FEBRUARY 2018 $4.

00

Woods-n-Water News
Michigan’s Premier Outdoor Publication
Where To Find...

MONSTER
WALLEYES
LATE
GOOSE
Wintertime...
PREDATOR
HUNTS
• Whitetails' Critical Energy Balance • Crappie at Night • Our 'Red-Birds'
• Michigan Wetlands...A Vital Resource • In-line Weights and Trolling
• Extraordinary Ed Cumings Fly Rods • Catching 'Dirty Water' Walleyes
www.woods-n-waternews.com • Like us on facebook Follow us on
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9 MONTH 250.00
$
$
50.00 MINIMUM
DOWN MERCHAND
IS
Then only PURCHASE. E
$
20.00/
MONTH made
*Payments can be l
by phone or m ai
L AYAWAY JANUARY ONLY
*Some exc
lu

Good for in-stock

items only!
apply
sions

GOOD FOR IN-STOCK REGULAR-PRICED GUNS, BOWS & OPTICS ONLY

COMMEMORATIVE BEST FIREARM SELECTION
OVER 2,000 GUNS IN STOCK!
AMERICAN 450
TAKEDOWN
1 of BUSHMASTER
250RECURVE
1st of a Series
Our order is due to arrive any day! Now
taking deposits - $100 min. deposit,

449
6-month layaway terms.

From $ 99
COMING
SOON!
$
1599 99
Buyers who commit to these bows may continue to
purchase matching serial numbers for all 4 bows in
Only If out of stock we will accept deposits on
the series. *Availability changes daily future deliveries with 6-month layaway terms.

2018 BOWS PC CARBINE 9MM HUNTER 450

ARE HERE
AND ARRIVING BUSHMASTER
DAILY!
• Ghost Ring Sight • 16.12" Bbl.
GLOCK • Accepts Ruger Magazines *Availability changes daily
MAG-WELL COMING

269
• Takedown
$ 99
559
ADAPTER SOON!
$
289 9 $ 99 Sale
Only If out of stock we will accept deposits on future deliveries with 6-month layaway terms.

RAVIN CROSSBOWS SECURITY-9 VX2 3-9X40MM

LAYAWAY OR SPECIAL ORDER
SEMI AUTO MATTE FINISH SCOPE
YOURS TODAY! PISTOL With 450 Bushmaster CDS Dial Installed

Now Only
15+ Magazine
Capacity COMING
SOON!

*Availability changes
daily
$
339 99
$
299 99

REALLY HOT CASH & CARRY BARGAINS

ON THESE FIREARMS
Shield Semi Auto Pistols 9MM Reg. Sale LC9s 9MM Semi Auto
- M&P9 Optic Ready Black;
9MM Reg. Sale 5" Bbl., #178058 $734.99 $479.99 - Black w/3 Dot Sight #0235
- Black; No thumb safety #10035 $444.99 $299.99 40 S&W
- Purple #03242
- FDE; #10303 $444.99 $299.99 - M&P40, Pro Series, Black;
Night sights, 4-1/4" #178036 $664.99 $429.99 - LC9s Pro Black #03248
- Black; W/thumb safety #180021 $444.99 $299.99
- M&P40 Optic Ready, Black; - FDE #03258
- Black; Ported #10108 $504.99 $349.99 $479.99
5" Bbl. #178059 $734.99 - Yellow #03269
- Black; Performance Center; - M&P40; V-Tac; FDE;
Ported w/Night Sights #11630 $604.99 $399.99 - Black w/Fiber Optic Sights #03270
4-1/4" Bbl. #209920 $779.99 $499.99
40 S&W Reg. Sale
- M&P40; Performance Center, Ported, Reg. $424.99 - $454.99
- Black; W/thumb safety #180020 $444.99 $299.99 Black; 4-1/4" #10219 $704.99 $459.99
- Black; Ported #10109
- FDE; #10180
$504.99
$444.99
$349.99
$299.99
45 ACP
- M&P45; Black 4-1/2" Bbl. #109106
Reg.
$604.99
Sale
$389.99 Your Choice, Sale
$
299
99
- Black; Performance Center; - M&P45 Mid; Black 4" Bbl. #109107 $604.99 $389.99
Ported w/Night Sights #11631 $604.99 $399.99 - M&P45 Compact; Black
45 ACP Reg. Sale 4" Bbl. #109108 $604.99 $389.99
- Black; No thumb safety; Night Sights, - M&P45; Black 4-1/2" Bbl. #109306 $579.99 $379.99
3-Magazines #11726 $554.99 $349.99
Quantity of each varies. Some are 1-only so hurry for best selection Quantity of each varies. Some are 1-only so hurry for best selection
M&P Series
Semi Auto Pistols New Hours for Winter
9MM Reg. Sale Mon. - Sat. 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. • Sunday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
- M&P9C Black; 3-1/2" Bbl., #209304 $409.99 $349.99
- M&P9C Black; 3-1/2" Bbl. w/Crimson
Trace Laser Grip #220074 $804.99 $529.99 2208 W. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MI 49058
- M&P9 V-Tac, FDE; #209921 $779.99 $499.99 2 Miles West of Hastings on M-37 & M-43
- M&P9 Black; 4-1/4" Bbl., #209301 $549.99 $349.99
- M&P9 FDE; 4-1/4" Bbl., #10188 $549.99 $349.99 Phone 269/945-4106
- M&P9 Pro Series, Black; STOP IN OR SHOP ONLINE AT BOBSGT.COM
Night Sights, 4-1/4" #178035 $664.99 $429.99 Limited quantity available on all items. Not responsible for printing errors.
All items subject to prior sale. *Discounts off regular everyday selling prices.
Quantity of each varies. Some are 1-only so hurry for best selection
 Sale
Extended until
1-16-18

SALES: 810-653-0490 CHAPMAN'S SPORTS CENTER SALES: 810-653-0490

5605 Davison Rd., 4 miles east 5605 Davison Rd., 4 miles east
CHAPMAN'S SPORTS CENTER
of Downtown Davison CHAPMAN'S SPORTS CENTER
5605 DAVISON RD
LAPEER, MI
of Downtown Davison
Open 6 Days: Monday - Friday 9am-5pm; 5605 DAVISON RD Open 6 Days: Monday - Friday 9am-5pm;
5605 DAVISON RD Saturday 9am-2pm LAPEER, MI Saturday 9am-2pm
LAPEER, MI www.chapmanssports.com www.chapmanssports.com

Offers vary by model. Rebate and finance offers valid on select 2014-2018 new and unregistered models purchased between 1/1/18 - 2/28/18. 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
CHAPMAN'S SPORTS CENTER
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 financed. Promotion may be
*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

Offers valid between 11/01/17 – 12/31/17.
5605 DAVISON RD
modified or discontinued without notice at any time in Polaris’ sole discretion. void
to
wherepayments:
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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 driver’s license to operate. Passengers, if
LAPEER, MI
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 don’t mix. All riders should take a safety training course. Call 800-342-3764 for additional information. Check
warranty plus anoffers
5605 DAVISON RD
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qualifications Polaris
and

local laws before riding on trails. ©2017 Polaris Industries Inc. *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.
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.

WHY WAIT TIL BOAT SHOWS?

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.

Offers vary by model. Rebate and finance offers valid on select 2014-2018 new and unregistered models purchased between 1/1/18 - 2/28/18. 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

PURCHASE YOUR NEW BOAT NOW

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 financed. Promotion may be
modified or discontinued without notice at any time in Polaris’ sole discretion.
*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
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 driver’s license to operate. Passengers, if 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
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 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

FOR BOAT SHOW INCENTIVES

stunt driving, and avoid excessive speeds and sharp turns.Riding and alcohol/ drugs don’t 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.
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.

CLOSE-OUTS ON ALL REMAINING 2017 BOATS IN-STOCK

Lund Boat uSp to

how

Rebates 00
$2,500.

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 FEBRUARY 2018 3
 By Tom Campbell

Field Notes
Spring Turkey Permit
Reminder to all spring turkey hunters; the ap-
plication period ends February 1. This hunt is one of
the best hunts to introduce a new hunter or mentor
a young hunter. The 2018 spring turkey season runs
April 23 through May 31, with several hunt periods
to choose from. You can purchase your application
online at E-license or anywhere hunting licenses
are sold. Left-over licenses will be sold over-the-
counter beginning March 19.
Free Fishing Weekend
Winter Free Fishing Weekend is Saturday,
Feb. 17, and Sunday, Feb. 18. On those two days,
everyone – residents and non-residents alike –
can fish without a license, though all other fish-
ing regulations still apply. In addition, during
#MiFreeFishingWeekend, the DNR will waive the
regular Recreation Passport entry fee that grants
vehicle access to Michigan’s 103 state parks and
recreation areas.
Big Bull Elk Taken By Rick Murray
This year marks 100 years since elk were reintro-
duced to Michigan, and the DNR will celebrate the
anniversary and a century of successful elk manage-
ment throughout 2018. Once common in Michigan,
elk had disappeared from the state in the 1800s due to
unregulated take and lack of habitat. In 1918, seven
elk were brought from the western United States to
Wolverine in Cheboygan County. Rick Murray of
Macomb County will also be celebrating after his suc-
cessful December elk hunt.
First, Rick was lucky enough to be drawn for an
‘any-elk license.’ Hunters are selected for an elk hunt-
ing license using a random weighted drawing system
that began in 2003. In each license drawing, those
who are not selected receive one additional chance for
future drawings. Only one additional chance will be
awarded in a given year. Rick said he’d been applying
Michigan
BIG BULL
Rick Murray of Macomb Co. harvested this monster 8x7 bull elk outside of Vanderbilt on Dec. 13. It scored 340 7/8 inches.
Left: Greg Hurlbutt of Niles har-
vested this beautiful 12-point
buck during muzzleloader
season. The cold weather got
the buck up on his feet before
shooting hours expired. The
record book buck has a 20 inch
spread, scoring in mid-160s.
Trophy
Bucks!
Right: Jim Moyer Jr. took this
incredible 16-point buck with
his muzzleloader at 35 yards on
Nov. 15 hunting Ingham County.
The record book big buck field
dressed at 225 and will score
close to 200 inches non-typical.
for an elk license as long as he can remember. and dressed over 625 pounds. What a trophy! Proof
Once drawn, he knew he wanted to do it, as he the healthy and abundant elk population of nearly
called it, ‘the old fashion way,’ and he hired a guide 1,200 animals in the state today is a result good man-
that understood and they were putting in 50 miles a agement.
day on foot! Rick said, “I was so sore after the first Rick’s elk is truly a trophy of a lifetime. Once is-
day, I lost seven pounds, but it’s the way I wanted to sued an ‘any-elk license’ a hunter becomes ineligible
hunt.” On Dec. 13, Rick took this monster 8 x 7 bull to apply for, obtain, or purchase a future elk license
elk outside of Vanderbilt that scored over 340 inches for the remainder of his or her life.n

2018 lake sturgeon season on

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-March 15 – Pike, walleye seasons on L.P. inland waters,
U.P. Great Lakes, inland waters and St. Marys.
Now-Mar. 31 – Cottontail rabbit/snowshoe hare season
Now-Mar. 1 – Squirrel season, fox and gray (black)
Now-Feb. 1 – Spring Wild Turkey application period
Jan. 27–Feb.15 – South Zone goose season
Feb. 1-March 31 – Crow season
March 1-Dec. 31 – Pure Michigan Hunt Application Period
March 12 – Leftover spring wild turkey license go on sale to
applicants only
March 19 – Leftover spring wild turkey license go on sale
over-the-counter
May 1-June 1 – Elk Hunt Application Period
May 1-June 1 – Bear Hunt Application Period
*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 FEBRUARY 2018 WNW NEWS
Black Lake begins Feb. 3 at 8 a.m.
T
he MDNR has announced that the 2018 lake
sturgeon fishing season on Black Lake
(Cheboygan County) will begin at 8 a.m.
Saturday, Feb. 3. All anglers wishing to par-
ticipate in the lake sturgeon season must register.
The 2018 total allocation to state of Michigan
anglers for Black Lake is seven lake sturgeon.
However, to reduce the chance of exceeding this
allocation, officials will close the season once the
sixth fish is harvested, or if five fish have been har-
vested at the end of any fishing day.
Fishing hours are 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day of
the season, which will end either 2 p.m. Wednesday,
Feb. 7, or when one of the two above scenarios is
met, at which point anglers will be notified on the
ice by DNR personnel that they must immediately
stop fishing for lake sturgeon.
Anglers 17 years of age or older must possess a
valid Michigan fishing license. In addition, all
anglers registering for the Black Lake sturgeon sea-
son also must possess a lake sturgeon tag, available
for free from all license vendors, prior to registering.
The 2018 angler registration process will be sim-
ilar to what was enacted in the last few years.
Anglers need to register only once for the entire sea-
son. An early registration will be held Friday, Feb. 2,
from 2 to 7 p.m. at the DNR Onaway Field Station.
The station is located approximately five miles north
of Onaway on Route 211. Anglers can pick up their
fishing identification flags at this time and learn
more from the DNR about season logistics and stur-
geon populations.
Anglers unable to register Friday may do so
Saturday, Feb. 3, at the registration trailer located on
Zolner Road ending on Black Lake. Morning regis-
tration begins at 7 a.m. each day of the season, how-
ever, anglers are highly encouraged to register
Friday, Feb. 2.
A disposable flag will be issued at registration
that must be displayed at the entrance of the angler’s
shanty each day.
Anglers who harvest a lake sturgeon must tag the
fish immediately, contact an on-ice DNR employee
and register the fish at the Zolner Road trailer regis-
tration site on Black Lake. Registration may include
an examination of internal organs and removal of a
piece of fin tissue for DNA analysis and aging.
Registration logistics were developed in the last
decade to allow greater participation by anglers
while protecting the population of lake sturgeon in
Black Lake from overharvest. In addition, the DNR
and Michigan State University have been determin-
ing annual population estimates of adult fish from
the spring spawning run with the assistance of
Sturgeon for Tomorrow, which allows officials to set
a safe harvest level in cooperation with tribal agen-
cies.
Rehabilitation of lake sturgeon in the Cheboygan
River watershed is a cooperative effort involving the
DNR, the Black Lake Chapter of Sturgeon for
Tomorrow, MSU, various tribal agencies, and Tower-
Kleber Limited Partnership.
For more details, anglers may call the Gaylord
Customer Service Center at 989-732-3541 or visit
Michigan.gov/fishing. The Black Lake lake sturgeon
management plan can be found at www.michigan.
gov/documents/dnr/ManagmentPlan-LakeSturgeon-
FINAL_543754_7.pdf.
WNW NEWS FEBRUARY 2018 5
 Secrets of Michigan’s New life for sleeping attire
HUNTING “Red Bird” Tom Carney page 52
Jonathan Schechter page 32
Buck of a lifetime! Waterfowl poaching
Guest Column page 14 Boat Smart... Jeff Pendergraff page 78
Portable outboards
COVER STORY Captain Fred Davis page 38
Wintertime predator hunting
Tom Lounsbury page 30 TRAIL CAM PHOTOS OPINIONS
page 62 Blood Trail...
COVER STORY On giving up...Or not
Goose Hot Zone Becoming an Outdoor Woman
celebrates 20 years in U.P.
Darryl Quidort page 59
Kenny Darwin page 50
MDNR page 64 TB...CWD...EHD...
BIG BEARS HARVESTED Could the answer
Two ways Michigan Meanders... be immunity?
Richard P. Smith page 73 Northern Workhorses Ed Spinazzola page 60
Tom Huggler page 66
SCOUT NEW GROUND NOW
Take advantage of post season
Lily’s Monster 10-Point
Extraordinary
Ed Cumings Fly Rods GUNS/AMMO
Brian Miller page 80
Terry McBurney page 68

BUCK
Gun Chat...
Michigan Deer Camp Traditions Honest wear
Lost in Manistee County Trapping Michigan’s weasel
John Chagnon page 72 Lee Arten page 39
Jake Dykstra page 81

Betty Sodders...page 54
FISHING OUTDOOR NEWS
Winter fisheries you must try
William Demmer honored
John Bergsma page 34
COVER STORY page 25
Monster Walleyes
Kenny Darwin page 8 Flawless Fish Mounts U.P. deer migration study
Brian Miller page 44 MDNR page 40
Ice Safety DNR welcomes 22 new COs
Mark Sak page 49 page 58

Live Bait Vending Machines Plan to use an ORV on state

Sharon Kennedy page 77 forest roads...check maps!
page 58
CRAPPIE
FEATURE
PERSPECTIVE AT NIGHT
Whitetails’ critical Kenny Darwin...page 20
Down and Dirty energy balance Sharing the outdoors
John Ozoga page 16
WALLEYES WETLANDS
George Rowe page 18 Black Powder Shooting...
A few moments
of simple fun
A year later...he’s still birdie!
Mark Romanack...page 42 Vital resource for Michigan Randy Jorgensen page 36 Dennis Neely page 56
MDNR page 26

Fish BIG WATERS Small

Mark Martin page 12

Get “in-line”
FEBRUARY 2018

Woods-n-Water News
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Michigan’s Premier Outdoor Publication

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Where To Find...

MONSTER
Mark Romanack page 22 WALLEYES News/Op-Ed . . . 58-61 Real Estate . . . . 84-89
LATE
COVER PHOTO
Monster Walleyes
GOOSE 1-810-724-0254
Kenny Darwin...page 8 Wintertime... www.woods-n-waternews.com
Wintertime Predator Hunts PREDATOR
Tom Lounsbury...page 30 HUNTS P.O. Box 278, Imlay City, MI 48444
• Whitetails' Critical Energy Balance • Crappie at Night • Our 'Red-Birds'
Late Goose Hunting • Michigan Wetlands...A Vital Resource • In-line Weights and Trolling

 www.facebook.com/woodsnwaternews
• Extraordinary Ed Cumings Fly Rods • Catching 'Dirty Water' Walleyes
Kenny Darwin...page 50 www.woods-n-waternews.com • Like us on facebook Follow us on

6 FEBRUARY 2018 WNW NEWS

Perfect For Every
Outdoorsman!

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www.Woods-N-Water News.com WNW NEWS FEBRUARY 2018 7

 Where To Find...
Monster Walleyes
Michigan fishermen
love catching walleyes
statewide and in
recent years the great
ice fishing has come
A
to a fever pitch...
fter catching plenty
of eater fish many
anglers are willing
to travel in order to
land a trophy. Taking
limit catches in local
lakes, ponds, rivers and reservoirs
soon takes a back seat to catching
a wall-hanger over 30 inches long
and weighing at least 10 pounds.
Big walleyes are impressive fish
and fighting them on a short ice rod
with light line is exciting and the
unmatched thrill of a monster ’eye
inches from your feet splashing and
thrashing at the hole is an adrenaline
rush beyond belief. This was the
case in the following anecdote.
I was 10 miles from shore jig-
ging a #1 gold/chartreuse Do Jigger
tipped with two crappie minnows
near bottom. Suddenly a thick
red band appeared on my Vexilar
electronics and I twitched the rod tip
and slowly stair-stepped the offering
upward when the band followed, got
larger and all of a sudden a huge fish
gulped my spoon. The strike was
easy to detect and the solid thud was
followed by an immediate hook set
that bent my custom rod double. For
an instant the monster was motion-
less and it felt like I hooked a big
log. Then it began violently shaking
its head as it sprinted for bottom.
Line stripped off my reel like I was
into a big sturgeon and I had no
control. All I could do is desperately
hang onto the bent double rod with
rod tip inches from the ice as line
melted from the spool. For an in-
stant I thought I hooked a 40-pound
carp but the line stripping sprint
came to a stop and once again my
rod throbbed to the head shake of a
big fish resembling a walleye. This
would be my fifth big fish for the
morning but this one was different,
it seemed hell bent on hugging bot-
tom as I slowly coaxed it toward the
tiny hole.
Bringing a Master Angler
walleye to the hole is an emotional
tug of war and when the huge body
sweeps past the hole less than arm’s
length away I guarantee your heart
will skip a beat. There is something
powerfully addictive about doing
8 FEBRUARY 2018 WNW NEWS
By Kenny Darwin
battle with a 10-pound plus monster
walleye through the ice. You don’t
just flip it out of the tiny hole like
smelt. You gotta give it time, fight
it smart, allow it to grow tired and
keep your senses until you see an
opportunity to pull its huge head
into the hole and attempt landing the
fish with a gator-like maw.
Most fishermen fumble the ball
when they get a peek at a record
walleye kissin’ close. Adrenaline
kicks in big time and often sharp
thinking anglers go numb, their
mind turns to mush and they often
make the fatal mistake of forcing
big walleyes at the hole. That’s
when lines snap like a thread,
swivels bend, gaffs miss the fish
and hook the line and the trophy of
a lifetime is suddenly free. Some
huge walleyes pause in the hole and
provide spellbound anglers an op-
portunity to dive into the icy water
attempting desperately to grab the
prize. Only to come out of the icy
water with empty hands and a more
humiliated ego. The worst feeling in
the world settles into a gut churning
adrenaline rush that leaves you fish-
less and totally humiliated.
I know because I’ve farmed
more record walleyes at the hole
than I care to remember. Nothing is
more depressing and the memory
haunts you for a lifetime, sticks like
glue and is a nasty reminder that
stabs you in the gut every time a big
fish nears the hole.
The trick is to keep your cool,
ease the big fish into the hole and
put it on the ice. Years ago I was
taught by Don Leuenberger from
Saginaw how to spud a slanted plat-
form to the side of the hole where
you can beach fish with ease.
This fish paused midway to the
ice and when it reached the surface
it went bonkers. At first it crashed
into the ice and knocked itself dizzy
and lay motionless across the hole.
I anxiously tried to ease its head
toward the hole only to have it turn
upright, come back to life and sprint
for Detroit. Line sizzled from my
reel’s drag but it eventually slowed,
stopped and ran under the hole again
and again until its runs became pro-
gressively shorter. Its energy seemed
drained after a long fight as I coaxed
the 33-inch sled to the hole and
eased its head into the tiny channel.
Immediately I slipped its head onto While Saginaw Bay and Saginaw River ser ve up excellent walleye catches,
the slanted ice and used my ice ladle the overall size has gone down from huge catches from years past. How-
behind his gill to pull him onto the ever, Ryan Har tland proudly displays a monster walleye caught on Saginaw
ice. Moments later I danced around Bay near Linwood using a Slender spoon tipped with a minnow and is proof
the hole like a drunken polar bear positive some big dogs still roam the Saginaw system. Author photos
holding up the 12-pound trophy
walleye.
I became a trophy walleye
hunter when I put my first 10-pound
fish on the ice near the 675 express-
way overpass on the Saginaw River.
Ever since I’ve chased big hawgs
throughout Michigan and other
states in search of trophy fish mea-
suring over 30 inches and tipping
the scales over 10 pounds.
There have been many changes
in Michigan’s trophy walleye fishery
in the last few years and finding big
dogs can be very time consuming
and expensive. So, when folks ask
me where they can catch a trophy
walleye my answer is simple, where
you find them. But the truth is you
can catch big walleyes if you learn
to cut some corners and make trips
to trophy hot spots. Here’s where
and when to go for unbelievable big
walleye catches.
First, forget fishing in Minnesota
or Wisconsin. Although the trophy
walleye fishery found in Green Bay
is simply impressive, most states
offer good fishing but big hawgs can
be difficult to locate. Truth is your
home state of Michigan has more
and bigger fish than many other
well-known walleye states. We are
fortunate to have the Great Lakes
and connecting waterways that are
huge bodies of water rich with bait-
fish that support colossal walleye
populations on an impressive level.
There is one location relatively close
to your home that serves up monster
walleyes on a monumental scale.
I’m talking about Lake Erie.
Just about everyone knows if
you want big walleyes go to Lake
Erie. Come winter, the prespawn
huge hens gather in enormous
schools that many call the world’s
best fishery for big fish and the ice
fishing is second to none. Catching
a wall-hanger on Erie can be child’s
play if you follow a few rules. Begin
by centering your attention on the
massive pre-spawn schools congre-
gating from the islands to Toledo.
The migration begins in late De-
cember and builds to unbelievable
fishing come late winter.
I’ve seen fantastic fishing off
Green Island, Rattlesnake and Bass
islands during winter. The islands
have a reputation of creating ice first
but deep water currents and shifting
ice can make these locations some-
what unsafe and anglers are better
off to concentrate on the open water
ice found in the bay off Port Clin-
ton. Usually safe ice forms first near
the DNR boat launch at Catawba
Island in the 10-15 foot depths. The
good fishing arrives when safe ice
reaches the 20-30 foot depths.
Sure, you can catch plenty of
Author with prize trophy walleye that smacked his favorite #1 size green/silver Do Jigger spoon tipped
with two lively crappie minnows. If your quest is for a trophy fish he recommends you concentrate on
Great Lakes’ bays and connecting waterways.
fish in the waters of Michigan’s
Lake Erie near Stony Point but tro-
phy fish tend to concentrate east of
West Sister Island. Michigan anglers
should also pay attention to the ice
near Magee Marsh State Reserva-
tion, which is the closest walleye
hotspot to Michigan. The access
site is found off Highway 2, but the
fantastic fishing is only available
if solid ice forms. Once it is solid,
schools of large walleyes congregate
from 15-30 foot depths. Some savvy
anglers like to fish near the GPS
buoys off the nuke plant and excel-
lent catches come from Toussaint
Reef, Round Reef, Crib Reef and
many more.
If ice fishing is not available this
year on Erie your next best bet is
to go trolling with stick baits. The
warm weather last winter provided
limit catches of monster fish on a
monumental scale all winter. The
trick is to slow troll about 1.5 miles
an hour with long sticks like the
popular deep diving Husky Jerk.
One out of three fish in Erie is over
8 pounds and it is not uncommon
to land your limit of 10-pound plus
walleyes.
Michigan anglers can also find
excellent fishing in the Bays de Noc.
Escanaba and Gladstone have a long
history of producing limit catches
of walleyes with some trophy 10
pounders mixed in. This fishery is
found offshore and a snow machine
is needed to reach the walleye
grounds.
My stomping ground for big
walleyes is Saginaw Bay and the
Saginaw River. At one time this
region provided epic trophy wall-
eye fishing. Average catches would
weigh around 8 pounds with plenty
of 10-pound plus walleyes available
for those willing to spend time on
frozen water. However, destroyed
perch populations and over-harvest-
ing of mature walleyes has dam-
aged the fishery. The DNR insists
the fishery shows signs of recovery
but it is my opinion the world class
walleye fishery will never return un-
less the DNR takes steps to reduce
commercial nets in Saginaw Bay.
Last summer I attended the AuGres
tournament and out of over 100
boats the largest walleye entered
was only 6 pounds 9 ounces. It is
sad to see Michigan’s outstanding
salmon fishery and the Saginaw Bay
walleye fishery struggle at the same
time.
However, Saginaw Bay does
produce some quality large fish that
migrate from outer Lake Huron.
One look at the huge walleye caught
by Ryan Hartland from Ionia and
your mouth will simply drop open.
It was a trophy in every sense of
the word with huge gut, impres-
sive length and a head that looks
like one of those big gators they
catch in Florida. Ryan was jigging
a glow Slender spoon at dawn near
Linwood in about 20 foot of water
when the big fish gulped his presen-
tation.
“It almost jerked the rod from
my hand,” he reported. “When I set
the hook it was solid and I almost
broke my rod.” Ryan was fishing
with a brightly colored Slender
spoon tipped with a couple crappie
minnows. “That morning the wall-
eyes were snapping and I already
had three on the ice when the trophy
smashed my lure,” he says. “I’ve
caught many walleyes through the
ice but one glimpse of this trophy
inches below my feet was a thrill
I’ll never forget.” Ryan’s fish is a
classic example that there still are
some trophy walleyes in Saginaw
Bay. This past fall when hunt-
ing Oldsquaw at the mouth of the
Saginaw River the walleye fishing
was off the hook crazy. Some boats
were jigging in the Saginaw River
downstream from Bay City, others
were working jigs off the man-made
island and more were trolling sticks
in the Bay and everyone was catch-
ing limits. I saw several boxes full
with walleyes that averaged between
3-5 pounds. So, when the Bay and
River freezes in 2018 I expect good
fishing, limit catches and hopefully
some trophy 10-pound plus walleyes
will be mixed in.
I’ve caught 10 pounders in
20 foot depths off the State Park,
Boutell Rd., Linwood and Nayan-
quing Point. I’m the only walleye
angler in Michigan to win the Shiver
contest one year and place in the
top five with huge fish three out
of five years in a row. My largest
contest walleye was 12 pounds 8
ounces. Perhaps my best Saginaw
Bay trophy walleye hotspot is near
the Black Hole in 25 foot of wa-
ter off East Coggins Road. This is
where my son Zach landed an 11
pounder and my fishin’ pal Greg
Leuenberger iced a 15-pound giant.
You have probably seen pictures in
Woods-N-Water News of Greg hold-
Monster walleyes page 10
WNW NEWS FEBRUARY 2018 9

Monster walleyes:
from page 9
ing walleyes long as your leg. Greg
and Gary are sons of the legendary
Saginaw Bay walleye angler Don
Leuenberger from Saginaw. Don has
taught his children well and given
me many valuable ice fishing les-
sons.
I’ll never forget an outing with
Greg to capture the exciting walleye
action on film. We ran across the
safe ice about 6 miles, drilled holes
and began fishing. Greg hooked
a fish at lightning speed and I got
kissin’ close to get pictures of the
action. Soon he hooked another on a
small Swedish Pimple and I stayed
close to get photos. When he hooked
a big fish on a white/Kelly green Do
Jigger I was there to film the action
as he slid an 11 pounder on the ice.
“That’s how to catch big walleyes,”
he exclaimed as he held up the tro-
phy and released it unharmed down
the hole.
The Saginaw River has legend-
ary walleye fishing and some of
the best holes are found near the
Zilwaukee Bridge in Hawg Alley
but excellent fishing is available at
First Street, I-675 and Wick’s Park.
I caught my 11 pound 11 ounce
10 FEBRUARY 2018 WNW NEWS
Savvy anglers
use a 3-hole
approach with
electronics
placed in the
center so you
can easily see
your lures and
Shiver On The River Saginaw News any approach-
walleye contest winner in the deep ing walleyes.
run found near Ojibwa Island. Electronics
High water and huge fall runs help you to
of shad can bring massive schools determine
of walleyes from the Bay into the depth, mark
both lures,
river. When the water clears and and identify
freezes solid you can count on ex- presence of
cellent fishing success. Best fishing baitfish or
is at dawn and the last hour before predator wall-
dark. Once the sun sets my advice eyes. When big
is to pack up and head for the truck fish show on
the electronics
because night fishing is a waste of try to coax a
time. Without a doubt the best lure strike by slowly
on the Saginaw system is a Jigging jigging presen-
Rapala tipped with a minnow. tations upward.
There is excellent walleye fish-
ing for big fish all along Michigan’s
west coast. Lake Michigan’s alewife
population is booming and the last
two years the fast growing forage Dam. When anglers requested a tion is to spend time on Great Lakes
base has contributed to record fish slot limit allowing fishermen to and connecting waterways where
taken from Muskegon and White keep one fish, the District fish fish grow to impressive size because
Lake. Other top producers include boss slashed walleye plants and of the staggering forage base to feed
Lake Macatawa, Pentwater, Man- the world class walleye fishery them.
istee Lake, and Portage Lake. At one went tube city. What about you? Do you have
time the Betsie River hosted a mas- Michigan hosts some of the best your walleye ice fishing gear ready?
sive run of huge walleyes weigh- trophy walleye fishing in the country Got your snowmobile or quad ready
ing from 12-14 pounds. Steelhead and big fish are available this year to hook up to your portable shanty?
fishermen caught them on fly due to high water levels and boom- When the ice freezes solid the wall-
fishing gear below Homestead ing baitfish populations. My sugges- eyes will be waiting.n
WNW NEWS FEBRUARY 2018 11
FISH BIG WATERS
The best way to figure out where to drop a line when ice fishing big lakes is to change
your mindset and think of them as small lakes with sonar, GPS and mapping
Massive-Immense-
Overwhelming. Ice
fishing the bays of
the Great Lakes can
be an exhilarating
experience...
A
ll five Great Lakes
(six, if you decided
to sneak Lake St.
Clare into the mix)
are vast, and if fish
are far off shore it
could be miles of travel by quad or
snowmobile—traversing cracks and
heaves all the way—to get to where
you think the fish will be.
Once to a spot where shoreline
is out of sight, you’ll soon compre-
hend this is as close to being on the
surface of the moon as you’ll ever
experience.
However, you want to go be-
cause you’ve heard rumor the bite’s
hot and big fish have been pulled
through the ice. You crave the ac-
tion.
But where do you start your
search for fish?
The biggest problem with ice
fishing any huge expanse of water,
no matter your target species, is
narrowing down the minute places
where the fish could be. After all,
your time on the ice is limited and
you want to be drilling holes over an
area with the highest density of fish.
The best way to figure out where
to drop a line when ice fishing big
lakes is to change your mindset and
think of them as small lakes, nar-
rowing down the many possibilities
to just a few.
And it’s easier than ever nowa-
days with modern-day electronics.
Have a Plan
One thing that has not changed
for me over the years is pre-plan-
ning where, exactly, I plan on fish-
ing the night before venturing out on
the ice.
As an example, one of the first
things we instructors do during the
Ice-Fishing Vacation/School held
on Lake Huron’s Saginaw Bay (this
year February 18 through 21, 2018),
is to gather all who are fishing and
strategize our next day.
Perusing large paper maps is still
a way to scan the lay of the under-
water land and pin-point structure
likely to hold fish. But many of the
hard copy maps available are not
very detailed.
12 FEBRUARY 2018 WNW NEWS
SMALL
Navionics mapping programs,
however, have changed the way we
fish due to their ultra-detailed maps,
which come pre-loaded on SD
cards—which I link with my Low-
rance GPS devices—as well down-
loadable apps for both smartphones
and personal computers.
With a Navionics app running
in my laptop, for instance, we as
a large group are able to pre-plan
our next day’s fishing right down
to discovering the longitudes and
latitudes of underwater humps, cuts,
points and breaklines we want to
fish, and can then program the spots
into our GPS units. And with the aid
of a digital projector, everyone in
the group can see and get a firsthand
understanding of the types of struc-
ture they will be fishing over.
And when Navionics maps are
downloaded into your smartphone,
the device not only turns into
personal mapping for when on the
ice, but is a back-up GPS in case
the unforeseen becomes reality and
you need assistance getting back to
where you started. (Tip: Remember
to always let others at home know
where you are fishing and what time
you’ll be home. And do not deviate
from those plans.)
Beeline
One of the best things about
using electronic mapping is the
direct path you’re able to make to
your pre-planned spot, and then be
able to immediately set up directly
over structure. It’s a real time saver
on the ice, for sure, as you can be Narrowing down large expanses of water and fishing them like they
in place before the sun rises. This are small will help you catch walleyes like this one the author is
allows the environment around you holding. David A. Rose photo
to settle down and fish to relax to
their natural state for prime fishing change lures while hole hopping. water. We now have more
time. The GPS I use nowadays for Once I find the hole(s) I first accurate mapping and can get
driving to and from fishing spots is want to drop a lure through, I’ll set to spots likely to hold fish faster
a Lowrance Hook-5 Ice Machine—a up my Clam portable shanty, turn than ever. And as an added
portable sonar/GPS all-in-one unit. on my portable heater and lower the safety factor—being able to
The 5-inch color screen is easy to camera of my MarCum underwater get back to shore right where
see in both bright and dim light camera. you left, no matter how severe
conditions, and the unit has a card My Marcum VS825SD has the weather, today’s electronics
reader for my Navionics SD cards. taught me much while on the water can save the day.
of the Great Lakes. Via its 8-inch
In Place flat-panel color screen, I’ve watched Mark Martin is a tournament
The first thing I do when I get to how fish react to the lure I’m using walleye fisherman and an
where I want to fish is to start up my and can figure out whether I need instructor with the Ice-Fishing
StrikeMaster power auger and drill to change styles or colors to get the Vacation/School
all the holes I’ll need in the area. fish to strike. This is another time (icefishingvacationschool.com)
Once all are made I then walk hole saver when fishing waters where which class was held on the
to hole and check for depth, struc- much of the day can be eaten up frozen waters of Michigan’s
ture and fish with the Hook-5. traveling to and from a spot. Houghton Lake, as well will
This unit is totally portable and be coming to Burt Lake and
even has space for two Plano tackle Get There, Lake Huron’s Saginaw Bay
totes in which I stash a few Rapala See, and Get Back the winter of 2018. For more
Jigging Raps and Northland spoons, Yes, modern electronics have information, check out Mark’s
just in case I see fish and need to changed the way we fish big web site at markmartins.netn
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WNW NEWS FEBRUARY 2018 13
 Buck of a Lifetime Guest Column By Devin Benner

F
or roughly 15 years, my brother-in-
law, Scott Johnston of Washington,
Michigan has had a pretty decent
hunting career, bagging his share of
small bucks and does. None of them
came easy. Scott hunted hundreds of
hours each season and has dealt with days and
even weeks of seeing absolutely nothing. And
just like every whitetail hunter, Scott has always
dreamed of harvesting that big monster whitetail
of a lifetime.
In the beginning, Scott and I started out
still hunting on public land. This pretty much
involved showing up at state game areas and
walking or sitting in random spots hoping a deer
would walk by. We had no idea what we were
doing and never even saw a deer. But a few years
later we started hunting out of treestands, and
our success improved. We actually saw deer and
Scott shot his first buck that year.
Eventually we got our own private hunting
land, a 62-acre parcel in Parma and started using
grunt calls, hunting over scrapes, and creating
deer habitat around the property. But about that
time Scott got some bad news that he had been
diagnosed with an adult onset form of Muscular
Dystrophy (MD), which is a degenerative muscle
disorder. By 2013 climbing up a ladder to a tree-
stand had become very difficult and extremely
dangerous for Scott, so he eventually had to hunt
from a ground blind.
If there’s one thing all of us at deer camp
learned from Scott, it’s that nothing can stop you
from doing what you really love. Never once
did we hear Scott complain about his new one-
dimensional view from the ground while we all
continued to enjoy birds’ eye views from 20 feet
up. Instead, Scott has always been very grateful Scott Johnston’s buck had huge tines and a massive 22 inch spread!
for the help he gets setting up his tent or occa-
sional 4-wheeler ride to his blind. In fact, Scott is we consider a trophy animal. Around 5 p.m., as I too low. Even with the advantage of my body
just very thankful for the fact that he gets to hunt sat in my treestand on the opposite corner of the being full of adrenalin, aiming that beautiful
at all. 62 acres reflecting on our season, I was happy Ruger .44 Magnum bolt action rifle without sup-
Despite the pain he endures and the struggle with the amount of deer seen running throughout port would be impossible. My only option was
to get out in the woods, he has showed up year- the property. Our recent QDM efforts were show- to cross my legs. As I was lifting one leg over
after-year and participates in every hunt, morning ing success! I saw several does and was being the other, he must have heard the fabric rubbing,
and afternoon. thoroughly entertained by a small fork, and that’s as that huge rack and those big black eyes were
Each year becomes a little more difficult for when it happened! staring right at my tent. The tense few seconds
Scott to hunt, so the pressure to bag the big one Not a BOOM like a shotgun, but a BANG! A passed like minutes until he felt comfortable
increases every season. This year’s new challenge bang like a .44 magnum coming from the loca- enough to go about his business. With several
for Scott was how to hold the gun steady if a deer tion of Scott’s blind! I grinned from ear-to-ear years of experience hunting out of a tent, we
came into range. Unlike those of us un-afflicted remembering what we said about only shooting only open the front windows and hunt from the
with MD, Scott has had difficulty pointing the ri- a big buck. I wanted to jump out of my treestand shadows of the back of the tent. All he saw was
fle and holding it steady without falling forward. and go see what he had shot. darkness inside.
Scott has always been a great shot. He’s even Here’s how Scott describes the hunt: “I hunt ““Buck Fever” is hard to describe, but once
been referred to around camp as “The Sniper.” looking out of the tent almost due north, facing you feel it, you know what’s happening. Take a
But in light of this new challenge, he decided to the swampy sanctuary that Devin has been me- deep breath; wait for the crosshairs to land on the
utilize the back of a sturdy chair placed in front ticulously crafting for so many years. The idea is heart. I was fortunate that he gave me a long mo-
of him as a gun rest if needed. Well, that was the to give home to a typical Jackson County monster ment with a broadside view because I had to take
plan at least. that would make any of the locals proud. three of those deep breaths before I was confident
November 15, 2017 was upon us and we were During the past hunts in Parma, I have spotted of my shot. He collapsed. I wanted to leap for
excited as ever! There had been a big buck spot- what most would consider pretty big bucks. But, joy.”
ted in the swamp at the end of the pond earlier in this buck was different. I was captivated by the We still can’t believe it happened. The big
the season that we referred to as the “Pond Buck” pure majestic aura he emitted stepping through old 9-point ‘Pond Buck’ stepped out just when
and he was on our mind that morning. It was a the high grass. As he made his way out of the Scott needed him to. And from it, a valuable
long, quiet opener. We saw nothing all day, and sanctuary he suddenly stopped, swiveling his lesson was underscored. If you’re patient and
the next morning was pretty much the same. head from one direction to the next as if to antici- have a little luck, all the years of hard work, per-
Time was running out. We both had to head pate another challenge to his dominance. severance, and determination of a skilled marks-
home that evening to be ready for our real-life “As I began to prepare myself for the shot of man will eventually lead to the Buck of
responsibilities. We agreed only to shoot what a lifetime, I realized the makeshift gun rest was a Lifetime!n
14 FEBRUARY 2018 WNW NEWS
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WNW NEWS FEBRUARY 2018 15
 Whitetail’s critical energy balance
During their initial adjustment to winter, deer undergo certain physiological changes...
W
hen winter
begins, deer
have not
yet adjusted
for severe
weather, so
they respond to climatic stress by
eating more becoming more ac-
tive and seeking protective cover
-- sometimes requiring lengthy
migration to favorable winter habitat
(i.e., deeryards). Low temperatures
and cold winds cause higher rates
of body heat-loss, while mounting
snows increase energy expenditures
and make deer more vulnerable to
predation.
My studies in the Petrel Grade
deeryard, located in Alger County,
revealed wide differences in micro-
climate within the yard. No single
niche provided maximum protec-
tion while still providing adequate
browse. Of the habitat types I sam-
pled, dense, mature northern white
cedar offered the most comfortable
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16 FEBRUARY 2018 WNW NEWS
microclimate and best travel condi-
tions during the coldest weather.
During their initial adjustment to
winter, deer undergo certain physi-
ological changes, including
reduced thyroid function
and decreased metabolism
associated with a decrease
in movement activity.
By midwinter, they gear
down to an almost semi-
hibernating state, decrease
their food intake by about
30 percent and their
activity by at least
50 percent. These
By John Ozoga
adaptive tactics allow them to waste
little energy when food is scarce
and environmental stresses are high,
and to coexist in a crowded, hostile
environment. To accomplish this,
however, deer must occupy safe,
comfortable habitat.
Despite an ultraconservative
lifestyle, the whitetail’s basic energy
requirements in winter exceed
energy gained from eating woody
browse. In fact, northern white
cedar (3 to 6 pounds per deer per
day) is the only browse that will
sustain deer through 100
days of yarding. Hemlock,
maple, ash, birch, aspen,
and various shrubs -- of
comparatively low nutri-
tion value -- suffice only
when available in great
variety and abundance, or
when consumed with more
nourishing foods.
The availability of
high-energy agricul-
tural crops or supplemental feed ,
however, is another matter.
The amount of digestible energy
in a deer’s winter diet can greatly
determine shelter requirements. For
example, researcher Aaron Moen
found deer in western Minnesota
readily bedded in open fields even
when exposed to brisk winds and
nighttime temperatures between
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zero and minus 34 degrees Fahr-
enheit, as long as they had access
to corn and soybeans. Even small
amounts of high-energy food, when
combined with a mixed browse diet,
allow a deer’s metabolic furnace to
compensate for cold-stress in poor
shelter.
During early winter, deer tend
to move and feed most heavily at
sunrise, midday, sunset and twice
nightly. This (5-peaked) pattern
exhibited by healthy deer holds
throughout winter, and probably
in all other seasons. By midwinter,
however, malnourished deer become
most active in the warmest part of
the day and greatly decrease night-
time travel. This, undoubtedly is an
energy-conserving adjustment to
reduce exposure and body heat-loss,
thus enhancing survival.
On northern range, small-bodied
deer are at a serious disadvantage.
Moen found, for example, that more
body heat is lost during cold, windy
weather from the surface of a small
deer than from a large one. Accord-
ing to Moen, deer weighing less
than about 80 pounds are metaboli-
cally inefficient in conserving en-
ergy during cold weather. It is little
wonder, therefore, that high deer
densities, poor nutrition, slow body
growth rates and heavy winter-kill
often go together.
Because of impending nutri-
tional constraints (negative energy
balance), browse-nourished deer
lose considerable body weight over
winter, regardless of the quality or
quantity of browse available. Does
and fawns that enter winter with
maximum fat reserves can withstand
a 30 percent weight loss without
dying but adult bucks commonly
lose about 25 percent of their peak
body weight during the autumnal
rut, leaving them vulnerable if
winter food is scarce. As might be
expected, fawns regularly comprise
about 70 percent or more of winter’s
mortality.
The whitetail’s otherwise im-
pressive strategy for winter survival
weakens around mid-March, when
deer become more active and their By midwinter malnourished deer become most active in the warmest par t of the day and greatly de-
metabolic rate shifts back to a high- crease nighttime travel. Undoubtedly is an energy-conser ving adjustment. Jordan Browne photo
er level. The response to increasing
daylight accelerates energy, or food sap the animal’s remaining energy spring break-up, making a bad situa- are well-adapted to withstand severe
demands, fawns from the previous reserves. Depending on temperature, tion even worse. weather in mid-winter. It is the pro-
year resume their growth, and fetus- snow depth and the rate of snow When provided with good longed winter that starts early and
es of pregnant does advance in their melt, deer sometimes experience shelter and a reasonably good food ends late that can devastate northern
development. These changes rapidly hazardous and exhausting travel at supply nearby, healthy whitetails deer herds.n

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WNW NEWS FEBRUARY 2018 17

 Sharing the outdoors
Take every opportunity to pass along your outdoor experience, knowledge and enthusiasm to younger people...

I
f you have lots of money but he took a book with him and his that he had seen a buck, apparently pedicles showed that there had been
and choose to give it to compound bow had no sights of any wounded and asked if he should try antlers there recently, this deer was
selected and specific others, kind. He couldn’t shoot well but it to track it down. There was snow on bald. Apparently, the head shot had
that’s usually called philan- didn’t matter – he wasn’t going to the ground and a check confirmed dislodged the antlers. After a short
thropy. If you are blessed shoot anything. that the deer was leav- debate, we decided to put an antler-
with time on your hands It was quite natural, ing a fair blood trail. John less tag on him. After the deer was
and you give it to those who then, for his outdoors- took the track and I circled dressed and ready to drag, I kicked
might need it, that’s volun- bound son to turn to me for ahead. After a few hundred around in the snow perhaps six feet
teering. If you have some special an introduction to the finer yards, the deer entered the in front of the deer and discovered a
knowledge or a store of experiences things in life. When I lived property of a neighbor and small, forked antler. Two feet to the
that might be valuable to others and in Florida, he came down I had to go get permission side, there was the other and John
you share it that is called teaching or to catch his first bonefish, to pursue it, which was was elated.
mentoring. If the person with whom snook and tarpon. When quickly granted. When the While there was a great deal of
you share is a son or daughter, that we returned to trail went into pleasure in sharing my lifetime of
is called ‘really special.’
My brother was blessed with one
Michigan, I called
in his first gobbler
By George Rowe some thick stuff,
I went around the
outdoor experience with the younger
man, this was not a one-way street.
son and three daughters. I had just and took him to thicket to see if the A man in his sixties needs a com-
two daughters and no son. While the woods where he took his first deer would break out to the side. panion, if just for safety concerns
my eldest loved to fish and showed buck. He quickly caught his first When the buck jumped up and it is wonderful to have a young,
an early interest in hunting, she was salmon, lake trout and stream trout from his bed in front of John, he strong guy beside you when it
grounded by physical handicaps and got hooked good on walleye snapped off a shot at the running comes time to get that big buck
and eventually succumbed to them. and perch. After he finished college target, sending it head-over-heels. from the woods to the SUV parked
While my brother was the best and took a job in the U.P., we spent When I reached him, he was down a half-mile away. While it may seem
father imaginable and supported his many a day together, fishing or on his hands and knees, holding self-serving, this is one of the best
children in every way conceivable, hunting. the deer’s head and lamenting the reasons to take on a younger person
he had little interest in the outdoors. His first buck was really a dif- fact that the deer had no antlers. “I with which to share the outdoors.
He went deer hunting with his ferent hunt. About mid-morning, saw them clearly,” he said, when You not only get the satisfaction that
young son, in the archery season, he came up to my stand and said he first spotted this deer. While the comes with teaching, you get some

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security in simply being out there
with a capable companion.
That companion moved to
Alaska a few years ago and while
we have planned, several times, for
me to join him in hunting or fishing
up there, there were always some
things in the way – the hunting des-
tination for moose was too remote
for a man with health problems and
physical limitations or the chronic
stomach problems were acting,
up, causing the cancellation of the
halibut trip.
This is what John had to say, in
a recent email, about our relation-
ship.
“I am so very happy that I have
a father that wanted to spend time
with me hunting and fishing when
I was young, even though it wasn’t
his passion. Once it became my
passion, I am so thankful that you
were there to help teach me and
mentor me in all those hunting and
fishing activities. Now I am able to
share them with my son and “pay it
forward” as I go. I look forward to
handing my knowledge (and guns)
down to Mason so he can do the
same someday. Thank you so, so
much for all the great times! I will
always cherish those memories.”
THUNDER HILLS
Featuring World Famous Hogan Hogs
Limited Number of Cow Elk Hunts Available
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Fortunately, a new companion
surfaced last winter. Deciding to
give up ice fishing as too physically
demanding for a man of 85 winters,
an ad was put in the paper for all the
related gear. The man who called to
look to the stuff (he bought some)
had a beagle in his truck and, when
we talked for a bit, we made a date
to go rabbit hunting. I know some
nifty rabbit covers and he had two
beagles and we both loved hound
music and rabbit stew. We hunted
together many times last winter
and that kept me moving, a very
important factor in getting old and
remaining active outdoors. The
phrase “use it or lose it” certainly
applies
There are two observations of
note: one is to take every oppor-
tunity to pass along your outdoor
experience and knowledge and
enthusiasm to younger people. You
will find this a really heart-warming
process. Second, when you get old,
you need a companion. It is dan- The author’s nephew, John Rowe, with his latest Alaskan moose,
gerous for a person in their 70s or taken in September, at a range of over 300 yards.
80s to venture off on the water or
in the woods without a companion. outdoorsman, you can probably from you and thus gain something
It is akin to going off in a canoe help him with something from your from the experience and, if possible,
or a kayak without a PFD. Even background. If possible, choose a choose one that is younger and
if your companion is a seasoned companion who can and will learn stronger.n
CALL FOR INFORMATION
248-249-4710 Or Visit Our Website
www.thunderhillsranch.com
WNW NEWS FEBRUARY 2018 19
 ichigan hosts some
of the best night ice
fishing in the coun-
try and sportsmen
are discovering the
fantastic action on
the night shift. Some panfish, inland
lake walleyes, smelt and more have
become active when the sun sets and
the night is dark as black ink. Smelt
for instance are difficult to hook on
Gull, Green or Higgins Lake when
the day is sunny but come sundown
their feeding activity increases and
by midnight they go on a feeding
spree. Big slab crappie are night
feeders too, and those who set up
shanties, drill holes and get the
space heater cookin’ can be in for
some midnight madness when crap-
pie are snappin’ lures. The following
anecdote best describes the fishing
fun.
The clock struck midnight when
I noticed my Gotcha spring bobber
wiggling on my rod tip and slowly
bending down to signal a strike from
a winter crappie. I lifted the rod
from the holder, pointed the tip at
the black hole in the ice and allowed
the fish to fully take the hook before
I set the hook. There is no rush
hooking crappie, winter fish slowly
take the hook and you have plenty
of time to set the hook. My custom
ultra-lite rod bent double to the fight
of the big slab and soon the white
crappie filled the hole. I grabbed
him by his large mouth and paper
thin lips that held the tiny glow
jig tipped with a waxie. Soon my
bucket was full of slabs and it was
time for me to take down the shanty
and drive home. One glance
at my watch confirmed it
was after midnight and I
thought how amazing it
is crappie are night feed-
ers. I also wondered how
many Michigan fishermen
are missing the hot crappie
bite because they only fish
during the day. My point is
By Kenny Darwin
the best crappie
fishing takes place
when the sun has
gone down and the night is silent.
I cut my teeth fishing crappie
through the ice on Sanford and
Wixom Lakes near Edenville. My
high school pals and I would drill
holes above structure and work the
same areas where crappie would
school during spring and fall but we
didn’t catch many fish. One lesson
from an old time ice fishermen and
we discovered that winter crappie
tend to school in deep water where
conditions are stable and more food
20 FEBRUARY 2018 WNW NEWS
Winter crappie are firm fleshed and excellent eating. If you want
limit catches try night shift fishing which requires gear like shanty,
lantern, ice auger and fishing equipment.
is available. So, we moved to the together a fish house made for two
center of the lake and our catch and we centered it at lightning speed
increased. over a couple hot holes that pro-
Perhaps the most important duced crappie during the day. I bor-
lesson I learned about ice fishing rowed my father’s red single mantle
for crappie came from a Coleman lantern and we hit the ice
group of anglers on Sanford with high hopes of landing fish.
Lake. We were fishing at We were not disappointed and soon
a place called Coach Cove discovered the hot bite would come
where anglers would park around 10 and sometimes midnight.
along the lake and setup Our strategy was simple; we
over deep water crappie would jump on the ice after swim
lairs. One Saturday we meets or high school basketball
were coming off the ice and fish until 1 a.m. I’d come home
at sunset when a group of whipped and dead tired from the
anglers carrying ice fishing adventures into the
Coleman lanterns wee hours after midnight. But our
asked us how we catches soared and after learning the
did. They looked at the few fish we many benefits of night fishing our
had in our pail and remarked that we day outings were eliminated. We
could catch many more crappie if became crappie night owls.
we fished at night. So we came back The best rig was simple; a long
to the location around 10 p.m. and shank hook with a crappie minnow
ran across the ice to distant shanties hooked through the back suspended
aglow from the light of lanterns. 8-20 inches off bottom. A split shot
We asked fishermen if they were was placed about 12 inches from the
getting any crappie and much to our hook and we used a small bobber
surprise anglers had hefty catches, to detect strikes. I became fond of
buckets full with some trophy fish using a gold hook for crappie and
mixed in. was convinced the light shimmered
That’s when we hammered off the metal shank attracted fish to
the swimming minnow. The lessons
learned years ago regarding crappie
ice fishing still are golden today.
We found that by using two
lanterns and lighting up the shanty
our catch soared. The extra light
helped to see the little bobber slowly
go underwater on a bite. More
importantly the added light seemed
to attract fish. We soon switched to
double mantle lanterns that provided
more light. Little did we know the
extra light would draw microorgan-
isms under our shanty which in turn
brought in schools of minnows and
the crappie soon followed. We also
learned we would catch more fish
if we placed the lantern next to the
hole on the ice rather than hanging
the light overhead. We would also
put aluminum foil on the side facing
the angler to reduce the bright light
glowing in our eyes.
Back then there was a huge
bait shop just west of Sanford with
large tanks filled with minnows. We
would keep crappie minnows alive
by constantly pouring lake water
into the minnow bucket and keep-
ing ice from forming on the top. We
quickly discovered that if you want
to increase your catch you need to
use lively minnows. Minnows that
are lethargic draw fewer strikes
and dead minnows were a waste of
good fishing time. Some bait shops
keep minnows in relatively warm
water and the instant you drop them
through the hole they quiver and
die from water temperature shock.
The trick is to slowly add lake water
and mix until the minnows are ac-
customed to the icy water. Savvy
ice anglers keep minnows lively for
one simple reason; to increase their
catch.
We also learned that if you use a
small single hook that is lightweight
minnows live longer. The trick to
fishing success hinged on how you
hooked the bait. Those who stabbed
minnows through the spine killed
them and they produced few strikes.
But if you barely hook the minnow
above the spine near the dorsal fin
it will stay alive longer and catch
more fish. The trick is to use a super
sharp hook and thread it just under
the skin. Oh sure, some crappie
would slam the lively bait and pull it
off the hook and swim away. But far
more would take the wiggling min-
now into their mouth, hold on longer
and you would ice more crappies.
Today I use the same old strat-
egy but I have no bobber and only a
BB shot to take minnows deep and I
set the lively minnow at any desired
depth by watching on my Vexilar
electronics. Most of the time I can
watch crappie slowly approach the
dead stick lively minnow and see
the take on my wiggling rod tip or
spring bobber on the end of my rod.
One of my deadliest tactics is to use
two rods. Since I’m right handed
and prefer to jig with my right hand
I set a minnow near bottom and put
the rod in a rod holder where I can
reach it with my left hand to set
the hook. In the right hole I use a
spinning outfit rigged with 3 pound
Asso fluorocarbon line and use a
small jig tipped with a wax worm.
I allow the jig to freefall to the bot-
tom and slowly jig it upward using
a stair-step jigging cadence. The
entire time my eyes are glued on the
Vexilar electronics and when I see
fish approaching the dancing jig I
slow the jigging action. This is when
I slowly move the offering slightly
above the big red line on the graph.
Now I twitch the jig by diddling the
rod tip and hold it stationary. Now
is the time to watch the rod tip or
spring bobber for the telltale twitch
of a strike. With the jig/waxie offer-
ing I set the hook the instant crappie
suck in the bait.
Savvy Michigan fishermen who
walk on water often pull pop-up
style shanties that are lightweight,
warm and have enough head room
to set the hook. Some prefer the
single or two man models but for
night crappie I love the extra room
in my cabin style Shappell Deluxe
400 two-man with four holes, door
zippers, and marine carpeted floor,
pop-up ski system for dragging and
80-inch height to allow me to set the
hook. I can set it up in minutes and
take it down and move to a new spot
fast. Get two double lanterns glow-
ing in this baby and you don’t need
your jacket or gloves and there is
enough room for a comfortable chair
and all the fishing goodies, plus you
can see to bait hooks, unhook fish or
tie on itsy panfish hooks.
Some nights the fishing is
sizzling hot and the action is too
fast paced to use two lines. Other
nights the action slows and you will

Dean Shippey of Eaton Rapids with rod bent double from a solid
hook up with a big crappie. Modern anglers jig with ultra-light rods,
custom reels, ice specific line and glow jigs that attract crappie
strikes all night.
spend more time waiting for strikes
than cranking up fish. My two rod
system can be quickly modified to
two double dead sticks with min-
nows or two jigging rods depending
on the mood of the fish. I always
begin every outing by jigging with
a glow Tungsten jig tipped with a
wax worm. My favorite jig is a glow
black spots design model number
E62 available from www.YourBob-
bersDown.com or call (734) 316-
7476. I like the 4mm size. At times
you only need one rod to catch your
limit. When you have several fish
on the graph your best bet is to work
the crappie at the top of the spindle
shaped school. Fish highest in the
water column are usually the most
active and likely to strike. Plus if
you are harvesting fish from the top
of the school you are not disturbing
fish at the bottom that could strike
later.
Another trick is to fish a plain
jig on one rod and use a jig with
scented plastic on the other. Crappie
like super soft scented plastic tails
as much as bluegills. My suggestion
is to use the Little Atom soft plastics
with Wolfram jigs for an unbeatable
combination. Micro Nuggies are the
Two anglers working jigs at night for deep water crappies. They ticket for bluegills and crappie love
watch their electronics for the telltale bright red band of an incom- them colored white, hot chartreuse
ing crappie. Once fish are spotted on electronics the lure is moved and glow. But don’t overlook the
slightly above the target fish, jiggled then held stationary for a bite. attracting power of forked tail soft
plastics like the Duppies or sparkle
tail colors on the paddle tail Skimp-
ies. Again, Your Bobbers Down is
the source for the latest in ice fish-
ing jigs and plastics.
It is my opinion that on certain
nights crappie are somewhat lethar-
gic and seem to prefer dead stick
live minnow offerings. Most nights
you can get some active fish to fol-
low and strike a dancing jig tipped
with a waxie. When they are active,
fired up fish are attracted to plastics
giving you the added action to draw
crappie long distances and entice
strikes. Oh, I just want to tell you
that the above strategies sizzle when
fishing perch but for perch switch to
the day shift.
There is something powerfully
addictive about ice fishing at night.
The distant howl of coyote and
constant pounding, loud snapping of
ice keep your senses alert. The ever
present howling wind and blowing
snow is a reminder the arctic-like
weather is one of God’s natural
wonders. Ice fishing provides the
ultimate in solitude and allows us
to place life’s troubles on the back
burner. Fishing changes lives for the
better, especially those of kids. Then
POW! You see the strike, set the
hook, and feel the feisty fish strug-
gling and another fat crappie comes
to the hole.n
WNW NEWS FEBRUARY 2018 21
Get “in-line” for more bites
A
vid trollers routinely
use in-line weights to
fish deeper and also
to shorten up trolling
leads. It’s a foregone
conclusion that if you
troll, sooner or later you’ll find need
for adding weight in one fashion or
another to the fishing line.
The easiest means of getting
popular trolling lures to run deeper
is to simply add weight to the fish-
ing line. The question becomes,
what types of in-line weights work
best for the different trolling situ-
ations an avid angler is likely to
encounter?
High Lines for Trout
In the Great Lakes it’s common
to find steelhead, coho, lakers and
even brown trout feeding near the
surface. Often one of the
best ways to target these
fish is by trolling a spoon,
weighted using an egg
sinker threaded onto the
line about five or six feet
ahead of the spoon.
This basic rig starts by
threading a plastic bead
onto the main
line followed
by either a 1/2,
By Mark Romanack
3/4 or one ounce egg sinker which is
in turn followed by another plastic
bead and then a small ball bearing
swivel. The beads protect the rod
tip and also the knot that connects
the ball bearing swivel to the leader.
This simple rig is completed by
adding a five or six foot leader of 15
to 20 pound test fluorocarbon line, a
quality ball bearing snap swivel and
finally the trolling spoon.
Useful for targeting fish that are
within 10 feet of the surface, this
in-line weight set up is most effec-
tive when combined with either an
in-line planer board or a dual mast
style planer system that gets these
rigs out away from the boat. Stack-
ing two, three or more of these rigs
per side of the boat is especially
deadly when targeting coho and
brown trout that often pack up near
the mouth of tributary streams that
drain into the Great Lakes. This sim-
ple in-line trolling rig is also a great
way to target steelhead and lake
trout when these fish are using off
shore temperature breaks commonly
known as the “scum line”.
In the Great Lakes, anglers will
often encounter cold water and
warmer water converging on the
surface. The temperature breaks that
are created attract a host of baitfish,
aquatic insects and even terrestrial
insects that get caught in the slick
and debris formed between the cold
22 FEBRUARY 2018 WNW NEWS
and warm water masses. Scum lines
are a great place to find coho, kings,
lake trout and steelhead all feeding
together at or near the surface.
Surface
Wandering Walleyes
Trout and salmon are not the
only species in the Great Lakes re-
gion that often feed near the surface.
Walleye are routinely found target-
ing emerald shiners which prefer to
live in the top 10 feet of the water
column. Fish shaped keel sinkers
such as the Bass Pro Shops XPS
Trolling Weights and also the Off
Shore Tackle Guppy Weights are a
great way to present nightcrawler
harnesses or what walleye guys
simply call spinners.
Keel sinker style weights work
nicely for trolling spinner
rigs. To avoid line twist,
it’s important to run a small
snap from the main line to
the front of the keel weight
and a snap swivel from the
back of the keel sinker to
the spinner leader.
Open water spinners
should be a Browns like this one caught by Jake Romanack are very susceptible
to wobbling plugs like this 3.5 Mag Lip. To get these lures deeper,
little longer
than those com- the author commonly fishes them using a Sliding Sinker Rig.
monly used on
bottom bouncer rigs. The ideal open found a niche in the Great Lakes
and beyond. The beauty of the Snap
Sliding Sinker Rigs
water spinner rig is 60 to 72 inches Another way to fish crankbaits,
long. Most spinner rigs come with a Weight is it can be placed anywhere trolling spoons and spinners near
pair of No. 2 beak or octopus style on the line the angler desires and bottom is known as the sliding
hooks. Many open water walleye quickly removed when fighting a sinker rig. Similar to a common
trollers prefer to tie their own spin- fish. three way swivel rig, the sliding
ner rigs using a No. 6 treble hook as Separating the weight from the sinker rig allows the fish to take the
the tail hook and a No. 2 beak as the lure helps to trigger more strikes bait and not feel the resistance of the
nose hook. when targeting spooky fish in clear weight.
Spinner rigs equipped with water situations. One of the most To get started fishing a sliding
treble hooks do a better job of hook- popular set ups for trolling crank- sinker rig, thread a small plastic
ing and landing larger and more baits with Snap Weights is a system bead onto the main line followed
powerful walleye. The ultimate recently popularized by Precision by running the line through one end
hooks for trolling open water spin- Trolling Data. “The crankbait/Snap of a barrel swivel. Next, thread a
ners are the super-premium models Weight data in the PTD phone apps second plastic bead onto the line and
like the Trokar series by Eagle consists of a standard lead length of then tie on a ball bearing swivel.
Claw. Available in the TK300 round 50 feet regardless of the crankbait The barrel swivel can now
bend and also the TK310 wide bend used,” says walleye pro Keith Kava- slide up and down the main line. A
series, these surgically sharp hooks jecz. “A two ounce Snap Weight is dropper lead ranging from 12 to 36
penetrate with next to zero pressure, added to the line and then “dropper” inches is tied to the barrel swivel
making them ideal for slow trolling or additional lead is played off the and a barrel or pencil style sinker
applications. reel to control the diving depth. attached. The rig is completed by
Currently the PTD phone apps adding a 60 to 72 inch leader of
Snap Weighting Depths provide deadly accurate Snap fluorocarbon line as a leader termi-
The problem with Great Lakes Weight Dive Curves for 16 nated with a small snap for fishing
walleye is these fish can be found common walleye crankbaits at crankbaits and a snap swivel when
on the surface one day and slurping three trolling speeds including fishing spinners or spoons.
up gobies off the bottom the next. 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 MPH.” The sliding sinker rig is deadly
One of the most efficient ways of The advantage of using a Snap for fishing walleye spinners in deep
targeting structure hugging walleye Weight in combination with a crank- water. More efficient than a bottom
involves trolling a crankbait weight- bait is twofold. The Snap Weight bouncer at maintaining contact with
ed with a clip on style sinker known helps diving crankbaits achieve bottom in deep water, this same rig
as the Snap Weight. deeper depths, but just as impor- can also be used to present small
Off Shore Tackle introduced the tantly using a Snap Weight allows profile wobbling crankbaits or
Snap Weight nearly two decades anglers to reach target depths with trolling spoons in deep water when
ago and this simple to use and ef- shorter leads than would be possible
fective in-line weight immediately trolling without weight on the line. Get “in-line” page 24
WNW NEWS FEBRUARY 2018 23
Get “in-line” for more bites:
from page 22

targeting spring salmon, coho, lake primarily used by salmon anglers to

trout and browns. achieve deeper depths, but a grow-
Tadpole Divers ing number of muskie anglers are
also trolling with Magnum Tadpoles
The new kid on the block when to present bucktails and wobbling
it comes to in-line trolling weights spoons at faster trolling speeds.
is the Off Shore Tackle Tadpole Tadpole Divers are routinely
Divers. These trolling sinkers get rigged at the terminal end of the
their name because they resemble a fishing line, but a growing number
tadpole with a big head and a skinny of anglers are using an unique set up
tail. to fish Tadpoles as in-line weights.
The head of the Tadpole Diver By adding an OR14 planer board Above: This unique rigging option
functions as a diving plane that al- release to the tow arm of the Tad- for the popular Tadpole Diver al-
lows this device to gain more depth pole and an OR16 Snap Weight Clip lows this trolling sinker to be fished
than keel sinkers, Snap Weights and to the back of the Tadpole, these in-line and any distance desired
other trolling weights. The tow arm
on the Tadpole Diver accepts a snap
sinkers can be rigged on the line from the lure. Right: When tripped,
that slides into the elbow when troll-
anywhere between the rod tip and the Tadpole Diver rig simply hangs
the lure. on the line and is removed when it
ing and when a fish is hooked the When a fish is hooked, a sharp
snap slides to the forward position snap of the rod tip frees the line comes to the rod tip similar to how
instantly converting the Tadpole from the line release mounted to Snap Weights are used.
from a diving device into an in-line the tow arm of the Tadpole, leav-
sinker. ing the Tadpole dangling on the line spoons and crankbaits
At the tail of the Tadpole Diver thanks to the Snap Weight Clip. This Simply adding a Big Al Fish
a snap swivel is added and then specialized rigging set up allows Flash to the back of a Tadpole Diver
a leader with either a spinner rig, anglers to fish deep with the Tadpole adds more fish attracting flash to any
trolling spoon or shallow diving Diver and also to target spooky fish trolling rig. The Fish Flash is a trian-
crankbait. The Tadpole Diver comes in clear waters. gle shaped attractor that spins on its
in four sizes including a No. 1, 2, 3 own axis allowing it to pass through
and Magnum. The No. 1 and 2 are More Tadpole Tricks the water with much less resistance
commonly used for trolling spinner Because Tadpoles have a diving than other attractors. The four inch
rigs at 1.2 to 1.5 MPH. lip that helps them achieve greater Fish Flash is the ideal size for using
The larger No. 2 and 3 sizes are depths, they can also be used to in combination with the No. 2, 3 and
routinely used for trolling small present not only trolling lures, but Magnum Tadpole sizes.
walleye spoons at speeds from 1.8 also some unique attractor rigs The extra flash helps to draw
to 2.5 MPH. Magnum Tadpoles are fished in combination with spinners, in fish from greater distances. In

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24 FEBRUARY 2018 WNW NEWS
 NRC honors William Demmer for commitment to conservation
T
he NRC presented East Lansing DNR director. impacts that the Boone and Crockett
resident William Demmer with “I’ve known Bill for 40 years, and Club has had on conservation in North
the Thomas L. Washington during this time he’s immersed himself in America.
Lifetime Commitment to Con- conservation and natural resources man- DNR Director Keith Creagh echoed
servation Award at its monthly meeting agement while advancing the concept of the others’ sentiments about the scope of
in Lansing. scientific management of these resourc- Demmer’s impact on Michigan.
“Bill’s long history of devotion to our es,” said Schlaybaugh. “He was person- “By providing our youth with count-
natural resources and scientific manage- ally responsible for a number of impact- less opportunities to engage in scientific
ment of these resources is well-docu- ful initiatives that have been incorporated management of natural resources through
mented and well-known by many,” said into the MSU College of Agriculture and training and hands-on experiences, Bill
NRC Chairman John Matonich. Natural Resources.” has helped to ensure that these resources William Demmer was honored Dec. 14 by
The award is named for the late The William A. Demmer Endowed will be here for future generations,” the NRC for his extensive contributions to
Tom Washington, a renowned Michigan Scholars Program encompasses a Creagh said. “Bill Demmer has been Michigan’s conservation effor ts. Pictured
here commission members Vicki Pontz,
conservationist and past director of the senior-level class on advocacy in natural a key conservation leader in Michigan Rex Schlaybaugh and Christine Crumbaugh;
Michigan United Conservation Clubs. resources and a 13-week internship in and his opinion is routinely sought Demmer; commission chair John Matonich;
The award recognizes lifetime commit- Washington, D.C. It is designed to articu- and valued on complex conservation commission members Chris Tracy and Louise
ment to conservation, natural resources late the history, policies and significant issues.”n Klarr; and DNR Director Keith Creagh.
management or outdoor recreation and
assisting the MDNR in carrying out
its mission by providing outstanding
volunteer, partner or professional service.
Demmer has accomplished this and much
more.
“I’ve had an opportunity to really
explore and engage with my passion for
conservation,” Demmer said. “I’ve been
able to bring a skill set from different
work environments into the world of con-
servation, helping to make a difference
in this great, beautiful state of ours. This
award signifies that my contributions
have made an impact. It’s an honor.”
From 2012 to 2014, Demmer served
as president of the Boone and Crockett
Club, a prestigious national organization
that for more than 125 years has been at
the forefront of improving conservation
issues.
Demmer was a major force in estab-
lishing the Boone and Crockett Chair in
Wildlife Conservation at Michigan State
University in the College of Agriculture
and Natural Resources, Department of
Fisheries and Wildlife. This collaboration
between MSU and Boone and Crockett
Club members helps to bridge science
and conservation policy by developing
and promoting leadership to public and
private organizations.
He also has worked tirelessly to assist
MSU in expanding its conservation and
natural resources investments, includ-
ing co-founding and funding the MSU
Flygirls Program, which offers fly-fishing
classes and experiences to the next gen-
eration of women fisheries biologists.
With the assistance of his family,
Demmer established the John and Marnie
Demmer Shooting Sports, Education and
Training Center on the campus of MSU,
a fully endowed, world-class facility
dedicated to many of the same prin-
ciples as the Boone and Crockett Club:
promotion of firearms safety, hunter
safety, wildlife management education
and shooting sports skills development.
The 24,000-square-foot facility allows
the public to learn shooting safety and
improve shooting and archery skills, in
addition to housing MSU club shooting
sports, including small bore, air rifle and
archery.
Most recently, Demmer co-chaired
the DNR’s Blue Ribbon Committee on
Southern Michigan State Game Areas, re-
sulting in a number of important recom-
mendations to make more attractive and
better utilize these vital public-owned
areas.
Demmer was nominated for the
award by current NRC member Rex
Schlaybaugh. Nominations must be
submitted for consideration by a member
of the commission. Recipients are chosen
by the NRC in consultation with the
WNW NEWS FEBRUARY 2018 25
 WETLANDS
A vital resource for Michigan’s wildlife, environment, citizenry...
By Casey Warner, Michigan Department of Natural Resources

W
hen thinking about Michi-
gan’s important, valuable
landscapes, many of us first
think of the Great Lakes,
northern forests and sandy
beaches. Wetlands might
not immediately come to mind.
They certainly didn’t for early Michigan
settlers, who were less than impressed with the
state’s abundance of swamps and marshes – more
than 10 million acres of wetlands before Euro-
pean settlement.
“The banks of the Detroit River are hand-
some, but nine-tenths of the land in the Territory
is unfit for cultivation,” said General Duncan
McArthur, stationed at Fort Detroit, in 1814.
The 1816 Tiffin Report by Edward Tiffin,
surveyor general of the United States, had equally
disparaging things to say about Michigan’s land
and agricultural potential, including: “Michigan
apparently consisted of swamps, lakes, and poor,
sandy soil not worth the cost of surveying. Not
more than one acre in a hundred, or perhaps a
thousand, could be cultivated.”
In the two centuries that followed, about
half of Michigan’s original wetlands have been
drained and filled.
Wetlands Value
“Michigan was once considered a mosquito-
infested, godforsaken swamp, and wetlands
were drained to establish roads and agriculture
and build communities,” said Steve Shine, who
coordinates wetland mitigation banking – the
process of establishing new wetland areas before
development or other projects impact existing
wetland areas – for the Michigan Department of
Natural Resources. “This historic conversion of
wetlands has made Michigan what it is today, but
Waterfowl hunting trips, which take place largely in wetland areas, generate $22 million each year in Michigan.
26 FEBRUARY 2018 WNW NEWS
More than 50 percent of Michigan’s wetlands, like this one in Marquette County – now recognized
for their impor tance to wildlife, people, the environment and the economy – have been lost over
the last two centuries.
now we’re focused on restoring wetlands to re- ist. “Some go duck hunting every year, while oth-
place those impacted by agriculture, public works ers sit on their back porches and watch the annual
projects and development that are also important fall waterfowl migrations. And many citizens get
to the state.” clear drinking water from groundwater purified
Today, we recognize the value of wetlands, by Michigan’s wetlands.”
even celebrate them with observances like Ameri- In 1979, the Michigan legislature passed the
can Wetlands Month in May, and the need to state’s wetlands protection statute, which recog-
conserve them. nizes the benefits and important functions and
“Michigan residents, whether they know it or values provided by wetlands. Administered by the
not, have a strong connection to our state’s wet- Michigan Department of Environmental Quality,
lands and the waterfowl that rely on them,” said Michigan’s wetlands protection statute requires
Barb Avers, DNR waterfowl and wetland special- permits for construction activities in wetlands.
What Exactly is a Wetland?
Michigan law defines a wetland as “land char-
acterized by the presence of water at a frequency
and duration sufficient to support, and that under
normal circumstances does support, wetland veg-
etation or aquatic life, and is commonly referred
to as a bog, swamp, or marsh.”
More simply put, wetlands are areas where
land and water meet.
They are characterized by the presence of
water that saturates the soil or covers the land for
some or all of the year, which leads to the devel-
opment of plant and animal communities adapted
to these conditions.
The three major types of wetlands are
marshes, which have standing water from less
than an inch to several feet deep and might be
called flooded grasslands; swamps, dominated
by woody plants and best described as flooded
woodlands or shrublands; and bogs, which occur
where accumulations of decaying vegetation
form mats that eventually cover and then fill in
old ponds or lakes.
Wetlands play a critical role in managing
Wetlands page 28
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Wetlands: from page 26
Michigan’s water-based resources, providing
flood storage, groundwater recharge, wildlife
habitat, pollution treatment, erosion control and
nutrient uptake.
Wetlands are a significant factor in the health
and existence of Michigan’s other natural re-
sources, such as inland lakes, groundwater, fisher-
ies, wildlife and the Great Lakes.
Wetlands are “like nature’s kidneys,” Avers
said, in that they filter pollutants from surface
runoff, trapping fertilizers, pesticides, sediments
and other contaminants, helping to break some of
them down into less harmful substances, improv-
ing water clarity and quality.
They also replenish surface and underground
drinking water sources.
“Wetland soils help to filter pollutants and
excess nutrients out of the water to create a
cleaner water supply for all of us,” said Holly
Vaughn, DNR wildlife communications coordina-
tor. “They also provide important flood control,
acting like sponges to soak up extra rain and
storm water.”
Wetlands and Wildlife
Wetlands are vital to Michigan’s wildlife as
well. Acre for acre, they produce more wildlife
and plants than any other Michigan habitat type.
“About 25 percent of mammals, 50 percent
of birds, nearly all reptiles, and every amphibian
in Michigan use wetlands,” said Avers.
Avers added that, although wetlands make up
only 5 percent of the area of the contiguous U.S.,
more than a third of threatened and endangered
species live only in wetlands.
“Wetlands provide excellent benefits to
wildlife, including important migratory stopover
habitat for waterfowl and migratory songbirds
too,” Vaughn said.
While many wildlife species find homes in
Michigan’s wetlands, many people find recreation
destinations there.
This includes waterfowl hunting – Michigan
regularly ranks in the top three states for Canada
goose harvest and hunters in the nation, and in
the top 10 for average annual sales of federal
duck stamps – and a variety of other outdoor
pursuits.
“Michigan has exceptional wetland recre-
ation opportunities,” Vaughn said. “Among the
best of them, our Wetland Wonders (the DNR’s
managed waterfowl areas) offer great waterfowl
28 FEBRUARY 2018 WNW NEWS
hunting, wildlife viewing, trapping, hiking, fish-
ing and boating.”
Those recreation opportunities lead to signifi-
cant economic impact.
“Wetlands are important for the state’s
economy,” said Avers. “Waterfowl hunting trips,
which take place largely in wetland areas, gen-
erate $22 million each year in Michigan. Fish,
wildlife and recreational activities related to
Michigan’s coastal wetlands generate $52 million
annually.”
Avers added that renowned waterfowl and
coastal wetland areas like Saginaw Bay, St. Clair
Flats and the Detroit River have built and sup-
ported local economies and communities with
industries such as duck decoys, boats and hunting
clubs.
“Great Lakes coastal wetlands are highly
productive and rare ecosystems, and are widely
recognized as vital to the overall Great Lakes
ecosystem, providing habitat for migratory
waterfowl, wading birds, sport and forage fish,
amphibians and reptiles, and many other na-
tive wildlife,” said Anne Garwood, DEQ Great
Lakes coastal wetland ecologist. “In some parts
of the state, where up to 90 percent of Michigan’s
coastal wetlands have been lost, the protection
and restoration of coastal wetlands is especially
critical.”
Although now recognized for their impor-
tance to wildlife, people, the environment and
the economy – and with laws in place that have
helped slow their loss – wetlands still face
threats.
Threats to Wetlands
These threats include invasive species,
climate change and declining Great Lakes water
levels, and demand for development on existing
wetlands.
“More than 50 percent of Michigan’s historic
wetland base has been lost, and the rate of wet-
land loss in key waterfowl landscapes exceeds
90 percent,” said Avers. “We need to do more
to conserve Michigan’s wetlands and our great
waterfowl heritage.”
The DNR, along with many other organiza-
tions, has undertaken efforts to conserve and
restore wetlands in Michigan.
Take, for example, Michigan’s Wetland Won-
ders, the seven premier managed waterfowl hunt
areas in the state, scattered across the southern
Lower Peninsula.
The DNR created these areas in the 1960s to
generate exceptional waterfowl hunting oppor-
tunities and still manages them today to provide
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Home to a wide variety of birds, including the
secretive sora, Michigan’s wetlands make great
wildlife viewing destinations.
habitat for waterfowl and other species of wet-
lands wildlife.
But Michigan’s wetlands successes don’t end
there.
Saving Wetlands
“We’ve been very successful across Michi-
gan in protecting and restoring wetland habitat,
primarily driven by partnerships with other
organizations,” said Avers. “Our best success
story is the collection of North American Wetland
Conservation Act grants that we’ve received.”
The North American Wetland Conservation
Act program, which began in 1989, supports on-
the-ground wetland conservation efforts by pro-
viding matching grants for projects in the United
States, Canada and Mexico.
In Michigan, the 50 NAWCA projects either
completed or underway have conserved a total of
56,762 acres of wildlife habitat. The program’s
funding of more than $18 million has stimulated
partner contributions of more than $62 million for
Michigan wetlands conservation.
Recently the DNR has partnered with the
Michigan Municipal Wetland Alliance on a new
wetland mitigation banking program that will
preserve and restore wetland habitat on public
lands to offset unavoidable impacts to existing
wetlands. Look for a future “Showcasing the
DNR” story about this effort.
While there is still much work to do on the
wetlands conservation front, Michigan has come
a long way from the days of treating these vital
assets as godforsaken swamps.
To learn more about Michigan wetlands, visit
michigan.gov/wetlands.n
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WNW NEWS FEBRUARY 2018 29


Wintertime predator hunting
W
hen January
arrives, it
marks the time
for a favorite
outdoor pas-
time of mine.
The primary quarry these days for
most Michigan hunters is the white-
tail deer, which means when all the
deer seasons come to a close and
winter settles in, a majority of hunt-
ers hang it all up until the following
fall deer seasons arrive once again.
For a growing number of hunters
however, there is the “other season,”
wintertime predator hunting.
In Michigan, predator hunting
entails foxes (both red and gray),
coyotes, and where allowed, bob-
cats. The red fox remains my favor-
ite quarry, as it is the first predator
that I began hunting on the family
farm many years ago. The preda-
tor that puts a lot of spice into the
mix is no doubt the coyote that has
rapidly spread its range throughout
the entire state in recent decades.
The coyote in my opinion is just
as challenging, if not more so, as
hunting wary whitetails because it
has superb senses and an uncanny
ability for sensing anything that is
out of place.
I first started noticing prevalent
coyote sign in my home Thumb area
about 30 years ago. At that time I
made regular sojourns up north for
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The Other Season...
hunting springtime wild turkeys,
and there was a growing abundance
of coyotes in the northern Lower
Peninsula, so I knew coyote sign
(tracks and droppings) when I saw
them. However, I didn’t write about
seeing sign in the Thumb until I
actually started seeing coyotes to
verify my suspicions, and when I
wrote about it some folks thought
I was being a bit wacky.
Fortunately not long after I
wrote about the coyotes, lo-
cal hound hunters out after
fox began to bag a surpris-
ing quantity of coyotes on a
regular basis.
The reason for the
coyote’s sudden appearance
which usu-
ally surprises
everyone is due
By Tom Lounsbury
to its secretive and nocturnal nature,
and its ability to thrive in very close
proximity to humans, even within
the city limits of large municipali-
ties. I can remember the news story
which featured animal control em-
ployees pursuing a coyote in Central
Park in the middle of New York
City. When sighted by the uniniti-
ated, a coyote is often confused with
being either a stray dog or a large
fox.
The coyote, like the fox, also
has a diversified diet that besides
meat and carrion will also include
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fruits, vegetables and grain (I’ve
found coyote droppings filled with
wheat during harvest time). Be-
ing opportunistic in this regard, the
coyote won’t hesitate to kill and eat
pets such as cats and small dogs.
I’ve had a couple of experiences as
well where territorial coyotes have
tried to isolate and kill beagles chas-
ing rabbits. Needless to say in parts
of Michigan where there is
an abundance of deer and
the associated road-kill,
coyotes (and foxes) rarely
go hungry.
In my opinion, the most
productive technique for
predator hunting is using
hounds and I’ve participat-
ed in this very
(time steeped)
fine and chal-
lenging pastime for foxes, coyotes,
and even bobcats up north. This is
certainly not a slam-dunk affair as
the quarry often eludes the hunt-
ers’ guns, and for me, hearing the
hounds baying in hot pursuit wheth-
er or not I get a shot is a thrilling
experience filled with anticipation.
Using hounds though is effective
enough that I check on the kill ratios
of local houndsmen to get a grasp of
coyote and fox numbers in my area,
as well as whether fox numbers are
up or down in relation to the coy-
otes. (From the sign I’ve observed
in the field this fall I believe coyote
numbers are up in the Thumb).
Lacking hounds, another tech-
nique is to have a couple of fellow
hunters seek out tracks after a fresh
snowfall. By tracking the fox or
coyote, the effort then is to push the
coyote or fox to waiting hunters,
not to mention the trackers could
possibly get a shot as well. One
person can in reality do the tracking,
but having an extra set of eyes with
someone flanking to the side never
hurts.
There is one solo method I truly
enjoy in regards to the red fox, and
that is going one on one and track-
ing and staying on its tracks until it
truly outwits me or I get a shot. Try
this with a coyote and it will change
zip codes when it realizes you are
on its tracks. A gray fox, when pres-
sured enough, will usually go to
ground. The red fox, “Old Reynard”
of legend however, has a relatively
small range, and enjoys giving the
pursuer the slip, almost as if toying
with you, and rarely if ever goes to
ground.
I’ve had red foxes that knew
I was tracking them actually do a
fishhook and lay in hiding as they
watched me pass closely by, and
then headed down their back trail,
starting the process all over again
(this lets you know why having
standers at key locations can work
with a team effort). This was in fact
my first predator hunting method
when I was a kid and the red fox
was the only game at that time in
the arena (I noticed the first gray
foxes appearing in the Thumb about
the same time frame as the coyote
entered the stage). When it comes
to fox tracks, the red has fuzzed up
prints due to thick fur around its feet
while the gray has more distinct pad
prints due to less fur.
Needless to say, give me a fresh
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snowfall and a set of red fox tracks
and I’ll be trying to “walk up” a fox
during the winter. Whether or not I
catch up with old Reynard isn’t the
point, it is purely the challenge of
pursuing and matching wits with a
master predator.
Last but not least is predator
calling, a distinct wintertime passion
of mine. I used to only use mouth
calls (always make sure you have
more than one mouth call due to the
reed freezing up in subzero weather
– keep the spare calls warm under
your coat), but not that many years
ago I started to use a Johnnie Stew-
art Electronic caller and became
smitten right away. Of course mine
is the older design that weighs near-
ly 20 pounds and has its own duffel
bag (use the right tape cassette and
it does great for crows as well), but
we are now in the digital age, and
the new digital calls are extremely
compact and lightweight, and I’m
seriously considering upgrading.
The less bulk and weight I have to
haul into the field these days, the
better and all the remote electronic
systems allow the calling sequence
to be away from you, which is
certainly an asset. I often also use a
battery-operated decoy that creates
motion and a realistic focus point
for an incoming predator whether
using electronic or mouth calls (in
the old days I used a pheasant wing
on a string and attached it to a bush
where it would twirl with the slight-
est breeze).
My eldest son Jake requested
and recently received for Christmas
a “Lucky Duck Rebel Predator Call”
which is the size of a lunch box, has
multiple calls (including for crows)
and even features a pop up decoy
that twirls about. Jake plans on ex-
periencing “the other season” with
his 14 year-old daughter McKenna
this winter.
Predator callers in Michigan
have some relatively new advan-
tages today. You can take predators
(fox and coyote per daylight hunting
hours only) from a raised platform
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while using a firearm, which is a dis-
tinct bonus I truly appreciate these
days. Predator callers, while station-
ary and calling, are not required to
wear hunter orange, but when preda-
tor callers are on the move however,
adequate hunter orange is required.
While foxes and coyotes possibly
may not see color to any extent,
I’ve found out they are quick to
pick things out of contrast as well as
they possess an amazing peripheral
vision. Being able to blend into the
surrounding cover and topography
is always a distinct asset to predator
calling. And watch the wind direc-
tion per your calling setup, because
foxes and coyotes especially, have
scenting abilities par excellence and
will frequently try to circle to the
downwind side before committing
themselves to a calling sequence.
Centerfire rifles and pistols of
any caliber have been legal for quite
awhile to hunt predators (except
during the firearms deer season)
during daytime hunting hours in
what was once known as the “shot-
gun deer zone” (a favorite “coyote
rifle” of mine for the Thumb area
is a Marlin lever-action .30-30). A
year ago, the NRC allowed center-
fire rifles and pistols .269 caliber Collin Geister of Kingston took this large 60 plus pound female Thumb
or smaller, as well as buckshot no coyote at night last January. Obviously, Michigan coyotes can be on the
larger than number 3 to be used for big side. Abe Geister family photo
nighttime predator hunting (review
the 2017 Michigan Hunting and and the number 4 buckshot in a the annual deer seasons come to a
Trapping Digest for details). Be- 12 ga, which are phenomenal close, predator hunting (that “other
cause I prefer a shotgun for night- performing shotgun loads for season”) makes my winters a whole
time predator hunting, my personal tough coyotes. lot shorter, not to mention extremely
favorites in this regard are the One thing is for certain, when a challenging and entertaining.
number 3 buckshot in a 20 ga lot of hunters tend to hibernate after It works for me folks!n
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WNW NEWS FEBRUARY 2018 31
Secrets of Michigan’s

“red-bird”
E
State Birds
very state in the United
States has an of-
ficial state bird.
The state bird
selection is sup-
posedly made
based on the bird’s unique-
ness or significance to the
state. I’m beginning to
wonder about that. Illinois,
Indiana,
Kentucky,
North
By Jonathan Schechter
Carolina, Ohio, Virginia and West
Virginia all have the northern
cardinal as their state bird. I’ve got
a feeling the choice is really made
based on the bird’s popularity, and
perhaps the ease to identify, “Hey
look! There’s a red-bird!”
And if I my theory is right,
perhaps the northern cardinal should
become Michigan’s winter state
bird in the Lower Peninsula, and the
ruffed grouse gets crowned
as the winter state bird of
the Upper Peninsula. A bit
of clarification is in order:
Northern cardinals are
year round non-migratory
residents of Michigan, but
with its striking red plumage
surrounded by a sea of white
snow, it’s
in a class
of its own
Male cardinal amidst frozen berries, they are omnivores and accept
what nature or humankind offers. Jonathan Schechter photo
for stun-
ning beauty, and that would make it first noted in the southernmost part fact that human activities are fueling
of our state in the early 1800s and global climate change. Couple that
unique and significant to Michigan.
they never even made it into the Up- dose of reality with human altered
The Hunt for Red Bird per Peninsula until about 40 years habitat that is attractive to cardinals,
If you are out looking for north- ago. No one however disputes that and add the fact there are now more
ern cardinals it’s best to concentrate northern cardinals are expanding folks feeding birds, and the perfect
your exploration in the southern their range. The northern coloniza- storm is set for cardinals heading
counties of Michigan. Records sug- tion is most likely a combination northward and westward.
gest that northern cardinals were of factors including the undeniable Cardinals are not birds of the

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deep forest, they do much better at
the forest’s edge, shrubbery areas,
and managed parkland landscapes
and of course urban and suburban
yards. Ornithologists note cardinals
have a preference for “the edges of
woods, hedgerows, and vegetation
around houses.” I note that it never
takes long for cardinals to find my
winter bird feeders adding confirma-
tion to the common belief of nature
watchers that cardinals benefit from
the increasing number of humans
that are passionate about winter
bird feeding. Why forage in the
wilds, when “all you can eat cafes”
are abundant in areas infested by
humans?
Identification
The male northern cardinal is
red as red can be. The female is also
very attractive, and even a casual
observer recognizes it quickly as a
cardinal. Here’s what the Cornell
Lab of Ornithology has to stay about
their colors: “The male northern car-
dinal is perhaps responsible for get-
ting more people to open up a field
guide than any other bird. They’re
the perfect combination of famil-
iarity, conspicuousness, and style:
a shade of red you can’t take your
eyes off. Even the brown females
sport a sharp crest and warm red
accents. Cardinal don’t migrate and
they don’t molt into a dull plum-
age, so they’re still breathtaking in
winter’s snowy backyards.”
The Catholic Church
How the official name “cardi-
nal” came to be is directly related
to the Catholic Church. The bright
red feathers of the males reminded
early European settlers of the bright
red vestments (garments) worn by
the cardinals of the church. The
northern cardinal also carries re-
gional nicknames including the most
common one, redbird. According
to the Animal Diversity Web of the
University of Michigan they are also
known as “common cardinals, car-
dinal grosbeaks, red-birds, Virginia
nightingales, cardinal-birds, cardinal
red-birds, Virginia redbirds, crested
redbirds and top-knot redbirds”.
Infested Habitat
Cardinals are omnivores and ac-
cept what nature, or humankind of-
fers, with seeds of all sorts and wild
fruits and berries at the top of their
gourmet dining list. Bugs, beetles,
and grasshoppers spice up the menu,
when they are available. I have no-
ticed that their favorite commercial
bird seed appears to be the black-
oiled sunflower. Literature confirms
my personal observations that in
winter small flocks of cardinals feed
together in a peaceful mood.
It was a bright sunny day in the
proverbial ‘dead of winter’ when
I photographed a flock of cardinals
feasting on frozen hawthorn ber-
ries in front of an office building;
another confirmation that a human-
infested world seems to favor the
life of the cardinal, especially when
there is nearby shrubbery for hid-
ing or nesting. However during
breeding season and throughout the
summer cardinals are isolationists
and fiercely defend territory against
other cardinals.
Spring Wars
Snows may be deep, and the
temperatures frigid, but by the time
you read these words the days will
be noticeable longer and the cardi-
nals will be restless. And by the time
maple sap begins to drip, the males
will be ready to defend territory.
Most species of birds defend
their territories with persistent
aggression towards intruders, but
because of the overlap of human
habitat with cardinal habitat their
peculiar battle with “intruders” is
often witnessed from inside the
house. If another male enters the
territory, a territory marked by the
repetitive vocal stakeout of song, the
original territory owner, the defend-
er, swoops towards the intruder. The
intruder never backs away and fast
and furious physical contact is made
with the intruder, sometimes causing
the defender to fall to the ground.
A few minutes later, after he re-
covers from the collision, he is back
on post and spots the intruder again
in the same place. He charges again,
contact is made again, and he may
be stunned again. This may continue
for several minutes, sometimes on
and off for an hour or more until
the angle of the sun changes and the
intruder suddenly seems to van-
ish. Cardinals may be masters of
adaptation and habitat exploitation
but have not yet figured out that the
intruder is just their own reflection
on a window.
Jonathan Schechter is a natural-
ist and the Nature Education Writer
for Oakland County Government.
Email him at oaknature@aol.comn

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 WINTER
FISHERIES
You must try...By John Bergsma
W
ell, with all the
early sustained
cold weather,
the ice fisher-
man will have
a great selec-
tion of awesome fisheries to choose
from this winter season. I’m going
to concentrate on excellent options
for both perch and walleye. These
are my favorite species to fish for
during the winter months. So, try
these spots for a wonderful winter
fishing excursion.
Ludington
Hamlin Lake
For decades now, this has been
one of the premier ice fishing lakes
in the state of Michigan! Hamlin
offers a very diverse fishery and it is
relatively easy to have success.
The key to fishing Hamlin is di-
rectly connected to the weeds and
breaks that are literally everywhere
throughout this fun lake. The wall-
with your host
n B e r g sm a
Joh Now on...
Fox Sports Detroit • Sundays 7am
Visit our website and find out about . . .
• Destinations • Fishing Reports •
• Our Show • Cooks Corner •
34 FEBRUARY 2018 WNW NEWS
eye and perch are readily found on
or around the expansive weedlines
that dominate the shoreline breaks.
The fish use these not only for cover
but as a feeding area. The weeds
simply hold much of the smaller
baitfish and aquatic life that inhabits
it. Fishing here is as simple as small
jigging spoons tipped with minnow
heads or light line tip-up sets using
shiners. The bite for panfish is out
of sight as well on Hamlin. The best
spot for great bait and information is The key to fishing Hamlin Lake is directly connected to the weeds and
at the local bait shop. In Ludington, breaks that are literally everywhere throughout this fun lake.
that is Captain Chucks II. If you’re
looking for a great lakeside resort,
to remember. This is a true fisher-
man’s resort. Located directly on
ing the groups of fish go through is
quite the experience. It’s the U.P.
Sunset Bluffs is very fisherman
friendly.
the bay, it’s the best access spot and so a shelter is a good idea. It can
the information you can gather there get real cold as well as breezy, so
Munuscong Bay to ensures that you’ll be on the fish.
As far as the presentations go, it’s a
come prepared. As for the hot areas?
Drummond Island
The tips of the islands are always
jigging spoons and tip-up situation. good. Finding the gravel humps and
This is one of my favorite places I like group fishing, so that we can bars is also a plus for catch rates. If
to combo fish. The bite here is con- set up 6 tip-ups and still each jig for you’re looking for the best informa-
sistently good and the experience of both perch and walleye. The bay is tion, Wilderness Treasures Bait and
the weekends is something to see. very shallow so in most cases you Tackle in Pickford is right on the
A trip to Dan’s Resort is a weekend can easily see the bottom and watch- turn heading towards the Resort. A
stop there will get you set up and
most of your questions answered.
Take a trip this season, you’ll be
glad you did.
Saginaw Bay
Normally, I’m a bit iffy
when talking about the bay when
it comes to ice fishing. There’s
no doubt that this is one of the
premier experiences in Michigan,
but sometimes mother nature
does not cooperate. This year it
will be fantastic! I have already had
many great fishing reports for both
perch and walleye from the inner
bay.
When gearing up for the bay,
not much is different than any other
perch/walleye fishing trip. The
jigging spoons and minnow heads
are always a great choice. Russian
spoons and teardrops with waxies
are deadly for nice perch. The ma-
jority of the time I start my search
quite shallow. The fish many times
are in 8’ or less and seem willing to
bite when located.
The bay can require a bit of
searching, so I don’t often set a tip-
up, but opt for a “Dead Rod” sitting
right next to where I’m jigging. This
has caught a bizzillion fish over the
years for me and is my standard
set up when fishing the bay. It also
serves as an attractor for perch even
when the walleye aren’t around.
Getting great information is key to
fishing big bodies of water, being
mobile is also a big deal. When pos-
sible 4 wheelers are very helpful. If
you are a bit scared of the big water,
don’t forget about the marinas.
These can be very good at times for
nice perch.
When anywhere around the bay,
a trip to Franks Great Outdoors
never hurts.
Alpena-Grand Lake
This is the last stop in our tour.
But don’t be fooled, this may be one
of the best lakes in the whole state
for perch and walleye. This big gem
sits 20 or so miles north of Alpena
right on HWY 23. This is a large
lake that is very underfished, and
can at times produce some stupid
good perch and walleye fishing. I
love this lake cause it’s not busy
and the fish here are a bit larger than
average. The author says Grand Lake, can at times, produce some ‘stupid
Like all the other lakes, the good’ perch and walleye fishing. Author photos
presentations are the same. Jig-
ging spoons, tip ups and dead rods figure this area out forever and it’s surance policy out there. Don’t buy
all are great choices. There’s not not forgiving. Knowledge is every- cheap….catch fish!
a lot around the area for accom- thing in this area. The great thing Try these areas this season, as it
modations, so staying in Alpena is is that Steve Hubert from Chum looks to be an awesome ice fishing
probably the best bet for food and Bucket Fishing Charters, is the best season. If you need great fishing
lodging. The Ramada Inn right in year-round guide anywhere. Yup, reports, you can get them on my
town is a great place that’s not too Steve also ice guides, and after a website www.fishermansdigest.com
pricey. few trips with him and my group, If you want to watch our TV
One thing that I have learned we were fishing like pros. A good show, it’s on at 7:00 a.m. Sundays
about the Alpena region, I tried to guide for your group is the best in- on Fox Sports-Detroit.n

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A year later...he’s still birdie!
Pittman-Robertson funds may be possibility for pheasant proposal

I
t’s been over a year now
since Ken Dalton walked
into our office and politely
but sternly said, “I think it’s
time for Michigan to offer
a pheasant hunting program
that recruits young hunters into the
world of the outdoors!”
He carried with him piles of
news clippings and reports on
pheasants and pheasant hunting.
Simply put, Ken wants sports-
men, young or old, to have the
opportunity to hunt pheasants either
once again or for the very first time.
Ken is soft spoken but serious,
he meant what he said. And he con-
tinues his mission to make it hap-
pen. In the past year he has spoken
to clubs and organizations all across
the state with his ideas. His tenac-
ity has drawn many sportsmen to
his cause. Together they formed an
organization to help continue the
work, Michigan Pheasant Hunting
Initiative.
Like any organization to con-
tinue the struggle, it takes lots of en-
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The newly formed Michigan Pheasant Hunting Initiative unveils its
new logo and speaks to raise and release pheasant hunting issues.
ergy and sometimes lots of money. feels like no one is listening, there
Well, they have lots of energy! may be some hope on the horizon.
Money is another story. Ken’s passion and determination
Even though sometimes Ken to draw attention and help create a
public land, raise and release pheas-
ant program has not wavered in the
past twelve months. In fact, it may
have gotten stronger. You can still
hear that passion in his voice.
“There are twenty other states
who have a pheasant stocking pro-
gram for the use in recruitment of
new hunters and financial gain for
the state,” he tells me. “Michigan
could and should be one of them!”
Ken states.
And there just may be some help
in the very near future. tunities.
There are many who miss the
good ol’ days of Michigan pheasant
hunting. Most understand pheasant
hunting in Michigan will never be
what it once was. “Do you know we
have nearly three decades of people
who have not hunted pheasants in
Michigan?” I remember Ken telling
me the first time we met.
Now don’t think for a second
Ken doesn’t understand the reasons
why pheasant hunting is so poor
today in Michigan. He understands
the effect of large farms, the use of
pesticides, lack of grass lands, loss
of habitat and increase in predators.
Ken is a supporter of Pheasants
Forever, The Pheasant Restora-
tion Incentive and any and all other
programs which promote pheasant
hunting.
Recently, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service released survey
results that show a decline of 2.2
million hunters since 2011. And a
27 percent reduction in small game
hunting, with a 6 percent decrease in
total hunter spending.
In the stacks of material Ken has
brought me over the past year, is an
article written by Howard Vincent,
President and CEO of Pheasants
Forever. Here is a portion of the ar-
ticle by Mr. Vincent. And it just may
be the break Ken has been looking
for.
“Pheasants Forever welcomes
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan
Zinke’s decision to expand hunting
and fishing, enhance conserva-
tion stewardship, improve wildlife
management and
increase outdoor
recreation oppor-
Zinke’s order
seeks to improve
wildlife manage-

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ment and conservation, increase
access to public lands for hunting,
shooting and fishing, and puts new
emphasis on recruiting and retain-
ing new hunter conservationists.
Zinke is also focusing on engaging
youths, veterans, minorities and
other communities that traditionally
have a low participation in outdoor
recreation activities.”
This is music to Ken’s ears. The
article by President Vincent contin-
ued by stating;
“The USFWS report indicates
that participation in fishing in-
creased eight percent since 2011,
from 33.1 million anglers to 35.8
million in 2016 and total nationwide
spending by anglers was up by two
percent.
The fishing stats are telling.
Why? Recruitment, retention and
reactivation efforts geared toward
fishing and boating have been suc-
cessful in part thanks to the Dingel-
Johnson Act, also called the Federal
Aid in Sport Fishing Act, that allows
a percentage of these excise tax
revenues to be used for recruitment
and retention programs.
The Pittman-Robertson Act
which created the excise tax on
guns, ammunition and archery
equipment, does not permit using
these funds for recruitment, reten-
tion and reactivation activities.
Ken has been looking at some-
thing like the Pittman-Robertson
fund for over a year now.
A year ago I quoted him as say-
ing, “If funding is an issue to try to
build a pheasant raise and release
program then let’s look at a gas tax,
Pittman-Robertson money, royalties
from timber sales or a new license.”
In December of last year, Ken
got his hands on a memorandum
from the U.S. Department of the
Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service
Director James Kurth to Regional
Directors. The subject of the memo-
randum was the eligibility of State
Grant Projects for the stocking of
pen-raised birds under the Pittman-
Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act.
It reads: “The purpose of this
memorandum is to clarify the eli-
gibility of State project proposals
to fund the stocking of pen-raised
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Ken Dalton has spoken to many outdoor organizations and groups
about the possibility of a raise and release pheasant program in
Michigan, much like the programs already in place in other states.
birds, in furtherance of initiatives
focused on hunting and shooting
sports recruitment, retention and
reactivation (R3) under the Wild-
life Restoration Grant Program.
The Service has determined; as
described below, that these projects
are eligible for funding under the
Basic and Enhanced Hunter Educa-
tion and Safety Program so long
as the project proposals have an
evaluation component to determine
effectiveness in meeting the R3
objectives, and otherwise meet all
of the relevant statutory and regu-
latory requirements necessary for
approval.
The Wildlife Restoration Grant
program, authorized by the Pittman-
Robertson Act of 1937, has proven
to be one of the most successful
programs to restore and maintain
wildlife populations. In 2017, more
than $780 million has been appor-
tioned to the States and Territories
to fund Wildlife Restoration grant
activities.
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There are still many hoops to
jump through yet for pen-raised
birds (pheasants or quail) for public
land release programs. But now
there is hope and greater flexibility
in funding these programs in our
state. First and foremost is designing
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and submitting proposals regarding
the use of Wildlife Restoration grant
funds for pen-raised birds.
The memorandum goes on to
explain; “If a state project proposal
reasonably justifies how its pen-
raised bird program will further the
recruitment, retention and reactiva-
tion of hunters and has an evalu-
ation component to determine the
effectiveness of the program to
meet these objectives, and all
other aspects of the proposal meet
the standards of the Wildlife Resto-
ration Act and its implementing
regulations, then the Regional
Director may consider the project
eligible for funding under the
Hunter Education and Safety
Programs.
I’m told as this magazine was
going to press that Ken and his fel-
low pheasant hunting enthusiasts are
putting such a proposal together
to present for funding. Ken and the
other members of the Michigan
Pheasant Hunting Initiative ask for
your support. It appears there are
proposals to be written and grants to
be sought.
Ken be reached at 810-358-9372
and if you are interested he encour-
ages and welcomes your call. Visit
their website at: www.mphi.info or
email him at: mphi.info.mi@gamil.
com
No, Ken is not going anywhere,
he will continue the fight. You could
say, “he’s still birdie!”n
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WNW NEWS FEBRUARY 2018 37
 Boat Smart...
Portable outboards
P
ortable outboard mo- fish for the bass in remote areas hard
tors have changed over to reach. There are boats designed
the years. The word just for this type of fishing. They
portable means the are so lightweight you can add an
same but when used Ultralight engine and toss the rig in
describing a marine the back of your pick-up.
engine, the word broadens. At least seven manufacturers
At one time, portable produce small petrol mo-
referred to an outboard mo- tors in the 2.5-HP to 5-HP
tor that was removed when range. There are numerous
not in use. Its size ranged electric portable motors
from 5 HP to whatever available in the same size
weight a boater was able range.
to lift and set on his boat. Another option avail-
Over the years the 9.9 able that has won innova-
HP engine became very tion awards are the 2.5-HP
popular and was produced and 5-HP 4 stroke engines
by numerous
manufactur- By Capt. Fred Daivs that operate on
propane. The
Kayaks rigged for “flip & pitch,” a lightweight electric engine can be
mounted on the bow. Below; The 2.5 HP Lehr propane engine mounts on
ers. The small 2.5 HP motor a small, inflatable vessel for fishing. Author photos
engine often served as a kicker if the weighs just 37.4 pounds with carbu-
larger engine on your boat failed. retion: no choke, no prime and five solar-powered battery. With special
Many of today’s portable out- trim positions. www.golehr.com mounts, the motor will fit in the
boards are electric and are being There is an Ultralight 403 1-HP trunk of a car with room left over.
used as trolling motors. They can electric outboard for use on kay- An integrated, on-board computer,
be mounted on the bow and allow a aks, canoes and very small boats. with GPS-based range calculation is
boater to run up to and over shallow When introduced, the manufacturer included. www.torgeedo.com
water. The Ultralight electric mo- claimed it was the lightest on the If you really want to make it
tors can be used to power kayaks for market at 16 pounds. That weight simple; get a Kayak with Mirage-
anglers that like to “flip and pitch” included its lithium, re-chargeable, drive www.hobiecat.com/mirage-
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38 FEBRUARY 2018 WNW NEWS

 Gun Chat:
Honest wear
A
while ago I noticed
some of the gold
plate had worn off
the face of the trig-
ger on my 20 gauge
over and under. My
favorite grouse and rabbit gun, it has
spent a lot of time in the field. The
blue under the breech has worn thin
too. Wear in that spot is extensive
enough that I can see it in a photo-
graph my son took of me carrying
the over and under in the woods last
fall.
Some of the wear was
already on the over and
under when I bought it, but
I’ve put on more since I
found it in the 1980s. My
original .357 Magnum, an
Old Model Ruger Black-
hawk, was worn in spots
when I bought it years ago,
By Lee Arten
as well. I think the
walnut grips and the
exposed aluminum
grip frame have been affected most.
By carrying it on trout streams and
in the woods while hunting grouse
and deer, I probably subtracted some
blue from the end of the barrel too.
My father bought me a Win-
chester Model 12 in 16 gauge when
I was in high school. It didn’t have
much blue left on the action, the
barrel, or even the Poly Choke
attached to the muzzle. It shot
well, however, and I took grouse,
squirrels, geese, and a three-point
whitetail buck with it. I still have
the Model 12 and, if winter hadn’t
showed up for real in early Decem-
ber of 2017, I’d have taken it out for
some of the late grouse season.
The wear I can identify as mine
is a long scratch on the stock. I was
taking the Model 12 out of the back
of a station wagon years ago, and
dragged it across a jack, or some
other stock-unfriendly implement.
I think I could still drive to the spot
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where it happened, though I can’t
remember exactly what the gravel The wear on the trigger and
road was called. action on the author’s bird gun
Wear on the outside of a gun got him thinking about wear on
guns and writing about it.
usually doesn’t bother me. A worn
barrel is another thing. I bought a
S&W 1917 revolver in .45 ACP was also bought used. It had come World War II, and the Korean “Po-
once. One of the batch made for out of a collection, and hadn’t been lice Action.” (It was a war despite
Brazil in 1937, it had seen hard shot much. It has been deer hunting what it was called.) The metal on
use. The price was right, so the every year but one since then and the M1 was re-Parkerized, the barrel
oil-soaked grips and the worn finish to one 100 yard prone match. The was replaced in the 1950s, and the
didn’t matter. But when I looked at bluing has almost escaped damage internals are a mix of parts from
the barrel I thought I’d made a big but the stock shows some nicks and several manufacturers. The stock
mistake. The bore was dripping with a scratch or two. Some are from was dinged and thumped and shows
oil, but under the oil was a being stored in a rack and bump- each impact. The handguard is a dif-
lot of pitting. The damage ing into other rifles when taken out. ferent color, and maybe a different
most likely from years of That might be called dishonest wear, wood, than the stock.
shooting ammo with cor- I suppose, since it could have been Replacement stocks for the M1
rosive primers and clean- avoided. were available and not too expen-
ing that wasn’t up to par. The rifle with the most wear is sive for a while. I thought about
After the oil was the M1 Garand I bought to shoot getting a new one but decided to
swabbed out, the barrel rifle matches with. Made in 1943 by let the old veteran go on as it was.
looked better but the 1917 Springfield it came back from South There is so much wear on that rifle
Korea in a batch that was sold in it’s hard to see any that I might
still had the worst
bore of any gun I’d chain stores including Woolworth’s. have added. The M1 still shoots
ever bought. I took I found mine in Marquette although accurately and feeds military
it to the range and found it shot I had also looked at some in a store surplus M2 ball, and my reloads
well despite the pitting. It preferred in Escanaba. without a problem. I am a shooter,
metal jacketed bullets to lead ones. I The M1 looks like it went not a collector so how a gun shoots
shouldn’t have been surprised since through three wars, and probably is usually more important to me
the guns were built to use military went through the last two years of than anything else.n
“hard ball” .45 ACP loads.
After rounding up some full-
moon clips for the 1917, I shot it in
few PPC-type matches. At the first
one, in Escanaba, I had cops coming
up to me between stages and asking,
“What is that thing?” Full moon
clips and revolvers that use them are
more common now. Back then they
were almost a novelty here.
Using the clips is one of the fast-
est ways to reload a revolver. Un-
fortunately, though faster than most
other competitors on the reloads, I
shot too fast to be really accurate.
That match was not the first time I
proved the adage, “You can’t miss
fast enough to win.” Not the last
time either, unfortunately.
My Ruger 77RL in .250 Savage
WNW NEWS FEBRUARY 2018 39
 DNR to begin deer migration
study in western Upper Peninsula
T
he MDNR will soon
begin capturing and
collaring white-tailed
deer in the western
Upper Peninsula as
part of a multi-year
study to quantify movement patterns
of deer, especially migration be-
tween winter and summer ranges.
Completing the study will
provide DNR wildlife managers
with valuable information needed if
chronic wasting disease – an incur-
able, always fatal disease found
in deer, moose, mule deer and elk
(cervids) – is detected in the U.P.
“Although CWD has not yet
been documented in the Upper
Peninsula, managers found infected
deer in two Wisconsin captive
cervid facilities within 30 miles of
the Michigan border,” said Terry
Minzey, DNR U.P. regional wildlife
supervisor. “While it is not possible
to predict if, or when, we will find
CWD in the U.P., preparations seem
prudent. In some instances, deer
in the U.P. have been documented
seasonally migrating more than 30
miles.”
Chronic wasting disease at-
tacks the brain of infected animals,
creating small lesions in the brain,
which result in death. The disease is
transmitted through direct animal-
to-animal contact, or by contact with
saliva, urine, feces, blood, carcass
parts of an infected animal, or in-
fected soil.
“Limiting the spread of CWD
This map shows areas of the western Upper Peninsula where cap-
turing and collaring of white-tailed deer are expected to take place
in the next few weeks.
40 FEBRUARY 2018 WNW NEWS
is difficult, but even more so here
in the U.P. where winter severity
results in increased deer movements
and yarding behavior that concen-
trates animals,” Minzey said.
The disease can spread through
the deer herd and, once established,
could – over the long term – signifi-
cantly reduce the number of deer
in the region and/or significantly
depress numbers of older age class
deer.
There are no known health risks
posed to humans by CWD, though
as a precaution the U.S. Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention
recommends animals infected with
the disease not be eaten.
A scientifically-based under-
standing of deer movements – sea-
sonal home ranges, migration,
dispersal, transient and explor-
atory movements – and estimates of
population abundance are critical for
developing management recommen-
dations in response to CWD.
“Deer movements and abun-
dance can influence the probability
of disease establishment, as well
as contact rates, which affect the White-tailed deer are the subject of a new multi-year study by the
disease transmission rate, and the Michigan Depar tment of Natural Resources to determine seasonal
geographic extent of an outbreak,” migration and abundance in the Upper Peninsula. MDNR photos
said Dean Beyer, a DNR wildlife perhaps insurmountable disadvan- study include the use of camera
research biologist in Marquette. tage.” grids to estimate deer abundance
“Importantly, these data take time The current State of Michigan and composition that could provide
to gather and managers need this CWD surveillance and response valuable data for managing harvests,
information at the time of first plan recommends establishing a and a better understanding of the
disease discovery. Thus, waiting for 10-mile radius buffer around the spatial distribution of deer popula-
a disease outbreak before gathering location of any free-ranging infected tions.
these data would put managers at a deer, including entire counties “These data, coupled with our
whose boundaries fall within this understanding of external drivers of
buffer, as modified by knowledge of deer abundance, including winter
deer abundance or credible scientific weather and predators, would allow
evidence. us to more effectively manage deer
“A primary benefit of this populations,” Beyer said.
research will be to provide the Beginning this year, the initial
scientific evidence necessary to im- work on the study will span four
mediately establish effective surveil- fiscal years, with a total budget
lance and management zones if we of $613,000. After the project is
detect CWD.” Minzey said. “Better completed in the western U.P., DNR
understanding of white-tailed deer biologists would propose parallel
space use, movements, and abun- projects in the central and eastern
dance would identify the spatial U.P. to develop a comprehensive
extent and relevant deer population strategy across the region.
for effective management of CWD The DNR will work with
if detected. This important first step researchers from Mississippi State
will allow managers to implement University on this project as it has
our CWD response plan in the most on the multi-year predator-prey
effective manner.” study of the effects of winter and
The information collected on predators on white-tailed deer in the
deer movement would also extend U.P.
the application of the new tools For more information on deer in
Michigan State University is devel- Michigan, visit the DNR’s webpage
oping for management of CWD in at: www.mi.gov/deer or for more on
Lower Michigan. chronic wasting disease, visit www.
Other important benefits of the mi.gov/cwd.n
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 Downforand
more
Dirty
WALLEYE
The one thing no
walleye fisherman
wants to find when he
gets to his favorite spot
is dirty water. When
targeting sight feeding
species like walleye,
dirty water can be the
O
kiss of death...
bviously when the
water is dirty and
fish can’t see very
well, it’s going to be
challenging to catch
them. Thankfully,
there are a few tactics that anglers
can use to scratch out walleye bites
even when the water clarity is less
than desirable.
How Clear is too Clear?
Before we even tackle the topic
of targeting walleye in dingy water
conditions, it’s important to discuss
briefly the sight feeding habits of
walleye. One look at the walleye
and it’s obvious this species uses the
sense of sight more than a
lot of other species.
Walleye have large
eyes that do a great job of
collecting light and allow-
ing them to enjoy a sight
advantage at twilight, in
the dark and also in dingy
water conditions. This is
precisely why
By Mark Romanack
walleye are
such efficient
predators and also why this species
is often most active early in the day,
late in the day and also at night.
It’s interesting to note that wall-
eye in many water clarity conditions
enjoy a distinctive sight advantage
over the prey species they feed
most often on. Unfortunately, in
clear water much of that advantage
is lost because prey species have
the advantage of spotting walleye
before they can get close enough for
an ambush.
Very clear water also makes for
tough fishing conditions because in
clear water walleye have the luxury
of seeing further and also in more
detail. Lures that routinely fool
42 FEBRUARY 2018 WNW NEWS
walleye into biting in stained water
are often simply ignored in clear
water.
Anglers who are forced to fish
for walleye in clear water compen-
sate by using ultra clear fluorocar-
bon lines, fishing in low light or
after dark and also by using Snap
Weights to separate trolling weights
from lures to create a more stealthy
trolling presentation.
Clear water makes for tough
fishing conditions as much as dirty
water limits angling success. The
ideal water clarity for targeting
walleye tends to be stained water
conditions that put these fish on
the prowl, yet prevent them from
too closely scrutinizing the popular
lures and live bait rigs used to catch
them.
Unfortunately, walleye anglers
are not always blessed with ideal
water clarity conditions. On Great
Lakes fisheries like Saginaw Bay
or Lake Erie, walleye anglers often
travel great distances in search of
the “just right” water clarity before
setting lines.
Satellite images are a very use-
ful tool for finding what charter Using brightly colored lures helps walleye that are sight feeders find baits
captains often refer to as when the water clarity is poor. We’re not so sure the bright yellow sweat-
“green” water. “Clear water shir t is helping much. Mark Romanack photos
appears blue to the eye,
job of mitigating the problems of do is open the reel bail and let the
while stained water tends
low water clarity. blade bait free-fall to bottom. Close
to be green in color,” says
the reel bail, reel up the slack line
Captain Ron Levitan of
R&D Sportfishing Charters.
Focus On Vibration and when the weight of the lure can
When water clarity drops, many be felt loading the rod tip, give the
“Satellite pictures make it
anglers turn to lures that compensate rod a sharp upwards twitch using
possible to avoid dirty wa-
by providing more fish attracting your wrist.
ter, avoid water
vibration. The blade bait is perhaps
that is too clear The goal here is to lift the blade
the best example of an artificial bait about a foot off bottom quickly
and to zero in
lure that performs very well in dirty and then to follow up by dropping
on the stained or green water that
water conditions thanks to an excep- the bait back to bottom on a taunt
routinely holds the most fish.”
tional amount of vibration. line. This jigging stroke brings out
Muddy Water Blade baits are metal lures that the vibration of the blade bait, but
As long as there are windy days, feature a minnow shaped blade controls the descent giving nearby
anglers who target walleye are going punched out of a thin sheet of brass, fish a little extra time to react. Most
to be faced with fishing in dirty wa- with a lead weight molded onto the of the strikes on a blade bait come
ter conditions. Wind and the waves bottom. Normally these lures feature as the bait is falling or a few sec-
that result are the primary reason a line tie attachment point near the onds after the bait has pulled tight
that popular walleye destinations of- top of the bait. against the line.
ten get whipped into a muddy froth. Some of the more popular blade The biggest mistake made with
Spring and fall are the most baits on the market include the Reef blade baits is when anglers jig them
turbulent times of the year and not Runner Cicada, the Heddon Sonar too aggressively and allow the bait
surprisingly these are the seasons and Johnson ThinFisher. Something to fall on a slack line. In this situa-
when anglers are most likely to face that all blade baits share in common tion, the hooks on a blade bait tend
dirty water. It’s a forgone conclusion is a tight vibrating action that is so to foul on the main line. A sharp lift-
that fishing in muddy water is going pronounced it can easily be felt even ing stroke, followed by a controlled
to make for tough fishing, but there by novice anglers. To unleash this drop keeps the blade bait vibrating,
are fishing methods that do a good unique action all an angler needs to creates a slower drop and eliminates
line fouling problems.
Blade baits are very effective
when drifting and vertical jigging
over bottom structure. Blades can
also be casted and retrieved slowly
so as to keep the bait scooting along
bottom.
The spawning reefs on Lake Erie
are one of the places that blade baits
enjoy the most popularity. From
the mouth of the Maumee River
in Toledo east to the Bass Islands
region, there are dozens of reefs that
attract spawning walleye in March
and April.
These reefs are clearly marked
on the mapping units of most mod-
ern sonar units, making it easy to
find these fishing hot spots. Many of
the most popular reefs are located
a short boat ride from Fenwick
Marina, but there are spawning reefs
scattered throughout the region.
A Color Blast
When fishing in dirty water,
anglers in the know compensate by
using gaudy colored lures and baits.
Brightly colored fluorescent lures
are more visible and tend to produce
better in dirty water than traditional
color options. Another little known
Getting down and dir ty with blade baits is one of the best ways to nab a
limit of Ohio walleye on the spawning reefs in April.
fact is that lures which are painted
black or other dark shades like
purple also show up well in dirty
water. Dark colors feature more
contrast making them visible even
in dirty water conditions.
Color Treating Live Bait
Live bait remains a staple for
anglers who target walleye in the
Great Lakes region. In the early
springtime, minnows are especially
popular with walleye anglers and
later in the spring and summer
nightcrawlers become the live bait
of choice.
Minnows and nightcrawlers
can be easily treated with bait dyes
when faced with dirty water. Pro
Cure produces a product known as
Bad Azz Bait Dye that comes in a
two ounce squeeze bottle. Available
in several colors including char-
treuse, orange, pink, red, purple and
blue, simply squeeze a drop or two
directly onto minnows or night-
crawlers.
To achieve a richer color that is
more visible and lasts longer, soak
minnows or crawlers in a container
with a few drops of Bad Azz Bait
Dye. Using minnows that have
Bait dyes do a great job of coloring minnows so they are more visible to
walleye when jig fishing in dir ty water conditions.
been dyed produces far better than
untreated minnows when fishing in
dirty water conditions.
Flash Matters
Using bright colors helps fish
spot lures and baits in dingy wa-
ter conditions. Another trick is to
incorporate extra flash when trolling
walleye spinner rigs, spoons and
crankbaits.
One of the easiest ways to ac-
complish this is by simply adding
a four inch Big Al Fish Flash to the
back of popular divers including
the Tadpole Diver, Dipsy Diver,
Jet Diver and Big Jon Mini Disks.
Because the Fish Flash is triangle
in shape and spins on its own axis,
it doesn’t interfere with the diving
ability or function of these products.
Adding flash when trolling with
divers works wonders in dirty to
stained water conditions.
Fish Scent Makes Sense
When fish are forced to feed in
dirty water, they use their sense of
smell to help them home in on their
next meal. Adding fishing scent to
hard baits, soft plastics and even
live bait is a good way to create a
fish attracting scent stream in the
water.
The problem with most fishing
scents is they are water soluble and
wash off almost as quickly as they
are applied. Pro Cure Super Gel is
made by dehydrating real forage fish
species, grinding it into a powder
and then mixing with a special gel
that stabilizes the scent so it stays
put on lures and remains fresh with-
out refrigeration.
Pro Cure produces Super Gel in
dozens of formulas, but some of the
most popular among walleye anglers
include Alewife, Gizzard Shad,
Emerald Shiner, Smelt and the Min-
now versions. For the best results
apply a drop or two of fishing scent
about every 20 to 30 minutes.
Scented Plastics
A number of manufacturers have
figured out unique ways to incorpo-
rate fish attracting scents into soft
plastic baits. Some of the first scent
impregnated plastics were Berkley
Power Bait and Gulp. Yum also
has a wide variety of scent impreg-
nated plastics suitable for walleye
fishing.
For those anglers who have
faith in Pro Cure Super Gel, Z-Man
plastics have recently expanded
their lineup of Elaztech plastics to
incorporate Pro Cure Super Gel.
“Unlike other soft plastics, Elaztech
is oil based and soaks up the natural
fish oils found in Pro Cure like a
sponge,” explains Daniel Nussbaum
of Z-Man.
The scented Z-Man Elaztech
plastics are available in a curl tail
grub, paddle tail, leech and jerk shad
designs ideal for walleye jig fishing
applications.
Summing It Up
Catching walleye in dirty water
is tough, but not impossible. Incor-
porating some of the tricks of the
walleye pros can help put walleye in
the boat even when the water is the
color of chocolate milk.n

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WNW NEWS FEBRUARY 2018 43
 Flawless fish mounts
Learn the best way to ensure you have a perfectly mounted fish or replica made!

C
olossal, enormous,
heavyweight, mam-
moth, bad boy, reel
spinning, hefty, whop-
per in the net. Master
Angler Award. Texting
buddies, walleye selfie, man cave,
taxidermy trip on the horizon. That’s
right! Time to head to the taxidermy
to get that oversized beast mounted.
Make sure that fish makes it to the
man cave in perfect condition.
Catch a big boy and the deci-
sions pile on quickly. Keep or re-
lease; mount or eat; skin or replica;
commercial or custom. Decisions,
decisions, decisions… It’s time to
get some advice from several pro-
fessional taxidermists who special-
ize in fish mounts and reproductions
to help us decide what the best
option is and how to get your fish
delivered to the taxidermy in perfect
condition.
The first decision for a trophy
fish is to decide if you want a replica
or skin mount. Skin mounted fish
have been the norm until recent
years. Most recently, reproductions
started looking outrageously real
thus becoming more popular. When The first decision for a trophy fish is to decide if you want a replica or skin mount. Either way, good
you decide to go with a skin mount photographic evidence helps the taxidermist match your fish tones and colors. Author photo
it’s unique because the taxidermy
uses some of the parts from the actu- stringer is common practice. How- sure nothing is set on top; this important for a good replica. The
al fish and any unique characteristics ever, if you catch a trophy, keep it causes discoloration in the fish. more pictures the better. You know
remain. Over time some of the oils separate from the rest so the fish do 6) Freezer Burn: It can stay all those fish are different. Good
may leak through and cause some not beat each other up, damaging in the freezer for 3-6 months. Not photographic evidence helps the
discoloration or skin shrinkage. their fins. Do your best to retain the much longer. It’s important to taxidermist match your fish tones
Reproductions look a whole lot fish as you caught it, don’t damage ensure the fish doesn’t get freezer and colors. Ideally higher resolu-
better than skin mounts after a de- the scales, and avoid cutting the burn. tion pictures, close-up, and different
cade of age because there is gills to bleed this walleye. Replica Requirements angles. Try to take pictures that are
never any discoloration or In a live well make sure Decide on a replica instead, now not in direct sunlight, partly cloudy
shrinkage. Reproductions there is plenty of water to it’s time to decide if you want a cus- days are the best.
can be made after the fish is keep it alive and cool while tom mold or a commercial replica. 2) Length Measurements: A
released unharmed or eaten. fishing. A custom mold is a cast mold and good length measurement provides
It’s also very unique to be 2) Ice Cold: The spring rather expensive, however if you an accurate representation. Wat-
able to mount a fish caught river water is cool enough bring in the fish, an exact copy is terson tells his clients to keep a soft
in the past. I think it is cool to keep the color in your created. Ideal if you catch some- flexible tape in the tackle box to get
that the fish is still swim- fish. Heat will cause some thing really unique. Most fishermen the best measurements.
ming after you’ve of the fish discolor- prefer a commercial replica, which 3) Girth Measurement: Find
caught and released
it back into the wild. By Brian Miller ation. After fish-
ing, get the fish on
provides an outstanding quality and
can be customized to look exactly
the widest point on the fish and get
a good girth measurement. This is
Regardless of your the top of the ice. like your trophy. typically around the belly of the
decision, let’s cover what you need Place the side of the fish you want The taxidermist can make sure it walleye. No need to get multiple
to do after you catch a mammoth displayed up in the cooler. Keep it has the perfect coloration that your measurements because that can
walleye. on the top of the ice and out of the trophy fish displayed. This is impor- become confusing.
Skin Mounted Fish Handling water. Water flushes the color from tant because fish from different parts The advice provided will help
Now that you’ve managed to do the fish. of the country have very different you ensure you have the best fish
the impossible and catch a huge fish 3) The Sooner the Better: Ide- coloration. Replicas allow the fisher- mount and help decide which is the
it is time to properly handle it. It’s ally get the fish into the taxidermy man to get some pictures and release best option for you. Regardless of
important to make sure you preserve right away, the sooner the better to the fish to catch another day. If what you decide, mounting a fish
the memory and the fish so it will retain the colors. you’re interested in getting a replica is a way to celebrate and remember
last far into the future. These are 4) Freezer Time: If you can’t made there are only three simple the adventure. Reflecting back on
the 6 factors to ensure your trophy is get it in right away, wrap the fish requirements before you release that the time you spent on the water,
delivered to the taxidermy without in a white wet cloth then wrap it in monster back into the water. the fish you caught and people you
any damage. plastic. 1) Great Pictures: Not only spent time with. Each time I look
1) Keep it Separate: In the river 5) Face Up: Always face the do you want a couple pictures to at a mount it reminds me of those
hanging fish together on the same walleye face up in the freezer. Make send off to your buddies but this is memories.n

44 FEBRUARY 2018 WNW NEWS

Celebrating Michigan’s Great Outdoors!

OUTDOORAMA • NOVI
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TWELVE
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 BOAT SUPERMARKET!
The best place to buy a boat!
BOAT LINES! DEALERS!
Alumacraft Misty Harbor Anderson Boat Sales
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Bayliner Nitro Bass Boats Bee’s Sports
Bennington Polarcraft
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 SEMINARS AT THE
HUNTING & FISHING ACADEMY

MARK MARTIN MARK ROMANACK JAKE ROMANACK ED SPINNAZOLA TOM RICHARDSON

WALLEYE FISHING WALLEYE FISHING SALMON FISHING FOOD PLOTS DEER CALLING

OUTDOORAMA • NOVI
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BASS FISHING DEER HUNTING DEER HUNTING MUSKIE FISHING LAND MANAGEMENT

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BIG BUCK The Marvelous Mutts, A Canine Spectacular, is

NIGHT
THURSDAY NIGHT ONLY
Presented by Michigan Out-of-Doors TV
Show. Celebrity hosts Jimmy Gretzinger
and Jenny Olsen will interview the lucky
Michigan hunters who bagged some of the
largest whitetail deer of the season.
a thrilling dog sport entertainment show that
showcases some of the world’s finest canine athletes.
The dogs amaze audiences as they flip and fly to
snatch Frisbees out of the air and race through
obstacle courses with breathtaking speed. Spectators,
children and adults alike leave The Marvelous Mutts’
shows with smiles on their faces…after they pick their jaws up off the ground!
The Marvelous Mutts team members have appeared on ESPN’s Great Outdoor Games,
Good Morning America, The Early Show, Fox & Friends, and The Late Show with David
Letterman. This seasoned crew of performing canines, all adopted from shelters and
rescue groups and each with an amazing story, showcase their athleticism in a fast-paced,
high energy, action-packed show!

DEER
PROCESSING
DEMO
Sponsored by

Presented by
Country Smoke House
3pm Saturday
on the Main Stage

BRING YOUR DEER ANTLERS

TO THE SHOW AHD HAVE
THEM SCORED!
You can display them for all to see on the buck
boards for the duration of the show!

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 SPECIAL FEATURES
ANTIQUE & CLASSIC FISHING TACKLE
Terry McBurney, Woods-N-Water News staff writer, will be on hand
all four days of the show exhibiting some of his “Made in Michigan”
fishing tackle collection. Outdoorama visitors are welcome to bring
in their old fishing tackle and talk to Terry, who will be answering
questions and offering FREE appraisals.
COMMEMORATIVE
BUCKS OF MICHIGAN
Commemorative Bucks of Michigan
will be at the show to score your
deer, turkey, bear and elk. They will
also have Boone and Crockett /
Pope and Young measurers to assist you. Bring
your trophies to Booth 6013 and have them
scored while you enjoy the show.
VINTAGE BOATS &
OUTBOARD MOTORS
OUTDOORAMA • NOVI
PELLET
SHOOTING
RANGE
A Pellet Shooting Range will
thrill plinkers and shooters of all
ages. Certified instructors teach
accuracy and safety.
FLY FISHING AREA
Presented by
Michigan Fly Fishing Club
Outdoorama has teamed up with the best
local fly fishing stores to create a huge
fly fishing area! With continuous free fly
casting lessons and non-stop fly tying
demonstrations, this area will offer the
best in information and products to fly fishing anglers of all ages and
all skill levels. Other activities include book signings and expert advice
on local fishing opportunities from guides, professional instructors,

Dick VanRaalte, from Starboard Marine Restorations of Grand Haven, outfitters and pros.
SPECIAL PULL OUT

MI, who restores wood and fiberglass boats, will be on hand all four
days of the show exhibiting one of his restored classic boats as well SPORTSMEN’S GRILL
as a display of vintage outboards. Outdoorama visitors are invited to A large dining area has been designated
come in and talk to Dick about boat restoration projects or to bring in as the site of the Sportsmen’s Grill food
old outboard motors for him to appraise. Visit Starboard Marine on the court. After rave reviews last winter, the
web at www.boatrestorations.com. area has acquired “Ultimate” status with
an expanded menu, a family entertainment
TROUT POND area and a large bar popular with
Operated by Michigan B.A.S.S. sportsmen. A basket of fish fillets breaded
Federated Clubs as a fundraiser, in a special breading mix will be served
you and your kids are invited to up with fries and slaw at a “family price”
come and try your hand at one of throughout the show.
the state’s best trout ponds. It only
costs $5 to give it a try.
ARCHERY RANGE
VIRTUAL FISHING Presented by
Michigan Bow Hunters
SIMULATOR
Presented by This is a great activity intended
Michigan Charter Boat Association to get kids started in the sport of
Take the trolling rod in hand, watch Archery. Representatives from the
the video screen and get ready! The Michigan Bow Hunters will be on
salmon takes that lure like a freight hand to give the proper instruction
train and your job is to land that fish. to get your kids involved in this great
Top scores for the weekend will win Sport!
charter trips on the Great Lakes.
er
Epping
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www.woods-n-waternews.com. 1-800-387-7824
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ICE SAFETY
Let’s make it a priority this year!
W
e finally are
in the midst
of a good ice
season and
anglers have
been showing
off their great catches. It can be a
long winter in Michigan
when Mother Nature de-
cides to cooperate. A good
old Michigan winter can
provide some great access
to anglers who don’t have
a boat for summer fishing,
but there are some sub-
stantial cautions to advise
new and seasoned anglers
as our season unfolds. As
a 40 year ice angler,
I’ve witnessed many By Mark Sak
catastrophes, near
misses and unplanned problems
on the ice. Here are some things to
think about.
With all the new ice fishing pag-
es popping up on line, I’ve noticed a
lot of anglers mentioning how they
are new to the game and would like
a few spots to try on big water. That
sends shivers down my spine. Under
no circumstances should anyone
strike out on a large body of water
just because they want to give it a
go. Ice angling on big water car-
ries a great deal of risk. Seasoned
anglers can find trouble quickly and
they fish these waters on a regular
basis.
My answer to these folks would
not be to forget about ice fishing,
but rather line up a good guide for
your first few times out. They are
cheap when it comes to the informa-
tion new angler’s will learn. Some
charge only $150 per man. That is
so well worth the price of knowl-
edge and location. Guides also know
the ice better than most, and how the
weather and wind affects the ice.
Cracks on all lakes provide the
biggest hazard anglers face as slush
forms in the water between ice
shelves then snow blows over all of
it, making the open water invisible
to folks traversing the ice. I can’t
tell you how many times I’ve rolled
up on a quad upside down in the
water and the operator experiencing
hypothermia while fretting about
how to get the quad out.
Another thing that sends the
caution flag up is being unprepared.
Anglers are taking old quads or
snow machines out on the ice and
the machines are not up to the task.
Dead batteries are the biggest issue.
Unless that machine has an oper-
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in. Many quads today are
4-strokes and can be ex-
tremely hard to start in the
cold. They turn into a big
block of ice. I’ve known
many that won’t even start
with the pull start. The
cold on big lakes is just
poison to machines sitting
out for several hours.
Some other safety
gear that is extremely
important is lifesav-
ing tools. Ice picks to pull one’s self
back on the ice after falling through
are cheap, and could be the differ-
ence between living and dying. A
rope with a throw cushion tied on
the end could also save a life and is
easy to haul. Extra heat sources are
extremely important. The rule of
thumb is take enough to get through Poly Furniture and
to the next morning. Also don’t
forget extra charging sources for the
cell phone. There are dozens of very
Campfire Supplies and Rings
reasonable portable chargers on the
market that will provide up to three
full charges. Also consider taking
a portable marine radio. The emer- Relax In Style!
gency channel will allow the user to
communicate with the coast guard if
the cell phone gets wet.
A life jacket is also a very smart
thing to take. There are also many
new cold weather suits made for ice
fishing that float. Another life saver.
I know several frequent ice anglers
now utilizing the Nebulus EFDs. A
Nebulus is basically a floating raft
Standard Features
STANDARD FEATURES
• Fully Insulated
that when the handle is pulled auto- ••Carpeted Floor
Fully Insulated • Silent Shadow Window Systems
matically inflates. There are models
••Rodent Proof
Carpeted Floor Floor • Peaked Roof
that attach to a person or larger ones
that attach to machines. They range ••All-Aluminum Exterior• Upper And Lower Vents
Rodent Proof Floor
in price from $300 to $600. A really ••Silent ShadowExterior
All-Aluminum Window• Upper
SystemsInterior Shelf
great idea for big water ice anglers. • Peaked Roof
Remember never go out on the • Upper And Lower Vents
big water alone. In ice fishing there • Upper Interior Shelf
is always safety and strength in
numbers. Put together a nice safety 1205 N. SR 5, Shipshewana
kit for both personal safety and that
of your machine. Try to help others 260-768-7511
who are stranded even if it means -Open-
just calling 911 or calling a salvage - Open - • 8-5
Mon-Fri
company. Never let an angler who
has went in the water talk you out Mon-Fri • 8-5Sat
Sat• •8-3:30
8-3:30
of taking him or her in. With some
solid safety planning it could be one
of the best ice seasons in years. I’ll
see you on the ice.n 1205 N. SR 5, Shipshewana • 260-768-7511
WNW NEWS FEBRUARY 2018 49
 Cover Story...By Kenny Darwin
GOOSE
HOT ZONE
T
he long undulating
flock of giant Canada
geese floated directly
toward our decoys
as I gave them a few
confidence calls and
slid my finger to the safety on
my 3 inch Winchester SX3. I let
several fly directly overhead so
my hunting partners would have
easy shooting and when I sat up,
shouldered the gun, I had at least
20 birds in my face. A loud thud of
Author proudly displays Giant Canada geese taken during Michi-
gan’s late season.
50 FEBRUARY 2018 WNW NEWS
giant Canada geese falling smack
onto frozen ground and my open-
ing day late goose season was off
to a thrilling start.
Soon another flock appeared
on the horizon and I laid flat, gun
across my chest and finger on the
safety. This group was different,
not as many, maybe a dozen birds
but they were absolutely huge.
Giants! I yelled to my pals as the
flock cupped and shotguns roared.
There’s nothing like picking up a
Winter goose hunting can provide fast-paced shooting fun guaran-
teed to get your hear t pumping and body toasty on a cold snowy
day. Most hunters use layout blinds surrounded by decoys in the
middle of large fields. If you plan on lying in the snow get a snow
camo throw-over outfit and use heavy ice fishing boots, warm wool
gloves, stocking hat and don’t forget a face mask. Author photos
huge Canada goose pushing the harvest giant Canada geese, some
scales near 15 pounds. They are weighing over 15 pounds.
impressive birds but the secret to The story about giant Canada
successful hunting often hinges on geese goes back to days of old
whether or not you are in the hot when a few were transplanted in
zone. southern Michigan. Now you can
In order to have hot winter find huge geese in just about every
gunning you need to start scouting county in southern Michigan be-
now to locate where local flocks cause the population has boomed
are roosting and identify grain because of the habitat improve-
fields they are visiting. Winter ment. It seems modern man needs
Canada geese often roost on a viewing pond and secluded
area rivers and streams offering islands nestled around condos and
good water flow and waterways apartment complexes. Geese are
that remain open during freezing attracted to the water and islands
weather. Often geese sit on ice are a natural for nesting. Soon as
jams or shelf ice to avoid burning goslings are born they can begin
up calories swimming. If we get a munching on the plush green grass
winter thaw and local ponds, lakes that is regularly fertilized around
and marshes become ice free you inner city goose ponds.
can count on new arrivals from the I’ve been chasing giants for
south and the number of birds in years in central Michigan and
southern Michigan can double in a manage to harvest several yearly.
few short days. Giants are huge Canada geese
The trick to late action hinges and I’ve handled birds approach-
on how well you scout and locate ing 20 pounds. While most geese
goose honey holes. Most goose head south when snow flies, the
hunters locate stubble corn fields giant variety will stick around and
that birds are visiting. Others sometimes the last birds to migrate
resort to hunting waterways where are huge geese that can withstand
birds frequent like the Kalama- howling winds, deep snow and
zoo River, Grand River below the freezing temperatures. Find them
Grand Ledge Dam, Muskegon in winter and you will be treated to
River and any waterway that holds a wonderful spectacle when these
birds. B-52 size honkers set wings and
I was pleased to find a stubble fly in your face.
corn field not far from the Ka- OK you’ve done your scout-
lamazoo River and on opener we ing and have permission on a field
had around 400 geese come to our birds are using. Now, do you know
decoy spread. The shooting was sneaky hunting tricks to bring ’em
fabulous and everyone limited. kissin’ close? If not listen up.
Most importantly we didn’t just Begin by setting decoys ex-
get some birds, we managed to actly where you located birds the
night before. Remember, you want
to be in the hot zone not just set up
somewhere in a huge field. Placing
decoys in the exact location birds
are visiting guarantees success. If
fresh snow fell overnight rough
up the field to make it look like a
huge flock has been feeding where
your decoys are set. One of my
deadliest tricks is to spin the tires
on my old black ford van filled
with decoys and do donuts to
expose dirt.
Next place decoys near the
exposed soil. Not just any decoys
but you need to match your decoys
to the season. Here’s why.
Winter geese tend to pull up
their feet and tuck them in fluffy,
warm down feathers found on their
belly. They seldom stand erect
unless spooked or on guard for
predators. Therefore it is a wise
idea to leave the full body decoys
at home and replace them with
shells. A few full bodies are OK
but keep away from sentinel or
alert models with their head high
in the air. Try to use semi-resting
full body decoys and surround
them with shells that best mimic
geese lying on their bellies in the
snow.
If the weather is mild, wind
calm you can spread the decoys in
a J, X or L pattern with the mass
of feeding decoys in the center and
trailing decoys facing the main
mass. If the wind starts howling,
place all decoys facing into the
wind and if conditions are brutal
tighten the spread to best mimic a
flock of winter geese in survival
mode.
Savvy goose slayers know
that success often hinges on one
important variable, the hide. Smart
winter geese have been through
the rigors of Michigan’s hunting
season. Flocks are commanded by
adult birds that have eyesight like
an eagle and they are constantly on
the lookout for predators or hunt-
ers dressed in camo.
If adult birds see you, regard-
less how large your spread is or
how good you are at calling, they
give an alarm grunt and the entire
flock will fade out of shooting
range, circle and eventually fly
away. Fooling the eyesight of a
large adult Canada honker is a
major challenge especially after
they have been shot at, seen hunt-
ers pop up from camo blinds and
had their tail feathers dusted with
hot lead. Snow can be a blessing
Late season geese tend to travel in large V-shaped formations rather than small family groups. When
you are in the hot zone they glide into easy range and shooting can be somewhat hectic with multiple
guns booming, birds dropping and adult geese wildly honking.
because you can wear snow camo
from head to toe and your human
outline is concealed by the white
background.
Most modern hunters rely on
the comfort and protection that
modern layout blinds provide.
Some even use heaters to keep
extra warm when cold winter
winds send most hunters running
for the heated truck. Layout blinds
completely hide you from the wary
eyes of incoming geese and you
can stay snug as a bug and wait
until birds are in easy gun range
before you jump out and begin
firing.
Camo patterns vary for blinds
but Farmland Corn Belt is a great
pattern along with Wheatfield
camo. During winter you can add
more camouflage by stacking
snow around your blind so it does
not stick out like a brown blob
on a snowy field. Savvy hunt-
ers use blinds draped in Snow
cover camo. Keep in mind success
hinges on how well you conceal
your layout blind.
One problem I have with
layout blinds is I’m too old and
stiff to have clear shooting in
every direction when I sit up in a
layout blind. I’m from old school
and prefer to wear complete camo
clothing, face mask, white boots,
white camo gloves and even
my fancy shotgun is painted to
match snow. The trick is to lie on
your back snuggled next to some
decoys to hide your outline. Hold
your shotgun across your chest and
face to further hide your presence.
When birds come into range I can
sit up, jump up, get on my knees,
you name it and shoot with ease in
any direction.
Rookie goose hunters make the
common mistake of moving when
birds are close. I’ve seen goose
hunting veterans unconsciously
fidget with their gloves or gun
when they get excited. Smart birds
pick up on the movement, sound
the alarm and flare off at light-
ning speed. Part of the problem
is incoming flocks of geese give
you the impression that they are
fooled, coming in on a string as
they cup wings and slowly glide
in your direction like they are on
a slow escalator. Rookie hunters
tend to think the shooting is about
to be easy and they move. Wise
old birds are constantly scrutiniz-
ing the decoy spread and the closer
they get the more chance they pick
out your red face, see you move
your fingers on the call or reposi-
tion the gun in preparation for the
shot. BUSTED!
Now the afterburners kick into
full speed escape and geese quick-
ly reverse their massive cupped
wings and immediately push air to
escape by flopping frantically and
dash downwind out of range. The
transformation from relaxed to
frightened happens shockingly fast
and they’re out of range.
The trick is to control your
emotions when giant birds are
coming at you, don’t move, al-
low them to get close as possible
before announcing “FIRE!” and
jumping up to shoot.
Never command fellow hunt-
ers to shoot just because lead birds
from a flock are inside 40 yards.
The idea is to allow everyone great
shooting and this is accomplished
by letting as many geese into the
kill zone before you go nuts.
Goose hunters absolutely hate
the deep throated groan or grunt an
adult bird gives to warn the flock.
The sound resembles the word NO
and often is made several times,
no, no, no as the entire flock fades
out of range. If this happens get up
and check your entire spread. Are
any decoys tipped on their nose or
lying on their side? Are any green
coffee thermoses or boxes of shells
in the open? Try to identify what
spooked the flock; don’t just lay
there because chances are the next
flock will avoid you because they
also see something out of place.
Often you need to better conceal
fellow hunters and remind them
emphatically to not move.
The secret to goose hunting
success always boils down to
details. You gotta find them. You
gotta be set up where they want to
land and your decoys and camou-
flaged hide must be perfect. Sure
with early season honkers you can
hide your human outline in green
grass or other foliage, not so come
winter. Early season you can just
toss out any decoy and get their
attention but winter birds require
decoys that are set up to look like
live birds.
When it all comes together and
you totally fool wary wild Canada
geese the results can be impres-
sive. Few thrills in wild bird hunt-
ing compare with the loud throb-
bing of huge Canada goose wings
as they slip into easy gunning
range. When you and your bud-
dies jump into action your heart is
pounding, big guns are blazing and
you are caught up in the excite-
ment of the magical hot zone.n
WNW NEWS FEBRUARY 2018 51
 A Penny Pincher’s...
New life for sleeping attire
T
he clock ticked down
to all zeros in the
second quarter of the
Rose Bowl. Halftime.
Filled with confidence
and hope that Geor-
gia, another team from the
despised SEC, was going up
in flames, I took a final sip
of beer, pushed myself from
my recliner chair, dropped
off the empty bottle on the
counter of the “Pub Beneath
the Stairs” in our basement
and walked over to the other
side of the room.
It was time.
I opened the By Tom Carney
folding knife, locked its blade in
place and made the first cut.
Oh, the pain!
Years ago, when we lived in a
house where the storm windows
needed to be installed and removed
on a seasonal basis, I established an
easy-to-follow schedule. Do it during
halftime of the University of Michi-
gan/Ohio State football game. Bang.
Just like that. Every November. No
brainer.
Tom Carney
Among the Aspens
To purchase: $34.95 (Michigan residents, please add $2.10 sales tax) plus
$6.35 postage/handling
Send check or money order to: Partridge Pointe Press, 2470 Strawberry
Farm St. NE, Belmont, Michigan 49306.
Purchase online at www.tomcarneywriter.com
52 FEBRUARY 2018 WNW NEWS
That in turn led me to think that
early January seems like the appro-
priate time to clean my shotguns.
Unless I take a trip south for quail,
it’s unlikely I’ll need them again for
nine months. Halftime of the Rose
Bowl is when I clean them.
In a bird season filled with
high adventure, I might have
two guns to clean, three if
I’ve had the chance to go
duck hunting. This past
season was so dismal for me,
however, that I could have
easily justified cleaning only
the lower barrel of
my over/under of the
residue left behind
by the single shot I put though it.
When it comes to outdoor gear,
I’m not a cheapskate, but I will avail
myself of every opportunity to cut
expenses. When it comes to gun
cleaning materials, it seems most of
us forever have in our possession the
means to save a few pennies.
Once they’ve outlived their
primary functions, T-shirts make for
swell gun cleaning patches. Since
they can be cut larger than the com-
Award-winning nature and outdoor
writer Thomas Carney returns to
form in his latest collection of
essays, Among the Aspens: Stolen
Moments in Secret Coverts.
As with his previous collections,
Sun-Drenched Days, Two-Blanket
Nights; and Bird Dogs and Betty
Cakes, Tom employs a variety of
perspectives and presentations
as his writing glides effortlessly
across the lines that delineate
serious writing, humor, nostalgia,
analysis, description and storytelling.
Different this time around: Instead
of moving from activity to activity
with the progressing seasons as he
did in his first two books of essays,
in Among the Aspens Tom delivers
the goods through a single form
of outdoor recreation: upland bird
hunting.
These raggedy t-shir ts are ready to join the remnants of their
“Basketball Is Forever” comrade into Phase III of their lives. Tail-
feather Communications, LLC photo
mercial varieties, these patches can to Indianapolis for the Final Four.
be sized to fit more tightly in the gun At the time, Barry was an assistant
barrels and will do a great job of col- athletics director at Oakland Univer-
lecting the leftover gunk. sity in Rochester, Michigan. Oakland
Case in point, my best tee ever, both is my alma mater and was at the
the one I took the knife to during that time the closest major university to
Rose Bowl halftime. where we lived, close enough for me
The shirt wasn’t quite 18 years to watch basketball there on a regular
old. I got it in early April 2000. My basis. Our shared love of the game
buddy Barry Neuberger, now an as- brought Barry and me together, and
sociate athletics director at Columbia we’ve been friends ever since.
University, and I had driven down Anyway, he knows just about
BOOKS/DVDS BY RICHARD P. SMITH
TRACKING WOUNDED DEER
Lots of NEW INFORMATION and ALL COLOR PHOTOS.
“A MUST FOR THE DEER HUNTER” ~ Deer & Deer Hunting Magazine
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everyone in the world of college
basketball. He brought me along to
invitation-only parties and special
events. Treated me to “bump-ins”
with famous coaches. Another thing
he knew was where some of the side
action was taking place. We got into
a commercial hall where the Horner
Flooring Company from Dollar Bay,
Michigan, was handing out hand-
sized samples of the flooring it pro-
duced for the tournament’s basketball
courts. In one hotel room I purchased
bia’s athletic program, compliments
of Barry; two from “Fin Addicts,”
a Michigan bass fishing club my
nephew Steve Smith gave me; and
the one from my brother-in-law Jim-
mer celebrating the 30th anniversary
of Bruce Springsteen’s album Born
to Run in 2005.
Alas, after about 16 years, my
Indianapolis shirt, like others before
it, arrived at the mouth of the west
branch of Phase II and started show-
ing signs of fatigue: fraying collar,
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a sweet necktie with a basketball
motif. And in another … the best T-
shirt. Ever.
It’s white, with a little “sketch” of
a basketball and a net where the front
unexplained holes here and there,
faded logo, material so threadbare it
left little of my ample bosom to the
imagination. Sponsored by Zubok’s Bait and Tackle and Mindrought
My wife Maureen usually detects

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pocket would be and a larger one on another sign.
the back. Both drawings feature the “It’s stinky. Get rid of it.”
reminder, “Indianapolis 2000,” and Once they reach this point in the
the dictum, “Basketball is Forever.” stream, dark shirts will be diverted
It has now undergone the tradi- into its east branch, the rag bin.
tional three life stages of most of my Those that are white or light colored Experience some of the best
tees. For the first 14 years or so, it flow directly to Phase III and head walleye fishing in the country.
was a shirt. And I love its sentiment, down to the gunroom to begin their This year’s walleye run is going
so I wore it a lot. new lives as cleaning patches. They to be one of the best in years.
Around year 15, it started show- will join the remnants of the “Michi-
ing signs of wear. Time for Phase II. gan State Lacrosse” tee from 1990 DON'T MISS OUT.
Actually, Phase II has two and the Daytona 200 motorcycle race
branches. The east is for shirts that shirt from 1971, and now my basket- Reserve your date today.
fit me as if I’m Pooh Bear after the ball shirt. Morning & afternoon trips
hunny pot encounter. Those ill-fitters There they serve out their exis-
flow directly to the rag bin. Tees tences as productive members of our (5 hours) available.
that still fit take the west branch and “outdoor gear” community. Up to three people.
become sleep shirts. That’s where, in And they’ll slowly wane as I
addition to my basketball shirt, you’d
have found a couple from Colum-
wean myself from them.
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WNW NEWS FEBRUARY 2018 53
 14-year-old called him ‘Broadhead’
heard Lily’s story through
chance. A friend of mine,
Bud Thomas, stopped
into Young’s Oldsmobile/
Cadillac dealership in
Owosso and the salesman
during their conversation mentioned
they had their first buck
pole deer hunting contest
during the past deer season.
He went on showing Bud
photos of a monster buck,
dwarfing others on display
and stating that a 14-year-
old young lady had taken
him down.
Almost imme-
diately, Bud called
me asking if I By Betty Sodders
was interested in writing the story.
He tracked down a phone number
and talked to Lily’s Dad, Bob Kur-
rle (pronounced Curley) who was
excited for the possibility that his
daughter would be in Woods-N-
Water News, a publication that has
graced their coffee table over many,
many years.
My next step was to meet Lily
by phone. I was impressed. I lis-
tened to a humble teenager who was
extremely knowledgeable about deer
and deer hunting that I could barely
wait to present this story to the read-
ers of Woods-N-Water News. I also
learned that along the way, this story
took on an unusual twist. And so...
her interview began:
“This was not my first year
hunting. I have been going out with
my Dad since I was five, but I didn’t
start carrying my own gun until I
was 11. I have only hunted deer so
far but I am practicing for different
animals in the future.
Pre-hunting preparation was
most important to both my Dad and
I. We wash our clothes in scent-free
soap and take a scent-free shower
before going out afield. I shot my
first two deer with my gun so I am
very comfortable with it but I still
get in plenty of target practice prior
to the hunt.
Throughout the season, my Dad
checked his field cams almost every
week when he was done hunting
and once he thought it would be a
good time to go mess with them.
First time we saw him on camera
we were excited and shocked at the
54 FEBRUARY 2018 WNW NEWS
same time!”
I asked Lily if this monster buck
was a night feeder and what were
her expectations of getting even one
shot at him.
“She quickly replied; we re-
ally never expected to see him. Dad
hunted all bow season and
never saw him once but we
knew where he lived and
he never went too close to
that area of the property.
Our plan was to sit in our
blind and wait for at least a
decent-sized buck to show
up. Dad doesn’t like to
shoot young deer
and wants them
to grow up and
get old. He says we can’t shoot big
bucks if we’re always shoot young
ones.
I don’t feel comfortable hunting
in a blind by myself yet so Dad was
with me opening day. I also hunt
with my Grandpa and really enjoy
spending time with him. Dad told
me if a buck does come out to take Four teen-year-old Lily Kurrle of Owosso pictured with her mammoth 10-point.
my time, focus, put the crosshairs
behind his front shoulder and slowly when we heard a snort-wheeze. I thought. It proved to be 125 yards to
squeeze the trigger.” slowly looked over to see what it the tree he stood by. I have only ever
Now it was my place to ask a was. There was a smaller buck with shot my gun at 100 yards and we
question; “Lily, what was your reac- a crooked horn that we have seen both were somewhat worried and
tion when this monster buck actu- for several years, a couple does and our hearts sank as well.
ally came into view? fawns and ‘Broadhead’ was sneak- We got our stuff together and got
“We knew he was a real good ing down the fencerow. We think he out of the blind to go look for blood
buck and a shooter but until we snorted at the small buck and was and when we got to the tree he had
found him we did not know that he telling him to back off. been by, there wasn’t anything we
was our 10-point. Everything hap- I told Dad, it’s a buck and I could find. Then my Dad told me to
pened so fast and we thought it was grabbed my gun and shooting turn around and check the tree out.
probably a nice 7 or 8 point that we sticks. I was blocking Dad’s view I looked and here was blood prob-
saw earlier in the morning.” of ‘Broadhead’ and he could only ably six feet up the tree where he
Lily was using a Marlin .44 mag see the crooked horn buck so Dad had turned around at. We knew then
lever-action. She added that she has told me he was too small and not to that we had him, we just had to find
used that gun for two seasons and shoot. I said “No he’s not Dad, he’s where he went.
before that she handled a muzzle- a giant!” Dad said; let’s just walk up the
loader but had never shot a deer When my Dad leaned forward hill instead of following the blood;
with that gun. and could see him, he told me to get if he is not laying in the cut beans
I asked this young lady to de- on him, but I already was. Dad put and he made it to the woods we’ll
scribe in depth how this hunt played my ear muffs on me and asked if I go back and follow the blood trail.”
out from the moment the big buck was ready. I said, yes, he grunted We still didn’t know what he
came into range until she had him and the buck stopped and looked was and thought he was a 7 or 8
down and found: our way and that is when I shot. He point, so we started walking. We
“We had four does and three jumped and turned and ran up the only went about 40 yards up the hill
fawns come into our field about hill away from us. and Dad said, “There he is Lily!”
50 yards from us and they got Dad took my gun and set it off And then he added, “oh my that’s
spooked and ran up the hill. My to the side of the blind to get it out the big 10-point Lily!
Dad and I were talking about taking of the way. We were both shaking I added, “NO WAY!”
a nap because it was supposed to pretty good. When we checked the I named him ‘Broadhead.’
start raining and it was about five range-finder and learned how far I was so happy I wanted to run
minutes after the does had run off the shot was...a little farther than we up to him but I didn’t know what
kind of shot I had made on him so
we took it slow. He only went about
60 yards or so after I shot him.
When we got up to him my Dad and
I were high-fiving each other then
we hugged and started crying right
in the bean field that is probably
the best memory ever! My shot was
pretty good...I hit him a little far
back but he wasn’t totally broadside
to us so I got the back of one lung,
the top of the heart and the other
lung. Dad says it doesn’t get much
better than that and it was a long
shot too!
Dad’s reaction was, “Holy’ fol-
lowed by some swear words after
that he was crying tears of joy. He
still gets those tears every time he
tells the story to anyone who will
listen.
Dad mostly field-dressed it
and was teaching me. I did help
to skin him and started learning
how to butcher the deer with Dad.
He always cuts up all of our deer
himself.”
Next I asked Miss Lily as to
who decided to put the big buck on
the Young’s Oldsmobile/Cadillac
dealership’s Buck Pole in Owosso. I
also heard that ‘Broadhead’ beat out
all the other entries and asked her to
fill me on that score.
She replied, “My mom and step-
mom said that we should take him
to the Buck Pole. There were about
9 or 10 nice bucks hanging and
actually I only beat the second place
buck by one inch.
I was the only ‘Youth Entry.’ It
was a pretty yucky day; raining and
really windy. For the youth contest
I won a free shoulder mount. In the
adult category I won $500 in cash
and a $500 certificate off a car.
And then I won the first place raffle
which was a really nice ladder stand
and I also won another raffle, that
being three baseball hats.”
My next question was, “I under-
stand you are a freshman at Owosso
High, how did your school friends
react to your taking down this mam-
moth 10- point buck?”
“Some of my friends were re-
ally proud of me and some of them
thought it was fake and that it was
my Dad’s deer. When everyone
finally found out it was for real, they
couldn’t believe it!”
Now the story takes a strange
twist. In talking with Lily’s father,
Bob, I told him that presently I was
working on a story regarding deer
with manes...a very rare event in
which both the buck and doe need to
carry a recessive gene (Dating back
to prehistoric times when deer-like
animals sported manes) to produce
an offspring with a mane. I was in
awe when he advised that ‘Broad-
head’ had a mane. Unbelievable!
So over and above the article on
Lily taking down this trophy buck,
‘Broadhead’ will also be pictured in
another magazine article holding a
dozen or so photos of mane deer.
Lily continued the conversation.
“My Dad took ‘Broadhead’ to
Wildlife Reflections Taxidermy in
Dewitt and taxidermist Mark Esch
is going to mount him for us. He
does a really nice job and has great
references on his website. He was
really impressed with my buck and
said that he loves seeing deer with
manes.”
I asked, “Where did you take
your Hunter’s Safety Course?”
“Where does your Dad work?”
“And who did your folks deal with
at Young’s auto dealership regarding
entering the buck pole contest?” I
wanted to afford credits as much as
possible as it makes for good rela-
tionships. Lily responded:
“Dad works at Triton Industries/
Manitou Pontoons. Justin Naylor
was the guy that measured the deer
at the buck pole and it was the first
time Young Olds ever did a buck
pole.
I took hunter’s safety course
about five years ago at the Shiawas-
see County Conservation Club and
I also volunteer there for the youth
archery league.
I love being outdoors doing
anything whenever I can and I love
all animals. We always go rustic
camping every summer and I really
enjoy being able to spend time go-
ing on hikes or climbing waterfalls
and sand dunes. I have a really great
family and I am thankful for all of
them and all of their support.”
Lily’s Dad was next on the list
as he tells of his daughters many
skills and accomplishments:
“I just have to say that this day
was a pretty special and emotional
day to say the least. I never expected
for this deer to show up in the day
time, much less when Lily was by
my side. I could not have asked for
anything more and would not trade
a second of this experience for any-
thing in the world!
Lily is an amazing and caring
young lady who is also quite hum-
ble. She has been preparing to hunt
for quite some time before she actu-
ally carried a weapon into the field.
She got her first bow when she was
only six-years-old and she shot them
ever since. Hopefully, next year will
be her year to harvest something
with her archery equipment. Lily
has shot in the youth archery league
at the Shiawassee County Conserva-
tion Club for at least six years and
actually shot out of youth program
last year. She and I will be shooting
mixed doubles adult league together
starting after the first of the year.
She has been a youth instructor for
the last couple of years helping the
younger kids learn safety, first and
foremost, and work on developing
their skills. She spends every Satur-
day during the league from 8 a.m. to
4 p.m. at the club helping out.
I would also like to mention that
on our property we practice APRs
and never harvest young deer. Hav-
ing the opportunity to see deer of
this quality would not be possible
otherwise. It takes time, and now
our efforts are starting to show.
I really let Lily answer all of
your questions; after all, this is
about her. I totally recognize that
this will be the highlight of my hunt-
ing career and it is what deer hunt-
ing is all about. I have had conversa-
tions with my friends and this hunt
is something special that will never Close-up of the bristly looking mane.
be topped, most likely never even
matched. I have no problem with be your next goal?”
that and I am more than blessed to “Right now I am still enjoying
have been a part of it. Hunting and Broadhead and can’t wait for him to
the outdoors has and always will be get back from the taxidermist. I am
a big part of our lives.” really looking forward to helping
My last question to this re- the young kids at youth archery. And
markable 14-year-old young lady someday possibly hunting a bigger
was; “Now that you have taken deer or either hunt elk, black tail,
‘Broadhead, a huge ‘typical’ racked pronghorn, mule deer or perhaps...
10-point buck, what could possibly even a moose!”n
Southeast Michigan Bowhunters Chapter - SCI
27th Annual
Fund Raiser
Banquet
& Outfitter’s Party
Saturday, March 24, 2018
Laurel Manor  39000 Schoolcraft Rd., Livonia 48150
4:00 p.m. Doors open – Exhibits, Silent Auction & Raffles. Cocktails- 4:30 p.m.
6:30 p.m. - Dinner  Live Auction after Dinner
OVER 800 Attendees  SERVED Dinner  Open Bar
30+ Outfitter & Exhibitor Booths
$250,000 Live Auction  Silent AuctionS  Huge Raffles
80+ Hunting Trips & Fishing Charters  Wildlife Art
Guns & Bows  Hunting GEAR  TAXIDERMY& More!!!
Dinner: Filet Mignon  Boneless Breast of Chicken  Potato  Vegetable  Salad  Dessert  & More
All proceeds go to further SCI's wildlife conservation, education, humanitarian and governmental affairs
programs to ensure the future of North America's great wildlife management system and proud hunting
heritage. The Southeast Michigan Bowhunters Chapter of SCI is on guard to assist with funding and
manpower wherever animal-rights extremists threaten our sport. Your support helps us build a solid
future for sportsmen and wildlife. If you enjoy our sport as much as we do, we welcome you to attend this
gala event and to join Michigan’s most effective organization in protecting your “Right To Hunt”.
Mail Order Form to: Rich DeLisle / SCI-Tickets, 4810 N. Fleming Rd., Fowlerville, MI 48836
Email: 3839rich@gmail.com, Phone: (517) 545-4642, Cell (248) 345-1986
--------------- 2018 SCI BANQUET Ticket Order Form --------------
Ticket orders must be received by March 16th for advance ticket pricing!
Please send ______ Fund Raiser Banquet Individual Ticket(s) only $85.00 per person .............. $__________
Please send ______ Fund Raiser Banquet Reserved Table(s) of Ten $800.00 per table* ........... $__________
Please send ______ Crown Jewel Raffle Ticket(s) Limited to 100 Tickets $100.00 each ............. $ _________
Table Reservation Name: ________________________________________ TOTAL: $__________
Mail to:
Name_____________________________________________
Address___________________________________________
 Check Enclosed (payable to: SCI- SE Michigan Bowhunters)
 Charge to: __VISA __MC __Discover Exp. Date:_______
City__________________________ St____ Zip___________ __|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__
Phone (________)___________________________________
Card No.
E-mail Address_____________________________________ Signature_____________________________________
*Table purchasers will be entered into a limited drawing for $250 cash or a Henry .22 rifle!
Mention code WW2018
to receive $500 OFF per ticket!
WNW NEWS FEBRUARY 2018 55
 Black Powder Shooting Sports...
A few moments
of simple fun
“H
ow many shots do
you have left?”
Jim Galiger asked
his grandson,
Jaden Wright.
“This and another,” Jaden said
as he sat a .40-caliber lead ball on a
spit-lubed, pillow-ticking
patch. Galiger remained at
the loading bench, content
to watch Jaden take his
shot. “How many do you
have left?” Jaden asked.
“I didn’t lay five balls
out (before I started load-
ing) so I need you to count
By Dennis Neely
’em on my target.
I’m glad they don’t
score this target,”
the grandfather said, glancing over
his wire-rimmed glasses.
“Is yours bad?”
“Oh, ya, I’m sure.”
“I’m not looking at mine ’til
I’m done,” Jaden said as he dumped
a charger of black powder down the
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56 FEBRUARY 2018 WNW NEWS
bore of the .40-caliber percussion
mountain rifle crafted by Richard
Miller, a Michigan gun maker of
fine black powder arms. The young
man, a three-time junior champion,
picked up the last round lead sphere
from the loading block on the bench.
At the end of the relay
the grandfather/grandson
team retrieved their tar-
gets. Jaden scored a 48; his
granddad’s target sported
three “9s,” a “10-X” and
a fifth suspicious shot that
almost split the large black
moustache stamped in the
open space below
the standing buf-
falo. Jaden tried to
sneak a good look. Galiger whisked
the target away. “These weren’t shot
for score, remember?” Galiger said
with a big grin as he posed with
Jaden for a family photo. “Besides,
your target’s upside down.”
“Well, I killed my buffalo, so
Fallow Bucks
$1,000
Barb Hobday, “Captain Mom” of “Team Hobday,” sent a stout load of #8s
after the third bird in the special five-bird match that commemorated the
100th anniversary of Roy Keeler’s bir th. Wild River tree photos
it should be feet up. Yours just ran
away,” Jaden chided.
“That was a lot of fun,” Jim
Galiger said when quizzed about
the match by a spectator. “This was
the ‘Pa’ Keeler memorial match for
his 100th birthday. When we turn
these targets in we’ll both get a
special patch. Pa was an old friend
of mine. I first met him in 1979. I
used to primitive camp with him up
north at ‘Rusty’s Deer Camp.’ He
would’ve got a kick out of seeing
Jaden shoot.”
The Spirit of Roy Keeler Soci-
ety introduced the Roy “Pa” Keeler
Centennial Match at the Michigan
State Muzzle Loading Rifle Associa-
tion’s annual meeting in February,
2017. This special shooting match
was actually two matches, one
for black powder round-ball com-
petitors and a clay-bird version for
front-loading shotgunners.
The Roy “Pa” Keeler Centen-
nial Match was intended to bring
shooters together for a few moments
of simple fun in celebration of the
anniversary of Roy Keeler’s birth.
Knowing Pa Keeler always involved
a story, and as the tales flowed, the
details of each interaction reflected
the principals Keeler lived by—
honesty, friendship and sportsman-
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ship—and his deep passion for
the preservation of America’s rich
muzzleloading heritage.
The Keeler Society chose a stan-
dard five-bull buffalo target for the
rifle match, which was open to any
muzzleloading rifle, pistol, smooth-
bore or inline (no scope) with any
metallic sight. The “rules” suggested
two shots fired standing offhand and
three shots from any rest position at
50 yards. Pa Keeler was known for
his handlebar moustache, so a big,
black moustache was stamped under
the buffalo, which led to the in-
evitable nickname: the “Moustache
Match.”
The rifle version of the Roy “Pa”
Keeler Centennial Match was open
to all registered competitors at the
MSMLA’s 2017 State Rifle & Pistol
Championship, held at the Colum-
biaville Sportsman Club, 5124 Klam
Road, Columbiaville, Michigan, or
the National Muzzle Loading Rifle
Association’s Rifle & Pistol Territo-
rial Matches, hosted by the Tobacco
River Muzzle Loaders, 2896 M-18,
Beaverton, Michigan.
The shotgun version consisted
of five standard clay targets thrown
from the 10-yard trap and allowed
any muzzleloading shotgun. The
white match ticket carried the same
moustache stamp and was shot at
the MSMLA State Shotgun Cham-
pionship and the NMLRA’s Trap
& Skeet Territorial Matches, both
hosted by the Grand Valley Cap ’n
Ballers™, 3576 26th Street, Hop-
kins, Michigan.
In addition to the matches being
free, every shooter who turned in
a completed trap ticket or buffalo
target received a limited edition,
Roy “Pa” Keeler Centennial Match
embroidered patch that featured Pa’s
powder horn. In all, 84 percent of
the registered shooters at the four
events received the special patch—
Pa would’ve been surprised and
pleased.
At the MSMLA State Rifle &
Pistol Championship, down the fir-
ing line from Jim Galiger and Jaden
Wright, Ira Thumma posted his
moustache match buffalo. Like Roy
Keeler was, Thumma is a respected
competitor who favors the heavy-
barreled flintlock bench guns. But
on that warm afternoon Thumma
loaded a .45-caliber flintlock rifle
that looked out of place in his hands.
“I’m gonna shoot the Keeler us-
ing the first rifle I ever built,” Thum-
ma said with a wry smile. “Roy sold
me the trigger guard and brass butt
plate.” He adjusted the brim of his
straw hat, then pursed his lips as he
slipped into deep thoughts while
loading the walnut-stocked rifle.
“I guess all the furniture (the rifle’s
trim) came from Roy, but over a
period of time,” he continued in a
quiet, reverent tone. “This was the
only rifle I had so I shot it offhand,
on cross-sticks and from the bench.
With two kids, my wife and I didn’t
have two nickels to rub together. Pa
knew I was going to be a shooter.
I think he sold those parts for less
than his cost, that was Pa, and that’s
why he had such an impact on so
many people.”
Mike Thompson shouldered
a custom-made, Lancaster-style,
.50-caliber flintlock rifle at the
NMLRA Rifle & Pistol Territorial
Matches and took careful aim at the
bottom right bulls-eye on the Keeler
buffalo. “That was my last shot on
the Keeler Match,” Thompson said
as white smoke billowed. “Now I
want to be sure and get the patch.
“This is the third state territo-
rial; I shot at Ohio and Indiana.
One of the reasons I’m here is to
shoot the Keeler Match. Several of
us came up from Ohio to shoot this
match, because we knew Pa Kee-
ler,” Thompson added.
Two loading benches to the
north, Marcie Anderson saw two
shooters waiting for the range to
close so they could post the buf-
faloes with black moustaches. “You
should’ve told me about this match
when my rifle was dirty,” she said
after the pair explained the premise
of the match.
Anderson had just finished
up her last pistol target with her
.45-caliber, Thompson-Center
Patriot percussion pistol. She was
delighted to find out the match was
free and there was no scoring. Not
one to miss out on a black powder
shooting opportunity, Anderson
posted the five-bull buffalo at 50
yards and joined in the fun and
frolic of the yearlong birthday cel-
ebration.
In addition to the stories, some
folks brought Roy or Thelma Keeler
memorabilia to the matches. Ron
Smith had a pine-board target,
signed by Pa Keeler, from one of
the “over-the-log” chunk gun shoots
hosted by the Broken Lock Muzzle
Loaders at Alma. Three .50-caliber
round holes dotted the board. Ron
won the target in 2008, ten years
after Roy Keeler’s passing.
“I never knew Pa. I was pretty in-
timidated when I first started. I kept
to myself,” Smith said in a quiet,
modest tone. He brought the target
to give to a good friend. “I know
(he’ll) appreciate it, because it was
Pa’s and he signed it.”
The shotgunners had as much
Jim Galiger
(left) and his
grandson, Jaden
Wright joked
and kidded
through the
entire Roy “Pa”
Keeler Centen-
nial Match and
into the final
family photo.
fun as the round-ball crowd. At the
MSMLA State Shotgun Champion-
ship, families—a couple with three
generations present—shot the five-
clay match together. Friends shot for
quarters, others for ice cream or to
see who washed the dishes back at
camp.
Throughout the course of the
summer, fathers and sons, mothers
and daughters, grandparents and
grandchildren, cousins, new and
old friends busted birds or punched
holes. As intended, the Roy “Pa”
Keeler Centennial Match brought
families and friends together for
a few moments of simple fun. Pa
would’ve wanted to join in…
Give the black powder shooting
sports a try, be safe and may God
bless you.n

Muzzle Loading State Events

Michigan State Muzzle Loading Association State Shoots
Feb. 3--MSMLA Annual Meeting: Eaton Rapids CC: 11 a.m.: 989-746-0723
Feb. 9-11--Hog Rendezvous: Sauk Trail Long Rifles: Tecumseh: 517-879-3096
Feb. 11--Woods Walk: Clinton River Muzzle Loaders
Detroit Sportsman Congress: 586-731-6088
Feb. 18--Numb Skull Shoot: Bridgeport: 989-746-0723
Feb. 27-Mar 5--Western National Shoot: NMLRA: Phoenix, AZ: 812-667-5131
For a complete 2018 shoot schedule, send a SASE or e-mail to: Ron Fernwalt,
16808 Peach Ridge, Kent City, MI, 49330, or email Ron rbfern@triton.net

1-800-700-2628
WNW NEWS FEBRUARY 2018 57

DNR welcomes 22 new conservation officers
T
wenty-two men and
women recently gradu-
ated from the Michigan
Department of Natural
Resources Conserva-
tion Officer Recruit
School, completing a rigorous, 23-
week journey that challenged them
every step of the way.
Family members, instruc-
tors, DNR officials and DNR Law
Enforcement Division leadership
attended the ceremony, held at
the training academy in Lansing.
Graduates received their completion
certificates and badges, with family
members pinning the badges on their
loved ones.
The unique role of DNR conser-
vation officers requires candidates to
undergo some of the longest, most
comprehensive law enforcement
training in the nation. Upon gradua-
tion, these men and women achieve
certification as law enforcement offi-
cers through the Michigan Commis-
sion on Law Enforcement Standards.
The new officers will report for duty
in their assigned counties and serve
in a probationary capacity under the
Plan to use an ORV
on state forest roads?
Check maps first!
M
any - but not all - state
forest roads will open to
off-road vehicle traffic,
which began at the start
of 2018. Before riding, make sure
roads are authorized for ORV use by
checking online maps. The Michigan
Department of Natural Resources
forest roads maps are found at www.
michigan.gov/forestroads. Final maps
will be online by Dec. 31.
“Due to frozen ground condi-
tions, closed roads are not all marked
yet,” said Deb Begalle, DNR Forest
Resources Division chief. “Some
roads remain closed to balance mo-
torized recreational access with the
need to protect our resources.”
Approximately 6,300 miles of
roads in the state forest system in the
northern Lower Peninsula will open
to ORVs. About 1,200 miles of roads
will remain closed.
Opening the roads to ORV use is
authorized by Public Act 288, signed
by Gov. Rick Snyder in September
2016. Besides opening roads, the
statute required the DNR to inventory
and map all state forest roads. An in-
ventory of northern Lower Peninsula
58 FEBRUARY 2018 WNW NEWS
Hot Topics in the Outdoors...
supervision of experienced conser-
vation officers for one year, which
includes more than 20 weeks of ad-
ditional specialized training.
“It takes a special person to
accept the responsibilities that
come with protecting Michigan’s
natural resources and citizens,” said
DNR Director Keith Creagh, who
delivered the keynote address to
graduates. “These men and women
endured the academic and physical
demands of Recruit School because
they want to serve our state. In addi-
tion to being front-line defenders of
our natural resources, they play an
essential role in ensuring the safety
of our communities, often serving as
first responders when emergencies
arise. I’m proud to welcome them to
the DNR.”
Gov. Rick Snyder visited the
class earlier in the week to congratu-
late recruits on their accomplish-
ment.
The graduating class is com-
prised of 16 males and six females.
Three new officers are from the
Upper Peninsula, 16 are from the
Lower Peninsula and three are from
roads is complete; inventory on forest
roads in the rest of the state will be
completed by Dec. 31, 2018.
Examples of areas that will
remain closed to ORV traffic include
the Pigeon River Country State
Forest, Jordan Valley, Mason Tract,
Deward Tract, and Sand Lakes Quiet
Area, all of which emphasize quiet
recreation. Other roads will remain
closed to reduce conflict with non-
motorized uses and protect natural
resources.n
The 22 graduates of the recent Michigan Depar tment of Natural Resourc-
es Conser vation Officer Recruit School are pictured on the Capitol steps
in Lansing. Also pictured are academy instructors and several members
of the DNR Law Enforcement Division command staff. MDNR photo
out of state.
“The academy is about more
than just building quality conserva-
tion officers,” said Gary Hagler,
chief of DNR’s Law Enforcement
Division. “It’s also about develop-
ing quality people. When I look at
the caliber of these men and women,
there’s no doubt we succeeded on
both counts. From today forward,
these new officers will dedicate their
lives to upholding the law, guard-
ing our natural resources, protecting
citizens and being good members of
their communities. They’ve earned
their badges and we look forward to
welcoming them to our ranks.”
The new probationary conserva-
tion officers and their county assign-
ments upon completing field train-
ing are: Adam Beuthin (Monroe),
Joshua Boudreaux (Marquette),
Stephen Butzin (Delta), Jeremy
Cantrell (St. Joseph), Sidney Col-
lins (Montmorency), Jessica Curtis
(Lapeer), James Garrett (Oscoda),
Jennifer Hanson (Gogebic), Micah
Hintze (Cass), Nicholas Ingersoll
(Monroe), Charles Jones (Kalkaska),
Jonathan Kamps (Genesee), Keven
Luther (Wayne), Amanda McCurdy
(Leelanau), Kyle McQueer (St.
Joseph), Zachary Painter (Gogebic),
Tyler Sabuda (Iosco), Cody Smith
(Baraga), Katie Stawara (Shiawas-
see), Justin Vinson (Luce), Nicholas
Wellman (Branch), Danielle Zubek
(Oakland).
In addition to general law
enforcement training, recruits must
learn skills unique to a conserva-
tion officer’s duties, such as fish and
game identification. They also were
trained in areas including precision
driving, self-defense tactics, water
safety, legal training, outdoor sur-
vival, firearms, handling child abuse
and neglect cases, securing crime
scenes, first aid and executing search
warrants, to name a few.
The DNR currently has 209
sworn conservation officers. If all 22
graduates complete their probation-
ary periods that total will stand at
231 officers.
The DNR Law Enforcement Di-
vision is Michigan’s oldest statewide
law enforcement agency, created in
1887.
Michigan conservation officers
are elite, highly trained profession-
als who serve in every corner of
the state. They are fully commis-
sioned peace officers with authority
to enforce the state’s criminal laws.
Learn more at www.michigan.gov/
conservationofficers.n
Deer hunters
asked to report
hunting activitiy
Now that many deer hunters
have finished their deer hunting
for this year, the Department of
Natural Resources invites these
hunters to report their deer
hunting activity online. The in-
formation that you provide will
help us to evaluate hunter suc-
cess and total harvest. Report
your deer hunting activity.
If you still plan to hunt deer
during the late seasons, please
do not report until after you are
done hunting for the entire year.
Remember, it's important for all
deer hunters to participate, even
if they do not hunt or harvest a
deer.
Survey results will be
posted on our website as soon
as they are available.
 Hot Topics in the Outdoors...My Thoughts, My Views...
On Giving Up...Or Not
As a bowhunter, every arrow released
at game carries responsibilities with it...
T
he hunt began pleas-
antly on a still, early
November morning
as I pulled my re-
curve bow up to my
treestand. A light rain
the night before had left the woods
wet and quiet. With the rut
starting and the bucks on
the move I had a feeling
that something good could
happen.
As daylight began
to light up the world, a
movement out in the high
swamp grass caught my
attention. Soon, a
buck was quickly
walking directly By Darryl Quidort
downwind and coming right at me.
It wasn’t a big trophy rack, just a de-
cent buck like most of us traditional
bowhunters hunt for and are satis-
fied with when we are successful.
Without stopping, or even slowing
down, he cruised by right under my
stand. Things were happening too
fast! I drew, anchored, and shot as
he glided under me.
At the shot, the buck crashed
straight ahead. I had to turn around
to look on the opposite side of the
tree to see him as he quickly disap-
peared into thick brush. Listening
Most impor tantly. Never give up! Author photos
intently after he was out of sight, I
heard him crashing away in flight.
The sounds curved left, then silence,
then more crashing. The arrow was
still in him and I could hear it clack-
ing on brush as he ran. I listened
until the sounds faded away in the
distance. I remember think-
ing that he was heading
for where I had parked my
truck.
I felt sick. I was dis-
appointed in myself for
not making a better shot.
“Should have tried to stop
him with a grunt. Should
have waited until
he passed for a
better shot angle.
Should have…should have… too
late now.” I thought. Like a single
frame pulled from a fast moving
video, I had a mental snapshot of
the arrow in the buck just before he
burst into flight. It looked a little far-
ther back than I wanted and without
much penetration.
In bowhunting, the reality is that
it’s normal for a deer to run off after
being shot with an arrow. Unless
you actually see the deer go down,
you will have to follow its trail to
recover it. Books have been writ-
ten on how to track and trail game
The author’s hopes soared at the sight of a small drop of blood on a leaf.
but, truth is, the only way to learn to
track deer is to track them, and find
them, and help others find them. Ex-
perience counts. In the past, I have
taken some satisfaction in my track-
ing ability. Several “hard to track”
deer have been found for myself
and others by diligent tracking. I’ve
even joked that, “When you shoot as
badly as I do, you’re gonna need to
develop some tracking skills.” Now
I was going to need those skills.
Knowing that the deer had run
a long distance and wasn’t lying
nearby, I quietly climbed down to
look things over. What I found was,
nothing. It was hard to even find
where he left the edge of the swamp
grass, and since he went behind my
tree, I didn’t even know exactly
where he entered the thick brush. I
combed the whole area, going down
every faint deer trail and every
natural avenue I thought he might
have taken. I back tracked, climbed
the tree to look again, and even tried
it on hands and knees. Still nothing.
I couldn’t find a single sign of his
trail. Doubt began to creep into my
mind.
I remembered seeing the buck
bound over something way out in
the thick stuff. After climbing to my
stand again, I got a mental direc-
tion to search. An hour later I found
a single drop of blood about 1/8
inch in diameter. My hopes soared!
This confirmed that I was on the
buck’s trail. The “something” he had
bounded over was a fallen tree and
the small drop of blood was on an
oak leaf near fresh scuff marks in
the wet leaves. From there I fol-
lowed faint scuff marks down the
deer trail until they faded out. Every
side trail and every place he might
have turned off was thoroughly
checked, without finding another
clue.
Coming out on a clearing, I
remembered that his noisy flight
had gone silent for a few seconds,
probably as he ran across this clear-
ing. Remembering that the sound
seemed to curve to the left, I went
where my hearing directed me and
found a deer trail where intuition
told me he likely hit the brush again.
Slowly following that trail, crawling
under brush, and intently search-
ing for a freshly turned up leaf, a
displaced stick, or any clue or sign
of his passing, I went in the direc-
tion I thought I had heard him run
more than three hours before. I tried
to think like the deer. He wasn’t
crashing through the brush on an
aimless death run. He was follow-
ing deer trails and natural paths of
least resistance, heading north and
west. Then, a pin point of blood on
a leaf! I had to inspect it closely to
be sure. Yes, it was blood and I was
still on his trail. I pushed on with
new determination. But, that was the
last blood.
This whole area had been logged
a few years before and had grown
up in very thick little aspen trees
eight to ten feet tall with a heavy
ground cover of dead, brown col-
ored goldenrod. I couldn’t see very
far and couldn’t even walk through
much of it. Zig-zagging slowly, I
quietly grid searched the whole area
as best I could. Coming out to the
edge of the thick woods, I looked up
to see my truck parked a short dis-
tance away. After hours of intently
searching, I felt defeated. “Prob-
ably a bad shot and a lost deer,”
I thought. I was physically and
mentally exhausted. At that point I
almost gave up the trailing job. I had
taken only three or four steps toward
the truck when I was shocked to see
On giving up or not page 61
WNW NEWS FEBRUARY 2018 59
 My Thoughts, My Views, My Opinion...
TB, CWD, EHD…
Could the answer be immunity?
W
e have been
fighting the
TB issue in
our state since
cattle were
imported from
Mexico in the 1920s. For the dairy
cattle problem we, as well
as every other state, found
the farm source of TB, then
completely depleted the
herd. The farm operator
had to wait a year before
they could have dairy cattle
again, but with intense
TB testing for a year. The
above system
worked and still
does but not for
By Ed Spinazzola
deer.
In 1999 I attended the yearly
meeting of the Southeast Deer
Study Group, ‘17 southern states’
in Fayetteville, Arkansas. One of
the many learned speakers was Dr.
James Kroll, known as ‘Dr. Deer.’
Dr. Kroll had been working with a
large enclosed deer range operation
located in the heart of our northeast
TB and club country. He was asked
what chances TB in deer would be
eliminated in Michigan. Dr. Kroll
said that the disease in Michigan
deer was endemic and that it will
not be eliminated with the preven-
tive system in place. Dr Kroll did
not offer a new effective system but
did say that the incidence of TB,
which was around 4 to 5 percent can
be lowered significantly by lower-
ing the deer density and having high
nutrition for deer year round. He
added, “Just like many humans are
immune to TB so are many deer and
the ones that survive the disease are
also immune.”
I believe what Dr. Kroll was
saying, if one is serious in deer and
land management there will be a
higher rate of survival of TB. The
intended result should be hopefully
a constant increase yearly in the
percentage of the deer herd being
immune to TB.
Stop Beating Your
Head Against The Wall
In the mid-1970s a single deer
was found to have TB in Michigan’s
club country. Nothing was done, it
was the common belief that since
there was never an experience of
TB surviving in a deer herd, why
worry? In the mid-1990s several
deer are found to have TB and the
plan was to get that deer density
down, shoot every doe and buck you
see. Why the emphasis on killing
60 FEBRUARY 2018 WNW NEWS
all the bucks? We are told that older
bucks tend to have a higher rate of
TB; therefore we need to especially
target older bucks.
Really? I hunted public land
in this area for at least five years,
ending in 1963. The biggest buck
seen and taken by me was a
button buck and that is why
I moved to Roscommon
County for better action.
Since the mid-1990s
nothing has changed in
MDNR’s plan against TB.
In the club country the
incidence of TB in the late
1990s was 4 to 5
percent and now
is wavering at 1 to
2 percent, just as Dr. Kroll expected.
This is not the same story in the
more serious CWD picture. This
always deadly disease takes time,
‘up to two years’ like TB to show
it’s effect. It was first discovered in
Colorado in a state deer research
facility, 40 years ago. The plan is
still the same today as years ago
to stop this horrific problem. Thin
the herd, ‘take many does’ shoot all
bucks, especially the older ones for
they have the highest rate of CWD.
And they do have the highest rate
of CWD. In some high CWD areas
the incidence of CWD is 50 percent
of all older bucks. So, the thought is
obviously we need to rid ourselves
of all bucks older than 1-1/2. This
method of fighting CWD has not
changed much through the years.
This reminds me of a story I
heard many years ago...Pete and Joe
met at a gym. They became buddies
and meet at the gym twice a week.
Pete arrives at the gym and looks for
Joe. He sees Joe at the far end sit-
ting on a bench and hitting his head
softly against the wall. Pete arrives
and asks, “Joe, what’s going on?”
Joe says, “Pete, I have a headache
and I read that hitting a solid object
lightly with my head will help.”
“How long have you been doing this
Joe?” “Oh about a half hour.” “Is
your headache going away?” “No,
I think it’s getting worse” laments
Joe…moral of the story; stop beat-
ing your head against the wall.
Successful Deer and
Land Management
There’s a private hunt club that
asks not to be recognized in name,
location, size, etc. and I will honor
this request and tell you the size of
this private club is above average
and located in a severe TB area.
They have been taking forever
just about any buck they see, well
maybe not button bucks and not too
many does. In 1997 this club saw at
least a bit of light for they hired a
progressive deer and land manager
who carries a highly recommended
history of success. No nonsense
right from the beginning. Many
changes made with obvious posi-
tive results. This manager knew that
there are other highly respected
professional deer and land managers
that think outside the box and can
take this program to a higher level.
Yes there are others but not many.
This new manager laid down the
rules before he was hired; “My way
or the highway,” and he was given
full support in 2006. The plan was
to get the deer numbers in balance
with the habitat, improve the habitat
nutrition level for year round forage,
which included a specific timber
harvest program for improved cover
and forage and a food plot plan that
was sufficient for year round nutri-
tious forage. The plan continued to
eventually have a mature buck to
doe sex ratio of 1:1 and that meant
taking at least a hundred does a year
and taking no bucks younger than
3-1/2 years old and every deer har-
vested gets tested for TB take to see
if there’s an improvement.
Well there were improvements,
the dazed club members got over
their shock and are now seeing and
taking some pretty nice bucks. The
does taken went from 75 to 125
yearly. The plan then went into a
special February doe harvest with
the cooperation of the MDNR.
Every doe taken was TB tested
along with a necropsy (Autopsy
for humans). One year I was sitting
alongside Dr. Russ Mason, (MDNR
Chief of Wildlife) who was collect-
ing vials of deer blood and I was
bagging deer heads. I mentioned To
Dr. Mason that he may be the blood
collector but I was the head bagger.
I think I got a little grin.
The doe harvest has grown to
470 in 2016. That’s many more does
than would be needed to maintain
the mature buck to doe sex ratio at
1:1, but there’s a reaction to every
action taken. The much lowered
deer herd along with the year round
top notch forage is pulling in the
surrounding deer big time. Within
the last five years the incidence
of TB in does is still wavering at
one percent, which may be partly
explained due to the many immi-
grants, but there were three years
that showed no TB in any bucks
taken. Whoa, that’s impossible these
bucks are 3-1/2 years old or older.
How many times have you heard
our MDNR leaders tell us to take
yearling bucks and especially take
the older bucks for they are more
likely to carry TB and/or CWD?
Could the Answer
be Immunity?
Dr. James F. Kroll said, “You
can lower the incidence of TB by
lowering the deer density and hav-
ing year round high nutrition in their
forage.” This increases the survival
of having TB and thus they are now
immune, which is passed on to fu-
ture generations. The three years of
no bucks taken having TB defies the
recommended practice of not letting
any bucks survive beyond yearlings.
Could this mean that in public land
if we lower the density of deer to be
well below the carrying capacity of
the land and take no bucks less than
3-1/2 years old, in time we will seri-
ously lower the incidence of TB?
I now believe it is very pos-
sible. All deer biologists know that
the breeding season takes a big
hit on bucks. All bucks can breed
but with a natural deer herd with a
good number of older bucks be-
ing present, things change. Instead
of having all of the yearling bucks
chasing the does around for a month
losing 25 percent of their weight
and few if any does being bred
because now, it’s only mid-October
and while the few older bucks just
watched. Compare that to a natu-
ral buck herd where the yearling
bucks are subdued all summer and
early fall. They learn their position
in the herd very well and lost little
weight. Breeding time comes in late
October, peaks just before mid-
November, older bucks take charge
while most of the yearlings now do
the watching. It’s as nature intended
and protecting young bucks to get
older is a more healthy and natural
herd. A more healthy and natural
 Hot Topics in the Outdoors...My Thoughts, My Views...
On Giving Up...Or Not: from page 59
the dead buck lying right in front of
me. I fell to my knees, emotionally
drained.
It looked as if he had simply lain
down to take a nap. There was no
blood anywhere on him or around
him. The arrow was still in him, and
it wasn’t a bad shot. It had gone in
through heavy bone near the spine
and taken out one lung without exit-
ing.
I sat there with the deer for a
while, trying to sort out my emo-
tions. I felt relief for finding the
deer, and thankfulness that the meat
wouldn’t go to waste. I felt no pride,
because I had nearly given up on
recovering him. I knew I was lucky
to find the deer. But was it entirely
luck? I had done everything I could
to recover it. I had worked at it for
hours, even with nothing to follow
but my intuition much of the time
because there was no blood trail.
“What have I learned from
this?” I asked myself.
That, as a bowhunter, every ar-
row released at game carries respon-
sibilities with it. Once the arrow
leaves the bow, I am responsible for
the end results. A well placed arrow
will put a deer down within sight. A
poorly placed arrow can cause prob-
lems untold. But, any deer shot in
the chest cavity with a broadhead ar-
row will be lying dead somewhere,
and it’s up to me to recover it.
And, don’t push it. If condi-
tions aren’t right, if not completely
confident in making the shot…don’t
shoot. There will be another hunt on
another day. Enjoy hunting in all its
facets and be thankful for any op-
portunities granted.
But, most importantly, Never
Give Up! Dogged determination
and the grace of God can work
wonders.n

TB, CWD, EHD: from page 60
deer herd increases the presence of
TB immunity, thus less TB.
You think maybe some of our
deer management leaders know the
above. I hope so!
CWD is a more serious and
vicious subject. No deer that have
contacted CWD have survived so
far. So, why are our expert deer
scientists and biologists still trying
to control it the same way as forty
years ago. Will you please stop beat-
ing your head against the wall?
We mentioned in some seri-
ous areas of CWD infection, up to
50 percent of the bucks are CWD
infected and it is not getting any
better. The common experience is
the state biologists find the presence
of CWD, set off the alarm, put a few
rules in place to stop the transfer of
live deer from any where, only meat
and skinned heads from harvested
deer from out state, lower the deer
herd density and shoot all bucks but
not much else. The result for all but
very few is the same, the incidence
of CWD just keeps on rising. This is
unacceptable. There has to be more
we can do.
In heavy invested areas why not
try something that reflects what the
above deer club did but do it in an
entire county or better yet a group of
counties. For hunters, they take no
bucks less the 3-1/2 years old, yes,
lower the herd density seriously. Go
into these areas prior to deer season
and trap the oldest bucks but after a
few years of protecting all yearling
bucks. The antler standard should
be to protect 100 percent of yearling
bucks and that standard will protect
at least 40 percent of the 2-1/2 year
old bucks. Publish material describ-
ing what to look for prior to taking
that buck that is hopefully 3-1/2
years old or older. These captured
bucks are then checked for CWD. If
they have CWD give them their last
meal. If they are CWD free, infect
them with CWD. We are looking
for the few bucks immune to CWD.
They are there; also find a few older
immune does. Introduce a few does
to a lucky buck. When the offspring
which are injected with CWD
survive and number into dozens,
release them. This is not a five year
program it may last a hundred years
for complete success.
In Michigan where the CWD
is just starting why not introduce a
different antler restriction where all
bucks taken need to be 8 points or
more, think Montcalm County as the
possible research area. Nothing ven-
tured, nothing gained. I have gotten
to know a few our MDNR Wildlife
Biologists, there isn’t a phony in the
bunch, now show us your moxie! If
you do not like the above approach,
show us yours.
Ed Spinazzola is an associate of
Tony LaPratt’s land Management
for more information call 586-784-
8090 or visit; www.deerattractiom.
com or www.tonysulm.comn

My Thoughts, My Views, My Opinions

Share your thoughts, views, opinions or short stories with
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Enjoy
Upland Bird Hunting
August 15—April 30

No Hunting
License
Required!
Michigan Association of
Gamebird Breeders & Hunting Preserves
For information & listing of our preserves near you go to:
www.michiganhuntingpreserves.com
WNW NEWS FEBRUARY 2018 61
 TRAIL CAM/OUTDOOR PHOTOS
Join us in sharing interesting and sometimes rare
trail cam and/or outdoor photos with our readers.
Email your photos to: wnw@pageone-inc.com

Writer, Betty Sodders trail cam

caught a few does surrounding
a porcupine!

A pair of bald eagles on a road kill were cap-

tured by Vinny Howell’s trail cam near West
Branch.

Larry Piotrowski caught this big city buck in Oakland

County. He believes he’s a 5-year-old monster and
has pictures from the last three years.

A couple bucks sparring in Mill-

Doug Rabideau’s trail cam caught this pair of ersburg by Kraig Staples.
early September Omer bucks sparring.

The same trail cam of Kraig Staples that caught the

sparring bucks to the right also caught this bobcat
cruising.

Millard Holton’s Tom Spillane hopes this buck

trail camera near St. Helen makes it until
filmed this nice next year.
buck that sur-
vived the fire-
This Oakland County 10-pt. was curious about arms season in
Larry Piotrowski’s trail cam. Barry County.

Here’s an owl that comes in regularly for a

swim, day and night, in the watering hole Rich Perry shares three of his
The beautiful picture of a deer herd was captured by trail cam photos from a tree his
at Mike and Jane’s cabin in Lake County.
Lauren Trainor’s trail cam near Bellevue, Eaton County. 3-year-old son picked out.
62 FEBRUARY 2017 WNW NEWS
WNW NEWS FEBRUARY 2018 63
Becoming an Outdoors Woman
celebrates 20 years in U.P.
By John Pepin…
Michigan DNR
O
n an early summer
day, in front of a
white gazebo over-
looking Lake Inde-
pendence, spirited
women who had
taken on the challenge of improving
their outdoor skills assembled on the
lawn for a group photograph.
These pink-shirted ladies, some
who were here for the first time, and
others who had returned on several
occasions, gathered for the picture
to commemorate the 20th anniver-
sary of the Becoming an Outdoors
Woman program in the Upper
Peninsula.
Each year, women from across
the Upper Great Lakes region and
elsewhere gather at the Bay Cliff
Health Camp in Marquette County
for a summer weekend BOW pro-
gram in June and a winter program
in February.
The program is coordinated
through the Michigan Department of
Natural Resources.
During these weekends, vol-
unteer instructors offer classes on
a wide range of activities ranging
from shooting firearms, fishing
and cross-country skiing to paddle
boarding, winter camping, kayaking
and archery.
The classes are provided in
a supportive environment where
students are encouraged, inspired
and applauded for their efforts to try
new activities.
“It’s been amazing to see the
growth in the women who have
attended our program,” said Sandy
Kivela, an instructor and member of
the program’s organizing committee.
“Some have started as participants
and have become instructors. Some
have made life-long friendships.”
Frida Waara, a BOW participant
Pistol
shooting is
a popular
class at BOW
programs
64 FEBRUARY 2018 WNW NEWS
The June 2017 par ticipants pose for a photo to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Becoming an Out-
doors Woman program in Upper Michigan. The women wore pink T-shir ts in 2017 as they did the first year of
the Upper Michigan program in 1998. MDNR photos
and instructor since 1997, said that meetings in Wisconsin and took women served on the initial com-
in life, everything gets better when part in the initial presentation of mittee, and together, we hosted the
you get outside. the BOW program as designed at program at Clear Lake in 1998,
“BOW is the chance to share Stevens Point. which involved 63 participants, the
that philosophy with women of all “He came back to Michigan largest program ever in Michigan.”
ages, backgrounds and experiences,” committed to getting the program Like the instructors, committee
she said. “When we first gather on going here as well, and selected two members are volunteers. The BOW
Friday for a BOW weekend, I tell women in the DNR Law Enforce- program has always been financially
newcomers, ‘Your life will change ment Division – Mary Schurser and self-sustaining, a key ingredient in
in ways you never thought possible.’ Lynn Marla – to begin the process,” its success and longevity.
On Sunday, when we say good-byes, Feldhauser said. “Initially, some Feldhauser said some smaller
those newcomers confess that learn- smaller programs aimed at specific programs continued to be held in the
ing to shoot a gun, paddle a kayak or sports, such as hunting and shooting Lower Peninsula, but the strength
even back up a trailer was more than events, were held at various loca- gained from the committee structure
just the skill, it was the confidence tions in Lower Michigan.” in the U.P. allowed that program to
to tackle the next new challenge.” Feldhauser said that within a grow and thrive.
The BOW concept originated year, a larger, more broadly scoped “Eventually, the programs
with Christine Thomas at the Uni- BOW event was held at the DNR’s ceased being held in the Lower Pen-
versity of Wisconsin, Stevens Point Ralph A. MacMullen Conference insula, and the coordinator position
in 1991. Center near Roscommon, drawing for the program, based in Lansing,
“That state’s DNR was experi- about 40 participants. Classes were was terminated,” Feldhauser said.
encing a notable decline in the num- offered in many areas, including “However, the U.P. program car-
ber of women buying hunting and fishing, canoeing, shooting, hiking ried on, soon adding a winter BOW
fishing licenses, so the agency com- and others. program.”
missioned the university system to “I had attended training at That winter program was first
explore methods to get more women Michigan State University run by offered in 2002 in Iron County at
involved in outdoor activities,” said the original designers of the pro- the Fortune Lake Lutheran Camp,
Ann (Wilson) Feldhauser, a former gram from Wisconsin. I then helped located outside of Crystal Falls.
Michigan DNR spokeswoman in- with the RAM Center program to “We quickly outgrew that facil-
strumental in establishing the BOW gain firsthand experience,” Feld- ity and moved to Bay Cliff Health
program in the Upper Peninsula. hauser said. “When I returned to Camp,” said Sharon Pitz, one of
Then Michigan DNR Director Marquette, Lynn Marla, who was Feldhauser’s original BOW com-
Rollie Harmes attended a series of the BOW coordinator at that time, mittee members, who has served as
suggested that a program be held the BOW coordinator since Feld-
in the Upper Peninsula. Our first hauser’s retirement from the DNR
sponsor 20 years ago was the Sagola in 2008.
Sportsman’s Club, where we hosted “We now also offer numerous
about 50 women for a weekend of specialized Beyond BOW events,
activities.” such as kayaking for moms and
After some review and revision, daughters, hiking in the Pictured
it was decided to hold a bigger pro- Rocks and the Porcupine Mountains,
gram at the Clear Lake Education and steelhead fishing on the Two-
Center in Schoolcraft County. Hearted River, among others,” Pitz
“To pull off a large-scale pro- said. “We also had a couple Beyond
gram, I developed a BOW commit- BOW events held downstate in the
tee comprised of Upper Peninsula last year.
women who all were active in the “These successful events have
outdoors and had confident leader- been taken on by our own DNR
ship skills,” Feldhauser said. “Ten Wildlife Division employees, who
have gained an interest in our pro-
gram and want to help women learn
skills in the outdoors.”
Pitz said she hopes to schedule
more Beyond BOW sessions in the
Lower Peninsula in the future.
Feldhauser said the original
concept for the program, which
has continued, called for a third of
the activities to be hunting-related,
another third fishing-related and the
remaining classes a mixture of other
pursuits.
The Marquette County chapter
of U.P. Whitetails is one example
of groups that contributed start-up
money for the program or funded
some scholarships for BOW over
the past two decades.
Monica Weis, who helps teach
dog sledding, called the BOW pro-
gram “magical.”
“Magical in watching the
women gain confidence in what
they are learning,” Weis said. “The
smiles, laughter and friendship that
we develop as the weekend moves
along is amazing.”
Sue Petschke, a committee
member who teaches snowshoeing,
said she loves it when participants
tell her they are going to go back
home and snowshoe.
“The enjoyment you get snow-
shoeing with friends and family
is priceless,” Petschke said. “No
cellphone service wanted here.”
More than 3,000 women have
taken part in the U.P. BOW pro-
grams, with the summer program
typically drawing about 100 people,
and roughly 75 enrolling in the win-
ter session.
“It has been a lot of work, but
what an honor and privilege to have
headed up such an important part of
the DNR’s legacy,” said Feldhauser,
who still works closely with the
Michigan BOW program. “BOW
continues to be as popular, if not
more so, than ever, and the reputa-
tion of the U.P. program is stellar.”
Past participants have also
praised the program.
“Going to BOW was a most
wonderful introduction to both
winter and summer pastimes when
I moved to the U.P. nine years ago,”
said Barbara Stewart-Greene of
Bruce Crossing. “Over the years, I
learned snowshoeing, cross-country
skiing, dogsledding, snowmobiling,
fishing, cooking, survival skills,
first aid and much more, along with
several fun craft projects.
“I got to deepen existing friend-
ships and meet new people, all in
the beautiful and encouraging atmo-
sphere of Bay Cliff Camp.”
Jessica Francis of Hillsdale said
she and her mom look forward to
the two BOW weekends every year.
“We love being able to spend
time together, meet up with old
friends, and of course meet new
The first Upper Michigan Becoming an Outdoors Woman committee at the Clear Lake Education Center in School-
craft County in 1998. Back row, from left: Jane Gordon, Margie Burns, Penny Bacon; center row: Frida Waara,
Ann (Wilson) Feldhauser, Pam Henricksen, Sharon Pitz, Sue Webster; front row: Bonnie Ryberg
friends too,” she said. “The instruc-
tors are easy to love and super fun.
They make sure everyone has the
best experience that they possibly
can. It’s all about support.
“The amount of support that
you can receive from a tight-knit
group of women is amazing. You
learn things that you have never
even dreamed that you would ever
do in your life, and the best part
about that is being able to teach
those things to your family when
you get back home. Bay Cliff is a
home away from home. You go to
this program with all of your trou-
bles from life and you leave feeling
refreshed and ready to succeed in all
that you do.”
Bernadette Harkness of Mid-
land said she didn’t grow up doing
outdoor things and never imagined
she would be able to ice fish, drive
a boat, ride a snowmobile, ski or,
dogsled, shoot a rifle, paddle board
or do so many other things she has
experienced for the first time with
the BOW program.
“What’s more is that with the
patient and kind guidance of the
awesome instructors, I have learned
and become comfortable enough to
own my own boat, ice shanty, auger,
rifle and kayak to name a few,” she
said. “And to fulfill the purpose of
BOW, I feel confident to do these
outdoor activities on my own, or
with my family, enjoying these new
hobbies in the beautiful Michigan
outdoors.”
Linda Burby-Evans of Chelsea
said she was invited by a friend
to her first BOW weekend over a
decade ago.
“I wasn’t really sure it would be
for me, but that weekend was such
a great experience that I’ve been
going back ever since,” Evans said.
“I’ve learned so many things over
the years. The best part about the
BOW program is that you get to try
new things in a safe and supportive
environment. The friendships I’ve
made with women from far and
wide are treasured.”
The BOW program is now
offered in several states beyond
Michigan, including Iowa, Okla-
homa, Arkansas, Minnesota, Illinois
and Wisconsin.
Margaret Mary Gerhard of
Fence, Wisconsin has attended
Michigan BOW events. She said
BOW weekends are highlights on
her annual calendar.
“I am always impressed with
the women’s enthusiasm, courage
and diligence in the various classes.
I learn so much from them,” she
said. “Every woman has a story,
and the stories are amazing. BOW
enriches my life. It is a gift to me. I
treasure the friendships I have made
there. I am so very grateful.”
Rosemary Plourde of Marquette
said all women, no matter their skill
level or age should try the program
at least once, calling it “a wonderful
experience.”
“BOW has made some of the
most wonderful mother-daughter
weekends,” Plourde said. “Origi-
nally, a friend brought me, and I had
such a great experience that I had
to share with my daughter. It has
become our tradition whether we do
one in Michigan or elsewhere.”
Pitz said the Michigan program
could not continue without the pas-
sion of the volunteer BOW instruc-
tors and committee members.
“Many of them have helped
with the BOW program for the en-
tire 20 years it has been in the Upper
Peninsula,” Pitz said. “Some are our
own DNR employees, and others
are just as passionate in their field
of skill and want to pass along that
knowledge.”
Over the past several months,
Pitz has been co-coordinating the
BOW program in the U.P. with Mi-
chelle Zellar of Newberry.
Zellar said she decided to take
on coordination responsibilities
because the BOW program and the
committee are “amazing.”
“Sharon (Pitz) and the ladies on
the committee care so much about
the program and creating opportuni-
ties for women to learn not only a
new skill, but make connections –
connections that are priceless,” Zel-
lar said. “The passion and expertise
this committee and the instructors
bring to this program is inspiring,
and quite frankly, I feel blessed to
be a part of it.”
Zellar’s first direct involvement
with the BOW program came during
the February sessions in 2016.
“Months earlier I had met with
Sharon to get more acquainted with
the program. After meeting the
committee and attending the winter
workshop, it was clear we were go-
ing to make a good team – a diverse
group of women with like-minded
goals,” Zellar said. “From there, I
started shadowing Sharon, coordi-
nating and facilitating these events.
I am now ready to hit the ground
running.”
The future success of the pro-
gram continues to lie in the coop-
eration and commitment of those
competent women who have served
unselfishly over the years on the
U.P. BOW Coordinating Committee,
with DNR leadership.
“When we see the enthusiasm
of the women participating in our
programs it makes us even more
excited to put on the next program,”
Kivela said.
Tara Gluski, a committee
member and instructor who teaches
women how to build winter shelters,
hike and backpack, successfully
distilled the aim of the program for
instructors and students into one
quote.
She said, “I love that I am
potentially inspiring people to step
outside their comfort zones and
make being outdoors a lifestyle.”
Find out more on Becoming and
Outdoors Woman in Michigan at
www.michigan.gov/bow.n
WNW NEWS FEBRUARY 2018 65
 Northern
Workhorses
How the Beaver, Otter and other bush
planes made wilderness accessible...
R
eaders who have hunted
or fished in the Cana-
dian wilderness prob-
ably got there by bush
plane. If so, they know
the thrill of adventure
and the joy of catching fish and bag-
ging game that would be impossible
otherwise.
I became fascinated with
bush planes the first time I
rode in one, back in 1964
when I was a college fresh-
man. A buddy and I hired a
pilot named Duke to fly us
from Hawk Lake near Wawa,
Ontario to Little Dosier Lake
where we spent a week fish-
ing for brook trout
while staying at an Michigan Meanders
abandoned trap-
per’s cabin. By Tom Huggler
The trip turned
into a major scare when heavy fog
prevented Duke from flying us out
on schedule. As though on cue, we
ran out of food, the fish suddenly quit
biting, we killed and ate a seagull, and
nearly burned down the cabin due to
carelessness. When Duke finally res-
cued us three days later, heavy cloud
cover over Lake Superior far below
looked like rolls of baker’s dough,
beautiful…and frightening. With
darkness coming on and Hawk Lake
sealed shut by clouds, Duke relied
on the office dispatcher to guide him
in. The second he punched his little
Cessna airplane through the gloom,
the lake was in our face, but somehow
Duke managed to land without flip-
ping over. Shaken but safely ashore, I
overheard the dispatcher tell our pilot
he narrowly missed some high power
Bush planes made by de Havilland were designed to be no-frills
workhorses. This is the instrument panel of a single-engine Otter.
66 FEBRUARY 2018 WNW NEWS
lines on the rapid descent.
That experience was so unsettling
that 10 years passed before I buckled
up in a bush plane again. Not all pilots
are daredevils like Duke but some
certainly are. Most are highly skilled
who know exactly what their air-
craft can and cannot do. I remember
Johnny Villaneuve, a Quebec
pilot adept at fighting forest
fires by pinpointing plumes
of retardant from the air.
When there were no fires
to put out, Johnny ferried
sportsmen into remote fish-
ing lakes.
One summer day another
friend and I hired Johnny
to fly us into Lac
Framboise (Rasp-
berry Lake), noted
for big brook trout.
Eyeing the mound of
gear we had piled onto the dock, our
pilot told us to leave the heavy case of
beer behind, or he wouldn’t be able to
lift off. Even with the reduced weight,
Johnny had to create a wake with his
pontoons and then run into the chop,
all the while rocking his plane. The
trick worked and soon we were aloft.
I returned home from that adven-
ture with a 21-inch trout, the biggest
brookie of my life, and there were no
close calls.
Years later while flying around in
Alaska’s interior, I was photographing
a herd of caribou from our slow-mov-
ing Piper Cub. When our pilot banked
the little plane so I could get a better
look through the open window, my ski
cap blew out. For all I know, it’s still
there—a blaze-orange speck on the
unending tundra.
A Beaver floatplane on duty in the Ontario wilderness
Bush planes have taken me to wil-
derness lakes in Saskatchewan,
Manitoba, the Northwest Territories,
Nunavik, Labrador and throughout
northern Ontario to hunt caribou,
moose and ptarmigan and to fish for
lake trout, Arctic char, walleye and
big northern pike. Those trips were
dreams come true, and I cherish each
and every one.
The workhorse for most of those
adventures were Beaver and Otter
aircraft, made by the de Havilland
Aircraft Company of Canada. I can
still feel the vibration in my hunting
boots from the wide-open throttle of
the Beaver that lumbered aloft with
two caribou bulls I managed to shoot
north of Schefferville, Quebec. First
made in 1947, Beaver aircraft were
designed to carry up to seven pas-
sengers and haul cargo of about 1,500
pounds. The real beauty of this plane,
though, was its STOL (short take-off
and landing) ability. Fully loaded and
weighing 2-1/2 tons, the Beaver was
capable of taking off or landing at
locations less than two football fields
in length. With a 20 mph headwind, it
needed only a bit more than 300 feet
to get aloft.
This high-wing monoplane, which
was nearly 10 feet tall on pontoons
and sported a wingspan of 49 feet,
was perfect for negotiating wilder-
ness lakes. Although the military
relied on Beavers to negotiate short
jungle landing strips, small fields and
roadways under a thousand feet, it
was designed for primary use as a sea-
plane. The Beaver’s float draught was
only 20 inches with rudders up and 23
inches with rudders down.
A total of 1,657 Beavers were
built during 20 years of production.
Today, they are collectible aircraft,
whether for parts or restoration, and
many are still flying.
I can still hear the roar of the Ot-
ter’s single-engine Pratt and Whitney
engine that took me and 10 other sport
anglers above the Arctic Circle to fish
for giant lake trout from Chantrey
Inlet. I was riding next to the pilot
on that hours-long flight from Baker
Lake and had no ear protection. This
is a bad idea when flying in a single-
engine Otter, which came to market
in 1953. Upon deplaning, I was so
disoriented that I fell down and was
unable to walk for several minutes.
Only 466 single-engine Otters
were built. The de Havilland Com-
pany, which sold out to Hawker
Siddeley in 1961 and later was bought
by the Canadian government, eventu-
ally became part of Boeing Canada
and then Bombardier. In 2005 rights
to out-of-production Beaver, Otter
and other de Havilland aircraft were
bought by Viking, a British Columbia
company.
Although bigger than the Bea-
ver at nearly 4,900 pounds empty
and with a height of 15-1/2 feet on
pontoons and a wingspan of 58 feet,
the Otter can operate out of lakes only
one-third of a mile in length. Fully
weighted at nearly four tons, this
workhorse plane can take off from
glassy water a bit more than a thou-
sand feet in length.
In spite of their Herculean ability,
these flying trucks are challenged by
the same weather conditions that limit
other fixed-wing aircraft. I remember,
for example, a fishing trip to Labrador
when our single-engine Otter was un-
able to clear the Mealy Mountains
due to low cloud ceiling. Three
times we roared aloft from the
home lake and three times our
reluctant but prudent pilot had to
turn back. After a day wasted in
the motel with no prospect of clear
weather ahead, our group hired a
trio of Bell Ranger helicopters to
whisk us just above the treetops to
our destination lake.
Like its smaller cousin, the Bea-
ver, many Otter aircraft are still flying
today. Besides transporting hunters
and anglers to remote places, the
planes see duty for search and rescue
operations, as well as timber cruising,
wildlife surveying, oil and mining
exploration, charter flights and supply
cargo.
If you ever have a chance to travel
in one of these incredible aircraft,
don’t pass it up. If you hear one roar-
ing overhead, tip your cap as many
old-timers do.
A few years ago the Canadian
Bushplane Heritage Centre in Sault
Ste. Marie, Ontario hauled a disas-
sembled single-engine Otter by truck
and trailer to the Ultimate Sport Show
at Novi, where it was a big hit. You
can see that plane today and learn
much more about bush pilots and
their incredible aircraft at the museum
(www.bushplane.com); (705) 945-
6242).n
 MICHIGAN'S
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WNW NEWS FEBRUARY 2018 67
 Sporting Collectibles...
Extraordinary
Ed Cumings
Fly Rods
I
worked part-time in a sports
store during my college years
in the mid-1960s selling
everything from tennis rack-
ets to swim masks and fins
to rifles and shotguns. My
favorite category, however,
was fishing tackle, which is
where I was first introduced
to Ed Cumings nets – all
made in Flint, Michigan.
I continued selling their
quality products throughout
my career in sporting goods,
and in May 2006 I wrote
one of my first “Woods-N-
Water News”
By Terry McBurney
articles entitled
“Ed Cumings,
Inc. - Great Fishing Tackle from
Flint, Michigan.” Jeff Powell, presi-
dent of Ed Cumings, Inc. (www.
cumingsnets.com), had invited me
to go through their archives for
background material for the article
and to photograph some of their ear-
liest products including handmade
whole willow creels, laminated
wood trout, canoe and boat nets,
bamboo fly rods, as well as lures,
spoons, flies and poppers.
Edward M. Cumings was born
in Flint in 1875. After graduating
from high school, he was employed
by a number of area firms including
Above: The Cumings 4-inch Hula Hula
bass and pike lure was made from
cedar and goose feathers. Above
Right: The Cumings Submarine Troll-
ers were made in three sizes – 3 ½”,
5 ¾”, and 7” blades.
68 FEBRUARY 2018 WNW NEWS
the Flint Wagon Works, where he
worked his way up to superintendent
of their spring and delivery wagon
division. It was an exciting time to
be working in Flint, at the dawn of
the automotive industry. In 1904,
looking for something more chal-
lenging to do, he started
selling “Tire-Doh,” a rub-
ber tire patching material
made in Chicago. Soon, Ed
secured the exclusive sales
rights for Michigan, bought
a gross of the cans and
returned to Flint where he
peddled Tire-Doh to early
automotive
garages out
of the back of
his car. Ed’s automotive accessory
business quickly grew and he soon Ed Cumings fishing a small Michigan trout stream nicely equipped
added other automotive products to with his own products - a Cumings Lifetime willow creel, a Green-
sell. Leaf bamboo fly rod, a wood trout net and lots of Cumings flies -
Ed Cumings was also a conser- circa 1936. Ed Cumings Catalog Bob Davis
vationist, an ardent sportsman, and
an avid fly fisherman. Moreover, he moved his new tackle business into basic trout nets and two imported
had numerous friends who were also the second story of his automotive Japanese creels, numerous accesso-
passionate trout fishermen. Many of wholesale company and debuted his ries plus a selection of trout flies. He
them had difficulties finding trout first trout fishing catalog in 1933. purchased almost every item listed
fishing items suited for our Michi- The first Cumings catalog fea- in his first catalog from American
gan streams, so they came to Ed tured sixteen pages of bamboo fly and English manufacturers, except
with their requests. During the depth rods, steel bait casting rods, South for the domestic tapered leaders and
of the Depression and at the age of Bend and Shakespeare fly reels, the trout flies, all which were hand-
fifty-eight, he made the decision to English fly lines and silk worm gut tied in his own factory.
open his own tackle company. Ed leaders, waders and hip boots, two He cataloged a nice selection of
Above: Cumings Lifetime willow creels were
adver tised as “The best and most durable
creel ever made.” Left: One of Cumings pre-
WWII wood trout nets featuring their trout
logo.
 The Cumings #110 Fontinalis 8-foot 3-pc. light trout rod was most likely made in 1935 or 1936.
bamboo fly rods in 1933 that he pri-
marily designed for trout fishermen,
contracting them from James Hed-
don’s Sons, located in Dowagiac,
Michigan. His lowest price bamboo
fly rod was the Cumings Special, a
9-foot rod produced for the begin-
ning angler. It was a 3-piece rod
without an extra tip and finished in
a light brown finish and retailing for
$10.75. This rod proved unpopular
and lasted just one year. His next
rods were the Cumings “Popular”
series, which initially sold for $15
and came in two lengths, 8 ½-foot
and 9-foot. The “Popular” series
were 3-piece rods that came with an
extra tip. Instead of being varnished
with the more common honey
brown finish, Ed Cumings had them
finished in a dull forest green.
His next fly rods were the Cum-
ings Green-Leaf 3-piece fly rods
with extra tips that initially sold for
$28.50 retail in 1933. The 8 ½-foot
and 9-foot Green-Leaf trout rods
featured an Agate stripper guide,
hardened snake guides and a perfec-
tion tip, and were also finished in
forest green. His most expensive
rod was the diminutive Cumings
Bantam, a 7-foot small-stream rod
that initially retailed for $29.75. It
was a 2-piece rod with an extra tip
that came with a specially designed
cork grip, an Agate stripper guide
and Tungsten tip. The Bantam was
also finished in a forest green.
Almost all bamboo rods before
and after Ed Cumings introduced his
forest green fly rods were finished
in different shades of light or honey
brown varnish. The forest green col-
or was unique to Cumings fly rods.
The color was produced by finishing
the bamboo rod blanks with a green
vegetable dye – a food coloring dye
with a denatured alcohol base that
was normally used to tint leather.
A later Cumings catalog explained
it this way - “Rods are finished in a
dull forest green which throws no
light reflections and blends in with
the brush along the shore. Swing
one of these camouflaged rods over
a pool of trout and then do the same
with an ordinary finish rod and note
the difference in the action of the
fish.”
I have been building a collec-
tion of Ed Cumings fishing tackle
ever since I first wrote about him
in 2006. I have an example of a
Cumings whole willow creel, sev-
eral boxed examples of his metal
Mackinaw Troller metal spinners,
several pre-WWII Ed Cumings
wood trout nets, and a display of his
rare 4-inch Hula Hula bass and pike
lures made out of wood and goose
feathers. (I have never fished a Hula
Hula because they are so rare. The
lure probably wobbles like a South
Bend Bass Oreno since that is what
the wood portion of the Hula Hula
resembles.)
The Cumings item that has
eluded me over the years is an ex-
ample of his extremely rare bamboo
fly rods, especially one of the forest
green models. I have handled one of
his 7-foot Bantam fly rods that had
been refinished in a honey brown
color –a beautiful light trout rod for
fishing tight, brushy streams. I have
also seen two examples of his forest
green fly rods that were in terrible
shape but never one in good condi-
tion. That all changed not once but
twice in the last six months!
I purchased a bunch of bamboo
rod parts last summer. Most of the
pieces were in poor shape but a
number were full length and had not
been broken. Several days later, I sat
down and inspected the parts. Many
of the sections were from Japanese
bamboo fly rods sold by the thou-
sands during the Korean War years.
A number were busted and headed
for the “burn pile.” But there were a
few that were salvageable. After ten
minutes of sorting, I realized that I
had matching parts for a complete
fly rod. There were two full length
tips that were missing several snake
guides plus a lot of varnish. The mid
section was in the same condition,
but I could tell what the original col-
or was for the silk wraps and trim.
The butt section was in bad shape.
The single stripper guide was there,
but the reel seat was completely
missing. I could see some cork from
the original reel seat that gave me an
idea of what style the rod maker had
originally used….and there was an
intact manufacturer’s logo that read:
“Ed Cumings Tackle, Flint, Mich.”
plus “#110 Fontinalis”.
Needless to say, I was aston-
ished! I had four pieces of an Ed
Cumings 8-foot light trout rod from
the mid-1930s and a model that I
had never heard of before. I took the
four pieces to Spring Lake, Michi-
gan for my friend, Mike Simcik, to
inspect and to tell me more. Mike
is one of Michigan’s premier wood
and bamboo rod historians, as well
as being one of our state’s finest rod
refinishers.
First of all, “Fontinalis” is one
half of the Latin description for our
native Michigan brook trout. The
entire term is “Salvelinus fontina-
lis”, which makes sense because Ed
Cumings, who designed the rod, was
such an avid trout fisherman. Sec-
ondly, the missing reel seat turned
out to be a “cap and ring with a cork

IT’S SPORT SHOW TIME AGAIN....

barrel” reel seat. Mike set out to find
the correct vintage reel seat, replace
the missing hardened steel snake
guides, find the correct hue for the
Outdoorama, March 1 - 4 silk windings and trim and then
Suburban Collection Showcase- Novi completely revarnish and rebuild the
rod. The Cumings #110 Fontinalis
was a 3-piece 8-foot light trout rod
Ultimate Sport Show, March 15 - 18 with an extra tip that would handle
what is called today a 4-5 weight fly
Devos Place, Grand Rapids line, and the rod was clearly made
by Heddon. The only issue still un-
Dick VanRaalte and I will again be setting up our antique displays at both the Outdoorama in Novi and the answered was that I am missing two
Ultimate Sport Show in Grand Rapids. Ed Cumings catalogs from 1935 and
I will be exhibiting my “Made in Michigan” fishing tackle collection and offering FREE appraisals on old 1936, and therefore I have not been
tackle brought into the show. Dick VanRaalte, from Starboard Marine Restorations in Grand Haven, Michi- able to identify when it was made or
gan, will be exhibiting a display of vintage outboard motors. Dick will also be answering your questions and if the rod was ever cataloged. Was
offering free appraisals. the 8-foot Fontinalis rod a custom
Bring in your father’s or grandfather’s tackle box, old rods and reels, or a vintage outboard motor. We order rod for Ed Cumings or was it
will be happy to answer your questions, as well as offer FREE appraisals. We are also interested in buying old
sporting collectibles for our collections. Please stop by and enjoy our displays. We will see you there! Cumings Fly Rods page 70
WNW NEWS FEBRUARY 2018 69
Extraordinary
Ed Cumings
Fly Rods:
from page 69
from one of the missing catalogs? Above: Dating from about 1937, the Cumings #115 Green-Leaf 8-foot trout rod was finished in a dull
Regardless, it is a beautiful fly rod. forest green rather than a honey brown and retailed for $15. Below: A close-up of the Pre-WWII
Several months later I was
working with a gentleman who had
Cumings trout logo. They switched to an “Arrowhead” logo after WWII.
a number of fishing rods available.
Two of them were early fiberglass
spinning rods from the first part of
the 1950s. Another was a well-used
bamboo fly rod that needed some
work. The last was a fly rod, but
I could not tell anything about it
since it was inside a tan cotton rod
bag with a sewn-on label, which
read: “No. 115 SPECIAL DRY FLY
ACTION, Length 8’ 1 ½ Ferrule came a dull forest green butt section rod finished in forest green. It was in Outdoorama and the Grand Rapids
Weight 4 ½ oz.. Ed. Cumings Inc., with the classic Ed Cumings trout its original cloth bag along with an Ultimate Sports Show!
Flint, Mich.” I untied the bag and logo and marked in a beautiful black extra tip section. The only issue to Feel free to contact the author
carefully slid the butt section out script: “115 Greenleaf.” “$15.00” the rod was that there were faint age at antiquefishing@comcast.net
revealing an iconic Heddon marbled was hand written across the top cracks in the green finish – under- with your questions. Photographs
green Pyralin plastic reel seat. The of the label. This time I was more standable since the rod dated from are important, so please send
cork grip was next, which was than astounded, because what I had between 1935 to 1937. Now, I have them. They help me with identifi-
clean and unfished plus it was spiral in my hands was a never used Ed to wonder what else I might find cation and give me an idea of the
wrapped in early cellophane. Then Cumings 8-foot 3-piece light trout in the next few months at the Novi condition of the item.n

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WNW NEWS FEBRUARY 2018 71
 Trapping Michigan’s weasel
W
eighing in
at between
one and two
ounces the
Least Weasel
is the smallest
of Michigan’s furbearing animals.
And just a tad heavier we have a
full grown ermine weigh-
ing up to a whopping four
ounces and measuring up
to 12 inches long. Both are
referred to as weasels by
trappers, but obviously the
ermine is more sought after
and at times brings a decent
price. In today’s market one
would be better
off finding a taxi-
dermist or crafter By John Chagnon
that wanted the weasel pelts.
The weasel is found throughout
Michigan’s forest, fields and water
edges. There is no closed season on
trapping weasel, but to trap for the
fur it is recommended to trap them
from January to March when their
fur will be all white except the tip
of tail which is black. All weasels
turn brown in the spring and sum-
mer months. The same techniques

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4 Birds $85 per gun
TOWER SHOOTS
On Select Weekends!
See Web For Rates and Dates
Affordable pheasant hunting on 317 acres of
switch grass, dwarf-milo sorgrum, and corn.
Traditional Ringneck Pheasants • Extra birds shot are free.
Morning or afternoon hunts. • Bird Cleaning is available.
Excellent dogs and guides - $60 per 1/2 day.
Brass or Steel shot loads only.
www.affordablepheasanthunting.com
Walkiewicz Farms
6115 Chapin Road • Deford, Michigan 48729
1-989-683-2749
ESTATE SPORTSMAN’S AUCTION
For more information go to
www.BelcherAuction.com or call 269.781.7100 other military rifles from various countries.
72 FEBRUARY 2018 WNW NEWS
to used to catch weasel with in the
winter months will also work in the
summer months. Folks that raise
poultry and rabbits know why you
need to trap weasel in the summer
months too well.
I make Lenon’s Weasel Super
All Call Lure which is definitely
one of the oldest attractants
ever formulated specifi-
cally for the weasel, which
dates way back to 1924.
The first batch I personally
made was in the winter of
2016. That summer while
trapping a farmer’s pond
for snapping turtles while
talking to the
farmer a brown
weasel went right
in front of us. Of course when the
pheasant raising farmer asked me to
terminate the weasel I said I would.
My first nuisance weasel job was
also the first time I was to deploy
the lure I personally made.
A trap was set the first night
lured with Lenon’s Weasel Lure and
to my amazement I received a call
from the farmer the next morning
that the pheasant killing weasel was
caught.
Before you can quickly catch
any weasel you have to find where a
weasel has traveled for sure. Dur-
ing the winter time it is much easier
to find weasel as their tracks let us
know exactly where they have been
traveling. In fact, the best way to
find where to set your weasel traps
is to travel trails and roads several
days after a snowfall and watch for
tracks. A weasel will almost always
return to where it has traveled; it
just may be a week or two until
Mr. Weasel returns. Trapping is a
patience game.
A weasel box set will outper-
form all other weasel trapping sets,
and provides several additional fea-
tures including protecting your trap
during snowfall, keeping birds and
WEDNESDAY
FEBRUARY 7TH, 2018
Coldwater, MI
Selling a fantastic collection of modern
and military firearms plus a collection of
knives, S&W & Colt grip panels, Nazi bladed
weapons, knives and ammo. The military
firearms include numerous WWI and WWII
handguns including lugers from both wars,
P08’s artilleries, Swiss and American eagles,
P38’s, Lahti and Steyr pistols as well as late
19th century German and Swiss revolvers.
Also a number of 1896 Broomhandle pistols in
various configurations and calibers. Most are
in vintage or reproduction leather. There are
M1 Garands and carbines and 1903 rifles and
From January to March weasels will be all white except the tip of tail which is
black. All weasels turn brown in the spring and summer months. MDNR photo
other animals out of your set and be-
ing extremely attractive to a weasel.
There is something about a hole in
a box that a weasel just has to check
out. You can buy a weasel box from
a trapping supply company and use
it for a pattern or search the web for
instructions to construct one. Folks
use one #0, 1, or 1.5 long spring trap
or Victor Rat Traps inside the weasel
box. The trap is set right were the
weasel will enter the box through a
small 1.5” to 2” hole. In the other
side of the box I use Lenon’s Weasel
Super All Call Weasel Lure on a
clump of dried grass to imitate a
mouse nest– the number one food
source for most weasels.
For those that like to make their
own animal lure and bait here is
a recipe that Herb Lenon shared
in his book Raccoon, Opossum,
Skunk and Weasel Trapping 1946.
One ounce each beaver castor and
muskrat musk, 6 weasel musk sacks,
three ounces rotten fish, let it set one
month, stirring often. Use ten drops
on fresh bait of rabbit or chicken.
If you cannot find weasel tracks
along the roadways, put your hik-
ing boots on and search rock piles,
abundant farms, wood and brush
piles, edges of swamps and trails
through the woods. Chances are
you will not have to hike too long
without finding a set of weasel
tracks. Culverts are great places to
look for weasel and they offer some
protection for your weasel boxes. It
is a good idea to wire your weasel
boxes to trees, stakes or something
solid as raccoon can occasionally
reach in the box and get caught.
This usually only happens if you get
a warm spell as most raccoons are
semi-hibernating at the time of the
year you are weasel trapping.
One of the first weasels I ever
saw was while using an outhouse in
a remote U.P. deer camp, it wanted
to keep folks company while they
were doing their business. An old
outhouse by a wood pile in the
middle of the woods is just one good
example of a good weasel location
and mice were everywhere. You are
going to find weasel where you find
food and that is mostly mice.
At times mice will set off your
traps and sometimes get caught,
look at this situation as you just
got some free bait. With mice in
the area the weasel will not be far
behind. I find that when using Victor
Rat Traps I catch more mice than
when I’m using long spring traps.
Remember to use dyed and waxed
traps if possible and obviously set
the tension light as a weasel does
not weigh much.
So when you’re looking for
something to do this winter in the
outdoors consider catching yourself
a Michigan white weasel. And if
you are farmer you just learned a
technique to protect your chickens
or rabbits. Also weasel trapping is
a great way to introduce a young
trapper to the art of trapping. I
posted a few of our catches on
occasions when I took a family
member or friend on the trapline
on our facebook page for pcsout-
doors.
As we wind down on the 2017
and 2018 trapping season I would
like to thank all the folks that let
me know they enjoy my articles
on trapping. More importantly it is
your comments on what you would
like to learn about trapping that will
direct my articles on trapping for
the 2018 and 2019 trapping seasons.
And a special thank you to all the
old timers that shared their knowl-
edge on the art of trapping with me
over the years, especially my dear
friend and fellow trapper Mr. Asa
Lenon.
Watch for my March article on
preparing you for spring beaver
and otter trapping season, during
the time of year when these aquatic
furbearing animals will be on the
move.
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
Bears two ways
M
ost bear hunters
either hunt over bait
or with hounds, but
the Wilde Family
from Howell found
out that double
teaming bruins by employing
both methods can be twice as
effective. Jim Wilde and his
two sons, Lucius and Daw-
son, managed to fill their
tags by using both methods.
Jim got a monster
Charlevoix County bruin
that should be the biggest
taken in the state this year
By Richard P. Smith
while hunting
over bait. Lucius
and Dawson
both scored with the help of hounds
and the one Dawson tagged is also of
trophy proportions.
The black bear that Jim shot on
the evening of September 11 had a
dressed weight of 565 pounds and
would have had a live weight of at
least 650 pounds. Dawson’s bear
tipped the scales at 354 pounds. The
chase for that bear started in Charle-
voix County, but ended up in Emmet
County where Dawson shot it.
Lucius was the first member of the
family to score. He shot his bear in
Charlevoix County after dogs treed it.
That bruin wasn’t weighed.
“We ran dogs in the mornings and
sat baits in the evening,” Wilde said.
He was hunting with his two sons
and some friends who all had tribal
bear tags for the Red Oak Bear Man-
agement Unit. Their hunt started on
September 8.
“We didn’t even know the big one
was there,” Wilde explained. “We had
trail camera photos of smaller bears
on that bait, including one with three
legs, but not the big one.”
The exceptional bruin approached
the bait about 8 p.m. on the 11th.
“That’s a decent bear,” Jim said
he thought to himself when he saw the
animal. “That’s a nice looking bear.
I wonder if it’s the one with three
legs?”
Wilde said he thought about rais-
ing his binoculars to look at the bear
to see if it had three legs.
“A couple of days ear-
lier, a small bear showed up
at the bait and I bumped my
binoculars against my rifle
when trying to get a better
look at that bear. He bolted
right out of there in response
to the sound. I didn’t want
to risk having that happen
again, so I forgot about the
binoculars. I
figured it didn’t
matter whether
it was the 3-legged bear anyway.
“When I looked up again, the
bear was gone. I was wondering
where he went when he reappeared
from behind a couple of trees. Then I
got a better look at him and thought,
Wow. He looks like a really nice
bear.”
Jim was hunting from a treestand
22 yards from the bait the beast was
homing in on. The stand was 18 feet
from the ground. His perch gave him
a good view of the bruin and he de-
cided to take it. He was hunting with a
brand new .338 Federal rifle mounted
with a Leupold tactical scope, part of
which included a red dot sight.
“I put the red dot under his chin
on his chest and eased into the trigger.
When he started to run, I shot him
again in the shoulder.”
The bear barely made it 15 yards
before collapsing after being hit with
a pair of 200-grain Federal Trophy
Copper bullets. Soon afterward, Jim
got a text from a friend who was hunt-
ing about a mile away confirming his
shoot.
Wilde could see the bear was
dead and he had to pick up his bud-
dies, so he climbed down from the
stand and went to his vehicle without
Above:
Jim Wilde’s
monster black
bear that
dressed out at
565 pounds.
Taken hunting
over bait.
Left:
Dawson
Wilde with his
354-pounder
taken hunting
with dogs.
even looking at the bear. When they pounds.
returned and finally looked at the bear, Dawson’s bear is sure to have a
one of Jim’s buddies commented, “I skull large enough to qualify for state
never seen a bear that big, not even in records. Cleaned bear skulls that dry
a zoo!” for 60 days only have to score 18 to
With four men pulling at the qualify for state records maintained
same time, they could only move the by Commemorative Bucks of Michi-
carcass five inches. They eventually gan. The minimum for entry of bear
employed some ropes and vehicles to skulls in Boone & Crockett Records
move the heavyweight bear. is 20. A tally of 21 is required for all-
The big bear’s skull is certain to time listing in Boone & Crockett.
be large enough to qualify for national Jim wants to thank friend Deny
big game records maintained by the Graham from Boyne Falls for the bear
Boone & Crockett Club. It is only the hunting success of he and his sons.
second bear to Jim’s credit. He shot Graham maintained the baits they
his first bear in Dickinson County hunted over and owns the dogs that
about five years ago that weighed 250 they hunted with.n

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WNW NEWS FEBRUARY 2018 73
 

TROPHY PAGE

Conner Uppleger took

Austin Finney of Pinckney his first coyote on Dec. 10 Rich Perry took this black bear
Reid Dejong took this female hunting St. Clair Co. with hunting with guides Jordan and
with his First Smokey Gray dogs. His trophy tipped the Justin Farmer and their dogs in
trophy turkey! coyote hunting near Lowell. scales over 50 lbs. the Gwinn area.

(Top photo)
Brian
Sheridan (in
front) from
Clarkston
took this nice
8-pt. during
bow season
in Roscommon
Co. hunting with
friend Ron Case.
Right; last year
Hunter Cameron, 12, bagged his first Brian won a
bear hunting with three generations of Ryan Hettle of Rochester caught this 35 inch Master An-
Cameron bear hunters. They were hunt- gler lake trout on the Au Sable River pier in Oscoda on a bronze medal in
ing the Newberry Unit with dogs. Cleo. He was up north on a fishing trip with his father. It Rio, Brazil for the
is also his first ever lake trout! U.S.A. in para-
cycling!
Jon Keppel Tate
took his first Caverly
black bear with a nice
hunting pike from
private land Muskegon
in Crawford River
Co. The bruin caught dur-
weighed 225 ing a camp-
pounds. ing trip.

Cooper
SEND
Milbourn of
Vermontville
with his first
US YOUR
turkey taken
in Ingham
Co.
TROPHY Kaylee Johnson, 10, of
Shepherd got her first

PHOTOS
buck after passing up
many this year and last
Robert Benjamin
year. She said it was well harvested this 8-pt.
Megan Sweeney with worth the wait. A 7-pt. Oct. 26. It has a 15 inch
wnw@pageone-inc.com with 16 1/4 inch spread.
a nice doe. spread.
WNW NEWS FEBRUARY 2018 75


TROPHY PAGE

Keegan Koyl learns much from his

Jason Vincent had this trophy buck on his trail cam and
had targeted this buck for the 2017 season. On Nov. 18,
hunting Calhoun Co. he took the trophy with a 450 bush-
master. It will take an expert to score the unique rack of
this record book buck.
parents, Matt and Stacey, who are
both avid hunters and nature enthu-
siasts. He has a great future ahead of
him with all the guidance and sup- Ryan Miller(pictured left) with
port he receives. They look forward
to watching Keegan grow and learn, cousin Art Miller and Ryan’s
improve his skills and knowledge, and 8-point taken in Ingham County
like father like son, become a big buck
on November 4 with a bow.
hunter, and appreciating what our
Great State of Michigan has to offer.

Dennis Boik of Gladwin caught

this 15 inch crappie Dec. 28 in Brooke Hubler has had an outstanding year Dave Burton speared this 39 1/2 inch northern
28 feet of water on a Chartreuse from her first turkey a bearded hen to her in Muskegon Co.
tungsten tear drop, tipped with huge 13-pt. buck now with this hog of a pike
a wax worm. yet another first for her.

Richard
Tuckey Charley
took this Dalman
dandy with his
8-pt. first deer
hunting taken on
Michi- Dec. 9 with
his uncles
gan’s muzzle-
Thumb. loader.

SEND US YOUR PHOTOS Dec. 9 was the lucky day
wnw@pageone-inc.com for Sophia Akin, she took
a nice 7-pt. with a muzzle-
loader in Gratiot Co.
Annalise Clark, 9. of Lowell
took this nice 6-pt. with a
crossbow on Nov. 9 at 20
yards and a perfect shot.

Kristin
Perry
with a
nice doe
Tanner Scott of Rochester taken
Hills took his first turkey,
Jim Lyons of Muskegon near
an 18 pound, bearded hen
hunting in Jackson Co. The took this 5-pt. on Thanks- Tim & Randy Nichols getting it done in Lowell.
hen had a 7 inch beard. giving Day in Manistee Co. Kansas for the 7th year in a row.
76 FEBRUARY 2018 WNW NEWS
 Live Bait
Vending Machines
I
n 2002, Nicholas Gomez
of Cadillac read about
a vending machine that
sold live bait. After doing
extensive research in the
years leading up to 2012,
he decided to capitalize on the
opportunity of offering tackle and
fresh live bait 24 hours a day. “I had
always wanted to own a traditional
bait and tackle store,” he said. “But
I knew doing so would mean a great
deal of overhead in both time and
finances.
“I felt I could extend my al-
ready existing online retail
presence selling fishing
tackle and live bait through
vending machines. When
I purchased my first 24
Hour Sportsman Live Bait
Vending machine, I knew I
could have the best of both
worlds as an online retailer
and a retail bait
shop operator.”
Village
By Sharon Kennedy
Tackle LLC is a
family owned business with Nicho-
las at the helm, his wife Rebecca as
first mate and their 14 year old son,
Carlos, as chief inspector of worms.
When a shop owner agrees to have
Nicholas place a machine outside
his store front, Nicholas sets it up,
services and repairs it, and trouble-
shoots any problems. The owner
also gets a commission on sales.
“April 15th through Labor Day
is our busiest time,” Nicholas said.
“We stock and service many ma-
chines in various counties including
Wexford, Benzie, Grand Traverse,
Lake, Clare, and Osceola. We buy
the bait wholesale and package it
in traditional blue bait cups avail-
able in 8, 12, and 16 ounce sizes.
Every week I travel and restock the
machines as needed. On weekends
and during the summer Carlos helps
with quality control. He’s learning a
lot about running a business through
hands-on experience, and I mean
that literally. It’s often Carlos who
opens the cups, puts a finger in, and
checks for healthy worms.”
After hearing from Nicholas, I
immediately emailed Gary Harsel
of Morgantown, PA. He’s the fellow
who sold Nicholas his first machine.
Gary developed the concept and
configuration of live bait vending
machines to what they are today.
He’s been in the live bait vending
industry since 1997. He said he saw
the original bait vendor advertised
in a fishing magazine and as he put
it, “I knew I was on to something,
but there were shortcomings with
the model so I developed our new
style in 2005.
“The old machine only offered
six selections. With our new version,
customers can vend nightcrawlers,
minnows, red worms, meal and wax
worms, and spikes, as well as all
sorts of sports items, up to 43 selec-
tions. Three years ago we developed
the Frozen 24-Hour Bait Box. It’s
our saltwater fishing bait model. It’s
quickly become a big hit along the
coastal area.” Gary can be reached
at www.livebaitvending.com.
I couldn’t quite believe there
was a demand for vending
machine bait in Michigan,
but from conversations
with Nicholas and Gary, I
learned that the days of dig-
ging in the dirt for worms
is fast becoming an activity
appealing only to young
children. If a fisherman
wants bait after
the bait shops
close, a vending
machine is the
answer.
Unlike typical machines that
dispense candy bars, soda pop, and
other snacks, the live bait vendor is
built to withstand the challenges of
weather and vandals. The specs call
it an “Energy efficient brute weigh-
ing 975 pounds complete with a
high security outdoor package, anti-
pry covers, lock cover, rain guards,
and a credit card reader. A factory
installed alarm system and a heater
kit that allows for operation on the
coldest days of the year are standard
features at no extra cost. Heated
glass eliminates fog buildup on the
front of the machine.”
I asked Nicholas what kind of
bait he sells. “We sell a variety of
live bait that caters to the general
fisherman including wax worms,
spikes, wigglers, slip float, and Ex-
tra Bright Maggots,” he said. “And
we change our bait selection based
on the fishing seasons. The key to
keeping live bait fresh and active is
to regularly check on the product.
Every week I meticulously check
each bait cup to ensure that the
product is fresh and alive. This type
of quality control is labor intensive,
but it ensures the fisherman is get-
ting the best in premium fresh live
bait.
“The 24 Hour Sportsman keeps
a constant temperature of 45 de-
grees. Bait prices vary depending on
what customers select.
“It’s not unusual for me to check
out various locations like gas sta-
tions and convenience stores where I
If a fisherman wants bait or tackle after the bait shops close, a
vending machine is the answer.
think owners might benefit from
one of our machines. I have been
known to check the bait coolers
inside locations and see if we can
provide a better service and product
to fishermen. Many location own-
ers are excited to hear our proposal
and how we can partner together to
service the fishing customer base.
“In the fall, we stock a large
selection of preserved minnows
and spawn bags for steelheads and
salmon. Towards the first of Oc-
tober when fishing tapers off, our
machines give us the opportunity
to stock deer scent as well as other
items like broadheads for the bow
and arrow hunter. Basic supplies
like hooks, bobbers, and sinkers
are always available. The primary
purpose is live bait and tackle, but
other options like the ones I men-
tioned are worth looking into. It’s
important to sell what people want
any time of the year and to give
them options.
“With many small, independent
bait shops going out of business and
convenience stores lacking indoor
floor space, our machine meets the
needs of the local fishing commu-
nity. The 24 hour bait boxes have
been a big hit in Cadillac and the
surrounding areas. I’ve placed some
machines where folks would least
expect to find them like at camp-
grounds. For people who haven’t
seen one, they think it’s a novelty.
They’re flabbergasted but once they
see how convenient it is and the
freshness of the bait, they become
regular users.”
As far as Nicholas knows, the
machine has yet to cross the Macki-
nac Bridge. He wasn’t aware of
vending bait machines making it
this far north, but he’s always look-
ing for new leads.
However, I have a theory. We
Yoopers are a hardy bunch. We
don’t mind buying Snickers or Pep-
si, a bag of potato chips, or a vanilla
drumstick from a vending machine.
We might even be tempted to buy a
tuna fish sandwich on white bread,
but worms? Maggots? Minnows?
You’ve got to be kidding. That
would take all the fun out of bond-
ing with our kids on warm summer
nights, flashlights in hand, empty
soup cans ready to be filled with dirt
and plump, wiggly nightcrawlers
just waiting to be plucked from the
earth and hung on the end of a hook.
Gary Harsel was telling me he
recently sold three Frozen 24 Hour
Bait Boxes in the Anchorage area.
We’re talking Alaska, folks. We’re
talking the last frontier, majestic
wilderness, and 34,000 coastline
miles. And now we’re talking frozen
bait machines?
I’m still scratching my head
over that one and wondering when
all the fun of looking for worms
underneath rocks and boards went
out of style. I guess I’m hopelessly
stuck in the 20th century. Hurry,
somebody, and give me swift kick
into the new millennium. I can’t stay
in 1999 forever.
Nicholas Gomez can be reached
at 231-846-8484 or through Village
Tackle LLC website www.villg-
tackle.com for further information
on the 24-Hour Sportsman Bait &
Tackle or the 24-Hour Frozen Bait
Box.n
WNW NEWS FEBRUARY 2018 77
 WATERFOWL POACHING
W
aterfowl
poaching has
been around
for a very long
time. At one-
time water-
fowl was commercially hunted and
sold in Michigan as well as other
states. As time progressed and their
numbers dropped, laws were enact-
ed to stop the overharvest of
waterfowl and put bag limits
and seasons on waterfowl
and end the commercialized
hunting of waterfowl.
My career as a conserva-
tion officer started in Wayne
and Monroe Counties in
1980. Most people wouldn’t
think there was
a lot of water-
fowl hunting in By Jeff Pendergraff
metro Detroit area and they would
be wrong. There is a major flyway
from Canada that covers Lake Hu-
ron, the Detroit River right through
Lake Erie. There is a very long his-
tory of people hunting waterfowl in
this area, from the DNR’s waterfowl
What’s In Your
Ol d Tac k l e B ox ??
? ?
??
Terry
McBurney,
Woods-n-
Water News
staff writer and
fishing tackle
historian, will
be setting up his
antique fishing
tackle displays at
the Outdoorama
in Novi and the
Ultimate Sports
Show in Grand Rapids.
With a lifetime of
experience in the fishing
industry and author of
many magazine articles
on antique tackle, he will
be answering questions
and offering free
appraisals at each show.
COME IN AND MEET THE EXPERTS
Novi Outdoorama Grand Rapids Ultimate Sports Show
Booth 5150 Booth #50 in The Grand Gallery
March 1-4, 2018
Suburban Collection Showcase
Novi, Michigan Grand Rapids, Michigan
78 FEBRUARY 2018 WNW NEWS
managed area on Harsens Island
located in the St. Clair River to
another DNR managed area located
at Point Mouille which is located on
the border of Wayne and Monroe
Counties where the Detroit River
meets Lake Erie. There is extensive
waterfowl hunting all along the
Lake Erie coastline all the way to
Ohio.
Being raised in Flint I
had no idea of the amount
of waterfowl that came
through this area each fall
and the amount of water-
fowl hunters who hunted
these waters. Most of my
waterfowl hunting was done
on small bodies of water
jump shooting
ducks. I was
about to learn
how many people waterfowl hunted
on big bodies of water.
In 1980 there wasn’t a lot of
deer in Wayne and Monroe Counties
like there is today. Almost everyone
in this area went north to hunt deer.
We as conservation officers working
Joining him
will be Dick
VanRaalte
of Starboard
Marine
Restorations,
Grand Haven,
Michigan who will
exhibit part of his
collection of vintage
outboard motors.
With over 20 years of
experience restoring
old outboards, as well
as wood and fiberglass
boats, VanRaalte will also
be answering questions
and offering free
appraisals. They are also
interested in buying old
sporting collectibles for
their collections.
March 15-18, 2018
DeVos Place
58 ducks taken illegally over bait!
this area (there were eight officers
and one sergeant) spent most of
our deer season working waterfowl
hunters instead of deer hunters
because there were so many people
hunting waterfowl during deer sea-
son and the migration of waterfowl
was in full swing. Our deer season
didn’t really start until everyone
returned home from deer hunting up
north.
There were several different
methods used to hunt waterfowl in
southeast Michigan. Some would
hunt over decoys off many of the
islands in the Detroit River. Some
hunted local ponds, lakes, some
used layout boats, some hunters
use the DNR’s waterfowl managed
hunting units such as Harsens Island
and Point Mouille for the early
morning draw or a second afternoon
Licensed Shooting Preserve
Mayville, MI
(989) 843-6576
• Dogs with Guides Available
• Open 7 Days A Week
• Fields With Excellent Cover &
Safety Fields In Between
• Birds Released After You Arrive
• No Gun Or Membership Fees
Located 17 Miles North of Lapeer
www.jankspheasantfarm.com
• Clubhouse
• Bird Cleaning
• Morning And Afternoon
Hunts
• Extra Birds Shot are Free
• Gift Certificates Available
hunt draw.
The threat of lead poisoning
from spent shot changed the law
prior to 1980 making it illegal to
possess or hunt waterfowl with lead
shot shells. It took a very long time
to educate hunters on this, I mean
a very long time. Every day you
worked waterfowl hunters for the
first several years you were ticketing
people for using or possessing lead
shot shells. Not just a few, but many
times, they would have several
boxes and sometimes cases of lead
shot shells with them while hunting
waterfowl.
Once in the early 1980s I had
received a RAP (report all poaching)
complaint about a crew of water-
fowl hunters hunting off a small
island in the Detroit River just off
shore in the city of Ecorse, the bor-
der between Michigan and Ontario,
Canada. In many areas, the river
isn’t that wide, you could even swim
it, but I wouldn’t recommend it. It
has a very strong current, hundreds
of boats are on it at any given time
and freighters use it.
The complaint was waterfowl
season in Michigan was closed, but
it was still open in Ontario. How-
ever, they were clearly hunting in
Michigan. I just hid my patrol car
and observed the crew hunt until it
was dark. I watched them pack up
and head back to the boat launch
site in Ecorse. They had a great day
of hunting ducks and were very
successful. I waited until they had
their boat on the trailer and out of
the water before I approached them,
this way they couldn’t take off back
into the Detroit River and dump
anything illegal they may have.
They first denied they were
hunting in Michigan. Finally, they
owned up to it after I told them I
had been watching them for a few
hours. They finally admitted they
were going to go to Ontario to hunt
when they realized some of them
didn’t have the proper Ontario hunt-
ing licenses.
After I recovered several ducks
(restitution $500 per duck) I located
several military ammo boxes full
of lead shot shells from the boat.
I asked why so many shells and
why lead shot. They said that they
wanted to be prepared and steel shot
didn’t work as well as lead shot!
Waterfowl hunting was very big
during that time period. We spent
hundreds of hours working water-
fowl hunters because there were so
many hunters and so many birds. If
you were assigned to work you most
likely spent at least part if not all
day working waterfowl hunters.
Normally the season ran Sep-
tember through December and the
weather would be nice in September
and early October, but it could get
real nasty in November and Decem-
ber on the Detroit River and Lake
Erie. There used to be a late bluebill
season for most of December. Only
the hardest of waterfowl hunters
were out because the weather could
be bad on the Detroit River. It was
a productive time to be out if you
were a conservation officer. Most
poachers would think it was too
nasty for the COs to be out and you
could find a lot of violations.
One nasty day I was out with
CO Larry Epskamp and we were
looking for waterfowl hunters. It
was very cold, very windy and
snowing very hard. There were
officers.
On one deer season opener CO
Epskamp conducted a waterfowl
patrol on the Detroit River and sur-
prised many waterfowl hunters who
figured with the deer opener all COs
would be working deer hunters. CO
Epskamp ended up with 18 cases,
several for over limits of waterfowl.
We had many cases of hunters
breasting out ducks and hiding them
among the decoys or other places
because they shot too many. Loaded
shotguns in their boats, marine
safety, no plugs in their shotguns
and not having the correct licenses
were most common types of viola-
tions.
Shooting after hours was one
of the more difficult violations to
catch. There is a start time and end
time for shooting for every day
during the waterfowl season. The
law was enacted to control harvest
numbers; closer to dark, the more
the ducks would come flying in to
your decoys.
Twice during my eight years
in Wayne and Monroe Counties I
caught three different crews shoot-
ing late at the same time. Once on
a small lake on the county line near
I-275. I was working by myself
watching all three crews shoot late
with my binoculars. I wrote down
the time of each shot and their
description and how many ducks
they shot. There was only one way
out and I just waited for each crew
as they made their way back to their
vehicles. With the aid of a Michigan
State Trooper from the Flat Rock
Post I could search everyone, seize
the waterfowl and lead shot and is-
sue citations.
My second case was on the
Detroit River and with the aid of
another CO we could watch and
write down the same information
having boats it made this operation
a little more difficult. It takes a lot
of time to gather up your decoys
in the Detroit River, which helped
out. I was dropped off on the island
with the two crews and I contacted
the smaller group and gathered their
driver’s licenses, then moved to the
next crew. Meanwhile my partner
headed to the other island and con-
tacted the third crew. By the time
we were done it was a late night
for everyone. But a very reward-
ing night, being able to catch three
crews all late shooting with boats on
the Detroit River was a very good
night!
One type of violating that wa-
terfowl hunters use that is perhaps
the most productive is hunting over
bait. It’s not a very common type
of poaching but when I have caught
people doing it, normally they had a
lot of ducks.
In 2016 Conservation Officers
Dave Rodgers and Chris Simp-
son received a RAP complaint at
7:38 a.m. of an immense amount
of shooting during the waterfowl
opener in Michigan’s south zone.
Officers found four men with over
200 pounds of corn being used as
bait and 58 dead ducks. There were
Guns and other merchandise from quality manufactures such as:
Ruger, Smith & Wesson, Benelli
and much more.
35 wood ducks, 23 mallards, includ-
ing 13 hen mallards. The poachers
weren’t using decoys or calling the
waterfowl in, they were just shoot-
ing them as they came in to feed.
They shot 58 ducks in a very short
period of time.
All of them pled guilty and were
ordered to pay $5000 each and a
$10 conservation fee for a total of
$20,040 (restitution per duck was
$500). They were also ordered to
pay fines of $880 each and lost their
hunting privileges for the next three
years. They were put on probation
for 18 months and a 90-day jail
sentence was held over their heads
in case they violated their probation.
They also forfeited their firearms!
Nice job COs, prosecutor’s office
and judge. Most important was the
citizen who placed the call to the
RAP line.
Waterfowl hunting is a great
sport and lots of fun with a very
long history in our state. But, like
everything else we have rules. When
you see someone poaching, report
it. The fish and game belong to all
of us.
Author is Jeff Pendergraff,
retired Captain from the DNR’s Law
Enforcement Division.n
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WNW NEWS FEBRUARY 2018 79
Take advantage of the post season
to scout new hunting grounds
O
n the morning of
November 11, I was
nestled into a large
cherry tree well
before daybreak.
The woods were
drenched from the previous day’s
rain making the woods dead quiet.
After such an intense rain during the
peak of the rut I knew this morn-
ing was going to be good. With the
wind in my favor I felt confident
that I would see some buck activity
this morning. With just an hour of
hunting light behind me I glanced
over my shoulder and saw a nice 10
point looking at an unusual bump
on the tree, me. I couldn’t believe it;
he was only 18 yards away. After a
long stare down he accepted me as
an annoying squirrel and continued
down his path.
I did everything I could to regain
my composure, this one rattled me.
I quickly swung into action and
prepared for the opportunity. The
buck already moved through my
shooting lane and was starting to
move down the hillside. Coming
to full draw I needed to quickly
pick a small hole among the tangle
of brush. Everything was
happening so fast and he
was nearly gone, quartering
away at 30 yards. I focused
on his shoulder and settled
my pin.
The moment I squeezed
the trigger I knew my shot
was off. The adrenaline
rush of buck fever
By Brian Miller
got the better of me
and I clean missed.
This was my first morning of a
three-day archery hunt on a new
hunting property. What a moment!
Although that shot didn’t turn out
with a dead buck, the encounter
came together because of the many
hours of scouting done almost 10
months earlier. It’s always this time
of the year that I’m assessing my
hunting ground and thinking about
the next year, along with my an-
nual hunting travels which take me
to new hunting property in faraway
locations both on public and private
chunks of ground.
Traveling to new states and
properties to hunt every year has
taught me how to quickly and ef-
fectively scout. Most hunts on the
road only last three to five days
and usually only allow for one to
two days of scouting during the off
season. There is no time to fine tune
my stands after a couple hunts. The
exact right tree needs to be selected
right away or I come home empty
handed. Because of this constraint I
80 FEBRUARY 2018 WNW NEWS
approach scouting very differently. I
take an extremely targeted approach
to scouting. I need to understand
the whole property and quickly fine
tune that to the most important loca-
tions that will hold a concentration
of whitetails.
When hunting property close to
home, I have the luxury to go back
and scout it over and over again.
This is extremely effective but not
always feasible. Let’s get into the
most effective ways to scout so you
can be in the exact right tree on the
first hunt.
Mapping Tools
Scouting during the off season is
more than just a walk in the woods.
It’s very targeted and defined around
high quality locations. The off
season is a time to sort out the best
travel routes, exactly where bucks
are bedded, doe bedding areas, and
deer sign that indicates a cluster of
deer activity.
When looking over property on
your couch through a mapping tool,
time is on your side. You can look
over the terrain features again and
again regardless of how far away
the property is from your
home. Most often I have a
hunting partner review the
same maps and provide his
perspective. Combining
several different perspec-
tives allows us to combine
our knowledge and pick the
best locations before even
stepping foot on the prop-
erty.
Combining the
use of topographical
maps and aerial photography has
allowed me to get terrain changes,
thickness of the area, and cover
type. It’s easy to identify swamps,
cover change, and terrain changes.
Often aerial photography has vari-
ous different years of photographs
during both summer and winter
months. Looking at those different
pictures allows hunters to see inside
the tree canopy and how much the
forest changes between the differ-
ent photographs. Combine these
views with the maps you have on
your smartphone to pinpoint areas
that show significant deer sign when
walking the property.
Maybe I am a bit old school, but
I have decades of notes, manually
written printed maps with tons of
details. After compiling notes, those
details help you understand the
bigger picture on how deer use the
property. Looking at bedding areas,
rub lines, terrain, and other features
quickly allows travel routes to begin
to form.
Finding a couple big gnarly rubs in a tight funnel will get any white-
tail hunter excited.
Using maps helps me look over
property remotely time and time
again. Many mapping tools allow
me to zoom in to get a fine level of
detail. I can even review neighbor-
ing property to see how the terrain
on their ground impacts deer move-
ment on my side of the fence.
Boots on the Ground
One of the most exciting parts
about whitetail hunting is all the
hard work done before the hunt. It’s
not just shooting a buck; it’s every-
thing leading up to the hunt. A big
part of this journey includes hours
of putting boots on the ground,
deciphering deer sign and terrain.
It comes down to narrowing down
thousands of trees in the forest to
that exact one right tree to set up a
treestand.
The first moment I walk onto a
new property I visually look at the
terrain and cover. I want to under-
stand if this matches what I ex-
pected after scouring the maps. The
undercover can look different and
land could have been changed since
the aerial photographs were taken.
Then I jump right into walking the
outer boundary. I start with the outer
boundary to give me context of what
I will encounter inside the property.
This also provides information on
the surrounding property, most im-
portantly neighboring hunting pres-
sure. While walking the boundaries
I’m marking anything significant on
my GPS and physical map.
After walking the boundaries,
I head for locations that I already
identified. These are locations that I
have already marked as areas of in-
terest from my homework. Funnels,
points, swamps, changing terrain,
and any significant terrain features
are high on my list. Walking to these
locations and then scouting the
connecting locations often proves if
what I saw on the map and deer sign
align. At times what looks good on
the map is not a good hunting loca-
tion. In these situations the terrain,
forest cover, or hunting pressure is
often the culprit causing a location
to be less than ideal. Boots on the
ground is the only way to confirm or
bust a location.
Once I validate a location has
good deer traffic and rut activity I
follow all the sign and travel routes
in every direction. I want to know
where the deer are going and where
they are coming from. It’s important
to do this on all the trails that are
passing through these locations.
I’m specifically looking for
clusters of sign where everything
funnels down to within bow range.
After three decades of preparing
stands, I start to get a feeling when
I’m scouting. That feeling comes
when I see some significant fresh
sign, a thick cover, multiple terrain
features funneling down activity,
and rut sign. It’s not always all of
those things combined but the more
combinations along with a higher
concentration of deer activity is
ideal. That is when I start to get ex-
Scouting page 82
 Michigan Deer Camp Traditions…By Jake Dykstra
Lost in Manistee County
T
here is a distinct, yet
intangible draw that
deer hunting stirs
within your inmost
being. It is a force that
temporarily destructs
all barriers of time. Deer hunting is
indifferent to the problems of life,
and it cares not about the workload
waiting on the desk to be completed
in the upcoming week. When you
step into the realm of deer hunting,
a completely different world lays
before you. As the days grow colder
and the daylight hours begin to
wane, the urge to travel to your own
personal time capsule increases.
This feeling cannot be neglected.
There is only one true response that
will cure this insatiable desire to
become part of something mysti-
cally greater than what everyday
life can offer. You must leave time
constraints behind and go to deer
camp.
Many a hunter has taken the
picturesque M-37 color tour up
north to deer camp in the fall. The
drive alone is enough to detach
yourself from the monotony of life.
No matter how many annual treks
one takes to deer camp, this scenic
color tour invokes a giddiness inside
that takes you back to your youth
regardless of your age. For over two
decades now, avid deer hunters and
close knit family members Walt,
Jim, and Al have established this
drive as the highway to their hunting
grounds in Manistee County. Now
M-37 may be a fairly easy road to
navigate, but once off the beaten
path, reaching this Michigan deer
camp is nigh unto impossible. One
turn after another on unkempt dirt
roads, and when you think you have
arrived, still you must travel deeper
into the uninhabited forests of Man-
istee. It’s as if you must get lost in
order to find this wonderful place.
Having spent the majority of their
lives hunting, fishing, kayaking and
camping in the Manistee National
forest, navigating the maze of back-
roads has become second nature to
them. When the opportunity came
to permanently establish deer camp
there, they didn’t hesitate to make
that decision.
It was in 1996 when the trio es-
tablished deer camp on 10 acres, just
north of Tippy Dam. With nearly
30,000 acres of adjacent state and
federal land, this little parcel was
the perfect place to establish their
base. Within the first year, Walt, Jim,
and Al set out to build a two story
cabin capable of housing their many
family members and hunting guests.
They settled on top of a hill, build-
ing inconspicuously behind a large
pine grove, keeping the cabin virtu-
ally unseen from the dirt road. The
landowners’ intentions for the floor
plan were twofold; create a living
room where you could still be one
with the wildlife from the comforts
of an easy chair, and create a social
atmosphere for hosting large groups
of family and friends. As you open
the front door and walk through the
mudroom, you gaze down a hall
where immediately you are faced
with the dilemma of enjoying a seat
at the long kitchen bar, the large
round dining room table, or melt-
ing into one of the many easy chairs
found in the incredibly spacious liv-
ing room. Tempting as the kitchen
bar may have been, when presented
with the warmth of the wrought
iron wood stove surrounded by the
living room furniture, the deci-
sion had already been made. When
these luxuries afford the privilege
to watch 3 acres of cleared ground
that bears a large deer feeder and a
watering hole to draw in wildlife,
you simply cannot help but feel you
are one with the surroundings.
As you sit down, however, it’s
as if the cabin begins to speak to
you. Whitetail deer, mule deer, and
goose mounts cover the walls, every
creature begging to be the center of
conversation and the opportunity
to tell its story. Impressive as these
specimens may be, it is impossible
to miss the greatest storytelling
piece of all. Two large, rough cut
wooden beams span the length of
the entire living room. Covering
these beams are dozens of 6” x 9”
pictures frames, each containing a
priceless memory of a successful
deer hunt that took place on their
property over the past 20 years.
From trophy spikes to wide-racked
ten points, every smile marks the
cover page of a timeless story. Just
above the beams hang dozens of
plaques of the same deer displayed
in the pictures. Covered in black
velvet fabric with each antler base
adorned in gold rope, the plaques
and their pictures provide hours of
evening narratives that captivate
both young and old alike.
Although Walt, Jim, and Al
are all excellent hunters, each has
developed a very unique hunt-
ing style that presents a variety of
fireside stories that would be almost
unbelievable anywhere else. But we
all know that when a deer camp has
been established in a mystical place,
indescribable things are bound to
happen.
Having spent nearly a decade
in Colorado, Jim has developed a
strong appreciation for open spaces
and breathtaking scenery. Armed
with his professional grade camera,
Jim has earned the deer camp repu-
Al with his first ever eight-point, taken at a young age of 85 years.
tation of taking some of the most pictures, while Walt and Al enjoyed
unimaginable shots. His favorite the comforts of the fire and the view
place to sit is a clearing located in from inside. Al, sitting closest to the
the center of a grove of Jack Pines. window, suddenly stood erect and
Only 75 yards from the cabin, the whispered, “Walt! Slowly, look out-
clearing holds a lush green food side your window!” As Walt peered
plot garnished with a large feeder in over top of the window sill from
the center. A box blind sits tucked his easy chair, a large bear suddenly
inside a large brush pile right off of stood straight up, looking Walt
the driveway, and has been perfect straight in the eyes separated only
for a quick, quiet evening approach. by a window pane! Immediately the
It would be wrong to assume that bear settled down on all fours, and
Jim has not been successful sitting began to meander around the front,
so close to the cabin. Jim has taken where Jim stood outside, pres-
some of the greatest trophies on ently on the phone. Just as the bear
this property from that very blind. rounded the corner, Jim opened the
Jim has snapped some of the most cabin door. Jim never knew the bear
spectacular pictures of deer, eagles, was eavesdropping on his conversa-
bears and their cubs, bobcats, fox, tion just a few feet away.
coyotes, and even his most recent When you become a part of
trophy, a beautiful picture of a deer camp, you must be willing to
young, piebald whitetail buck. As accept that you may never be alone.
many hunters know, not every hunt Al, the elder of the three and also
is deemed successful by the amount recognized as the wiser of the three,
of deer sightings. More often than recently relearned this little fact on
not, the wildlife sees you before a morning hunt. In a slightly weaker
you can see them. Not long ago moment, Al cracked open the door
Jim stepped out of his blind, and to his ground blind and sat down,
unbeknownst to him, found himself as most hunters would do, waiting
trapped between a large sow and for the first light to crest the hori-
her two cubs. Electing to stand still zon. With his love for the quietness
and wait for the bears to make the and the tranquility of the woods, Al
first move, Jim remained motionless could not seem to locate the subtle
for what seemed like an eternity. rustling sounds coming from his
The two cubs, however, made the blind. Pointing his flashlight in the
first move, and ran perpendicular to direction of the shuffling, Al discov-
Jim, allowing the sow space to run ered that he would be either sharing
around and not through Jim! the shelter of the box blind with a
Jim is not the only one that friendly porcupine, or be forced to
maintains a track record with the leave to find another blind temporar-
local bear population. Early one ily. Not all members of the woods,
afternoon, Jim went out to sit in his
box blind to read and take some Lost in Manistee page 82
WNW NEWS FEBRUARY 2018 81
Scouting new hunting spots:
from page 80
tremely excited about the potential.
After getting a good understand-
ing of that location I move onto
the next locations that I have pre-
marked on my maps. I bounce from
place to place repeating my targeted
scouting until I have visited every
location.
Ranking Stand Locations
After scouting each location I
rank them from highest to lowest
potential. It is imperative to scout
the entire property before setting
any treestands. It is easy to get
excited when you find a couple big,
gnarly rubs. The kind that have lots
of broken brush and deep groove
marks made from a truly mature
whitetail. However, what you think
is a hot stand location might lead
into a much better spot that inter-
sects several additional deer trails.
Rank the stands from highest to
lowest. With limited hunting time
scheduled, I only want to hunt tree-
stands that provide me daylight big
buck activity. I never want to hunt a
place that is just okay or a second-
ary treestand. So many hunters settle
for inferior locations; I just cannot
settle. If I don’t have a high quality
treestand and have the confidence in
that exact location then I will never
put in the hours on stand.
Deer hunting is both physically
and mentally tough. Sitting all day
in the cold, windy conditions is not
worth it unless you have the con-
fidence of seeing a buck that will
make your heart skip.
Lost in Manistee County:
from page 80
however, are so friendly. A few
years prior, Al was making his way
to a makeshift ground blind built
in the woods. When he arrived late
in the afternoon, he found his deer
blind completely remodeled by an
unforgiving bear guarding his terri-
tory, which Al had infringed upon.
You simply never know what guests
may be sharing your deer camp at
any given moment.
On the eve of opening day of
rifle season, it is a tradition at the
cabin to host a large dinner for
many welcomed guests, be it fam-
ily, friends, or neighbors. Walt has
settled into the role as the camp
chef. On such a sacred evening,
only the best spread of steak and
potatoes will do, which Walt happily
cooked for 16 hungry deer campers
last year. Once everyone has left the
table bellies full, the cards come out,
and the rest of the evening is spent
socializing and bonding with one
another. Walt’s opening morning
comes a bit earlier than the oth-
82 FEBRUARY 2018 WNW NEWS
Picking the Exact Tree
After all that work now comes
the hardest part of scouting. It’s time
to narrow a general hunting loca-
tion down to the exact right tree.
When scouting I’m always looking
for a tree that is within thirty yards
of every runway. I never want to be
on the trail, which is too close. Stay
on the downwind side of the major-
ity of the sign. I often hunt with a
tree saddle making my setup highly
portable and flexible. This type of
a setup allows me to hunt the best
location which is very different than
hunting the best tree.
It’s so important to find a tree
that can be accessed without cross-
ing your deer trails and be placed
on the downwind side. If I have to
cross deer trails I make it as few as
possible. And never do I cross the
primary deer trail that has lots of
doe activity. Whitetails have out-
standing noses and crossing trails is
a recipe for disaster.
I want a tree that has some type
of cover or backdrop. It’s important
to avoid being silhouetted. Oak trees
hold their cover much longer and
are outstanding trees for hunting. If
leaf cover is not possible then larger
branches, clusters of trees or larger
tree trunks are ideal. Without any
of those options, then going extra
high is your next best choice. Make
sure deer are walking past you; deer
walking directly at you will cause
them to quickly spot you in the tree;
another headache that you’ll want to
ers. At 4 a.m. the aroma of freshly
brewed coffee, bacon, eggs, biscuits
and gravy arouse the weary hunt-
ers who may have misjudged when
bedtime should have been.
Despite his assumed chef
responsibilities, Walt still has a
reputation for being a die-hard
hunter. On one cold, wintery day, in
blizzard-like conditions, Walt asked
his grandson if he’d like to go out
for an afternoon’s hunt. “No one
would ever see anything in this,”
was the reply. So off Walt went,
finding a group of pines to sit under,
sheltering him from the wind and
snow. Ten minutes later Walt rested
his crosshairs on a large eight point
buck, dropping it in its tracks. Arriv-
ing back at the cabin not 20 minutes
after he left, Walt opened the door
and asked, “Who’s going to help
me drag back my buck?” To which
Walt’s grandson dumbfoundedly
replied, “You have to be kidding
me Grandpa!” The young hunter-in-
training learned a valuable lesson
Spend the extra time to pick the exact right tree that takes advantage
of the wind, cover, and stand entry.
avoid. ing part is when I’m scouting new
Even after spending all of this property. On new ground you never
time picking the right tree I am know what you’ll find; the next
always open to a quick move. If awesome treestand location or a
deer are out of range after my initial buck of a lifetime. Scouting by us-
hunt then I’m moving. Even moving ing maps, then putting boots on the
a couple trees over can make a huge ground, ranking each location, then
difference. I often find after a season finally selecting the exact right tree
of hunting that fine-tuning a stand is will make you an extremely effec-
necessary. It might be a great stand tive whitetail hunter.
but I’m not willing to settle until it’s You’re no longer walking
in the perfect location. through the woods hoping to find
Conclusion something interesting. Instead the
Postseason scouting is a sig- time spent is a calculated approach
nificant part of the deer hunting and extremely accurate. You’re
journey. This is the time of the year pinpointing what should be the hot-
when I have the luxury to spend as test locations beforehand giving you
much time as needed figuring out extra time to fine-tune the exact tree
how to become a more successful you want to spend hours hunting
whitetail hunter. The most excit- during the November whitetail rut.n
that day; when the woods is calling,
you undoubtedly must go.
This past year has brought a
few changes for this Michigan deer
camp. Al decided he would take up
bowhunting. On an afternoon hunt
in November, he sat patiently in
his box blind. At 5 p.m. Al caught
a flash of movement through the
poplars; an eight point, sauntering
slowly through the brush. At 38
yards, Al pulled the trigger on his
crossbow. A short track job later
provided this 85-year young man his
first ever eight-point. Upon hang-
As you sit down this deer camp begins
ing the trophy buck on the buck to speak to you. Whitetail deer, mule
pole, Walt’s eight year old grandson deer, and goose mounts cover the
excitedly asked, “Was that on your walls, every creature begging to be the
bucket list?” There’s not a better center of conversation.
way for the old to become young
again. out to all past and present military
Last year was also the first year members who have taken up the
that two of Walt’s grandsons were call defend our country. Without
not able to be a part of deer camp your service, we as Michigan deer
due to their active duty in the mili- campers realize that we wouldn’t
tary. Although greatly missed, Walt, have been blessed with the wonder-
Al, and Jim could not be more proud ful gift of time or the opportunity to
of their willingness to serve their enjoy the freedom of the woods this
country, and they look forward to great State offers. On behalf of all
hunting with them once again after the Michigan hunters, thank you for
their service. your service, and God Bless you and
Our thoughts and prayers go your families.n
 Woods-N-Water News Classified Section
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in Michigan. 989-839-4846. M-4- weberssawmill.com. www.buyer- year-end amount. I walked across U.S. 705-869-3272 www.texasand- Reroy with National Champion
14-TFN softimber.com. W-1-3 Mackinac Bridge year 1982, 1983 sons.com H-10-12-17 Shadow Oak Bo! Sweet cuddle
.............................................. .............................................. and 1985 $15.00 each. Call 989- .............................................. bugs, all business in the field. Not
504-4809. FS-2-1 high strung. Loves kids easily
.............................................. trained!! 248-202-2620 D-2-1
To reach an immense outdoor market use the . . . REAL ESTATE ..............................................

Woods-N-Water News Classified FISHING

PRIME 50 ACRES IN
HILLSDALE COUNTY, MI. GERMAN SHORTHAIR
Classified ad rates: $30 for the first 20 words Numerous hunting blinds and tree POINTER PUPPIES,
AKC, solid liver. Available
Every word over 20 is .25¢ per word -- Box your classified, $5 additional charge Stands. Silver Creek runs through.
FLY FISHERMAN: Wild Fur 28 x 30 pole barn. Two bedroom January 15, 2018. Parents and
This effective advertising is simple to do, place your ad by . . .
scraps for Fly tying or spoon mobile home. Turn key, many ame- grandparents on site, all solid
• Calling 810-724-0254 Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm
tails. Muskrat to deer. 1 gal. bag nities included. $235,000. Call liver. Father and grandfather
• Email your ad to wnw@pageone-inc.com full. $14.95 plus $5.00 S & H. Lorraine at Faust Real Estate, LLC titled in many AKC venues and
• Faxing your ad 810-724-8552 Prime Furs p.o.b.728 Houghton 517-605-6950. RE-2-1 are top 2 GSPs in Barn Hunt.
• Complete your Classified online at www.woods-n-waternews.com Lake MI 48629. 989-422-2543. .............................................. Columbus, OH 614-946-0763
• Mailing your ad to Woods-N-Water News, P.O. Box 278, Imlay City, MI 48444 www.primefurs.com F-2-1 D-1-2

Classifieds MUST be paid in advance of publishing; MasterCard, Visa accepted. Make HUNTING PROPERTY:
check/money orders payable to Woods-N-Water News. Classified ads can not be One mile on dead end County COUNTRYSIDE KENNELS
billed and once a classified is processed no refunds can be made. Limit of 75 words. CANADA FISHING: road, one and half mile OF NORTH BRANCH NOW
Want to go fishing? Come to deep, 720 acres in Presque
All classifieds posted to our website FREE! Northern Walleye Lodge for Isle Michigan. Property is
OFFERING PRIVATE ONE-
ON-ONE training sessions, board
Great Walleye, Small Mouth, surrounded by private hunt
Use one of these useful classified categories... Northern, Jumbo Perch, Lake
and train programs available and
clubs. 1600 square ft. cement lab puppies. Call 989-551-7790 or
A = Archery FW = Firewood RR = Resorts/Rent Trout for 6 nights $450 U.S. per block cabin with septic and visit www.countrysidekennels.com
ATV = ATVs G = Guns RVC = RV’s/Campers
B = Boats H = Hunting SM = Snowmobiles
person with 4 or more. Includes indoor plumbing, wood burning D-2-3
D = Dogs HL = Hunting Leases T = Taxidermy remote lake front cabin with heat, generator electric, wood ..............................................
F = Fishing HW = Help Wanted TK = Trucks own dock, 2 people per boat, shed and tractor garage.
F = Free M = Miscellanous TR = Trailers 15hp electric start Yamaha $1,300,000. Contact 586-438-
FP = Food Plots RE = Real Estate W = Wanted motors, fish finders and swivel 0157. RE-12-6 Classifieds
seats. Upgrade boats available. work!
MARCH 2018 CLASSIFIED DEADLINE FEBRUARY 5, 2018 3.5 hours North of Sault Ste. COLORADO HUNTING (810) 724-0254
Marie. See web site for specials LAND. 41 acres inside of a 17,000
CLIP AND MAIL and more info . . . acre ranch. varies from 8200ft to
Monday-
Woods-N-Water News Classified Advertising www.northernwalleyelodge.com
email: fishingtrips@outlookcom
10,500ft elevation. Elk, Mule deer,
Bear, lion, turkey inhabit the ranch.
Friday
9am-5pm
(Please print clearly. We are not responsible for unreadable orders.)
Make sure phone number is included in your ad! Toll free 1-877-434-2440 its zoned agricultural and taxes are
F-12/17TFN $120 per year. asking $52,000 call or try our
NAME or text my cell at 313-929-0623. website
ADDRESS
RE-1-2 woods-n-waternews.com
..............................................
CITY                                           STATE                      ZIP SPEARING
Your Woods-N-Water News is
www.woods-n-waternews.com

DAYTIME PHONE NO. ICE SAWS, complete line of

“Just a Click Away!”

spears, decoys, M/M & Bunny
VISA/MASTERCARD#                                                       EXP: boots, Pike Busters, the battery
CLASSIFICATION OF AD                      MONTHS TO RUN powered decoy system and
more. www.dream-outdoors.
com 269-330-6422. 12-3

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)
• Subscriptions
(7) (8) (9) (10) (11) (12)
• Email the Editor

(13) (14) (15) (16) (17) (18)
ARCHERY • Classifieds - Buy, Sell, Trade
(19) (20) $30.00 $30.25 $30.50 $30.75

$31.00 $31.25 $31.50 $31.75 $32.00 $32.25

VAUGHN
CHERY
CREEK
Custom Traditional
AR-
• Send Photos or Story Tips
Longbows Straight laid, Reflexed
$32.50 $32.75 $33.00 $33.25 $33.50 $33.75 & Deflex/ Reflex Designs. Duff • Advertising Information
www.woods-n-waternews.com
Streeter Bowyer 989-965-0557 or
$34.00 $34.25 $34.50 $34.75 $35.00 $35.25 www.vaughncreekarchery.com
A-1-8
$35.50 $35.75 $36.00 $36.25 $36.50 $36.75 ..............................................
It’s Easy . . .
Enclosed is $                                               for Classifieds work!
words to run                     months. BOX MY CLASSIFIED - $5 Extra
(810) 724-0254 VISIT TODAY!
email: wnw@pageone-inc.com • website: www.woods-n-waternews.com
WNW NEWS FEBRUARY 2018 83
  
PAGES 84-89

Land loans you

can escape to...
Enjoy the freedom of owning a slice of the
great outdoors. GreenStone can finance the
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even 100 acres, we have the experts to help.

To learn more, contact a lending expert

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84 FEBRUARY 2018 WNW NEWS

 Doug Leitch OFFICE:
231-652-7000
Blake Ver Woert BLAKE:
616-308-3122
Jake Dykstra JAKE:
Hunting Land Specialists 616-916-8354

SELL YOUR PROPERTY WITH US!

167 +/- 460+/- ACRES,
SAGINAW
ACRES, COUNTY
ARENAC 8 Bedroom Log Lodge,
COUNTY 40’x114’ Pole Barn,
Care Taker Residence
3,500+/- ft Lake Huron, 6 Bedroom Lodge, with Barn, High Fence
Guest Cabin, Great Duck & Deer Hunting. Deer Ranch, 275 Quality Deer
$599,000 $2,900,000

Antrim County 52+/- Acres, Jackson County, 105+/- Acres

Rolling Hills, Pole Calhoun County, 74 Acres, Calhoun County, 67+/- Acres Jackson County, 120 Acres WRP Program, Mature Hard- Midland County, 80 Acres
Barn Lodge, Snowmobilers/ 1/2 Tillable ,1/2 Wooded, Tro- 300 ft. All Sports Prairie Lake, Mixed Hardwoods, Good Trail woods, Great Deer, Turkey & 12 Miles to Mount Pleasant,
Hunters Paradise phy Buck Genetics 1/2 Tillable, 1/2 Wooded System, Big Buck Country Waterfowl Hunting Excellent Hunting
$119,000 $280,000 $275,000 $360,000 $211,000 $176,000

Newaygo County, 40 Acres

Missaukee County Missaukee County, Newaygo County, 125 Acres, 32x48 Pole Barn with Water & Newaygo Co, 45+/- Acres
46+/- Acres, Excellent 10+/- Acres, Amish Built Three spring fed lakes, Electric, 20 Ac Old Apple 5 Ac Private Lake, Nice Pond, Newaygo Co, 25+/- Acres
Hunting Setup, Log Home, 3 Bed, 2 Bath, Excellent Deer, Turkey Orchard, 20 Ac Hardwoods, Trail System, Tillable Land, 7 Ac Private Lake, County
Mosquito Creek Frontage Adjacent to State Land and Waterfowl hunting Great Hunting Excellent Hunting Road Frontage, Pond
$87,500 $199,900 $375,000 $199,000 $135,000 $75,000

ING
END
P

Newaygo Co, 55+/- Acres Osceola County, 163+/- Acres,

25 Ac Private Lake, Excellent Newaygo County, Ontonagon County, 169 Acres, Great Trail System, Presque Isle County, 80 Ac Presque Isle County, 47 Acres,
Waterfowl & Deer Hunting, 5+/- Acres Frontage Extremely Secluded, Awesome Hunting, Creek Frontage, 24x24 Garage, Cabin and Pole Barns,
Good Trails on White River Wildlife Galore Rolling Hills, Must See! Excellent Hunting Great Hunting
$165,000 $28,000 $160,000 $290,675 $90,000 $99,000

www. WildLifeRealty.com
WNW NEWS FEBRUARY 2018 85
 HUNTING LAND FOR SALE

BRANDON CROPSEY CHUCK KEEFER EDMUND NOGASKI JAKE EHLINGER JUSTIN OLK
Broker, Land Specialist Agent, Land Specialist Agent, Land Specialist Agent, Land Specialist Agent, Land Specialist
Michigan Central Michigan Northern Michigan Southeast Michigan West Central Michigan
(269) 816-3010 (989) 600-4112 (231) 330-4107 (517) 937-2118 (616) 648-6156
MICHAEL TURNER SHAD WOODRUFF SHAWN KELLEY TONY HANSEN
Agent, Land Specialist Agent, Land Specialist Agent, Land Specialist Agent, Land Specialist
Eastern Michigan North Central Michigan Southeast Michigan Central Michigan
(248) 770-4898 (989) 330-4032 (586) 292-1812 (269) 420-9510
CONTACT AN AGENT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT BUYING AND
SELLING HUNTING, FARMLAND AND TIMBERLAND

whit e ta il pr opert ie s . com

Whitetail Properties Real Estate, LLC | dba Whitetail Properties | Nebraska & North Dakota DBA Whitetail Trophy Properties Real Estate LLC. | Lic. in IL, MO, IA, KS, KY, NE & OK - Dan Perez, Broker
| Lic. in AR, CO, GA, MN, ND, TN & WI - Jeff Evans, Broker | Lic. in OH & PA - Kirk Gilbert, Broker | Lic. in TX - Joey Bellington, Broker | Lic. in IN - John Boyken, Broker | Lic. in LA, MS & AL - Sybil
Stewart, Broker | Lic. in TN - Chris Wakefield, Broker | Lic. in TN - Bobby Powers, Broker | Lic. in AR - Johnny Ball, Broker | Lic. in SC - Rick Elliot, Broker | Lic. in NC - Rich Baugh, Broker
Lic. in MI - Brandon Cropsey, Broker - Broker Address: 410 E. Chicago Rd., PO Box 165 White Pigeon, MI 49099

86 FEBRUARY 2018 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, MI 48739 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

“UP NORTH” GETAWAYS AND YEAR ROUND HOMES

1.5 ACRES!!
Nice and cute 2 bedroom home w/spacious garage
that has a convenient lean to. Great setting with trails
at rear of prop leading to Silver Creek! Pleasant year
round home or enjoyable weekend getaway!!
$39,900 1833833
TRANQUIL FAWN LAKE!
Lovely and spacious 3 bedroom home with ac-
cess to “no motor” lake. AC, partly finished bsmt,
master suite, garage, deck, newer shingles &
laminates!! Seller giving carpet allowance!!
$158,900 1838336
20 WOODED ACRES!!
Bedroom home on full bsmt /2 car garage. Main
floor laundry, recently updated kitchen & bath,
large covered rear deck with beautiful views and
trails for nature walking or the hunter!!
$154,900 1840412
ON CHANNEL TO ELBOW LAKE!!
3 bedroom home w/detached garage, nice
kitchen w/pantry, island & breakfast nook,
master suite, nice views from wrap-around
deck, on an ACRE with your own pond!!
$157,000
NEAR RIFLE RIVER!!
This one bedroom mobile home would make a
pleasant getaway on an ACRE of property and
near lakes and the beautiful Rifle River for fan-
tastic fishing and superb canoeing/kayaking!!
1810533 $25,000 1831259

NEAR LAKE GEORGE!!
Recently remodeled 3 bedroom, 2 ba w/garage on 2
lots at end of cul-de-sac. Open floor plan, gas log FP,
newer floorings and newer counter tops. Enjoy the public
access and boat ramp at this desirable all sports lake!!
$74,900 1840493
4 ACRES!!
Spacious 3 bedroom, 1.5 bath home w/garage and heat-
ed workshop and pole barn. AC, front & rear decks, full
bsmt, paved driveway, maple & apple trees & more!! With
some TLC, this could be your year round country home!!
$129,900 1839823
1.8 ACRES!!
2 bedroom singlewide, manufactured home on partly
wooded property! Not far from all sports Long Lake
for water activities and near acres of National Forest
for the hunter!! Great weekend cabin or hunt camp!!
$35,000 1838366
1300 SQUARE FEET!!
This 2 bedroom mobile home w/garage is near Hale w/
just under a half acre fronting on paved road. Afford-
able weekend/vacation getaway in super recreational
area near lakes, streams & Huron Nat’l Forest!!
$29,000 1840769
RIFLE RIVER WATERFRONT!!
Over a HALF ACRE & 80’ of river frontage!! Nice 2
bedroom home has spacious living area, FP, lots
of windows with fantastic views, some furnishings,
security system, appliances, deck & more!!
$139,900 1831481

OPEN FLOOR PLAN!!
This possible 2 bedroom home sits on nicely treed
lots and is not far from many lakes and the gorgeous
Rifle River for excellent fishing and canoeing/kayaking!
Newer and windows in 2013, some furnishings & more!!
$31,900 1830854
1.44 ACRES!!
Spacious 3-bdrm home in need of some TLC, but has
been painted and newer flooring has been installed.
Open floor plan, enclosed porch, wood stove, base-
ment, a bath on each floor and large garage!!
$84,900 1838514
NEAR RIFLE RIVER!!
Neat 2 bedroom cabin with large fenced yard in
Skidway Lake area. Natural gas heat, newer roof,
newer water pump & shed with electric & hose wa-
ter hook-up. Great getaway also near many lakes!!
$24,500 1838322
OVER 5 ACRES!!
Gorgeous custom built 3 bedroom, 2 full ba home has
over 1800 square feet, cathedral ceilings, floor to ceil-
ing windows on both levels, large deck, pond & heated
garage. Beautiful setting w/RIFLE RIVER FRONTAGE!!
$174,900 1839528
1.24 ACRES!!
This cute 2 bedroom cabin sits on 6 lots and is in
great resort area with several inland lakes nearby
for swimming, boating and fishing! Perfect little “Up
North” getaway for year round recreational fun!!
$19,900 1840716

CUTE AND WELL-MAINTAINED!!
2-bedroom home on large lot w/appliances, natural
gas heat, family room, storage shed, fire pit and
nice deck for relaxing outdoors. Cozy year round
or affordable getaway in great recreational area!!
$37,500 1828738
GREAT FISHING LAKE!!
198 feet of water frontage with nice views on 8 acre
TURTLE LAKE. Well-maintained 3 bedroom is on 2
ACRES in beautiful setting & some nice landscaping.
Insulated pole barn and shed, both w/elec, for storage!!
$49,900 1838539
BEAUTIFUL RIVERFRONT!!
Gorgeous 3 bedroom, 2.5 ba home has heated ga-
rage w/upstairs, fenced garden area, extensive deck-
ing, wood floors, FP, AC, 8.8 ACRES & 1170’ on AU
GRES RIVER w/breathtaking views & much more!!
$265,000 1798150
STATE LAND ON 2 SIDES!!
Beautiful 3-bdrm, 2 full ba home nestled on 4.54 ACRES.
Completely remodeled home is a must see and updates
include newer windows, furnace, doors, kitchen cabi-
nets, water tank/lines & siding on both home & garage!!
$129,900 1840967
NICE LAKE VIEW!!
3 bedroom home with a view of all sports RIFLE LAKE
and newer drywall, flooring, countertops, back splash
& updated bath. Garage, sunroom, bonus upper level
16x18 room, garden area & a fenced spot for your pets!!
$90,000 1838970

CREEK FRONT GETAWAY!!
Just over a HALF ACRE w/2 bedroom home & 221’ of
frontage on Silver Creek. Newer roof in 20167, newer
well & newer septic, 2 storage sheds, screened porch,
beautiful views and near many lakes!!
$54,900 1832428
SECLUDED HUNTING CAMP!!
18 WOODED ACRES w/2 bedroom home is the perfect
place to call your hunting cabin that is also ADJACENT
TO STATE LANDS!! Propane lights, range, refrigera-
tor, wood heat, gravity tank and wired for generator!!
$64,900 1805656
40 ACRE HORSE FARM!!
Gorgeous rolling property perfect for horses w/like-new
80x120 outbldg, riding arena, horse stalls, tack room,
alley way 30x40 heated storage bldg with workshop &
lean to, fenced pastures and owner’s 2 bdrm home!!
$199,900 1827987
TWO FOR ONE!!
There are 2 homes included in this listing both w/one
bath and large lot. Near several lakes for swimming,
boating and fishing and not too far from State lands
for the hunter! Live in one, rent or sell the other!!
$26,500 1840529
ON CUL-DE-SAC!!
Nice 3 bedroom home with 2 car garage and access
to BUSH LAKE for boating, swimming and fishing.
Large kichen, FP, natural gas heat, front and rear
decks, paved driveway & lake just across the road!!
$59,000 1840484

ACREAGE AND WATERFRONT!!
210’ of sandy frontage on popular, all sports CLEAR
LAKE and just over 2 ACRES!! 3 bedroom home, over
2600 square feet, full walkout bsmt, skylights, gas FP,
garage, pole bldg, boat dock, apple orchard & more!!
$139,900 1839256
SOOTHING MULESHOE LAKE!!
Quaint 2 bedroom home on no motor 8.8 acre
lake!! Appliances & some furnishings included,
storage shed, spacious deck with beautiful
pretty views or to enjoy the wildlife in the area!!
$60,000 1798881
LAKE GEORGE WATERFRONT!!
Lovely home w/frontage on allsports lake just min-
utes from town. FP, large family room, recently re-
modeled kitchen has newer cupboards, backsplash
& laminate floors and so much more to enjoy!!
$99,000 1839413
AN ACRE OF PROPERTY!!
Spacious 2 bedroom home or older farmhouse has tons
of great amenities including newer floors and cabinets,
built in bookcase, Michigan bsmt, detached garage &
more!! Fantastic year round home on paved road!!
$69,900 1837015
10 WOODED ACRES!!
Lovely 3 bedroom, 2 ba home w/garage! Great kitchen
w/island and appliances, FP in spacious living area,
master suite w/walk-in closet and private bath. Great
location near lakes & State land w/gorgeous views!!
$129,900 1840732

FOR MORE LISTINGS

VISIT OUR WEBSITE: WWW.CAHANES.COM
WNW NEWS FEBRUARY 2018 87

Near
Marlette
in Sanilac
County
Will
consider $3,100 per acre
all
offers.
Heritage Exclusive Marketing Agents for Northeast
House
RealtyPC
“Personalized Service is the Difference”
5710 Clouse Rd, Glennie
990 sf, 2 bed, 1 bath with 12
acres on dead end road.
Interested in having a hobby
farm? This is for you, room to
roam, some fencing, ideal
location. $85,000
For more information text
R569702 to 52187
Hunting Camp, Hillman
1700 sf, 4 bed, 2 bath with
several other structures
perfect the entire family
hunting trips. Just over 9
acres with Miller’s Creek
running through. Will need
some TLC, being sold AS-IS
REDUCED $49,900
5684 Riverview Dr
1800+ sf, 3 bed, 2.5 bath
with deeded access to Foote
Pond. Move in ready home
with 2 car attached garage.
Must see to appreciate all
this home has to offer.
$159,800 For More
Information Text R435893 to
52187
3464 Kimberlin, Glennie
20 acres perfect for building
or hunting with small pond
and nice mix of wooded and
open areas. Structures have
no value and sold in “as-is”
condition. NEW $50,000 For
More Info Text R627991 to
52187
Call 800-650-5566 - Glennie or 800-982-0102 - Harrisville - www.HeritageHouseRealty.com
88 FEBRUARY 2018 WNW NEWS
Amazing Family, Deer Hunting &
Snowmobiling Retreat on 80 Acres
121
Acres
$
375,100
OR
MASON COUNTY
All Wooded with 3BD/2BTH Cabin, 10ft. Basement, Poured and
616-437-7176
Concrete Overhead Door with
Walkout. Sheridan Township.
Asking $289,000
Former Golf Course with Clubhouse and Pole Barn
1015 Brink Road • Bronson, Michigan 49028
This beautiful piece of property has 15 splits available. Prime Branch County
Hunting Property with river running through it, Excellent hunting retreat!!! 123
Acres total! More info and Aerial Drone Footage at www.bronsonrealestate.com
Michigan Properties
Located in the Heart of the Huron National Forest, on the
Shores of Lake Huron and the banks of the AuSable River
Clark Rd & Hill Side Dr 1009 Zimowske Rd, Mio
Excellent building location 1500+ sf, 3 bed, 1.5 bath with
with just over 5 acres, less detached garage and barn on
than 5 miles to downtown 25 acres. Come see what
Harrisville and Lake Huron. living up north is all about on
Mostly open with gently your new covered porch or
rolling hills could be ideal for covered deck with this Move
that dream home. $12,500 in Ready Gem. $149,000
For More Information Text
R369989 to 52187
1455 E F-30, Mikado Hunting Land, Hillman
1420 sf, 3 bed, 1 bath on 1.5 61+ acres between Hillman
acres with full unfinished and Atlanta offers ideal
basement. Remodeled with hunting opportunities with
2 car attached garage offers several possible building
plenty of room to roam. sites surrounded by larger
$89,900 For More private parcels meaning
Information Text R615688 to privacy and seclusion.
52187 $129,900
Wallace Rd, Glennie 4797 E Trask Lake Rd
27.5+ acres of beautiful 1400 sf, 3 bed, 2 bath with
hardwood with natural large deck overlooking 30
clearing and drive already acres. Move in ready home
cut in perfect for that new with all appliances included.
home, hunting cabin, Extra family room just needs
camping site-possibilities finish to add to living area.
are truly endless. $69,000 $182,900
For more info Text R584243
to 52187
480 acres on Mitchell Trail Tara Lane, Grayling
Perfect investment for any Out of the way yet still close
sportsman/woman. 2 private to everything Northern
lakes, borders federal land Michigan has to offer.
on all sides plus it has two Perfect for that upcoming
cottages on site with electric. hunting trip or building that
Hunting and fishing was dream home. 10.55 acres
never easier than here. only $21,000 For More
$1,300,000 For More Info Information Text R529843 to
Text R505657 to 52187 52187
 400 ACRES RANDY MINTO OSCODA COUNTY
Always Working Hard for You!
REDUCED $3
REALTOR
Direct:
0,000
810.449.1286 20 ACRES
CLARE COUNTY. Great Hunting Lodge, - OR - Amazing 3,900 Sq Ft, 1/2 Log Interior, Custom-Built.
14 Blinds, 6 Food Plots. Office:
Abuts 500+ Acres Federal Land. 5 Outbuildings & Pond.
*DV 810.653.4500
$598,000 $249,500 *DV
SPECIALIZING IN UNIQUE, LUXURY AND LARGE RECREATIONAL PROPERTIES
DEER & NATURE LOVER’S DREAM PROPERTIES

ST. CLAIR COUNTY

257 ACRES SANILAC COUNTY
NEW
LAPEER COUNTY 86 ACRES
LICENSED
N D I N G
200 TILLABLE ACRES
PHEASANT
PRESERVE PE 40 ACRES
Great farming, income producing. 1/2 mile on Fantastic Development Opportunity. Gorgeous 3270 Sq Ft Ranch with loft.
Belle River, multiple Outbuildings, 2 Ponds. 30 2-Acre Lots. Built 2011. 2 Pole Barns.
*DV $1,250,000 *DV $550,000 *DV $419,000

LICENSED DEER RANCH AMAZING APPLEGATE HUNTING E W COMMERCIAL

PRESERVE! $1,250,000 N PROPERTIES
34 ACRES 60-80 DEER
10-15 TROPHY BUCKS *DV
GENESEE COUNTY
Woodland Deer Ranch in Davison. 6-car garage,
5 Parcels, $85,000-$395,000,
pond, 5 blinds, 3 lg feeders, Lg polebarn. 4BD, 3BA. 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 Hunter’s Dream Property, Private &
65% Wooded. A Rare Gem! Great Building Site Entertaining Groups. 2,000 Sq Ft Secluded, 2-streams. ½ mile from Lake Huron.
*DV $599,900 *DV $239,000 *DV Ranch. Several Outbuildings. *DV $275,000

SOLD
COMMERCIAL W
PROPERTIES NE
*DV
20 ACRES 56 ACRES
Great Visibility from I-69 & Belsay Rd. Lapeer County, 24x24 Rustic Cabin w/ Loft,
6 Parcels, 1.6 Acres - 12.3 Acres. RECORD TURKEY shot on this property! Genesee County, Shiawassee Lake.
Genesee County. $135,000 - $495,000. *DV $219,000 *DV $395,000

NEW
CHIPPEWA COUNTY
NEW
LIVINGSTON COUNTY OAKLAND COUNTY

D UCED
ICE R E
LINDAL CEDAR HOME - A RARE GEM! 170 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. Mary’s River, Beach Front, Secluded. Living Space Including Finished Walkout. Build 2016.
*DV $449,000 *DV $185,000 *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 FEBRUARY 2018 89
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90 FEBRUARY 2018 WNW NEWS

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