha
Plank took
this dandy
8-pt. buck
with a 15
inch inside
spread on
Oct. 22 at
her grand-
parents McKaylen May, 10, of St. Eight-year-old Na-
farm in Michael Tremble took Clair Shores took this 140 Luke Lardie, 10, took than Lenont took
Montcalm his first buck, this 5-pt on pound doe with her cross- this 6-pt. during this 8-pt. with a
Oct. 13 hunting St. Clair bow on Oct. 6 hunting the Youth Hunt in crossbow hunting
Co. Co. with her Mom. Macomb Co. near Port Hope.
70 DECEMBER 2017 WNW NEWS

Brandon Watson of Niles ar-
rowed this nice 10-pt. with
a rough green score of 129
on Oct. 11 in Berrien Co.
Thomas Salbut harvested
this dandy Sanilac Co.
10-pt. with his crossbow
on Oct. 12. It has a 17
inside spread!
James Hart III, took Opening day of bear season Ruth Buning took this Michi-
this nice droptine 9-pt. gan black bear, a 200 pounder, her second in two years.
hunting Alcona Co. the The next day her husband Leon harvested a big 300 pound-
evening of Oct. 16. er. The husband and wife were hunting Keweenaw Co.
TROPHY PAGE
Jesse Saunders took this monster 10-
pt. hunting Livingston Co. Oct. 8. Look
for his complete story in an upcoming
issue of Woods-N-Water News.
The day af-
ter Isabella
Donnellys
seventh
birth-
day she
tagged her
first deer
hunting
near Lake
City. The
smile tells Nicole Denz, 13,
the story! from Macomb,
took this 6-pt.
during the youth
hunt.
Last year Brian Arny took
the states number two
typical buck and made the
cover of the January 2017
issue of Woods-N-Water
News and followed that
up with a trophy turkey; 25
lbs., 10.5 inch beard and a
260 lb. black bear that just
missed the record books
what an incredible year!
Whitney Mackenzie took Bryant Peters of Goodland
Township took this beautiful
this trophy 10-point on
Oct. 4 hunting near monster 10-pt. the afternoon
of opening day of the archery
Pinconning. season hunting in Lapeer Co.
Hunter
Mullins of
Imlay City
caught
this large-
mouth
bass fish-
ing near
Aaron Walton took
his first buck ever, this Bay City
year-and-a half-old
6-pt. near Tipton on
the morning of Oct. 16
Jessie Walls of Mt.
Pleasant fishing the Maria Kearly of Clio
Pere Marquette River caught this monster
in Manistee on Oct. 6,
watched this big king steelhead mid-October
spawn before taking plugging on the
her bait! Manistee River.
WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 71

Accidents Happen
I just didnt think something like that would happen to me...Guest Column By Nick VanderWall
I
t was a beautiful day,
Sept. 22, 2002. I woke up
excited to go bird hunt-
ing that afternoon, never
expecting a life changing
experience.
After church my family went
home to the cottage, my dad and I
proceeded to get dressed to go hunt-
ing with a family friend. Our dog
Maggie jumped in the back excited
as ever.
It was a perfect day to be out in
the woods, I thought. The tempera-
ture was not too hot, or too cold and
hardly any wind. I even remember
the sun glistening off the dewy drop-
lets it left on the dying ferns.
We were tramping through the
wet undergrowth getting our legs
wet, but not minding at all because
we had a few birds in the bag. We
entered a clearing and this is where
it all goes darkMy dad said Mag-
gie was birdy and she went on point.
My dad and our friend were in posi-
Black Friday #OptOutside;
Michigan state parks offer free entry
R
esidents and visitors are
encouraged to put away
leftovers and #OptOutside
as part of their day-after-
Thanksgiving traditions. To encour-
age folks to tap into Michigan's great
outdoors and gather with friends
and family, on Friday, Nov. 24, the
Michigan Department of Natural
Resources will waive the regular
Recreation Passport entry fee that
enables vehicle access to Michigan
state parks, recreation areas, trails
and boating access sites.
Exploring some of Michigan's
best outdoor destinations is a great
way to recover from holiday shop-
ping excursions, burn off some of
those Thanksgiving calories and
enjoy the many benefits of nature.
"In Michigan, youre never more
than a half-hour away from a state
park, recreation area, state forest
campground or state trail," said Ron
Olson, DNR Parks and Recreation
Division chief. "#OptOutside is an
invitation to residents and those
traveling to spend time outside dur-
ing the holiday weekend and help
continue or build new Thanksgiving
traditions. The DNR hopes the free
entry opportunity will encourage
residents and visitors to explore new
72 DECEMBER 2017 WNW NEWS
Hot Topics in the Outdoors...
tion and I was a little behind them
because they were adults and I was
in a thicker brambly area.
The bird broke flying over my
dads shoulder and flying straight
towards me. Our friend turned and
shot, hitting the bird and hitting me
as well. The shot hit me from the
chest up.
I was rushed to the hospital and
aero-meded to DeVos Childrens
Hospital in Grand Rapids. I was in
to surgery to save my eyes, which
did not happen. I had very little
sight in my right eye and nothing in
my left. I honestly dont remember
much from the accident for which I
thank God. I had a traumatic brain
injury and lost feeling for a time on
my right side. My memory was af-
fected from the accident and I had to
relearn everything from the ABCs to
brushing my teeth.
I currently have regained most
of the feeling on my right side, and I
live a pretty normal life. I have 140
places and experience the outdoors'
many physical, mental and social
benefits."
There are plenty of ideas to
incorporate into popular day-after-
Thanksgiving traditions, including
opportunities to:
Find a new mile to hike or run
on one of more than 12,500 miles of
trails.
Cast a line in a state park and
put fishing on your Friday festivities
menu.
Try mountain biking.
Find a new hunting spot by
exploring one of Michigan's vast
recreation areas.
Enjoy the peace and quiet of
camping in the off-season.
Download a geocaching app
and take part in an outdoor treasure
hunting game that utilizes GPS-
enabled devices.
Seek out historical markers and
learn a little bit more about Michi-
gans backstory.
Make a bird-watching scaven-
ger hunt for kids and start a list of
the birds you spot.
"The holidays can get hectic with
added obligations, no matter how
happy or anticipated they may be,"
said Olson. "Our #OptOutside pro-
plus BBs in my body, most of them
are in my head. I had one BB on the
lining of my heart, one on the lin-
ing of my lungs and six BBs in my
brain. I truly was close to death that
day. I credit God for saving my life.
I told you this story to let you
know that accidents do happen while
hunting, it comes with the territory. I
just didnt think something like that
would happen to me.
While accidents do happen, you
can take steps to help prevent them
from occurring to you or a hunting
partner.
The first and smartest thing to
do when hunting with a gun is to
wear hunter orange. You only need
ten percent of your body covered in
orange, so that would be like a hat
that has to be seen in all directions.
Turkey and waterfowl hunting are
the only times you dont need to
wear hunter orange when using a
firearm.
You should also wear safety
motion is an opportunity for folks to
take a deep breath of fresh air, share
an experience with your favorite
people, and make some great holiday
memories."
Although the Recreation Pass-
port vehicle entry fee into 103
Michigan state parks, 138 state
forest campgrounds and parking for
hundreds of miles of trails and fee-
based boat launches is waived Nov.
24, camping and other permit and
license fees still apply.
Interested in learning more about
things to do and places to visit?
Visit the DNR website at michigan.
gov/dnr to learn more about fish-
ing, hunting, forest land, state parks
and much more. To search for a list
of Michigan state parks, rustic state
forest campgrounds, state-designated
trails and associated activities and
amenities, visit www.michigan.gov/
research.
The #OptOutside movement was
started by outdoor recreation cooper-
ative REI Inc. in 2015 to encourage
people to spend time outdoors on
Black Friday. For the third year in a
row, the Michigan DNR has encour-
aged people to utilize the outdoors as
part of their Thanksgiving weekend
celebrations.n
glasses. They probably wouldnt
have protected my eyes completely,
but they would have allowed them
to have a little more sight than they
have now.
When bird hunting or putting
on a deer drive with a group, it is
imperative to have constant commu-
nication.
Always establish shooting lanes
with fellow hunters before taking to
the fields and woods, the hunter in
the middle shoots only in the middle.
The hunter on the right shoots in
front of himself and to the right, and
the hunter on the left shoots in front
and to the left. Common sense, but it
is always good reviewing the basics.
Deer hunters can improve com-
munication with cell phones and
texting or using walkie-talkie. Let
your hunting partners know when
youre coming out of the woods for
lunch or to leave. It is always good
to check in from time to time. This is
what my family likes to do. If youre
driving deer always keep talking to
your partners.
Another idea for your deer
blinds is to put reflective orange on
the corners, so that other hunters
know a blind is there.
I always tell people when hunt-
ing to visualize beyond the target.
This helps to see what potential
harm could be beyond the deer or
bird. You could see a rock which
would make the bullet ricochet or a
person that you could have shot. So
many hunters get excited for the shot
and forgot to look beyond the target.
Also, if youre hunting from a
tree be sure to where a safety har-
ness, it could save your life. Use
hook and rope in your treestand, so
you can attach your gun or bow to
haul them up to you, always waiting
to load until youre safety in your
stand.
Lastly is to not hunt impaired.
You dont want to be hunting while
drinking alcohol or smoking any
illegal substance. This can seriously
affect your judgment on shots. Now
some legal drugs that you take can
also have an effect on you, so be
careful when taking anything. This
could save a life.
I want everyone to know that I
forgave our friend who shot me and
I still talk to him to this day. I knew
accidents could happen, I just didnt
think something like that would hap-
pen to me.
I have explained my accident to
you in hope that you take these steps
to heart and try to prevent accidents
while hunting next time.n
 Hot Topics In The Outdoors...My Thoughts, My Views...
Sportsmen and legislators meet in
Traverse City for National Summit
The theme of this years summit was the North American Model of Conservation Funding,
celebrating its 80th Anniversary since the passage of the Pittman-Robertson Act in 1937...
I
n late October, state
legislators from around
the country gathered
at the Grand Traverse
Resort in Traverse City
for the annual Sportsmen-
Legislator Summit of the National
Assembly of Legislative Sports-
mens Caucuses, sponsored by Pure
Michigan. From as far away as
Oregon, Montana, and Nebraska,
state-level politicians came to meet
with conservation and sportsmens
organizations, each other,
and learn about how other
states are dealing with sim-
ilar issues affecting hunt-
ing, fishing, trapping and
conservation. I attended on
behalf of National Wildlife
Federation.
The Michigan Legisla-
tive Sportsmens Caucus
hosted and
staff from the
Congressional
By Drew YoungeDyke
Sportsmens Foundation organized
the summit, which included semi-
nars on hot topics in the outdoors,
outdoor skills breakout sessions,
a country music concert by Lucas
Hoge, and a day of guided hunting,
fishing and shooting. Legislative
sportsmens caucuses are groups of
politicians within a states legis-
lature who meet to prioritize and
discuss sportsmens issues. Some
caucuses, like Michigans, have
advisory councils made up of repre-
sentatives from sportsmens groups
like Michigan United Conservation
Clubs, Ducks Unlimited, the Michi-
gan Bear Hunters Association, and
many more.
Dan Eichinger, Executive Director of Michigan United Conser vation Clubs.
The theme of this years summit
was the North American Model of
Conservation Funding, celebrat-
ing its 80th Anniversary since the
passage of the Pittman-Robertson
Act in 1937, which takes an 11
percent excise tax on hunting and
firearms equipment and redirects it
to the states for wildlife conserva-
tion. For example, in 2015, Michi-
gan received $26.57 million from
Pittman-Robertson funding, $27.91
million from hunting license sales,
$22.16 from fishing license
sales, and $11 million from
the Dingell-Johnson Act
(excise taxes on fishing
and boating equipment),
for a total of $87.64 mil-
lion in direct fish and
wildlife funding generated
by hunting, fishing and
firearms.
The sum-
mit featured
informative
presentations from the National
Wild Turkey Federation on ac-
tive forest management, B.A.S.S.
Federation on the threat of invasive
species like Asian carp, Farm Bill
conservation programs by Pheas-
ants Forever, the Pittman-Robert-
son Act by Corey Jager, a Michigan
native working for the Oklahoma
Department of Wildlife Conserva-
tion, how sportsmen work with leg-
islators by MUCCs Dan Eichinger,
who chairs the Michigan Legisla-
tive Sportsmans Caucus Advisory
Council, as well as a few of the
typical us-versus-them, protect our
rights, scare tactics from groups
like Safari Club International and
the National Rifle Association.
What really stood out to me,
though, was the Pioneers in Con-
servation presentation given by
Morrie Stevens of Saginaw, past
president of the Boone & Crockett
Club. After reviewing the history of
how conservationists like Theodore
Roosevelt bucked their own party
to conserve Americas public lands
and institute the North American
Model of Conservation we recog-
nize today, he also ended with five
takeaway points that this particular
audience needed to hear:
Our federal public lands be-
long in federal public hands;
The Michigan Department of
Natural Resources does a great job
of managing our state public lands;
Its important to share our
public lands with non-consumptive
outdoor recreation users;
Chronic Wasting Disease
needs to be taken seriously; and
We need to increase federal
wildlife funding.
Heres why it was so important
for the audience to hear that mes-
sage: for a few years now, state leg-
islators in the West often claiming
to be sportsmen simply because
they do a photo op with a firearm
have been passing resolutions
trying to convince their federal
counterparts to transfer our federal
public lands to them so they can
sell them, which would result in a
loss of public land available to hunt
and fish. At the same time, a few
of the very same Michigan state
legislators in the audience have
sponsored or voted for numerous
anti-public land bills over the past
few years, most recently when the
Senate passed the SB 302 and SB
303 package which makes it harder
for the state to acquire land to hunt
and fish, makes it easier for private
entities to leverage the DNR into
selling public land, even land not
previously designated as surplus,
and generally micro-manages the
DNRs land management process
from Lansing. If the legislators lis-
tening in the audience are truly the
sportsmen they present themselves
as, then theyll stop their attacks on
public land.
Additionally, the number of
hunters is on the decline, as much
as we try to stop it. To get more of
the general population to care about
wildlife, we need to get them out-
side, sharing our public lands with
hikers, bird-watchers, and back-
packers. By doing so, we create
more allies to stand with us to keep
our public lands public, however
we enjoy them. This also creates
more allies for hunting. Recently
the outdoor clothing company Pa-
tagonia known for its popularity
among backpackers and climbers
teamed up with hunting clothing
maker First Lite and the Backcoun-
try Hunters & Anglers for a joint
call to action to save our national
monuments from a political attack
from Congress in the form of H.R.
3990. When the non-consumptive
outdoor recreationists see that
hunters and anglers are standing
by them, theyll be more likely to
stand with us.
And I doubt theres a single
deer hunter in Michigan who
doesnt fear CWD showing up
in his or her county, if it hasnt
already. Chronic wasting disease is
always fatal to deer, and once in the
soil it never goes away, waiting to
National Summit page 75
WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 73
 Hot Topics in the Outdoors and Letters...
DNR seeks public input on Lake Michigan
management plan and future stocking efforts
T
he MDNR will host three
public meetings in Novem-
ber along the Lake Michigan
coast Nov. 28 in Manistique, Nov.
29 in Traverse City and Nov. 30
in Grand Haven to hear from the
public on two issues that will affect
the lake: a draft management plan
and future stocking activities.
This draft plan sets long-term
vision and goals for the Lake
Michigan fishery. It also outlines the
process for ensuring the public is
involved and is aligned with shorter-
term strategies and tactics. The draft
plan was developed through engage-
ment with focus groups, advisory
committees and DNR staff.
A copy of the draft plan is avail-
able for public feedback and can be
found online at https://mdnrlmfmp.
wordpress.com/. This website is
hosted through a partnership with
Michigan Sea Grant.
The DNR, together with other
state natural resource agencies and
tribal fishery managers, is working
to balance predators in Lake Michi-
gan with available prey. Last year,
Chinook salmon stocking in Michi-
gan waters was reduced by 41 per-
cent as part of that effort. Through-
out 2017, stakeholders provided the
DNR with considerable feedback to
consider reducing other predators
(rather than just Chinook salmon) to
seek a predator and prey balance.
Future stocking options now
are available on the DNRs salmon
website for public feedback. These
options propose reductions and
movement of brown trout, move-
ment of some coho salmon to south-
ern Lake Michigan, and reductions
in second-priority lake trout stock-
ing sites in northern Lake Michigan.
These options follow a new concept
that emerged from focus group dis-
cussions while developing the draft
Lake Michigan management plan.
Collecting public input is a
critical part in effectively managing
Michigans world-class fisheries,
said Jay Wesley, the DNRs Lake
Michigan Basin coordinator. The
conversations we hope to have at
this months meetings will help us
all re-think how we do some new
things on Lake Michigan, yet still
meet the needs of anglers and the
resource.
Public Meeting Dates, Locations
Tuesday, Nov. 28 Manis-
tique, 6:30 to 8 p.m., Comfort Inn
Conference Room, 617 E. Lake
Shore Drive.
Wednesday, Nov. 29 Tra-
verse City, 6:30 to 8 p.m., Board-
man River Nature Center, 1450 Cass
Road.
Thursday, Nov. 30 Grand
Haven, 6:30 to 8 p.m., Loutit Dis-
trict Library, 407 Columbus Ave.
For more information, contact
Jay Wesley at 269-685-6851, ext.
117 or wesleyj@michigan.gov.n

Great Lakes Invasive Carp Challenge nets more than 350 entries
The State of Michigan announced
that the Great Lakes Invasive Carp
Challenge, which sought innovative
solutions to stop the movement of
invasive carp, received 353 entries from
27 countries. The challenge, hosted by
global crowd-sourcing company Inno-
74 DECEMBER 2017 WNW NEWS
Centive, netted new ideas and raised the
global profile of this important issue.
Invasive carp pose a serious and
growing threat to the economy and
ecology of our Great Lakes, Gov. Rick
Snyder said.
Solutions will be reviewed by
a panel of expert judges, with up to underscores the need for action and
eight solutions selected for awards of innovation to prevent these fish from
$25,000. Stage 1 awardees will be an- doing potentially irreparable ecologi-
nounced in February 2018. cal and economic damage to Michi-
For final awards, a select number gans signature and defining natural
of Stage 1 awardees will be invited resource.n
to present their ideas before a live
audience of judges, industry experts,
nonprofit organizations and venture
capital representatives for additional
cash awards totaling up to $500,000. HORNS &
This live event is planned to take
place in late March 2018 in Detroit
and will provide an in-person platform
SKULLS
for ideas to be pitched to judges for Quality Antler, Horn
final awards. All awardees will have an
opportunity to make connections with & Skull Mounts
audience members as well, including Licensed Taxidermist
university researchers, entrepreneurs
and venture capital firms, in hopes of
furthering their ideas.
Gov. Snyder announced the Great
Lakes Invasive Carp Challenge during
his State of the State address in January
2017. The State of Michigan pledged
$1 million to seek innovative methods
to prevent the movement of invasive
carp species into Lake Michigan from
the Illinois River through the Chicago
Area Waterway System.
Invasive carp pose a significant
threat to the Great Lakes ecosystem, the
$7 billion fishery, and other economic
interests dependent on the Great Lakes
and its tributaries.
In June 2017, a 28-inch-long silver
carp was caught approximately 9
miles from Lake Michigan, beyond the
electric barrier system meant to keep in-
vasive carp out of the Great Lakes. An
autopsy and analysis by Southern Illi-
nois University indicated the fish spent
from a few weeks to a few months in
the section of river where it was caught. Jeff Cochran
There was no indication of how the fish Dryden, Michigan
ended up beyond the electric barriers.
This discovery of a second inva-
sive carp found beyond the barrier a
810-441-7057
bighead carp was captured in 2010 www.hornsnskulls.com
 Hot Topics In The Outdoors... My Thoughts, My Views (continued)

National Summit: from page 73 a year in existing funding from

infect the next deer. Michigan just
found its eleventh wild deer with
CWD, this one in Mecosta County.
Nick Pinizzotto, Executive Director
of the National Deer Alliance, reaf-
firmed this point during his pre-
sentation the next day. CWD is the
most serious issue facing deer and
deer hunting in America, including
Michigan. A Michigan Senate bill
SB 211 - to increase penalties for
bringing deer and elk carcasses into
Michigan from a CWD-positive
state passed the Senate in May, and
has yet to be taken up in the House.
It needs to: at the October meeting
of the Pigeon River Country State
Forest Advisory Council, Conser-
vation Officer Nick Torski told us
that they have stopped people as
far into the state as Gaylord trans-
porting out-of-state carcasses from
CWD states along I-75. In Wiscon-
sin, a high-fence shooting facility
less than 30 miles from the Upper
Peninsula border tested positive for
CWD a couple years ago. We need
to be vigilant against CWD from all
threats: transport, high-fence and
baiting.
Finally, wildlife funding must
be increased. While the Pittman-
Robertson Act and hunting and
fishing license sales have funded
wildlife conservation for our game
species, there are many non-
game species in serious trouble.
A solution may be the Recovering
Americas Wildlife Act, a bipartisan
bill recently introduced in Con-
gress co-sponsored by Republican
Jeff Fortenberry of Nebraska and
Democrat Debbie Dingell of Michi-
gan. It would reallocate $1.3 billion
oil and gas development on
seen: I guess well know when we
see how they vote on the legislation
federally owned public lands to before them. Some will no doubt
be distributed to the states for take their photo op hunting grouse,
wildlife species most in need, or fishing, or shooting clays, and
similar to the theory behind continue voting to undermine the
Michigans Natural Resources public lands, water and wildlife
Trust Fund. This should be which allow the rest of us hunters
important to all conservationists, and anglers to participate in those
but for hunters and anglers this same activities. Some legislators,
also means that there will be less though, will understand that the
pressure on Fish and Game funds to true import of summits like these
be used for non-game species. This isnt in the photo ops and glad-
bill has the support of the National handing: its in experiencing the
Wildlife Federation. Pure Michigan that surrounds us,
Whether or not any of the learning about our fish, wildlife and
politicians in the audience took public lands, and voting to conserve
his message to heart remains to be them.n
My Thoughts, My Views, My Opinions
Share your thoughts, views, opinions or shor t stories with
Woods-N-Water News readers by emailing
wnw@pageone-inc.com or mail to

Hunters asked to report bear Woods-N-Water News, PO Box 278, Imlay City, MI 48444
Questions regarding Woods-N-Water News subscriptions,

den sightings in northern L.P.
While out in the field, hunters
and trappers could come upon a
denned black bear. The Michigan
Department of Natural Resources
is looking for locations of denned
bears in the northern Lower Penin-
sula, in order to fit the bears with
radio collars for an ongoing bear
management program.
Information gathered from
bears assists in managing the black
bear population, said Mark Boers-
en, wildlife biologist at the DNR
Roscommon Customer Service Cen-
ter. Currently, we have six female
bears being monitored from both
air and ground using radio tracking
equipment.
After locating a denned bear,
DNR biologists will determine if
the animal is a good candidate for a
newsstand sales, Outdoor Weekend, stories, trophy page
contact our office Mon. - Fri. 9 am-5 pm 810-724-0254,
www.woods-n-waternews.com or facebook woodsnwaternews
radio collar. Bears that are selected
will be sedated by a wildlife biolo-
gist and fitted with collars and ear
tags. A small nonfunctional tooth
will be collected to determine each
bears age and to provide a DNA
sample. Upon completion of the
short procedure, biologists will
carefully return the bear to its den,
where it will sleep through the re-
mainder of the winter months.
Those who encounter bear dens
in the northern Lower Peninsula are
asked to record the location, with
a GPS unit if possible, and contact
Mark Boersen at 989-275-5151 or
boersenm@michigan.gov with spe-
cific location information.
As a reminder, it is illegal to
disturb a bear den or disturb, harm
or molest a bear in its den.n

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WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 75
 TRAIL CAM/OUTDOOR PHOTOS
Join us in sharing interesting and sometimes rare
trail cam and/or outdoor photos with our readers.
Send your photos to: wnw@pageone-inc.com (please submit in jpeg format)

Kraig Staples trail cam caught a

couple of young bears wrestling
near Millersburg.

Shawn DeBerry shared a couple of trail cam

photos taken near Waters, a wandering bear
and a couple of startled fawns.
Early August trail cam picture from Alan Jordan.

Anthony Pinto captured this

This bear made himself right at home at Tom 8-point near Brighton.
Spillanes cabin near St. Helen.

A pair of sparing bucks caught on trail cam by Eric

Williams, Stephen Gentner and his son William.

10/31/15 10/31/15 Dale Wheeler

caught this A dandy buck caught on Mike
black bear on SEROczynskis trail camera.
his Ogemaw
11/01/16 County trail
cam.

10/28/17 10/28/17

Ralph Smith of Brooklyn caught

these four bucks out for a stroll in
Jackson Co.

Tom Spill-
Lauren Trainor of Eaton Co. has trail cam pho- ane caught
tos of the same big buck for three yearsphe- this rare pic
nomenal! She points out whats ironic about this on the trail
is you will notice the time stamps on all pictures cam at his
from 2015, 2016 and now 2017it seems this cabin near
buck goes to the same spot, same camera area, Trail cam pictures by Lauren Trainor from her cabin property St Helen,
around the same date each year. You can also in Mio caught this unusual red-phase coyote (male) with his looked like
see how he has grown. Lauren estimates him to female partner. Coyotes are monogamous and keep their part- rabbit was
ner for life. (Lauren thought it looked like Michigan coy-wolves on the lunch
be at least 5-1/2 years old. based on the red coyotes large size) menu.
76 DECEMBER 2017 WNW NEWS
WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 77
 PART II
Bud Stewart
Michigans Extraordinary
Fishing Lure Maker
Bud Stewart incorporated his fledgling company
in 1933, first naming it the Bud Stewart Tackle
Company, then the Bud Stewart Custom Bait
Company and finally a change to Bud Stewart
Manufacturing. His flyers, lure inserts, hang
tags and national ads, however, were simpler
sometimes labeled Bud Stewart Tackle
Company, other times Bud Stewart Tackle

B
or more often just Bud Stewart.
y 1940 he had made
a decision to increase
his lure production
by making some
important changes.
He started by leas-
ing a 2,500 square foot building
behind the Stewart home.
Then he began hiring more
employees for basic tasks.
At first they were fishing
friends and relatives and
then he hired women who
worked in the new build-
ing while others did piece
work at home. They did
his lure business and took a job at
the Flint Buick plant which was
soon converted over to making
fighter aircraft components. He still
produced some lures during the war
years. He worked out an agreement
with his supervisor at Buick and
was allowed to hire other
employees during their
lunch breaks where they
would help him sand and
later assemble lures. He left
the Buick plant the day the
war was over!
Bud continued stream-
lining his lure production
Bud Stewar t fishing Four Mile Pond on the Thunder Bay River near
the Stewar t home. David Kenyon photo
By the early 1950s he also
changed the way he marketed his
lures and decoys by selling at the
major Midwest sport shows that
were held in Detroit, Cleveland,
Chicago, Milwaukee and Min-
neapolis each late winter. These
were not the three and four days
shows that many of us attend each
year. These were ten day shows
plus travel time with stays in area
hotels, too many meals, and dry
cleaning. They were a grind for
the manufacturers and the sales-
was the first to demonstrate his
lures in a large metal tank filled
with rocks and weeds all the time
explaining each lures features and
showing the different actions. His
favorite rod and reel was a 21-inch
Waltco Stubcaster rod with the coil
spring in the center matched up
with a Shakespeare casting reel.
Buds demonstrations were a suc-
cess, and he started selling more
and more baits.
The other very important
change in his life was that he met

Sporting Collectibles
basic sanding,
priming of the
wood lures
and decoys,
and final
By Terry McBurney
assembly. Bud, however, contin-
ued painting each of his lures and
decoys throughout his career. This
all changed on December 7, 1941
with the start of WWII. Bud, like
thousands of other Americans, was
soon drafted for service but failed
his physical because of a heart
rhythm problem. Bud felt it was his
patriotic duty to support the war
effort, so he temporarily suspended
where he left
off before
the war. He
started hav-
ing his more
popular wood baits produced on
a copy lathe where four identical
bodies could be produced in one
step. This was first done locally
in Flint and then later at a larger
wood products firm in Garrett,
Indiana. He also simplified the time
consuming spotted paint pattern
reducing the number of spots per
bait and then offsetting this change
by adding other colors.
men who worked them starting
in January and running through
March. All sizes of manufacturers,
large and small, and area retail-
ers set up booths at each show and
people flocked to them to view new
products, purchase bargains, attend
seminars, and watch two or three
featured acts each day. The author
remembers seeing tournament bait
casters, acrobats, competing lumber
jacks, lots of dog acts and one
daredevil who ski jumped from the
balcony at the Milwaukee sports
show three times a day.
Bud attended these shows and
a young lady from Flint at the
Saginaw County Fair in the sum-
mer of 1951. Bud was helping a
friend at his booth when he met
Doris Kobbe who was born and
raised in Flint and worked for
Michigan Bell Telephone. Bud and
Doris were married on September
16, 1952 after a one-year courtship.
Doris said that she must have loved
Bud an awful lot because who else
would have put up with him pick-
ing up road kills on the way to their
honeymoon in northern Michigan.
Bud wanted the road kills because
he used the different furs and feath-

Left to right: A trio of Crippled Mouse lures from three decades (bottom to top) early 1940s, early 1950s and 1960s and Bud Stewar ts
foil baits a triple-jointed 11 round nose sucker, a 6 Double Trouble sucker and a 3 sucker minnow, circa 1960s. Tony Przybylo col-
lection. Plus a custom painted plastic Pregnant Mouse from the Collectors Period, circa 1980s. Frank Baron collection
78 DECEMBER 2017 WNW NEWS
ers on some of his lures. The two
moved to the Stewart home in Flint
where she became wife, bookkeep-
er, stenographer and receptionist
for Bud.
Doris and Bud developed a dif-
ferent system for selling his lures
and decoys at the sport shows. He
would take examples of every style
displaying them at each show. He
then would take COD orders from
the show attendees and then filled
the orders by mail during the spring
and summer months. He also chal-
lenged fishermen to design their
own baits and Bud would carve
them as special orders.
The other big change was in
the spring of 1956 when Bud and
Doris moved their home and busi-
ness to nearby Fenton. They lived
on the Shiawassee River several
hundred yards from where it flowed
into Lake Ponemah. Just out his
front door and a short boat ride
to the west, and Bud was fishing
on a lake known for producing
pike to 10-pounds, largemouths to
6-pounds, smallmouths to 4-pounds
along with good concentrations of
bluegills and black crappies. What
a great place to live for an avid fish-
erman and lure maker! At first, his
workshop was a small building near
their new home. Later, Bud had a
two-story pole building erected that
he used as his workshop until they
moved to Alpena.
The Factory Period produced a
lot of new lures the Pad Hopper,
the popular Hammer Handles, Con-
vertible Crippled Wigglers, Side
Suckers, Sick Suckers, Snakes,
Top: A beautiful example of a 7 Stewar t Sucker Ice Fish Spear-
ing Decoy in sucker scale with side flashers and belly glitter, circa
1950s. Bottom: Buds biggest lure measured 13 . Bud kept the
lure hanging in his workshop, circa 1950s. Frank Baron collection
Muskrats, Ducklings, Crawdads,
and different variations of the Crip-
pled Wigglers, the Crippled Mouse,
and the Crippled Crabs.plus
many more that I did not name.
Bud also got into injection molded
plastic lures during the 1950s.
A number of them were plastic
versions of his best selling wood
baits and a few were new designs,
especially my favorite, the Pregnant
Mouse. The plastic baits were less
expensive to produce than his wood
lures and the retails reflected the
cost savings. The plastic Pad Hop-
per was the most popular plastic
bait he produced followed by the
Pregnant Mouse, the Crawdad, the
Pollywog, and the Thing-A-Ma-Jig.
Bud scaled down his business
in the late 1970s aiming towards
a quieter time with Doris follow-
ing her planned retirement in 1980
after twenty-nine years working for
Michigan Bell Telephone. He also
attended fewer sport shows giv-
ing him more time for fishing. He
had loved fishing the Thunder Bay
River area of northern Michigan
as a young man, so they built their
dream home on the Thunder Bay
River six miles west of Alpena in
the summer of 1980. Bud sold his
company and the rights to sell six
different lures to Butch Lindel of
Rose City, Michigan the same year,
and then the couple moved north.
About the same time, a group
of Michigan lure collectors started
talking at shows about their inter-
ests in Bud Stewart lures. Some
Bud Stewart next page
had started collecting Stewart
lures because they had fished with
them. Others appreciated Buds
artistry and his folk art creations,
while some started collecting them
because they were interested in
made Made in Michigan lures.
Regardless, these early collectors
got together at shows and at indi-
vidual homes and started trading
Bud Stewart baits. This first group
included Frank Baron, Ray Carver,
Father Rick Treml, John Shoffner,
Walt Blue, and Clarence Zahn - all
members of the NFLCC (National
Fishing Lure Collectors Club).
In 1982, the group contacted
Bud and Doris. They wanted to fea-
ture his fishing lures and decoys at
the upcoming southeastern Michi-
gan Spring Swap Meet. The couple
agreed to lend them fifty lures and
decoys for their Bud Stewart
display. These lures, as well as
others owned by the club members,
created quite a bit of excitement
and interest in Buds creations. The
interest has grown ever since.
Others started recognizing Bud
Stewarts extraordinary artistry. In
Top to Bottom: One of Bud Stewar ts Conver tible Wigglers
from the early 1950s. A 3 four-color Crippled Wiggler from
the late 1930s early 1940s. One of Buds earliest Duck-
ling lures from the early 1940s featured a special finish. He
crinkled the paint with a blow torch. Two Hammer Handle Pike
from the late 1940s. Very few of his baits were hand stamped.
All photos Frank Baron collection
WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 79
Bud Stewart Part II:
from page 79
July, 1984, he was inducted into the
National Fresh Water Fishing Hall
of Fame in Hayward, Wisconsin as
a Legendary Angler. Soon after
in September, 1984 Bud was one
of the first four inductees into the
National Fishing Lure Collectors
Club Honorary Members Program.
In 1986, Bud was notified that he
was to be honored as one of several
Michigan artisans at the prestigious
to people and answering questions.
Two months later he was hon-
ored again, this time by the Michi-
gan State University Museum and
the Michigan Folklore Society with
their Michigan Heritage Award.
The Michigan exhibition from the
Smithsonian Festival was restaged
this time at the Kellogg Center on
the MSU campus. A banquet fol-
lowed the exhibition and Bud was

Three double-jointed Hammer Handle Suckers from the 1950s mea-

Double Trouble Bluegills were mounted side-by-side rather than
tandem - from the 1980s. Frank Baron collection
Smithsonian 21st Annual Festival
of American Folk Art in Washing-
ton D.C. to be held in late June of
the following year. Under a spe-
cial Michigan display tent entitled
Baitshop, Bud setup a display of
his lures and decoys along with a
long steel tank he used for demon-
strations like he had so many times
at different Midwest sport shows.
Doris sat nearby behind a table
filled with all kinds of Buds lures,
critters, decoys and folk art talking
suring 8, 12, and 13. Frank Baron collection
that time was bringing out books Baron for his help and patience
on collectible fishing lures. They in putting this article together and
had to raise the money themselves, for allowing me to photograph
so Bud went back to carving and some extraordinary Bud Stewart
painting pretty much full time and creations. Special thanks to Ray
Frank and Ray starting selling what Carver for his insights and informa-
came to be known as Collectors tion; Tony Przybylo for allowing to
Period lures and decoys all hand me photograph parts of his Stewart
carved, exceptionally painted and collection; Robbie Pavey for his
then tested by Bud. The necessary help; Steve and Lori Parker from
money was raised and Bud Stewart, Flint; and Gary Miller for his pho-
Michigans Legendary Lure Maker, tographs and help with fish decoys.
one of eight folk art artisans chosen
for the Michigan Heritage Award.
After the banquet, Frank and
Pat Baron along with Ray Carver
and his wife, Barbara, were talking
together when they decided that a
book needed to be written about
Bud Stewart and his remarkable
life. They decided that day to start
the project with the help of Bud and
Doris. They quickly discovered that
they had to self-publish the book
because not one book publisher at An orange spotted shiner chasing a sucker minnow. This ice fish
spearing decoy measures 10 overall - from the 1980s. Frank
Baron collection

written by Frank Baron and Ray I would also like to acknowledge

Carver, was published in 1990.
(The book has long ago sold out,
but sometimes copies of it can still
be found on the Internet).
Outstanding angler, fishing
and hunting guide, trapper and
fur buyer, story teller, self-taught
master carver and painter, and lure
designer - Bud Stewart was many
things during his eighty-six years.
He left a remarkable legacy for
us all when he died on February
13, 1999. Doris passed away on
March 16, 2016. Both are buried in
Bud Stewar t car ved this folk ar t duckling pin cushion for Pat Baron Alpena.
I would like to thank Frank
- from the 1980s. Pat Baron collection
80 DECEMBER 2017 WNW NEWS
the fine article, Fine Fooler of
Fish written by C. Kurt Dewhurst
and Marsha MacDowell with pho-
tos by David Kenyon and published
in the September-October 1987 is-
sue of Michigan Natural Resources
Magazine; and finally the book,
Hands Across Michigan, written by
Alan R. Kamuda.
Feel free to contact the author
at antiquefishing@comcast.net
with your questions. Photographs
are important, so please send them.
They help me with identification
and give me an idea of the condi-
tion of the item.n
 MICHIGAN'S
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Woods-N-Water News
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www.woods-n-waternews.com
WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 81
TIMBER THEFT IN MICHIGAN
M
By Jeff Pendergraff
ichigan has four
million acres of
state managed
forest land that
provides critical
habitat for wild-
life, valuable resources for a thriv-
ing timber industry and beautiful
outdoor spaces for a variety of
outdoor recreation activities.
In the past several years the tim-
ber cuttings across the state have in-
creased in big numbers as compared
to the past. I have seen many clear
cuts in the county I live in (Craw-
ford), more than ever before. They
arent pretty when they are done, but
its crucial for animal habitat and
a healthy forest. In time the forest
does grow back and it benefits the A large amount of veneer maple logs that were illegally har vested and recovered from a local mill. The
animals that live in the forest. Not value of those logs is several thousand dollars. MDNR photos
to mention, it creates lots of jobs gan Conservation Officers have value of stolen and destroyed trees Sergeant Brian Olsen investigat-
and a huge industry in Michigan. It made against people who were was more than many thousands of ed multiple cedar trees that had been
also provides millions of dollars of caught stealing timber in Michigan. dollars. They used DNR foresters cut on state land and dragged onto
income to the state. In late 2015 Conservation Of- to match end slabs of logs from the private property in Roscommon
When the DNR determines that ficers (CO) Carl VanderWall and mill to the trees left behind. Multiple County. He interviewed the property
a forest is ready to be cut, they put it Duane Budreau received complaints interviews resulted in confessions owner and obtained a confession
out to forest product companies for that large veneer sugar maple trees and have led to additional suspects, about the theft of the trees. Suspect
bids. There are certain requirements were being illegally cut on state land with several felony charges being was charged, besides fines and cost,
set forth in these bids depending on in Emmet County in the northwest issued. The suspect vehicle and restitution for three times the value
the plans the DNR has in that sec- part of Michigan. This illegal activ- related logging equipment had been of the trees will also have to be paid
tion of forest that is being cut. Once ity continued through the winter of seized. In the end, the main suspect back to the state.
the cut is finished the company must 2016 along groomed snowmobile was ordered to play close to $22,000 COs Craig Neal and Sgt. Brian
fulfill the requirements set forth in trails, county roads and state land in in restitution to the state for the Olsen responded to a complaint of
the bid. Charlevoix and Cheboygan coun- trees. a suspect cutting standing trees on
The DNR also issues permits to ties. As the investigation grew into COs David Miller and Doug state land in Kalkaska County with-
the public for those of us that use other counties in northwest Michi- Hermanson investigated a timber out a permit. Suspect in this case
wood to heat our homes. You can gan other conservation officers were theft case in the western U.P. Their was charged.
get a permit for $20 to cut up to five involved; Sergeants Mike Feagan investigation led to the confession CO Doug Hermanson is investi-
cords of wood from downed trees and Greg Drogowski along with of two suspects. Their case was gating a timber theft case in Baraga
for personal use. That is the only le- Conservation Officers Chad Bald- turned over to the county prosecu- County involving over 20 trees.
gal way you can take wood products win, Eric Bottorff, Matt Theunick tors office. You might think, well its just a
from state forest lands. However, and Mark DePew. COs Jared Ferguson and Brian few trees. However, some trees can
there are people out there who steal Suspects were developed Bacon tracked down a suspect in be worth several thousand dollars
timber from the state and in many through witnesses, interviews and CO Bacons timber theft case in- depending on the age and type of
cases the value of this timber can physical evidence. The suspects volving timber theft from state land. tree involved. Normally a commer-
reach into thousands of dollars. were taking the stolen veneer maple His case was turned over to the local cial logging operation you might
Here are just a few cases Michi- logs to area sawmills and the total county prosecutors office. come across while driving through

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10 Miles E. of Bay City on M-25 in Quanicassee Sel

northern Michigan looks like a com-
mercial logging operation. There is
large heavy equipment, normally
involving many loggers. You will
see large piles of logs stacked in
the woods. But if you drive past
someone cutting up downed trees in
most cases they are cutting wood for
personal use to burn for heat in their
own home.
If you drive through the woods
and see one or just a couple of guys
cutting down live trees without a
lot of heavy equipment there is a
good chance they are illegally cut-
ting down live trees and are in the
process of stealing timber. If that is
the case or it just doesnt look right
you should take the time to write
down any information you can on
the people involved and their equip-
ment and then call law enforcement
for them to follow up on.
There was a case this past sum-
mer in Crawford County where a
couple of subjects had taken their
utility trailer up to a spot where
there was a commercial logging
operation in place. They went there
on the weekend when no one was
around and started loading logs in
their trailer. A person driving by saw
something that looked out of place
and he called 911. When a Crawford
County Deputy arrived he caught
two suspects in the act of stealing
timber. Bad timing on their part!
This is just a few of recent
timber theft cases in Michigan.
Some large, some small. The natural
resources in Michigan belong to all
of us just like the fish and game. If
someone is stealing them, they are
stealing them from us and are doing
so to make money! Everything on
state land belongs to everyone. Be-
sides timber products you cant take
anything off state land.
CO John Huspen came across a
subject who had just finished load-
ing the back end of his pick-up truck
full of sand from a sand pit on state
land. When CO Huspen asked him
what he was doing he stated he was
getting sand to fill up the sand box
he just made for his kids! He wasnt
very happy when he learned that this
activity was illegal and had to put
the sand back.
If you are camping on state land
you can take forest products that
are laying on the ground to burn in
a campfire. Simply cutting down a
pine tree to be used as a Christmas
tree is against the law. Many hunters
every fall go into the woods to set
up their deer blinds and end up cut-
ting down live trees to clear shoot-
ing lanes. In some cases, they go
way overboard and end up getting a
ticket from a CO for cutting down
A picture of
slabs that
were taken
from the
live trees. tree cut
Depending on the amount of the illegally in
damage, a person can face up to 10 the woods
years in prison and a fine of up to and matched
$15,000 and pay the state back three up to the log
times the value of the trees. sold at the
Author is Jeff Pendergraff, mill.
retired Captain from the DNR Law
Enforcement Division.n
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Our mill is located just north of the beautiful little town of Comins, Michigan and consists of two
modern sawmills and one scragg mill operation. A distinct advantage that we have is specific
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the best quality wood out there, but we also pay well for lower quality industrial timber. Another
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that in the past would have been sold for firewood or pulpwood which is typically worth less
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We are your complete source for buying your timber! Our operations take your standing timber
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WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 83
 Beaver castor
and beaver stew
I
still re-
mem- By John Chagnon
ber
seeing that old beaver
cutting in Hogans Marsh
down the road from the
American Legion Hall when I was
a school boy. It would be more than
a decade until I actually harvested
a beaver in the wilds of the U.P.
Today I look forward every winter
to a good pot of beaver stew and
gathering beaver castor for my
animal lure making activities. It is
just a bonus for me if the price is up
on the beaver pelt. Hopefully this
article will help you a little if you
are a beaver trapper or perhaps show
you how to save a few trees if you
are a landowner blessed with too
many beaver.
Beaver are very common in
Michigan today. The season is also
very liberal, running from late fall
into the spring. Make sure to check
the Michigan Trapping and Hunt-
ing Regulations for the exact season
dates. Of all the furbearing animals
we can trap,
no other critter
leaves as much
sign as a beaver. The sign includes
trees cut down, very large lodges,
dams and large tracks at the waters
edge in the mud. Most times when
you see beaver sign for the first time
you think there are far more beaver
than there actually are. The beavers
trails in and out of the water are not
only indication of an active beaver
population but also a prime set loca-
tion.
When targeting beaver I pre-
fer to use #5 Bridger Coilspring
Traps, Size #330 Body Grip Traps
and snares for under the ice beaver
trapping. A good beaver Lure like
Lenons Beaver Super All Call is
a must during open water beaver
trapping. A trapper can also eas-
ily make his own beaver lure by
removing the two castors from a
beaver or beavers, grinding them
up and adding some glycerin oil or
mineral oil. Beaver are not hard to
trap but extra care should be made
Beaver are very common in Michigan today and the trapping sea-
son runs from late fall into the spring.
to assure you are going to hold them
and humanely drown them when us-
ing foothold traps. I prefer foothold
traps as it is my experience that
beaver get shy once they start seeing
other beaver caught in body grip
traps. Also we are allowed to catch
otter during beaver season; however,
it is my experience that when setting
body grip traps in trails and narrow
underwater passages I can catch
more otter than allowed. Therefore,
when trapping beaver in Michigan I
am trapping beaver with otter avoid-
ance techniques. The main avoid-
ance technique is to not set narrow
passages with #330 body grip traps
in streams.
It is important to note that I do
not trap southern Michigan, which
probably has fewer otter than north-
ern Michigan. When I do demos at
trappers conventions on beaver,
folks are always asking me how to
catch otter. It has always been my
experience that if otter are around
they will be caught quickly in Body
Grip Traps in narrow passages and
beaver dam crossovers.
So, you found your active bea-
ver colony and sign is everywhere.
Note some beaver create large
lodges for homes and others create
bank dens with entrances under the
water. If the water is open I would
make a beaver mound castor set. I
would make the set just to the right
of an active slide in and out of the
water. Grab mud from under the wa-
ter and pile it with old vegetation a

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foot or two high on the bank. A few
handfuls is plenty. Cut a stick about
1/2 inch in diameter and 6 inches
long peeling the young bark off
for eye appeal and dip it into your
Lenon Beaver Super All Call Lure
or homemade beaver lure. Place the
lured stick on the castor mound that
you made. Place a stake several feet
up the bank and another hardwood
long stake out in water waist deep
or more. The two stakes will be con-
nected with 10 or 11 gauge wire and
the drowner lock on the trap chain
placed so the beaver can go toward
the deep water but not back toward
shore. You place the bank stake way
high so if water raises from rains or
melt you can easily keep your set in
working order.
I always set large traps like a
Bridger #5 Coilspring trap while
Im on the dry high bank for safety
and then place at set location under
two or three inches of water in front
of the Beaver Castor Mound. If a
lot of raccoon sign is present I will
also set some Dog Proof Raccoon
Traps on the high banks. This keeps
the raccoon out of my beaver sets
and it is always nicer to carry out a
dry raccoon then one that is soaking
wet.
When the water freezes, I have
very good luck with beaver snares
Dougs Small Engine
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Phone (989)773-0059 www.DougsSmallEngine.com
set near the beavers feed piles. Once
you have seen a beaver feed pile you
will not have any trouble identifying
them. Basically they can be quite
large consisting of many poplar
poles dragged into the water near a
beaver lodge or beaver dens in the
banks. Once ice covers the habitat,
the beaver survive by eating what
they have stored under the water
prior to freeze up. One can make
their own beaver snares or purchase
them already made from a trappers
supply house. I usually place four
beaver snares on a hardwood pole
and tie a long green fresh poplar to
the hardwood pole. You can search
the web for pictures and video of
using snares for under the ice beaver
trapping. Body Grips Traps, #330
can also be placed on poles with a
bait stick. I do not do quite as good
underwater trapping, but it is always
rewarding when you do collect a
prime beaver after chopping through
a foot of ice.
While trapping beaver into the
late winter do not overlook throwing
in a few sets for fox and coyote on
the high banks. By December and
January the thickets found around
beaver activity are prime areas for
fox and coyote to look for their next
meal. All canines will respond much
better to baits and lures during the
cold and freezing weather. The fall
abundance of food is gone and the
canines are not going to pass up a
free meal. You will have to use some
dry dirt or peat moss to bed your
sets at this time of the year with
freezing temperatures. I also tend
to use grapples or drags during the
winter as it can be difficult or im-
possible to drive in trap stakes. The
fox and coyote are the most prime
during the month of December and
every canine caught will be a trophy.
And with snow on the ground show-
ing you where they travel it will be
an educational experience for you
on their nature.
Beaver stew is really good and
very similar to beef stew to me. Like
all wild game you must process it
right to maximize its goodness. I
start by only using beaver from one
day trap checks, as it is possible to
have a legally caught beaver on a
two day trap check. The fresher the
better. After removing the beaver
pelt fur and beaver castor glands
I quarter the beaver. Probably the
most important part is removing all
the fat and grizzle leaving only lean
meat. Once I have 4 legs and the
back straps removed and all the fat
removed I soak in kosher salt water
overnight in the refrigerator.
The next day I cut the meat into
Must be
purchased at
Able Safe
during the time
period
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1/2 to 3/4 inch cubes. I then add
1 cup flour, 1 teaspoon of garlic
powder, 1 teaspoon of paprika, 1
teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of
black pepper. In a stew pot add olive
oil and heat, when oil is hot brown
the flour coated beaver cubes. Once
the beaver cubes are brown add sev-
eral cups of water and simmer about
an hour. Then add 1 or 2 medium
onions diced up, 2 cups of inch
cubed peeled potatoes or rutabagas,
several large carrots sliced and a cup
of fresh or canned mushrooms. If
necessary cover all with additional
water and bring to a boil and sim-
mer until all vegetables are tender.
Thicken as desired with flour or
cornstarch mixed in cold water.
I wish everyone a Merry
Christmas and that every Michigan
school boy or girl trapper receives a
muskrat trap in his or her Christmas
stocking. Watch for my January and
February articles when I cover the
trapping topics of under ice muskrat
and mink trapping, coyote and fox
snaring and one my favorite winter
activities catching a white Michi-
gan weasel. I welcome you
to visit my websites at PcsOutdoors.
com and LenonLures.com
I always welcome calls from
fellow trappers at (989) 569-3480
ext. 225.n
Only
good on
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Open 6 Days A Week
Monday - Thursday 10a-6p;
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WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 85
Well see you
next year!
H
i, Im David and then downrange to adjust the sticks.
Im going to be No one loads or shoots until I give
your range offi- the command.
cer today, David If you hear cease fire, by any-
Maddox said with a big smile on his one, stop and put your muzzleloader
face. in a safe condition. You will shoot
Whos going to win today? three shots at 25 yards and two shots
Each of the attentive youngsters at 50 yards. Anyone have any ques-
who sat on the bank behind the tions? Parents?
shooting line raised his or her hand. This is not a race. We want
Whatever I ask you to you to take your time and
do is for safety, so its im- shoot at your own pace.
portant for you to listen and Okay, go get your tar-
Adam Sass (lt) and Ashten Johnson (r t) compared the size of a .490 to a .530
do as your coach tells you. gets, Maddox said. A few round ball. The adults fielded a wide variety of questions and caught the enthusi-
When I tell you to start, we youngsters scampered to asm exhibited by the younger shooters. Wild River tree photos
will all walk downrange the picnic pavilion to finish
and post your targets. registration and receive elses target he added with a know- the youngsters were encouraged to
Remember the number over their target. With help, theying grin. remain seated or kneeling.
your target; thats the target stapled the large bullseye Do not load. Get your childs I gotta find Alexs shoot-
you will shoot at. to a cardboard backer, and cross sticks adjusted. Always treat ing glasses, Ed Strasburg said as

By Dennis Neely
Then we
will come back to
the shooting line
and get your cross sticks adjusted.
Parents, you can use an unloaded
gun to adjust the cross sticks to the
proper height, but the gun must
be treated as if its loaded with the
muzzle pointed up to the line and
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returned to the the gun as if it is loaded, Maddox
shooting line. tutored after all of the youngsters
Once everyone returned to the shooting line. Ham-
had a target, Maddox said, You can mers thumped wooden crossed
go forth and post your target, the sticks secure in the ground. Some
same command used for adult shoot- of the youthful shooters started at
ers. Remember the number over 25 yards, while others spread out
your target. Dont shoot someone on the 50-yard line. Once situated,
interest in muzzleloaders decided to
woodlots and at gravel pits. In 1964,
Stephanie Strasburg took careful aim as her father talked her through the ing and built the stringers in time
shot. At least one adult worked with each youthful competitor to ensure
safety and a fun shooting experience.
Maddox gave the command, You
can commence loading. Strasburg
helped his nine-year-old son Alex-
ander, then coached his daughter
Stephanie. It was her first year
shooting.
The Lansing Muzzle Load-
ing Gun Club celebrated its 75th
anniversary in 2017. In 1942, five
fellows who shared a common
form a club. They shot on farms, in
the LMLGC numbered about 70
families, and purchased the current
ground, located at 8545 Garrison
Road, Laingsburg, Michigan.
Major improvements during the
year include new loading benches
and gun rests on the main range and
at the primitive shooting area. The
North-South Skirmish Association
asked if we could extend the 100
yard range, Jim Brotherton said.
They paid for it. We cut the brush,
cleared the area, did the excavat-
for their shoot. Weve done a lot of
work this year, all with volunteer
labor.

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86 DECEMBER 2017 WNW NEWS

 In addition to the N-SSA event,
the club hosts their own black
powder shooting sports competi-
tions throughout the year. The Fall
Open Shoot on Labor Day weekend
is a favorite of many shooters from
around Michigan. The shoot pro-
gram lists the usual array of matches
and aggregates (a total score from
two or more matches), and includes
an Adam & Eve, Parent &
Child, junior and sub-junior match-
es. The LMLGC places a strong
emphasis on family shooting.
But the hidden gem of the
Fall Open Shoot is The Kids Fun
Shoot, held after the range closes
Saturday afternoon. I started shoot-
ing in this event in the 1980s, Jim
Brotherton said as he held up a
black and white photo from 1985.
Some of my nieces and nephews
are in this picture. Monty Hieser
was the original founder of the
kids shoot. John Streeter, then Jim
Galiger chaired it. I took over 13
years ago.
The purpose is to get kids
interested in shooting muzzleload-
ers, to teach proper handling of a
muzzleloader. The idea was to show
the benefits of fellowship among
competitors and to have fun. Were
trying to get kids, parents and
grandparents interested in the black
powder sports.
The kids gather at the club-
fired a muzzleloader for the first
time on Saturday afternoon. She
used a half-stock, .50-caliber, Con-
necticut Valley Arms Plains Hunter,
which is one of the loaner guns the
LMLGC keeps for new shooters.
She placed all five shots in the scor-
ing rings, posting a total score of 35
for Match 27.
Its fun, Aine Owen said
with a huge smile. I want to shoot
some more. The kick was less than
I expected. Im gonna shoot with
my dad next. Were shooting in the
parent and child match. Hes left
handed, but we will share the same
muzzleloader. Now I want to beat
my dad.
For the parent and child match,
the adult shoots three shots off-
hand at a 6-bull target. The child
shoots from a sitting position using The kick was less than I expected, Aine Owen said as she displayed her
cross sticks at the three remaining first-ever black powder target. I want to shoot some more.
bullseyes. All of the youth matches
require parental supervision. A par- Gun Club wants to thank all of the well see you next year.
ent or grandparent loads the rifle parents, grandparents and volunteers Take a youngster shooting, be
and takes it to the line where the who made this possible, Jim Broth- safe and may God bless you.n
youth waits. The muzzleloader is erton said as he closed the awards
capped or primed once the muzzle ceremony. This is our shooting Muzzle Loading State Events
points downrange with the forestock heritage. These young people are
our future. This is a fun sport and Dec. 10 - Woods Walk: Clinton
resting in the crotch of the crossed River Muzzle Loaders: Detroit
sticks. Shooting glasses and hearing we want to see it continue. And if
Sportsman Congress: 586-731-6088
protection are strongly encouraged. anyone has an old trophy to donate
The Kids Fun Shoot draws a or knows of someone who has un- Dec. 31 - Last Blast of the Year:
fair number of spectators. Parents wanted trophies, I will be happy to Blue Water Sportsmans
and grandparents all lend a helping recycle them. Thank you, again, and Association: 586-739-6499
hand. Shooting supplies and equip-

ck StB
ops u c k
u e
house just before the last relay. My ment are shared, when needed. In

H
e
T
B ere
T
wife, Tammy, signs them up and most cases, two adults assisted each
we issue the big 200-yard musket child. When a problem arose, the

T
target. We went to this big target so range officer was summoned. The
they had a better chance of hitting focus on safety remained the same
and scoring. They shoot five shots, as for any adult shooting competi-
two at 50 yards and three at 25 tion, tempered to teach and explain
yards with a possible score of 50. in pint-sized terms.
Dave Maddox is a (National Muzzle Throughout the year, Jim Broth-
Loading Rifle Association) certi- erton accepts donations of trophies
fied range officer to ensure there are from people who dont want them
no safety issues. Hes super with anymore, regardless of the sport. He
the kids, and he does the scoring, repairs any damage and replaces the VenisonVenison
Processing Processing
plus he gets as much enjoyment out golf or bowling statue on top with a Standard
Standard Cutting Fee: $85.0
Cutting Fee: $85.00 S
of the kids as we do, Brotherton shooter or an eagle. The refurbished SNACK STICKS
SNACK STICKS
explained. trophies look brand new when hes Teriyaki
Teriyaki Sticks
Sticks ..........................5lb Bag .......................... 5lbT B
e
Each year an anonymous donor Honey
Honey BBQ Sticks
BBQ Sticks ....................5lb Bag .................... 5lbHo B
done. Every registered child gets a w/Pepper
w/Pepper Jack Cheese ..........5lbJack Bag Cheese .......... 5lb Bw
supplies a rifle for the club to give to trophy, whether they score or not. Traverse
Traverse CityBag
City Cherry .................5lb Cherry ................. 5lbT B
ra
one of the youths registered for the The Lansing Muzzle Loading Philly
Philly Steak w/Swiss Steak
Cheese ....5lb w/Swiss
Bag Cheese .... 5lbPh B
shoot. The 2017 muzzleloader was Hunter
Hunter Sticks
Sticks ..........................5lb JERKY
Bag .......................... 5lb Hu
B
w/Cheese
w/Cheese ..............................5lb..............................
Bag Regular Jerky BBQ Jerky 5lb Bw
a percussion Traditions Deer Hunter Pepper
Pepper Sticks:
Sticks: ..........................5lb Bag .......................... 5lbPe B
.50-caliber with a wood stock. If a w/Pepper
w/Pepper Jack Cheese ..........5lbJack Bag OTHER
Cheese SMOKED ..........
ITEMS 5lb Bw
youngster shoots in the Kids Fun Jalapeno
Jalapeno Sticks
Sticks ........................5lb Bag Venison Hams Bacon
........................ 5lbJa
B
w/Pepper
w/Pepper Jack Cheese ..........5lbJack Bag Corned Venison Viennas
Cheese .......... 5lb Bw
Shoot or competes in any of the BBQ
BBQ Habanero Habanero
Sticks ...............5lb Bag Sticks ............... 5lbBB B
junior matches, his or her name goes Ghost
Ghost Chili Pepper ChiliSticks .........5lb Pepper
Bag ADDITIONAL
Sticks FEES
......... 5lbGhB
in a drawing for the muzzleloader. Add Pork or Beef Trimmings
SALAMI SALAMI Cape Mounts Hide
We draw the name before Licensed Shooting Preserve Summer
Summer Sausage ...................Sausage
4lb Stick Grind and Package Only
................... 4lb Sti
Su
the awards ceremony on Sunday, Mayville, MI w/Cheddar
w/CheddarCheese .............. 4lb Stick CheeseHorn Removal Fresh Sausage
.............. 4lb Sti
w
Jalapeno
Jalapeno Sausage .................. Sausage
4lb Stick Breakfast Sausage Breakfast Links
.................. 4lb Sti
Ja
Brotherton continued. A youth can (989) 843-6576 w/Pepper
w/Pepper
Jack Cheese ........ 4lb Jack Stick Cheese Fresh Brats ........ 4lb Sti w
only win a rifle one time, and they
must be present. This is a stipulation Dogs with Guides Available Clubhouse
Open 7 Days A Week Bird Cleaning Deer Drop Off Hours: Deer Dr
the donor made, because they wish Mon-Thurs:
Mon-Thurs:8am-6pm Fri: 8am-7pm
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Sat: 9am-6pm Sun: 10am-2pm
Fri: 8am-
M
to see the look on the youths face Fields With Excellent Cover & Morning And Afternoon
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when they win their first muzzle- Mon-Fri: 8am-5pmMon-Fri: 8am-5pm
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Birds Released After You Arrive Extra Birds Shot are Free
loading rifle. Six-year-old Ashten
No Gun Or Membership Fees Gift Certificates Available
Johnson won the rifle; he started Store Hours of Operation: Store Hou
shooting a muzzleloader when he Located 17 Miles North of Lapeer Mon-Thurs:
Mon-Thurs: 8am-6pm
8am-6pm Fri: 8am-7pm Fri: 8am-
Sat: 9am-6pm Sun: 10am-2pm M
was four. 4470
4470
S. SanduskyS.
Rd. Peck, MI 48466 810-378-5455
Sandusky Rd. Pec
4
Eleven-year-old Aine Owen www.jankspheasantfarm.com www.johnstonsmeat.com
www.johns
WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 87
Come see us
November 15th at
Late October lull 9-point
I never expect much action this early in the season...By John Eberhart
I
t was October 19th and I had not yet
hunted any of my locations in southern
Michigan but had hunted four times up
north by home and had one nice 8-point
pass by me at six yards while moving
along the edge of a standing cornfield
heading to the apple tree I was perched next to in
my sling.
The great thing about hunting by standing corn
during early season and into the lull is that the hunts
dont in any manner interfere or effect my rut phase
hunting locations that I dont hunt until the pre-rut
phase which begins in late October.
The October lull was winding down and in the
previous two days I had a couple friends tell me
that they had seen mature bucks chasing does and
that meant that in some areas there were some does
entering their estrus cycles a bit earlier than when
the majority of does do during peak rut, which is
normal.
It was still too early however to hunt my best
two spots up north as I typically begin hunting them
around October 25, so I planned an evening hunt
and the plan was to check a secondary location at
the back of a standing cornfield that had two scrapes
opened up during my pre-season speed tour. I had
gone in to hunt this location earlier in the season but
the scrapes had become inactive so I went else-
where. If they were active now, I would hunt there.
I would also carry my hip boots and if the scrapes
were inactive, cross a nearby river with them and
hunt a tree 15 yards from its bank.
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88 DECEMBER 2017 WNW NEWS
Neither location is a destination feeding location
but rather secure transition routes from different
bedding areas to the same standing cornfield. One
transition route leads to the cornfield from the east
and the other from the south after it crosses the river
and continues about 30 yards through tall marsh
grass before butting up to the standing cornfield
edge. With my scent control regimen wind direction
is irrelevant and of no concern so either location
would be fine.
After dressing in my mini-van I grabbed my hip
boots and headed through the standing corn perpen-
dicular to the rows towards the large red oak that
bordered the cornfield and swamp to the east. It was
windy enough to mask my noise of walking through
the corn and early enough that I kept my eye out
for bedded deer within the rows and about halfway
through I saw a big doe securely bedded down a
row about 15 yards away. Dont know what it is
about the intrigue of standing corn but its always
cool to see deer comfortably bedded in it and I
watched her for a few moments before moving on.
As I neared the oak the corn began to get a bit
sparse as the deer and raccoons had it eaten down
pretty good. Once at it the scrapes were still inac-
tive so it was time for plan B. I walked south down
the edge of the cornfield and when it turned west I
went straight and over the slight bank and through
the tall marsh weeds to the river. After changing
into my hip boots I crossed the 40 foot wide shal- The author admits he tends to forget what hunt-
low river and then put my Muck boots back on and ing is all about and how thankful he should be
folded the hip boots over and laid them under a log for taking this beautiful buck.
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next to the river.
While the walk to my tree was only 15 yards, I
saw three fresh runway scrapes on the main runway
to the east of the multi-trunked maple I would be
perched in. I had hunted this free permission prop-
erty for 11 seasons and in all those years there had
never been scrapes in this area. This area consisted
of about four acres of nasty dense bedding area to
the southeast and timber with dense understudy and
deadfalls to the southwest and the river to the north
of them. Where I was at ran east/west.
I prepared this particular maple in March
because over the years these bedding areas were
getting denser and attracting and holding more deer
and there was a well-used runway 12 yards to the
east of it that ran directly south between the two
bedding areas. When I walked that runway in the
spring there were small secondary runways from
both bedding areas that fed into it and it continued
north to the river and across into the crop field. The
maple location was perfect for several reasons. I
can access it through the field for an evening hunt
without spooking deer, as long as the field is in
standing corn I can exit through it without spook-
ing deer, and I wouldnt intrude with either bedding
area because its along the rivers edge.
It was a beautiful evening for being on a lake
somewhere getting a tan as the temperature was 71
degrees and there wasnt a cloud in the sky. I was
set-up early enough to take a quick nap, so while
nicely perched in my sling, I did just that for about
half an hour.
At 4:40 I heard something moving to the south
and within moments a big doe came into view and
ran down the 12 yard runway, crossed the river, ran
through the 30 yards buffer of tall marsh grasses
on the other side and into the standing corn without
stopping. She had no fawns with her and Ive been
hunting long enough to know that mature does
without fawns are much too cautious to randomly
run through areas with reckless abandon unless be-
ing chased by something.
While I never expect much action this early in
the season or this early on an evening hunt by a
mature buck in a pressured area, just to blow my
expectations, sure enough a mature buck was in
pursuit. Other than noticing he had a decent rack,
he didnt give me any time to scrutinize its size. He
approached rapidly and came to an abrupt stop at
one of the scrapes. When he stopped so abruptly I
couldnt help but notice his mass of muscles and fat
jiggle on his big body.
I had taken my Mathews bow off its hanger
and when he momentarily stopped to scent check
the scrape he was slightly quartering away. I came
to full draw and released the G5 Striker that was
attached to a Maxima Red arrow. The hit was per-
fectly placed about six inches behind the shoulder
which would angle the arrow right thought the
boiler room.
He turned and ran back along the same runway
and then broke east and went into the more dense
area of brush, tall weeds, briars and deadfalls. It
was so early that I went back to my van and took
off my ScentLok clothing and changed into some
lighter stuff and called a couple buddies to help me
get him out. One of them didnt own waders so he
waited by the cornfield with the versa-cart until we
hopefully found him and brought him back across
the river.
Although he traveled a couple hundred yards be-
fore expiring, it only took about 10 minutes to find
the 9 point as my two-year-old grandson
could have followed his blood trail. Body wise
he was big and was at least a 3 year old and
in that area not many bucks survive to reach that
age bracket but he was a little light on the antler
side which is also normal for northern Michigans
sandy soil areas. This was one of those times
when as a hunter I had to make a snap decision
between age criteria and antler criteria and this
time age won out.
Sadly I have to admit that when I walked up to
this beautiful buck that I was taken by his body size
but was a bit disappointed in his antler size. What
an ungrateful bastard I can be as sometimes I tend
to forget what hunting is all about and how thankful
I should be. It was a great hunt and I needed to be
kicked, slapped, punched or had a serious talking
to and the property owner was obliging to do so, a
talking to, that is.
Good hunting!
John Eberhart is an accomplished bowhunter
specializing in heavily pressured areas. In his 54
seasons hes scouted 17 public land parcels and
dozens of free permission properties in Michigan
and has taken 58 mature bucks from them with 31
making the CBM record book. Hes also taken 19
P&Y bucks on his 21 out of state hunts. The real
qualifier is that hes exclusively hunted public land,
free walk-on, and knock on doors for free permis-
sion properties.
Johns also authored 3 bowhunting books and
produced a 3 DVD instructional series and theyre
all about bowhunting pressured whitetails. Learn
more about Johns 2 day/workshops and his scout-
ing services at: www.deer-john.net or www.eber-
hartswhitetailworkshop.comn

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WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 89
DNR honored for forest certification efforts
T
he MDNR has achieved Michigan that we manage forests to partners to add 500,000 acres of FSC- Heron Hall, McLennan Design,
honors for its work to ensure they are here for our children certified forest in the southeastern U.S. and Smallwood Design and Construc-
sustainably manage and grandchildren. We can do that in a Wilsonart Engineered Surfaces, tion, for using 100 percent FSC-certi-
nearly 4 million acres of way that provides the wood products for being the first North American fied or reclaimed wood in a residential
state forests. people use every day, offers qual- laminate manufacturer to earn FSC project, including shou-sugi-ban
The DNR is among 16 ity wildlife habitat, and protects the certification. (charred wood) exterior walls in pur-
organizations and individuals to earn environment. Monadnock Paper Mills, for suit of the Living Building Challenge.
Leadership Awards from the Forest Michigan is certified by both the being the first paper mill in the United Bill Fisch Forest Stewardship
Stewardship Council, the worlds FSC and the Sustainable Forestry Ini- States to earn FSC certification, and and Education Centre, Regional
leading forest certification system. The tiative. Learn more about the DNRs for offering the first 100 percent post- Municipality of York, and DIALOG,
awards were presented Wednesday at efforts at michigan.gov/forestry. consumer recycled paper bearing the for using 100 percent FSC-certified
the Greenbuild International Confer- Other winners of FSC leadership FSC Recycled label. wood in construction and for sharing
ence and Expo in Boston. awards from across North America Dixie Plywood and Lumber Com- information about sustainability to
We were blown away by the are: pany, for more than 10 years of com- thousands of visitors annually.
accomplishments of our award win- ARAUCO North America, for mitment to marketing FSC-certified Cowhorn Vineyard and Garden
ners this year, said Corey Brinkema, investing approximately $400 million building materials in the southeastern Tasting Room, and Green Hammer,
president of the Forest Stewardship in a new FSC-certified particleboard U.S. for using more than 95 percent FSC-
Council US. By building the market mill in Grayling, Michigan along Forest Products Laboratory, certified wood products along with
for FSC products, the award winners with nine other certified mills in North Center for Wood Anatomy Research, a small amount of Eastern Oregon
show we can conserve forests, even America to meet demand from its for applying state-of-the-art forensic Grassland Restoration Juniper in its
as we use forest products in our daily customers, notably IKEA. wood science to verify the accuracy highly visible wine tasting room.
lives. Patagonia, for developing the of claims about FSC certification on Michael Conroy, for helping to
The DNR was honored for being worlds first FSC-certified Yulex natu- more than 1,000 products annually. launch FSC and for decades of com-
one of the longest-standing FSC-certi- ral rubber wetsuits, and for communi- Center for Forest and Wood mitment to the organization, as a grant
fied forest managers in the Lake States cating the importance of responsible Certification at the University of maker at the Ford Foundation, chair
region. FSC certification involves a forest management to its customers. Kentucky, for providing technical ex- of the Board of FSC US, chair of the
rigorous, independent review to ensure Staples, for marketing more than pertise to forest managers and supply Board of FSC International, and active
forest management practices meet the 1,000 individual FSC-certified paper chain businesses to grow FSC certifi- member in the Social Chamber.
highest standards for environmental and furniture products online and in cation. Christopher McDonell, for 20
and social benefits. stores, and for working to help family Seven Islands Land Company years of work shaping responsible for-
Michigan forests have been certi- woodland owners earn FSC certifica- and Pingree Associates, for its con- est management in Canada as manager
fied for more than a decade and were tion. tinuous FSC certification of more than of Aboriginal and Environmental
proud of that, said Deb Begalle, chief Procter & Gamble, for making 800,000 acres of timberland in Maine Relations for Tembec.
of the DNRs Forest Resources Divi- Charmin and Puffs tissue products since 1993, and working to help build Learn more about the Forest Stew-
sion. Its important to the people of FSC-certified and for working with the FSC system over the past 20 years. ardship Council at www.fsc.org.n

Learn
how DAN
INFALT James Ferrari and Sons, Inc. strives for customer satisfaction and the ideal customer experience. We are
hunters and processors ourselves and we know what supplies you need so you can process your own game.

kills
Hunting big bucks in swamps Learn how to cyber scout a swamp
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WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 91
 HUMOR OF
THE HUNT
T
he hunt may be over,
but as with so many
previous hunts, some
successful, others not;
some humdrum or mun-
dane; others displaying
a bit of hunter humor as oft times
situations simply do not work out as
planned, perfect hunt rarely exists.
Lets take a step back over the
years to discuss several hunts that
took on a humorous atmosphere.
Names will not appear in print to
protect the hunters reputation. They
will remain anonymous; however,
I am positive these individuals will
recognize themselves should the oc-
casion arise.
Hunter perplexed as he sees
over-active fish tail high up in a
tree: How weird a statement? But
true! Heres what happened. Early
in the morning, an U.P. hunter was
sitting in a ground blind, the
second week of bow season.
During time spent in the
blind, he had witnessed just
about every small visiting
game animal and bird pos-
sible including a snowshoe
hare that came in one late
afternoon; the next day
bringing another
with him to feed
on sugar beets By Betty Sodders
rather than car-
rots. Squirrel antics of reds, grays and
blacks were also common. Now back
to the fish tale.
With crossbow at hand, the man
anxiously waited for a whitetail
buck to appear. Glancing upward,
he caught a glimpse of something...
moving. Thinking it was probably
one of the larger squirrels flicking its
tail back and forth until all of a sud-
den it took on the shape of a fish tail.
A what? Yes, a fish tail! And just then
there was enough light to see a patch
of white and the mans adjusted vi-
sion was able to spot an eagle holding
a good-sized pike in its talons. Here
we happen to have an avid pike fish-
erman watching a pike tail wriggle
high up in a tree... Amazed, Pikeman
(as he is known) watched the huge
bird feed until suddenly a second
eagle flew in, larger than the one with
the fish. Almost immediately, the first
eagle vacated his spot and flew off,
not willing to share. The larger eagle
followed soon after.
Porcupine disrupts L.P. hunt-
ers opening day deer hunt: The
young man had scoped out the state
land deer hunting opportunities in
the Tawas area for several weekends,
driving up north on several occasions
to put out bait (there were no bait-
ing restrictions at that time). He was
92 DECEMBER 2017 WNW NEWS
prepared for the hunt both mentally
and physically. So opening day of
bowhunting season, he was in his
deer stand well before daylight when
he heard a rustling noise accompanied
by growling. He wondered what was
up the tree? Nocking an arrow, he
looked above him and there he saw
the porcupine.
Now porky did not approve of
the hunter sharing his tree, so he
started climbing down from his tree
top perch. Not knowing how the
prickly pig (nickname) would climb
down past him, in the darkness, he
somehow aimed and let an arrow
fly! It scored right on target. Fine,
you say? Well it was not, for as the
porcupine tumbled downward, bodily
fluids were released, landing right on
top of the bait pile. For that matter,
the porcupine ended up there as well.
No deer was going to feed in that
mess of gore and carrion,
so the hunter packed up his
gear, climbed down from his
tree stand and went back to
the cabin. So much for open-
ing day success.
Other hunters besides deer
hunters are also up to hu-
morous events:
This story
was set in the
eastern U.P. and
tells of a crew
of hunters hunting waterfowl on
private land during a high water
period of marshland. Not able to
access one of their favorite hunting
areas and hunting from ground blinds
rather than by boat, before season
the duck hunters decided to put up
a make-shift bridge allowing them
to reach an area that two hunters
planned on hunting from.
The crew of five drew up plans
and a material list and two days be-
fore opening day of duck hunting, the
men worked all day long setting posts
firmly down through marsh muck and
laying logs across stringers forming a
makeshift bridge.
Believe it or not...that night the
local beaver clan went to work on
the bridge, chewing all the bark off
the poles and logs, causing one of
the hunters to remark, Gee guys our
bridge sure looks nice, doesnt it?
Opening day, the five men were
up before the crack of dawn, two of
them off to the marsh to their broom-
stick duck blind, ready for early
morning action. When they reached
the bridge...there was no bridge...
during the night, well before the
hunt started, the beavers had literally
gnawed the rustic bridge apart and
floated logs off in the direction of
their large beaver house. That is prob-
ably how the term, busy as a beaver
came about.
These hunters didnt like the
coffee: This story was passed on
from a friend who remembered that
in the old days when his dad went
to deer camp, camps were rustic and
at times actually, beyond rustic! If
I remember correctly the tale went
something like this: One of the deer
camp hunters arrived at camp early
so he poured well water into the big
coffee pot that always sat on the old
wood stove ready to serve up a hot
cup of java to a freezing and often
times, wet hunter coming in after a
hunt north of Ishpeming in the U.P. A
second hunter arrived and coffee was
poured. But as the men drank, one
remarked that the brew tasted awful.
The other readily agreed! As they
dumped it out, out fell a dead weasel!
Yes, a dead varmint! The old coffee
pot cover was wide open before the
man made coffee and I assume he did
not look in the pot as he poured the
well water in.
A tale about an old-time game
warden and a poacher: This story
took place awhile back when con-
servation officers were regarded as
being game wardens for the Conser-
vation Department; now known as
the Department of Natural Resources
(DNR).
Late in the day before the deer
season opener, a Menominee County
game warden stopped to check an
area known to be hunted by a re-
peat poacher. He found a large,
well-antlered buck hanging from a
tree branch. Being almost dark, the
warden figured the poacher would be
back at the crack of dawn to retrieve
his buck to claim he took it the morn-
ing of opening day of deer hunting
season. The game warden let the deer
down and stuck his corn cob pipe be-
tween the deers teeth, than pulled the
big buck back up on the buck pole.
Next morning the game warden
pulls his vehicle into the lane and
there stood the poacher. He told the
warden, Hi Jim, I got a nice buck
this morning. Why not get out of your
car and come over to see him. I was
just going to take him down.
That the warden did. And when
the poacher hauled that big buck
down and saw the corn cob pipe in
the deers mouth, the poacher looked
at the game warden and said, Blast
you Jim...You finally got me!
Strange but true, this deer shin-
ing chase turned into an almost
impossible fishing expedition: It all
started near Rogers City in northern
Michigan as a DNR CO, accom-
panied by a DNR fire officer, were
sitting high on a hill in their patrol
car with lights turned off, watching
a suspicious vehicle cruising slowly
across an open hayfield where an old
derelict, long abandoned automobile
sat that at times served poachers and
hunters alike as a deer blind. The area
was well known as a local deer shin-
ing area and the CO was just waiting
to hear a shot fired in hopes of bag-
ging the poacher.
As the vehicle left the field driv-
ing back to the main road, with squad
car headlights off, the CO followed
the suspects truck until suddenly
they pulled up close and activated
every single light and flashing light
the vehicle held...blue light...red
light...spot light...oscillating light!...
siren blaring!
As the suspected poachers revved
their vehicle up and drove errati-
cally, with lights off, the passenger
began to throw stuff out his window;
lots of stuff. The truck pulled into a
dead-end private lane leading to the
SKW Ranch and immediately the
CO used the patrol car to block the
lane. However, the poachers quickly
turned around, then raced wildly
towards the patrol car scraping it as
they smashed into the COs patrol car.
The driver jumped out of the pickup
truck carrying a rifle, and ran off into
the woods and down a steep ravine,
slipping, sliding and at times falling
until he reached level ground near a
pond. The night was black as ink. The
poacher heaved the rifle as far out in
the pond as he could then jumped a
barbed wire fence and took off; but
the CO was right behind him and
grabbed the poacher, throwing him
down on the ground, finally handcuff-
ing him. He put the known offender
in the patrol car and went back down
the ravine to search for the rifle.
No luck. They took the suspect to
the jail in Rogers City, then called in
a CO from Presque Isle Co. They met
the men near the ranch. He parked,
opened his patrol vehicles trunk,
and took out a fishing rod holding
a large snag hook on the end of the
line. Climbing down the ravine to the
pond, the CO began casting in hopes
of snagging the bolt-action 30.06
which was still in its sling.
Several fishing attempts netted
little until finally the CO hit pay dirt,
hauling the rifle through the weeds to
shore. There was a live round still in
the chamber. They took the evidence
back to the sheriff in Rogers City
and as they walked into the office,
the poachers girlfriend was bailing
him out! As the story was related
to me, the DNR fire officer grinned
and advised, It was quite a night to
remember!
Oh, oh! I cant believe I forgot
to pull the trigger: Three hunters
were in a deer hunting tent camp
near Mesick in the L.P., an area well
known for superior deer hunting. At
one time, I was told that there was
literally a hunter behind every tree. At
any rate these three hunters watched
as deer entered an adjacent field
and reached for their guns that were
leaned up against a tree...two semi-
automatics and one lever action.
As they began shooting, the man
in the middle with the lever-action
rifle began racking his gun. When
shooting stopped, the other two hunt-
ers noticed the man in the middle
had racked out seven loads without
firing a shot. They saw him pick up
the cartridges after never shooting a
bullet; he just kept racking his gun
until empty.
By the way, that same hunter
never shot a deer, season after season,
and had no explanation for racking
seven cartridges without firing a shot.
He did tell his friend later, I guess I
forgot to pull the trigger!
Where in the world did he go?
Father and son waterfowl hunting
combo were duck hunting on a wil-
derness lake in the eastern U.P. well
known for holding terrain bordering
on quicksand. Midday, the dad asked
his son to make a lengthy trip back
to their vehicle to bring back their
packed lunch. While it was a long
hike, his son was always in view
while traveling the lakes shoreline.
With binoculars he watched as the
young man began his return trip.
Suddenly...his son was gone, out of
sight! He waited a short time, but
could not pick him up with or without
the binocs. He started to walk the
shoreline, calling his name. Finally
he heard an answer. He found his son
down in an 8-foot deep hole that had
been covered with adjoining extended
blackberry bush branches. The humor
in the story was short-lived and oc-
curred as the dad could not help but
wonder what happened to his 6-foot
tall son while watching him walk the
shoreline of a wilderness lake. One
minute he was there, the next, he was
gone. Perhaps it had been a dried up
former quicksand hole or had at one
time been hollowed out by beaver
activity during a high water period,
presently setting high and dry.
A case of deer camp hijinks ex-
traordinaire: It was deemed tradition
in this U.P. deer hunting camp. When-
ever a greenhorn was introduced to
camp life, the same situation was
played out to the laughter of all the
seasoned hunters. As incoming hunt-
ers stashed away their stuff; when all
were present; they sat around the big
old wooden kitchen table for coffee.
The only thing on the table was an
unusual appearing musical instru-
ment...similar to a horn, however, the
music end of it was turned around
towards the person playing it.
No one touched the horn, but deer
camp stories were readily exchanged
around the table. Finally, the green-
horn picked up the horn and asked
what it was. He was told it was a deer
hunting horn. Asking how it worked,
the other hunters told him to try it;
Just blow it as hard as you can into
the mouthpiece and you will hear a
realistic fawn bleat.
As the unsuspecting young hunter
picked up the old battered looking
horn and blew it as hard as he could,
a huge cloud of soot bellowed out
from the innocent appearing horn,
directly onto his face. All were
hysterical! The greenhorn? He
could not wait for the next year of
deer camp so he could watch the
next victim carry on this age-old
deer camp tradition.
I am positive that almost every
serious hunter has experienced a hu-
morous hunting occasion at one time
or another. And last but not least, was
the story of the woman who wanted
to become a deer hunter and went
out to the deer blind with a friend
who had also never hunted deer. The
lady shot a spikehorn and her friend
advised, You better shoot him again,
his eyes are still open! Well, that
she did, five times more, and that
deer never did shut his eyes! Imagine
that!n

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MATTRESS SET. Clean. Never 989-832-1866. M-4-14-TFN Cash in advance. Improve wildlife boots, Pike Busters, the battery Spring of 2018. Includes comfort- NORTHERN MICHIGAN
used. As seen on TV. Cost $1700. .............................................. habitat. Patco Forest Products, powered decoy system and able cabin, boat and motor, baited 3/2/2 House with FP, and 50x10
Sell for $695. 989-832-2401. M-4- 989-539-7588 after 6 p.m. W-10-12/17 more. www.dream-outdoors. stands. Very experienced guides. Barn with 18ft doors. Property
14-TFN I HAVE 30 JIM FOOTE .............................................. com 269-330-6422. 12-3 High success rate. 3 hours from the is complete with Hunting Blinds
.............................................. PRINTS. Most framed, some ANIMAL TRAPS, bear to Soo. References on request. $960 and is heavily populated with
AN AMISH LOG with re-marks. All like new, can mouse, one or a thousand, all sizes, U.S. 705-869-3272 www.texasand- deer, bear, turkey, etc. Hunters
HEADBOARD AND QUEEN ship. 586-754-1890. M-12-3 styles and makes. Also, any trap- sons.com H-10-12-17 Paradise! Contact Angela Mia
pillowtop mattress set. New. Sell all ping related items. 989-736-1155.
for $275. 989-923-1278. W-9-4 FISHING ..............................................
ELK HUNT: Northern Mich. We
DiLorenzo for more details at
231-632-5105. RE-11-2
M-4-14-TFN have ten club permits. Cows or
Bulls. Crop damage area. Ranch

..............................................
AMISH LOG BEDS, ANY
SIZE $199. 5 drawer log chest
$199. Good quality. Lowest prices
in Michigan. 989-839-4846. M-4-
14-TFN
..............................................
To reach an immense outdoor market use the . . .
Subscribe Today!
CANADA FISHING:
Want to go fishing? Come to
Northern Walleye Lodge for
Great Walleye, Small Mouth,
(810) 724-0254 Northern, Jumbo Perch, Lake
Trout for 6 nights $450 U.S. per
person with 4 or more. Includes
remote lake front cabin with
own dock, 2 people per boat,
15hp electric start Yamaha
phone 989-846-6228. DNR inspects
heads. H-9-4
..............................................
DEER HUNT, SAGANING
CLUB. Bucks $100 point. Private
cabin, lots of game, high success
rate, no deer, no pay. Call 989-846-
6228. H-9-4
..............................................
200 ACRES, beautifully wooded
with driveway and road throughout
the property, excellent deer and
small game country. $375,000
Land contract terms. Koske Realty
Co. 989-732-1012 Gaylord, MI
john_koske@yahoo.com
RE-12-1
..............................................

Woods-N-Water News Classified

motors, fish finders and swivel ELK HUNT: Northern Mich. No
seats. Upgrade boats available. game, No pay. Have ten permits
3.5 hours North of Sault Ste. $150 per point. Private ranch. 989- MOBILE HOME: Big
Classified ad rates: $30 for the first 20 words Marie. See web site for specials 846-6228. Call nights. DNR garage, 2 acres with access
Every word over 20 is .25 per word -- Box your classified, $5 additional charge and more info . . . inspects kills. H-9-4 to 800 acres of State Land.
www.northernwalleyelodge.com .............................................. Great hunting area. Located in
This effective advertising is simple to do, place your ad by . . . Brimley. Eastern end of the U.P.
Calling 810-724-0254 Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm email: fishingtrips@outlookcom TROPHY ELK HUNT: Private
Toll free 1-877-434-2440 ranch, elk management area. Sec. $99,900 OBO. 906-248-3364.
Email your ad to wnw@pageone-inc.com RE-12-1
F-12/17TFN 36 Bay County. Cabin. 70% suc-
Faxing your ad 810-724-8552
cess. phone nights 989-846-6228
Complete your Classified online at www.woods-n-waternews.com
Mailing your ad to Woods-N-Water News, P.O. Box 278, Imlay City, MI48444
H-9-4 ONAWAY AREA: 160 acres
.............................................. hunting property, mostly cedar
Classifieds MUST be paid in advance of publishing; MasterCard, Visa accepted. Make HUNTING RAYS U.P. HUNTING Over $1000 per acre. Call Larry at 989-
check/money orders payable to Woods-N-Water News. Classified ads can not be 25 years experience guiding for 733-4152. RE-12-1
billed and once a classified is processed no refunds can be made. Limit of 75 words. HUNTING CLUB LIFETIME deer and bear. Baited stands in ..............................................
EQUITY SHARE. This is an Amasa, Baraga, and Bergland
All classifieds posted to our website FREE! opportunity to buy into a hunting Units. Lodging Available. Call Ray
at 906-265-9420 or cell (906) 284- 1000 FT OF PRIVATE
Use one of these useful classified categories... camp, not a lease. Der Kampf Inc.
2216. Licensed and Insured. H-1- RIVER FRONTAGE!
consists of 440 continuous acres in
A = Archery FW = Firewood RR = Resorts/Rent Beautifully remodeled and
the northeast corner of the lower 12/17
ATV = ATVs G = Guns RVC = RVs/Campers updated cabin situated on
peninsula (Presquile County) The ..............................................
B = Boats H = Hunting SM = Snowmobiles 6 acres overlooking the
D = Dogs HL = Hunting Leases T = Taxidermy corporation consists of ten equal
Manistique River. Cabin is
share holding memberships of
F = Fishing
F = Free
HW = Help Wanted
M = Miscellanous
TK = Trucks
TR = Trailers which one is available for $25,000.
HUNTING LEASE complete with 1 bedroom,
FP = Food Plots RE = Real Estate W = Wanted 1.5 baths, electricity, Contact
Membership provides complete
HUNTING LEASE October 1st Angela Mia DiLorenzo for more
access to the main lodge, out build-
JANUARY 2018 CLASSIFIED DEADLINE DECEMBER 4, 2017 January 1st, 11 acres, St. Clair details 231-632-5105. RE-11-
ings and the acreage. Call Dan
County $1,600.00 248-240-0985. 2
810-841-4355 or Pat 734-777-
CLIP AND MAIL HL-10-3
1829. H-12-1
Woods-N-Water News Classified Advertising ..............................................
..............................................
41 ACRES, Beautifully wooded
(Please print clearly. We are not responsible for unreadable orders.) with driveway and road through the
Make sure phone number is included in your ad! OSCEOLA WILD TUR- REAL ESTATE property with three deer plots.
KEY HUNTS: Guided, 1 on Excellent small game and deer
NAME
1, March-April on private Flor- GREAT BUILDING, FARM- country. $69,900 Land Contract
ADDRESS ida lands. High success at low ING, RECREATIONAL PAR- terms. Koske Realty Co. 989-732-
cost. Call GETTA GOBBLER CELS LOCATED ON STATE 1012 Gaylord, MI john_koske@
CITYSTATEZIP 586-481-1002. H-10-3 HIGHWAY. Hudson School yahoo.com RE-12-1
District. $99,900 for 27.8 acres or ..............................................
DAYTIME PHONE NO. $39,900 for 10 acres. Call Diana at
DECEMBER & JANUARY Faust Real Estate, LLC 517-270- APPROXIMATELY 150
VISA/MASTERCARD#EXP: RIFLE HUNTS: Hunt unpres- 3646. RE-12-1 ACRE BUFFALO FARM
sured trophy bucks and does on ..............................................
CLASSIFICATION OF ADMONTHS TO RUN one of my many thousands of acres
COMPLETE AND READY
TO FARM! $425,000.
of private farms. Three days for only

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) ALPENA AREA - 80 acres Contact Angela Mia DiLorenzo
$999.00. $50 deposit. Balance on
with 3 bedroom ranch. Wildlife for more details 231-632-5105.
arrival day. All farms have blinds
(7) (8) (9) (10) (11) (12) galore! A must see. MLS RE-11-2
and crop fields or food plots for late
#308563. Call Nancy Smithen
season hunting. Free brochure

(13) (14) (15) (16) (17) (18) State Wide Real Estate of
Kentucky Tennessee Bucks 270- 73 ACRES TO HUNT OR
Alpena Inc. 989-356-2142. RE-
348-4281. H-11-2 BUILD ON WEST OF BIG
(19) (20) $30.00 $30.25 $30.50 $30.75 12-1
.............................................. RAPIDS. Large red pines, ready
$31.00 $31.25 $31.50 $31.75 $32.00 $32.25 for a harvest now, along with small-
DOE HUNTS - $250 each. HUNTERS AND FARMERS, er pines, creek, mixed hardwoods,
$32.50 $32.75 $33.00 $33.25 $33.50 $33.75 www.thegrandviewranch.com 79 acres of farmland and woods in wetlands, make this a wildlife para-
989-732-2978. H-11-2 prime hunting country. 4291 N. dise! Paved main road frontage,
$34.00 $34.25 $34.50 $34.75 $35.00 $35.25 Adams Rd. Jonesville, MI. Large $109,500, call Mark Wentland, 231-
older brick home with tons of poten- 598-4871, Big Rapids Realty, Inc.
$35.50 $35.75 $36.00 $36.25 $36.50 $36.75 CRAZY EYED GUIDE tial, large beautiful barn and out RE-11-2
SERVICE Black Bear, Archery, buildings. Property has produced ..............................................
Enclosed is $for Bobcat, Whitetail Deer and several BIG bucks. Selling by bid,
Partridge hunts. Red Oak Area. Call by December 1, 2017. Call Steve at
Classifieds work!
words to runmonths. BOX MY CLASSIFIED - $5 Extra
989-448-1938. H-11-3 810-404-9780. RE-12-1 (810) 724-0254
email: wnw@pageone-inc.com website: www.woods-n-waternews.com
94 DECEMBER 2017 WNW NEWS
 Woods-N-WaterNews Classified Section
REAL ESTATE
40 ACRES: Grand Traverse
County on beautiful cold stream
10 to 20 ft. wide. Has small
islands on it. Completely sur-
rounded by forest, year around
road, county maintained. Road
ends at driveway of property.
Land is approximately 50%
forested. Has older duplex
rental. 2 section, 5 bedrooms,
2 full bath and 1 1/2 bath. 2
car garage. Round pen and
small 2 horse shelter. Approx.
2 miles from Cross MI Horse
Trail. Approx. 4 miles from
Ranch Rudolf Resort. Also has
trout pond. Very quite loca-
tion. $250,000 or O.B.O. Pics
at jmshannon16@gmail.com
231-263-5605. RE-12-1
DOGS
FOR SALE: GERMAN
DRAHTHAAR PUPS. For info
and photos on pups and parents.
Call or text 517-542-0162. D-12-2
..............................................
BEAGLES: Starting begin-
ing Dec. 1st. Pup must be
at least 6 months old. Also,
beagles for sale. Red Pine
Kennel. 989-736-3486 or 989-
254-2777. D-12-1
DOGS DOGS DOGS DOGS
FOR SALE: 2 SOLID RED BIRD DOG TRAINING IN
ENGLISH SETTER PUP- GERMAN SHORTHAIR
MALE LOUISANA CATA- ALABAMA for the 35th year
PIES field lines Shadow POINTER PUPS: Males
HOULA LEOPARD PUPS. we will train in Alabama where we
Oak Bo/Second Chance and females available. Excel-
Born July 16th already trailing, can have found lots of birds. Birds shot
Scooby. Males and females lent hunting dogs and superb
be registered. $300 each. daily! Let Hall of Fame Trainer
orange and white. Call Char- family pets. Close working
Coldwater, MI 517-238-5684. David Grubb make a top dog out of
lie 734-665-7489 or email at dogs with strong point and
D-12-1 your dog. Leaving Thanksgiving
charlie@michiganwingshooter. retrieve instincts. Reasonably
.............................................. and returning April 1st $1,750 for
com. D-12-2 priced for the sporting family.
the trip, everything included. We
take Labs too! 248-860-1009. Money back guarantee. Eulen-
hof Kennels, Gladwin, MI.
D-10-3
http://www.eulenhof.com
..............................................
989-426-4884 D-12-2

12 ACRES hilltop hardwoods

Antrim County. Cabin with
bathroom, electric, propane
and septic. Ideal for hunter
and fisherman. Excellent
snowmobile and ATV trails
$58,000 586-296-2549. RE-
12-1

AFFORDABLE CANADIAN
RECREATIONAL & WATER-
FRONT PROPERTIES.
Awesome Hunting, Fishing,
close to Snowmobile Trails.
Starting at $11,900US. Feature
160 Acres for only $74,900US.
705-941-8355/flajambe@
lajambe.com RE-12-1

Make
sa
great
HUNTING PROPERTY:
One mile on dead end County
road, one and half mile
Chris
deep, 720 acres in Presque
tmas
Heres your guide to success!
Isle Michigan. Property is
surrounded by private hunt gift!
clubs. 1600 square ft. cement
block cabin with septic and
indoor plumbing, wood burning
heat, generator electric, wood
It is estimated that 10% of all the fishermen catch 90% of the fish. Regardless of which group
shed and tractor garage. you fall into . . . theres a sure way to up your odds . . . simply try new fishing waters. Fish where few fishermen ever fish.
$1,300,000. Contact 586-438- Michigan is loaded with great fishing waters . . . many of them over-looked. From the AuSable River to all of the Great Lakes
0157. RE-12-6 tributaries to the Pere Marquette River . . . thousands of miles of streams, lakes and rivers are now easy-to-locate on one map.
Professor Higbees Stream Map of Michigan is the first and only highly detailed map of its kind. This new 4 foot by 4 foot
color map shows virtually all for the 35,000 miles of Michigan streams & lakes on both peninsulas. Thats almost two times the
120 ACRES of fantastic earths circumference!
hunting and recreational
STREAMMAPOFMICHIGAN is available either rolled or folded. And, in heavy gauge clear lamination, write-on-wipe-off
property located in Osceola
County. Property has wonderful
surface with brass eyelettes for easy hanging, rolled only.
building site, overlooking large
pond with easy year around
access. Hurry this wont last ROLLED $26.00 FOLDED $26.00 LAMINATED $46.00
long. Contact Bonnie Vannett @ T a x & P o s t a g e I n c l u d e d
Century 21 Forward 231-250-
2369. RE-12-1
NAME
Classifieds ADDRESS
work!
(810) 724-0254 CITYSTATEZIP
Monday-
Friday Check/Money Order Visa/Mastercard
9am-5pm Card#Exp. DateSignature
or try our Mail To: Woods-N-Water News
website P.O. Box 278 Imlay City, MI 48444 (810) 724-0254
woods-n-waternews.com
email: wnw@pageone-inc.com website: www.woods-n-waternews.com
WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 95
 Perfect For Every
Outdoorsman!

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Michigans Premier Outdoor Publication

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NAME
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ADDRESS Send to: Woods-N-Water News
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www.Woods-N-Water News.com
96 DECEMBER 2017 WNW NEWS

WE WANT YOUR LISTINGS !!
Excellent Duck, Deer & Turkey
Hunting. Area of Other Large
Property Owners. Man Cave
w/Game Cleaning Station
$
1,074,000
LD
SO
Alcona County, 240 Acres,
House, Barns, Pond, Stream, Food Plots
$499,000
D I
S OL
Iosco County, 783+/- Acres,
1 Mile Frontage Tawas Lake, Kunze
River Crosses Property, 5 Bedroom Log
Lodge, 3 Miles from East Tawas
$1,250,000
Newaygo Co, 25+/- Acres
7 Ac Private Lake, County
Road Frontage, Pond
$75,000
LD
SO
Newaygo County, 80 Acres
Rolling Hardwoods, Great
Hunting, 2 Bedroom Mobile
$150,000
www.
Doug Leitch Office: 231-652-7000
&
Doug: 231-250-8200
Blake Ver Woert Blake: 616-308-3122
Hunting Land Specialists
537+/- 460+/- ACRES,
ACRES, SAGINAW
JACKSON COUNTY
COUNTY
$
2,900,000
8 Bedroom Log Lodge,
40x114 Pole Barn,
Care Taker Residence
with Barn, High Fence
Deer Ranch, 275 Quality Deer
LD LD
SO SO
Arenac Co, 167+/- Acres, Calhoun County, 67+/- Acres
3,500+/- ft Lake Huron, Calhoun Co, 61 Acres 300 ft. All Sports Prairie Lake, Calhoun Co, 86+/- Acres
Alpena County, 316+/- Acres, Good Trails 6 Bedroom Lodge, Guest Cabin,
Lodge sleeps 10, Professionally Managed Forest 2,500 ft. St. Joseph River, Excellent Hunting 1/2 Tillable, 1/2 Wooded 750 ft. Frontage on Prairie Lake,
Great Duck & Deer Hunting Big Buck Hunting, Outbuildings
$439,000 $599,000 $129,000 $275,000
$349,000
NG
END
P
Jackson County, 105+/- Acres Jackson County, 120 Acres Midland County, 80 Acres Missaukee County, 10+/- Acres, Newaygo County,
WRP Program, Mature Hard-
woods, Great Deer, Turkey & Mixed Hardwoods, Good Trail 12 Miles to Mount Pleasant, Amish Built Log Home, 3 Bed, 5+/- Acres Frontage
Waterfowl Hunting System, Big Buck Country Excellent Hunting 2 Bath, Adjacent to State Land on White River
$211,000 $360,000 $176,000 $199,900 $28,000
LD LD
SO SO
Newaygo County, 40 Acres Newaygo Co, 45+/- Acres Newaygo Co, 55+/- Acres
Newaygo County, 30 Acres, 2 Bedroom, 5 Ac Private Lake, Nice 25 Ac Private Lake, Excellent Newaygo County, 60 Acres
32x48 Pole Barn with Water &
1 1/2 Bath Mobile Home, 24x28 Pole Electric, 20 Ac Old Apple Orchard, Pond, Trail System, Tillable Waterfowl & Deer Hunting, QDM, Trophy Bucks
Barn, Adjacent to National Forest 20 Ac Hardwoods, Great Hunting Land, Excellent Hunting Good Trails Harvested, Great Parcel
$99,000 $199,000 $135,000 $165,000 $90,000
LD
SO
Newaygo County, 125 Acres, Three Newaygo County, 240 Acres, Osceola County, 167 Acres Presque Isle County, 80 Ac
spring fed lakes, Excellent Deer, Adjacent to State Land, Good Trail System Nice Cabin, Good Trail Creek Frontage, 24x24 Garage,
Turkey and Waterfowl hunting Food Plots, High Deer Population
System, Excellent Hunting Excellent Hunting
$375,000 $384,000 $389,000 $90,000
WildLifeRealty.com
WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 97

PAGES 97-105

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98 DECEMBER 2017 WNW NEWS

 WEST BRANCH HALE WEST BRANCH
R S ALE R S ALE
M-33/M-55 OFFICE F O OFFICE F O LOOP OFFICE
1953 S. M-33 3160 North M-65 2575 S. I-75 Business Loop,
West Branch, MI 48661 Hale, MI48739 West Branch, MI 48661
10 miles north of I-75 exit 202 Gateway to Huron National Forest 1 mile north of I-75 Exit 212

Local: 989-345-2662 Local: 989-728-2540 Local: 989-345-0315

Toll Free: 800-535-6520 www.CAHANES.com Toll Free: 800-495-2540 www.CAHANES.com Toll Free: 866-345-0315

HUNTING ACREAGE

PRIME HUNTING LAND!!
106 wooded acres with 4 blinds, trails, pond, food
plot areas, place to park your RV & small cabin with
sleeping bunks, generator hook-up, & wood burner.
This is the perfect place to call your hunt camp!!
$185,500 1838347
45 BEAUTIFUL ACRES, wooded 40 ACRES!! 10 WOODED ACRES!! OVER 75 WOODED ACRES!!
with a stream running thru. Very close to Elbow Mostly wooded with an open area for food plots & some Beautiful rolling property with a duck pond and some Great hunting property with mature trees and trails through-
Lake and only 20 minutes from I-75 Exit 202. lowland for fantastic deer cover. Excellent hunting open area for your food plots. Good mix of maple, oak, out. Driveway is in w/gate & elec available. Near many inland
There is electric at the property and lots of wild- acreage with lots of wildlife in the area. Potential site birch, and pine trees with some heavy cover for the lakes & Rifle River! You could make this your hunt camp or
life in the area!! for building a new home or secluded getaway cabin!! deer. Huron National Forest Land just across the road!! build that Up North cabin you have always wanted!!
$110,000 1838952 $69,900 1835905 $29,950 1840059 $149,000 1840466

15 WOODED ACRES & 53 M/L ACRES!! SECLUDED HUNTING CABIN!! FANTASTIC HUNTING W/ BEAUTIFUL ROLLING ACREAGE!!
FRONTAGE ON STYLUS LAKE!! This heavily wooded property is a perfect Located on seasonal road, this 2 bedroom VIEW OF LOON LAKE!! 36.89 wooded acres. Excellent spot for your
Nice parcel of land for hunting with a great place to make your hunt camp w/ a variety home is neslted on 18 wooded acres w/ 45 heavily wooded acres w/ mature trees, a hunt camp w/ electric available, hunting
variety of wildlife in the area! Beautiful rolling of mature trees & lots of wildlife in the area, State Land adjacent to property for great variety of wildlife in the area, trails thru-out, blinds, trails, outhouse & a 29 ft. Wildwood
property and heavily wooded!! including deer & turkey. Survey on file. hunting!! driveway & 4 hunting blinds!! camper included in selling price!!
$32,000 1828108 $97,000 1804978 $64,900 1805656 $119,900 1818920 $115,000 1828040

10 BEAUTIFUL ACRES with trails,
lots of wildlife for hunting. 28 camper, 2 storage
sheds, including one large enough for bunk beds
included in sale, generator, well, septic field, fire
pit and much more! Excellent spot for the hunter!!
$47,900 1833846
NICELY WOODED 10 ACRES!! YEAR ROUND HOME ON 30 ACRES!! ULTIMATE HUNT CAMP!! STATE LAND JUST ACROSS THE ROAD!!
Beautiful rooling property w/ lots of wildlife 4-bdrm, full walkout basement, a variety of wildlife 65.5 wooded acres w/ trails thru-out, electric, well, septic 3-bdrm home on full walkout basement on 13 BEAU-
in the area & Wilkens Creek running thru in the area, garage, deck, porch, beautiful views and lits of mature tress, including hardwoods. There is TIFUL AND WOODED ACRES, with lots of wildlife
rear of property. Nice mix of mature trees and a pond!! Well-maintained home can be your also a 2-story garage w/ electric, cement floor & finished the area, garage and large 40x64 wired pole building
& great spot!! residence while you hunt the 30 wooded acres!! upstairs that you could use as your sleeping quarters!! and great place to hunt or for the nature lover!!
$25,000 1834161 $174,900 1826749 $129,900 1834798 $169,900 1837809

WATERFRONT AND WATER ACCESS HOMES

LAKE GEORGE across the road from
this 3-br, 2-ba w/2-car att gar on 2 lots near
end cul-de-sac. Open floor plan, updated in
2016. Public access & boat ramp - desirable
lake - only 3 miles from West Branch!!
$74,900 1840493
ACREAGE AND WATERFRONT!!
2+ Acres w/210 sandy frtge on Clear Lake in
Richland Twp! This spacious 3-br home has
over 2600 sf of living space plus a full walkout
basement! 24x24 garage & 30x40 polebarn!!
$139,900 1839256
LAKE GEORGE WATERFRONT HOME!! LAKEFRONT HOME ALL SPORTS FOREST LAKE!!
Lovely 2-br home has f/place w/insert & large fam BORDERS STATE LAND!! Nice 2-bdrm, full walkout bsmt, 178 sandy front-
room. Kitchen & baths recently remodeled. Great 3-bdrm, built in 2007, open floor, basement, knotty age on private lake, open floor plan, rear deck,
location to enjoy one the areas most desirable pine, cathedral ceilings, covered deck, AC & 64 feet appliances, a bath on each floor, AC, skylights,
lakes & it is less than 3 miles from West Branch!! on tranquil Helmer Lake!! attached garage & much more!!
$99,000 1839413 $149,000 1833744 $160,000 1811285

A NICE OF VIEW OF RIFLE LAKE!!
3-bdrm, 2 full bath home, newer drywall, floor-
ing, counter tops and backsplash, updated bath-
room, bonus room in garage w/FP, sunroom,
possible 4th bedroom, fenced yard & more!!
$119,000 1838970
80 FEET ON BEAUTIFUL RIFLE RIVER
and over an acre of property. 2 bdrm home, FP, lots
of windows with fantastic views, formal dining,
some furnishings, attached garage w/wood stove
heat, screened porch, large deck & more!!
$139,900 1831481
NORTH DEASE LAKE!!
Cozy home with frnt on all sports lake is mostly furnished
and has laminatefloors, loft area, 2 sheds, full walkout
unfinished basement, main floor laundry & more. Large
deck overlooking lake has beautiful views of lake!!
$166,000 1837086
1.5 PARTLY WOODED ACRES
with trails leading to Silver Creek running thru back
of property!! Nice 2 bedroom home and 24x30 at-
tached garage with 14x20 lean to for storage. Great
year round or perfect getaway. Motivated Seller!!
$39,900 1833833
THIS GETAWAYCOTTAGE IS NEAR IT ALL!!
OVER AN ACRE & cozy 2-br, FP, knotty
pine, newer turn & well pump, storage shed,
deck & pond. Near State lands, popular all
sports Clear Lk & you can walk to Elni Lake!!
$43,000 1827648

2 BEDROOM COTTAGE with access
to all sports 186 acre GEORGE LAKE! Sun-
room, loft area for your guests to sleep and ga-
rage & shed for storage. Needs some TLC and
fixing up but would make an excellent getaway!!
$38,000 1833419
BEAUTIFUL VIEWS GALORE!!
153 of waterfront on all sports LAKE OGEMAW w/
lake views from front & rear! 3 bdrm, AC, open floor
plan, full walkout bsmt, 4 car garage w/elec, roadside
carport, deck, lakeside patio, lakeside porch & more!!
$269,900 1834261
ACROSS FROM LAKE!!
Cute 2-bdrm across from no wake Frost Lake w/garage &
shed. Mostly furnished & excellent views. Subd amenities
include nice common areas and a community boat dock!
Cozy year residence or excellent getaway or weekend home!
$79,000 1820195
LAKE OGEMAW!!
4-bdrm, 3 ba home with 86 of frontage on all sports 420 acre
lake. Move-in ready with wood floors, appliances, central air,
family room, living area with fireplace, open dining and kitchen
combo, paved driveway, covered porch & fantastic views!!
$279,900 1833767
SOOTHING MULESHOE LAKE!!
Quaint 2 bedroom home on no motor 8.8 acre
lake. Some appliances & furnishings are included
in selling price and the home has been freshly
painted. Shed for storage & nice deck with views!!
$60,000 1798881

FOR MORE LISTINGS

VISIT OUR WEBSITE: WWW.CAHANES.COM
WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 99
 4825 W. 36 Road, Harrietta, MI 49638

Amazing 80 acres adjoining Manistee National Forest! This proper-
ty offers everything you could ever want with 80 acres of mixed hard-
woods and pines, several open clearings, and an artesian well. Many
great bucks have been harvested off this land. 2 bed (possible 3rd), 2

Call 810-724-0254
bath house with deep 2 car garage provides the perfect hunting lodge
or up north retreat with room to store your toys. Enjoy countryside
views from balcony. House is available fully furnished. Propane tank
is owned by sellers and comes with the sale. Backup wall heater in
basement means youll never have frozen pipes! Property is situated
just 1/4 mile down seasonal road and directly on the snowmobile trail,
just minutes from Caberfae and Lost Pines Lodge. Owners are open
to splitting the land, or additional 40 acres to the south is also for sale.

To Place Your ERA GREATER

NORTH PROPERTIES

Ad Today!
3080 W. 13th Street Cadillac, Michigan 49601
Contact Rebekka Crawford 231.878.1307
Rebekka@ERAGreaterNorth.com
www.eragreaternorth.com

1790 ACRES ALPENA & PRESQUE ISLE COUNTIES

Available in two separate parcels.

CLOSE TO M-32 & M-65 WELL STOCKED FOREST EXCELLENT WILDLIFE HABITAT
UPLAND BIRDS FOUND THROUGHOUT THIS WELL MANAGED HUNTING GROUND.

MORE INFORMATION CONTACT HURON CONSULTING

T JACQUES 989-329-8079 BROKER/
FORESTER ON WEB AT HHPROPERTIES.US/

THE BETSIE RIVER

RUNS THROUGH IT,
all 1705 ft +/- of frontage on 125.5 acres. Public land to the
North and the SE corner. Did I forget to mention that it also
has a log sided 3 bed 2 bath home, attached 2 car heated
garage, 30x40 polebarn (electric & concrete floor), front
and back covered porches, Central boiler outdoor wood-
stove, Full house generator-Generac, mudroom, main floor
laundry. Would make for a wonderful year round home or
vacation home. The wildlife is like no other, from the hun-
dreds of Salmon in the River, the numerous Bald Eagles
flying overhead, deer, and turkey you name it. Land is a
mix of Cherry, few Oak, pines. Plenty of areas for planting
food plots for the avid hunter. Flat land would make for a
great place for a hobby farm, like it was used in its yester-
years. This land is a place you just want to shut your eyes
and take in the tranquil noises of the splashing in the river
from the Salmon, wind blowing in the trees and the birds
chirping. This is really a true beauty. Not a property you will
find everyday on the market. Dont miss out.
MSL #1839408 $649,900

Re/Max Central Lindy Benson

231.920.2550
lindy.benson@yahoo.com
100 DECEMBER 2017 WNW NEWS
WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 101
 Offices Serving Lower & Ken Ames (231) 838 - 7909

Upper Michigan Kidd & Leavy Real Estate

realestate@kenames.com
Bringing people and places together since 1945 www.kiddleavy.com

VISIT OUR WEBSITE TODAY!

3249 Gratiot Street, Indian River | $599,000
statewiderealestate.net

Houghton

Marquette
Newberry
Curtis
Iron Mountain Manistique
Highly desirable waterfront parcel on Indian River with 252
Gladstone feet of frontage with 12 boat slips that can accommodate up to
Escanaba Onaway
Powers Hawks 40' vessels. Great for commercial development for marine
Menominee Hillman
Alpena activities and recreation
Marinette
Atlanta
Harrisville

Mio 930 E Mullet Lake Rd, Indian River | $550,000

Skidway Lake

Almont

Contact Your Nearest State Wide Real
Estate Office To Buy or Sell In Michigan
ALPENA
1100 W. Chisholm, 49707
email: alpswre@speednetllc.com
989-356-2142 Fax: 989-356-2144
ALMONT
844 Van Dyke Road
lafrancesharon@yahoo.com
810-798-8591 Fax: 810-798-8079
CURTIS/NEWBERRY
Main Street, P.O. Box 305, 49820
email: swcurtis@sbcglobal.net
906-586-9606 Fax: 906-586-9607
ESCANABA
2209 Ludington Street, 49829
email: escanaba@statewiderealestate.net
906-786-1308 800-900-0777
Fax: 906-786-1388
GLADSTONE
1401 Delta Ave.,
Gladstone, MI 49837
906-825-9000
email: judy@statewiderealestate.net
HARRISVILLE
430 S. US-23, 48740
email: sold@anjstatewide.com
989-724-5711 800-655-5735
Fax: 989-724-6833
HAWKS
8383 Hwy. 451, 49743
email: rita8383@yahoo.com
989-734-4846
102 DECEMBER 2017 WNW NEWS
Linden
HILLMAN
14938 State Street, P.O. Box 98, 49746
email: statewidehillman@yahoo.com
989-742-4523 800-228-7856
Fax: 989-742-3931
HOUGHTON
500 Shelden Ave., 49931
email: dick@statewideofhoughton.com
906-482-6955 800-676-6323
Fax: 906-482-7699
HOWELL/LINDEN
1285 S. Michigan Ave., Howell, MI 48843
email: statewid@earthlink.net
517-546-9060 800-531-4449
Fax: 517-546-9148
IRON MOUNTAIN
231 East A. St.
Iron Mountain, MI 49807
906-828-2525
Fax: 906-828-2727
email: steve@multistatewide.com
MANISTIQUE
10 N. State Highway M-149
Cooks, MI 49817
906-644-2304
email: dekeysermary@yahoo.com
MARINETTE, WISCONSIN
1460 Marinette Ave., 54143
email: statewidemarinette@yahoo.com
715-735-9964 Fax: 715-732-1107
Howell
MARQUETTE
856 W. Washington, 49855
email: sw@statewiderealestate.org
906-228-9312 Fax: 906-228-8069
MENOMINEE
3631 10th Street, 49858
email: statewideone@newbc.rr.com
906-863-9905
Fax: 906-863-7935
MIO
102 West 8th St., P.O. Box 395, 48647
email: info@statewidemio.com
989-826-3292
Fax: 989-826-2108
ONAWAY
M-33 & M-68,
P.O. Box 478, 49765
email: bigdan@frontier.com
989-733-6522
Fax: 989-733-2427
POWERS
W3776 US2 & 41, 49874
906-497-4190
Fax: 906-497-5328
holly@statewiderealestate.net
SKIDWAY LAKE
2228 Greenwood Rd.,
Prescott, 48756
email: atlas@m33access.com
989-873-3601
Fax: 989-873-6914
226' of frontage and 8.3 private acres on Mullett Lake. Hard
sand frontage with sunsets second to none. Easy access to
Indian River, Petoskey and Gaylord only 6 miles from I-75.
The 3 bedroom two bath home was built in 1960. One of the
last large parcels on Mullett Lake or any lake in Northern
Michigan.
17 Acres of Terrific Camp on 80 acres
Hunting property in that has two blinds
the UP. Land con- already in place
nects with 80 acres and a nice camp.
of state Land in the 350 gallon holding
Northeast corner.
Cose to connection for phone, electricity. Many
tank for cold and hot water, a full kitchen,
outhouse has a flushing toilet and heat,
different tree types and both high and low 10x10 shed cement floor for toys, a Buck
ground. This is perfect spot to set up camp or pole in place for the lucky hunter. $99,900
build your new home. $28,900
99 acres of land
Natures Paradise!
with a camp, in
High quality newer Perkins. about
maintenance free half the acreage is
camp on 280 acres of beautiful northern
mostly high ground, hardwoods stand that is dominated by
11 food plots, camp sugar maple. This is enrolled in the quali-
fied forest program. $124,900
is a two bedroom
one bath with a loft, catherdral ceilings, all
tongue and groove, exterior is vinyl, steel roof, Great Place to
generator is included, propane space heater, build your dream
also a 24x32 pole building, the cabin features home, 376 feet on
an open concept, the property has two miles
of trails and two sections border state land. 3
Stoner Lake and
sits on 4.40 acres. It
elevated blinds and one ground blind. All furni- has been cleard and a septic and electric-
ture and appliances included. $299,900 ity is on the property. It also has a shed.
Great
This is a recreational lake, it is about 25
hunting feet deep with bass, perch, pike, fishing.
camp on 100 acres, A piece of Heaven. $79,900
lots of wildlife, deer,
grouse, turkey, bear,
Country Living 3
bobcat, weasel,
Bucks are taken bed 2 bath home
every year, Heavily wooded with spruce, and siting on 30 acres,
cedar, Boudreu creek running through it, older Nice open concept
kitchen area, bed-
trailer in good condition, 1,000 gallon septic,
newer windows , roof and furnace, property rooms are all good size, main floor laun-
borders state land. $130,000 dry, nice yard, garage. $134,500
If your Hunting for
a good deal call me
Tammy Garling
at 906-280-1169
 SANILAC COUNTY RANDY MINTO OSCODA COUNTY
N EW Always Working Hard for You!
REDUCED $3
REALTOR
Direct:
0,000
40 ACRES 810.449.1286 20 ACRES
Gorgeous 3270 Sq Ft Ranch with loft. - OR - Amazing 3,900 Sq Ft, 1/2 Log Interior, Custom-Built.
Built 2011. 2 Pole Barns. Office:
Abuts 500+ Acres Federal Land. 5 Outbuildings & Pond.
*DV 810.653.4500
$419,000 $249,500 *DV
SPECIALIZING IN UNIQUE, LUXURY AND LARGE RECREATIONAL PROPERTIES
DEER & NATURE LOVERS DREAM PROPERTIES

257 ACRES ST. CLAIR COUNTY LAPEER COUNTY 86 ACRES 400 ACRES
LICENSED
N D I N G
200 TILLABLE ACRES
PHEASANT
PRESERVE PE
Great farming, income producing. 1/2 mile on Fantastic Development Opportunity. CLARE COUNTY. Great Hunting Lodge,
Belle River, multiple Outbuildings, 2 Ponds. 30 2-Acre Lots. 14 Blinds, 6 Food Plots.
*DV $1,250,000 *DV $550,000 *DV $598,000

LICENSED DEER RANCH AMAZING APPLEGATE HUNTING E W COMMERCIAL

PRESERVE! $1,250,000 N PROPERTIES
34 ACRES 80-100 DEER
20-25 TROPHY BUCKS *DV
GENESEE COUNTY
Woodland Deer Ranch in Davison. 6-car garage, pond, 5 blinds,
5 Parcels, $85,000-$395,000,
3 lg feeders, Lg polebarn. 4BD, 3BA, walkout & up basement. 1 Acre-18.75 Acres, Davison Twp.
*DV $849,900 APPROX. 200 DEER APPROX. 100 ELK Prime Location! Commerce Park of Davison

128 ACRES GENESEE COUNTY

25 ACRES
SANILAC COUNTY 80 ACRES

SOLD SANILAC COUNTY 186 ACRES

COMMERCIAL Gorgeous Lodge, Great for
Genesee County. 3 Ponds, Deer Hunters Dream Property, Private &
65% Wooded. A Rare Gem! Great Building Site Entertaining Groups. 2,000 Sq Ft Secluded, 2-streams. mile from Lake Huron.
*DV $599,900 *DV $239,000 *DV Ranch. Several Outbuildings. *DV $275,000

GENESEE COUNTY
E W COMMERCIAL 160 ACRES
26 ACRES
N PROPERTIES
Great Visibility from I-69 & Belsay Rd.
*DV
SOLD
Midland County, 56 ACRES
6 Parcels, 1.6 Acres - 12.3 Acres. 2-Story Log Cabin. Great Building Site Genesee County, Shiawassee Lake.
Genesee County. $135,000 - $495,000. *DV $269,900 $119,900 *DV $395,000

NEW
CHIPPEWA COUNTY
NEW
LIVINGSTON COUNTY OAKLAND COUNTY

D UCE D
ICE R E
LINDAL CEDAR HOME - A RARE GEM! 210 ACRES PR
3600+ Sq Ft Custom Log Home in Fenton. 3 Master Cozy Log Cabin, Outbuildings, 1/4 mile on Gorgeous Stone & Brick Home. Approx. 3800 Sq Ft Finished
Suites, 2.4 Beautiful Acres, 1900 Caboose Guesthouse. St. Marys River, Beach Front, Secluded. Living Space Including Finished Walkout. Build 2016.
*DV $449,000 *DV $199,999 *DV $359,000

D 10 ACRES 79 ACRES
SOL
72 ACRES
EW GREAT
N BUILDING SITES
OAKLAND *DV LAPEER COUNTY
LAPEER COUNTY
COUNTY 5 Parcels, $145,000 - $595,000 Amazing Home Over 5,200 sq ft of Living
Gorgeous Home on Space & Outdoor Entertainment. Gorgeous
72 Acres. Great Building Site Commercial, 1 Acre - 2.6 Acres property, 8 ponds. Very Private and Secluded.

*DV $895,000 *DV $115,000 In the Davison Athletic & Country Club Complex *DV $1,265,000

DRONE
*DV VIDEO GO TO: MIDREAMPROPERTIES.com
OR CALL 810-449-1286
WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 103
 Auction
Auction Held At: Franklin Inn, Bad Axe, MI

795 N 1st St And

Use your smart phone and a QR Code P.O. Box 499 229 Lake George Ave
Harrison MI 48625 Lake George, MI 48633

459 Acres +/-

Reader App to see all of our listings
989-539-2261 989-588-6171
CLARE COUNTY, MICHIGAN
WHERE THE NORTH BEGINS...

8 Tracts
Open 7 Days * Established in 1953

80A Wilson 80 wooded acres filled

www.harrison-realty.com
1 with wildlife. Located near many www.buyhr.co
Obee Rd

Polk Rd
lakes, snowmobile or ORV trails, &
state land. $155,000 E-mail: office@harrison-realty.com

at p.m.
For Photos Text R593534 to 52187

Tract layout subject to change.

Bay City Forestville Rd
lle Rd
Bay City Forestvi

February 1501 Bass Lake 36 acres, of rolling 42.66 Acre Cornwell Rolling wooded 303 Robert Buildable lot within 1
wooded land, with septic, electric 42 Acre parcel adjoining State Land block of State Land, great lot to build
available,800 sf Quonset hut. Play also offers a pond, mixture of pines your dream home/cottage or use for

Sanilac County with your ORVS. $65,000 and hard woods. $84,000 camping. $3,900
For Photos Text R586690 to 52187 For Photos Text R468692 To 52187 For Photos Text R564698 to 52187

2 3
Frieburger Rd

Excellent Hunting Land,

Productive Cropland,
6 4 5 5 Acres Townline Lake Road Nice 1339 Harding Outdoor Sportsman NN Twin Lakes Avenue Nicely

Beautiful Secluded
wooded 5 acre parcel great for a Retreat in Greenwood Twp. 80 wooded 10 Acres borders state land
building site and not too far out of woodsy acres with a cabin, slab, ,well, on two sides, close to the Muskegon
town. $15,900 septic electric. $139,900 River near Temple $28,500
Year-Round Home, Pond, For Photos Text R532842 To 52187 For Photos Text R531005 To 52187 For Photos Text R524000 To 52187

7
Tyre Rd

Woods, 2 Pole Barns.

8
Owner: Garrett Family Limited Partnership
HRES, MI Auct. Lic. Lot 12 Oak Lane Trout Lake 37 acres Clare Avenue 37.3 acres of 40A Wilson 40 acres measures
#6505264076 waterfront lot, 85 feet on water, rolling and wooded property with 660x2640ft, has varied terrain, mature
Tom Bosserd: 734.646.7339 HLS# TLB - 12109
electric pole, drive, dock, gentle slope, excellent exposure along the main trees, and room to roam. Near trails,
wooded, natural shoreline $20,000 road in and out of town. $175,000 golf courses and lakes $79,900
Mark Williams: 989.635.0086 ext. 24 800.424.2324 | halderman.com For Photos Text R502609 to 52187 For Photos Text R409232 To 52187 For Photos Text R593533 to 52187

Heritage Exclusive Marketing Agents for Northeast

House Michigan Properties
RealtyPC Located in the Heart of the Huron National Forest, on the
Personalized Service is the Difference
Shores of Lake Huron and the banks of the AuSable River

5710 Clouse Rd, Glennie 80 acres Fruchey Ranch Tara Lane, Grayling
990 sf, 2 bed, 1 bath with 12 Rd, Curran Out of the way yet still close
acres on dead end road. Perfect for your next hunting to everything Northern
Interested in having a hobby destination or would make Michigan has to offer.
farm? This is for you, room to an excellent location to start Perfect for that upcoming
roam, some fencing, ideal that next adventure of your hunting trip or building that
location. NEW $85,000 life. $115,000 dream home. 10.55 acres
For more information text For More Information Text only $21,000 For More
R569702 to 52187 R174399 to 52187 Information Text R529843 to
52187

Wallace Rd, Glennie 4801 E Trask Lk Rd Stuvie Ranch Lots

27.5+ acres of beautiful 2400 sf, 4 bed, 3 bath with 2 Perfect for planning that
hardwood with natural car attached garage on 10 upcoming hunting trip from.
clearing and drive already acres. Come enjoy the Up Three adjoining lots for 1
cut in perfect for that new North feeling while still being acre total ideal for building,
home, hunting cabin, close to it all. Newly Listed camping or just to recreate
camping site-possibilities $164,900 from. NEW $10,000 For
are truly endless. NEW For More Information Text More Information Text
$69,000 For more info Text R524703 to 5217 R566337 to 52187
R584243 to 52187

5684 Riverview Dr 1009 Zimowske Rd, Mio 4797 E Trask Lake Rd

1800+ sf, 3 bed, 2.5 bath 1500+ sf, 3 bed, 1.5 bath 1400 sf, 3 bed, 2 bath with
with deeded access to Foote with detached garage and large deck overlooking 30
Pond. Move in ready home barn on 25 acres. Come see acres. Move in ready home
with 2 car attached garage. what living up north is all with all appliances included.
Must see to appreciate all about on your new covered Extra family room just needs
this home has to offer. porch or covered deck with finish to add to living area.
$159,800 For More this Move in Ready Gem. Newly Listed $182,900
Information Text R435893 to $149,000
52187

115 E Trask Lake Rd 480 acres on Mitchell Trail Hunting Camp, Hillman
2011 Cabin on just over 10 Perfect investment for any 1700 sf, 4 bed, 2 bath with
acres in need of finishing sportsman/woman. 2 private several other structures
work. Enjoy all that Northern lakes, borders federal land perfect the entire family
Michigan has to offer within on all sides plus it has two hunting trips. Just over 9
away. Now Reduced cottages on site with electric. acres with Millers Creek
$49,900 For More Hunting and fishing was running through. Will need
Information Text R171003 to never easier than here. some TLC, being sold AS-IS
52187 $1,300,000 REDUCED $58,000

Call 800-650-5566 - Glennie or 800-982-0102 - Harrisville - www.HeritageHouseRealty.com

104 DECEMBER 2017 WNW NEWS
 TARGET REAL ESTATE SPECIALIZES IN
TWO GREAT HUNTING OR
WATERFRONT HOMES AND HUNTING PARCELS
WE REPRESENT BUYERS AND SELLERS
FISHING CAMPS FOR SALE
WHITTEMORE TAWAS CITY 29 +/- acres on Private
Lake near Remus, MI.
Electricity, well, dock and
nice deck set up for camp-
ing. Great Bass fishing
120 acre hunting parcel. Diverse terrain with red oak,
and Deer hunting in Rifle
Large executive 4 bdrm/4.5 bath home on 20 acres
white oak, and red pine. Numerous areas for food plots.
with outbuildings. Close to town and Tawas Bay. zone. Multiple food plot
Deer, turkey, partridge and other game are plentiful.
MLS #1778247 $195,000 MLS #1836849 REDUCED: $299,000 sites. Corn and Hay fields
WHITTEMORE-$18,000, 11.15 acre parcel just off county maintained and paved Keystone Road. Previously to the north of the prop-
farmed, this cleared parcel would be perfect for a small hobby farm or a couple of horses. Additional smaller parcels
available. MLS #1835859 erty. Neighbors are QDMA
HARRISVILLE-$19,900, Nice building site, 1.63 +/- acres bordered by the East Branch of the Pine River, a known members. $125,000
trout stream. Power at the paved road and beautiful countryside views. MLS #1836231
OSCODA-$24,900, Square 10 acre parcel just outside Oscoda. Well and septic already in place from former cottage.
Mostly lowland hardwoods and some wet areas. Would make a great 12 man hunting spot. Lots of cover with deer sign
throughout. MLS #1832226 Cabin on 5 wood-
EAST TAWAS-$26,900, Potential building site on Tawas Lake with nice views and great fishing opportunities. The deep ed Acres near
50x241 lot has lots of mature Oak throughout. Located just minutes from East Tawas and Tawas Bay. MLS #1832928
GREENBUSH-$54,900, 45 acres of hunting land off the beaten path. This rolling parcel is heavily wooded with Sunrise Lake. East
hardwoods and evergreens. Call today. MLS #1799569 of Leroy Michigan.
HARRISVILLE-$96,900, 17.16 acres with 2 bdrm/2 bath home and outbuildings. Needs updating but just received
a new roof, dormers, and porch. 1800 of frontage on the East Branch of the Pine River, a known trout stream. Panoramic Miles of trails to
countryside views. MLS #1836400 ride or hike on
OSCODA-$124,000, 227 of sandy frontage on Cedar Lake in St. Georges Point Sub. Build your dream home on this
.74 acre lot surrounded by upscale homes. MLS #1826558 state land. Pike
MORE PARCELS ARE AVAILABLE . . . and Bass on Sun-
CALL TODAY FOR MORE DETAILS rise Lake. $47,000
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
Call or Text Rob Trowbridge
www.TargetRealEstate.com
at 517-726-0221 For More Information

WOODED 10 ACRES SANBORN CREEK ACCESS RUSTIC CABIN 80 ACRES 2.5 ACRE DEER CAMP 5 ACRES ADJOINS FEDERAL
2 BD, 1 BA 3 BD, 1 BA 2 Rooms 2 BD, 1 BA 3 BD, 2 BA
MLS 17055030 $94,900 MLS 17038673 $59,900 MLS 17016750 $180,000 MLS 17052349 $19,900 MLS 16017833 $25,000

13+ ACRES 10 ACRES 2+ ACRES 5 ACRES 1+ ACRE

Hunting Property Land Contract Terms Land Contract Terms Access of M-37 24 Camper On Site
MLS 17031896 $38,800 MLS 17017427 $29,900 MLS 17037563 $13,900 MLS 17053866 $10,000 MLS 17053425 $11,900

Looking for Affordable Vacation Property?

LAND CONTRACTS ARE AVAILABLE
Call us today & get started on the path to owning
your own little piece of Northern Michigan!
WNW NEWS DECEMBER 2017 105
 DAN DAN LOG CABIN
FURNITURE
THEMATTRESSMAN.COM
WHOLESALE TO THE PUBLIC CHECK
US OUT
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WEB!

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7500
Queen Log Bed $19999
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THEMATTRESSMAN.COM 802 ASHMAN ST., MIDLAND
106 DECEMBER 2017 WNW NEWS
Inventory Clearance Sale

2017 Polar Kraft Sportsman 2072 XSE 2016 Gator Tail GTB1648 2018 Polarkraft 2010 Tiller
$
25,995 * $
15,995 * $
29,900*
Suzuki 115 HP Gator Tail GTR 37, Mercury 115 HP,
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2017 Excel 1651 SWV4 2016 Alweld 2060 Mud 2018 Bankes 19 ft Crusader
$
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*plus tax, title & freight *plus tax, title & freight *plus tax, title & freight

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$
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Holding Power
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or available at...
THE KNOWLEDGEABLE BOATERS A BETTER
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 Wishing You A Very
Happy Holiday Season!
~from all of us at Michi-GUN

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