AUGUST 2018 $4.

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• Alternative Tactics for Salmon • Bronze Bombers • Michigan Deer Trackers
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WNW NEWS AUGUST 2018 3
 By Tom Campbell...Field Notes
Sturgeon
FIELD NOTES Season Opens

B
e sure you have your cal-
endars marked for the 32nd
Annual Woods-N-Water
News Outdoor Weekend
September 7-9 at the Eastern Michi-
gan State Fairgrounds in Imlay City.
I know we say it every year…but
this year is going to be the biggest
and the best. The fairgrounds have
seen a major improvement for this
year’s event with the addition of a
new exhibit hall and we’ve made
a few layout changes, which will
increase the vendor/exhibit spaces
offering show attendees so much
more! Of course we wouldn’t alter
the many Outdoor Weekend favor-
ites; Chili Cook-off (Sat.), Michi-
gan Dog Federation Puppy Tent,
Country Smoke House field dressing
demonstration, hunting and trapping
seminars, Randy’s Hunting Center
gun auction (Sun.) and over 250
vendors!
Outdoor Weekend show hours
are Sept. 7, Friday, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.;
Sept. 8, Saturday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.;
and Sept. 9, Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Imlay City is located between Flint
and Port Huron; the Eastern Michi-
gan State Fairgrounds is on M-53,
a half-mile north of I-69 off Exit
#168. Admission is $8 per person
and kids 12 and under free and
free parking. For more information
check Woods-N-Water News Sep-
tember issue and our facebook page,
website www.outdoorweekend.net
or call 810-724-0254.
Bear Management
The DNR is looking for input
into the current bear manage-
ment plan, which was developed Fishing for lake sturgeon is a rare and unique opportunity in Michigan. The
in 2009 with the plan’s objective month of July brings several season openers. (MDNR photo)
to maintaining a sustainable black • Detroit River -- Fishing season: July 16 - March 15
bear population, providing hunting
Catch and release only. All lake sturgeon must be released immediately.
opportunities and minimizing bear-
related conflicts. • Lake St. Clair, St. Clair River -- Fishing season: July 16 - March 15
“The plan we have been operat- Possession season: July 16 - Sept. 30
ing under for almost 10 years has Fish must be between 42 and 50 inches. Lake sturgeon less than 42 inches
been a great tool,” said DNR bear and greater than 50 inches must be released immediately.
specialist Kevin Swanson. “We
• Otsego Lake (Otsego Co.) -- Fishing/possession season: July 16 - March 15
want to make sure that the plan is
still meeting the state’s and others’ Fish must be a minimum of 50 inches.
needs, or determine if Lake sturgeon less than 50 inches must be released immediately.

SEASONS changes are needed to

ensure a thriving bear
• Anglers are limited to catching and keeping one lake sturgeon per year
(April 1 - March 31) and are required to report, within 24 hours, any lake
Open All Year – Pike and walleye season on Lower Peninsula population for future sturgeon they take. Reporting can be done online at michigan.gov/regis-
Great Lakes, Lake St. Clair & St. Clair & Detroit Rivers generations.”
Open All Year – Salmon and trout season on Great Lakes, St. terfish, by calling toll-free 844-345-FISH or in person at any DNR Customer
The DNR is work-
Marys River, Lake St. Clair & St. Clair & Detroit Rivers
ing to revise that plan Service Center during normal state business hours with advance notice.
Open All Year – Catch-and-immediate-release bass season on
all Michigan waters open to fishing and is encouraging the
Now - Dec. 31 – Pure Michigan Hunt Application Period public to help. A ques- evaluate possible modifications and would be the 58th CWD-positive
Now - March 15 – Walleye and pike open in Lower Peninsula tionnaire (available at then provide a draft updated plan for deer in Michigan and the first in
inland waters
https://www.research. review and feedback, too. The DNR Jackson County. Chronic wasting
Now - March 15 – Walleye and pike open in Upper Peninsula
net/r/BearPlan) has been hopes to have a final plan available disease already has been confirmed
Great Lakes, inland waters & St. Marys River
Now - Dec. 31 – Smallmouth and largemouth bass catch-and- developed to capture in 2019. in Clinton, Ingham, Ionia, Kent and
keep on all waters, including Great Lakes and Lake St. Clair opinions, which will be CWD Montcalm counties.”
and St. Clair and Detroit Rivers. accepted until July 31, The first case of suspected CWD At the July NRC meeting many
Now - Dec. 31 – Muskellunge season Lake St. Clair & St. 2018. This questionnaire in Jackson County was found in a deer hunting rules and regula-
Clair & Detroit Rivers
Now - Aug. 1 – Fall Wild Turkey Application Period is one piece of the larger 3-year-old doe. According to the tions are expected to be changed or
July 15 - Aug. 15 – Antlerless Deer Application Period (youth engagement process. DNR, “Over 31,000 deer have been altered because of CWD. Check our
licenses available over-the-counter) Once all comments are tested for CWD since May 2015. facebook, website and follow us on
Aug. 1 - Aug. 28 – Reserved Waterfowl Application Period received, the DNR will If confirmed by the federal lab, this twitter for updates.n
Aug. 1 - Sept. 30 – Crow Season
Sept. 15 - Mar. 1 – Squirrel; Fox and Gray (black phase

New black buffalo state

included) Season
Sept. 15 - Nov. 14 – Ruffed Grouse Season

record take on the Grand

Sept. 15 - Mar. 31 – Cottontail and Snowshoe Hare Season
Sept. 22-23 – Early Antlerless Firearm
Sept. 22-23 – Liberty Hunt, Youth and Hunters with
Disabilities Hunt
Oct. 1 - Nov. 14 – Archery Deer Season
Oct. 18-21 – Independence Hunt, Hunters with Disabilities The MDNR confirmed the Jay Wesley, a DNR fisheries
Hunt catch of a new state record black manager for Lake Michigan.
Oct. 10-31 – Pheasant Season Zone 1 (partial) buffalo on June 12. The previous state record
Oct. 10-31 – Sharp-tailed Grouse Season The fish, a member of the black buffalo was caught by
Oct. 20 - Nov. 14 – Pheasant Season Zone 2 and 3 sucker family, was caught by Sage Colegrove of Muskegon
Oct. 20 - Nov. 14 – Quail Season
Nov. 15-30 – Regular Firearm Deer Season Brandonn Kramer of Muskegon, on the Grand River in Ottawa
*Consult the Michigan Hunting and Trapping Digest, Fishing Digest, or
Michigan at 11:30 p.m. on County on April 12, 2015. That
other species-specific hunting digests for a more complete list of dates Friday, May 25 on the Grand fish weighed 44.54 pounds and
and regulations regarding each season or hunt period.
River in Ottawa County. measured 38.5 inches.
Assistance was provided by State records in Michigan
Kramer’s friend and fishing are recognized by weight only.
MJC MJC cohort, Shawn Grawbarger also To qualify for a state record,
ARCHERY ARCHERY
MACOMB OAKLAND of Muskegon. The fish weighed fish must exceed the current
46.54 pounds and measured listed state record weight and
39.75 inches. Kramer was bow- identification must be verified
fishing when he landed the by a DNR fisheries biologist.
19744 15 Mile Rd 3001 Rochester Rd record fish. For more information, visit
Clinton Twp. 48035 Royal Oak, MI 48073
The record was verified by Michigan.gov/masterangler.
586-791-4600 248-589-2480
4 AUGUST 2018 WNW NEWS
WNW NEWS AUGUST 2018 5
 Dear Fish Diary...
HUNTING Age defying secrets revealed
Ron St. Germain page 44
Turkey Hunting Update
page 15 Asian carp habitat
on Saginw Bay
High scoring Drew YoungeDyke page 50
Cass County nontypical
Richard P. Smith page 30

COVER STORY...
OPINIONS
Big bucks on small tracts QDMA’s view
Kenny Darwin page 46 on deer regulations

The Perfect Deer Camp

Jake Dykstra page 58
DNR Air Operations page 68

Does’ social role

Bill Ziegler...page 22 in spreading CWD
Michigan Deer Trackers... John Ozoga page 69
Don’t give up! Next Bite... Dog Training...
page 62 Snap Up more fish Blinking, Bumping, Busting
Gary Parsons/Keith Kavajecz Len Jenkins page 45
Guest Column... page 16
Hunting Alaska Handling emergencies at State
page 64 Alternative tactics for Parks...visitors in good hands!
August/September Salmon Ken Silfven MDNR page 66
Mark Romanack page 18
Pick good locations
Tips and tricks for for your trap sets
BIGGER WALLEYES John Chagnon page 72
Michael Veine page 26

Untangling - endless tangles OUTDOOR NEWS

Randy Jorgensen page 32
ASIAN CARP KEEP OUT!
Late Summer Bonanza Tom Carney page 8
John Bergsma page 36
Outdoor Hall of Fame
Charter Directory and Writing Awards
page 37 Mark Sak page 21
Freelance
Hunting
Hot Summer Bass Boat Smart...
George Rowe page 38 Don’t just start pumping
Capt. Fred Davis page 49
Bow-Fishing John Eberhart...page 12
Get In The Betty Sodders page 56 Fish News: Trout decline
and muskie spearing
BASS ZONE Bronze Bombers
Joe Bednar page 60
Richard P. Smith page 70
GUNS/AMMO
Kenny Darwin...page 40
PERSPECTIVE Gun Chat...
Deer hunting ‘things’
FEATURE Confessions of an
Fuller Gun Collection
Lee Arten page 48
I will pass on to my sons Everett R. Smith ‘Accidental Birder’
Bob Vogel page 76 The teacher I wish I had Jonathan Schechter page 34 Traditional
Darryl Quidort page 24 Black Powder Hunting
Guest Column...Against Michigan Meanders... How can you not smile?
the odds--on many fronts PROPS RAT PATROL Dennis Neely page 52
page 74 Mark Romanack page 28 Tom Huggler page 43

FISHING AUGUST 2018

Woods-n-Water News
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Big Bucks on Small tracts
BOWHUNTING
STURGEON
BIG BUCKS SEASON OPENS

P.O. Box 278, Imlay City, MI 48444

Detroit/St. Clair Rivers,
Lake St. Clair, Otsego Lake
ON SMALL TRACTS
Kenny Darwin...page 46-47 • Alternative Tactics for Salmon • Bronze Bombers • Michigan Deer Trackers
Catch Bigger 'Eyes • Handling Emergencies at State Parks • Accidental Birder

 www.facebook.com/woodsnwaternews
• Everett Smith Retires: A Teacher Every Sportsperson Wish They Had • Boat Props
www.woods-n-waternews.com • Like us on facebook Follow us on

6 AUGUST 2018 WNW NEWS

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WNW NEWS AUGUST 2018 7

 KEEP OUT!
ASIAN CARP
Key to saving Great
Lakes fisheries fixes
lock on a Mississippi
River Tributary

F
or many of us, the men-
tion of “Asian carp”
evokes the image of
participants in the an-
nual “Redneck Fishing
Tournament” in Bath,
Illinois, who don football helmets,
jump into powerboats and try to
whack the fish with baseball bats as
they head up and down the Illinois
River. But there’s more to the story,
and it’s more serious than a game of
“Whack-a-Mole with Fins.” These
fish threaten the very existence of
sport fishing in the Great Lakes.
The story is a fascinating stew
consisting of ingredients ranging
from the geological, ecological, hy-
drological, scientific and biological
worlds to those from the regional,
cultural and economic spheres of
life. It’s a problem whose solution
will be determined, ultimately, in the
political world.
The Situation
Of the seven species of Asian
carp introduced to the
United States over the past
several decades, four spe-
cies cause the most con-
cern: the bighead, silver,
grass and black. In the
1960s and ’70s, they were
introduced to the Southeast
to help control weeds and
By Tom Carney
parasites in aquacul-
ture operations.
The Illinois
Department of Natural Resources
reports, “Arkansas breeders flushed
the carp into canals and waterways
where they began to flourish and
breed, gradually expanding into the
Mississippi River and throughout
the massive watershed of the river
across 31 states.”
Once introduced to these waters,
the carp basically starve out the na-
tive species. In June of 2015, Min-
nesota Public Radio’s William Lager
explained how this happens.
8 AUGUST 2018 WNW NEWS
The story is a fascinating stew consisting of ingredients ranging from the geological, ecological, hydrological,
scientific and biological worlds to those from the regional, cultural and economic spheres of life.
“These invasive carp are ‘filter
feeders,’ which means they eat the
plankton and tiny creatures — mac-
roinvertebrates — at the very bot-
tom of the food chain. All larval and
juvenile fish, such as bass,
walleye or pike, depend on
those tiny creatures for food
and can’t compete with the
more voracious carp.
“Without enough food
to go around, many of
the young fish die — and
because larger fish, such
as bass and wall-
eye, depend on
those smaller fish
for food, their numbers begin to
dwindle.”
Therefore, it’s easy to imag-
ine the potential damage to the $7
billion/year sport fishery and $20
billion/year recreational tourism
industry if those fish gain a fin-hold
in the Great Lakes.
Charlie Wooley, Deputy Region-
al Director, Midwest Region U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, reassured
a gathering of the Outdoor Writers
Association of America (OWAA) in
Fort Wayne, Indiana, during its early
June conference. As far as access to
the Great Lakes go, he said, “The
pathways either are severed or are
being severed.”
What Wooley meant is scientists,
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
sportsmen, conservation groups and
more have identified three main
locations of concern where the carp
can gain access to the Great Lakes
or waters beyond the Mississippi
watershed.
Two of them have been sealed,
leaving one, the biggest threat of all,
still open.
Battlegrounds
St. Anthony Falls on the Missis-
sippi in Minneapolis presents a natu-
ral barrier to the fish. But in 1963
a lock was built to extend shipping
commerce upstream of the falls. The
carp can’t scale the falls. But they
could move upstream through the
locks when they were opened for
upbound vessels.
The “Water Resources Reform
and Development Act of 2014,”
called for the closing of the lock,
which happened in 2015.
One point of ingress, sealed.
The glaciers that created Michi-
gan’s interesting geologic footprint
also play a role at the second spot,
Eagle Marsh, a 765-acre wetland
nature preserve located on the south-
west border of Fort Wayne, Indiana.
The final push of those glaciers
reached just about to Fort Wayne,
Betsy Yankowiak, Director of Pre-
serves and Programs, Little River
Wetlands Project, explained to the
OWAA. The glaciers left behind
Ohio’s “Great Black Swamp,”
which separated the Lake Erie and
Mississippi River watersheds. Fort
Wayne represents this “continental
divide.” To the east, water flows
down the Maumee River and emp-
ties into Lake Erie at Toledo, Ohio;
to the west, down the Wabash, a
tributary of the Mississippi.
The Fort Wayne threat comes
from the possibility that when the
waters are at flood stage, carp in the
Wabash could swim across town and
head for Lake Erie via the Maumee.
Keep Asian Carp Out page 10
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WNW NEWS AUGUST 2018 9
Keep Asian Carp out:
from page 8
And it’s not only carp causing con-
cern, said Yankowiak; workers there
struggle against loads of nonnative,
aquatic nuisance species (ANS).
“The Great Lakes have 160
species we don’t want in the Wabash
and Mississippi rivers,” she said.
“And the Wabash and Mississippi
have 40 species not wanted in the
Great Lakes.”
So because of its position as
the tipping point determining in
which way the water flows, Eagle
Marsh, less than 1,000 acres in size,
became a strategic location in the
fight against ANS. After Chicago,
Yankowiak, said, Eagle Marsh “is
the worst possible spot where carp
could get into the Great Lakes.”
After years of study, in 2016,
community, conservation and
inter-agency groups created here
a “proactive project to stop Asian
carp,” Yankowiak said, an “aquatic
nuisance species control (ANSC)
barrier.”
The ANSC is basically an earth-
en berm 1.7 miles long that averages
7.5 feet high, 80 feet wide at its base
and 15 feet across at the top.
“This is an amazing project
to be a part of,” said Yankowiak.
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10 AUGUST 2018 WNW NEWS
“We’ll have long-term management
of the berm to make sure there are
no breaks. There have been three
opportunities so far where carp
could have crossed; none have, yet.”
Two down. Only one Great
Lakes access point for the carp
remains.
In 1900, the completing the
notorious engineering feat to reverse
the flow of the Chicago River, of-
ficials opened the Chicago Shipping
and Sanitary Canal (CSSC). As far
as the shipping goes, the canal com-
pleted a historically dreamed-for
water passage extending across the
Great Lakes and down the Missis-
sippi River to the Gulf of Mexico.
And sanitation: the canal moved
the Chicago’s untreated wastewater
away from instead of toward the
source of its drinking water, Lake
Michigan. The move eased a genera-
tion’s-worth of fears of epidemics
of waterborne diseases, especially
cholera. Nevertheless, during times
of heavy rainfall, the overflow (and
carp, potentially!) can head into
Lake Michigan.
The CSSC flows to the south-
west and joins the Des Plaines River
just above Joliet, Illinois, about 40
Walnut Timber
Landowners - Get Paid
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Tony Bryant
269-967-2850
miles from Chicago. A few miles
downstream from that confluence
sits the Brandon Road Lock and
Dams. In 2015, Congress designated
Brandon Road as the site for en-
hanced efforts to prevent the up-
stream transfer of ANS.
As was the case in Minnesota,
the carp need the lock in order to
enter the waterway and get to Lake
Michigan. The simple thing to do,
and the one that would cost less,
would be to close the lock. In fact,
in a mid-June presentation to the
Michigan Outdoor Writers Associa-
tion in Bay City, Michigan, Drew
Youngdyke, Communications Co-
ordinator for the National Wildlife
Federation Great Lakes Regional
Center (NWF), said that at least as
far back as 2012 the Great Lakes
Commission and the Great Lakes
and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative
embarked upon a “Restore the Natu-
ral Divide” campaign. As recently as
January 2018, Illinois Public Media
correspondent Rob Kanter argued,
“Ultimately, the best way to keep
Asian carp out of the Great Lakes
would be to reestablish a land divide
between them and the Mississippi
Basin. Such a divide would have
the added benefit of preventing the
spread of all nuisance species in
both directions.”
“This is a massive highway
we need to close,” Marc Smith,
Senior Policy Manager, NWF, told
the OWAA. But that’s not going to
happen. “The main problem to just
blocking the Chicago River is com-
ing from the states of Illinois and
Indiana, understandably,” he added.
Joel Brammeier, president and
CEO Alliance for the Great Lakes
Collection told OWAA, “Barge
operators are trying to slow down
these efforts of controlling carp,” no
matter, according to a report from
the University of Notre Dame, that
“we see $200 million in losses annu-
ally” from invasive species brought
in through shipping.”
Also, no matter that “Restore the
Natural Divide” found “only 3 per-
cent of freight in northeast Illinois”
is “moved by water.”
Smith added, “We’ve heard if
you slow down the Chicago River
you’re going to impact jobs and the
community. But that’s miniscule
to what’ll happen if the carp aren’t
stopped.”
The Upshot
So far, according to Wooley,
only five Asian carp have thus far
shown up in Great Lakes waters:
three bighead in Lake Erie’s West-
ern Basin from 1995 to 2000 and, in
2017 a bighead and a silver in Lake
Calumet and the J.J. O’Brien Lock
and Dam respectively, tributaries
with free access to southern Lake
Michigan.
“The situation has remained
stagnant for some time,” Wooley
said. But that doesn’t mean it’s safe
to call “time out” and take a breath-
er: A binational study published by
the Canadian government in 2011
found that a total of 10 females and
10 or fewer males have a 50 percent
chance of establishing a population
in the Great Lakes. Only 20 fish. Or
fewer.
Brammeier noted that, “As
you get closer to Chicago there is
reduced amount of canal water and
reduced amounts of plankton. That
reduces the number of carp heading
north. But we can’t count on that for
a solution. We cannot wait to have
protections put in.”
Wooley called a series of electric
barriers installed in the CSSC up-
stream of the Brandon Road Lock,
near Romeoville, Illinois, “ground
zero for keeping carp out of the
Great Lakes.”
Youngdyke, noting the carp that
got through in 2017, said, “Those
defenses are not enough.”
“Restore the Natural Divide”
called the electric dispersal barrier
system “an important” but “interim
mechanism” for holding back the
carp. Compared to a permanent split
to prevent the intermingling the
waters of the Great Lakes and Mis-
sissippi River basins, it said electric
barriers are “less reliable, may not
work on all sizes of fish, will require
ongoing maintenance and will be
prone to failure, and likely will be
more expensive in the long term.”
But unlike in Minnesota, the
Brandon Road Lock will not be
closed. The proposed solution is
much more complicated than that
and will take much longer and cost
much more to construct.
A draft plan from the Army
Corps of Engineers delayed until
2018 is set to go before Congress
in 2019. It’s an extensive, $300
million project for bolstering
defenses at the Brandon Road
Locks and Dam. GLMRIS says
“the tentatively selected plan is
the ‘Technology Alternative –
Complex Noise with Electric
Barrier,’ which includes the fol-
lowing measures: nonstructural
measures, complex noise, water
jets, engineered channel, electric
barrier, flushing lock, boat launches
and mooring area.” Among the
nonstructural measures are things
like integrated pest management,
mechanical or manual removal, and
piscicides (fish poisons).
Brammeier says if the project is
finalized in early 2019, construction
will not start until 2025.
Be that as it might, Smith said,
Brandon Road “is the only mov-
ing vehicle we have right now. It’s
incredibly important. We need to
influence our legislators. They need
to know we want action.”
Until the government steps
up, Wooley wants lovers of the
Great Lakes to know, “We’ll
keep the Great Lakes free of
Asian carp as long as we have
a breath to spare.”n
 GOLDSTAR OUTDOORS
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WNW NEWS AUGUST 2018 11
 FREELANCE HUNTING
The more hunting options, the more consistently successful you can be...
G
rabbing my bow,
backpack and free-
lance pack I set off
through the public
land timber to a
patch of white oaks
I’d hunted the previous season. To
my disappointment none of the oaks
had acorns, the two scrapes from the
previous season were inactive, there
were no nearby rubs and the heav-
ily used runways from the previous
season were barely noticeable.
It was late October and the ma-
ture bucks were beginning to break
their nocturnal habits in search of
early estrus does which I term as the
pre-rut and because of that it was
the first time in my hunting career
that I had to improvise and search
the vicinity for a location offering
doe traffic and henceforth,
visual buck signposts.
The breeding season
concept in this big woods
area was simple; find a
white or red oak with
acorns or other preferred
browse which attracts does
and that female traffic
would attract the males.
By John Eberhart
After about
a quarter mile
walk I came across a large sprawl-
ing white oak. The ground was
littered with acorn hulls, deer
droppings and it was bordered by
a cutover consisting of dense eight
foot tall poplar saplings with fresh
rubs along its edge. There were also
several well-used runways that fed
into the feeding location.
About 10 feet from the oak’s
trunk the lowest branch hung low
enough for me to jump up and
grab. I pulled myself up onto it and
crawled on the branch to the trunk
and then climbed up another 15 feet
The author’s free-
lance fanny pack
contains; climbing
harness, 18 steps,
bow hangers, folding
saw, reflective tacks,
bow rope and a com-
pass and maps kept
in a Ziploc bag.
12 AUGUST 2018 WNW NEWS
to where I could sit on one branch
and have my feet on another.
About two hours before dark a
doe and her twin fawns stepped out
of the saplings, moved in and began
feeding on acorns. Ten or so minutes
later the unmistakable sounds of a
buck chasing in the saplings made
the doe uneasy and she and her
fawns left the scene in the opposite
direction.
After a long period of quiet
time I heard the chasing again, and
as hard as I tried to see within the
saplings, they were just too tall and
dense. The sounds kept getting clos-
er until a doe busted out of the sap-
lings. With her mouth open, tongue
hanging out, and panting with every
breath, she was desperately trying
to put some ground between her
and her persistent pursuer.
Within moments, a huge
buck for that area appeared
with nose to the ground in
hot pursuit.
I came to full draw and
had to make three vocal
doe bleats, each louder
than the previous, to get
his attention and stop his
hurried pace. As
he stood looking
over his shoulder to see where the
other doe was, I took the 25-yard
quartering away shot. The shot was
true and after about 80 yards the big
10-point fell to the ground while
running in full stride.
If that hunt seemed archaic in
terms of climbing and sitting on
limbs, it was because it took place
in 1976 prior to steps, stands and
all the other paraphernalia we have
available today. What was not
archaic was the beginning of what I
refer to as freelance hunting, which
I have done successfully on many
The author got star ted
bowhunting back in 1976
prior to steps, stands, and
all the other equipment
we have available today.
It was the beginning of
his successful ‘freelance
hunting.’ Here’s his 1976
10-point
occasions since.
To me, freelance hunting can be
defined in three different styles or
methods:
1) Going into a new piece of
property with your hunting gear,
searching for the best available deer
sign and then immediately setting
up on it and hunting.
2) Hunting in a pre-set location
for a while and sensing the loca-
tion is not going to produce so you
pull your set-up gear and search out
a new and better location to hunt
the remainder of that day’s allotted
time.
3) Or as previously described in
the 1976 hunt, when you get to your
pre-set location and the sign doesn’t
warrant a hunt you immediately
freelance for a better location.
The more stash of hunting op-
tions a hunter has the more danger-
ous and consistently successful they
will be.
Over the past 20 years Michi-
gan’s Kevin VanDam has been the
country’s best and most accom-
plished bass fisherman because he
has the complete arsenal of being
able to fish the many variations of
weather and water conditions and
is proficient with every type of bass
fishing lure known to man. No mat-
ter the fishing situation, Kevin takes
full advantage of them by having so
many options available to him that
he is knowledgeable about. Hunting
is no different.
Mid-morning to early afternoon
freelance hunting is an aggressive
hunting plan or a reactionary hunt-
ing method skill that every bow-
hunter with access to a large enough
parcel of property should have in
their arsenal and most public lands
in Michigan fall into the large parcel
category.
Let’s put the reality of freelance
hunting into perspective for Michi-
gan hunters. While there are some
fortunate hunters that have large
private parcels to hunt in Michigan,
that situation is not the norm. The
general landscape of the heavily
hunted areas in Michigan’s south-
ern half of Zone 2 and majority of
Zone 3 is fragmented into private
parcels that are simply too small for
freelance hunting. Freelance hunting
can however work well on the large
tracts of state or federal properties in
all three zones.
On the small free permission
private parcels I’ve had the op-
portunity to hunt over the years my
post-season scouting ventures had
familiarized me with every inch of
the property so I already had hunt-
ing sites in every decent or poten-
tially decent location.
If allowed, post season scout-
ing can be a double edge sword of
both negative and positive. Due to
crop rotations or the annual changes
in mast or fruit production, it’s not
uncommon during post season to set
up at locations with lots of deer sign
only to have it be devoid of sign
next season. That’s why I try to set
up at all potential locations that may
become hot hunting sites like at ob-
vious mast and fruit trees that have
no sign from the previous season
because they might during the next
season when they produce food.
The common denominator of
freelance hunting is it’s always done
without any previous knowledge of
the final hunting location. In 2017
I went in to hunt a red oak which
had several scrapes beneath it in
2016. The scrapes were inactive so
I crossed a nearby river with the
waders I took in for that very reason
and took a 9-point from another
pre-set location. Although I moved
to another location, that was not a
freelance hunt because it was a pre-
set location.
I bowhunt in Michigan until
the gun opener in an attempt to
take one of our super smart, mostly
nocturnal mature bucks and usually
on November 15 I travel out-of-
state to continue bowhunting for
those more simple minded, lightly
pressured mature bucks. Several of
my freelance kills have occurred
on these short-term trips where I
had minimal time to scout, all day
to hunt, and large tracts of land to
wander on.
Early November is when many
Michigan hunters take their out-of-
state trips because their time is lim-
ited and they want to take advantage
of the rut phases when mature bucks
move more regularly during day-
light hours and are more susceptible
to tactics, both of which are due to
the areas having many more mature
bucks than in Michigan and them
having to compete more for breed-
ing rights because of it.
Freelance hunting during the
brief rut phase periods is an excel-
lent exercise in judging and im-
mediately reacting to fresh sign
because you do not have the luxury
of unlimited time to wait for things
to happen at pre-set locations.
When preparing to hunt a large
area of land go online and print aer-
ial maps and, if the ground is hilly,
also print topographical maps. Most
terrain features such as timber, fun-
nels, saddles, draws, inside corners
of crop fields, marshes, and swamps
will be fairly obvious and you can
pinpoint and mark areas on the maps
where you want to concentrate your
scouting and location preparation
efforts.
On freelance hunts or on hunts
where I think I may need to free-
lance once I check out a pre-set
location, below my hunting pack I
carry a pre-loaded freelance fanny
pack containing everything needed
to set up a location. It contains;
climbing harness, 18 steps, bow
hangers, folding saw, reflective
tacks, bow rope and a compass. I
keep the maps in a Ziploc bag and
carry them in my backpack for ref-
erence if needed.
While freelancing I don’t have
the luxury of a pre-set, non-intrusive
entry route so to keep from leav-
ing human odor on any vegetation
I may brush against, I always wear
the properly cared for ScentLok
suit (jacket, pants and gloves) and
rubber boots that I’ll be hunting in.
Once on stand I also wear my head
cover with drop down facemask to
finalize the scent control regimen
during the hunt.
When freelancing, search for
active scrapes, mast and or fruit
trees that are dropping food, rub or
scrape lined runways in transition
funnels between bedding areas, well
used runways along creek or river
bottoms, and well used travel routes
between bedding and feeding areas.
There is not enough time on free-
lance hunts to explore every aspect
of the property in detail and these
specific target areas should yield
opportunities.
While commonly seen on TV,
I rarely set up along exposed crop
fields or open areas because I’m so
accustomed to hunting in Michigan
where mature bucks rarely move
into them during daylight hours.
Even on my out-of-state hunts I’ve
found that setting up locations with
adequate perimeter and transition
security cover yields the most con-
sistent results.
When freelancing, if possible
pick a tree where the most sign
is within shooting range and that
requires the least amount of trim-
ming and lane clearing, this will aid
in keeping human odor, the visual
alterations and the strong odor of
your cuttings to a minimum. When
pursuing mature bucks in heavily
pressured areas, even the minimal
odor of fresh cuttings at a destina-
tion location can alter their mindset
and cause them to alter their routine.
If a freelance site doesn’t meet
expectations, pull your gear and
reload your freelance pack for the
next time. With this system it’s also
easy to adjust to distant visuals the
next day as you can silently move in
and prepare a new tree in a matter of
minutes.
Since 1981 I’ve exclusively
hunted from an arborist style har-
ness that I re-designed and it rolls
up and easily fits in my backpack
with all my other gear and layer-
ing garments and negates carrying
around heavy, noisy and cumber-
some hang-on or climber stands. It
Since 1981 the author
has exclusively hunted
from an arborist style
harness that he re-
designed and it rolls
up and easily fits in his
backpack with all his
other gear and layering
garments.
also has many other advantages over
any conventional stands that are too
innumerable to list.
There is a new harness on
the market called “Mantis” and it
weighs 15 ounces, is made from
quiet fabric and rolls up a bit big-
ger than a softball and can only be
purchased on www.Tethrdnation.
com and no, I have no monetary rea-
son for endorsing this harness. It’s
simply the lightest and most mobile
harness available.
I laugh at TV commercials
where hunters walk down nice clear
two tracks and lanes with their
stands on their backs. That scenario
is far from reality and even more
so when freelance hunting through
public land parcels where lanes and
two-tracks don’t exist and where
security cover is required for any
reasonable chance of an opportunity.
On a freelance hunt I suggest
your first hunt remain clean (no
tactics unless an out of distance
buck is seen) in a new location that
has active sign. A clean hunt will
allow the destination location to
work on the merits you chose it for,
whereas the improper use of tactics
may unknowingly alter that traffic.
If you return the next day and you
have confidence in your ability to
perform tactics properly and at the
right times of day, go for it.
In 2003 on what was to be an
all-day sit at a pre-set location, after
a couple hours on stand I freelanced
approximately a quarter mile deeper
into the timber before finding an
active scrape area and rattled in and
took a 180 inch 12-point there just
before dark.
On a planned all-day hunt in
2007, after sighting only two deer
in the morning I got down and
freelanced. About 300 yards later I
discovered a large active scrape area
in a transition zone and set up on it
for the remainder of the afternoon.
I took a 135 inch 10-point from
that freelance location early in the
afternoon.
While I definitely do not recom-
mend frequently adjusting your po-
sition due to boredom, if the actual
sign you set-up a location for does
not exist, freelancing may be war-
ranted. Successful freelance hunting
will give you pride in knowing that
you have the ability to adjust to the
area’s current activity. If you feel
the need to adjust, try this freelanc-
ing method, you will be surprised at
how productive it can be.
While there are thousands of
hunters with several bucks in the
record books, I have 50 record book
bucks from 32 different properties
(31 Michigan and 19 out-of-state). I
have always exclusively hunted on
public and knock-on-doors for free
permission properties. I’ve never
owned, leased or paid a dime to hunt
anywhere.
Whether you hunt public, free
permission, family owned, leased,
managed or out-of-state properties;
attending one of John’s two day
in-field/classroom workshops will
give you the knowledge to bag those
big bucks you get on camera. For
information on Eberhart’s White-
tail Workshops or his instructional
books and DVDs please visit: www.
deer-john.net or contact John by e-
mail at: deerjohn51@gmail.comn
On a planned all-day
hunt in 2007, after
sighting only two deer
in the morning, the
author got down and
freelanced and took a
135 inch 10-point from
that freelance location
early in the afternoon.
WNW NEWS AUGUST 2018 13
 Don’t let the dog days get you down
By Mark Martin
T
he phrase “dog days of
summer” has been in
the human vocabulary
for literally thousands
of years. Nowadays
it’s a term used by
anglers to describe the time when
summer’s heat has warmed water
temperatures to the point that game
fish of all species, especially wall-
eye, can be pretty tough to catch.
Most old expressions, such as
this one, however, have derived
from what is fact over fiction. In this
case, the term dog days is actually a
Greek and Roman reference to the
dog star, Sirius, and its position in
the nighttime sky; when Sirius ap-
pears just ahead of the sun, usually
starting sometime late July.
In my younger years I believed
theses normally hottest days of the
year where a terrible time for catch-
ing fish. I’ve since learned better,
and found fish are more than willing
to eat as ever. I’ve learned my lack
of catching in the past was the result
of fish moving into summertime pat-
terns and me not following suit.
In the following, I’ll tell you
the tips and tricks I’ve learned that
helped me to not go fishless during
this time.
In The Beginning
So much has been learned about
the wandering ways of walleye
since I started fishing professionally.
Early in my tournament years, it
was thought walleyes never strayed
far from their lairs on bottom; most
all rigs for taking summertime ’eyes
were tactics for fishing on or near a
lake’s floor.
Then came Professional Wall-
eye Trail (PWT) tournaments in the
early ’90’s, when participants dis-
covered that walleyes, even more so
big walleyes, were suspending and
feasting high in the water column. It
was also about this era when in-line
planer boards were just starting be-
ing used to get a bait out from under
the boat and into the strike zone of
suspending fish.
There have been many innova-
tions to in-line planer boards, crank-
baits, spinners (crawler harnesses),
terminal tackle and equipment over
the past 20 years, and all for sole
purpose of targeting suspended fish.
Lure Me In
Walk down the aisle of any
tackle shop and you can’t help but
notice there’s a lure made for every
situation imaginable, to the point it
can be overwhelming when trying to
choose which ones to buy. Overall I
trust Rapala crankbaits; each one is
tank tested so I know they run true
right out of the box, and, they come
14 AUGUST 2018 WNW NEWS
in many different shapes and diving
ranges, and have high-quality hooks
already attached.
When fish are just under the
surface, say, within the top 10
feet, long-lining a Rapala Original
Floater is a no brainer as they dive 4
to 11 feet depending on size. Other
than new colors, these are the same
lures as the innovative fish-catchin’
minnow lure created by Lauri Ra-
pala in 1936.
If walleye are slightly deeper,
say, 10 to 15 feet down, then the
trusty Rapala Shad Raps, down
Deep Husky Jerks and Tail Dancers,
as well their new Shad Dancers are
my go-to lures as they’ll get down to
15 feet. The wider-bodied Shad Rap
and Shad Dancer are a great choices
if shad or panfish are present in the
waterway you’re fishing, while the
longer, slender profile of the Tail
Dancers and Deep Down Husky
Jerks match shiners, smelt, herring,
and perch well.
Watch your speed when trolling
crankbaits; keep it at 1.5 to 2.3 mph
for best results. And when a fish
is hooked, note the speed at which
you were trolling, and then keep
your speed the same to conjure up
another strike.
The best way I determine my
trolling speed is with the GPS of
my Lowrance HDS Carbon 12 unit. The author, Mark Mar tin, holds a hefty walleye that hit a Deep Down
With a Lowrance GPS, I can break Husky Jerk fished high in the water column. David A. Rose photo
my speed down to 1/10 of a mph. out another 50 feet of line. In-line place my rods so the lines won’t get
And, yes, walleye can be so picky weights work well, too. I usually tangled up.
that they may refuse to hit a lure start with a 1-ouncer and then Hello Down There
going, say, 1.8 MPH, but will strike adjust from there depending on Where to start your search for
one being pulled at 1.9 MPH. where in the water column the suspended walleye isn’t nearly as
Spin Your Crawler Round ‘N’ Round fish are. hard as some anglers think. All I do
When crankbaits won’t trip a You’ll need to experiment with is watch my sonar for suspended
walleye’s trigger, trolling slower the weight needed, which is de- bait, such as minnow and insects, in
with a spinner with either a live termined by your trolling speed, the upper water column, and then
crawler or Gulp! Crawler skewered which should be from .8 to 1.5 get my crankbaits or spinners in the
on will often do the trick. mph when pulling spinners. I use same depth.
Whether fishing the Great Lakes either 12-pound test Berkley XT or Even though Lowrance sonars
or an inland waterway during late 14-pound Trilene XL when trolling are one of the most powerful units
summer, it’s best to break out spin- both crankbaits and crawler har- on today’s market, you may not
ners with large blades as their size nesses. mark the fish themselves as they’ll
best matches the baitfish and young- I always use Church Tackle scoot out from under your boat and
of-the-year fishes that have grown in-line planer boards when trolling out of your transducer’s signal (thus
larger. Size-4 Colorado blades, for suspended fish. Their “Walleye why planer boards are essential tools
such as those found on Northland’s Board” is one of the all-around best of the walleye-trolling trade). You’ll
Baitfish Spinner Harness, are a good models, which can be coupled with just have to trust that if the bait is
choice in inland lakes, while size- their Double Action Flag System; there, then the walleye will be there,
5 willow leaf blades work well in the latter a must when detecting too.
the Great Lakes. Don’t, however, small fish such as perch that may be No Rest for the Wicked
be afraid to try different sizes and nipping at your bait. Thinking of taking a break from
shapes, no matter where you’re at. These boards are weighted just fishing as the dog days of summer
The depth a spinner runs at can right so that they won’t tip over will have the fish in a funk? Think
be controlled with clip-on weights. when slow-trolling spinners, yet again. Instead of falling victim to
These come in 1/2- to 3-ounce sizes have plenty of pull for getting the the dog days, get out and troll for
and clip on and off to your line with biggest crankbaits out away from suspended walleye.
ease. One method to use is the 50/50 the boat. Mark Martin is a touring walleye
method, where you let out 50 feet Whenever I am trolling, I always tournament pro and instructor with
of line (which I use a ABU Garcia place my rods in my Cisco Fish- the Fishing Vacation/Schools, who
Ambassadeur Line Counter reel so ing Systems’ rod holders as they lives in Southwest Lower Michigan.
as to know the exact amount of line are fully adjustable and allow me Check out his website at www.mark-
out), then clip on the weight and let a multitude of different angles to martins.net for more information.n
 Turkey hunting
update spring/fall
H
ere are a few updates on the
spring turkey season that
recently wrapped up and
the upcoming fall turkey
season. Find more information about
these and other turkey-related topics
at michigan.gov/turkey.
Weather has Impact on
2018 Spring Turkey Season
Preliminary reports indicate
turkeys and can harvest more than
one. The application period is July 1
through Aug. 1. See fall turkey hunt
units and their quotas in the 2018
Fall Turkey Digest.
New: Turkey Education program to bring turkey into aged students on our website
in the Classroom the classroom. This fall, look and via DNR email. Best part –
Coming soon is a new education for information for elementary- it’s free!n

0
that weather fluctuations may have
affected participation in the 2018
DESIGNED % A.P.R.
0
spring turkey season, as well as the
number of turkeys taken. Spring
weather arrived later than nor- TO PERFORM,
DESIGNED % A.P.R.
FINANCING
TO PERFORM, FORFINANCING
mal, and most of the state still had
snow on the ground for the April BUILT TO LAST. 84 MONTHS*
23 season opener. With substantial
amounts of snow and cold tempera- BUILT TO LAST. FOR 84 MONTHS*
tures in the northern Lower and Up-
per peninsulas during the first week
of the season, spring conditions
were, on average, about two weeks
behind when they normally occur.
“When May arrived, turkeys
were aggressively gobbling and dis-
playing,” said Michigan Department
of Natural Resources upland game
bird biologist Al Stewart. “But,
due to these less-than-stellar spring
hunting conditions, we anticipate
turkey hunting license sales and
harvest to be lower than last year.”
The goal of the spring turkey
season is to maximize the num-
ber of hunters who can participate
while maintaining a quality hunting
experience. The conservative spring
harvest approach of one bearded
turkey per hunter allows anyone
interested in turkey hunting to try it
out and makes hunting opportunity
available statewide.
Turkey Patch And Hunt Survey
Grab a memento of your spring
turkey hunt with an annually de-
signed turkey management coopera-
tor patch. The Michigan chapter of
the National Wild Turkey Federa-
tion coordinates the patch program,
B Series
in partnership with the DNR. You
didn’t need to get a bird to buy a
patch, and young hunters, up to 17 ROSY
ROSY BROTHERS
BROTHERS INC.
INC.
years old, with a valid turkey license
5727
5727 DRYDEN
DRYDEN ROAD
can get a free patch.
Don’t forget to report hunting
activity online. The information
hunters provide helps the DNR eval-
ROSY BROTHERS INC. DRYDEN,
DRYDEN, MICHIGAN
ROAD
rosybros@yahoo.com
rosybros@yahoo.com
MICHIGAN 48428
48428
(810)
5727 DRYDEN 796-3770
ROAD
(810) 796-3770
uate hunter success and total num-
ber of turkeys taken. It’s important
for all turkey hunters to participate,
DRYDEN, Michigan 48428
whether they took a turkey or not.
Fall Turkey Hunting 810-796-3770
Fall turkey season is available,
in some areas of Michigan, as a
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WNW NEWS AUGUST 2018 15

 Next Bite...By Gary Parsons and Keith Kavajecz
umor has it the bite
is on fire! You head
out to the lake and
start cruising around
at a steady 20 mph
while watching the
screen of your Lowrance HDS with
great anticipation. You know that
any second now you should start
marking fish. Sure enough, they’re
there! You circle around to set up to
troll with the wind. Yet after deploy-
ing the planer boards and making a
few passes over them with the same
cranks that have been working for
your buddies, you can’t get a hit.
To make matters worse, a few more
boats have showed up and nets are
flying everywhere. What was sup-
posed to be a great day on the water
has now turned into frustration.
What is everybody else doing
differently than you?
There is a good chance that they
have their baits running at a differ-
ent depth in the water column.
Positioning a crank at the right
depth is critical for success! There
are two scenarios to consider.
If you are fishing structure, such
as a big reef, shoreline break or a
drop-off on a flat, you will want to
run your baits close to bottom. The
fish use the structure as a hiding
place while they wait to ambush any
baitfish that come by along the floor
of the lake.
If you are chasing suspended
fish, you will have to move the
opposite way. These fish eat in an
upward direction, so you will want
to position the bait above the arches
on the screen. If you are fishing too
low, the fish literally can’t see the
bait!
So how do you get your bait in
the right spot in the water column?
The answer is literally right at
your fingertips!
The data to tell you how much
line you need to let out to get a spe-
cific crankbait to the right depth has
been around for decades. Precision
Trolling Data (PTD) previously pub-
lished a book nicknamed the “Troll-
ers Bible” before transitioning the
information over to a smartphone
app several years ago.
The app, which is available on
both IOS and Android, is simple
to use. Begin by picking the type
of line you are using, such as #10
Berkley Trilene XL, 10# Berkley
FireLine, etc. If you don’t use the
lines listed in the app, choose a line
type with a similar diameter to the
line you have spooled up. Then tell
the app what type of lure you are
using and the depth you would like
the lure to be at in the water column.
The app will tell you how much line
16 AUGUST 2018 WNW NEWS
you need to let out.
Now you know how
to get your bait where
you want it, but there is
another problem. The
“hot” bait hits the maxi-
mum depth it is designed
to dive and you need it to
go deeper. How can you
accurately get it where it
needs to be?
There are sev-
eral options for adding
weight to your rig to get
it to go deeper, such as
snap weights, lead core
line, inline weights and
dipsies. The catch is
that each of these diving
devices are speed depen-
dent. Slower speeds allow
the device to get deeper,
while faster speeds will
make the device rise in
the water column. Keith Kavajecz knows positioning a crank at the
For situations like this,
a new feature on the PTD trolling
app comes to the rescue! Over the
past year PTD spent considerable
time and resources, including using
an underwater diver, to gather data
on the most versatile diving device
– the Offshore Snap Weight, spe-
cifically the one with the 2 ounce
Guppy Weight. This device is very
simple to use. Just let out a leader
of line, clip on the snap weight, and
then let out a dropper line. Obvi-
ously, the bait will dive to a certain
depth with just the leader, but the
more line you let out for the drop-
per, the deeper the snap weight will
go, and correspondingly, the deeper
the crankbait will end up running.
PTD gathered data for 16 of the
most popular walleye crankbaits
paired with a snap weight. The
initial data was gathered with a 50-
foot leader of 10# Berkley Trilene
XT (which is considered the most
popular trolling line on the market,
especially for open water) with a 2
ounce snap weight attached. This
method has been dubbed the “50
Plus 2” method. Tests were done at
two speeds; 1.5 mph and 2.5 mph.
The crankbaits were then tested with Berkley Trilene XT. To do this you
varying droppers out to 100 feet.
Now let’s step back for a mo-
ment. In the past, most of us went
on the theory that in this type of
system, no matter what bait was
used, the snap weight would end
up diving to the same depth, then
the crank bait would dive below
that. By taking the depth of the snap to 18. The app will display the “Feet
weight on the dropper length, then
adding the depth the lure dives on
the leader length, you would think
you’d get close to the total running
depth of the crankbait.
The new tests show that al-
though the old method got you in
the ball park, it could be as much
as ten feet off. This variance can
be huge, especially when targeting
suspended fish. It turns out that the
snap weight, as with other weighted
systems, runs at different depths
based on the type of crankbait being
used – a shallow, medium or deep
diver. To accurately gather the data,
PTD tested each crankbait/snap
weight combo separately to get an
accurate charting of the total dive
depth. This is great data!
Now to use the data. When you
find yourself in a situation where
you need to run a lure deeper than it
can dive on its own, open the Preci-
sion Trolling App. Select the type
of line “10# Berkley XT / 50 foot
leader 2 ounce snap weight.” Then
select the speed you are trolling and
the depth you would like the bait to
run. The app will then tell you the
total amount of line to let out (leader
plus dropper).
Let’s look at an example. A #7
Berkley Flicker Shad has a maxi-
mum dive depth of 14 feet on 10#
would have to let out 131 feet of
line. Let’s say we want to fish this
lure 18 feet down at 2.5 mph. You
would change the line type to “10#
Berkley Trilene XT / 50 foot leader
2 ounce snap weight” and roll the
MPH wheel to 2.5 mph. Next you
would roll the “Feet Down” wheel
Back” as 78. The 78 refers to the
total amount of line out. To fish this
lure at 18 feet down you would let
out the #7 Flicker Shad and 50 feet
of line. Then attach the Off Shore
right depth is critical for success!
2 ounce snap weight. Then add an-
other 28 feet of “dropper” for a total
of 78 feet.
You can run the lure right behind
the boat (make sure the rod tip is
close to the water surface) or attach
it to an Off Shore inline planer
board to send the setup out to the
side of the boat. It is important to
remember that the board attached at
78 feet will not affect the depth the
lure is diving, no matter how far out
from the side of the boat you run the
board.
You may have noticed that we
are able let out less line to run the
bait 18 feet down (78 feet of line),
than we need to let out to get down
to 14 feet on its own (131 feet of
line). This means that there is less
line to reel in when you get a fish,
making you more efficient. For this
reason, there are times that we add
a snap weight to our trolling set up,
not just to get deeper, but so we can
let out less line.
This app is available on the
Google Play Store and on the Apple
App Store. Just search for Precision
Trolling Data and install the app
for free. The app comes with one
lure (the Berkley #7 Flicker Shad)
so you can try out the functionality
of the app. If you find it useful you
can purchase additional lure data
individually or you can purchase a
lifetime membership and get all the
data that is currently tested as well
as any data that is gathered in the
future.
Snap weights have been around
for years, but with the new Precision
Trolling Data it will help take all
your cranks to new depths and get
you…The Next Bite.n
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WNW NEWS AUGUST 2018 17
 Mature kings like this stop feed-
ing as they prepare for spawning.
These fish can still be caught using
a variety of creative trolling and
casting tactics. High action plugs
like the Yakima Mag Lip used here
features loud rattles that trigger
strikes from fish that are more
focused on spawning than eating.
Glow-in-the-Dark colors are also
helpful as the best action takes
place in low light conditions.

off the downriggers, another pair of

plugs fished in combination with the
Slide-Diver run on the No. 2 setting
and a pair of plugs fished on lead
core and in combination with inline
boards.
To saturate the water column
as thoroughly as possible, run the
outside lead core and plug line on
the port side with one color of lead
core and on the starboard side with
a two color set up. The inside board
on the port side can then be fished in
combination with a plug and three
colors of lead core and the starboard
side can be fished with a plug and
four colors of lead core.
This eight rod trolling pattern
spreads out lines, covers the water
column thoroughly and makes it
easy to fight hooked fish without

Alternative Tactics
having to clear other lines. Because
boat traffic at the river mouths
where salmon tend to stage can be
rather busy, eight lines is about as
much gear in the water as can be
managed effectively.
Jigging/Casting
for Staging Salmon
Both pre-spawn king and coho
For August/September Salmon...By Mark Romanack

S
oon waves of mature At this time of year salmon are mally occurs just before sunrise in
king and also coho less interested in feeding than they the morning and again just at sunset
salmon will return are spawning. In part this can be in the evening.
to spawning streams explained by water temperature. Secondly, as salmon mature the
pouring into Lake The near shore waters of Lakes biological need to feed is replaced
Michigan and also Michigan and Huron tend to be with an equally powerful biological
Lake Huron. As these fish stage near warmer than the water temperatures need to spawn. Mature salmon even-
the rivers they will ultimately run preferred by salmon. Warm water tually stop feeding, but these fish
and spawn in, anglers are faced with stresses these fish and causes them can still be triggered into striking a
some interesting challenges. to feed less often. The best bite nor- variety of lures that seem to elicit
strikes more out of anger or frustra-
tion than a desire to feed.
Plug Trolling
For Staging Salmon
When salmon stage near the
mouth of spawning streams, the
stage is set for a rather specific troll-
ing strategy. High action plugs such
as the Luhr Jensen J-Plug, Silver
Horde Ace High, Yakima Mag Lip
and the Luhr Jensen Kwikfish fea-
ture wide wobbling and aggressive
actions, plus loud rattles that trigger
strikes when other lures are seem-
ingly ignored.
These plugs can be fished in
combination with diving planers
such as the Slide-Diver, with down-
riggers and also fished in combina-
When mature salmon star t showing up at Great Lakes piers and tributary
spawning streams a whole new chapter of salmon fishing action takes tion with short lengths of lead core
place. The trolling tactics that routinely produce these fish in spring and such as 1, 2, 3, and 4 color set ups.
summer are replaced with a host of creative trolling and casting presen- An effective eight rod trolling set
tations designed to catch fish that would rather spawn than eat. up includes running a pair of plugs
18 AUGUST 2018 WNW NEWS
salmon can also be caught near the
river mouths by casting inline spin-
ners and also fishing jigging spoons
and jigs tipped with paddle-tail style
swimbaits and grubs. While jigging
and casting is somewhat unortho-
dox, a growing number of anglers
have discovered when salmon stack
up in predictable places, jigging/
casting lures trigger strikes and
make for exciting fishing opportuni-
ties.
Casting Crankbaits
Once salmon enter the streams,
casting crankbaits is one of the most
productive ways to trigger strikes. A
handful of baits have proven them-
selves effective including the Storm
Deep Jr. ThunderStick, Reef Run-
ner RipStick and Reef Runner Deep
Little Ripper.
To make these walleye baits
salmon friendly I recommend
switching out the factory treble
hooks with stronger Eagle Claw
Trokar TK300 or TK310 hooks in
No. 4 and No. 2 sizes. The heavier
wire featured on these hooks pre-
vent salmon from straightening the
hooks. Also, these Trokar hooks are
surgically sharp, insuring the best
possible penetration.
The best fishing usually occurs
Alternative Tactics page 20
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WNW NEWS AUGUST 2018 19
Alternative Tactics: from page 18
by casting cranks near log jams
that provide salmon places to rest
between upstream pushes. A run and
gun strategy that involves fishing
as many log jams as possible, puts
the odds of success in favor of the
angler.
Drop Back Spawn
Another method that routinely
produces salmon once they enter the
river is known as drop back fishing.
Weirdly enough, salmon don’t feed
once they enter the spawning rivers,
but they will gobble chunks of fresh
Al Fulford
Featured Waterfowl Carver
Al competes and judges at several major shows around
the country, including since 1983, at the Ward World
Wildfowl Carving Championship in Ocean City, MD ( the
largest and most prestigious carving competition in
the world). He competes at the Masters Level (highest)
at the “Worlds“.
Early Les Cheneaux Islands
Waterfowl Decoy Display
Col. James Berryhill of Cedarville, Waterfowl Decoy Display , James has
carved for over 30 years and has a very unique style. He was turned
on to carving while serving in the Air Force. Many of his birds are in
Peoples’ homes throughout the Eastern Upper Peninsula.
Duck Hunting Style Calling Competition
Sponsored by Superior Decoys and Panzerfaust Custom Calls.
Goose Hunting Style Calling Competition
Sponsored by Superior Decoys - First prize includes a decoy.
No Entry Fees!
Youth Goose Calling Clinic
Food, Shopping for latest Waterfowl Apparel and Equipment, T-shirts,
Commemorative posters, Spectating for all activities.
For more Info
Like Us
Islands Wildlife Association
20 AUGUST 2018 WNW NEWS
or preserved skein like gum drops.
Drop back fishing using salmon
skein can be fished two popular
ways.
The first set up requires a bait-
casting outfit with a main line of 14
to 20 pound test monofilament line
tied to a three way swivel. On one
arm of the three way swivel a 10-12
inch long monofilament dropper is
added with a small snap attached.
The snap allows different size bell
sinkers to be quickly added and
switched out based on water depth Mari Romanack of Fishing 411 TV holds a nice coho that hit a plug while
and current speed. The dropper river fishing. Gabe VanWormer captures all the action on video. Author photos
should be a lighter pound test than
the main line to allow snagged sink-
ers to be broken off without losing
the whole rig.
On the final arm of the three way
swivel a 30 inch leader of 15 to 20
pound test fluorocarbon line is ter-
minated to a No. 1/0 octopus hook
attached with an egg snell. This set
up allows the leader to be loosened
up at the hook to form a loop of line
that holds the skein in place on the
hook.
Skein is best fished from an
anchored boat by slowly playing
out line and allowing the sinker and
trailing skein to drop back through
holes and runs that hold salmon.
Skein can also be fished with the
help of floats. This method works
especially well for deeper holes and
is easier to master than bottom fish-
ing with skein. Both spinning outfits
and baitcasting gear can be used to
9:00 am - Opening of Vendor area and working decoy entries main gazebo fish skein on floats.
10:00-12:00 pm - Dog Fun Trials ( bring your retriever and let them take When float fishing, just enough
a turn retrieving 2 dummies set in some decoys.) (Waterfront Park
weight is used to sink the skein and
Shore area)
10:00 am - Kids Paint a Mallard In the Park keep the float upright. Float rigs are
10:00-11:00 am - Kids Goose Calling Clinic info on attached sheet also fished from an anchored posi-
main gazebo. tion. The fishermen simply drop the
11:00 am - Kids Fish Pole casting contest (sposored by wilderness rig out the back of the boat and let
Treasures) Park Lawn the current carry the float and skein
12:00 pm - Working Decoy Judging downstream naturally.
12:00 pm - Kids Decoy throw contest main dock Canoe race Father/Son Using nine to 12 foot long
Mother/Daughter Main Dock steelhead style rods allows for
1:00 pm - Kids Fishing Contest 12 and under bring your pole
Largest fish any species 1st,2nd,3rd place (Wilderness Treasures)
longer and more productive drifts
to be achieved. For the best results
2:00 pm - U.P Goose and Duck calling competition (Sponsored by Superior replace the chunks of skein often to
Decoys and Panzerfaust Custom Calls )
3:00 pm - Raffle draw Gazebo 1st prize Browning BPS 12 Ga 31/2 inch keep them milking naturally in the
(Maples Sawmill), 2nd prize Winchester Super X Hybrid Pump 12 Ga water.
3 1/2 inch(O’Connors Chrysler), 3rd prize Calcutta Cooler (Islands Summing It Up
Wildlife) All Tickets $2.00 When salmon start preparing to
3:30-4:00 pm - Awards main Gazebo. spawn, fish that are otherwise ag-
gressive feeders suddenly get lock
jaw. Getting kings and coho to bite
consistently requires using a host of
presentations that tease or frustrate
Festival or Vendor Information, these fish into striking.
Contact Dave Duncan It was once thought that spawn-
ing salmon would not bite lures or
906-322-8833 bait. We now know that both king
and coho salmon can readily be
caught with a number of creative
fishing presentations.
The rod pounding action gets
started in August and runs through
September. Some of Michigan’s
best salmon streams include the St.
Joe, Muskegon, Pere Marquette, Big
Manistee and AuSable.n
Outdoor Hall of Fame
and Writing Awards
By Mark Sak

T
he Michigan Outdoor
Writer’s Association an-
nounced the annual Michi-
gan Outdoor Hall of Fame
inductees for 2018 as well as the
state writing awards and Woods-N-
Water News writers did very well.
The MOWA conference took place
June 16 in Bay City.
The Michigan Outdoor Hall of
Fame paid tribute to two new in-
ductees. Mark Martin of Twin Lake
and Kevin VanDam from Kalama-
zoo.
Mark Martin had been known to
walleye anglers nationwide as “The
Original Champ” as he was the very
first champion of the In-Fisherman
Professional Walleye Trail back in
1990. He has remained active in
many tournament circuits to this
day and holds several winter ice
angling events where he teaches
anglers advanced fishing techniques.
The Mark Martin Vacation Fishing
School has several stops around
Michigan and is growing in popular-
ity. Mark is also one of Michigan’s
most highly sought after seminar Michigan Outdoor Hall of Fame
speakers in the state and can often Winners (Top) Mark Mar tin and
be found at fishing or boat shows Kevin VanDam
around Michigan. Valley of the Giants. Second place
Kevin VanDam from Kalama- went to Tom Carney for a great
zoo is simply the best competitive article on Michigan’s Pigeon River
bass angler on the planet. In a bass Country. Richard P. Smith captured
nation where most top anglers come the third place award with his article
from southern states, VanDam has on Isle Royal Moose Doomed.
blown away the field with four The James H. Hall award rec-
Bassmaster Classic titles and is the ognizes non-consumptive activities
all-time leading money winner in and Tom Carney again took 2nd
bass fishing with over $6 million place honors in the state with an
dollars in tournament winnings. He article titled Dodging the Rain in
has won 25 Bassmaster tournaments Western New York. The MOWA
and has seven Toyota Angler of the photo award saw Jonathan Schech-
Year titles on the Bassmaster series ter take third place with a great
and one FLW angler of the year title. picture of a Pileated woodpecker
Affectionately known as “KVD,” he hugging a tree in the northern Lower
also helped develop Major League Peninsula.
Fishing which is a very popular Congratulations go out to all
made for TV tournament for top WNW News writers for the recogni-
anglers. KVD is also very popular tion of being the best in the state.
on the speaking circuit nationally, Also congrats to the two newest
and is part of many television shows Michigan Outdoor Hall of Famers
across the country. Congratulations Kevin VanDam and Mark Martin.
to both well deserving inductees for There is no question they changed
2018. the angling world and will continue
MOWA also announced the to do so for years to come.
annual writing awards for 2018. To nominate a Michigan icon
Woods-N-Water News writers for the Michigan Outdoor Hall of
again did very well in the competi- fame, log on to www.MIOWA.net
tion. In the five categories judged and download a nomination applica-
WNW News writers placed in 3 tion. Directions of where to send the
of the 5 categories and completely nomination are on the site. The Hall
swept the Paquin award category. of Fame is physically located at the
The C.A. Paquin award highlights Carl T. Johnson Hunting and Fishing
the best contribution to conserva- Center in Cadillac, Michigan and a
tion. First place went to Jonathan section on the MIOWA.net website
Schechter and his article entitled, also hosts inductees.n
WNW NEWS AUGUST 2018 21
 DNR Air Operations
An integral role in the state’s resource management...
I
n a state as large in area as
Michigan with extensive
and often remote lands and
waters, it is only practical to
survey and or patrol that large area
with aircraft. Michigan DNR uses
aircraft to conduct a large number of
operations including fire detection
and control, forest manage-
ment, wildlife manage-
ment, natural resource
law enforcement, fisheries
management, and environ-
mental quality monitoring.
Early in the history of
aircraft the former Michi-
gan Department of Conser-
vation (DOC) saw
the value of having
aircraft available to
By Bill Ziegler
participate in their
operations. Chief DNR Pilot Kevin
Jacobs, stationed in Roscommon,
said, “The Department of Conser-
vations utilized their first aircraft
in 1933. It was an old World War I
biplane, which had some value but
major communication problems
with the DOC personnel on the
ground, with no radio.”
He went on to say, “The DOC
acquired a plane in 1940 that had a
two-way radio which dramatically
improved the utility of the aircraft in
DOC operations.” In the mid-1960s
the former DOC (now Department
of Natural Resources) upgraded
their fire detection system replacing
130 fire towers with 19 state pilots
and 22 aircraft. Over the years the
DNR Air Operations has shrunk to
only five pilots and seven fixed wing
air craft. DNR had at least one heli-
copter several decades ago although
currently the air operations only
own fixed wing aircraft.
The pilots and aircraft are sta-
tioned in Roscommon, Newberry,
Escanaba, and Baraga. Gordon
In the 1960s the DNR replaced 130 fire towers across the state with 22
aircraft and 19 state pilots. Today the aerial operations are conducted by
only five state pilots. MDNR photos
22 AUGUST 2018 WNW NEWS
Zuhlke, DNR pilot from Escanaba,
said technology has aided them
considerably with Global Position-
ing versus trying to mark points
of interest on a map. Zuhlke said
navigational charts are now elec-
tronic versus the old paper charts.
Chief Pilot Jacobs said their planes
are now equipped with col-
lision avoidance (with other
aircraft) technology which
is very important when they
are flying around in large
smoke plumes monitoring
a wildfire. Jacobs said,
“The state pilots have also
been trained to operate the
state’s three camera
mounted drones. An
infra-red (IR) cam-
era is also available
to detect heat signatures from hot
spots at controlled fires that may not
be visible to the naked eye. The IR
camera can also be used to find diffi-
cult to detect animals and or missing
persons,” according to Jacobs.
The aircraft have provided a
sense that the DNR can potentially
detect anything among serious game
and fish law violators. After a large
US Fish and Wildlife Service/ DNR
game law bust (Mesabi Fur) in the
U.P., one angry person who was
caught up by the bust re-shingled
his house with a highly visible, very
disparaging message with words
that can not be used in this publica-
tion. The message was to the DNR
aircraft he perceived was monitoring
him.
More recently a U.P. game
warden let a person who had been
dumping old furniture and worn out
household fixtures into a top-quality
trout stream believe the DNR was
monitoring by satellite. The litterer
jumped to the conclusion that the
only way the game warden could
DNR aircraft from Roscommon conducting an aerial elk sur vey in the
Pigeon River Country.
have caught him dumping all that surveying high priority species such
garbage in the river is by satellite as moose, elk, wolves, eagle nests,
monitoring. I am not aware that the and waterfowl that are typically
DNR can re-task US satellites for found in remote habitats.
environmental purposes although Ed Rice, DNR Forester in Crys-
DNR personal do utilize the most tal Falls, said, “Foresters utilize air
current satellite photos. The value operations to get a rapid assessment
of aircraft is that anything can be of extensive tree blowdown wind
checked in real time versus looking damage as well as extensive insect
at satellite or air photos that may and disease problems on State For-
have been taken years earlier. ests. This large state’s fire detection
DNR Law Enforcement Divi- is still one of Air Operations major
sion utilizes DNR aircraft for a roles.”
variety of purposes. One of the Fisheries biologists utilize air
common patrols is at night prior to operations for several purposes. A
and during deer season for spotlight fisheries technician and I flew many
poachers. There have also been hours over the years on fall leaf off
cases where deer hunters dumped flights to assess about 250 miles of
such massive quantities of bait it can top quality trout stream habitat. Ac-
be easily seen from the air. Pilots tive beaver dams were marked and
often checked our remote trout lakes eventually GPS’d for cooperating
(Type D) that were closed during the trappers and stream habitat crews
non-trout season to fishing. It was to control. Aircraft have been used
easy to tell during the ice season to aerial assess fishing/ice fishing
if poachers had been fishing there, effort surveys on large, extensive
even if it was only tracks and ice or remote bodies of water. Fish
fishing holes in snow and ice. have been planted from aircraft in
Retired Law Enforcement Divi- remote lakes with difficult access,
sion Captain Tom Courchaine said, although most recently that was
“Air operations aided conservation typically done with assistance of
officers with law enforcement issues the US Coast Guard helicopters.
like tribal and commercial fishing Unfortunately, Coast Guard policy
surveys of distant areas like the changed and that practice had to be
Lake Superior Ontario/Michigan discontinued.
boundary, Isle Royale, and floating The State DNR has relied on
gill nets on the east end of the U.P.” their Air Operations pilots and air
Wildlife Division utilizes aircraft craft for the last 85 years. The Air
on many of their different wildlife Operations provide the wildfire
species surveys. A few wildlife detection for this very large State
collars are starting to be satellite along with many routine biologi-
monitored tags, although it is very cal and environmental surveys. Air
expensive and difficult to tag ani- Operations also allow the DNR
mals. Most populations need to be to quickly assess pressing issues
surveyed without the aid of having or problems that arise in the vast
large numbers of individual animals array of their natural resource
collared. DNR aircraft are critical in responsibilities.n
WNW NEWS AUGUST 2018 23
The teacher I wish I had
His students have built over 800 recurve bows...
Y
ou may have heard of
Everett R. Smith, the
Industrial Arts teach-
er at Ovid Elsie High
School. He has been
featured in many
magazine and newspaper articles
and has appeared on TV at various
times on the Michigan Out-of-Doors
show. Mr. Smith has earned the
respect of his students by being an
example that they can always look
up to and admire. His lively person-
ality, and his upbeat outlook on life,
is contagious to those around him.
Mr. Smith has a knack for bring-
ing out a student’s ability to think,
reason, learn, and have confidence
in himself.
Everett admits to being a “jock”
in high school and college. “I was
always a team leader. With the
clock running down in a tie game, I
wanted the ball in my hands,” he re-
membered. “And, I guess I still do,”
he laughed. However, as an adult
his ambitions stretched far
beyond that level. After
college, with a teaching
degree in hand, he asked
himself, “What can I do to
inspire students to pursue
a lifestyle that will achieve
levels that will benefit them
and society for the greater
By Darryl Quidort
good?” After a
38 year teaching
career Mr. Smith
has certainly helped many of his
students reach those goals.
“This isn’t just a woodshop,” he
Student, Noah Sherwood, shows his project, a cedar-strip canoe, that he plans to finish before his
graduation open house.
24 AUGUST 2018 WNW NEWS
Everett R. Smith at his desk in the Ovid Elsie High School shop where he has taught for the past 38 years.
told me as we entered his shop area.
“We do fine woodworking here and
build one-of-a-kind furniture.” Mr.
Smith is an outdoorsman and he en-
courages outdoor activities
and pursuits. In addition to
beautiful furniture, his stu-
dents have built over 800
traditional recurve bows.
“We have a target in the
shop and the whole class
gathers around to watch a
student shoot the first arrow
from their own
bow. You can
see the pride of
accomplishment in their faces as
the class cheers for them.” Student
projects have also included mak-
ing more than 20 beautiful wooden
canoes and kayaks, hundreds of
custom wooden game calls, fishing
nets, snowshoes, fishing rods and
reels, even dogsleds for winter sled
dog racing. “We will research and
attempt any project a student wants
to pursue. However, each student
must pay, according to their means,
at least part of the cost for materials
used in their project. This contribu-
tion ensures students put forth the
effort and take pride and ownership
in their work,” Everett explained.
To my astonishment, Mr. Smith
also teaches metal shop, welding,
drafting, runs a band-saw mill at
the school, and has built a kiln for
drying hardwoods to be used by
students for woodworking projects.
He also holds a residential build-
ing license and teaches a class that
actually builds homes for owners.
Students who work on the homes
are paid for their work by the home
owners. Any profit left over is used
to buy materials or commercial tools
for the school shops.
Mr. Smith runs an open shop,
meaning visitors are always wel-
come. So many people, who were
interested in his success, visited the
shop that Everett started an annual
workshop day where students dis-
play their projects for the communi-
ty and the public. “The students then
become the teachers as they explain
their projects to interested people,”
Smith explained. “I just step back
and let them teach.”
Mr. Smith’s programs have
earned numerous awards over the
years. His teaching efforts and the
annual workshop day have been so
successful that many donations of
equipment, materials, lumber, and
offers of cash support have helped
him to further promote his students.
It’s no wonder that other schools
have patterned programs after his
teaching methods.
Everett also opens the shop
some evenings and supervises stu-
dents who need more time to finish
their projects. Always a motivator,
he once printed up fliers advertis-
ing a canoe race the following
Saturday. Dropping a flier into half
a dozen unfinished canoes started
a flurry of student activity. By race
time all the canoes were finished
and the students enjoyed a day of
fun on the water with past students
who had also built canoes in Mr.
Smith’s class. Another time, after
finishing ice fishing rods complete
with hand crafted wooden reels, Mr.
Smith signed about 20 students out
of school to spend a day ice fishing.
Michigan Out-of-Doors cameras
were there to film a show while the
students caught fish, cleaned them,
and Mr. Smith cooked them on a
grill. I wish I had a teacher like that!
Young people have learned a
lot more from Mr. Smith than just
woodworking. Those who know
Everett know he is a deeply reli-
gious man. Some of his high school
students have also attended the
class he teaches at church. Students
have greatly appreciated him. I’ve
seen letters thanking him for being
their teacher, a role model, a great
example, and a Christian. Everett
Smith knows who he is and why he
is here. And… he cares
As Everett R. Smith retires
from teaching high school this year,
he is looking forward (as always)
to having more time for family,
outdoor interests, and hobbies.
about taking this new path to make a
difference in people’s lives.”
As Everett leaves Ovid Elsie
High School he will be leaving his
school shop in good hands. His son,
Ben, who has been teaching indus-
trial arts in another high school, has
accepted the position left open by
his father. Ben plans to continue
teaching in a similar fashion as that
of his dad. “They won’t even have
to change the name on the door.
That will save the school district
some money,” Everett joked.
What an admirable legacy to
pass on as Everett R. Smith moves
into the next phase of an exciting The two Mr. Smiths. Ben (left) will be taking over the industrial ar ts
life.n classes that his father, Everett, (right) has taught for the past 38 years.

Mr. Smith demonstrates the method

used by his classes to make cus-
tom, wooden landing nets.

“Another pursuit in my retirement

is woodworking. I feel like my best
woodworking is still inside of me.
I’ve been teaching it to others for 38
years, and have loved it. But I will
now be designing and constructing
the furniture that I have held inside
me. I’m ready to explode!”
However, more importantly, he
is excited to begin making speaking
engagements, geared mostly to men
and boys, about being leaders in
family values and what really mat-
ters in life. “I didn’t go into teaching
to make a lot of money. I went into
teaching to make a lot of differ-
ence,” Everett told me. “I’m excited
WNW NEWS AUGUST 2018 25
 Tip and tricks for bigger walleyes
More than just timing and location...By Michael Veine

A
fter more than four
decades of chasing
walleyes all over
Michigan (and else-
where), with most of
that “walleye time”
spent either tournament fishing or
running charters, I’ve learned some
valuable wisdom on how to catch
larger walleyes. A lot of it has to do
with timing and locations, but there
are some techniques and strategies
that really seem to up the odds for
catching larger walleyes.
In early June the Michigan
Walleye Tour made a stop at Au
Gres. The two day tournament was
greeted by nasty weather on day one
with 10 foot waves on Saginaw Bay
causing the cancellation of day one’s
fishing. I wasn’t participating in the
tournament, but I had to cancel my
scheduled charter that day as well
due to the rotten weather. The next
day was much calmer and everyone
hit the water with a vengeance. The Bigger walleyes just don’t like a lot of fishing pressure, especially if they are suspended. They are
two-day tournament was curtailed
to just one day so the pressure
much spookier than smaller walleyes.
was really on the competitors that and gamble. The tournament hours trolling pass. Even before I got all and not many of the tournament
Sunday. Many of the tournament lasted eight hours from the time they the lines out we started to hook up competitors would have beaten the
competitors ran north of Au Gres to “blasted off” until they had to report with walleyes and the fast paced weight our top five fish despite the
seek out larger fish that had already back to the Au Gres river mouth for action continued non-stop. In just a fact that we only fished for a short
migrated either to the far boundaries the “weigh in.” couple hours of fishing my clients period of time and were not really
of the Outer Bay, or out into Lake I had a charter on that Sunday had a limit catch of 32 walleyes in fishing a “big fish” area. The reason
Huron proper. That location strategy too and with lots of fish close to Au the box. We didn’t really catch any we usually tend to land larger than
often results in winning catches, so Gres, we just motored out a couple lunker walleyes, but a bunch of average walleyes on my boat is due
it’s sometimes worth the long run miles from port and set lines for a them were in the 23 to 25 inch range to techniques designed to up the
average size of our fish.
Church Tackle Co. ALL MADE
IN THE USA
One of the most important
things that I do to get a crack at
New for 2016!
WE DIDN’T INVENT THE PLANER BOARD, WE JUST PERFECTED IT! Locking Arm larger walleyes is to stay away from
easy to open & close
Locking Arm
Lock-Jaw
Adjustment Adjustment Screw
crowds of other boats as much as
easy to open & close
Mini Lock-Jaw
Screw
possible. On that Sunday, most of
For drop weights & Release Hole for drop weights

Prevention
Release
Prevention or other applications the boats were trolling a bit further
This clip may be mini but when it comes to holding power it’s second other applications
only to it’s big brother, the original Lock-Jaw! Holds mono, super
out, so we set up inside of them and
braids, power pro, lead core or copper lines without damaging the line! had most of that water all to our-
Replaceable
The Mini Lock-Jaw fits The Walleye Board, TX-44, TX-22, TX-12 & TX-6 1 7/8” Long Pad
Pad
selves. Bigger walleyes just don’t
planer boards, but we recommend the full size Lock-Jaw for the TX-44. 1/2” Wide Locator holes for Line Protector inside
keeps line from making
Locator holes for
attaching to side-planers like a lot of fishing pressure, espe-
The Mini Lock-Jaw is designed to fit other side planers, drop weights and attaching
to side-planers
WE DIDN’T INVENT CLIPS, contact with screw
Stingray cially if they are suspended. They
works for many other applications.
WE HAVE PERFECTED THEM!
Part# 40620, 2pk Color - yellow Replacement Pads part# 40701 6/pk Diving Weight are much spookier than smaller
walleyes. If you are forced to fish
TX-007 Stern Planer & TX-005 Mini Stern Planer TX-44 Tournament Series Unique error-proof design allows anglers to put
more fish in the boat! Water strikes top surface, in crowded waters, then it may be
The TX-44 is the first and the only in line planer to pull the large Divers,
(10 1/4” long, weighs about 3 oz) (7” long, weighs about 1.5 oz) Lead Core, Wire or Copper Lines and Heavy Weights. The size of the TX-44 forcing the Stingray downward. A fish on will necessary to focus all of your ef-
An all new type of planer! makes it harder for fish to pull the board under, however it is still easy to force the nose upward & Stingray to the surface.
retrieve. The Vise Clip comes standard with the TX-44; especially Available in unpainted or painted. 2 snaps for forts on the bottom part of the water
Chu
rch Tackle Co. designed for lead core & copper, makes accidental E-Z Store Famous each weight included column where larger fish will retreat
Lock-Jaw
release almost impossible.
TX-44 Tournament Series now
snaps off & on in seconds
for easy removal & storage Clip Size #1 - .7 oz when spooked by boat traffic. On
Easy to attach and remove. that Sunday, a bunch of boats were
available which comes with a #40300
Great for trolling in congested areas and more effective contour trolling along unpainted #40302 black
Lock-Jaw Clip, Stainless Steel running out past us all morning,
drop offs contour lines, reef edges and weed lines in rivers, lakes or the ocean. Rear Pin and E-Z Store for easy
Effective for all species. Run more lines out the back of the boat by staggering so I set my lures down tight to the
tow-arm removal. Part# 30630 Size #2 - 1.4 oz
the Stern Planers. Run any distance from the boat yet maintain desired depth. Standard TX-44 Part# 30610 Stainless Steel Rear Pin (14” x 4 1/4” x 7/8”) bottom expecting the bigger fish to
have dropped down due to the boat
EZ Store! For Your Planer Board Allows for easy Tournament Series commotion over them.
planer storage! Change #40303 unpainted #40304 orange
-22 SCop
RIGHT
ecia
l
tow-arm & clips in a snap!
TXChurch Tackle odus, MI
.S Upgrade Kit In the vast open waters of
Size #3 - 2.7 oz
hurchtackle.com
www.c

for TX-44, TX-22 & Saginaw Bay or Lake Erie where I

Optional E-Z Store devise easily
TXChurwcwhwT.acchkulrchtackleo.codusm, MI

The Walleye Board do most of my fishing these days,

-22 eSCop .S l
ecia

attaches to the Walleye Board, TX-44

LEFT

& TX-22 side planers. Slide the tow-arm off for storage or change Includes a Lock-Jaw Clip I search for fish away from other
to another tow-arm & clip then slide back on when you’re ready to E-Z Store & Stainless boats using my Lowrance HDS
fish again. Part# 40519 sold 2 per package 1 left & 1 right Rear Pin Assembly. (Part# 30640) #40305 unpainted #40306 chartreuse sonar to find concentrations of fish.
Please checkcheck
Please with your
withlocal
yourtackle shop first,
local tackle shop if first,
they don’t
if theycarry
don’tour products
carry visit us at
our products www.churchtackle.com
visit Like
us at www.churchtackle.com to us
view all I do this running at higher speeds
to view all of our of our American
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made fishing gear, orgear, or at
call us call us at 269-934-8528
269-934-8528 to request
to request a catalog.
a catalog. on facebook before setting up for a trolling run
26 AUGUST 2018 WNW NEWS
in an area. Those sonar marks also mood and a smaller lure works best clear water, bigger spinners often and abrasions common, the heavier
tell me the depth that the fish are in those situations. work better. With spoons, smaller line can save otherwise broken off
located at. On that Sunday, when I Even when walleyes are feed- is always a better choice with about fish.
was heading out, I saw all the boats ing aggressively, they then typically 3-inch being about ideal. With Super sharp hooks are a must to
three to four miles out, but started already have some food in their crankbaits, I seldom use anything consistently hold onto big walleyes.
marking a lot of fish two miles out. stomachs, so smaller lures will typi- longer than 4-1/2 inches. Those lunkers have much bonier
I then turned upwind and ran over cally work best then too. I’ve done If you want to actually land the mouths than smaller walleyes,
more of that depth and when I was side by side tests plenty of times big walleyes you hook, then you and dull hooks will often just not
satisfied that there were lots of fish using the same style baits in differ- will need equipment up to that task. penetrate deep enough to dig in.
there, and had their depth deter- ent sizes and the smaller ones almost Drags need to be silky smooth and I sharpen my hooks regularly on
mined, I stopped the boat and started always seem to out-produce the big- rods need to be heavy duty enough all my walleye lures and it really
fishing downwind over where I had ger ones and that includes on bigger to handle the job. Line choice is helps to put more big fish in the
just sonared them. fish too. Even spinner/crawler rigs critical too. Walleyes are not very box.
I typically set my lures at or with smaller blades seem to work line shy, so 12 pound test should The author offers fishing char-
above where the majority of marks better than bigger spinners in most be considered minimal for larger ters specializing in Saginaw Bay
were noticed. If the fish are in situations. walleyes and I prefer 15 pound test walleyes. Contact Mike Veine at
clearer water, then I spread the lures An exception to this rule is as a better choice. Because walleye www.trophyspecialists.com or 734-
out both vertically and horizon- when the water is super clear. In gin fishing is hard on the line with nicks 475-9146.n
tally a lot more. In dirtier water, the
presentations are set more precisely
saturating the exact depth where the
majority of fish are holding.
Bigger walleyes are different
creatures than their smaller brethren.
Lunkers have much bigger mouths
and can gobble up a much wider
range of forage sizes compared to
smaller walleyes. For instance, I’ve
seen big walleyes engorged with
fish up to 8 to 10 inches long in
their stomachs. Those bigger fish
will also eat small stuff too like
bugs, minnows and leaches. Since
they can handle a lot wider range of
forage sizes, they have a lot more
vittles available to them and can
fill up faster and don’t seem to feed
non-stop like smaller walleyes often
do. Therefore bigger walleyes turn
on and off with their feeding more
than smaller fish. Countless times
I’ve seen big walleyes suddenly turn
on in an area, feed for a short period,
and then the bite reverts back to
mostly smaller sized fish. To up
your odds for bigger walleyes you
really need to put in your time on
the water. Patience and perseverance
are the keys.
Bigger walleyes are especially
more prone to quit feeding due to
changes in environmental factors
too. Countless times I’ve seen wind
shifts totally shut down the “big Shown: 1533
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WNW NEWS AUGUST 2018 27
 Want to know a dirty little
secret about the boating and
marine industry? Most of the
time when a boat isn’t per-
forming, it’s not the fault of
the boat. In my experience
playing around with just
about every boat on the
market and a host of outboard
motor brands as well, when a
boat and motor package are
performing poorly, the blame
can be traced to the propeller.
y the time a fisherman or boating
enthusiast has dumped a bank load of
money into their new water toy, the last
thing they want to hear is that now to
make that rig run right you need to also
purchase an expensive stainless steel
prop. Stainless props these days start at
about $300 and it’s pretty easy to spend
upwards of $700 on a prop and another
$100 on the required thrust washer and hub kit.
Yikes!
What’s worse is that unless you are clairvoy-
ant, the ability to pick the right prop the first time
is literally a shot in the dark. The marine indus-
try is flooded with all kinds of charts designed
to help fishermen and boaters pick the right
prop for their rig. The problem is every boat
and outboard combination is different
in design, weight, width, dead rise, the
hole the engine is mounted on, etc., etc.,
etc. It’s virtually impossible to create a
prop selection chart worth the paper it is
printed on.
The only way to figure out what prop
will work best on a particular boat and
outboard combination is to roll up your
sleeves and try a few to see
what works and what doesn’t.
Thankfully a lot of the more
By Mark Romanack
experienced dealers have prop loaner programs
that allow a guy to try a few before you buy.
Prop Basics
Stainless steel props are the best choice for
most fishing and boating needs. Compared to alu-
minum, stainless steel costs more but this cost is
justified by the superior performance a stainless
prop provides. Because stainless is more rigid
than aluminum, under power the prop flexes less
and delivers a better hole-shot, better mid-range
RPM performance and also much better top end
speed results.
Stainless props are produced in three configu-
rations including three, four and five blade ver-
sions. Generally speaking the three blade props
provide more top end speed and the four and five
28 AUGUST 2018 WNW NEWS
Selecting the ideal prop for a fishing or recreational boat is a trial and error process. In
most cases it takes three or four prop options to decide which one provides the best over-
all performance. Mark Romanack photos
blade props are better at delivering mid-range
performance and neck snapping hole-shots even
when the boat is loaded heavy.
What Do Those Numbers Mean?
All props are rated using a set of two num-
bers. The first number is the diameter of the prop
measured from blade tip to blade tip. The second
number is the pitch of the prop and this number
indicates how far forward the boat will move
when the prop rotates one full turn.
Smaller in diameter props are designed for
smaller outboards and larger diameter props are
more suited to larger and more powerful
outboards. Those “prop charts” we dis-
cussed earlier are useful in terms of se-
lecting a prop diameter and pitch that is
in the ball park for what should perform
on specific size boats and horsepower
ranges. Nothing more or nothing less
should be gleaned from a prop chart.
The problem with these charts is they
can only provide “general”
information and they simply
can’t guide an angler or
boating enthusiast to a definitive prop perfection.
That goal is only accomplished through trial and
error. On average making an educated prop selec-
tion requires testing at least three or four different
props.
Maximum RPM Levels
Every outboard motor manufacturer publishes
a maximum RPM level at which their product can
be operated safely. The goal in selecting a prop
is to pick one that comes close to the maximum
RPM level without going over that critical line.
Of course for every rule there are excep-
tions to that rule. The Evinrude G2, E-Tec series
of outboards feature a power curve that peaks
between 5200 and 5600 RPM. Ironically, the safe
operational guidelines range of the G2 range from
5000 to 6000 RPMs.
This occurs because of the exceptional torque
provided by the G2 outboard. To get the best
speed and performance characteristics from a G2
requires picking a prop that delivers a few less
RPMs than other outboard brands.
Most other outboard brands perform best
when the engine is operated at 5800 to 6000
RPMs.
Testing Requires a Tachometer
A lot of smaller boats do not come equipped
with a tachometer that can measure the RPM lev-
els of the engine. If your boat doesn’t have a tach,
one can be installed by a dealer.
Most boats feature an analog tachometer
gauge at the console or near the back of the
boat if we are dealing with a tiller model. Most
manufacturers of outboards these days also pro-
duce digital gauges that provide critical engine
information such as RPMs, trim percentage, fuel
consumption, etc. A digital gauge such as the
Evinrude ICON is a good investment for anyone
serious about fishing, boating or outboard motor
performance.
The critical engine information required for
prop selection can also be monitored with phone
apps these days. The Evinrude E-Link is an
phone app that functions by tying into the boat’s
NMEA network to deliver RPMs, GPS Speed
Over Ground, Fuel Consumption, Fuel Levels,
etc., on an Android or Apple smart phone.
Engine Hole Considerations
Most outboard motors function best when
mounted on the second hole from the top of the
engine mounting bracket. Of course for every
rule in the marine industry there are exceptions
to that rule. High performance engines like the
Evinrude G2 and Mercury Verado function best
when mounted one hole higher or on the third
hole from the top of the mounting bracket.
Getting Started
Testing various props is simple work, but
time consuming. The first step is to make sure
the prop is properly installed on the outboard.
Different manufacturers of outboards and props
produce different hub kits for their props and also
thrust washers that ride on the motor shaft and act
as a spacer or bushing between the prop and the
motor housing.
Put a little grease on the prop shaft and then
slide the thrust washer in place. Next put the plas-
tic hub into the prop, flip the prop over and install
the metal center of the hub kit. This metal part is
designed to match up with the groves in the prop
shaft, so it is critical to have the right prop hub
kit for your outboard. Prop hub kits range in price
from $20 to more than $100 depending on the
outboard in question.
Most prop shafts are 7/8 of an inch in di-
ameter. The Evinrude G2 is a full one inch in
diameter and of course requires its own specially
designed prop hub kit.
Once the prop with the hub kit installed is in
place, the prop nut is added and tightened down
using a prop wrench or torque wrench. I use a
block of wood between the prop blade and the
cavitation plate of the outboard to tighten down
the prop nut without the prop spinning.
The final couple steps involve placing a collar
over the prop nut and installing a cotter pin in
the prop shaft to keep the prop nut from backing
off. On some outboards a zinc sacrificial anode is
installed over the prop nut. For prop testing the
anode does not need to be installed.
Test Runs
The only way to test a prop is to lower the
outboard to the lowest trim position and to quick-
ly hit the throttle to the wide open setting. Watch
the tachometer closely to make sure the engine is
not exceeding the maximum RPM level.
A properly propped boat should come out
of the hole quickly, getting the boat on plane in
a matter of a couple seconds. If the boat nose
comes up, but plows and doesn’t plane out quick-
ly, the prop is likely too large and the outboard
doesn’t have enough power to spin the prop at the
necessary RPMs to achieve a good hole-shot.
If the boat comes out of the hole nicely,
the next step is to start trimming the outboard,
monitoring the tachometer closely to be sure the
engine doesn’t exceed the maximum RPM level.
If the prop is too small the RPM levels will reach
A boat that is propped appropriately is a thing of beauty. Not only will taking the time to
test props deliver more top end speed and performance, fuel economy goes up dramati-
cally when a boat is running to its full potential.
maximum levels long before the engine throttle is
fully engaged.
If the prop is too large, when fully trimmed
out the RPMs will be well below the recom-
mended maximum at full throttle. Ideally, the
RPMs should be about 200 to 400 RPMs below
the maximum posted by the manufacturer.
Once a first test is conducted, note the maxi-
mum RPM when the engine is fully trimmed and
at full throttle. This is important information that
will guide the second test run.
The pitch of a prop controls the RPM level.
To change the RPM level simply replace the prop
with one featuring a different pitch. Each change
of pitch impacts the RPMs by about 200 RPMs.
Using this as a guideline, it normally takes two or
three prop changes to get a boat running properly.
Compromise
Outfitting a fishing or recreational boat with
the perfect prop is a bit of a fantasy. Like most
things in life, picking a prop is an act of com-
promise. No prop is likely to provide the best
hole-shot, mid-range performance and top end
speed. The reality is that the angler or boat owner
must decide which compromise is best for the
way he or she fishes or the conditions the boat is
normally operated in.
As a fisherman, we strive to prop our boats
so we have great hole-shot even when the boat is
loaded with fuel, gear and also three or four man-
sized adults, plus a live-well full of water and
fish. The mid-range performance is also impor-
tant as we fish big water and find ourselves deal-
ing with 2-4 foot waves almost on a daily basis. A
boat’s ability to handle rough water boils down to
the prop’s ability to control the nose of the boat at
low to mid-range RPM levels.
If the prop can’t keep the nose up in these
situations, the boat will plow and ultimately the
risk of sticking a wave and flooding the boat
becomes a real possibility. If the boat is plowing
in rough water the occupants will also be getting
soaked to the skin from spray.
Top end speed is nice, but in the big picture a
boat that performs perfectly at hole-shot and mid-
range is far better than having a speed demon
that can’t get out of the hole or run smoothly at
moderate speeds in rough water.
Prop Manufacturers
A host of manufacturers produce high quality
stainless steel props. Each respective manufac-
turer of outboard motors offers a wide selection
of props designed to help their outboards achieve
maximum performance. A number of aftermarket
companies also produce affordable and functional
props ideal for the fisherman or recreational
boater; www.deltaprop.com, www.ptprop.com,
www.turningpointpropellers.com, www.miwheel.
com, www.solaspropellers.com
Summary
Getting a boat set up with the right prop is
essential to enjoying a great day of fishing or
boating. There are no shortcuts to getting a boat
propped correctly. The process simply requires
testing a few different props and settling on the
one that delivers the best collective set of perfor-
mance goals.n

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WNW NEWS AUGUST 2018 29
High scoring
Cass County
nontypical
O
ne of the highest pounds.
scoring nontypical “I’ve hunted my whole life in
whitetails entered Michigan,” Karenke said. “I only
in state records live a few miles from the Michigan
maintained by border. I lived in Michigan for a
Commemorative number of years, but then moved
Bucks of Michigan from the 2017 back to Indiana.”
early archery season was a Cass The finding of one of the buck’s
County 19-pointer tagged by a shed antlers during the spring of
nonresident. Darren Ka- 2017 tipped Darren off to
renke from Elkhart, Indiana the presence of the trophy
bagged the nontypical on buck. He was turkey hunt-
the morning of November ing at the time.
12, according to CBM and “I was walking into the
the antlers have an official area I planned on turkey
net score of 180 1/8. The hunting to set up a blind
buck was thought to be when I found the antler,”
at least 4 ½ years old and Karenke said. “The antler
had a dressed was on the
weight of 195
By Richard P. Smith edge of a bean

Fishing... Hunting... Or Just Simply This nontypical 19-pointer was taken by Darren Karenke from
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field. It was the left antler the buck
had grown the previous year (2016).
Cedar or Pine
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There were seven points, including
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• Single and 2 Story Styles areas or what. That was the first
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After finding the antler on
private property where he also deer
hunts, Darren went back through his
trail camera photos from the previ-
ous year to see if he had any photos
of the buck that lost the antler. He
didn’t have any photos of the deer.
He wondered if the whitetail just
moved into the area after the previ-
ous hunting season ended.
During the fall of 2017, Dar-
ren finally got a trail camera photo
of the buck that shed the antler
he found. The photo was taken at
noon on Halloween. He said he got
photos of two shooter bucks dur-
ing midday on that day. The second
buck was a big 8-pointer that he
guessed would score about 135.
The weather was cool at the

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time and Karenke said he thought
the buck activity was a sign that
they were ready for the rut. Three or
four days later, while bowhunting
from a treestand where the photo of
the big buck was taken, Darren got
confirmation that some does were
coming into heat.
“A doe went by with a small
buck that literally had his nose on
her tail. Two or three more bucks
came by later and they all followed
right in the footsteps of those first
two deer. The big buck I later got
came by, too, but he wasn’t follow-
ing in the tracks of the other deer.
He was about 40 yards away, too far
for a shot.
“That’s the first time I saw the
buck with my eyes. I tried a grunt
call to try to get him to come closer,
but he ignored it.”
If you are wondering why Dar-
ren didn’t shoot one of the other
bucks that were following the doe
that was coming into estrus, he said
he passes up a lot of bucks to wait
for mature animals.
“I usually shoot a doe or two
for meat,” he commented. “I don’t
shoot a buck every year. I wait until
I get a shot at one that is at least 3 ½
years old.”
Darren only hunts whitetails
with bow and arrow. His best buck
prior to last fall was an 11-pointer
that he arrowed on state land in
Cass County. The antlers from that
buck scored in the 160s.
The morning after Darren first
saw the big nontypical he tried
some rattling, and he got a glimpse
of a buck that was coming his way,
but then the deer changed direc-
tions, heading toward a neighbor
who was hunting a stand about
80 yards away. Karenke heard the
other hunter using a grunt call to try
to lure the buck closer. By commu-
nicating via text messages, Darren
learned that the buck the neighbor
saw was the big one, but it didn’t
Darren Karenke found the shed of his trophy nontypical while turkey
hunting that led him to take the buck with bow and arrow last fall.
respond to grunt calls from his
neighbor any better than it had to
Darren’s calls.
Over the next couple of days,
the wind switched to the southeast,
which was terrible for the stand
Darren had been hunting, so he
gave the spot a break. It was the
morning of November 12 when the
wind was favorable for the stand
again.
“It had rained all night and it
was starting to let up,” Karenke
said. “I saw a small buck soon after
daylight and then a doe and fawn
went by. About 8:00 a.m. I heard
blue jays squawking and I looked in
that direction. That’s when I saw the
buck coming that I was after.
“He went to the edge of a
standing cornfield that was 35 yards
away. I was hoping he would follow
the edge of the corn, but he went in
about five rows. I wasn’t going to
be able to get a shot at him there,
so I knew I had to do something. I
threw a grunt in the opposite direc-
tion and he stopped. I grunted away
from him again. Squirrels were
rustling the leaves in the direction
that I grunted, which worked in my
favor.
The buck approached to within
14 yards of Darren’s stand, but
when it didn’t see another deer,
it did an about face and started to
*Visit our display at Woods-N-Water News Outdoor Weekend*
walk away. The bowhunter mouth
grunted when the buck was angling
away at 18 yards and the whitetail
stopped and turned back toward the
sound.
Darren took advantage of the
opportunity to put an Easton Carbon
ACC arrow tipped with a 100 grain
Thunderhead Broadhead through
the buck’s chest cavity that was pro-
pelled by his 65 pound pull Darton
bow. The deer was killed 200 yards
from where Darren found its shed
antler from the year before.
The antler from the trophy Cass
County 19-pointer has a 10-point
typical frame and nine nontypical
points. There’s 11 points on the
right antler and 8 on the left. The
second points on each antler are
the longest at 8 5/8 inches on
the right and 9 2/8 n the left.
The longest nontypical tine is
only 4 inches in length. Total
length of all of the nontypical
tines is 19 3/8 inches.
Both beams are about 26 inches
in length and the inside spread
between the beams is 20 inches.
Circumferences of the antlers at
the bases are between 5 ½ and 6
inches.n

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 Untangling - endless tangles
Maybe not productive fishing time, but it's what Grandpas do!

T
he fishing bug could bite
at anytime. You just never
know, so it’s best to con-
tinually provide opportuni-
ties for youngsters.
Let me tell you about my most
recent experience.
The rock bass fiercely defended
his bed in the clear waters of north-
ern Michigan. We have a family
vacation home on the lake near the
tip of Michigan’s lower peninsula.
From the dock, my grandson, Ryker,
8 years-old, dangled a worm in front
of the fish taunting it to bite. Ryker’s
persistence finally paid off, the rock
bass inhaled the hook and a fishing
story was born.
A few weeks later, Ryker asked
to go fishing again. Delighted with
the request,
I helped him
rig his fishing
pole, showed
him how to put
a leech on the
hook and cast it
out into the lake.
By Randy Jorgensen
“Reel slowly,” I tell him. “Make
that leech swim for you and maybe
you’ll catch a big ol’ smallmouth.”
It wasn’t long and a fiesty
smallmouth gobbled up the leech.
Ryker’s pole bent, his reel sang,
his eye’s widened as he struggled
to reel in the fish. His dad, uncle
and cousin were on the dock with
him encouraging him as the smallie
leapt out of the water. Finally after a
mighty battle the fish was safely in
his hands. Not his first smallmouth,
but clearly his largest.
I’m blessed with two other
grandsons, Zadyn and Beaudry.
They’re too young to spend time
fishing. At age 5, Zadyn is more
interested in jumping off the dock
than fishing from it and Beaudry
is mere months old. Yet, I look
forward to another generation of
Jorgensen fishermen, if they follow
in older brother Ryker’s shoes.
Teaching a younster to fish is no
easy task. First, the attention span
of a youngster is about 15 seconds,
if that long. A tackle box is more
Ryker with a dandy smallmouth
bass he caught while fishing off
the dock at the family cottage.
like a treasure of untold wonders,
filled with tiny harpoons, waiting for
busy little hands to be stuck knuckle
deep.
“Let’s try this one Papa,” Ryker
says, holding up a red and white
Daredevil.
I explain each lure is for differ-
ent fish and bass don’t like daredev-
ils.
“They might, lets try it,” I’m
told. No sense arguing, let’s give
it a cast and see. “Yep Papa, you’re
right! What about this one?”
Fishing with a youngster is an
exercise in untangling – endless
tangles. My eyesight is bad, so un-
raveling fishing line is near impos-
sible. Yet I wouldn’t trade a moment
of it. Maybe not productive fishing
time, but what Grandpa would ever
care.
Those moments bring back
memories of when his dad was little,
asking the same questions—mo-
ments that went by way too fast.
And now, here I am with his chil-
dren.
There are many benefits to
spending time fishing. It offers a
appreciation for the outdoors. To ob-
serve nature, spotting eagles, loons
and ducks. It provides us with a way
to talk about nature and an under-
standing of providing food for the

Michigan Trappers & Predator Callers Association Rendezvous

Dates: August 17th & 18th
Where: Osceola County Fairgrounds in Evart, Michigan
Dealer Buildings: Open at 8:00am • Close at 5:00pm Admission: Adults $5 • Kids 16 and under free
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selling used equipment. • Quickie or walk around raffles
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• Kids games Saturday at noon, plus kids hay scramble. • Inside vendor booth space $40 for 10 feet of frontage (8 foot table
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• Adult hay scramble ($2 admission, winner takes all monies) noon • Tailgating $25 for a 20 foot wide spot, good for the entire weekend
• Skinning demos • Food is available on the fairgrounds at the lions booth.
• Friday evening donation meal (tentative) • Many restaurants within walking distance.

Host Hotel: Osceola Grand hotel in Evart • (231) 734-0470

(let them know you are with the Trappers to receive discount)
Convention Information Contact
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Trapping and Predator hunting supplies, fur handling supplies, baits, lures, tanned furs.
Vendors included: Joe Goodman, Paul Dobbins, F&T, PCS Outdoors, Jeff Dunlap, Earnest Winter, Kevin Syperda, Mike Kain, J.R. & Sons,
J. & K. Fur Exchange., Frank’s Sporting Goods, Lesel Ruesautt, Winter Wildlife Control, Mike Cain, East Fork Preditor Bait, J3 Outdoorz,
Phil Spring, Jim Tate Wolfen Bait & Lure, Pat Stefanic Fur Stretchers, Mark Spencer, Scott Welch Bait and Lure and more to come.
Demos by: Earnesy Winter, Jim Tate, Gary Schuman, Jeff Dunlap, Lesel Ruesautt, John Caretti, Mike Cain, Scott Welch and more to come.
32 AUGUST 2018 WNW NEWS
Zadyn and Ryker with familiar walking sticks, perfect for hikes and
of course, Bigfoot hunting and sword fights.
table. It teaches patience, determina- of Bigfoot in the north woods.
tion, respect and is an opportunity to I’ve discovered an unspoken
drive home a lesson in safety. promise between grandfathers and
Spending time with your grand- grandsons which is to simply spend
children fishing lets them know that time with each other. And if that
you’ve put everything else on hold means casting a Daredevil to small-
so you can be with them. And some- mouth – well who knows, maybe
times the time spent just may be one will bite. n
nothing more than hunting for signs

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SLAUGHTER HOUSE HOURS: M-F 8 am - 5 pm • Closed 12 - 1 daily for lunch and Closed Weekends

WNW NEWS AUGUST 2018 33

 Confessions of an
‘ACCIDENTAL’
BIRDER
I
am not a bird-watcher.
But some of you may be
bird-watchers without
even knowing it. Here is
what I do know: Hundreds
of thousands of
folks across our country,
maybe even millions, are
darn serious birders that
create what the birding
in-crowd knows as a “life
list.” That cherished list is
a record of every bird spe-
cies they have ever seen,
and identi-
fied with
absolute
By Jonathan Schechter
certainty. I would be ruled out from
those prestigious life list clubs al-
most instantly because of the words
“absolute certainty.” To my un-
trained eye and short attention span,
a warbler is a warbler, even though
54 different species of warblers are
found in North America.
One could say I am just too
restless and easily distracted by the
ways of nature– “Look, a squir-
rel!” –and furry and fanged
creatures to focus on a list
of birds. I don’t even make
shopping lists. But many
birders that pursue their
hobby of chasing after birds
to put another name on a
list will think nothing of
driving hundreds, or even
a thousand
miles to
view a
rare species that is a few days drive
away. “Hey Jeff, Judy just saw a
rare Blue-Beaked Bobblewink in the
Florida Keys! Up for a road drive?”
And they are off, driving day and
night to add one more name to a list.
The author witnessed and photographed this romantic gesture
of herring gulls…apparently nothing says I love you more than a
mouthful of par tially digested minnows.
That’s just not for me. ing in my tree?” And of course that’s
Some of my duck hunting the moment the ‘monster’ buck will
friends are what I would call “ac- sneak on by. Damn bird! But noting
cidental birders.” While sitting in the bird’s behavior makes one a bird
their blind waiting to send steel watcher.
shot skywards, their eyes wander I’ve had birder friends tell me
to some cool bird doing something that if I don’t want a life list, try a
exciting at the edge of the cattails;
perhaps a great blue heron stabbing
“Birds at my Bird Feeder” list. My
answer has always been No, No and
at a frog. The same goes for restless No. And then a funny thing hap-
deer hunters with full bladders in pened and it started with that Red-
their treestands. Suddenly attention eyed Vireo, but at the time I had no
is paid to an inquisitive chickadee idea what name that bird carried. It
landing on your knee and staring at was the bird’s behavior that drew
you as if to say, “What are your do- my attention. It kept flitting about

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34 AUGUST 2018 WNW NEWS

the leaves in the upper branches of
an aspen without any noticeable
purpose. But I know that eons of
evolution and natural selection add
purpose to most wildlife action and
so I zoomed in with my telephoto
lens for the answer. That mystery
bird with a strange reddish eye was
hunting for and gobbling down tiny
green caterpillars. Wow! That was
kind of cool to me.
If my job was to name birds I
would have proclaimed it the “Red-
eyed Green caterpillar Gobbler.” It
took the help of one of those crazy
life-listers to let me know its real
name was a Red-eyed Vireo, and
those green caterpillars are a deli- The author spotted this American White Pelican
cious delicacy for my newly named perched on a rock ‘yawning?’ Later he was able to
winged friend. A fact check with capture an image of this massive bird with a wing
the Cornell Lab of Ornithology span of eight feet.
revealed more facts. “They forage in companion. Yes, you read that right. have, is the “What Did I Just See?” walk I was able to photograph it in
deciduous canopies where they can I notice birds when I am doing list. That category finally trans- flight from above, something that
be difficult to find among the green other things; hiking, fishing, kayak- formed me into an accidental birder most birders with those high-status
leaves. They move slowly and me- ing or just sitting near water eating in June. I was at Sleeping Bear life lists will never be able to do.
thodically, carefully scanning leaves lunch. The case of the regurgitating Dunes National Lakeshore’s South It’s fair to say I have transformed
above and below for their favored Herring Gull had me confused; until Manitou Island where I encountered into an accidental birder, a title that
caterpillar prey. However, their habit I did a bit of research and consulta- an American White Pelican perched suits me well when I wander the
of near-incessant singing in summer, tions with life-list friends. Turns on a rock next to the historic 1871 woods, meadows and lakeshores of
even in the heat of mid-afternoon, out I witnessed and photographed lighthouse. And it wasn’t just sitting Michigan during the sultry days of
helps draw attention to them.” a romantic gesture. Human males there. It yawned so widely it looked summer. But as for a life list, that
That’s when “it” struck me. I might bring a bouquet of flowers like it could swallow a cat–imagine will remain as non-existent as my
am a birder, but not a birder drawn to a female of interest, but with the that, swallowing a cat. I managed a shopping lists.
by a list, but a birder lured by gulls, nothing says I love you more photo of the monstrous yawn, and Jonathan Schechter is natural-
behavior, especially eye-catching than a mouthful of partially digested then things got better. Pelicans are ist/outdoor adventurer in Oakland
behavior like learning the name of minnows. massive birds with a wing span of County and recently returned from
the seagull that seemed to be throw- The one category I would cer- eight feet, and lucky me, for after I 40 days on South Manitou Island.
ing up in the mouth of its willing tainly create and I guess I already climbed up to the lighthouse cat- oaknature@aol.com.n

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WNW NEWS AUGUST 2018 35

 Late
Summer
Bonanza
Saginaw Bay
T
he numbers of walleye in
many consecutive year
classes has made this one
of the best and most consis-
tent walleye fisheries in the
world. Here are some top
walleye producing methods
for Saginaw Bay.
Crawler Harnesses:
Probably one of the most
well-known and consistent
ways to catch walleye. I
like to use the Northland
tackle harnesses in Indi-
By John Bergsma
ana size 6 and
Colorado size
5 blades. I also
tie my own harnesses using 15 lb.
Seaguar inviz-X fluorocarbon line
with two, size 2 red octopus daiichi
hooks. I use D&B Custom tackle
custom crawler harness blades in
Colorado, Indiana, willow leaf and
with your host
n B e r g sm a
Jo h Now on...
Fox Sports Detroit • Sundays 7am
Visit our website and find out about . . .
• Destinations • Fishing Reports •
• Our Show • Cooks Corner •
36 AUGUST 2018 WNW NEWS
whiptail varieties. The two best
methods are using a 1 ounce Off-
shore Tackle tadpole as your inline
weight to put your harnesses at
various depths in the water column.
This is achieved by using a line
counter reel which allows
you to put the right amount
of line out to achieve the
desired depth in the water
column.
After letting out the
desired amount of line, I
attach the line to an off-
shore planer board. Planer
boards allow you to utilize
more lines, avoid The numbers of walleye in many consecutive year classes has made Saginaw
tangles, and cover Bay one of the best and most consistent walleye fishing waters in the world.
many different effective catching walleye and not Rule of thumb is for every 10 feet of
depths. A dive chart for the tadpole other non-desired species of fish. water use 1 ounce on your bottom
inline weight can be utilized at My best trolling speed is 1-1.3 mph bouncer. For example if you’re in 30
www.offshoretackle.com or by uti- GPS speed on most days. Bottom feet of water use a 3 ounce bottom
lizing the precision trolling applica- bouncers can also be an effective bouncer.
tion on your cellular phone. way to troll crawler harnesses on Trolling crankbaits is also a
Trolling speed is a key to being the bottom of the water column. great way to catch walleye. My go
to baits on the Bay are Hot-N-Tots
in ¼ ounce, Rapala Deep husk jerks
size 10 or 12 and walleye Bandits.
There are other different styles such
as Flicker Minnows and Flicker
shads that are also productive.
Trolling speed can be anywhere
between 1.2-2.2 GPS speed. Varying
your speed and doing various turns
can help determine the walleyes
desired bait and speed on any given
day. Begin your set up with various
depths and colors. If you use differ-
ent style baits be sure to run all the
same style baits on the same side of
the boat to avoid tangles.
A 3-way rig can be utilized to
run a crankbait and a crawler har-
ness. Use a 6 foot lead above the
crawler harness and a one-foot lead
for the deep lip crankbait.
Last but not least trolling spoons
can be very productive. It allows
you to cover lots of water and troll
at higher speeds. I like to use Sting-
er Scorpion and Stinger size spoons
with at 4 to 6 foot leader attached
to a Trip Z jet diver, mini disc or
Offshore Tackle tadpole weight. The
diver weights allow you to achieve
your desired depth of water. Troll-
ing speeds can vary between 1.8-3.0
GPS speed.
Another variation that is com-
monly used today is a Dream
Weaver “Wormburner” spoon har-
ness. This consists of a spoon with
a crawler behind it that is trolled at
higher speeds. This method has in-
creased in popularity over the years
and allows for a combination of
artificial bait paired with live bait.
For a great charter trip: Contact
Captain Nick Dood at 616-293-4306
for your next fishing adventure or
on Facebook at Reel Live Action
Charters.
Lake St. Clair
Walleye
When everyone thinks of Lake
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WNW NEWS AUGUST 2018 37
 HOT SUMMER

BASS By George Rowe

C
atching bass in the hot
summer months is fairly
easy, once you locate them.
Their metabolism is at an
all-year high and they feed a lot. If
you can locate one and put some-
thing that looks edible in front of it,
they will eat your offering readily.
The problem is, they move around a
lot and you may have trouble find-
ing them on a given day. Not only
do they move from one day to the
next but they move from one part of
a day to another. If you find them,
for instance, on a shallow flat at
dusk, don’t expect them to be there
the next morning.
To find bass consistently, you
have to discover their movement
patterns, which relate, of course, to
food. The bass will hang around the
most productive current source of
food, given some reasonable cover
in that area. The food source may
change from one week to the next.
Minnows and small fish (fry) are the
most constant item on the menu but
they are often supplemented with
crayfish, frogs, leeches, wigglers,
large insects (dragonflies and dob-
sonflies) and even any small rodents
that fall into the water. Bluegills,
small perch and even small bass are
often included in the big bass diet.
While healthy bluegills can swim
around in fairly close proximity to
a big bass, one that is injured at all
or showing any sign of weakness
would be in big trouble if he is spot-
ted by the neighborhood lunker. This fat smallmouth went for a leadhead jig, tipped with a plastic
This is why, so many times each skir t and a small minnow, fished very deep. Author photo
year, a bass will attack a bluegill
that is hooked on my fly rod popper. and discover quickly that the fish is bass appears out of nowhere and
The usual scene is to hook the blue- only four inches long. You haul in inhales the bluegill. Usually this is a
gill (you were really looking for a line bringing the little fellow closer short battle because all the bass has
bass or perhaps a really big bluegill) to the boat and boom/splash, a big to do is open his mouth and release

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the bluegill and the incident is over.
This has happened four times this
year, so far, and once, somehow,
the hook came out of the bluegill
and stuck in the bass and the four-
pounder was landed. deeper water to be cover for the
When it gets really hot, the bass
will retreat to the depths for most
of the day. The minnows and the
fry have sought that cooler water
too so this is a natural transition.
Your best bet then for a lure is a
deep-running plug. Try a Hot-N-Tot
or a Rapala that is marked “deep
runner.” Rapala has a series called
the DT plugs. These are marked
with the depth to which they will
dive when retrieved. The DT4, for
instance, will come back to the boat
about four feet deep. That depth will
actually vary a bit depending on the
line in use and the speed of the re-
trieve but it is fairly reliable. For hot
summer, choose a plug that will get
down there at least six or eight feet.
Cast these offerings near deep cover
– weed beds or drop-offs. If you can
find a weed bed that runs right up to
ten or twelve feet of open water, that
would be ideal.
If you fish the edge of a drop-off
where the water goes from four or
five feet to ten or twelve feet, that
would be another spot with good
potential. Bass and other fish will
substitute deep water for cover,
if necessary, to stay in the area of
available food, so you can consider
predator fish.
The hot months are also a
good time to fish jigs – leadhead
jigs tipped with plastic skirts and
perhaps with a small minnow added.
The big mop-like jigs are also effec-
tive for deep fish, as are leadheads
tipped with larger plastic baits.
Even in the hottest summer
months, bass will wander into the
shallows late in the day, to seek
food. You can find them in only a
couple of feet of water if there are
minnows present and a place to hide
is handy. Picture a sort of shallow
lagoon, ringed by lily pads. The
water is crystal clear and the bot-
tom is sandy with just a little bottom
weed. There is absolutely nothing to
be seen, even though the sun is still
shining, and the water is as flat as
a mirror. Standing well off in your
boat, cast a top-water plug right up
next to those lily pads and give it a
little twitch. Watch for movement in
the lily pads and hopefully, you will
see a big wake, headed straight for
your plug. Boom! Splash! and your
fish is hooked. Fishing in this fash-
ion requires some finesse in casting
and some stealth in your approach
but it can be very rewarding.
On my home lake, there are
some big flats with only a couple of
feet of water on them and just a few
inches of bottom weeds. Just enough
cover to hide minnows, fry and
crayfish. The bass move out on these
flats late in the evening and can then
be caught on fly rod poppers and
top-water lures. Those same flats are
absolutely devoid of fish until the
sun is setting.
If there are any simple rules for
catching bass during the hot summer
weather, it is go deep by day and
scout for shallow-water opportuni-
ties at dusk and dawn. If you are out
early in the day and know darn well
that a deep-running plug is your best
bet, let that plug rest on the surface
for a few seconds as you make your
casts. Give it a little twitch or two
before you pull it underwater and
start your retrieve. There just might
be a bass around that will still go
for a top-water presentation, even
though the sun is up.
When fishing those deep-
running plugs, be quick to change
up your presentation if you are not
meeting with any success. If you
aren’t getting any hits and your plug
is bright, change to a darker color,
especially if the day is cloudy. If
your crawfish pattern isn’t produc-
ing, try a plug with perch coloration
and see if that sells any better. If
your straight retrieve isn’t work-
ing, try stopping and starting your
retrieve, all the way in. Sometimes,
this will inspire a fish to hit the
lure, particularly when it stops
and begins to float upward, away
from the fish. A great rule to
remember is, when the fishing is
slow, go slower. Put more time
in between your twitches, on top-
water presentations, wait longer
before you start your retrieve
and reel your underwater plug in
slowly, with pauses. If the fish
aren’t buying your presentation,
you just have to make an
adjustment and sometimes even
a small change can have a
remarkable effect on the
results.
Summertime bass fishing is
a great challenge for the average
angler and the source of great
satisfaction when your strategy
works.n

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WNW NEWS AUGUST 2018 39

 GET IN THE BASS ZONE
By Kenny Darwin
T
he second time I
pitched the jig to the
rock pile and gave
it a twitch there was
a definite wham on
the end of my line
sending a solid vibration all the way
to my elbow. I leaned back hard
to set the hook and seconds later a
6-pound smallmouth bass exploded
from the placid lake water. With a
solid ‘Ker splash’ the huge bronze-
back touched down, switched ends
and made a second aerial leap send-
ing droplets of silvery water scat-
tered four feet above the placid lake.
I held tight to my bent double rod
as the tiger sprinted left, switched
directions and zipped right. My fluo-
rocarbon line cut through the water
like a knife as the broad shouldered
beast made a third and final spec-
tacular leap. It was a colossal fight
between me and a worthy adver-
sary. I slid to the center of the boat,
kneeled in the seat, reached over-
board and eventually got my thumb
in the brute’s huge mouth and lifted
him for photos. Soon I released the
behemoth unharmed, sat back in the
cushioned seat and thought about
what lead up to the fantastic fishing.
Put simply it was a classic case
of precise casting to a large boulder
certain to hold a monster bass. This
pitch was close and an underhand
flip dropped the plastic into the
behemoth’s underwater lair. He
slammed it, gulped the tantalizing
plastic and violently jerked my rod
tip.
Fact is, if you are looking to
catch more and bigger bass you
need to concentrate on locating fish
and casting exactly to big bass hot
spots. Sounds simple but sometimes
determining bass hideouts requires
plenty of scouting and hours using
the electric motor.
Don’t overlook the drawing
power of shallow water hideouts
that draw and hold monster bass. I’ll
never forget an August bass tourna-
ment on the lower Grand River and
Spring Lake near Grand Haven. The
tournament winner pre-fished in
many locations. He started pitch-
ing to docks and points on beautiful
Spring Lake. Then moved to weed
edges and drop-offs where bass
frequently ambush baitfish in deep
water lairs. But he eyeballed the
huge shallow flats covered with lily
pads not far from the prestigious
Grand Point Marina and that’s when
he hit on a gold mine. Hidden in
the slop and endless weed choked
marshy area were huge bass. Sure
he dropped his jig in the slop but
40 AUGUST 2018 WNW NEWS
what he discovered was in the end-
less lily pad field there were huge
bass hiding below the ample shade
provided by the dense lily pads. His
tournament winning catch was high-
lighted by big ol’ black bass with
bucketmouths that could swallow a
frog like candy. My point is always
start shallow and look for big bass
to hide under the cover of docks,
pontoon boats and fallen trees and
never overlook swim platforms,
bridge pilings and moored sailboats.
If a cold front moves through
and pouring rain floods local lawns,
fills area drains and creeks you can
count on water levels rising which
can cause bass to move shallow
overnight. Always take a look
at lake levels when you venture
outdoors. If docks are underwater,
lawns flooded and lake levels are up
you can count on hot bassin’ next
to shore. Sometimes it is a produc-
tive move to forget traditional bass
fishing knowledge that sends you to
drop-offs and far offshore bass hide-
outs. Is the water high on your local
river or lake? If so, fish the shallows
on high water years.
This involves pitching under
docks, pontoon boats, around likely
structure like boulders, woods,
moored boats, swimming platforms
and structure offering shade. Noth-
ing wrong with working shallow
weed beds, fallen trees or brush in
the water or punching holes through
weed beds or matted weeds. Bass
love to hang out under the shade of
low hanging willow trees and along
the south shore bordered by tall oak
trees offering shade during the dog
days of summer.
Gotta tell ya I’m a shallow water
junkie and my favorite baits are The author with a large smallie that slammed a presentation placed
plastic worms and relatively light in his living zone. A stealthy approach and precise casting can up
jigs tipped with Rage bass craws in your odds. Kenny Darwin photos
natural colors. My favorite lake is Sometimes the smallies are packed use a stealthy approach and sneak
Pentwater where I can slam large- tight against the cement at the outlet into easy casting range of likely bass
mouth along the drop-off all day of PM Lake, other times they school hideouts. Savvy fishermen learn
long and move to the pier head for near the inlet or along the entire ce- how to skip presentations under
spectacular smallmouth action that ment structure. Pitching grubs will shadowy structures and get soft
is totally awesome. Again the trick get ya plenty but if you want 2 or 3 plastic wiggly presentations in the
to limit catches and tournament at a time ya gotta switch to umbrella face of hiding fish. Smart fish learn
winning monster fish hinges on rigs. Believe me, nothing pulls how to hide from prowling boats
your ability to get lures in the strike harder than a pair of 5 pound tiger and they glide deep into shadowy
zone. Long casts to weed edges on fish on the end of your line. cover. Your goal is to place lures
Pentwater Lake will give you top Boat control can often be the into the strike zone where smart fish
notch black bass monsters by the key to fantastic bass fishing. It is are hiding.
boat loads. tough to get your lure in the strike Modern electronics can pin point
But when Lake Michigan gets a zone if you are not well versed in bass deep, shallow, left or right but
north/northwester it pushes alewife keeping your boat in ideal casting do you have the casting skills to
into the channel by the zillions and range. This means right handed drop your presentation in the zone
every smallmouth bass for miles sets fishermen go clockwise around local without making too much distur-
up in the channel bordered by the lakes and left handed anglers go bance? Can you make long distance
cement piers and the smallie fish- counterclockwise. Sometimes howl- casts that catch bass off guard be-
ing is world class. I’m talkin’ 4 to 6 ing winds or rough waves can cause
pound beer belly smallies by the ton. you to break this rule. The idea is to Bass Zone page 42
32 Annual - Woods-N-Water News

d
nd

Outd o o r W ee k e n
OVER

240
Outdoor Exhibits!
Seminars, Puppies
Gun Auction, Wild
Animals & More

e b ra t i n g O u r O u t d o o r H e r i t a g e !
C el
September 7 - 8 -9 th th th

Eastern Michigan State Fairgrounds in Imlay City

www.OutdoorWeekend.net
WNW NEWS AUGUST 2018 41
Get in the Bass Zone:
from page 40
cause the boat is still far from sight?
Bass in clear water lakes demand
precise long distance casts. Those
smallies in Lake Charlevoix and
Leland require light line, long rods
and small jigs if you want constant
strikes. On the other hand East and
West Grand Traverse Bay serve up
world class monster 6-pound plus
smallies to those who know how to
work a rig boatside in the depths us-
ing goby imitation jigs.
I love working jigs in deep water
when the dog days of summer send
bass to deep water lairs. Often they
congregate along weed beds, rock
piles, clay banks, sunken trees or
logs or just about any structure. This
style of fishing requires electron-
ics to locate fish directly under the
boat. You position above the deep
water bass and work the jig along
the structure. Sometimes the mother
lode can be found in 20-35 feet of
water and if you get your jig in the
zone big bass will gulp it. Vertical
jigging can be a deadly strategy
in stained water but in clear water
Hunting American
E
Tradition
ILABL
A A
V
S
HUNT
D E
ITE ACH YEAR
L
M
I to landing largemouth bass savvy
RESERVE YOUR HUNT NOW!
You May Harvest a Buck up to
160” Gross
You May Harvest a Buck up to
170” Gross
You May Harvest a Buck up to
185” Gross
You May Harvest a Buck up to
200” Gross
You May Harvest a Buck up to
215” Gross
You May Harvest a Buck up to
225” Gross
CALL MIKE KRAFFT
OR JAN KRAFFT
42 AUGUST 2018 WNW NEWS
lakes casting is a better tactic. Savvy
anglers often prefer to fan cast,
locate deep water fish and zero-in on
likely hot spots. The trick to hefty
catches often hinges on your ability
to identify lures that work best, col-
ors fish prefer and precise casting.
If you are in the strike zone you can
expect top notch fishing fun. If you
are searching for fish, just casting
blindly into a huge body of feature-
less water you can call it fishing, not
catching; there is a big difference.
Sometimes you have to dive
deep for summer bass and few lures
can compete with the wiggling,
wobbling action of a crank. Take a
peek at the results of veteran cranker
Paul Elias who set the Bassmaster
all-time tournament weight record
using deep divers like the Luhr Jen-
sen Hot Lips and Mann’s 20+. I’ve
caught boatloads of Erie walleyes
pulling Hot Lips Express down deep
but didn’t understand the power of
deep cranks for bass until I starting
casting Michigan lakes. The idea
was to get lures deep and if you
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$8,500
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Bass love lily pads which offer shade, protection from predators,
ideal cover, abundance of forage fishes, frogs, insects and more.
make long casts and power crank
them, then slow the retrieve once
they are in the zone you can pound
big bass when other tactics go dead.
Rapala offers DT10, DT16 and even
the DT 20 to attract bottom hugging
monsters. Strike King has a size 6, 8
and 10XD that makes deep cranking
easy. Some folks are skeptical about
tossing big lures but when it comes
anglers have learned large lures,
worms, spoons and swimbaits catch
big fish.
I’ll never forget an underwater
filming adventure with Saginaw’s
Jimmy Beddel when we spotted a
huge school of suspended large-
mouth stacked on the thermocline
12 feet below the surface. Jimmy
filmed the school of at least 50 bass
then swished to the surface, jumped
in the boat, took off scuba gear and
grabbed a fishing rod. I eagerly
watched to see which lure he se-
lected and it was a large crank. First
cast he hooked a 5 pounder, after
landing several fish he eventually
lipped a toad that tipped the scales
over 7 pounds. What was his magic
bait? It was a Berkley Dredger 10.5
with brandy back and yellow belly.
Considering all the specialized
tackle today for bass fishing and
modern electronics to locate fish
deep, shallow and to the sides,
anglers have a golden opportunity
for hefty catches. But the real
trick to bass fishing success hinges
on your ability to consistently
maintain ideal boat control, refine
your lures to those that produce
and keep the presentation in the
strike zone.n
Time to think of prevention of
those beaches, golf courses,
condo grounds, parks and
recreation areas.
ULTRA CONCENTRATED CONTROL
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It’s time to order your
summer Control to rid those
pesky geese problems.
Remember when the grass starts
turning green its time to apply
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W
e are in the
middle of a
summer heat
wave now, and
I missed the
garbage truck
this Monday morning. You know
what that means: A week of unbear-
able stench in the garage. Odd,
though, how a whiff of tossed-out
tuna will take a fellow back, back
all the way back to his youth
and Charlie Oliver’s dump
in Tuscola County, not far
from where I grew up.
We used to go there
on those stifling summer
evenings to shoot rats. Yes,
rats! Big ones, too, that
squealed and clattered over
Michigan Meanders
the tin cans
whenever we
By Tom Huggler
caught them in
the beam of a
high-powered
flashlight secured under a .22 caliber
rifle with adhesive tape “borrowed”
from the high-school athletic room.
There were so many rats they
had worn trails through the garbage
heaps which more than 50 years ago
were not buried as state law now
requires. I don’t think kids shoot rats
at the local dump anymore, but it
sure was fun then, probably because
it was a bit dangerous.
The closest I ever came to being
bitten was the time I kicked a scrap
tire and a rat as big as the neigh-
bor’s beagle squirted out and ran
across my tennis shoe. We were too
ignorant to even think about getting
a tetanus shot. But we were smart
enough not to tell our parents about
our nocturnal activities.
“Regulators” we called our-
selves for performing a necessary
service worthy of Good Citizen
medals. Who but high school kids
would have the guts to walk through
the county landfill in the middle of a
sweltering summer night on a self-
imposed mission to seek and destroy
rats?
I supposed everyone has memo-
ries of idyllic summers between
those high school years. We were
as normal as anyone else in the
1960s—cruising the drive-ins on
Saginaw Street in Flint and eyeing
the girls on the beach at Caseville.
But those activities were by design.
The rat-hunting escapades evolved
quite by accident.
My dad, who loved to dicker and
deal with sporting goods, swapped
a Labrador retriever who never
returned a pheasant that wasn’t half-
eaten for a Herter’s shotshell re-
loader with a cracked powder tube.
Once Brady Borton and my other
friends began loading shotshells, we
needed targets to shoot at. Charlie’s
Dump was ideal.
The wasteland, between Clio
and Frankenmuth, was actually
called Oliver’s Landfill, but ev-
eryone knew it as Charlie’s Dump.
Everyone knew Charlie Oliver, too,
who was a big a kid as we were.
Charlie gave us permission to hunt
crows there in winter and
starlings and blackbirds in
summer. When the sun sank
below the stinking piles of
garbage, we noticed that
rats began to appear. So we
began packing .22 caliber
rifles along with the shot-
guns.
“Just
watch your
shots,” Charlie
warned. “A .22
will travel a
mile, you know?” Our four D-cell,
battery-powered flashlights, taped
under the rifles, bobbed in the inky
blackness as we searched for targets.
Once nailed, most rats stood trans-
fixed by the intense beam, at least
long enough to draw a hasty bead
and plink away. But rats haven’t ex-
isted alongside humans for millen-
nia because the animals are stupid.
Those landfill rodents were hard to
hit, and the ones that escaped wised
up fast.
I’ll never forget the night that
my twin cousins, Bob and Jim En-
gelmann, borrowed their dad’s shiny
new Buick for a tour of the town.
Nobody told Uncle George we were
going rat hunting at the dump. Actu-
ally, we didn’t know ourselves.
At 10 o’clock Jim got out of
work at McDonald’s, a sack of
15-cent hamburgers swinging in
his hand. We boys each donated
fifty cents worth of gas to Uncle
George’s Electra 225 convertible
and headed north down the Saginaw
Street strip to cruise Walli’s, the
Colonel’s and Dad’s drive-ins.
Someone—okay, it might have
been I—got the idea to go rat hunt-
ing at Charlie’s Dump.
“In my dad’s new car?” mar-
veled Jim, who was driving. “You
nuts?”
“We can drop the top and do it
in style!” Brady countered.
“Yeah,” Bob said. “Dad’ll never
know”
Naturally I thought about talk-
ing them out of it but was too busy
taking notes for this story I knew I
would write nearly 60 years later.
We flashed past King Richard’s
Drive-in in Mount Morris, a known
hoodlum hangout, with the radio
tuned to WTAC-AM, the Big 600,
playing Chubby Checkers and “The
Twist.” Later Bob found the ball
game on WJR-AM in Detroit and
we listened to Norm Cash, who
led the American League in batting
that summer of ’61, pound another
homer for the Tigers.
About midnight we pulled into
Charlie’s Dump, and Jim cut the
engine. It ticked in the July heat,
which was alive with the chirping of we appreciated that rat hunt in style
crickets…and the scampering of rats but never did that either.
among the tin cans. After a while, Jim grew bold
We had only one rifle for the and ran the Buick up and over the
four of us and took turns riding reeking mounds for close-up action.
shotgun next to Jim, who drove. Twice we got stuck but only mo-
Our tactic was to wait quietly with mentarily. That car had more power
the engine and lights off until we than a Sherman tank. When we
heard rats. Then Jim would start that finally ran out of shells, someone re-
deuce and a quarter (I can still hear alized the car stank and would have
the engine rumble), throw the high to be washed.
beams on the garbage piles, and the There was a do-it-yourself car
gunner would fire away at the flee- wash next to Little Richard’s in
ing targets. Mount Morris. We weren’t afraid
I always wanted to confess to of the tough kids who hung out
Uncle George about our delinquent there. After all, we were the rat
behavior but never got around to it. regulators.
I also wanted to tell him how much And legends in our own minds.n
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WNW NEWS AUGUST 2018 43
Age defying secrets revealed
Dear Fish Diary:
T
wenty some years
ago, you couldn’t
convince me that a
casual stroll on the
river in my canoe was
a nasty dialogue bomb
waiting to happen. After all, I’ve
mastered class-three and four rapids.
I’ve completed two-week long
canoe adventures. I survived Lake
Superior. In all of those excursions I
don’t really remember uttering one
bad word. Okay, maybe there were
times I uttered a couple, but nothing
like what came out of my mouth this
past weekend.
Bugs that never bothered me are
suddenly swarming me and eating
me alive. For several hours I looked
like a pinecone covered in peanut
butter and dipped in black oil sun-
flower seeds. I’ve come to the con-
clusion that they know when your
reflexes slow down and you can no
longer swat them with the youthful
efficiency you once could.
Twenty some years ago you’d
say – “hey, want to go fishing?” I’d
World’s #1 Selling Tractor
231-825-2416
5297 W Stoney Corners Rd - McBain MI
ellensequipment.com
44 AUGUST 2018 WNW NEWS
be ready and on the way in twenty
minutes. Now, I’d ask “When?”
It would take me two weeks to
get ready. Even then, I wouldn’t
officially be ready. At some point
I’d realize I’ve forgotten something,
maybe like my fishing
license. Have I even bought
my fishing license yet?
Lately I sweat more
and shower less. Mainly,
because I’ve realized that
as we age we simply don’t
stink any more. However,
I’ve also noticed that as
I age I have
become more
of a loner and
By Ron St. Germain
less of a social butterfly. People
don’t visit as often, or at all. Wait, I
just realized, is it possible that our
sense of smell deteriorates as we
age? Could that be why people don’t
come by as much?
Twenty years ago I was blaring
rock music out of a custom stereo
in my truck singing at the top of
my lungs with the windows down.
Now, I roll the windows up, crank
up the air, and listen to talk radio…
sometimes on an A.M. station. I
don’t argue with people but I’ve It’s how you act the first time some-
been known to yell at my dashboard one calls you old man or old wom-
while listening to a talk radio show. an. The first time you get an AARP
That’s when you know that talk membership form in the mail. The
show host is really getting on your first time you get a senior discount.
nerves. Or, that you’re old. The first time you’re forced to make
Twenty-some years ago a decision to either get out of bed
I’d let my lawn go and head and fight another day, or lay there
out fishing. Lately, my lawn and rot. The first time you realize,
looks GREAT. you really can’t see that little hole at
A friend of mine re- the top of the hook you’re trying to
cently retired and bought thread your line through.
some lakefront property. Twenty-some years ago when
“I’m going to be out there I started writing this column, I had
fishing every day now,” some really GREAT ideas. Now
he laughed. I can’t remember where I put that
Two months
later he is still
folder I put those GREAT ideas in.
So if you have a funny fish story,
yet to go fishing. Maybe it’s not as send me a note, and if I don’t lose
much fun when you can do it all it, I’ll write your story…while I still
day, every day. Maybe we don’t take can.
the heat, cold, wind, bugs or rain as The End…no wait, it’s not the
well as we used to. Maybe it’s just end, I got out of bed, I’m fighting
dang hard getting out of that chair another day. Maybe I’ll even go
because they don’t call it an easy fishing…
chair for nothing. I don’t know, I’m
just guessing. However, the closest WANTED
thing he’s come to having a fish fry FUNNY FISH STORIES:
during his retirement is eating those Strangest thing
nasty fish oil pills. you’ve ever caught!
Twenty-some years ago I’d
fish around the clock and never Send a short description of your
cared what time it was. Suddenly, “best or worst” fishing day, or worst
after only being out a short while, fishing-related adventure, or strang-
I’m having anxiety attacks. I can’t est thing you’ve caught to me. You
remember if I’m supposed to take don’t have to write the entire story,
some sort of medication, and, I have just a brief outline of what hap-
to go to the bathroom. The definition pened. If it has some humor to it
of rough water is no longer choppy I’ll be getting in touch with you and
waves or fast current. The definition we’ll work on the completed story
of rough water now is not having an together.
accessible place to go to the bath- Contact - Woods-N-Water News
231-825-2416
room…like NOW! Don’t chastise
me by asking if I’ve ever heard of a
columnist Ron St. Germain by
calling (517) 626-2814, e-mailing
cup, bucket5297 W Stoney
or even standing up Corners
in Rd - McBain MI Visit the
DaPhotoDude@aol.com.
the boat, just don’t.
ellensequipment.com
The older I get it seems the
author’s Facebook page www.Face-
book.com/BearwaveBooksn
faster time goes, this totally isn’t
fair. I’m getting to a point where I
despise Friday because that means
it’s almost Monday. One day you’re Be sure to
climbing the next day you’re over
the hill. Suddenly you’re making check out the
more trips to the doctor’s office than
you are to the bait store. Instead of
trying to locate a secret fishing hole,
Woods-N-Water News
I’m researching the secrets to defy-
ing aging.
My text messaging abbreviations
OUTDOOR
have gone from BRB, LOL, LMBO
to - WAITT (Who Am I Talking WEEKEND
To), LMDO (Laughing My Dentures
Out), ROTFL CGU (Rolling On The
Floor Laughing-Can’t Get Up.) All
Sept. 7-8-9, 2018
of that is subjective as to whether or
not I can actually locate my phone. Eastern Michigan
So what are the age defying
secrets? I believe it’s how you deal
with it. It’s not the Phyllis Diller ap-
State Fairgrounds
proach when she said she’d continue
to have facelifts until her ears met.
Imlay City
 Blinking, Bumping, busting...
Dog Training...By Len Jenkins
L
ast month we cov-
ered bolting – a most
objectionable behav-
ior in a gun dog. This
month let’s address
three other behaviors
in ground covering and bird contact.
Blinking is deliberate bird avoid-
ance. Usually hunting dogs love bird
contact and relish the pursuit of birds.
Some dogs (very rarely) practice bird
avoidance.
Now, there has to be a logical
explanation about why this happens
but the hunter may never figure out
what it is. For instance, perhaps the
dog had been spurred by a wounded
rooster pheasant. Another possibil-
ity is that the dog got beat up by a
female goose trying to protect her
clutch of goslings. The maternal
instinct could be so strong that the
goose will stop at nothing in defense
of her young and could prove to be
very powerful against a hapless dog
who she perceived to be a danger.
If you dog is bird-shy and blinks,
you might rectify this problem by
putting him in a situation of domi-
nance against a gentle bird such as a
pigeon. You could swing the bird in
front of your dog in a fishing net or
on a wing strap.
You can also make your dog
bolder around birds by making him
sleep with the pigeon. Just keep the
pigeon in a mesh potato or citrus bag
and make your dog stay with the bird
in his dog house or crate.
Just be patient with your dog.
Until he’s cured of bird shyness, he
could still be a nice pet. Perhaps you
could teach him to perform tricks,
for which you give him lavish praise.
Eventually the desire to hunt will be
restored.
Bumping is a correctable fault,
provided your dog has a good nose,
likes to point or flush (depending on
whether he’s a pointing or flushing
dog), and wants to please. Bumping
1-800-700-2628
occurs when your dog inadvertently
waltzes into birds which flush wild,
surprising both the dog and the
hunter. There are a number of things
you can do to correct the problem:
• You can make the dog keep his
head high, ensuring that he will more
effectively smell birds. If he works
with a low head, trailing the ground
like a hound, he won’t wind birds.
Get his head high and help him keep
it there by using your spike force
collar.
• You can always make sure
you’re working into the wind. If
you cross a field with the wind to
your back or obliquely at either side, These young setter pups (all named George) will not bolt, blink, bump or
there’s a good chance you’ll bump bust. They’ve had plenty of field work and positive bird contact.
every bird in the field as your quarter-
ing dogs run right up on them, never a station preferable to accidental your dog down and help him savor
smelling any. Work into the wind if flushes. the pleasure in every successful bird
you want your bird dog to find birds. Busting is charging wildly into a found.
• You can go back to basics and bird regardless of whether the hunter Until he really learns this, let
insist on steady points a good dis- is prepared to make the shot. Usually him drag the check cord so that he
tance from the bird. Insist on steady this vice is when a dog bolts and he remembers that he is under your
points in practice in which your dog just busts into birds while in a frenzy. control. After all, you and your dog
holds point. If yours is a flushing dog, Such a dog is a “self-hunter.” are hunting as a team. It is not an
review his discipline so he doesn’t This overexuberant behavior individual sport.
run foolishly around the field without can be modified if you go back to a Now, if your dog rushes in to bust
using his nose. You can tell when he’s training regimen involving the spiked a bird, do not reward him by shooting
making game by the merry tail and force collar and check cord. Just slow the bird!n
animation. If a flushing bird surprises
your dog, he’s loafing, not work-
ing the birds as he should. Review
your early training lessons with your
flushing dog. A good gun dog doesn’t
lollygag; he works.
• You can slow your dog down
if he overruns birds because he’s too
fast. Practice with him by going back
to planted pigeons. Let him see that
he’ll find birds if he keeps his head
high while working methodically at a
moderate pace.
If your dog likes birds, we can
easily correct him if he starts bump-
ing his birds. He’ll just have to learn
to be more careful. With guidance
from you, he’ll learn this and also
find out that care and precision pay
off in terms of plenty of bird action,
WNW NEWS AUGUST 2018 45
BIG BUCKS
on small tracts of land!
W
e all want more hunting grounds but nailing down big
properties is becoming very difficult. Know what? Acre-
age isn’t everything and it’s not necessarily good to have it
all in a single property. Here’s why.
You know many Michigan bucks are harvested in
southern Michigan by hunters on small acreages. In fact,
years ago a study indicated the majority of trophy deer are
taken on less than 40 acres of land. Hunting often takes
place relatively close to home, many times in a suburban setting close to major
cities like Detroit, Saginaw, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Kalamazoo and many
more. Of the mature bucks I’ve shot, none came from a large property. Most
came from properties less than 40 acres and when it comes to sneaky spots
some are less than 10 acres.
In my travels I get to talk with plenty of deer hunters and discovered most
harvest deer from relatively small plots but they agree that how the land is laid
out and how it is managed is key. Most agree cover, food and water are es-
sential. The thicker the cover the better and often smart old bucks live in small
swamps, alder patches, cattail swamps and property overlooked by many. In
recent years savvy hunters look for briar patches, tamarack swamps, locations
where trees have been logged off and brush has grown up. Sometimes the best
cover is found where there is little timber like standing corn or tall grass lands.
You know the kind of habitat holding rabbits, maybe pheasants and offer a
location for deer to hide.
Perhaps the most important variable is deer are not disturbed on the land.
My hottest buck hideout is in tall, thick alder brush and grass between two
Don’t think for a minute
you can’t get kissin’
close to a buck of a
lifetime in Michigan.
The secret to success
hinges on scouting and
getting permission on
multiple proper ties.
46 AUGUST 2018 WNW NEWS
horse farms. The horse farmers don’t allow hunting and deer abound but taking
stand in the thick cover between sanctuaries has produced several big bucks.
The thin strip of untilled ground has tall grass and is used as a major travel
corridor between two large properties where deer grow to mature status with no
interaction with hunters.
So, part of the trick to deer hunting success is to have
permission near a sanctuary of some sort. This may include
next to city property, along corporate office complexes, next
to airports, cemeteries, churches, hospitals, and the list goes
on. The trick is to have a location where deer are not hunted.
Once an adult buck takes up residency in an area other
bucks will follow in his footsteps. Several bucks can share
the same sanctuary and when gun season gets them moving
the location acts like a buck magnet. During the rut bucks
spread far and wide but prior to breeding season and during
late season you can count on mature deer returning to their
core home turf.
Little is said about the importance of mature female deer
and their relationship with big bucks. It is my opinion that
matriarchal does are a key element in whitetail socialization
and many times bucks are drawn to them because adult doe
are very wise and tend to hang out in safe havens. Hunters
who harvest big old does are actually killing the leaders of
local deer herds. The role of matriarchal deer is to maintain
herd behavior and teach other animals travel routes, feeding
and bedding locations and share sanc-
tuaries. Bucks tend to feel safe when
residing on the turf of an old wise doe. COVER STORY...
When the rut is rockin’ old does tend
to hide from bucks and keep away
from them. But after breeding chores
By Kenny Darwin
are complete and bucks are less aggressive, big does that
lead younger deer allow bucks back into their herd.
Getting permission on just one parcel is the kiss of
death for most hunters because they tend to over-hunt the
spot and spook deer. But if they can get permission on sev-
eral small plots and use each sparingly you are on the road
to big buck success. Having several locations also gives
you an advantage when wind direction is not conducive to
good hunting in a particular location, you simply move to
the next. Try to select locations that have high deer traf-
fic bordered by sanctuaries. The ideal strategy is to have
several small tracts of land that can be hunted regardless of
wind direction.
The biggest advantage is hunting multiple properties
allows you to pursue different bucks. That means your
odds of finding a big buck are better with multiple proper-
ties at your disposal. If you go hunting and spook a dandy
buck you can bounce to a new spot and hunt deer that have
not been disturbed. Perhaps the most important element in
successful trophy buck hunting is setting up in a location
where deer have not had interference from hunters. Big
bucks are notorious for moving to locations where there
are not hunters and hopefully they pass through your small
parcel and you catch them off guard. Some savvy hunters
claim bucks go nocturnal and disappear the minute they
sense human intrusion and hunting pressure. But many
times the reason they seem to disappear is because they
simply make a move to undisturbed turf. Sometimes the
best management policy is to leave small parcels alone and
let them to grow over with brush and cover. Now you slip
in during mid-day or prior to season and brush-in your ground blind or put up
a treestand without disturbing your fall hunt. Some places should be avoided
until it is hunt time and when you suddenly appear you will catch local deer
completely off guard.
Southern Michigan hunters are fortunate to have plenty of
healthy deer on private land. Most folks protect the popu-
lation and your task is to scout out areas with good deer
numbers in summer and be ready to ambush a big buck
come opening day. Those who hunt state land where deer
have been over-hunted and the population is destroyed will
be surprised by the deer numbers on private land. It’s sad
the DNR allows unlimited harvest of our most valuable big
game animal. The solution is to seek new hunting ground.
As much as I complain about Michigan’s outdated deer
management policies I have it good. I’m scouting year
round, traveling country roads in search of wildlife and
have hit on some zones having impressive deer numbers.
In each case the land is privately owned and the landown-
ers understand the importance of maintaining a herd by not
over-harvesting. They have solid deer numbers and last year
the number of bucks I saw while hunting was impressive,
with some big bruisers mixed in. On opening day I had a
big 8-point down at the crack of dawn and saw three other
bucks in an hour. After filling my first tag I got selective and
targeted only 140 sized racks. Soon I spotted a couple 160s If you want to consistently score on big bucks star t thinking today
monster 10-point bucks and spent the entire season trying about new stand locations. Maybe you need to trim brush, better
to score on a trophy. My final day of deer season was brush-in a ground stand, move closer to food sources or bedding
highlighted when 44 deer meandered into a stubble corn areas, along water, in standing corn or tall grass.
field and the last animal to slip from the hardwoods was
a high tined 10-point with wide spread and 200 pound-
plus mega body. Unfortunately he stayed out of range but
Use of scouting and trail cameras is the best way to nail down buck hot
spots. Hopefully come opener you are set up within a few hundred yards of
he will be there next year and you can bet I’ll be hiding in the small plot ditch a big boy and travel options on small plots of land can be very limited. Sur-
peeking through tall grass with heart pounding at the thought of harvesting the rounding properties always figure into the equation. There are a lot of variables
bruiser. My point is there are still some excellent opportunities to take a big that go into finding a big buck’s hideout but many times they are stuck away
buck in Michigan, but you need to do your homework, scout, get permission on someone’s private parcel. Now, if you can identify travel routes you might
and zero-in your hunting efforts on specific locations. catch him moving from one location to another using a travel corridor on a
Forget state land, my recommendation is to get permission on as many small parcel. Other times the place you get permission is a hiding zone, bed-
hunting spots as possible and stick to strictly private land where big bucks ding area, feeding spot or travel corridor connecting wood lots.
roam. Farmers give me unlimited hunting rights when I trim woodchuck Never overlook the power of setting up on creeks, ditches and
numbers and kill nuisance coyotes. Sometimes I get photography rights which fence lines used by deer. Ideal habitat is important and thick groves of
quickly spins off into deer hunting permission. Turkey hunting has helped me crabapple trees, apples, acorns and other food sources can shift deer
to get to know land owners, build their trust and get deer hunting permission. activity. Most big buck hideouts include tall grasses like canary grass
Most importantly, I’m constantly scouting new spots, finding big bucks in and goldenrod, but any thick cover big bucks can slither through like
unfamiliar turf and gaining hunting permission on new land. By having mul- ghosts is better than open woodlots. Remember bucks love water and
tiple deer spots you have alternate locations to hunt if your spot gets leased, the marshes, cattails, drainage ditches and pond edges provide an oppor-
farmer dies or the property changes hands. tunity for adult deer to silently wade the shallows. Low, thick areas
Take my advice, if you want to keep your hunting spot keep your mouth highlighted by a creek or ditch can be a sneaky hideout with ideal bed-
shut about where it is located and big bucks you know about. Social media has ding cover.
led to loss of hunting privileges for many sportsmen because their so called One reason I’m penning this piece is to give hope to those who are
buddies lease the land behind their back. Guess I can’t blame sneaky folks for fed up with not seeing bucks on state land and can’t get permission on
trumping my game or landowners for giving me the boot when folks show up private land. This predicament is fast becoming common and unless
at their door waving hundred dollar bills. Your hunting ground should be con- the DNR begins properly managing the deer herd it will lead to more
sidered sacred, treat it as such. sportsmen attrition and poor hunter recruitment in the future. Re-
Hopefully by now I’m starting to get your mental wheels turning regarding member even if you don’t have hundreds of acres to hunt you can kill
small property opportunities. But there is a lot more. Another advantage if you mature bucks from small tracts of land. Take my word for it and make
have a whitetail hunting program is you are hunting the best bucks in several an effort to seek out new hunting locations.
locations. By moving to new spots you up your odds for a trophy buck. It has Of the many mature bucks I’ve harvested in Michigan none have
been proven that the first time you hunt new turf your chances of scoring go come from private clubs, high fence operations or large properties.
way up. It has also been proven the more time you spend on the same property I’ve never paid a dime to lease property and made a career photo-
the more likely big bucks have you patterned and they move to locations with graphing and hunting on small properties in the real world. Hey, if I
no hunting pressure. can do it, so can you.n
WNW NEWS AUGUST 2018 47
BIG BUCKS
on small tracts of land!
W
e all want more hunting grounds but nailing down big
properties is becoming very difficult. Know what? Acre-
age isn’t everything and it’s not necessarily good to have it
all in a single property. Here’s why.
You know many Michigan bucks are harvested in
southern Michigan by hunters on small acreages. In fact,
years ago a study indicated the majority of trophy deer are
taken on less than 40 acres of land. Hunting often takes
place relatively close to home, many times in a suburban setting close to major
cities like Detroit, Saginaw, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Kalamazoo and many
more. Of the mature bucks I’ve shot, none came from a large property. Most
came from properties less than 40 acres and when it comes to sneaky spots
some are less than 10 acres.
In my travels I get to talk with plenty of deer hunters and discovered most
harvest deer from relatively small plots but they agree that how the land is laid
out and how it is managed is key. Most agree cover, food and water are es-
sential. The thicker the cover the better and often smart old bucks live in small
swamps, alder patches, cattail swamps and property overlooked by many. In
recent years savvy hunters look for briar patches, tamarack swamps, locations
where trees have been logged off and brush has grown up. Sometimes the best
cover is found where there is little timber like standing corn or tall grass lands.
You know the kind of habitat holding rabbits, maybe pheasants and offer a
location for deer to hide.
Perhaps the most important variable is deer are not disturbed on the land.
My hottest buck hideout is in tall, thick alder brush and grass between two
Don’t think for a minute
you can’t get kissin’
close to a buck of a
lifetime in Michigan.
The secret to success
hinges on scouting and
getting permission on
multiple proper ties.
46 AUGUST 2018 WNW NEWS
horse farms. The horse farmers don’t allow hunting and deer abound but taking
stand in the thick cover between sanctuaries has produced several big bucks.
The thin strip of untilled ground has tall grass and is used as a major travel
corridor between two large properties where deer grow to mature status with no
interaction with hunters.
So, part of the trick to deer hunting success is to have
permission near a sanctuary of some sort. This may include
next to city property, along corporate office complexes, next
to airports, cemeteries, churches, hospitals, and the list goes
on. The trick is to have a location where deer are not hunted.
Once an adult buck takes up residency in an area other
bucks will follow in his footsteps. Several bucks can share
the same sanctuary and when gun season gets them moving
the location acts like a buck magnet. During the rut bucks
spread far and wide but prior to breeding season and during
late season you can count on mature deer returning to their
core home turf.
Little is said about the importance of mature female deer
and their relationship with big bucks. It is my opinion that
matriarchal does are a key element in whitetail socialization
and many times bucks are drawn to them because adult doe
are very wise and tend to hang out in safe havens. Hunters
who harvest big old does are actually killing the leaders of
local deer herds. The role of matriarchal deer is to maintain
herd behavior and teach other animals travel routes, feeding
and bedding locations and share sanc-
tuaries. Bucks tend to feel safe when
residing on the turf of an old wise doe. COVER STORY...
When the rut is rockin’ old does tend
to hide from bucks and keep away
from them. But after breeding chores
By Kenny Darwin
are complete and bucks are less aggressive, big does that
lead younger deer allow bucks back into their herd.
Getting permission on just one parcel is the kiss of
death for most hunters because they tend to over-hunt the
spot and spook deer. But if they can get permission on sev-
eral small plots and use each sparingly you are on the road
to big buck success. Having several locations also gives
you an advantage when wind direction is not conducive to
good hunting in a particular location, you simply move to
the next. Try to select locations that have high deer traf-
fic bordered by sanctuaries. The ideal strategy is to have
several small tracts of land that can be hunted regardless of
wind direction.
The biggest advantage is hunting multiple properties
allows you to pursue different bucks. That means your
odds of finding a big buck are better with multiple proper-
ties at your disposal. If you go hunting and spook a dandy
buck you can bounce to a new spot and hunt deer that have
not been disturbed. Perhaps the most important element in
successful trophy buck hunting is setting up in a location
where deer have not had interference from hunters. Big
bucks are notorious for moving to locations where there
are not hunters and hopefully they pass through your small
parcel and you catch them off guard. Some savvy hunters
claim bucks go nocturnal and disappear the minute they
sense human intrusion and hunting pressure. But many
times the reason they seem to disappear is because they
simply make a move to undisturbed turf. Sometimes the
best management policy is to leave small parcels alone and
let them to grow over with brush and cover. Now you slip
in during mid-day or prior to season and brush-in your ground blind or put up
a treestand without disturbing your fall hunt. Some places should be avoided
until it is hunt time and when you suddenly appear you will catch local deer
completely off guard.
Southern Michigan hunters are fortunate to have plenty of
healthy deer on private land. Most folks protect the popu-
lation and your task is to scout out areas with good deer
numbers in summer and be ready to ambush a big buck
come opening day. Those who hunt state land where deer
have been over-hunted and the population is destroyed will
be surprised by the deer numbers on private land. It’s sad
the DNR allows unlimited harvest of our most valuable big
game animal. The solution is to seek new hunting ground.
As much as I complain about Michigan’s outdated deer
management policies I have it good. I’m scouting year
round, traveling country roads in search of wildlife and
have hit on some zones having impressive deer numbers.
In each case the land is privately owned and the landown-
ers understand the importance of maintaining a herd by not
over-harvesting. They have solid deer numbers and last year
the number of bucks I saw while hunting was impressive,
with some big bruisers mixed in. On opening day I had a
big 8-point down at the crack of dawn and saw three other
bucks in an hour. After filling my first tag I got selective and
targeted only 140 sized racks. Soon I spotted a couple 160s If you want to consistently score on big bucks star t thinking today
monster 10-point bucks and spent the entire season trying about new stand locations. Maybe you need to trim brush, better
to score on a trophy. My final day of deer season was brush-in a ground stand, move closer to food sources or bedding
highlighted when 44 deer meandered into a stubble corn areas, along water, in standing corn or tall grass.
field and the last animal to slip from the hardwoods was
a high tined 10-point with wide spread and 200 pound-
plus mega body. Unfortunately he stayed out of range but
Use of scouting and trail cameras is the best way to nail down buck hot
spots. Hopefully come opener you are set up within a few hundred yards of
he will be there next year and you can bet I’ll be hiding in the small plot ditch a big boy and travel options on small plots of land can be very limited. Sur-
peeking through tall grass with heart pounding at the thought of harvesting the rounding properties always figure into the equation. There are a lot of variables
bruiser. My point is there are still some excellent opportunities to take a big that go into finding a big buck’s hideout but many times they are stuck away
buck in Michigan, but you need to do your homework, scout, get permission on someone’s private parcel. Now, if you can identify travel routes you might
and zero-in your hunting efforts on specific locations. catch him moving from one location to another using a travel corridor on a
Forget state land, my recommendation is to get permission on as many small parcel. Other times the place you get permission is a hiding zone, bed-
hunting spots as possible and stick to strictly private land where big bucks ding area, feeding spot or travel corridor connecting wood lots.
roam. Farmers give me unlimited hunting rights when I trim woodchuck Never overlook the power of setting up on creeks, ditches and
numbers and kill nuisance coyotes. Sometimes I get photography rights which fence lines used by deer. Ideal habitat is important and thick groves of
quickly spins off into deer hunting permission. Turkey hunting has helped me crabapple trees, apples, acorns and other food sources can shift deer
to get to know land owners, build their trust and get deer hunting permission. activity. Most big buck hideouts include tall grasses like canary grass
Most importantly, I’m constantly scouting new spots, finding big bucks in and goldenrod, but any thick cover big bucks can slither through like
unfamiliar turf and gaining hunting permission on new land. By having mul- ghosts is better than open woodlots. Remember bucks love water and
tiple deer spots you have alternate locations to hunt if your spot gets leased, the marshes, cattails, drainage ditches and pond edges provide an oppor-
farmer dies or the property changes hands. tunity for adult deer to silently wade the shallows. Low, thick areas
Take my advice, if you want to keep your hunting spot keep your mouth highlighted by a creek or ditch can be a sneaky hideout with ideal bed-
shut about where it is located and big bucks you know about. Social media has ding cover.
led to loss of hunting privileges for many sportsmen because their so called One reason I’m penning this piece is to give hope to those who are
buddies lease the land behind their back. Guess I can’t blame sneaky folks for fed up with not seeing bucks on state land and can’t get permission on
trumping my game or landowners for giving me the boot when folks show up private land. This predicament is fast becoming common and unless
at their door waving hundred dollar bills. Your hunting ground should be con- the DNR begins properly managing the deer herd it will lead to more
sidered sacred, treat it as such. sportsmen attrition and poor hunter recruitment in the future. Re-
Hopefully by now I’m starting to get your mental wheels turning regarding member even if you don’t have hundreds of acres to hunt you can kill
small property opportunities. But there is a lot more. Another advantage if you mature bucks from small tracts of land. Take my word for it and make
have a whitetail hunting program is you are hunting the best bucks in several an effort to seek out new hunting locations.
locations. By moving to new spots you up your odds for a trophy buck. It has Of the many mature bucks I’ve harvested in Michigan none have
been proven that the first time you hunt new turf your chances of scoring go come from private clubs, high fence operations or large properties.
way up. It has also been proven the more time you spend on the same property I’ve never paid a dime to lease property and made a career photo-
the more likely big bucks have you patterned and they move to locations with graphing and hunting on small properties in the real world. Hey, if I
no hunting pressure. can do it, so can you.n
WNW NEWS AUGUST 2018 47
Gun Chat: Fuller Gun Collection
M
y family has made
three visits to the
Chickamauga and
Chattanooga Military
Park in Tennessee.
It’s not far off of I-75
and is an easy stop when going to
Florida, or coming back. I had no
intention of going south this sum-
mer (or any other) due to the heat.
But when family decided to gather
there my wife and I changed our
plans and headed south in
early June.
On other visits we
drove around the Chicka-
mauga Battlefield looking
for places where units from
Michigan fought. Some of
these were the 1st Michigan
Light Artillery, the 4th, 9th,
11th, 13th and 22nd
Michigan infantry.
Artillery unit positions
By Lee Arten
on the battlefield are marked with
cannons. Other markers include blue
plaques for Union unit positions,
and red plaques for Confederate
units. There are also cannonballs
stacked in pyramids. The small ones
mark where headquarters were on
the field. Pyramids 15 cannonballs
high show where division com-
manders were killed.
There is a lot to see at the mili-
tary park. This trip we stopped just
long enough to see the Claud Fuller
gun collection and take photos of
the guns on display. Some weap-
ons, like the “Grain Mill Sharps,”
a carbine with a grain mill in the
buttstock, I remembered. (I’ve also
heard it called the “Coffee Mill
Sharps.”)
Others, like the flintlock
musket cut down just in
front of the barrel band, I’d
forgotten since my last vis-
it. The guy who made it, or
had it made, really wanted
a short, handy weapon, and
didn’t care if it had a front
sight or not.
Another gun I
didn’t remember was a
brass-framed .50 cali-
ber Morse breech-loader. The model
was made for the Confederacy at the
State Military Works in Greenville,
South Carolina between 1862 and
1865. It resembles a modern lever
action rifle to a degree. I’d like to
shoot an original, or a replica, but
have only seen the one in Chickam-
auga.
The Fuller collection begins
during the Colonial Period, goes
through the American Revolu-
tion, the Civil War, and stops
with weapons from World War 1.
Those include a fine 12 gauge 1897
Winchester “Riot or Guard Gun,”
several 1903 Springfields, including
a .22 caliber U.S. Model 1903 Gal-
lery Practice rifle, and a U.S. 1917
Enfield in great condition. The 1917
Enfield I used for deer hunting for
several years had been cut down in
barrel and stock and had much more
wear than the one displayed at the
Military Park.
The collection also included a
.45 Whitworth rifle from England.
The South imported them during the
war. I’ve read they were often used
by rebel snipers. There was also a
side by side 10 gauge shotgun “...
altered for military use,” on display.
The south used shotguns during the
Civil War too. My guess is that the
one displayed was a Confederate
gun.
According to a handout fur-
nished by the Military Park, Claud
Fuller became interested in guns
early in life. By 1923 he had been
collecting them for 37 years and his
still-expanding collection had 2,000
items.
Fuller had a 7th grade educa-
tion but became an engineer with
48 brick making patents. His wife,
Zenada, helped acquire many guns
in the collection by attending sales
and auctions when Fuller was at
work. The handout says she some-
times bought “...quilts and other
knick-knacks,” to hide her interest
in certain firearms.
Fuller wrote firearm books and
Zenada helped with that too, learn-
ing stenography and typing in the
process. I found one of Fuller’s
books, The Rifled Musket, for sale
online. It was published in 1958 by
Bonanza. I plan to see what else can
The Grain Mill Sharps Carbine was
ingenious but proved too expensive to
produce.
still be found. Interlibrary loan can
sometimes locate books that aren’t
commercially available.
Fuller retired in 1933 and moved
to a farm near Chattanooga, TN. In
1949 he and his wife offered part of
the collection to the Chickamauga
and Chattanooga Military Park for
display and study. The collection
was opened to the public on July 4,
1954.
Zenada died before the collec-
tion was unveiled. Fuller died in
1957, “...after 80 years of sharing
his passion for technology and me-
chanics with thousands of people,
both in person and in writing.”
The Chickamauga and Chat-
tanooga Military Park was the first
one in the U.S. It was established in
1890 after the enabling legislation
was signed by President Benjamin
Harrison. It was five years before
similar status was conferred upon
the Gettysburg battlefield. The day
we were there a guided driving tour
of the extensive park was being or-
ganized for the afternoon. We were
expected in Florida so didn’t have
time to join it. Maybe next time.n

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48 AUGUST 2018 WNW NEWS

Boat Smart...Don’t just start pumping
I
t’s time to be cautious when
fueling; your boat, car, lawn
mower or any engine that re-
quires gasoline.
This column may be some-
what familiar and repetitive but the
subject has changed each year the
RFS (Renewable Fuel Standards) are
posted. In past years, Michigan was
able to negotiate to continue using
E-10 exclusively. Not this
year.
A Federal mandate to
remove regulatory barriers
to year-round sales of E-15
was passed June 1, 2018.
This action will impact all
consumers, especially boat-
ers. The lifting of restrictions
will allow the sale of E-15 at
all fuel stations
nationwide. By Capt. Fred Davis
Michigan
is a vacation destination and many
visitors travel the length of the state
via automobiles. They will face mile-
age reductions by using E-15. If their
vehicle is older than a 2001 model,
it could be damaged beyond repair.
Due to our state being surrounded by
water, and having over one-million
registered boats, Michigan uses a
substantial amount of boat fuel.
The National Marine Manufactur-
ers Association (NMMA) on their
website (www.nmma.org ) and in me-
dia releases state, “There are no boats
capable of burning E-15 fuel without
risking severe damage.” Listed on
their site under “Learn the Issues,”
they go on to say; “There are serious,
well-documented human safety, en-
vironmental and technology concerns
with ethanol blends over 10 percent in
recreational boat fuel tanks.”
Rec 90, which is regular gasoline
without ethanol, is more expensive
than the E-10 or E-15 fuels. It can be
difficult to locate as only select fuel
stations carry it. I have confirmed in
Lansing that the state harbor facili-
ties offer Rec 90 exclusively along
with diesel fuel and do not carry any
ethanol blended fuels. Many other
marinas throughout the state also offer
the ethanol free fuel - just be sure to
inquire.
The 75 slip marina at Port Austin
carries only Rec 90 and diesel. When
I talked with a harbor employee,
they told me many boaters are call-
ing ahead to inquire if they have the
ethanol free fuel. Even though it cost
more, by using pure gasoline you
should not face replacing an engine.
An upside of using the Rec 90; in a
vehicle or boat, you get better mile-
age.
Manufacturers of small engines
have issued warnings that damage
caused by E-15 will void any equip-
ment warranties. The risk of burning
out a small engine in a lawn mower,
chainsaw, blower, along with a water
pump, trolling motor or off-road
vehicle, can also be dangerous to the
user. You can avoid a possible fire
by using the ethanol free gas in your regarding their
small engines and perhaps not suffer pumps and fuel
the loss of the entire piece of equip- lines facing con-
ment plus you will gain additional tamination and
hours of use. having possible
Beware of promises that an addi- liability claims
tive, and there are many, will compen- from consumers.
sate for ethanol use. In my research I To conclude,
have not been able to find one that can when you pull
guarantee to protect your equipment. in to fuel up at
Most Michigan fuel a gas station, be
stations have offered E-10 certain of the fuel
for several years and it is rating. Don’t just
considered to be safe at this grab the hose that
time. It has been established, provides the least
all late model cars are able expensive fuel.
to burn E-10 safely. Car Filling up with
manufacturers have warned it could result in
that use of any higher blend the most costly
of ethanol, such as the E-15, purchase of gas
Ethanol-free pump near Saugatuck.
in pre-2001
vehicles could
you ever made.n
result in corro-
SUCCESSFUL HUNTERS
sive damage to fuel lines, gaskets and
other engine components.
Manufacturers of late model ma-
rine engines say they have been able
GET YOUR
to develop engines that operate using
the E-10 without problems. They are
quick to state at this time however,
“Even a little bit of fuel with 15
percent ethanol can damage a marine DEER & TURKEY
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AAA (American Automobile
Association) issued an unusual state-
ment when E-15 was first introduced
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WNW NEWS AUGUST 2018 49
 Bowfishing Asian carp habitat
Grass carp, the feral swine of the water...By Drew YoungeDyke
T
he tern swooped down
on us, admonishing our
proximity to its nest in
the tall aquatic vegeta-
tion providing its cov-
er. Our flat-bottom jon
boat continued past – the nest undis-
turbed – on our way out to an island
in Saginaw Bay where our rookie
bowfishing crew of outdoor writers
would miss many and arrow a few
longnose gar. The star of the day,
though, was the shallow wetland
and bay habitat holding submerged
grasses, flooded timbers, birds, fish
and waterfowl. Two weeks later,
near Toledo, I was reminded of its
suitability for grass carp – a species
of Asian carp – which are already in
Lake Erie.
During the Michigan Outdoor
Writers Association summer confer-
ence in Bay City in early June, a
quartet of us signed up for a day of
bowfishing guided by Matt Anthony
of The Rooster Ranch. It would
be my first time. I was joined by
John Cleveland of Eppinger Lures,
Michigan Outdoor News editor Bill
Parker and veteran outdoor writer
Richard P. Smith.
We launched out of Bay Port
and bowfished in the aptly-named
Wild Fowl Bay. Down a maze of
bay channels, we searched for com-
mon carp and longnose gar through
polarized lenses from the platform
Matt had built atop the front of
his Louisiana-sourced mud motor-
powered craft. Bill, Richard and I
used the light-draw compound bows
Matt provided. John used a recurve
he built himself, equipped with an
aftermarket bowfishing reel from
Three Rivers Archery. I regretted
not doing the same, as I’ve shot re-
curves exclusively for the past year-
and-a-half and was a little thrown
off by not being able to snap-shoot.
However, I can’t blame the bow
for my many misses. Bowfishing re-
quires an ability to gauge refraction
– the visual distortion that makes
submerged objects appear higher in
the water than they are – that I have
yet to develop. And I wasn’t alone.
Most of my shots appeared accu-
rate on the horizontal plane, many
even seeming to go right at the gar
or carp, only to have it swim away
unscathed as I reeled in my arrow.
Too high, too low.
For the first part of the day, we
didn’t see many. After we motored
out to an island, though, the after-
noon heated up as Matt put us on
more gar and carp than we four
could target in the time it took us
to reel in our arrows from our last
50 AUGUST 2018 WNW NEWS
misses. That didn’t affect the sheer
fun of it, though, and while fun is
never the sole reason I ever draw
an arrow at an animal, it would be
dishonest of me to deny the feeling
the challenge of the pursuit gave me
as an archer.
I was proud to get the first gar
of the day, though it would be my
only one. John added two with his
homemade recurve and Richard got
one, too. I’m not sure I can count
high enough to accurately number
our misses, but it wouldn’t surprise
me if it was more than 50. Maybe I
would have had fewer misses with
my recurve, but the only way to
find out is to buy a bowfishing reel
for it and make it a regular part of
my outdoor repertoire, which I’m
tempted to do.
A couple weeks later, though, I
had a different perspective on that
day. I was sitting in a classroom at
the University of Toledo’s Lake Erie
Center listening to a panel discus-
sion on grass carp given to a delega-
tion of Congressional staffers, where
I would present later in the day on
behalf of the National Wildlife Fed-
eration with Gildo Tori from Ducks
Unlimited and Matt Misicka from
the Ohio Conservation Federation. The author arrowed the first gar of the day. Unfor tunately it was his
Grass carp are one of four spe- only gar of the day. Bowfishing requires an ability to gauge refrac-
cies of Asian carp, and the only one tion – the visual distor tion that makes submerged objects appear
with a presence in the Great Lakes. higher in the water than they are.
They grow up to 5 feet, can weigh
up to 80 pounds, and can eat any- year. The impression I was left with elimination its past two proposed
where from 20-100% of their body from the presentation is that we’re budgets, but which the bipartisan
weight in a day, which is a problem, looking at the beginning stages of a Great Lakes Congressional delega-
because what they eat is massive grass carp invasion, which was also tion has saved each time.
amounts of submerged and wetland the conclusion of a 2017 report from Unlike feral swine, though, we
vegetation – waterfowl habitat just Fisheries and Oceans Canada. might still have a chance to get
like what we saw in Wild Fowl Bay And there’s nothing stopping ahead of the grass carp invasion. To
in Saginaw Bay while bowfishing. grass carp from moving north into do so, though, it will take continued
While grass carp have been the Detroit River, Lake St. Clair, GLRI funding and an aggressive
found in Lake Erie since the 1980s, Lake Huron and Saginaw Bay if eradication effort; not just tracking
they were assumed to be triploid their population continues to ex- grass carp, but eliminating them.
– meaning they can’t reproduce – pand. The Michigan DNR and Ohio It’s not that far from where they’ve
escapees from ponds where they are DNR, along with the U.S. Fish and been found to the Detroit Interna-
stocked to control aquatic vegeta- Wildlife Service and universities tional Wildlife Refuge, the Pointe
tion. While Michigan doesn’t allow including the University of Toledo, Mouillee State Game Area, Lake St.
the possession of any grass carp, Central Michigan University and Clair or up to Saginaw Bay and the
Ohio has allowed triploid grass carp Michigan State Universities are habitat it provides for waterfowl,
since 1983 – and still does. conducting studies and manage- fish and nongame birds.
In 2012, however, a commer- ment removal efforts. These efforts The Michigan DNR encourages
cial fisherman caught two diploid include using “Judas fish” and bowfishermen in Lake Erie and the
– capable of reproducing – grass transmitting beacons to lead agency Monroe area to be on the lookout
carp in the Sandusky River, a major personnel to more fish where they for grass carp and to contact the
Lake Erie tributary. The United can be removed, similar to how feral DNR if they arrow one. Based on
States Geological Service (USGS) swine are targeted for removal. the way our party of outdoor writers
has been conducting studies of grass It wouldn’t be a stretch to con- shot, though, bowfishing won’t be
carp reproduction in the Sandusky sider grass carp the feral swine of near enough to stop grass carp if
River, including collecting eggs. the water, actually, for their impact they expand their range. So let’s not
Their analysis suggests that grass on wetland habitat. The vast major- let that happen.
carp are spawning in more than just ity of this work is funded by the Drew YoungeDyke is the Great
the Sandusky River, and the num- Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Lakes Communications Coordi-
ber of spawning parent estimates is (GLRI), which the Trump admin- nator for the National Wildlife
growing each year, topping 200 this istration has recommended for Federation.n
WNW NEWS AUGUST 2018 51
Traditional Black Powder Hunting...

How can you

not smile?
Y
oung fingers stalked ed, then stepped. Minutes ticked
the Durs Egg lock. A away as a large doe and two year-
camouflage glove fell lings meandered through the spaces
away. A thumb and between cedars. Ankle-deep snow
forefinger clutched the betrayed their progress. Cold fingers
trade gun’s slipped back into the glove;
hammer screw, then fidg- the youth’s hand returned
eted and fussed. The sharp to the octagon breech of the
English flint remained at “Silver Cross,” a borrowed
half cock, anxious, want- chiefs-grade trade gun,
ing. With great stealth, the smooth-bored to accept “Learning to stay quiet, listen and not move was hard,” Peyton
smoothbore’s shortened a lead death sphere sized said. The downed oak tree afforded cover on three sides. “We
barrel eased along a short, twenty balls to the pound. heard a turkey walking in the leaves, on the other side of the tree-
spindly leg. Snowflakes The older doe kept top, but it never came around,” he added.
drifted on a crisp, glancing across
By Dennis Neely
northerly breeze. the narrows of the The wary doe did not recognize that ton leaned back and whispered, “He
Two pair of brown big swamp, but danger lurked sixty paces distant. got scolded. Mom does that to us.”
eyes surveyed she never saw the Some minutes later, one of the How can you not smile?
the cedar trees on the far bank; the two blanket-clad shapes sitting be- two younger deer approached the There was no crossing time’s
younger set spied movement…but hind the scrub apple tree. Accumu- mucky trail that angled through the threshold on that fine December
where? lated fluff dappled those blankets, sedge grass and emerged upwind of morn, no quest to a year from long
A black hoof pawed snow, plant- on the folds and on the shoulders. the little apple tree. Antler nubbins ago. Too many distractions demand-
protruded. He licked his nose and ed constant attention. Lessons in the
tested the air. Slashing stares as- wilderness classroom took prece-
sessed the far bank, the tight-packed dence as a grandson worked his way
red cedar trees, the humble apple through the trials and tribulations of
Limberlost Farms lair. He entered the swamp with
measured care. Neck deep, a dozen
his first deer season. A host of new
lessons confronted grandpa, too.
25 Years of fulfilling hunter’s dreams deer paces in, his course veered In mid-August, an exuberant
south. A hoof stomped hard. He and enthused 11-year-old displayed
froze, then jerked his head back to his Michigan Hunter Education
where the older doe stood. Peyton and Safety Certificate. “When can
chuckled, emitting a white puff that we go shooting, Papa?” he asked.
none of the three whitetails saw. The “well, that’s up to mom and
The button buck’s sleek-coated dad” response was not what Peyton
sibling circled to the same earthen expected. His dad hunts and shoots
path. She looked over her shoulder, when he can, and it is not grandpa
then waited. The matriarch relaxed or grandma’s intent to disrupt that
and joined her offspring in the prai- bonding experience or usurp paren-
rie grass and dead milkweed stems. tal control.
But those two decided not to enter A few evenings later, a cased
the marsh; they ambled south along Model 347 Benjamin pneumatic
the swamp’s east edge. Still tensed, pellet rifle rested in the back of
the young buck watched the proces- granddad’s pickup. Dad, grandpa
sion. and grandma bombarded the youth
Near the scrape that hid beneath with an impromptu safety quiz as
a bushy box elder, the older doe the air rifle emerged. Peyton just
turned west and plodded shoulder- smiled and answered each question
deep into the tawny marsh grasses. correctly. Dad had the course book
Eight or so paces in, she hesitated, in the front seat of his truck, just in
then stopped. The youngster caught case.
Offering our all up. Ten minutes of scenting and ear The third-hand Benjamin
inclusive package hunts flicking later, the big doe turned featured a shortened walnut stock
September-October! about, then retraced her course back with a length of pull that fit the
to where the button buck entered the wispy youth’s 4-foot 6-inch stature
snowy, sedge grass tangle. and claimed 65-pound frame. Dad
Instead of choosing the crossing gave the rifle two pumps of pres-
trail, the old doe kept walking. Head sure; Peyton cocked and loaded the
Our very popular one day hunts For More Information down, the young doe tagged behind. .177-caliber pellet with the muzzle
130-145 SCI- $2300 and Dates Call When the pair reached the bend pointed downrange. He shot from a
145-160 SCI- $3395 at the maple tree, the button buck bench rest. Only one of his first ten
989-785-4034 turned about and retraced his course,
160-175 SCI- $4595 shots wandered out of the seven-ring
www.limberlostfarms.com too. When the trio disappeared, Pey- at twenty yards.
52 AUGUST 2018 WNW NEWS
 “We used open iron sights in
hunter safety class,” Peyton said
later, “but that was for a couple of
shots. With the pellet gun I learned
to aim, to properly shoulder the gun
and to get the same sight picture for
each shot.”
As fall wild turkey season ap-
proached, a 20-gauge, youth-model
shotgun replaced the pellet gun.
When Peyton tried to pattern that
gun off the bench, the recoil pun-
ished his skin-and-bone shoulder.
Grandma nodded at grandpa, who
headed for the truck. Not long after,
her smooth-bored, chiefs-grade,
flintlock trade gun with a shortened
barrel and 12-inch length of pull
slipped from its buckskin case.
Even with a half load of black
powder, followed by an equal
volume of bird shot, it took a bit
of coaxing to get Peyton to pull
the trigger. After the second shot
he looked up at his dad and asked,
“Can we get a flintlock?” His dad
grinned and said, “Ask your grand-
father.” How can you not smile?
We studied the pattern board,
and Peyton realized the need for
more powder and shot to affect a
humane kill on a wild turkey. Rather
than push the issue we turned to
clay pigeons. Through the hanging
dad as he cradled the shotgun case
and confirmed he had shot shells in
his pocket. When he climbed into
the pickup he asked, “Did you bring
Nana’s trade gun?” That request set
the tone for our fall hunting season.
How can you not smile?
Dad didn’t load the modern
shotgun until he and Peyton were
set up, and we followed the same
rule—the trade gun’s pan was never
primed until we were safe and se-
cure in a brushy haunt.
But by rule, a flintlock muzzle-
loader is deemed “unloaded” when
there is a charge in the barrel but the Each fall turkey hunt proved a learning experience for both grand-
pan is clean, the hammer is down father and grandson. For safety, both flintlocks remained unprimed
and the frizzen is open. The “charge with the hammer down and frizzen up when traveling to and from a
in the barrel” supports the wisdom
of the hunter safety commandments:
stand. Wild River tree photos
“Treat every arm as if it is loaded,” hunt,” Peyton said. “You hear them, got the gun up he was walking away
and “Always keep the muzzle then you don’t, then you hear them and I didn’t want to take a spine
pointed in a safe direction.” Thus, again. You have to be quiet and not shot. He kept chasing the doe and
the stalk to and from a given hunt- move. But one never came close we didn’t see them after that. Next
ing location required a constant vigil enough.” year will be different.” How can you
to watch the muzzle’s direction. The best chance for a deer came not smile?
Other issues arose. Folded with dad. “Dad and I both saw him,” Take a youth shooting and hunt-
straps, bound with 18th-century the youth recounted. “He was a nice ing, be safe and may God bless you.
cordage, adjusted adult-length buck, chasing a doe up and down Dennis Neely maintains a web
powder horn and shot bag straps to the hill. I slipped my glove off and site devoted to traditional hunting at
youth size. Grandpa learned to sit tried to get the safety off. I whis- www.traditionalblackpowderhunt-
behind his grandson, making it eas- pered for dad to help me. When I ing.com.n
ier to assist and coach, plus it made
for a smaller woodland silhouette.
Aluminum

smoke, the third straight-away bird
broke with a direct hit.
The black powder load increased
a little at a time as he concentrated
on swinging through birds, not
recoil. By the end of the evening
Peyton switched back to the youth-
model shotgun with the yellow
plastic suppositories and broke two
more clays. “This is a lot of fun,” he
said with a huge grin.
Peyton and his father hunted fall
turkeys when time permitted; grand-
pa adjusted his schedule to pinch hit
here and there. He sported a broad
smile on the first outing with grand-
BOAT TRAILERS
When the shivers hit, Peyton learned
how to fold and wear a wool trade
blanket for added warmth.
And for round balls, the trade
gun’s lack of a rear sight ham-
pered duplicating a consistent sight
picture, or so we thought. A flat
piece of joist angle, filed, bent, (Built with) Aluminum I-Beams
painted black and held in place by
sinew wrapped about the barrel and 15-FT TO 50-FT
forestock, formed a temporary rear
sight. Wayward holes and “I see
two fuzzy targets” resulted in a trip
ALL TYPES AND SIZES
to the optometrist and a first pair of Single Axle,
glasses. Tandem Axle, Tri-Axle,
“Turkeys were hard, but fun to
Bass Boat and others

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WNW NEWS AUGUST 2018 53


TROPHY PAGE

Jason Coleman (lt) and his cousin, Don Sable
were fishing a small stream in Lake Co. on Father’s
Day. Jason caught a 15 ¼ inch brook trout that
weighed 1.36 lbs. Don caught a 15 inch brown
that weighed 1.3 lbs.
Tanya Coulson caught her personal
record breaking bluegill exactly one
year from her record big bass. This
10 ½ inch bluegill was caught near
Atlanta in late May and qualifies for a
Master Angler Award.
Maylee Tank, 8 took her first turkey
hunting with her expert guide, Grand-
pa Tank in Sanilac Co. The tom had a
10 ½ inch beard and one inch spurs.

Sam Alex- Clint Cordell Chris

andrian, Paulus
10, caught of Niles
bagged a of Hilton
this 4 1/2 Head, SC
pound, 25 30 lb. turkey
inch bow- on April 30 caught
this 18
fin and Eli around 9 1/2 inch
Alexan- a.m. and it
drian, 13, brown
had 10 ¾” trout in
caught this
24 inch, beard, 1 May on
5 pound 3/8” spurs. the Pere
channel The turkey Marquette
catfish was taken River
on Stuart in a Cass while visit-
Lake near County ing family
Marshall. swamp. in Bald-
win.

Grant and
Theresa Dix
had a great
spring turkey
hunt; Grant
took this 28 lb.
tom with an
11” beard, his
biggest to date
and Theresa
took this 24 lb.
gobbler with
an 11” beard, 1
1/4” spurs!

Walker Mckibbin, 11, of

Scott Feehan Jackson took this very
had a great nice largemouth bass.
hunting and Susy Kridler with her trophy bull elk!

SEND US YOUR
fishing trip in
Texas with Prone Angie
Outfitters and Joppie
guide Matt Blan- with
ton, along with
turkey

TROPHY PHOTOS
Pat Cummings
of Backcountry taken in
Traditions and Vermont-
spoonbill fishing
was with Bryan
ville. It
Lee Baker of had 1.25”
Spoonbill Wreck-
ers/Cranewreck-
ers Outfitters.
spurs.
wnw@pageone-inc.com
54 AUGUST 2018 WNW NEWS
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Michigan’s Premier Outdoor Publication
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WNW NEWS AUGUST 2018 55
BOW-FISHING
I encourage all outdoors enthusiasts to try this sport…By Betty Sodders
T
he first word out of our
mouths was “WOW!”
We were standing on
shore of the St. Marys
River in the eastern
Upper Peninsula as
a downstate couple was bringing
their boat up the ramp. One look at
the unique craft sparked curiosity.
Bud Thomas and I wandered over to
meet and greet the couple.
Bill and Tiffany Truscott of Bel-
laire, Michigan gave us a rundown
on their unique 20 foot craft, that
held a huge lighting system and was
actually set up to steer from the back
of the boat. Bill Truscott explained;
it’s a DCF Donaldson, flat bottom,
Custom 20-70 manufactured in the
State of Maine that will get into
shallow bays and close to shore.
In large letters stretching out
along both sides of the boat, the
phrase, ‘Antrim Outdoors’ is painted
in bright orange and yellow lettering
on a blue water, pine tree shoreline,
MAKE YOUR OWN WILD GAME
SUMMER SAUSAGE AND SALAMI !
We have everything you need to process your meat into
delicious sausage right in your own home.
COMPLETE KITS STARTING AT
$
1395
Butcher & Packer Supply Company
P.O. Box 71748
1780 East 14 Mile Road
Madison Heights, Michigan 48071
Call 1-800-521-3188
www.butcher-packer.com
56 AUGUST 2018 WNW NEWS
Bill and Tiffany Truscott of Bellaire show off their unique bow-fishing boat.
evening sky background. Antrim
Outdoors, named after Antrim
County where the couple lives,
is a non-profit organization that
introduces all sports to youngsters.
Today they basically give outdoor
gear, equipment and hands-on trips
for area young people.
I asked, why side-by-side mo-
tors? Bill responded, “The 15 horse
motor has a kicker stick which
enables steering ease from the back
of the boat in shallow water. And
with no steering wheel, we have
extra space mid-section. During the
course of an evening we bring in
huge amounts of carp and the extra
space mid-boat allows us to carry
a large tub to hold them. Per one
session of nighttime, dark sky, bow-
fishing, our average take is 1,000 to
1,500 pounds of carp.
“Another reason for employing
a large motor is the fact that we run
a lot of clear water. As an example,
friends of ours from Kalamazoo
needed to fish a specific site, and
they discovered that to launch their
boat, they had to travel 78 miles
to do so…their big motor gave
them a definite advantage. If you
are not familiar with your fishing
area, research is necessary and clear
water is definitely not what you are
looking for!”
The boat’s general layout of
multiple lights, side-by-side motors,
unique surface space coupled with a
non-traditional flat bottom, made for
a most unusual craft…it turns on the
‘WOW’ factor! “It all boils down to
individual anglers,” Truscott re-
marked. “Some bow anglers prefer
airboats; others, surface drives;
while I like a high-horse power mo-
tor.”
Once settled on studying the tre-
mendous lighting system aboard this
unique craft, Truscott explained that
they, “must be able to virtually light
up a large underwater area with this
set-up. I have 14 - 100 custom fit
FITZ LED flood lights that are run
off of a 2,400 watt generator. I also
run an 80# Minacota trolling motor
off a 24-volt system with a power
max converter to keep my batteries
charged all night.”
Are there many bow-fisher
people out there? “Yes, indeed and
they are increasing in number each
year and you might be surprised to
learn that many ladies are taking up
the sport as well, including my wife
Tiffany.”
I asked Tiffany a bit of personal
data and learned that she and Bill
have two boys, Brock who is 17 and
Cody, age 20. She added, “Both
boys love fishing but right now, they
are being young adults…they have
that life to live too. Both love the
out-of-doors and are good anglers.
Bow-fishing has made our family
‘A Family Affair!’ Of course, Bill
wishes he could retire from the Ant-
rim County Road Commission.”
Next we talked – Carp! Tiffany
related why she loves the sport of
bow-fishing for carp. “They are big,
fat and fun to shoot and make great
garden fertilizer.”
While there are over 100 species
of carp found throughout the world;
Great Lakes states are basically
home to three varieties; common,
silver and grass.
The common carp is what Mich-
igan bow-fishers seek. This species
of carp range in color from gray
to an off-green and possess a thick
body with a well arched dorsal fin.
Their habitat holds mud, silt bot-
toms and aquatic vegetation. Carp
eat just about anything from plant
life to animal tissue. It has been said
that a carp can literally suck up a
huge mouthful of mud, than expel it
back into the water; while picking
out what might be in it to eat.
The silver carp is what our state
is trying to keep away from Michi-
gan waters. Native to Asia, they
are prolific breeders; thus, are often
termed as ‘River Rabbits.’ It is in-
teresting to note that silver carp are
deemed to be impossible to catch
with a traditional fishing rod. They
have been known to jump into an-
gler’s boats even breaking a man’s
arm or leg in the process.
The grass carp was so named for
it thrives on eating aquatic weeds,
thus the name is fitting. It has a
thick elongated body with a broad,
blunt head and a lip that more or
less sticks out. Brown is their basic
coloration which holds a cross-
hatching pattern. positive that the stream you may be
I asked Bill Truscott what bow-
fishing for carp was all about. I
learned that it serves as a combina-
tion of bowhunting and bow-fishing
which in turn helps control invasive
species. He and his wife take about
40 carp from a night’s bow-fishing
mainly from Saginaw Bay. The
Michigan Department of Natural
Resources claim that each year,
the Bay waters have improved for
walleye and other game fish. Bow-
fishing for carp takes out hundreds
of thousands of carp annually from
Saginaw waters! Carp are preda-
tors, fighters, aggressive towards
other fish species and their own as
well. They are known to disturb
spawning activity by rooting in the
sand disturbing fish eggs. Carp slam
into each other and root like pigs,
causing extreme damage to lake and
stream bottoms for rooting results in
ruined fish beds.
The best way to learn the sport
is by actually doing it. The biggest
learning problem is the fact that you
must account for refraction as the
arrow moves through the water. It
is difficult to learn and one of those
things that practice, practice and
more practice is the way to address
the problem. Bill advised that he
deals with refraction by aiming a
foot to a foot and one-half over the
target even as the carp may move or
dive. Tiffany added that it is a learn-
ing curve…you must instinct shoot,
similar to skeet shooting.
The couple use American Eagle
Bows that hold an item called ‘Lim-
ber Limbs’ that Bill invented and
holds the patent for. Truscott serves
as Pro-staffer for Muddy Flats,
American Eagle Bows and Quick
Draw Bow Fishing and remains
very active with the public.
I questioned Bill as to why Large tub in the middle of the Truscott’s boat that can hold up to
they bow-fish for carp at night? He 1,500 lbs. of carp.
answered, “It is easier to bow-fish at Entry fee ran $250 per team, smaller targeted on their individual ‘Bucket
night as the wind usually dies down tournaments run about $50.” List’ including paddle fish, sting
at dusk. That statement seems to The couple stated they often ray, snake head, buffalo, big head
hold true for northern Michigan but fish out-of-state and have visited and the bad silver carp. We target
not lower areas of the state. Carp do Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio one fish each year to scratch off our
not like a full moon…they prefer a and a week from this interview they bucket list.”
dark sky. To see carp during the day, are off to an AMS Tournament in In closing, Bill advised;
waters must be at least semi-clear. Wisconsin at Marshfield. Bill and “A great deal or folks are to-
You throw those big lights on the wife Tiffany love to bowhunt, float tally against bow-fishing including
bottom of a body of water on a dark new waters, and meet new people. sportsmen, but they have never
night and the ‘Wow Factor’ kicks in They said they especially love bow- gone bow-fishing themselves to
high gear again!” fishing for carp along the St. Marys actually see what it is about. Try
Tiffany added to the conversa- River at the far end of the Eastern it, you may like it!” I encourage
tion, “You get to witness the many U.P. outdoorsmen and greenhorns alike
strange creatures living at the One more subject surfaced. to investigate the sport of bow-
bottom of a lake or stream. Night They both commented that, “Most fishing and not condemn the sport
waters might produce a huge pre- bow-fishing for carp enthusiasts without experiencing…bow-fishing
historic appearing sturgeon, an ugly have a number of fish that they have for carp.n
muskie, mud puppy or catfish; once
we even saw a paddlefish.”
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We discussed rules and regu-
lations and perhaps the only one
of importance is to be absolutely
fishing is not a designated state or
federal trout stream. Signs will read;
‘Trout Only Waters.’
I asked if the sport was costly. I
Make sure to mark your calendar for our
was told that it is one of those sports
that you can take to whatever level
you wish to. annual GUN AUCTION during the
During the interview, Bill was
kind enough to provide a few tips Woods-N-Water News
Outdoor Weekend
or bow-fishing techniques includ-
ing the following advice, “Limit
both personal noise and movement.
Secondly, when learning to bow-fish at the Imlay City Eastern Michigan State Fairgrounds
do not get frustrated. It takes time to
Sunday, September 9TH, 2018
learn how to deal with the refraction
process. You almost need to learn
how to shoot all over again.”
Finally, we settled on the topic
of bow-fishing for carp tourna-
ments. Personally I did not know
Ø More Rifles BIGGER
&
they existed. I asked Bill where
these tournaments took place. “They Ø More Shotguns BETTE
THAN
R
often take place in shallow lakes,
big lakes, slow moving streams
and back bays. Many are held on
Ø More Pistols EVER!
Great Lakes connecting rivers and
streams. Basically, all but a few Look for the complete listing of guns to be
are held downstate, however, last sold in next months Woods-N-Water News
year the Great Lakes Bow-fishing
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2017 tournament at Escanaba’s, Big
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WNW NEWS AUGUST 2018 57
 Michigan Deer Camp Traditions...
The Perfect Deer Camp
A series of stories
about Deer Camps
in the Great State of
Michigan compiled and
written by Jake Dykstra
I
of Wildlife Realty
t was 5:00 a.m. when the
alarm clock sounded. I’m
not entirely sure why I set
an alarm the night before;
sleeping never had been
much of possibility on
the eve of November 15. Needless
to say, it was the beckoning that I
needed to prompt me up and out of
the house in two minutes.
It was a short drive to Mom and
Dad’s. Our deer camp members al-
ways met here to formulate a game
plan for the morning’s hunt, taking
place at what should have been just
an hour later.
As usual, I was not disappointed.
The garage light was already lit, and
upon entering through the house
door, I was immediately blasted
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58 AUGUST 2018 WNW NEWS
with the all intensive aromas of
freshly baked cinnamon rolls and
piping hot coffee that mom had so
lovingly prepared the night before.
It would be Dad, myself, and
my best friend Taylor. The ride for
Taylor was a bit longer, almost 45
minutes, but tempt this young man
with food, coffee, and the promise
of a deer, and he’ll wake up nearly
any time you ask him.
After rolling into the driveway
shortly after myself, Taylor hastily
scarfed down two cinnamon rolls
and a cup of coffee, and with sticky
buns still in mouth and on hand,
excitedly proclaimed, “So where are
we all sitting?” still scarfing down
his second cinnamon roll.
“Taylor, you’ll be hunting on
the south 80 acres amidst a smat-
tering of thick pines that surround a
food plot and major travel corridor.
We’ve always seen deer here, and I
think this will be your best oppor-
tunity at harvesting a buck or a doe
this morning,” I exclaimed.
“Awesome!” Taylor smacked
loudly, still licking his fingers, “but
Two opening morning trophies for the author’s favorite hunting
buddies, his best friend Taylor and his dad!
how do I get there?” I had somehow
forgotten that this was Taylor’s first
time hunting our property. Suddenly
time was now my enemy.
“I’ll walk you to it.” I hurriedly
stated, frantically getting together
my clothes and equipment. “Dad,
where are you going to hunt?”.
“I’m going to hunt the old box
blind on the north side of the road,”
he said without hesitation. I about
dropped all of my stuff.
“You can’t hunt there, that
blind hasn’t been hunted from in
years! The windows squeak and are
broken, there’s so much brush you
can’t shoot from it, and who knows
what’s inside of it when you get
there!” I dumbfoundedly replied.
Dad was adamant about sitting
in that blind. Furthermore, Dad
wasn’t going to his blind until 6:50.
Now I was working on borrowed
time.
Taylor and I scurried into the
truck, and, thankfully enough, ar-
rived to our hunting grounds just
three miles later. The air was thick
but cool. Moving quickly along
the field edge, I brought Taylor to
his stand after about a quarter mile
walk. At 6:10 a.m. there was still
plenty of time for Taylor to strap in,
get settled, and seemingly disappear
into the chilly morning air.
Now it was a sprint back to the
truck to grab my gear, a lawn chair
for Dad, and a hack saw to prepare
the ground blind that was, unbe-
knownst to me, so important to Dad.
It was 6:35 when I had gotten to it.
I had still beaten dad there. Perfect.
I immediately went to work. The
brush was 5-6 feet tall in front of the
windows. You could hardly see out
of it let alone try and shoot out of
it. Doing my utmost best to refrain
from making loud noises, I managed
to get it cleared leaving a nice wide
shooting lane into the 60 acre field
that was filled to the brink with win-
ter peas and ground hog radishes.
I looked briefly at my phone, 6:47
a.m., the sweat running down my
nose and splattering onto the screen.
This is completely ridiculous, I
thought to myself. I could make
out Dad’s headlights as I finished
up, and turned to head towards my
stand.
Due to the time, I couldn’t make
it to the deep woods stand that I had
intended to hunt, but I improvised.
I was only hunting 120 yards from
Dad, but set back into the woods.
With the foliage down, I could make
out the flashlight dad was using to
navigate the field edge.
Shortly after I heard a crack.
Knowing that Dad was now in his
blind, I texted him, inquiring about
the noise. It was the blind window.
The wood had swelled to the point
where the pane would no longer
slide.
Unbelievable, I thought to my-
self. I closed my eyes for what little
bit of time I had before shooting
light. This was going to be a long
morning, so I thought.
Not ten minutes later, my pocket
buzzes. It was Dad. “Two deer in the
field. Can’t make out what they are,
but they have big bodies.” Another
ten minutes passes, and my pocket
buzzes again. “I’ve got both buck
and a doe tags, these are big deer,
I’m going to take one,” the text read.
Three minutes after legal shoot-
ing light, the 20 gauge Savage rang
out. I immediately called my dad,
expecting a fully detailed report.
“I think I just shot a really big
doe, but I’m not sure. All I could see
was the fire streaking from the bar-
rel. The other deer ran off, but I only
saw the one leave. I’m pretty sure I
got it,” Dad explained excitedly.
I could hardly believe it. After
all the noise I made hacking brush,
the shattered window, my blatantly
obvious scent trail, how in the
world? Either way, I was excited for
him!
A dense fog bank had rolled in.
The visibility was becoming more
and more bleak. Now quarter to
eight, Taylor was texting me. “I hear
something walking towards me, and
its close! But I can’t see a thing!”
Before I could finish sending my
response, the booming sound of
the 12 gauge from across the street
interrupted the silence yet again.
I quickly rewrote my text, “How
big was he?”
“I can’t text right now, I’m
shaking so badly! I don’t know how
big it was, but he was huge! Outside
the ears big! I heard him run into the
woods, but I didn’t hear a crash.”
I happily walked him through
the process. We’ll give him some
time to expire. Around 10:00 we’ll
get down and track both deer. Still
shaken up from his buck fever, Tay-
lor agreed and concluded he would
take a nap as his tag was now filled.
This was beginning to be too
after he had shot.
“I missed.” Dad whispered over
the phone, “I think I shot right under
her.”
How do you miss a 30 yard chip
shot but remain fairly confident that
you shot a doe at 110 yards just an
hour earlier? I was beginning to
second guess his first shot, as well
as our annual practice of sighting in
all of the slug guns. Had he missed
the first shot too?
By 10:00, it was all I could take
to remain in the stand. The suspense
was killing me. I was dying to see
Taylor’s buck, and we still had to
attempt to track Dad’s deer.
I had slipped out of the woods
and into the tall and lush cover crop.
It was up to our knees and quite
dewy from the fog.
“I think it was right about here
when I shot him,” Dad mentioned.
“You said it was a doe,” I re-
marked, hastily correcting him.
“I see his rack, right there.” Dad
pointed into the dense foliage.
can’t believe you got him! But you
said it was a doe! And where did
you shoot him, I don’t see an entry
or exit hole?”
“I knew it was far too big of
a deer to be a doe, and every time
he picked his head up I could tell it
was even bigger. But with the fog,
I couldn’t quite make it out. All I
saw was his neck, and that was all
I needed,” Dad explained, grinning
ear to ear. The deer had never taken
another step.
After forty plus years of hunt-
ing, it was Dad’s biggest deer ever.
Adrenaline pumping, I sprinted the
entire 60 acre field edge back to the
truck, only to blitz down the side
again as fast as I could possibly
drive. On our third attempt, we were
able to heave it up into the truck
bed. We both climbed back into the
truck, looking at one another. It was
one of those moments where words
Premium Wildlife
just wouldn’t suffice. Both smiling,
we took off across the road to find
Taylor beaming beneath his stand.
His buck, a 17 inch wide eight
point, hadn’t gone 30 yards.
With two great bucks in the
back of my truck and two success-
ful deer campers sitting next to me,
there couldn’t have been a better
way to end the opening morning of
shotgun season at our deer camp.
Once again, however, I was proved
wrong. After getting both deer
washed and hung in the barn, we
headed back inside the house,
where we were ecstatically greeted
by Mom, who already had the
entire dining room table covered
in piping hot breakfast food, a fire
crackling in the living room, and
two coffee pots perking on the
stove.
If only every day could be spent
at deer camp.n

Habitat Creation
much excitement for less than an “You see his rack! In this stuff!
hour into opening day! Still baffled Are you serious!? There’s no way!”
by the thought that both of my fel- Sure enough, I caught the shim-
low deer campers had assumedly mer of the dew off of the massive YOUR PROPERTY IS OUR PRIORITY
notched their tags, I couldn’t help rack. “Are you kidding me! Are you • Food Plots
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phone screen lit up once more. It impressive rack. I had recognized • Soil Testing
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8 point! Whose deer, I wondered. days ago, but never before had I
The following text came through,
“I couldn’t wait any longer, I had to
go see what it was!” Buck fever gets
wrapped my hands around such an
incredible animal. It was more than
I could take. Stunned, I threw all my
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on his first ever deer! arms around Dad. “You got him, I
The fog increasingly grew
thicker as the morning grew older.
At 9:20, however, I was able to
make out three deer skirting the field
edge headed towards dad. I ques-
tionably informed him that the deer
were less than 30 yards in front of
him, and still with an additional doe
tag, why aren’t you shooting! Ap-
parently his hunt was already over,
so he assumed. At that point it was
acceptable then to respond to work
emails, which he had informed me

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 BRONZE BOMBERS!
Plop, plop…glug…plop…KERPLOOSH!!
The surface plug was literally
bombarded as the previously calm,
bly be pretty big too, at least as big as that stream
has to offer.
Great smallmouth stretches I bet exist most
everywhere in Michigan, though I’m really only
quiet river blew up in an explosion of qualified to suggest streams in my region like the
surging waves and splash! most suited portions of the Kalamazoo, St. Joe,

By Joe Bednar
Grand and Thornapple Rivers. Check with other

D
anglers and Fisheries Division Offices in your
area, I’ve always found them very responsive and
id some prankster toss a cinder helpful when I’ve inquired with any fishing loca-
block toward my kayak from the tion question.
high bank above? As far as what to look for on a selected stretch
Nope, the glimpse of a stout of smallmouth river, this is a big part of the fun
bronze block of brutish muscle and intrigue. I take no electronics or other aids,
gave it away - another big small- it’s old school reading the water, possibly a lost
mouth had attacked my offering in a fit of savage form of angling for many, and there’s simply no
fury! need for the gadgets. Where I go, it’d just be
Such is the thrill I’ve come to know and love a good way to break them anyway, especially
on our state’s smallmouth bass streams. Even transducers and related connections, or the main
better, it’s usually with no one else in sight, components themselves when I drag my kayak or
unless you count the shoreline wild critters and Jon-boat over obstacles.
maybe some hungry black flies. Let me share a Outside bends generally have the deeper
river smallmouth primer here, in my book truly water the larger fish hang out in much of the time,
one of the most fun and underutilized opportuni- and the more wood, rocks or weeds, the better.
ties Michigan has to offer. River anglers know this already, but what can be
For the author, Joe Bednar, a big par t of the First, while we often like to think it’s about overlooked is the same water volume is moving
fun and intrigue is no electronics or other the best high-tech equipment, in-depth knowl- through all portions of the stream that day, so
aids, it’s old school reading the water, pos- edge, and skillful tactics, most importantly it narrower areas tend to be deeper too, and wider
sibly a lost form of angling for many, and boils down to this – just go fishing where there areas more shallow. If straight running instead
there’s simply no need for the gadgets. are a lot of smallmouth bass. Some will inevita- of with turns, the narrow parts can look relatively

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fast moving depending on the river. But if there
are current breaks down there, again the more the
better, they often hold some of the nicest fish, at
least in mid-summer’s warmer water tempera-
tures, to me the best smallmouth fishing of the
season.
While all of us target the current breaking
cover, trying to present to bronzebacks lurking
behind it, what can be overlooked is seams just in
front of the cover or object. This normally takes
a pretty large obstacle like a big boulder, bridge
piling, or logs with their base facing upstream
and length pointing downstream. The water has
to part in a “V” pattern just above it, the flow
does not hit the obstacle and cut away at a 90
degree angle. So that small seam inside the “V”
is often a prime one fish spot-on-the-spot deal. If
you hit it well they will hit you back…hard.
Equipment as I’ve alluded to is best kept
simple. In my kayak it’s my paddle, with two
rods rigged and ready, and that’s about it for the
fishing stuff, though I do use a piece of chain
slipped into a bicycle inner tube as a light drag to
slow down the float speed and get better casts in.
I really like one of the outfits being a fairly short,
light pistol grip baitcasting rig, for me the most
accurate caster in the usually tight confines of
river angling spots including all sorts of branches
hanging around. The other is a basic spinning
outfit, not as accurate but good for lighter baits
and where the set up does let you throw the oc-
casional long cast.
Lures? Did you say what about lures? Do
you have any with hooks on them? These brawl-
ers aren’t picky, living in or near current their
whole lives, and normally not seeing much fish-
ing pressure, it’s mainly about getting something
sensible with hooks in front of them. Sensible
does include a fitting size, most of their food is
not very large and even a trophy smallmouth will
merrily maul a small lure presented well enough.
I do also use a light wire leader if the small river
has pike. I have not found it to deter bass strikes
even in clear water, and I believe it helps with
abrasion resistance on the business end of the
line.
I go with surface popper (or plopper we could
say) style plugs, minnow shaped lures like a clas-
sic shallow Rapala, small spinnerbaits, and inline
spinners like Mepps and Roostertails. Backups
include small prop-bait plugs, buzzbaits and soft
plastics, but I about never go to the backups.
Where I go deep water is maybe 3 feet or more,
usually less like 2 feet can even be deep, so baits
on or near surface and hitting more spots quickly
vs. less, I believe get the nod.
Hitting spots brings me to my final point –
that to me is the biggest challenge, the difficult
part, but most rewarding when it comes to the
largest fish most days. The guys in beautiful bass
boats often have excellent casting skills no doubt,
including remarkable dock dissection ability, but
with a trolling motor to position well and rarely
a mid-air jungle between them and their targets.
Small river accuracy from a low moving vessel
you slow down a bit at best, and rarely control
well, while dodging limbs from different direc-
tions, to drop a lure right in front of or under an
unforgiving log jam, is a whole different ball
game. No offense, big boat bass gang, and I’m
not saying I’m very good at it and you’re not,
but give it a try if you don’t believe it’s the most
challenging casting scenario you’ve ever faced.
I’ll admit the precision needed for the best
fishing does get frustrating, sometimes I’m on but
when I’m off and fishing out lures from every-
thing but the mouths of fish, there have been
times when just chucking the whole rod into the
trees was tempting. I’ve learned it’s then time to
pause and regroup.
You can still catch fish without as ambitious
of casting, and you can alter tactics for more for-
giving accuracy, you could call it. By this I mean
such moves as landing a floating lure well up
from prime cover where limbs allow it, then let
it float downstream into optimum position. This
is really fun and suspenseful, sometimes the first
twitch just gets destroyed like old mossy back
saw it and thought it was dead…then she sees it
isn’t. So she kills it.
Get out and take on Michigan’s small river,
big smallmouth challenge this summer. If you
go please keep in mind catch and release is
critical to these small streams, where it takes
a long time to grow better fish and they collect
in predictable places. Big water with big fish
populations of the best eating species are our
best sources of fish for the table, it’s good to
help our more vulnerable small water fish
populations all we can. But teach them a
lesson or two so they live long and
prosper!n

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WNW NEWS AUGUST 2018 61
 Michigan
Deer Trackers
Don’t Give Up! By Tamara Machiele

Y
ou’ve spent thousands
of dollars on a bow,
camo, treestands,
land leases, and if
you are anything like
me, a hundred or two
on last minute gimmick impulse
purchases right before the season
opens. You’ve shot a few hundred
arrows into that foam deer that gal-
lantly and ever so stationary guards
your backyard. Your groups are
tight, you have everything you could
possibly need, and you’ve even got
several shooter bucks on camera.
After a long summer of scouting and
tending food plots, you are ready.
Opening morning arrives and
right on cue your number one buck
steps out from the fog and makes
his way toward you. He stops in
your food plot and gives you a slight
quartering away shot. Your 30 yard
pin settles in and you let an arrow
fly. You hear the tell-tale thwack of
an arrow impacting the deer. You
gain enough composure to climb
down from your stand and you walk
towards the hit site. You look around
and don’t see any blood. You find
your arrow, coated with a yellowish-
green, foul smelling substance. You
walk in the direction you saw the
deer run, but to no avail, he is gone.
Every piece of equipment, the hours
of preparation, the thousands of dol-
lars spent can’t replace the one item
you don’t have...the tool that might
just save your season…a tracking
dog. Bloodhound “Indiana” locates a 9 point buck which didn’t leave
Before calling all your closest any blood trail to follow.
neighbors and grid searching the
area, there is a better option here in dog has located their deer. Watching cealed pistol…you hope you never
Michigan you should consider– a someone wrap their hands around have to use it, but are glad you have
deer recovery tracking dog and the antlers of their deer for the first it just in case.
Michigan Deer Trackers. The popu- time will never get old. Increasing your odds
larity of tracking dogs has skyrock- So what can you do to increase First things first, allow adequate
eted the past five years, and for good your odds of locating your deer? time for your deer to expire. When
reason. In 2017 alone, over 600 Before deer season, locate a left undisturbed for the appropriate
deer were recovered for heartbroken trained tracking dog in your hunt- amount of time, most fatally wound-
hunters by trained tracking dogs in ing area and store their number on ed deer will bed down fairly quickly
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as I call out to the hunter that my tracker is no different than that con- tracked as soon as 15 minutes, but

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to be safe, allow at least an hour or
two. Go home and have a cup of
coffee and sharpen your knife. A liv-
er shot should be given at least 8-12
hours to expire. A gut shot should
be given a minimum of 16-24 hours.
Last year my dog located a paunch
hit buck 22 hours after the shot, still
very much alive. It was surprisingly
vibrant for the injuries it sustained
from the initial shot the day before.
The deer finally succumbed to the
follow up shot about 100 yards later.
After waiting the appropriate
amount of time to track your deer,
tread lightly. Stay off the actual path
the deer took so that any blood or
hair evidence is not contaminated
or spread inadvertently all over.
Staying a couple feet to the side
will allow a dog to track the un-
disturbed deer scent. Take photos
of any blood or hair, the shaft and
fletching of your arrow if you find
it. An experienced tracker can help
determine if your deer is fatally shot
by interviewing you prior to bring-
ing their dog out. Viewing photos of
deer sign can also help us solve your
mystery.
If all of your own efforts fail,
back out and call your tracker.
Wait for the dog to come and work
its magic. Waiting and scent con-
tamination/dissipation are the two
biggest factors you should consider
when tracking a deer on your own
and are considering a tracking dog.
Never grid search alone or with
friends. A grid searched area will
spread the deer scent in every direc-
tion making it more difficult for the
dog to follow a direct path to the
missing deer.
Losing Blood...Gaining Trust
They are known commonly as
blood tracking dogs…but track-
ing blood is far from what they are
following. When a deer is wounded,
a surge of adrenaline flows through
the animal and causes all sorts of
chemical changes within that deer.
This allows a dog to pick out the
injured deer from every other deer
in the woods. The interdigital gland
scent between the hoof is unique to
each and every deer.
Saliva, digestive gasses, dan-
der, and skin cells are all individual
scents a tracking dog can identify
and follow. Blood is often our only
visual confirmation that we are
headed down the same path as the
fleeing deer. Here is where a big
problem lies. No blood. How do
we know our dog is correct and not
taking us for a joy ride when there is
no blood to follow? The very simple
and frightening answer is: we don’t.
If a handler cannot learn to put com-
plete trust into his dog, that dog will
often fail to recover the deer.
Choosing a Dog
So what if you’d like your own
dog? What breed should you get?
First and foremost, choose
something that will fit with your
lifestyle. A 130 pound bloodhound
may not be a great choice for your
500 square foot studio apartment. A
small dog has never been your cup
of tea either, so the dachshund is
out for you. Do your research, some
dogs need constant exercise and
training, and some are more seden-
tary. Choose a dog that is specifi-
cally bred for tracking deer. Blood-
lines are important. A small dog
may be able to get into those small
tight spaces a large dog cannot, and
a larger dog may have the stamina a
small dog lacks. Many of the dogs
in Michigan have been imported
from Europe or are first generation
litters of imported dogs.
It is not hard to train a tracking
dog. But it is very time consuming
and takes 100 percent dedication to
developing your dog into the best it
can be. And keep in mind that track-
ing deer is dangerous. Every year I
hear stories of dogs that are tossed
into the air by a deer, or even gored. Blue Lacy “Hawk” handled
When you are ready to commit by the author, Tami Machiele
to training a tracking dog, check out stands proud over his find.
Bavarian Mountain Hounds, Dachs-
hunds, Bloodhounds, Lacy, German possible to recover one of our most
Shepherds, Catahoula and Labra- precious natural resources.
dors. They are all popular choices Michigan Deer Trackers is an
for tracking partners. organization which promotes the
Peace of Mind ethical recovery of wounded ani-
As you wait in your treestand mals using trained tracking dogs.
this fall for your trophy buck or Each handler is independent and
freezer filling doe, remember there is dedicated to helping hunters in
are options when things don’t go Michigan and surrounding states
quite as planned. Store that local recover deer. For more information
tracker’s number in your phone. Be on Michigan Deer Trackers go to
prepared for when things go wrong. their Facebook page, website; www.
It will bring peace of mind knowing michigandeertrackers.com or call
you are prepared to do everything 517-652-3763.n

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 Hunting Alaska
If you have the dream to do it, do it...
By Brandy Dixon

K
en’s hunting trip this past
fall was a far cry from his
daily routine of getting up
every morning at 3 a.m. to
milk around 130 head of dairy cattle
and doing it all again every evening.
It was also a far cry from farming
approximately 1,000 acres between
milking.
The Michigan small-town dairy
farmer, Ken Boike accompanied
by his wife Teresa, embarked on a
hunting trip Ken had been dream-
ing about since he was a teenager:
hunting the legendary Kodiak Island
Alaskan Brown Bear.
Ken had to book the trip three
years early with his outfitter, Big
Wild Outfitter. After 27 or so years
of traveling out west to Idaho and
Colorado to hunt elk and an entire
lifetime of whitetail deer hunting on
his farm, he was finally ready to go
somewhere new and chase a new
quarry.
The duo took several flights to
finally connect to Kodiak, Alaska.
From that point, they had to take
a float plane for about 60 miles to
fly into camp. Ken says flying in
the float plane was pretty neat: they
were able to see everything from
mountain goats to glaciers to whales
while flying.
“The flight was a lot of fun,”
Teresa said. “It was just gorgeous.
There were snow-capped mountains
and water everywhere.” One might
think that a small float plane might
offer a pretty rough ride, but the
couple said that the plane ride was Ken and his wife with Ken’s trophy bear that measured 8-feet 3-inches
surprisingly smooth and was made from nose to tail and measured 9-foot from front claw to front claw.
all the more better by the spectacu-
lar views. everything was so nice, she didn’t Therefore, hunting on the island was
Finally, they arrived. The small, even mind the outhouse! a bit strenuous until they reached a
cozy cabin that the two shared In Alaska, it is a state rule that good high spot from which to glass
overlooked the bay, and they could they weren’t able to hunt 24 hours for bears.
see jellyfish on shore and even sea after flying, so the pair waited over- There is also wildlife every-
otters playing—right outside of night to begin their big hunt. They where on the island. Almost every
their cabin. It had a small wood- actually got a pretty late start the place the couple looked, they could
stove to keep them warm. The main next day because of rainy weather. see mountain goats, bears, black-
cabin had a small kitchen area, and The weather on the island was tail deer, and foxes. There are very
Ken and Teresa both say that the rainy, wet, and kind of cold for the few humans in the area as well, so
food at camp was very good, and first few days of the trip, staying the animals were not really scared
they got fresh water directly from in the 40s mostly. Teresa says that of the hunters. They mostly were
a mountain spring. Teresa said that it was warm and sunny for the last curious as to what they were, Ken
few days, which was beautiful. She said. One of his favorite parts of the
admitted, however, that because trip was the awe and beauty of the

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was raining. The couple did stress,
however, the importance of good,
warm, waterproof hunting gear if
one wishes to embark on a Kodiak
Island hunt.
The terrain on Kodiak Island
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mountains all around and the seem-
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is “breathtaking.”
The couple’s hunting procedure
was as follows: they would hike up
onto a grassy knoll or steep hill and
glass the salmon streams below.
They spent three days hunting in
this same way: glassing salmon
streams from higher ground.
While glassing, they were able
to see quite a few bears, averaging
13-15 bears per day.
On the fourth day of their 12-
day hunt, they spotted a sow and
three cubs eating in the salmon
streams. They watched as a very

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large bear came in to try to kill the
cubs, but the mother bear came to
the defense. She chased that larger,
“coward” bear off, as Ken says. The
drama was exciting to watch.
Finally, just as the team was put-
ting on their backpacks to head out
that same day, they looked down the
hill and spotted a big bear travel-
ing through the weeds down the
hill. This was the bear that Ken had
been waiting for: a massive Kodiak
brown bear that looked close to
1,000 pounds.
They immediately snuck down
toward the bear. This involved hik-
ing down steep, slippery rocks and
pushing their way through brush
that was five or six feet tall. Ken and
the guide went down first, while Te-
resa and the packer followed behind.
The pair in the back could see
the bear and the hunters, and they
watched the bear cross behind Ken.
They tried to get his attention to turn
around without frightening the bear.
Finally, when the bear crossed
the salmon stream, Ken and the
guide spotted him as he started up a
The Boikes during their brown bear
hunt, Teresa encourages other
hunters’ spouses to tag along.
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hill. The hunter and hunted were ac-
tually paralleling one another in the
brush for a while, and the bear came
out of the brush broadside 65 yards
away, right where Ken was waiting.
He shot the bear with his .375
H&H Magnum.
Teresa was watching from
farther behind, and she saw the bear
run and heard the shot. She wasn’t
sure what the outcome was until the
packer said, “I see some brown! I
think that’s a dead bear!” Then she
saw her husband come back into
view with a thumbs-up sign. At that
point, everyone celebrated.
When Ken examined his trophy,
the bear measured 8-feet 3-inches
from nose to tail and measured
9-foot from front claw to front claw.
He truly was a trophy! Teresa said
the moment finally felt real when
they got to take their picture with The hunters and guide would hike up onto a grassy knoll or steep
the Alaskan giant. She said, “We hill and glass the salmon streams below.
saw all the pictures of everyone else
with their Kodiak Island trophies, Ionia County home about two legend and to remind him of his pas-
thinking ‘that’ll be us one day.’ and a half weeks later, with the sion for the Alaskan wilderness.
Well, it finally was us.” trophy of a lifetime and memories He urges other hunters, “If you
Because it had been getting late, to last a lifetime. Ken, however, have the dream to do it, do it.”
the group had to skin out the bear cannot say that it was the trip of a Teresa even encourages other hunt-
in the dark. Ken said they also had lifetime. He has decided he will do ers’ wives to tag along with their
to guard the bear because the other it again, with a different trophy in husbands. “Get some good gear, and
bears would come to cannibalize it mind next time: the iconic mountain go,” she says. “You get to see things
after hearing gunshots. That made goat. you would never otherwise get to
the team a little nervous, but they He now has a full-mount Alas- see in your lifetime.”
made it back to camp around mid- kan brown bear in his living room to They have the stories and pic-
night safely. remind him of hunting this Alaskan tures to prove that it’s worth it.n
After getting his dream trophy,
Ken and Teresa spent the rest of the
trip hunting for fox, walking the
beaches along the ocean and digging
clams, and watching the other kinds
of wildlife on the island. They were
even able to go for a boat ride across
the bay to a small island on the other
side where there were at least a
dozen seals swimming and jumping
off the rocks.
The couple said that even the
sunsets—which happened around 5
or 6 p.m. that time of year—were
very pretty. They were lucky enough
to be on the island during the full
moon and watch the full moon rise
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WNW NEWS AUGUST 2018 65
Handling emergencies at State
Parks...visitors in good hands!
By Ken Silfven, MDNR
W
et, cold,
weary and
frightened,
the six young
girls had been
lost for hours
in the rugged expanse of Porcupine
Mountains Wilderness State Park.
The youngsters, ranging in age
from 3 to 13, became separated from
their parents during a hike. A search
that had been underway since before
the darkness set in was yielding no
clues.
After all, Michigan’s largest
state park spans nearly 60,000 acres
across parts of two counties in the
western Upper Peninsula. With soar-
ing mountains, deep valleys, thick
hardwood and hemlock forests, and
100 miles of trails, the Porkies don’t
give up their secrets easily.
“When people get lost off-trail
we are literally looking for a needle
in a haystack,” said Michael Knack,
supervisor of the state park for the
Michigan Department of Natural
Resources’ Parks and Recreation
Division, recalling the search for
children.
But every minute mattered.
Deteriorating weather conditions
brought driving rain and 40-degree
temperatures. After scouring every
mile within the presumed general
vicinity of the girls, Knack and his
team caught a break at 2:30 a.m.
The girls had made their way to
A wheeled litter is used during search and rescue training by mem-
bers of the DNR Parks and Recreation Division. Litters are used to
extract injured and non-ambulatory victims during summer months.
In the winter, rangers use fully encapsulated sleds on skis that are
pulled by snowmobiles.
66 AUGUST 2018 WNW NEWS
the top of the Summit Peak obser-
vation tower, where Knack spotted
them. He’ll always remember that
moment.
“When the 3-year-old saw me
coming up the stairs she leapt from
the platform into my arms and never
let go,” he said. “I wrapped her in
a space blanket and carried her as
she cried back to the trailhead and
the waiting ambulance. She and the
other five girls were all found in
good health.”
State parks have long been
considered one of Michigan’s crown
jewels, and for good reason. “They
offer something for everyone,” said
Ron Olson, chief of DNR’s Parks
and Recreation Division. “Whether
it’s breathtaking beauty, quality time
with family and friends, world-class
recreational opportunities or pure
solitude, you can find a state park
that offers the experience you’re
looking for.”
But outings don’t always go as
planned. As attendance at Michi-
gan’s 103 state parks increases,
the DNR estimates there is a cor-
responding rise in the number of
medical emergencies and search
and rescue operations, though total
statistics are not recorded.
At the Porcupine Mountains
alone, park staff averaged 11 to 18
searches during the last four years.
Each year, seven to 20 injuries
occur that require medical atten-
An outdoor sur vival exper t with Emergency Response International
instructs DNR conser vation officer recruits on skills they need to keep
themselves and their patients alive during challenging conditions.
tion, according to Knack, a 15-year
DNR veteran who also is a certified
firefighter and emergency medical
technician.
The types of emergencies in
Michigan’s state parks tend to vary
by region. Those in metropolitan
areas typically involve lost chil-
dren, while water rescues are more
prevalent in parks along Great Lakes
shorelines.
Parks with a large land mass and
extensive trail networks, especially
those in the Upper Peninsula and
northern Lower Peninsula, are
more likely to see full-scale, long-
duration searches for hikers, hunters
and snowmobilers. These full-scale
operations may involve patrol ves-
sels or aircraft.
While the range and scope of
incidents vary, Knack said they
usually share common themes. For
example, day hikers seem to get lost
more frequently than other visitors.
`“They show up at a trailhead
or scenic site and just head off down
the trail,” Knack said. “The ones
who get lost typically have not ad-
equately acquainted themselves with
the park’s trail system. They didn’t
stop at a visitor’s center or a check
station to get a map or speak with a
ranger about their route or current
trail and weather conditions.
“They underestimate the dis-
tance and topography of their route,
and when night falls they realize
they are lost. And then they end up
on the wrong trail or worse yet – off
the trail.”
Then there are backpackers,
who seem more prone to sustaining
backcountry injuries.
“They often spend weeks or
months planning for their excur-
sion,” Knack said. “They’ve usually
studied their maps and routes and
have a backpack full of gear. But
carrying a full backpack for several
days can cause fatigue and exhaus-
tion that they’re not used to.”
Knack estimated that backpack-
ers have higher incidents of injuries
such as sprained or broken limbs, or
pre-existing medical conditions that
worsen after a few days of carrying
a heavy load over tough terrain or in
inclement weather.
A reliance on technology is a
contributing factor to why some
visitors get lost, according to Gary
Hagler, chief of the DNR Law
Enforcement Division, whose con-
servation officers often assist park
rangers with emergencies. “People
tend to rely too much on electronic
devices such as cell phones or GPS,
which may not always work in
remote areas,” Hagler said.
Hagler encouraged park visitors
to follow basic safety tips. “Al-
ways plan ahead,” he said. “Get a
map of the park, find a ranger and
ask questions about things like
trail distances, conditions and the
weather outlook. It’s also good to
pack essentials such as power bars
for energy, a flashlight, bandages
and other lifesaving items. And, of
course, don’t exceed your physical
limits. It’s the failure to plan that
usually ruins an outing.”
Conservation officers are trained
in first aid and search and rescue
techniques, which they frequently
are called upon to use in every
corner of Michigan, including state
parks.
Newly commissioned DNR
park rangers also receive training to
deal with missing-person situations,
as well as search and rescue op-
erations. After their initial training,
staff at many of the individual state
parks conduct their own exercises to
keep their skills current.
One of the more extensive
exercises was designed by Knack
and other western U.P. parks staff,
in conjunction with the U.S. Coast
Guard, the National Association for
Search and Rescue, the U.S. For-
est Service and the Michigan State
Police Canine Unit.
The week-long training was at
Michigan Technological Universi-
ty’s Ford Forestry Center in Alberta.
It focused on the key principles of
search and rescue, survival, lost-
person behavior, communication
and more. Participants included staff
from several DNR districts.
“Having the ability to train with
other DNR park rangers from across
the state and interface with other
agencies is invaluable,” Knack said.
Some emergencies require special
equipment such as rescue pods,
which are fully encapsulated sleds
on skis that are pulled behind a
snowmobile for winter rescues, car-
rying a victim and one rescuer.
In the summertime, rescuers
may use a wheeled litter to extract
injured and non-ambulatory pa-
tients.
When rangers receive a miss-
ing person report, the first step is to
gather information.
“We ask the reporting party a
series of questions about the missing
person and plug those details into a
‘search urgency chart,’ which deter-
mines the immediacy of the situ-
ation and builds a missing person
profile,” Knack said.
Rangers then notify the regional
dispatch center with those details
and establish a command center
at the park’s headquarters. Next,
rangers request assistance from
other agencies, including the DNR
Law Enforcement Division. They
also may request a local emergency
medical services team to standby,
depending on the nature of the situ-
ation.
Two rangers then pack their
gear and pair up as a “strike team”
to conduct a basic search of the last
known place or potential place the
missing person may have been.
If that fails, the rangers regroup
and send two-person search teams
down the trails that likely would
have the highest probability of
detection based on the missing per-
son’s intended route. Some search-
ers are placed at trailheads in case
subjects manage to make it out on
their own.
If the missing person isn’t found
during the first night, rangers call
in additional searchers who will
be ready to move out at first light.
Meanwhile, at the command center,
the areas covered by search teams
are tracked on a park map.
Rangers never know how a
search will end. Searchers often find
the missing persons. There also are
times when they are found by other
park visitors. Some who are missing
ultimately manage to find their own DNR conser vation officers play key
way out. And, sadly, some incidents roles in search and rescue opera-
end tragically. tions across Michigan, due to their
While there’s always some risk skills and specialized equipment.
when enjoying the outdoors, Michi- Pictured, a conser vation officer re-
gan’s parks have an impressive cruit is trained to detect signs that
safety record. may help locate a missing person.
“With more than 350,000 visi-
tors a year, the number of lost or shores, background campsites and
injured visitors is a low percentage,” cabins are a perfect place to connect
Knack said. “Just stopping by a with nature, deepen relationships
campground office or taking time to and make lasting memories.”
acquaint and orient yourself with a Learn more about Michigan’s
park map will greatly improve your state parks and outdoor recreational
overall experience. Trails, lake- safety tips at michigan.gov/dnr.n

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Steven L. Lamier huntin.it.info@gmail.com
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Full Page #43 Machele 4-COLOR p.m. Thursday, June 22 or ad will be
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 Hot Topic: CWD...Our Thoughts, Our Views
QDMA’s views on deer regulations
Dear Woods-N-Water News:
The following letter is from the
QDMA to the NRC commission-
ers with QDMA’s CWD regulation
recommendations from the State
Chapter President, Erik Schnele and
Kip Adams QDMA’s Director of
Conservation.
On behalf of the Quality Deer
Management Association (QDMA)
we thank the NRC for the oppor-
tunity to provide our views on the
DNR Wildlife Division's regulations
package as described at the June
14 Natural Resource Commission
meeting. The QDMA is a national
nonprofit wildlife conservation orga-
nization dedicated to ensuring the
future of white-tailed deer, wildlife
habitat and our hunting heritage.
The QDMA has over 60,000 mem-
bers nationwide, and our member-
ship includes hunters, landowners
and natural resource professionals.
The QDMA supports harvest-
ing the appropriate number of
antlerless deer annually on a deer
management unit (DMU) basis,
banning baiting and feeding in any
known disease areas, defining the
CWD management zone and core
CWD area, public and private land
licenses for county specific DMUs,
carcass transport restrictions, tak-
ing of either sex of deer on deer
licenses and combination licenses
during firearms season, resuming
the 4-point antler point restriction
on the restricted tag of the deer
combination license, and changes to
deer rehabilitation allowances. We
believe the risk from urine-based
lures is much lower than other items
already addressed in the proposed
regulations, and thus we also sup-
port the proposed restriction on the
possession and use of natural cervid
urine-based lures and attractants
that do not bear the official Archery
Trade Association (ATA) Seal of
Participation.
To harvest the appropriate
number of antlerless deer annually
and geographically we recommend
the DNR consider a three-pronged
approach that includes calculat-
ing a target antlerless harvest for
each DMU based on the antlerless
harvest history within that unit and
the DNR's desired change in the
deer population, clearly communi-
cating the target antlerless harvest to
Michigan's hunters, and implement-
ing a public education campaign to
inform hunters on how the target
harvests were calculated and the
importance of achieving them.
Michigan hunters have been dra-
68 AUGUST 2018 WNW NEWS
matically under harvesting antlerless
deer for the past several hunting
seasons so simply asking them to
shoot more is unlikely to result in
the DNR's desired antlerless harvest.
Hunters need to understand why
it's necessary to increase the antler-
less harvest, and they need to be
confident the increase they’re being
asked to accomplish won't "elimi-
nate" future deer herds. By calculat-
ing a target antlerless harvest for
each DMU and clearly communicat-
ing those to hunters the DNR gains
trust with their constituents, pro-
vides a very defendable position for
their recommendations, and helps
guard against the fear of having far
too aggressive antlerless harvest
goals. The target harvest would
be calculated using past antlerless
harvests, desired result on the deer
herd, habitat health data, deer herd
health data, deer-human conflict
levels, and other DNR appropriate
data from each DMU. Using this
information and conveying its use to
the public further enhances under-
standing of and confidence in the
DNR's methods.
Experience in other states shows
the fear of overharvest can actually
result in hunters shooting fewer
antlerless deer. Calculating a target
harvest can help relieve such fears.
For example, say a particular DMU
has averaged 10,000 antlerless
deer during the past three hunting
seasons, and the DNR would like to
harvest additional antlerless deer in
the upcoming season. Rather than
adding additional and expanded
antlerless seasons that confuse, agi-
tate, and possibly scare hunters, we
argue it's more likely to increase the
antlerless harvest by communicat-
ing to hunters the desire to increase
the antlerless harvest from 10,000
to 11, 000 (or whatever the DNR
determines is appropriate). Modest
increases get the ball rolling in the
right direction, provide a target for
hunters to achieve, can be accom-
plished within the current season
framework, are less likely to scare
hunters into believing the DNR is
trying to "kill all of the deer," and
provide a calculated goal that is eas-
ily measured and assessed.
Prior to my employment with
QDMA, I was New Hampshire Fish
and Game Department's deer project
leader, and this is the exact approach
we took each year to gain the pub-
lic's confidence in our deer manage-
ment program and reach our target
antlerless harvest for each DMU.
The Pennsylvania Game Commis-
sion follows a similar approach
QDMA suggests the DNR could implement antler restrictions with
the caveat they’re being used as a tool to increase antlerless
har vest, and if after two to three years hunters do not achieve the
DNR’s desired antlerless har vest, the antler restrictions could be
removed and replaced by another tool. MDNR photo
annually when allocating antlerless
licenses for each DMU. This ap-
proach could also work very well in
Michigan.
We also recommend establish-
ing disease surveillance goals in
each DMU. Unfortunately, it’s likely
CWD will be confirmed in new
locations in the future and imple-
menting DMU-specific surveillance
goals now can help identify disease
spread and condition hunters to help
provide testing animals and support
DNR disease management efforts
more quickly.
Finally, the QDMA also recom-
mends implementing antler restric-
tions to protect the majority of year-
ling bucks. DNR data shows antler
restrictions are popular in Michigan
and are supported by the majority of
hunters. This is the ultimate "car-
rot" for the DNR to use to increase
antlerless harvest among a hunting
constituency eagerly desiring antler
restrictions. The DNR could imple-
ment antler restrictions with the
caveat they're being used as a tool
to increase antlerless harvest, and
if after two to three years hunters
do not achieve the DNR's desired
antlerless harvest, the antler restric-
tions could be removed and replaced
by another tool. Peer pressure can
be very powerful among hunters,
and the DNR can use that leverage
to achieve their desired antlerless
harvests by using a popular tool the
majority of Michigan's hunters are
currently asking for.
We recommend this approach
over immediately adding and
expanding antlerless seasons and
suggest providing a long-term plan
that is incentive based. For example,
start with the current season frame-
work that includes antler restrictions
and a target antlerless harvest for
each DMU that's clearly communi-
cated and promoted during a public
education campaign. If this system
achieves the DNR's desired antler-
less harvest then it continues in the
future. However, if hunters don't
shoot enough antlerless deer, the
antler restriction is removed and
other tools will be implemented
such as an early antlerless season,
late antlerless season, new antlerless
licenses, etc.
We also suggest additional
incentives to encourage earlier and/
or increased antlerless harvest.
Items such as lifetime licenses, Pure
Michigan Hunts, elk tags and others
could be used as prizes in drawings
for hunters that harvest an antlerless
deer, multiple antlerless deer, antler-
less deer by a certain date, or some
other accomplishment the DNR
deems appropriate. The key is to
have the plan in writing and clearly
describing what happens at years
2, 3, 4, etc. if the desired antlerless
harvest is not achieved. One caveat
to this would be an allowance for
reduced antlerless harvest if recom-
mended by DNR staff in emergency
situations relating to winter severity,
severe hemorrhagic disease out-
breaks, or other natural events.
In closing, the above example
would appease the majority of
Michigan's hunters, provide a major
incentive to harvest the appropri-
ate number of antlerless deer,
simplify the season framework and
law enforcement challenges, and
provide a clear path to future regula-
tion changes if necessary. This is a
win-win situation for the DNR and
Michigan's hunters. Thank you for
the opportunity to provide our input
and for your commitment to Michi-
gan's natural resources.
Regards and Happy Hunting!n
 Hot Topic: CWD...My Thoughts, My Views

Does’ social role in spreading CWD

Understanding deer social behavior is critical if we are to predict and prevent the spread of CWD...

U
nderstanding white- range, tend to establish home ranges
tailed deer social behav- closely aligned with of those related
ior is critical if we are to does, and seasonally band together,
predict and prevent the sometimes forming large compatible
spread of chronic wast- groups and plenty of opportunity to
ing disease (CWD). In this regard, I transmit CWD.
question if deer management agen- My research indicates that does
cies have adequately considered this fawning for their first time tend
issue before formulating and imple- to establish fawning territories
menting CWD control measures for next to their mother. This is prob-
free-ranging whitetails. ably adaptive behavior because the
Deer can contract CWD through mother may help the young doe
contact with contaminated vegeta- defend her fawns from predators.
tion, soil or water. However, trans- Does pregnant with their second
mission of the disease from one ani- litter are more inclined to disperse a
mal to the next is believed quarter mile or so to raise
to be more common in her fawns, thereby gradu-
free-ranging deer. Incuba- ally increasing size of the
tion of the disease appears ancestral range as well as
to be highly variable, but in the opportunity to spread
some cases may take five or social disease. Deer can contract CWD through contact with contaminated vegetation, soil or wa-
more years. Adult bucks, on the ter. However, transmission of the disease from one animal to the next is believed
Research conducted other hand, form fraternal to be more common in free-ranging deer.
under the direction of Ed- or bachelor groups general-
CWD infection rates for fawns 5 density or sparse forest cover, and
ward Hoover, at Colorado ly composed of unrelated
State University, has By John Ozoga males. Yearling bucks are to 10 months of age. Even so, this sometimes is the result of intensive
suggests that some young fawns are deer harvest that disrupts normal
shown that saliva from an the chief dispersers, large-
probably infected prior to wean- social behavior patterns.
infected animal alone can transmit ly due to aggression and dominance
ing and could even implicate CWD Removing highly productive
CWD. This means, of course, that by older female relatives. Although
transmission from mother to fetus. does makes good sense, of course,
social habits such as touching noses adult males tend to have a higher in-
However, to my knowledge, this has where deer numbers must be re-
and licking to groom each other can cidence of CWD than adult females, duced to keep the herd in balance
not been proven.
effectively transmit CWD. there is no evidence that males are
More likely, young fawns ac- with a range’s carrying capacity.
Hence, CWD can be considered inherently more susceptible to CWD
quire the disease from their infected However, as noted years ago by
a social disease, as it would most than females.
mothers as a result of intensive Deer & Deer Hunting field editor,
likely be transferred among animals In either case, however, the size
grooming during the early stages Bob Zaiglan: “There are potential
that were socially compatible, and and complexity of the social group,
of fawn rearing and nursing. Oth- drawbacks of prematurely removing
can be spread considerable distances as well as dispersal tendencies,
erwise, the fawn less than 4 to 6 does that have fawns.”
via dispersal of infected animals. varies depending upon any factors
Researchers recognize that dif- (but especially population manage-
weeks of age is isolated from other First Orphaning Study
deer that are potential carriers of One of the first studies on the
ferent social structure and behavior, ment and habitat characteristics) that
CWD, due to the mother’s aggres-
often the result of specific deer pop- influence the herd’s sex-age compo- effects of orphaning in white-tailed
sive behavior during early stages of deer was conducted by Den-
ulation management practices, or sition and density, as well as inci-
fawn-rearing. nis Woodson and coworkers in a
differing environment, can minimize dence and potential to spread CWD.
the spread of CWD, but in some Localized Management? The Social Female 3-square-mile Virginia enclosure.
cases may actually trigger infected When considering aspects of In 1973, researchers captured and
New York researcher William deer social behavior, remember one marked 65 newborn fawns. Of 52
animal dispersal and enhance CWD Porter proposed that whitetail popu-
spread. important feature: young whitetails surviving to weaning age, 21 were
lations could be effectively man- seek companionship and guidance; orphaned in autumn when their
I’ve discussed whitetail dispersal aged by targeting all individuals in a
in a number of published articles. maternal loss can have profound mothers were captured and re-
social group. Theoretically, because effects on their behavior– depending moved. They found a higher disper-
My purpose here is to revisit certain a group of related does controls and
findings provided in those earlier shares an ancestral range, eliminat-
upon their immediate (i.e., back-up) sal rate among orphans, 24 percent,
articles and look at current thinking social environment. If their moth- compared to non-orphans, 6 percent,
ing such a group would leave that ers or other close female relatives
relative to the potential for female but dispersal distance was minimal
range vacant (and CWD-free) for an
whitetails to spread social diseases are not available, they might dis- due to confinement.
extended period. He proposed that perse considerable distances to find
such as CWD. removal of all related females from Farmland Doe Orphans
friendly associates. Dwayne Etter and other re-
Social Organization an area could result in low deer Typically, only 13 to 20 percent searchers from the Illinois Natural
As with mule deer, red deer, density in that area for 10 years or of yearling females disperse to new History Survey examined the dis-
elk, moose, and other ungulates, the more. home ranges. However, in some persal behavior and survival of 13
white-tailed deer sexes live sepa- Several studies have shown that areas, a comparatively high percent- female fawns accidently or inten-
rately during much of the year. such an approach may be feasible age of yearling females, and even
in certain areas– especially in tionally orphaned during winter and
In a natural situation (i.e., un- doe fawns, disperse for a variety of spring. They found that 69 percent
hunted), related female whitetails urban-suburban settings. However, reasons.
other researchers have questioned of the orphan fawns dispersed from
live in a matriarchal society, com- Studies conducted in Wisconsin,
the widespread application of the their birth range, compared to only a
posed of mothers, daughters, grand- Minnesota, Illinois, Mississippi, and
approach because whitetail social 37 percent dispersal rate for non-
mothers, great-grandmothers, and Texas have shown that long-distance
organization varies regionally. orphans.
so forth. Members of these close- (50 to nearly 140 miles) dispersal
knit kinship groups normally show The Newborn of young female whitetails occurs
strong attachment to their ancestral Most studies have shown low most frequently in areas of low deer Does and CWD page 71
WNW NEWS AUGUST 2018 69

Fish News: Trout decline and muskie spearing
Trout decline on the
North Branch of the
Au Sable River a mystery
T
rout numbers on the
20-mile North Branch of
the Au Sable River are
“disturbingly low,” DNR
fisheries Chief Jim Dexter told the
Natural Resources Commission dur-
ing their June meeting in Lansing
and he added that they have no idea
what is behind the decline, but they
are in the process of trying to find
out.
“We started getting reports from
guides and anglers on the river,”
Dexter told the Commission. “We
then did some survey work in loca-
tions that we’ve routinely surveyed
in the past to confirm those reports.
We are in the information gather-
ing stage. We don’t know what’s
wrong here. We are surveying insect
hatches and testing water quality.”
Dave Borgeson, Jr. is the unit
fisheries supervisor at Gaylord who
oversees the Au Sable. On
May 16, at an Upper Au Sa-
ble Fisheries Work Group
meeting, Borgeson said
he started getting reports
of poor trout catches from
guides who fish the North
Branch. The reports were
about the absence of brook
By Richard P. Smith
trout and only
a few larger
brown trout.
On May 30, spot checks with elec-
trofishing equipment were done at
Dam 4 and Twin Bridge to investi-
gate the reported low trout densities.
“Surveys indicated much lower
fish densities than would normally
be expected, confirming the fishing
guides observations,” a report on the
trout decline states.
During the survey at Dam 4, the
crew was concentrating on cover
that traditionally holds yearling and
older trout. They caught 83 trout,
only four of which were more than
7 inches in length. One brown trout
was 8 inches in length, another was
14 inches long and two measured 15
inches.
“We would expect to see about
500 trout over this distance based
on a comparison to the 2017 catch
from a single pass,” was written in
the report.
At Twin Bridges, only three trout
were netted where they would have
gotten 75 the year before. One of
those three was a brook trout seven
inches long. The other two fish were
browns 10 and 13 inches in length.
On June 1, the U.S. Geological
70 AUGUST 2018 WNW NEWS
Hot Topics in the Outdoors...
Survey, in cooperation with Lovells
Township and the Mason-Griffith
Founders Chapter of Trout Unlim-
ited, installed four passive devices
to evaluate the presence and con-
centration of organic contaminants
in the North Branch. The goal is
to collect baseline data for future
comparisons.
On June 7, DNR personnel and
volunteers conducted additional spot
checks at four locations. Those loca-
tions were Morley Road, Kellogg
Bridge, Sheep Pasture and the Black
Hole.
“These locations were both
upstream and downstream from pre-
viously surveyed sites, with the goal
to further determine the extent of the
apparent decline,” the report states.
“Again much lower densities of
trout were encountered than would
normally be expected.”
At Sheep Pasture, 12 trout were
captured, half of which were seven
inches or longer. Based on previous
surveys, they would have expected
to catch 67 trout at that
location. Sixteen trout were
netted at Kellogg Bridge,
14 of which were longer
than seven inches. The
catch included 17 fish at
Morley Road, with seven
of them being longer than
seven inches. Only eight
trout were net-
ted at the Black
Hole Access
Site, six of which were seven inches
or longer.
Trout population estimates will
be conducted on the river during
August and September to compare
with previous estimates done at the
same time. The DNR also plans
on working with the DEQ and
stakeholders to investigate possible
causes for the decline in trout abun-
dance on the North Branch.
“We also plan on taking fish
from the North Branch for disease
sampling,” Borgeson said. “Nobody
has been reporting dead or dying
fish, so we don’t suspect disease is
the reason for fewer trout, but we
have to check some fish to make
sure. Trout populations on other
branches of the Au Sable are doing
fine, according to reports that have
been received.
“We’ve had higher flows on the
North Branch this year from a heavy
snowfall we got during mid-April,
but we don’t think that would have
caused a decline of trout. Other riv-
ers have had even higher water than
what we saw on the North Branch
this year and it hasn’t resulted in a
decline of trout.”
The North Branch of the Au Sable is seeing poor brook trout catches.
DNR doesn’t Clair.”
recommend muskie Francis told the Commission
that they also looked at data col-
spearing on Lake St. Clair lected from the muskie fishery on
Also at the June NRC meeting
DNR fisheries biologist Jim Francis
reported the Fisheries Division does
not recommend moving forward
with a muskie spearing season on
Lake St. Clair due to uncertainty
about the health of the lake’s muskie
population and the level of support
for the change.
At the present time, spearing for
northern pike and yellow perch is
legal on Lake St. Clair from Decem-
ber 1 through March 15. Muskie
spearing is prohibited on the lake.
The Michigan Darkhouse Anglers
Association requested that a one-
week harvest season from February
1-7, which would include spearing,
be established.
Francis told the NRC that the
division sought input on the issue
from a number of sources.
“There was a majority of sup-
port among our warm water com-
mittee,” Francis said. “Response
from our citizen advisory committee
from that part of the state showed
eight supported a muskie spearing
season and nine opposed. The ques-
tion was asked among 122 people
who attended spring meetings in the
Lake St. Clair area. One hundred
and eight opposed spearing and six
supported it.
“We also included a question
about muskie spearing on a survey
of anglers. The survey was distrib-
uted to 200,000 licensed anglers via
email. The survey included a total
of 23 questions, 14 of which were
specific to angling. Seven questions
were specific to muskie fishing and
one of those was specific to muskie
spearing on Lake St. Clair. We got
19,000 responses to that survey, but
we did not get a clear concensus
about muskie spearing on Lake St.
Lake St. Clair and results of their
net surveys from the lake.
“Charter boat catch rates for
muskies have declined on the lake
even though fishing effort has
increased,” he commented. “The
catch rates of muskies from our
netting surveys have declined, too.
We know that diseases such as VHS
have also caused some muskie mor-
tality on the lake, but we don’t know
how many fish have been lost. We
don’t have good information about
how many muskies are in the lake
or good mortality estimates, so it is
difficult to estimate what impacts
additional harvest would have.”
Francis told the NRC that the
DNR plans on continuing to manage
Lake St. Clair as a premier trophy
muskie fishery.
Three speakers representing
various muskie fishing organizations
addressed the Commission at the
meeting and they were all opposed
to opening a muskie spearing season
on Lake St. Clair. They described
current muskie fishing on Lake St.
Clair as a world-class fishery that
attracts anglers from all over the
world. With catch rates already
declining in spite of the fact all
muskies caught on charter boats are
being released, there is concern that
fish killed during a spearing season
would reduce success further.
“Muskie fishing is all catch and
release by members of the charter
boat association,” Spencer Berman
said. “Fish that we release are often
caught by someone else to enjoy.
One 51-inch fish that was released
was caught by three different clients.
Fish that are speared are killed. We
are in danger of turning the muskie
fishery on Lake St. Clair into an
average or subpar fishery.”n
 Hot Topic: CWD...My Thoughts, My Views
Does and CWD: from page 69
Likewise, studies conducted
by Charles Nixon and coworkers
reported long-distance dispersal of
doe fawns on intensively farmed
land in central Illinois, where more
than one-half of the doe fawns
typically breed when they are 6
to 7 months old. In their study, 36
percent of pregnant doe fawns and
23 percent of barren doe fawns dis-
persed an average of 30 miles when
they were 10 to 12 months old.
In addition, 21 percent of the
farmland does dispersed each spring
when they were nearly 2 years old.
The researchers speculate lack of
successful breeding as fawns might
have been a factor stimulating these
yearlings to disperse, because barren
yearlings commonly revert to fawn
behavior and seek their mother’s
guidance when she tolerates other
deer.
Clearly, the best evidence
indicates that amount of available
forest cover, relative to the propor-
tion of young breeding does, were
major factors determining the likeli-
hood of young doe dispersal in this
intensively farmed region. Appar-
ently, given the shortage of suitable
fawn-rearing habitat, pregnant doe
fawns and yearlings were forced to
disperse considerable distances to
find suitable fawn-rearing habitat.
Hence, they generally settled in
areas of very low deer density.
Socially
Isolated Yearlings
Depending upon herd density
and structure, yearling deer (males
and females 12 to 16 months of age)
are forced into a precarious (i.e.,
wandering) behavioral adjustment
due to their mother’s sudden anti-
social tendencies associated with
raising newborn fawns.
It’s more than coincidence that
deer-vehicle accidents escalate
during this time of year as socially
isolated yearlings scramble to find
vacant range and compatible associ-
ates.
Likewise, it’s equally important
to recognize that young deer in this
age group seek companionship,
sometimes forming distinct, tem-
porary yearling groups comprised
of both sexes some of which might
carry CWD and wander extensively.
For example, one young doe
(presumably orphaned) not only
dispersed a straight-line distance of
61 miles out of a Wisconsin CWD
area but traveled roughly 287 miles
during dispersal, exploratory and
transient movements during a year.
Northern
Yearling Females
Michael Nelson and Dave Mech,
researchers with the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, were among the
first to use telemetry equipment to
carefully track the dispersal patterns
of young does. Their study was con-
ducted in heavily forested northern
Minnesota, near the northern limit
of the whitetail’s range. Deer in this
area live at low densities (probably
less than 5 per square-mile) tend
to migrate from summer to winter
range annually and endure heavy
predation by gray wolves.
In the study, 7 of 35 yearling
does (20 percent) dispersed 11 to
104 miles from their birth range.
The average distance was 36.5
miles. Five yearlings dispersed in
late May at the onset of the fawn-
ing season. Two others dispersed in
late June at the end of the fawning
season.
In the Minnesota study, one of
these does apparently dispersed with
its brother. This suggests sibling
and other social relationships (i.e.,
yearling groups) might influence the
likelihood of yearling doe dispersal.
The Minnesota dispersing does
did not travel in a straight line, but
instead altered or reversed their
direction when traveling. This was a
lengthy process, involving 12 to 69
days. While dispersing, individuals
used areas 28 to 147 times larger
than normal adult home ranges.
In a separate study, the same
researchers observed the behavior
of radio-tagged twin fawns that had
lost their mother after migrating to
wintering cover. At break-up, the
orphaned fawns left winter shelter,
but wandered aimlessly, eventually
returning to settle near where they
had spent the winter -­indicating
migratory fawns require guidance
not only to find suitable wintering
habitat, but must also be led back
to their ancestral summer range as
well.
Nelson and Mech could not
explain why some young does dis-
persed such long distances or why
they settled where they did. Since
these young does were not pregnant,
and were not crowded due to high
deer density, they obviously weren’t
looking for solitude to raise fawns.
Recent Thinking
An interesting test of the local-
ized management hypothesis was
conducted by Chris Comer and his
cohorts from the University of Geor-
gia. They examined genetic relation-
ships and spacing of female deer on
a 27 square mile Savannah River
site located in South Carolina.
Based on DNA analysis of
individuals and measured distance
between radio collared doe pairs,
they found that many related does
established home ranges farther
apart than expected, while many un-
related does had overlapping home
ranges.
Overall, their results indicated
a low degree of genetic structuring,
suggesting does on the Savannah
River Site were more inclined to
disperse from their natal range, and
less likely to form cohesive social
groups.
One of the most recent studies
conducted on female whitetail dis-
persal and disease spreading poten-
tial was by Marie Tosa and colleges
from Southern Illinois University.
They questioned the benefits of
selectively removing female deer
from social groups to decrease herd
density with the intent of reducing
the spread social diseases such as
CWD.
Specifically, they were interested
in determining the social behavior
of surviving female whitetails fol-
lowing family group disruption via
selective sharpshooting. They did so
by comparing the behavior of adult
female and juvenile deer surviving
family group disruption with others
from intact family groups.
Over a four year study, con-
ducted in southern Illinois, the
researchers found that remnant adult
does spent less time associating
with neighboring groups. However,
socially isolated juveniles demon-
strated greater area coverage and
joined intact neighboring family
groups– hence increasing the poten-
tial to spread CWD despite lower
deer density.
Tosa and her group conclude the
following: “…our findings suggest
that disease management should aim
to remove entire social groups of
deer instead of separate individuals,
if feasible.”
Conclusions
Although seldom referred to, I
initiated studies designed to evalu-
ate the effects of whitetail social
disruption via selective removal of
individual deer nearly 50 years ago.
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Since then researchers have found
that whitetail social patterns vary
a great deal regionally, depending
upon habitat conditions, reproduc-
tive potential, and herd sex/age
structure as determined by mortality
factors.
Clearly, there are no cookbook
herd management formulas for
preventing the spread of CWD, and
some practices may actually en-
hance disease spread.
Certainly, at least in areas where
female whitetails exhibit strict
family group formation, attempted
removal of entire social groups may
prove rewarding. That is, as long as
no young infected deer (fawns or
yearlings) are left on the ancestral
range because they are the ones
most likely to disperse long distanc-
es and possibly spread disease in the
process.
Therefore, given what we cur-
rently know about this intriguing
subject, it’s my view that selective
harvesting of young deer should
be given top priority if we are to
minimize their dispersal and curb
the spread of social diseases such as
CWD.n
My Thoughts,
My Views, My Opinions
Share your thoughts, views, opinions
or short stories with Woods-N-Water
News readers by emailing
wnw@pageone-inc.com or mail to
Woods-N-Water News,
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WNW NEWS AUGUST 2018 71
Pick good locations
for your trap sets
By John Chagnon
T
he last two trapping
articles I submitted
from Asa Lenon. In
those articles were some
condensed, extremely
effective methods for
trapping fox and coyote. So, I figured
I’d follow up with an article focus-
ing on your choice of set locations
to deploy those proven Lenon Meth-
ods. My wife Sheri and I visited Mr.
Lenon in June and gave him a copy of
Woods-N-Water News. Mr. Lenon is
doing fine and with a little luck maybe
we will see him at a trapping conven-
tion sometime. Mr. Lenon, Sheri and I
spent a good part of the day traveling
U.P. back roads reminiscing and keep-
ing an eye out for a potential future
trap line.
So, you can have the most prime
areas to trap with select private prop-
erty and vast expanses of federal and
state public land at your disposal, but
without paying close attention to your
specific set locations your catch will
be lacking. The best made sets armed
with the best traps and surefire lures
simply will not perform well if you do
not make your sets at key locations.
In this article I will tell you some of
the key locations that work well for
me, and hopefully you will be able
to find similar locations on your trap
line.
The key element that works well
for me when I pick a good set location
is where two or more animal travel
ways intersect. A very good example
on the water line would be where a
small stream enters a larger stream
which is sometimes called a feeder
stream. The intersection of a feeder
stream to the main stream depending
on the amount of sign is usually gang
set by me. I have a number of such
locations that I catch mink, muskrat,
otter, beaver and raccoon every year
using a variety of types of sets. On the
water line also watch for logs crossing
small streams that have a path on land
leading to the crossover log. I usu-
ally conceal a number two coilspring
in the trail at these set locations as
fox and coyote in addition to water
furbearing animals can be caught.
Placing some Lenon Fox Super All
Call Lure out on the log will really get
the fox and coyote working the trails
to the crossover. Another reason I
prefer not to set on the log is it is usu-
ally very difficult to conceal and bed
a trap on a log. Plus when set on the
trail running along the high bank you
can still catch the furbearer even if it
is not crossing the log.
One location that should never be
overlooked while water trapping is
72 AUGUST 2018 WNW NEWS
a beaver dam and the spillway to the
beaver dam. Please check the Michi-
gan Hunting and Trapping regulations
prior to setting traps near a beaver
dam for any specific restrictions.
Most furbearing animals can be found
not far from a beaver dam. Mink
and raccoon are fond of hunting and
traveling around beaver dams. The
crossovers on most beaver dams are
great for catching beaver and deadly
on catching otter.
The two or more animal travel
strategy applies the same to land
trapping. A set usually will be much
more effective if made near where
an animal trail intersects a power-
line. Usually a set will produce well
anywhere along a powerline but make
that set where a game trail enters the
power line and it will be consider-
ably more productive. For years I
scouted areas in Northern Michigan
never passing a power line to go
back and set in the fall and winter,
but when I changed my strategy of
being a little more picky and adding
in the game trail entering the power
line as the main set location, I made a
very noticeable increase in my catch.
Generally, unless there is a lot of sign,
I will set a scent post set somewhere
on the trail entering the openness of
the powerline and then place two dirt
sets 20 yards out in front in the open
powerline area. I have a few areas on
my trap line where two powerlines
cross and that is one of my favorite
places to trap each year. When setting
multiple sets at one location I usu-
ally set approximately 15 yards apart
so I eliminate the chance of a caught
animal setting off another trap.
There are several reasons I like to
set multiple sets when trapping at one
specific location. One is that once a
targeted animal is caught the set has
a good chance to catch a second one.
Two, the window is short sometimes
on how long I have to trap and if an
incidental catch such as a possum
is caught, I still have working sets
and different sets with different lures
that usually assures that I will have
something that will be attractive at
those good set locations. No matter
whether a target catch or incidental
catch is made I do remake the set and
believe that the extra eye appeal of the
torn up ground increases the chance of
making another catch. But ultimately
nothing is more rewarding then
checking traps and having a double or
triple at one location.
When land trapping do not
overlook locations such as old farm
foundations, rock piles, fencelines
or high banks of streams through
One location that should never be overlooked while water trapping is
a beaver dam and the spillway to the beaver dam. Check the Michigan
Hunting and Trapping Regulations prior to setting traps near a beaver
dam for any specific restrictions.
fields. These areas always have an
abundance of small game and mice.
Crop change edges work great in
farm country. I’ve always done really
well where two fencerows meet. I’ve
seen trappers setting traps spread all
over while only making one set here
and another 100 yards apart or so. By
spreading traps in this manner one
is leaving unnecessary human scent
and disturbance while wasting energy
traveling far more than necessary
to check traps. Try to find the best
locations and set a group of sets in
close proximity of the prime loca-
tion. Unwanted but almost unavoid-
able catches of nuisance possum are
caught quickly over the first few days
and your traps are then in position to
catch a double on fox or coyote later.
You cannot catch a double or triple
unless you have two or more traps in
the ground.
While trapping the big woods
always watch where two old logging
roads or two tracks cross. Banks of
any stream or creek where it paral-
lels or goes under a two track is an
ideal set location. Both the top edges
of ridges and the bottoms of valleys
should be checked carefully for game
trails crossing the two track you are
on. A majority of my sets when trap-
ping forest land have traps connected
to drags or grapples. I usually prefer a
larger drag as it simply makes the ani-
mal hook up in the bush quicker. The
nice thing about drags is your sets can
be close or even in the center of a two
track but when an animal is caught it
is usually out of sight to other hunt-
ers and travelers of the two track.
Coyotes and fox will tend to take the
path of least resistance and the center
of an old logging road is pretty easy
traveling. Your scent post or small dirt
hole will not be missed in the center
of a two track by any passing fox or
coyote but any vehicle will just cruise
on by.
Sometimes I will make a prime
location even better by creating a
buried bait station, about 50 to 100
yards from where I intend to set my
traps. I intentionally set the traps a
good distance from the bait station as
I want to cut down as much as pos-
sible on my incidental catches. I also
bury with dirt and cover with brush as
not to attract birds of prey and the bait
station lasts longer. The fox and coy-
ote will know the bait station is there
and when it gets good and cold and
the fox and coyote are prime they will
visit the area and find your good sets
made some distance from the bait sta-
tion. I tend to make such bait stations
closer to my home and set when I’m
winding down to a smaller line latter
in the season. I do well with hay sets
once there is a good amount of snow
on the ground.
I’ve tried to focus on key loca-
tions that should be easy to find
almost anywhere in Michigan. Do not
overlook key locations that might be
in your area. For example, when I was
a kid trapping around Grindstone City,
quarries were very good locations to
trap. In fact narrow passages of land
between two quarries were key set
locations for myself as a kid. When
I was in the U.P. of Michigan during
the winter, I had a number of loca-
tions with springs that I could trap all
winter long. So try to remember that
a key factor of a good location is two
or more travelways intersecting, but
any place forcing a passage of animals
is another key location. The overrid-
ing decision to set a location should
always be active animal sign of the
animal you intend to trap.
The 2018 National Trappers
Association Convention and Show
will be held in Escanaba, July 26 –
28, 2018. We want everyone to
check out the largest annual
gathering of trappers and trapper
suppliers in the U.S.A. right in
Escanaba. The show was held there
several years ago and it was a huge
success. There will also be demos
from great trappers from all across the
United States. These shows can be a
great opportunity to get some good
buys on quality gear, and of course I’ll
be there representing Lenon Lures and
PcsOutdoors, so stop by my booth and
say hello. As always, I welcome you
to visit my websites: PcsOutdoors.
com and LenonLures.com. I always
welcome calls from fellow trappers
(989) 569-3480 ext. 225.n
 Made by John
Chagnon & Family
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WNW NEWS AUGUST 2018 73

 Reflecting on the deer season of 2013...Guest Column By Dave Kushman
Against the odds—on many fronts
S
weat dripping, mosquitos
buzzing, and late July sun
setting—I sat perched upon
the peak of my roof, looking
earnestly across the street at a lush
bean field accompanied by a never-
ending corn field behind it. “Where
are ‘they’?” I thought.
The “they” was in reference to an
impressive bachelor group of bucks
that included two one-year-old bucks,
two two-year-old bucks, one three-
year-old buck, and one four-year-old
buck. Just as I was ready to put the
Nikons away and climb off the roof,
the two one-year-old bucks came rac-
ing into the bean field stopping once
they reached a place in the field where
they felt safe to feed. It didn’t take
long for the older age-class bucks to
make their presence known, and that
is when my mind ran wild with future
dreams of placing an arrow into one
of the older bucks.
Simultaneously, the “realistic”
side of my brain started to strategize
stand locations, how to accommodate
different wind directions, entry and
exit routes, and a whole pile of other
logistical things that go into hunting
older bucks. As light faded, I climbed
off the roof eager to hang stands in the
upcoming month.
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Early August came with several
drenching storms, so I waited for a
due south wind to accompany one
of those gushing storms to hang the
stands close to where those bucks
showed up during daylight hours.
As I hung the stands in the rain,
I kept thinking to myself that the
soybeans would turn brown mid-Sep-
tember and the deer would stop using
them as a primary food source, but I
hung the stands anyways because I
have, at times, had luck on nice deer
over beans during the first week of the
season.
With several stands hung in
early August, I decided to set up trail
cameras in areas away from where the
older deer were coming out but would
travel to in hopes of not spooking
them. In addition to running my trail
cameras, I also made mock scrapes to
encourage buck travel past my stand
locations based on their current and
future movement patterns. My low-
impact scouting routine upon my roof
mid to late-September really caused
me to get my hopes up and lose sleep
at night fantasizing over these bucks,
for they were working the scrapes
lines right past my stands all the way
up to September 29!
Opening day arrived with mid-
Fallow Bucks
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July weather. In addition, the neigh-
boring property was being hunted by
a new group of hunters, pushing many
of those bucks out of the bedding
areas they had been using all summer.
For a time during the first few weeks
of October, I thought that I had some
bad karma because luck was not on
my side. If I hunted on the back end
of the property, the deer would pop
out in the front. If I hunted the front,
the deer would pop out in the back.
Even though I was being completely
irrational about the bad karma, I was
able to laugh through these cat-and-
mouse hunts because I had been there
so many times before, especially
when hunting bean fields coupled
with neighboring hunters that were
after whatever they could kill.
Once I got my spirits back up and
made some adjustments, the cornfield
neighboring my property was harvest-
ed early, pushing deer out of comfort-
able haunts and stacking the odds
increasingly against me. Aside from
one encounter with a two-year-old
ten-pointer that almost resulted in a
tag punched, October was a flop both
in the field and on the trail cameras.
November was the chaos it
usually is with little bucks running
everywhere dogging does in the most
unpredictable, ridiculous places on
the property. Seeing and passing on
several small bucks throughout the
remainder of bow season and into
gun season really kept my spirits
alive even though the majority of my
friends and colleagues were taking
deer with ease. With all of my pre-
season scouting and work feeling like
a complete waste of time and know-
ing that the odds were heavily stacked
against me, I did become envious of
those around me taking nice deer. The
cat-and-mouse season had caused my
passion for deer hunting to become
an obsession-filled quest—consuming
my every moment at work, at home,
and even at church. At times, I felt
madder than Ahab.
During lunch at work one Novem-
ber day, a colleague of mine, Shan-
non, asked, “What is up with you?
You are not coming down during
lunch. You are being quiet. What is
the deal?”
At this point, I morosely expressed
my frustrations about my season,
discussed the rhetorical topic of other
hunters shooting yearling bucks in
Michigan, and begrudgingly acknowl-
edged some of bucks that other col-
leagues had taken. Shannon, knowing
how hard I work as a hunter, absorbed
my venting like a sponge, and then he
simply said, “Dave, you simply need
to let go of the anger and the envy.
You should pray and ask God to help
you with this. Once you let go of the
frustrations with yourself and lack of
success, it will happen. I will put the
‘Glinke Guarantee’ on it.”
I followed Shannon’s advice, and
it did help to some extent. However,
I did not feel freed from my disap-
pointment until muzzleloader season.
Muzzleloader season brought with it
cold weather and a great deal of deer
movement, especially bucks on my
property. Once again, I found myself
passing on several bucks that the
majority of Michigan hunters would
take, which helped to keep my spirit
fire alive.
Crops harvested, hunting in
Michigan, late muzzleloader sea-
son—yes, the odds were against me;
however, seeing deer on a consistent
basis kept me going back to the stands
with renewed hope.
On a bitterly cold evening hunt
just after the strong winds had let up,
several deer hopped the road, and two
of these deer were “shooter” bucks,
but with the range being long and the
light being low, I opted to wait for
a better shot on a future hunt. The
following evening I tucked myself
into a fencerow that the deer had used
the night before, including the two
shooter bucks; I passed a two-year old
eight pointer that night that was about
14 inches wide and the shooters did
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not show up. My wife thought I was
nuts for passing that eight pointer that
late into the season, but all of the en-
counters I was having with the bucks
kept my hopes high for the remainder
of the season and for the following
season.
After the first week of muzzle-
loader season, I came to terms with
the season of 2013, positively ac-
cepting the fact that I may not shoot
a buck this year but there would be
several on the property for the follow-
ing year. I thanked God for all he had
given me, and I found a great sense
of pride in reflecting upon all of the
smaller bucks I had passed this season
and last. In other words, I truly and
fully let go of the anger and envy and
simply went hunting without feeling
the pressure to “get it done.”
When the small bucks came out,
I just enjoyed watching them in the
snow, taking in all of God’s beauty
and creation. I also accepted the fact
that the does would probably not
come out that night, and that I would
have to go out again later in the week
in hopes of shooting a doe.
Again, I accepted this with a
small chuckle, telling myself that it
had already been a successful hunt
by just seeing those smaller bucks.
As two of the smaller bucks began
to spar on the top of the hill in the
fading daylight, I noticed a larger
deer making a cunning approach into
the field that seemed to take forever.
Finally, the deer was in a position for
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me to get a good view of his body and
rack. A glance with the Nikons was
all I needed, and I swapped them for
the CVA. As the buck continued to
walk parallel to my stand, I quietly
pulled back the hammer and braced
for the shot; however, the buck would
not stand still and continued to walk
broadside through a shooting lane.
With only two more steps to spare,
I took the shot. Instantaneously, my
season went from a daunting, endless,
obsession-filled quest to a climatic,
abrupt end with the staccato blast
of my muzzleloader. Immediately, I
knew he was mine, for I could hear
Barnes bust through both shoulder
blades with an astounding--CRACK!
When the smoke cleared, I watched
the buck’s legs, stiffened and parallel
to the ground, go limp and lifeless.
As I reloaded in my tree stand, I
looked up at the sky and thanked the
lord, a practice I maintain with all
animals harvested. As I approached
the buck, it became apparent to me
that he was larger than I had thought,
and I immediately recognized the
buck from all of the rooftop scouting
and trail camera pictures from the
summer. Elated, proud, and over-
joyed, I threw my hands into the air
and shouted, “Yes! Thank you Lord!”
loud enough to scare off other deer for
miles around. Sitting there with the
buck in the full moon light, I could
feel the adrenaline surge through my
body, and then, simultaneously, a
sense of relief came over my body.
The buck and I were finally free to-
gether: I to be done with my obses-
sion-filled pursuit and he to now roam
greener pastures for eternity. The
buck, the moonlight, and the snow-
laden December hayfield are forever
burned into my archives. Against all
odds, I had done it; I had harvested a
three-year old buck in Michigan dur-
ing the muzzleloader season.
As much as I wanted to let the
success of my hunt go to my head, I
found myself to be quite humbled by
the experience, for I knew that my
success was in part due to several
important people in my life. First and
foremost, I had to thank God for all
of his creation and for letting things
happen for a reason. Secondly, my
wife was a huge part of my success
because of all of the sacrifices she
made throughout the season coupled
with constant positive encouragement.
Lastly, Shannon—my colleague—
for reaching out to me in a man-to-
man fashion, which is not something
most men are willing to do. As I men-
tioned above, I feel that everything
happens for a reason, and I truly feel
my struggles during the 2013 season
were no mistake. In short, I feel that
my struggles and success during the
season were intentional to prove to
me that maintaining a positive attitude
and a high level of integrity knows no
boundaries, and that with those traits
and others great things can be accom-
plished—even when it is against the
odds.n
WNW NEWS AUGUST 2018 75
 Deer hunting ‘things’ I
will pass on to my sons
By Bob Vogel
I
t’s time to start thinking about deer and
deer hunting. The following are pieces
of advice, opinions, rambling thoughts,
and memories. Please keep in mind my
opinions are not based on science. I am
not a deer biologist. My advice is free
and probably worth what you pay. My memories
are clear and my thoughts and hope for your suc-
cess are sincere.
Do your preseason scouting, camera work and
glassing. However, do not think that your area
holds only the deer you have seen through your
binoculars or camera.
Several years ago, I hunted opening day in
a stand that had always been a producer of good
bucks. I had pictures of several bucks (12 to 15
different animals) on a game camera that had
been in place for 6 weeks. At daylight I shot a
nice 5x5 standing within 40 yards of the camera.
The buck had never stepped in front of the cam-
era. He was either new to the area, or stayed out
of camera range. Good bucks are often camera
shy, but they are there.
An Unpressured Deer Can Be Patterned
A mature deer, if pressured will simply leave
the area for a place where they feel safe. How-
ever, if a deer is not pressured they are somewhat
predictable. Trust what you have learned about
their pattern and hunt accordingly.
The 145-inch 4x5 visited my game camera
every third or fourth day. When he did visit, it
was always between 7-7:30 a.m. For two days I
sat in a stand near that camera from before day-
light until after dark. In those two long days I not
only did not see that buck, I did not see a deer. I
decided to give it one more day. The next morn-
ing, I walked to the stand in the dark. When close
to my stand I set my backpack on the ground to
locate my flashlight. I clicked the light on and
saw a fresh scrape. It was less than 20 yards from
my stand. I knew a good buck was in the area. At
7:25 my buck (the 4x5) walked past my stand to
the scrape. My arrow passed through both lungs
and caused my trophy to collapse just 30 yards
from where I had shot. Yep, he showed up every
3 or 4 days between 7 and 7:30. He did it once
too often.
The reverse applies here as well. If you over
hunt a stand, deer will pattern you. A few years
ago, I had a 170-inch 6x6 right in my back yard.
He visited a food plot I planted behind the pond.
My game camera recorded the buck most eve-
nings at sunset. He was a regular and I was sure
I would kill him the first week of bow season.
My first mistake (there were several) was visiting
the camera too often. He moved his visits to just
after dark. My second mistake was over hunting
the stand. I knew the buck was nearby. I was sure
he was not pressured. I was sure he would walk
into the food plot in broad daylight and I would
harvest a booner. I got dumber and the buck
got smarter. I got sloppy and he got clever. The
game camera showed clearly the daily comedy. It
would take a picture of me leaving the stand, and
ten minutes later take a picture of him entering
76 AUGUST 2018 WNW NEWS
The author, Bob Vogel’s office wall is a reminder of the ‘things’ he learned deer hunting.
the food plot. He was hanging back watching me.
When I left, he ate. He had me patterned.
That same year, in the muzzleloading sea-
son, my neighbor killed that buck. The buck was
standing in a small swale 100 yards behind my
stand watching me. He still had me figured out,
but had forgotten about my neighbor.
Don’t Leave Deer to Find Deer
You have scouted an area, done your camera
work, and have seen deer in early hunts. Now
your buddy calls and says he just obtained some
great new property to hunt. The grass is seldom
greener on the other side of the fence. Don’t do it,
don’t leave deer to find deer.
Hunt The Hours 10 am to 2 pm
There is no doubt deer are most active at
daylight, and just prior to sunset. Deer feed at
these times. Of course, you want to be on stand
during these productive hours. However, mid-day
can be very active and is often overlooked. Deer
need to browse. Deer feed in the morning, at
sunset, during the night, and at mid-day. I believe
that deer are more relaxed at this time of the day.
In the morning they are headed back to their
bedding area. In the evening they are competing
with other deer in their feeding area. At mid-day
they are wandering. They are browsing and in no
hurry to go anywhere in particular. This can also
be prime time during gun season when there are
other hunters in your area. Most of these hunters
will exit their stand and walk back to camp after
the morning hunt. They may push bedding deer to
their feet, and possibly right to you. I have killed
many deer, especially in gun season, at this time
of day.
“I have never seen a deer in my bedroom or
living room.” I have used this line on my sons
when they have told me they slept in or didn’t
feel like going out. No one kills good bucks year
after year without putting in their time. Your re-
clining chair is comfortable, but it is a very poor
deer stand!
Read a Good Book
My two favorite pastimes are hunting and
reading. I often combine the two and read while
hunting. Many have asked “aren’t you taking a
chance you will miss seeing a deer when your
head is down reading”? I would be naïve to think
that reading during the hunt hasn’t cost me a
handful of deer. I would also remind those who
do not read that they have missed out on some
outstanding books. Reading keeps me in the
woods leading to long sits. Long sits have led to a
fair amount of success.
Take a Deer That Makes You Happy
Hunters put pressure on themselves and each
other to shoot only trophy animals. Don’t let
other hunters tell you what antler size it takes to
make you happy. If shooting a doe or a legal buck
makes you happy, do so. Any legally harvested
and legal-size whitetail is a trophy to be proud of
and honored. Hunt for your own satisfaction and
for no one else.
Elusive
A mature whitetail buck in a high-pressure
area is a different animal than other deer. We are
all aware of how elusive a mature buck becomes
as he ages, survives close calls with hunters, and
grows the massive antlers we all seek. They often
become completely nocturnal and completely
avoid any contact with humans. In 2010 I became
very aware of just how elusive a record class
buck can become. The largest whitetail buck ever
scored and recorded in Michigan was found dead
less than one mile from my farm. The 245-inch
monster died less than 20 yards off the road I
have lived on for over 30 years. I traveled that
road nearly every day of that deer’s life. Those
travels would have been mostly at prime time
(early in the morning and late evening). My pas-
sion for whitetail keeps me constantly scanning
fields and fence rows for deer. I never saw that
deer alive. We were neighbors. He eluded me
and every other human. They are indeed different
than other deer.
Never Push a Wounded Deer
I read an article recently about blood trailing
a wounded deer. It was the typical article about
tracking, blood analyzing, and what a deer is like-
ly to do depending on where it is hit. The author
was very happy to report that after four hours of
tracking the deer he saw the white belly of his
deer in the glow of his flashlight. Good story, but
very poor practice.
I believe in the old saying “when in doubt,
back out.” I know for a lot of hunters, especially
young hunters, this is hard to do. An arrow or
bullet that has passed through both lungs will
bring an animal to its death quickly. In most cases
you will have no trouble following blood, and
will find the animal within a hundred yards of
where it was shot.
An animal hit in the abdomen, in the liver, or
major artery will die, but probably not quickly. If
not pushed this animal will lay down. It may seek
water to cool its rising body temperature. Keep in
mind the deer is hurt very badly. Instincts are tell-
ing the animal to lay down and conserve energy.
If you allow it to lay down, it will die. It will die
close to where you backed out.
If the animal is hit in a non-lethal area (high
in the back, shoulder, hip, brisket, or low under
the vitals) it will survive. Pushing this deer is just
chasing a wounded animal out of your hunting
area.
I have pushed wounded deer to other hunt-
ers. I have pushed wounded deer and never found
them. After learning the hard way to back out, I
have found many deer the next day within eye
sight of where I backed out.
Hunt Weather Changes
Deer, like other ruminants browse frequently.
Deer do not like wind, and rain. In high wind
deer do not hear well. In moderate to heavy rain
deer do not pick up the scent of predators well.
In these conditions deer tend to lay down and
wait for the inclement weather to pass. But, they
need to eat. Deer will be on their feet looking for
browse soon after a storm passes. They will also
feed just prior to a storm to avoid the weather
they do not tolerate well.
On a December weekend we had 30 or more
hours of very severe weather. We had rain, snow,
sleet, and gale force winds. According to the
weather channel the weather would clear prior to
sunset. In the late afternoon I made my way to
my ladder stand. I knew that if the weatherman
was right, the deer would move as soon the storm
passed. They had gone many hours without eat-
ing. They would move.
The wind was blowing snow sideways when I
climbed in the stand. I sat in the driving snow for
about an hour cursing the weatherman. The snow
stopped, the wind died down, the clouds lifted,
and the sun poked through. Within ten minutes of
the weather change I caught movement through-
out the woods. The deer were on their feet and
headed to the winter wheat field. A fine 5x5
walked between my stand and the field. He did
not make it to the field.
Anyone who knew I was out hunting in
that storm would have doubted my sanity. Any
doubter who saw that fine buck in the back of my
pick up would know why I would sit through a
storm. Know the weather that is approaching and
use it to your hunting advantage.
Learn Deer Body Language
and Communications
Deer are very social and therefore communi-
cative. We have all heard snorts, grunts, wheezes,
bawls, and bleats. These verbal communications
all have different meaning and most hunters
understand their meaning. Deer also communi-
cate with their bodies. We have all seen the lip
curl of a rutting buck and know he could care less
that you are armed and dangerous. He has more
important things on his mind. If you see a doe on
the run for no reason, get your gun or bow up. It
might well be a rutting buck chasing the doe.
We have all seen or heard the matriarch doe
stomp her foot warning the herd she is seeing,
hearing, or smelling something, she doesn’t like.
When an alert whitetail flicks its tail, it will then
relax and drop its head (good thing to know when
frozen at full draw). Does and yearling bucks
will stop browsing and stare in the direction of an
approaching dominant buck. Head bobs from a
deer are their attempt to see if movement follows
when their head is down. A deer lifting its head
and licking the air is trying to get the scent of
danger they are sensing. Learn the body language
of deer. Learn the posture and actions of an alert
deer versus a relaxed deer. Pay attention to the
blue jays, whiskey jacks or magpies in your area.
The calls from these birds will tell you something
is on the move in the woods. They are nature’s
alarm system. When you hear their calls, get
ready.
The only way to learn these and other valu-
able lessons is to hunt and observe. Learn some-
thing from each encounter. Learning about your
prey and its environment is important for success
and the homework is fun.
Call Sparingly
Many hunters use cover scents and attrac-
tants, I have used them as well. Many hunters use
calls including rattling horns, grunt tubes, doe in
estrus cans, etc. I too have used calls successfully.
I have watched small bucks follow my scent trail
right to my stand. I killed a 155-inch 5x5 that I
rattled in to within 15 yards. Scents and calls can
be very effective tools. However, I use both very
sparingly. Frankly I am not good enough with
either of these tools. I am sure I have scared more
deer than I have attracted trying to make deer
think I am something I am not. I suspect the same
is true of many hunters.
I believe that if you are perfectly silent a deer
cannot locate you. I believe in being quiet and
invisible to my prey.
Learn to Shoot Sitting Down
Most lock on and ladder stands today have
comfortable seats. Sitting comfortably is impor-
tant. Comfort allows us to sit still for hours at a
time. Let’s suppose you are sitting comfortably
when a deer you want to harvest comes within
shooting distance. Now, you try to slowly rise to
a standing position to shoot. These movements
will more than likely spook your deer. At the very
least, it will put the deer on alert making for a dif-
ficult, risky shot. A deer on alert and focused on
you will many times jump the string. Years ago,
when a deer jumped the string you missed the
deer. Today’s bows are so fast that when a deer
jumps the string (hunches down) you will hit the
deer high.
Practice shooting sitting down. Position your
bow to minimize the movement required to pull
the bow back. Practice the movement and the
position. It will take some getting used to, but the
results are deadly.
Deer Adapt to Their Environment
Deer movement and preferred method of
defense are altered by their environment. A
farmland buck becomes accustom to seeing trac-
tors, farmers, and livestock. These visuals do not
bother the buck. He hears machinery running,
truck doors slam, and people talking or yelling.
The sounds are not cause for alarm. He becomes
very dependent on his sense of smell. The buck
has no problem when seeing and hearing a farmer
in the field. If that same farmer is in the woods
upwind of that buck the buck will not tolerate the
farmer’s presence. The buck has adapted to his
environment.
I have hunted whitetail in the bush county of
Saskatchewan. Most of these bucks have never
seen or caught the scent of a human. They live in
a hostile environment filled with natural preda-
tors (wolves, coyote, bear, and mountain lions).
These deer use their eyes and ears more than their
nose. They may pay no attention to a hunter’s
scent, but if you make a sound, or they detect
movement they will bolt. A good hunter will do
all possible to avoid being seen, will make no
sounds, and will use the wind to avoid having
their scent blown in the direction of a deer. Be-
come a student of the deer in your environment.
You should know which of their senses they are
most dependent, and use it to your advantage.
Equipment Does Not
Make a Good Hunter
When I was young, my hunting gear consist-
ed of a 12-gauge pump shotgun, a pair of insulat-
ed overalls, and a pocket full of slugs. I now have
much better gear and clothing. Good reliable
equipment is an important tool. Good tools are an
important part of success. But, good tools will not
make a poor hunter successful.
Learn to hunt. Learn from each hunt and each
encounter with deer. Learn from others. Become
a student of deer and deer behavior. Become a
good hunter and use good tools. But, don’t count
on those tools making you a good hunter. Only
you can do that.
Deer Stories
When telling deer stories, the first liar doesn’t
have a chance, the difference in fairy tales and
deer stories is that fairy tales start with “Once
upon a time,” deer stories start with “Now this is
the truth.”
Productive Deer Stand
This past gun season I let my youngest son,
Kyle, sit in my favorite bow stand. It has been
a highly productive stand for 30 or more years.
Opening day fell on a week day. My son had to
work during the day but could slide into the stand
for the evening hunt. After only an hour or so he
tagged his buck. Shortly after the season he made
things clear to his older brother and brother-in-
law. “When Dad passes, you two can fight about
who gets the farm, properties, money or what-
ever else there is. All I want is the hunting spot
between the creek and the pasture. You guys can
have the rest, but that spot’s mine.”
I am proud of him. He knows a good set-up
when he sees one I hope when I am gone those
boys will all hunt that stand, then pass it on to my
grandsons and granddaughter.n
WNW NEWS AUGUST 2018 77
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 Woods-N-Water News Classified Section
MISC. MISC. WANTED FISHING HUNTING HUNTING
AN ADJUSTABLE BED with LOG BUNK BEDS. $495. FISHING WITH CAPTAIN ALBERTS BEAR GUIDE
TIMBER MANGEMENT: ATTENTION U.P. BEAR
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Toll free 1-877-434-2440
Call 705-869-3272.
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HUNTING PROPERTY:
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This effective advertising is simple to do, place your ad by . . . of Alpena, Michigan. Parcel is
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ARCHERY herd size! Doe hunts $200 or 2
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WNW NEWS AUGUST 2018 79
79 AUGUST 2018 WNW NEWS
 Woods-N-Water News Classified Section
REAL ESTATE
FOR SALE: 156 ACRES
– 2 Tracts Recreational/Hunting
Tracts. Located Near Caseville,
MI - 45 Miles from Tri Cities.
CONTACT Mark Williams:
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734.646.7339 HALDERMAN
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Halderman.com H-8-2
ROSCOMMON, MI, 3 bed, 2
bath 2346 sq. ft. ranch with finished
basement and 24 x 32 garage on a
1.4 acre wooded lot, close to
Higgins Lake, state land, Ausable
River and ATV/snowmobile trails,
$89,900, 810-287-6318. RE-8-1
..............................................
190 ACRES IN 3 PARCELS
IN CENTRAL HILLSDALE
CTY., MI near a state hwy. and
several lakes. Has tillable, wooded,
lowland. Great farming property,
outstanding hunting for turkey, deer,
rabbits, etc. Acreage parcels are
getting harder to find. Buy one, two,
or all three. A rare opportunity! Call
Larry at Faust Real Estate, LLC
517-270-3645. RE-8-1
..............................................
191 ACRES LOCATED
IN THE CENTRAL U.P.
OF MICHIGAN, ALGER
COUNTY. Includes 34 acres
of pasture, deer, bear, par-
tridge, turkeys, ducks and
geese, rabbits, large pond, nat-
ural gas, year round access.
1.5 miles of very good drivable
trails. Call 906-446-3261.
RE-7-18-TFN
CAMPGROUNDS FOR
SALE One in the U.P. with Great
Lake frontage $485K. One in North
Central Michigan $700K. Briggs
Realty www.briggsrealtyonline.com
616-942-1071. RE-8-1
..............................................
MECOSTA COUNTY, 111
acres plus 3 lots in Canadian Lakes,
3,725 feet on west branch of the
Little Muskegon River. Best deer
hunting available. Also hunts avail-
able. 231-972-8430. RE-8-1
..............................................
180 ACRES CHIPPEWA
COUNTY: Hunt, fish, hike or
snowmobile. 180 acres with
trails, blinds, and food plots.
Adjoins thousands of acres of
public land, 13 miles south of
Sault Ste. Marie, less than 2
miles to boat launch and the St.
Mary's River. E.U.P. hunting
and fishing camp, the 1100 sq.
ft. home and 32x42 garage will
satisfy most as a year round
residence. A great buy at
$250,000. Call 989-390-0362.
Details Craigslist and Zillow.
RE-6-3
Subscribe
Today!
(810) 724-0254
email: wnw@pageone-inc.com • website: www.woods-n-waternews.com
80 AUGUST 2018 WNW NEWS
REAL ESTATE DOGS
SANILAC COUNTY
GUN DOG TRAINING AT
LAKESHORE/MORIN
ITS BEST! by Paul
ROAD AREA. 57 Prime Hunting
Rheaume. Over 35 years
Wooded Acres With 2 Ponds.
experience with pointing and
House Has Fireplace, Furnace,
1985 Restored El-Camino
flushing breeds. All inclusive 4
Water, Septic, Detached Xlg
week classes available that are
Garage. 2 Four Wheelers, Kawasaki
customized to meet your dog's
Mule, Lawn Mower Negotiable. Call
586-707-0370. RE-7-2 needs. Excellent for young 2013 New air shocks, starter, belts, springs, radiator,
dogs starting out, for experi-
..............................................
LITTLE TWO HEARTED enced dogs tuning up, or for new carpet, new tires and stripped, sanded, re-painted!
RIVER, 32+acres, quarter mile
frontage, snowmobile/ATV trails,
dogs with issues. $600. Find
us on Facebook Rheaume's Call Capt. Fred Davis at 989-670-5271
brook trout, blueberries, high Kennel. (989) 864-8606. See in Grindstone just past Whalen’s
ground, nice building sites on bluff, D-7-5
surrounded by miles of state forest.
Subscribe Today and Enjoy
$100,000 OBO. quantumdog99@
yahoo, cell 219-545-1702. RE-7-3 AKC ENGLISH LAB
PUPS: Chocolate-black and
..............................................
yellow. OFA $800. Rheaume's
Kennel. Gun dog training avail-
BEAR AND DEER
able. 989-864-8606. D-8-2
GUIDED HUNTS, also
Michigan’s Best Outdoor Magazine!
guided side by side rides in the
U.P. We hunt all over Newberry GERMAN SHORTHAIR
BMU and ride the rest of the POINTER PUPS: Males
U.P. on unmarked trails. Trust and females available. Excel-
someone that grew up in the lent hunting dogs and superb
U.P. and hunted everything family pets. Close working
there is to hunt. Lodging, food dogs with strong point and
and a good time. Call 231-620- retrieve instincts. Reasonably

0398. H-6-4 priced for the sporting family.
Money back guarantee. Eulen-
hof Kennels, Gladwin, MI.
HIGGINS LAKE MICH. Est.
http://www.eulenhof.com
1978. Higgins Lake, 10 acres hunt-
989-426-4884 D-8-2
ing property, 1/4 mile off I-75, exit
244, $39,000. Trails, gun, blind, two
person tree stand. Land contract PROFESSIONAL DOG
terms or cash discount. 989-915- TRAINING AT ITS FIN-
9656. Leave a message. RE-6-3 EST with pro-trainer Brett
.............................................. Walla (586-482-4101). Open-
HIGGINS LAKE MICH. Est. ings available now through fall
 New Subscription         Renewal
1978. Higgins Lake, 2.5 acres, 1/2 at Rooster Ranch 989-658-
mile off I-75, exit 244, $6,250. Land 2332, www.roosterranch.com
contract terms or cash discount. D-8-2                            (Please attach mailing label)
989-915-9656. Leave a message.
Classifieds
RE-6-3
..............................................
CONSTRUCTION/  One year $29        Two years $55
RESTORATION BUSINESS
FOR SALE AT HIGGINS
work!
LAKE MICH. Est. 1978.
Excellent reputation. All tools and
equipment included. Skytrack with
accessories, three enclosed trailers, NAME
(810) 724-0254
office space, office equipment,
framing finish tools, ladders, all dry-
out equipment, retiring, will work
with new owner 6 months. 989-
ADDRESS
Monday-
915-9656. RE-6-3
..............................................
80 ACRES OF PRIME
HUNTING LAND IN
CITY                        STATE           ZIP
Friday
HARDWOOD, MI (Upper
Peninsula). Good trails throughout;
mixed timber including several
acres of hardwoods. Legal access
9am-5pm
directly from county road.
$78,900.00. Call 906-298-1933.
 Check/Money Order            Visa/Mastercard
RE-7-2
..............................................
or try our
DOGS
SUMMER DOG TRAINING -   Card #                              Exp. Date      
by the only trainer in history to win
website
National Championship on 5 game
birds and did it twice. We train all
Send to: Or Call
(810) 724-0254
breeds of bird dogs - labs too.
Special summer rates. English
Woods-N-Water News
woods-n-waternews.com
pointer and setter stud service.
Please call David Grubb 248-860-
1009. D-7-2
..............................................
P.O. Box 278 FOR OFFICE USE ONLY
Imlay City, MI 48444 Date           Ck#          $
Real Estate
PAGES 81-89

Two cabins with 181’ frontage on scenic Ocqueoc River. Both 2 bed-
rooms, ¾ bath. One remodeled. Furnished. $140,000 #314177
Affordable waterfront lot with 24’ 5th wheel, electric and well. On quiet
lake. $40,000 #305314
Chalet w/ Oqueoc River Frontage. 2bed, 1bath, full walkout basement.
Furnished, close to state land, snowmobile trails & lakes. $85,000 #310887
Affordable farm house with 3bed/1 bath. Main floor remodeled, upper
story can be finished for added room. Rural setting. $50,000 #312106
Reduced! All sports waterfront year around cottage with walkout base-
ment, sandy frontage, built in 2008. $145,000 #312837

STATE WIDE REAL Check out our web site for

additional properties of all types.
ESTATE OF HAWKS www.statewideofhawks.com
OF HAWKS FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT ONE OF OUR AGENTS: 989.734.4840

COVERINGST
SOUTHWAEN!
MICHIG

Specializing in:
- Acreage
- Hunting Land
- Premier Michigan Waterfront Properties

CALL BRANDON | BROKER, LAND SPECIALIST (office) 269.357.7036 or (cell) 269.816.3010

MOSSYOAKPROPERTIES.COM
Each Mossy Oak Properties Office is Independently Owned and Operated

WNW NEWS AUGUST 2018 81

 N
HORSEHEAD LAKE HILLVIEW LAKE
EAST OF BIG RAPIDS, In the very desirable EAST OF BIG RAPIDS. Huge waterfront lots, W E

Near

3,960 ft
Hidden Harbor development, 75 Ft. lot with a ranging from 2.68 acres with 237 ft. frontage to
S
great view for your walkout. $99,000 8.9 acres with 300 ft of frontage. Priced from
HORSE PEOPLE
$99,000. Build your dream home or get-away.
10 ACRE PARCELS IN HORSE COUNTRY, 7 LARGE 2 BEDROOM CABIN/COTTAGE with
Marlette 121
Miles west of Big Rapids, a stone’s throw from fireplace and deck on 4.15 Acres with 589 ft.
5,000 Acre Manistee National Forest trail sys- frontage. Great fishing and recreational lake.
in Sanilac Acres
tem. High walkout sites. $30,000 $189,000
RYAN CREEK
County $326,700
A LARGE CREEK that looks like a small river. East of Big Rapids. Beautiful building sites. 16.88 OR
Acres, $59,500 • 34.28 Acres, $87,500
$
BEAUTIFUL 40 ACRE PARCEL, open and rolling, remodeled 3 bedroom farmhouse, wonderful Will 2,700 per acre
view of Ryan Creek across the whole north end of the property. Just east of Big Rapids. $199,000 consider 1,320 ft
Jack Frizzell all offers.
(231)598-6700
http://jackfrizzell.fivestarmichigan.com

80 ACRES PRIME HUNTING

LAND WITH CABIN
80 acres, 18 tillable, has cedar built
cabin inside and out with a Sweet
Heart wood burning cook stove.

$5,000 per acre

989-833-7491
CALL: 989-763-4380

Great outdoor CENTRAL LAKE. Set back off the road this
quaint home has 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, full
basement, attached garage plus a 28x32
pole barn and a tree lined paved driveway.

land loans.
All this on 2 beautiful country acres 2 miles
from Intermediate Lake & Grand Traverse
Bay. Asking $159,900 #314251

Whether you are a classic hunter, or someone who

takes glamping to another level, GreenStone is here LOG HOME ON 15 WOODED ACRES. All
to help with affordable financing on all kinds of the bells & whistles! 2 baths, stone fireplace,
covered porch, 2 side decks, private setting,
recreational properties. Contact your local branch 2 ponds, a 2.5 garage 2 finished/heated
to get started on a land loan that’s just your style. workshop and 2nd floor PLUS a 30x50 pole
barn too! $188,800 #300943 (Millersburg)

800-444-3276

GRAYLING LOG HOME ON 17 ACRES!

Nearly 3000 sf of living space, 3 bedrooms,
3 baths, finished walk out basement w/fam-
ily room & 2nd kitchen, wrap around deck,
3-1/2 car garage w/heated workshop, 1 car
storage garage, RV station w all hook-ups.
Excellent hunting! $329,500 #313950
Carol Steiger, Associate Broker
www.greenstonefcs.com
(231) 627-9991 Office
(989) 351-0110 Cell
email: carol.steiger@remax.net
846 S. Main, Cheboygan, MI
www.liveupnorth.com
North
82 AUGUST 2018 WNW NEWS
 15+ YEARS OF EXPERIENCE &
OVER 70 MILLION IN SALES
Alcona/Alpeana County,
408+/- Acres, Incredible Retreat,
3 Lodges, Large Pole Barn, Beaver
Creek Frontage, Tons of Wildlife
$1,400,000
Jackson County, 140 Acres, Loaded
With Deer, Impressive Tract Record,
Timber Value, Pole Barn/Cabin
$469,000
Midland County, 80 Acres
12 Miles to Mount Pleasant,
Excellent Hunting
$176,000
Newaygo, 41 Acres,
Rugged Pines, thick cover,
1 mile from Muskegon River
$85,000
Osceola County, 160+/- Acres, Trail
System, Near Reed City, Tons of
Deer and Turkey Sign, Food plot areas
$359,000
SELL YOUR PROPERTY WITH US!
BLAKE VER WOERT: 616-308-3122
JAKE DYKSTRA: 616-916-8354
CURT BRYAN: 616-745-2759
Arenac Co, 167+/- Acres, 3,500+/- ft
Lake Huron, 6 Bedroom Lodge, Guest
Cabin, Great Duck & Deer Hunting.
$599,000
Jackson County, 105+/- Acres, WRP
Program, Mature Hardwoods, Great
Deer, Turkey & Waterfowl Hunting
$211,000
Missaukee County, 80 Acres, Custom
Built Home, Wrap-Around-Porch,
4 Beds & 3.5 Baths.
$350,000
Newaygo County, 50.5 Acres, Custom
Built Home, Secluded, Wildlife Galore,
4 Beds & 2.5 Baths.
$550,000
Osceola County, 163+/- Acres, Great
Trail System, Awesome Hunting,
Rolling Hills, Must See!
$290,675
Calhoun County, 74 Acres,
1/2 Tillable ,1/2 Wooded,
Trophy Buck Genetics
$280,000
Jackson County, 537 +/- Acres,
Excellent Duck, Deer & Turkey Hunting.
Area of Other Large Property Owners.
“Man Cave” w/Game Cleaning Station.
$1,074,000
Newaygo County 4+/- Acres
Muskegon Riverfront, New cabin,
Beautiful landscaping, Secluded woods.
$220,000
Newaygo County, 125 Acres, Three
spring fed lakes, Excellent Deer,
Turkey and Waterfowl hunting
$375,000
Presque Isle County, Grand Lake
Water Frontage, Gorgeous
Cottage along with Additional Cabin,
Gorgeous Views of Lake
$354,900
Calhoun County, 67+/- Acres
300 ft. All Sports Prairie Lake,
Tillable Acreage
$275,000
Lake County, 7 Acres, Little Manistee
River Frontage, Cozy Cabin,
Great Hunting and Fishing
$130,000
Newaygo County, 8.5+/- Acres,
Custom Built Home, Wildlife
Galore, Class A Trout Stream
$239,900
Newaygo County, Croton Twp,
160+/- Acres, Mature Timber, Cabin,
Loaded With Deer/Turkey
$399,000
Presque Isle County, 1,500 Acres,
High Fence Deer Ranch, 50,000+ sq. ft.
lodge, rolling hills, caretakers
house, and pole barn.
$7,500,000
WWW.WILDLIFEREALTY.COM
Clare County, 70 Acres, Mixed
Woods, Creek, Food Plots, Cabin,
Great Deer/Turkey Hunting.
$167,500
Lapeer County 102+/- Acres, Trail
System, Mixed Hardwoods, Pond,
Food plot areas, Tons of Deer Sign.
$380,000
Newaygo 40 Acres, Secluded Cabin,
Rolling Hardwoods,
Big Buck County.
$199,000
Oceana County, 145 Acres, Great Deer
and Turkey Hunting, Tillable,
Thick Forest Floor, Food Plots, Pond,
Hunting Shack and Pole Barn.
$329,000
Roscommon County, 480+/- Acres,
High Fence Deer Rach, First Class
Lodge and House, 120’x60’ Pole Barn,
Quality Deer Herd.
$2,900,000
Gladwin, 142 Acres, Fully furnished
Deer and Buffalo Ranch.
The Rack Ranch
$925,000
Mecosta County 70+/- Acres,
Mixed Hardwoods and
Tillable Land with Pond
$154,500
Newaygo County, 40+/- acres, County
Estate, 1,400 sq. ft. home, 2 large pole
barns, large pond, and horse pastures.
$285,000
Osceola County, LeRoy Twp, 141
+/- Acres, Easy access to US-131,
Large Pond
$211,500
Wexford County 80+/- Acres,
Hunter and Snowmobiler Paradise,
Adjoins National Forest
$249,900
WNW NEWS AUGUST 2018 83
 13140 3 MILE ROAD
HERSEY, MI 49639
2009 Beautiful ranch home has
2400 square feet of finished
luxury living and an additional
2400 square foot in the basement
to finish to your liking. Features
include: 5 bedrooms, 2.5 baths,
attached garage and a full walk
out basement. Study/office,
a living room, family room,
laundry room (with a chute to the
master bedroom), 3 season room,
pantry and much more! Also has
geothermal heating and a back
up generator. Outside you will
find an extra large attached 2.5
car garage, a pole building and
over 46 acres giving you plenty of
room to wander. Beautiful pond,
hardwoods and tillable fields,
currently leased to hay. Don’t
miss out on this paradise!

SELLER MOVING
OUT OF STATE!
VERY MOTIVATED!

Ashlee Flachs
Cell: 231-349-1034
Email: aflachs18@gmail.com
2 11 N M a i n S t r e e t • E v a r t , M I

3 Bdrm, 1 bth, mfg home. Beautiful, 1 Bdrm cottage on Escanaba

wooded 10 acres. Gar, wood shed. River. Porch & Large deck. On 2 Bdrm, 1 bth, mobile home. 20 Acres of
Privacy. Covered porch. Brampton. the river. Cornell. prime hunting property with trailer. Rock.
$92,900 1108945 $34,900 1108333 $37,900 1107804

THOUSANDS OF
ACRES AVAILABLE
FROM $6,900 TO $707,420. 2 Bdrm, 1 bth, Waterfront cottage. 2
1 Bdrm, 1 bth cozy cottage near 1 Bdrm, 1 bth cottage. Gorgeous
Acres w/225’ on Ostrander & Corner
Lk. Well & septic. Private on dead Steven’s Lake. Elec. Generator sand beach swimming!! Small
Escanaba end road. Chain-of-Lakes. Wetmore. included. Deck. Gar. Wetmore. cottage. Stonington.
2209 Ludington Street $109,000 1106501 $54,500 1108449 $129,900 1107916
(906) 786-1308

Powers
W3776 US 2 & 41
(906) 497-4190

Gladstone
1401 Delta Ave.
1 Bdrm, 0 bth camp. Well 1 Bdrm, 1 bth waterfront home. 52 Acres. 3 Bdrm 2.5 bth Home. Full
(906) 825-9000
maintained camp on Sturgeon Approx 1,800 of river frontage. 2,000 sq Log. 38 acres. Garage, Decks,
River. Rapid River. ft gar. In-floor heat. Solar. Rapid River. Private Pave Rd. Felch.
$58,000 1108141 $194,790 1107284 $249,000 1106871
84 AUGUST 2018 WNW NEWS
 WE SELL LAND

EDMUND NOGASKI CHUCK KEEFER JAKE EHLINGER JEFF CHILMAN JUSTIN OLK
Broker, Land Specialist Agent, Land Specialist Agent, Land Specialist Agent, Land Specialist Agent, Land Specialist
Michigan Central Michigan Southeast Michigan North Central Michigan West Central Michigan
(231) 330-4107 (989) 600-4112 (517) 937-2118 (989) 205-2355 (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

whiteta ilpr operties.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 Wakefi eld, 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 - Edmund Nogaski, Broker - Broker Phone Number: 231-330-4107

MI_WNW_ad_9.83x13_2018.indd 1 WNW NEWS AUGUST 2:1385

6/21/182018 PM
 • SUMMER SPECIALS! • DISCOUNTED PRICES! • SUMMER SPECIALS! •

ALL OFFERS WELCOME!!!

SUMMER SPECIALS! • DISCOUNTED PRICES! • SUMMER SPECIALS! • DISCOUNTED PRICES! • SUMMER SPECIALS!

SUMMER SPECIALS! • DISCOUNTED PRICES! • SUMMER SPECIALS! • DISCOUNTED PRICES! • SUMMER SPECIALS!
1,350 ACRES: Prime hunting property - 50
CANADIAN WATERFRONT AND min. East of International Bridge. Hunt camp,
RECREATIONAL PROPERTY. hard and soft wood timber not harvested.
CLOSE TO SAULT STE. MARIE,
MICHIGAN BORDER Timber info available on request. Miles of
795 N 1st St trails thru-out. Beaver ponds and streams.
Use your smart phone and a QR Code P.O. Box 499 *LAND CONTRACTS Small amount of open area. $839,999 US.
Reader App to see all of our listings
Harrison MI 48625 AVAILABLE O.A.C.*
989-539-2261
BEAR SEASON
42.66 ACRE CORNWELL Rolling MACDONALD PROPERTY: 759 acres with
wooded 42 Acre parcel adjoining CLARE COUNTY, MICHIGAN hunting camp, 25 miles east of Sault St.
State Land also offers a pond, mixture
of pines and hard woods. $84,000 WHERE THE NORTH BEGINS... OPENS AUG. 15 Marie Ontario, property is gated, isolated and
For Photos Text R577985 To 52187. Open 7 Days * Established in 1953 ALSO HUNTING wooded, with a four bedroom, two-story pole
DUCK • GOOSE barn. 20-acre lake and 2 streams. Great
40 A CLARENCE SQDM has been www.harrison-realty.com SMALL GAME Bear Hunting! Two Deer plots! Five deeds, no
practiced since 1969. Plenty of
wildlife enjoy the cedar swamp and www.buyhr.co MOOSE & WHITETAIL guide required, underpriced at $249,900 US.
creek on 40 acre parcel. $80,000 TROPHY DEER & BEAR AREA Terms available, excellent buy!
For Photos Text R779548 To 52187 E-mail: office@harrison-realty.com WITH GREAT FISHING!!!
22.1 ACRES TEMPLE DRIVE This One-10 ACRE SAND BEACH LOT (this lot
rolling wooded parcel is located on a OTHER PROPERTIES AVAILABLE has it all): 60 miles east of Sault Ste. Marie.
winding country paved road in a
SMALL AND LARGE. SEND OR 300’ frontage on Bright Lake near Hwy 17
CALL WITH YOUR INQUIRIES! East (lake area approx.. 24 sq. miles), year-
desirable location near town. $62,000
For Photos Text R246769 To 52187
NO GUIDE OR round access with power to property. Inland
15 ACRES JACKSON 15.28 rolling
2250 BUCK ROAD River front 2 11920 WOODS COURT 3 bed full OUTFITTER REQUIRED!
and wooded acres of hunting land with
bdrm cabin w/garage and bounce bath home on 2.3 acres in the country, Don't Be Shy, Make An Offer. lake has Perch, Bass, Walleye and Northern
a mixture of mature trees. Great
10x12 bldg. Large yard for tents and close to state land and trails, lakes LOOKING FOR OFFERS!!! Pike. Priced to sell at $119,900 US.
property for hunting. $39,900
RVs. ORV trails close by. $69,900 $52,000
For Photos Text R875593 To 52187 160 ACRES HARDWOOD & SOFTWOOD: EXCLUSIVE LAKE HURON WATERFRONT &
For Photos Text R476364 To 52187 For Photos Text R476362 To 52187
163 LARCH TRAIL Lake of the Large beaver pond. Only 2 miles off year- WATER-VIEW ESTATE LOTS LOCATED IN
Pines waterfront lot, perked, nice round maintained road. 35 minutes East of THESSALON, ONTARIO 50 MILES EAST OF
shade trees, club house, pool, natural Sault, Ontario. $49,900 US. SAULT STE. MARIE, ONTARIO ON HIGHWAY
gas available, off pavement $19,900
For Photos Text R833716 To 52187 400 ACRES OF ROLLING HARD-AND 17 EAST: Lighthouse Point serviced with
SOFTWOOD HILLS: Large beaver pond and hydro, telephone, sewer, water, gas, cable on
4.7 TIMBERLANE Affordable 4.7
woodsy surveyed acres, mature trees,
4640 HARDING 3 Bd 2 ba 306 CAROLYN 2 bedroom cottage creek runs thru property, next to above property paved street. Airport, marina and hospital in
dead end road, close to town,20 Lakes
manufacture on 7.5 acres with creek just north of town and close to state
across the back of property $40,500 land and trails. Great getaway for the if more acreage is required. Property is great for area. No time limit for building. Waterfront lots
in 20 Minutes $12,500
For Photos Text R774487 To 52187 family. $29,900 bear hunting, white tail and grouse. Four miles 100’– 478’ frontage, waterview lots 80’ front-
For Photos Text R538427 To 52187
For Photos Text P874032 To 52187 off year-round maintained road. $119,900 US. age. Prices from $9,999 US and up.

LAJAMBE (705) 248-9663 CELL: (705) 941-8355

95.86 ACRE BAILEY LK AVE 95
plus acres with frontage on the Cedar OFFICE:

FAX: (705) 248-1110

River. This property is rolling and

ENTERPRISESINC.
wooded with trials. $184,900
For Photos Text R712376 To 52187
Frank Lajambe
NHN LILY LAKE 100 acres tillable flajambe@lajambe.com
4059 OAK FLATS Prize this 4948 FILTER Explore this pleasing
and wooded more or less acreage as rewarding 2-bedroom Bungalow. Eat-
you desire. Home on Bringhold
Bungalow. Cathedral ceilings, ceramic 715 Finns Bay Road www.lajambe.com
available $180,000
in kitchen with gas range, gas heat. tile flooring. Enclosed porch, well
Covered porch, Well water. $21,900 water. $19,500
Echo Bay, Ontario CAN POS 1C0 *Prices subject to change.
For Photos Text R343895 To 52187
For Photos Text P122429 To 52187 For Photos Text R834687 To 52187 • SUMMER SPECIALS! • DISCOUNTED PRICES! • SUMMER SPECIALS! •

15 Acres m/l LAKEFRONT & RIV-

Beautiful 100 ft of front-
age on all sports Wolf
Lake! This lot come WITH
ELECTRIC, has been well
maintained with a new
dock and a perfect view of
Wolf Lake. This is a rare
find and will not last long.
MLS 18023486 $74,900
Nicely wooded 10 acre parcel
with 784 ft of river frontage on
the Little South Branch of the
Pere Marquette River! Locat-
ed off S M-37 for great year
round access. This would be
a great place to build a home
or cabin!
MLS 18026217 $85,000
ERFRONT vacant land with Federal 1BD, 1 BA cottage with 100’ BALDWIN RIVER: Over 1400’ of the
land on 2 sides! The property is of frontage on the Big Sauble best fishing there is! This 10 acres is
wooded, has a 1-1/4” stab well, and River. Nice size spare room that close to town amenities but secluded
electric service on site. Over 1100’ could sleep additional guests and quiet. 5 BD, 2.5 BA, a full, finished,
of private frontage on spring-fed and a detached garage. New walkout basement with a fireplace and
Beaver Lake. If you prefer the river, stairs and deck down to the river beautiful views of the river. The main
there is over 600’ of frontage on the and a screened in porch you will floor offers a spacious living room with
Middle Branch of the PM River. be spending a lot of time in. large windows for great views as well.
MLS 18027049 $189,000 MLS 18012710 $99,900 MLS 18016160 $299,900

4 BD, 2 BA home that with access on

a county maintained road and no wake
Moon Beam Lake. The lake is great for
swimming, fishing and quiet evenings.
Inside the house you will find an atrium
for plants, large laundry room and a
utility room. Outside there is a 20X20
carport, 8x8 shed for storage and a
nice yard all the way down to the lake.
MLS 18016701 $112,900
86 AUGUST 2018 WNW NEWS
65’ of private sandy bottom
frontage. This 3 BD, 2 BA newer
mobile home is perfect for that
get a way cabin. Putman Lake
is a quiet fishing/swimming lake
but still close to town amenities
and close to public land and
trails for hunting and riding.
MLS 18022711 $59,900
50 ft of frontage on beautiful North 84’ on excellent swimming, pri- Basford Lake Front Chalet affers an open
Lake! 2 BD, 1 BA cottage in immaculate vate Hamlin Lake. 1 BD upstairs floor plan, 2 large sliding glass doors for
condition. Updated bathroom, new well, with 2 (unofficial) BD down, plus great views of the lake, 2 BD and a large
septic system, electrical service, coun- another living area in the full, loft for extra sleeping room. The full fin-
ter tops, slider and several windows! finished, walkout basement. ished, walkout basement with it’s own
There is also an additional lot that has There is also association own- kitchen and living area. 2 stall garage
new 100 amp service and a well! Per- ership in 183 acres that adjoins and 2 sheds for extra storage. Included
fect for additional guests to camp! Federal Land across the street. is the 15’ walkway to Big Star Lake.
MLS 18027310 $89,000 MLS 18029308 $89,900 MLS 18026515 $129,900
 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

SAGE LAKE WATERFRONT!!
2-bdrm, knotty pint interior, hardwood
floors, walkout bsmt, mostly furnished, cov-
ered porch, stamped patio, lakeside deck,
dock, a boat w/hoist & trailer!!
$164,900 1849059
SKIDWAY LAKE!!
80’ of lake frontage on all sports lake w/cute
one-bdrm hime. Garage, fenced yard, san-
dy beach area & additional 16x24 building
for your guest house or for more storage!!
$59,900 1849090
POPULAR CLEAR LAKE!!
Beautiful year round home w/approx. 271’
of scenic frontage! 3-bdrm, open floor plan,
main floor bdrm & bath, front deck, newer
roofs on all bldgs installed in 2016!!
$239,900 1849068
CLOSE TO LAKES AND RIVER!!
Cozy 2-bdrm home, on two lots w/large
back yard & shade trees. Mostly furnished,
sunroom, 2 car garage and shed for stor-
age. Quaint year round or getaway!!
$29,900 1849231
FRESHLY PAINTED INSIDE AND OUT!!
Cute 2-bdrm home with only one neighbor
and scenic views. Great rec area and not
too far from state land and lakes, including
popular Sage Lake!!
$42,900 1848932

NEAR LAKES AND STATE LANDS!!
Cozy one bedroom home w/newer roof,
siding and windows. Also not too far from
I-75 for the perfect getaway!!
$28,500
2.36 ACRES!!
PEACH LAKE WATERFRONT!! BEAUTIFUL WATERFRONT!! 2-bdrm home, family room, some applianc- SPACIOUS YEAR ROUND!!
3-bdrm, FP, newer roof, furnace & flooring, 3-bdrm, 2 ba, 2100 square feet, part walk- es, huge 5 car 72x39 garage plus 24x32 4-bdrm on 10 WOODED ACRES! Full
60’ of frontage on all sports 2018 acre lake, out bsmt, gass FP, large sunroom & deck, pole barn. Not far from river, lakes & State bsmt, wood stove, wood floors, porch, lots
dock, deck & more!! gorgeous views & 60’ frontage!! Lands!! of storage incl shed w/elec!!
1847495 $107,900 1843392 $105,900 1842289 $134,900 1848848 $105,000 1843928

6.41 ACRES!!
Rolling property w/3-bdrm, 2 ba home. AC,
FP, mastersuite, 3 season room, garage,
2 stocked ponds, gazebo, artesian wells
& more!!
$139,900
SPACIOUS 4 BDRM!! SPACIOUS CHALET-STYLE HOME!! BIG NORWAY LAKE!! ACROSS FROM ALLSPORTS LAKE!!
Just over 2 ACRES, newer windows & 3-bdrm, 2 full ba & 4 car garage! Access to Sandy frontage on “no gas motors” lake & 2-bdrm home with views of Rifle Lake and
newer roof, beautiful original hardwood 2 lakes, golf course, restaurant, swimming 2-bdrm home. Nice views, boat dock, appli- just steps to access. Knotty pine, porch,
floors, several outbldgs, porch & more!! pool, trails & more!! ances, newer roof and more!! carport & more!!
1848506 $99,000 1847235 $146,900 1846541 $94,500 1847458 $79,500 1847245

ON CHANNELL TO ALL PRIVATE LAKE ACCESS!! LAKE OGEMAW!!

SPORTS ELBOW LAKE!! 3-bdrm, newer Anderson windows & sid- 20 ACRES!! VIEWS OF WEST LONDO LAKE!! 2-bdrm, nice level lot, 90 feet frontage, sandy
Nice 3-bdrm, garage, large bright kitchen ing, ceramic & laminate flooring, a bath 3-bdrm, garage, full bsmt, recently remod- Cozy home on 3 lots w/sunroom, wood beach, boat dock, some furnishings & ap-
w/island, pantry and breakfast nook, on AN on each floor, appliances, garage, pole eled kitchen & bath, large deck, beautiful floors, newer well & roof, heated garage pliances, 2 garages, fantastic views, deck,
ACRE!! barn& more!! views & trails for walking or hunting!! and nice rear deck!! porch, blacktop drive and more!!
$149,900 1810533 $149,900 1847559 $154,900 1840412 $65,000 1818008 $159,900 1847406

GEORGE LAKE!! 10 ACRES!! POPULAR SAGE LAKE!!

2-bdrm w/65’ on 186 acre lake! Move-in Older 3-bdrm, 1.5 story home in need of BUILT IN 2007!! 3-bdrm w/45’ on canal! Over 3500 sq 10.98 ACRES!!
ready, bright kitchen, applia, fantastic updating and TLC. Garage, main floor 3000+ sp feet, 4-bdrm, 2.7 bath, full fin- ft, walkout basement, family room, 2nd Spacious 5-bdrm, 4 ba, full bsmt, pond &
views, garage, porch, deck, boat dock & master, enclosed sunroom & beautiful ished bsmt, finished garage, deck, above- kitchen, furnishings, 2 sunrooms, AC, FP creek, garage & 2 add’l outbldgs, master
more!! countryside views!! ground pool, 2.5 ACRES & more!! & more!! suite, FP, family room & more!!
$179,900 1846613 $49,900 1846697 $199,900 1837404 $225,000 1846248 $239,000 1843882

SAGE LAKE WATERFRONT!! POPULAR SAGE LAKE!! REMARKABLE INSIDE & OUT!!
ACROSS FROM HURON NAT’L FOREST!! 3-bdrm home w/61’ frontage! Remod- LAKE OGEMAW!! 3-bdrm, 2 ba, ALMOST 1/2 ACRE! 108’ Gorgeous full log home, 13 ACRES,
3-bdrm home, almost an ACRE, fresh paint eled kitchen, newer carpet, walkout bsmt, 3-bdrm, 3 ba lakefront! Over 1900 sq ft, full water frontage, full bsmt, AC, appli, FP, pristine prop w/trails & pond. Open floor
& custom cabinets, Cute year round or per- lakeside patio w/automatic awning, ga- walkout bsmt, FP, nat’l gas heat, doorwalls to garage, sandy beach, deck & beautiful plan, 3-bdrm, 3ba, 2 FP, full finished bsmt
fect getaway!! rage & more!! decks, newer water softener, garage & more!! views!! & more!!
$45,900 1848661 $248,500 1847179 $249,000 1846265 $269,000 1844387 $284,900 1843572

FOR MORE LISTINGS

VISIT OUR WEBSITE: WWW.CAHANES.COM
WNW NEWS AUGUST 2018 87
 Own a piece of historic
Van Buren County Zulu Land!
450+ acres of deer, turkey and waterfowl habitat MLS 18017520 - N French Bay Rd - Beaver Island: Beautiful acreage on majestic Beaver
Island! Imagine building your dream home nestled on your own private oasis or maybe having
your own deer hunting compound. This diverse wooded habitat boasts approx. 120 acres atop
Over a mile of the West side bluff which then splits down to a multi level bluff to the lower area on the Western
border. The NE corner features a Cedar swamp & the road to French Bay goes thru the SW corner.
frontage on the The N & W sides of this 160 acre parcel is bordered by over 240 acres of State land. Access to a trail
to Lake Michigan with views that are second to none. Hold as an investment, clear the timber
Paw Paw River! & farm or build your future - opportunity is endless. This is your chance to own a large chunk of
Michigan's Emerald Isle. Preview tour at http://www.tourfactory.com/1828644

Four Ponds MLS 18017742 - S Kings Hwy. - Welcome nature lovers! This quaint, secluded cottage is nestled on
designed for 163.45 acres of Pure Michigan forest with 1300'+ frontage on the pristine Pere Marquette River. Whether
you love to hunt, fish or enjoy wildlife this wooded property has it all. The cabin is steps from the rustling
planting duck water & features an open floor plan w/ the focal point being a custom stone fireplace complete w/ a swing
arm to cook an amazing meal over the open fire. The 1st bedroom is river side to soothe you to sleep &
habitat! plenty of extra sleeping in 2nd bedroom w/ 2 sets of bunks & twin size bed. Also includes pull out couch &
trundle bed to accommodate up to 11 people great for a big get together. The large bath features storage
& walk-in shower. The fully applianced kitchen has plenty of counter space & storage. Also includes 24 x 32
Price varies per parcel, call Listing Agent for more details! pole barn, 6 deer blinds, fire pit, shed w/ wood shelter & wood stove. Mother Nature at her best. Own your
own private paradise today! Please view tour at http://www.tourfactory.com/1752547
Blaine Allen Cell: 269-903-6276
Office: 269-273-2882
REALTOR®
blaine.allen@remax.net
www.blainesellshouses.com
58672 S. US HWY 131
Three Rivers, MI 49093
Each office is independently Owned & Operated

Heritage Exclusive Marketing Agents for Northeast

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

4670 Lindholm Dr
Enjoy the sounds of the
AuSable River Bayou
wildlide all year with this
move in ready retreat. 3
bedroom, 1.5 bath with full
basement within easy
walking distance to town and
Lake Huron beaches. New
$144,950

2825 US 23, Oscoda

Make this your weekend
getaway to enjoy walking the
shore of Lake Huron from
the foot path close by or
make this 3 bedroom, 2 bath
One of northeast Michigan’s premier resorts located home your new dream.
on 300 feet of Lake Huron sugar sand beach, half Newly listed $67,000
way between Oscoda and Greenbush. Includes 16
cottages with one, two or three bedrooms, 8 luxury
beach front suites, 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom owners 155 E Trask Lk Rd
or managers home, recreation building, onsite 780 sf, 1 bed, 1 bath cabin
laundry facilities, playground and paved parking. on 10+ acres looking for that
new owner to finish it up.
This nicely wooded site is over 463 feet deep. Great This would make an ideal
rental history with several repeat clientele. The
hunting camp or just a
lakefront luxury suites include deluxe furnishings weekend getaway for that
and décor’ similar to some of the finest Bed and motivated person. NEW
Breakfast homes. Each with their own wet bar, king $52,000
size bed and oversize whirlpool tub. Cottages
feature knotty pine interiors, full bathrooms,
3692 N Lakeshore Dr
separate heating, cable television, internet, and Plenty of summer fun left to
complete furnishings right down to the silverware. enjoy the view from this back
Social Hall for family gatherings can accommodate deck and firepit for
entertainment. 2 bedroom 2
110 guests. This is an active turn key business bath home with open floor
opportunity that only comes around once in a
plan for easy entertainment.
lifetime. Priced to sell with owner financing available Newly listed must see
to qualified buyers. $68,500
Iosco County 480 wooded acres with 2 private lakes
and frontage on a third lake. Completely surrounded
by National forest. Just a short walk to the AuSable
River and a minutes ride to hundreds of miles of
groomed snowmobile trails. Property has a complete
trail system that provides access throughout the
heavily wooded site. Rolling terrain with high and low
land. Includes a ranch style home over a full
basement, a rustic log cabin and convenient 2 car
garage. The major expense of running electric to the
center of the property is already done. Many trophy
class whitetail deer, turkeys and bear have been
harvested from the land. Master angler blue gills and
bass are caught on a regular basis from the main lake.
This property would be ideal for the private residence,
joint venture hunting, fishing or recreation club or as
an investment for future development. Significant
marketable hardwood could help cover some of the
future cost for planned improvements. Shown by
appointment only. Priced at $1,300,000,

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

88 AUGUST 2018 WNW NEWS
 Offices Serving Lower &
Upper Michigan
Bringing people and places together since 1945
$949,900 VISIT OUR WEBSITE TODAY!
statewiderealestate.net

• Houghton

Marquette
• Newberry
Curtis •
Everything is exceptional about the 180 acres, lodge and river. Don’t be Iron Mountain • Manistique •
•
fooled by the name, Deer Creek is a full flowing main artery of the Jor- • Gladstone
dan River. The densely wooded rolling hardwoods can be hilly in places Escanaba • Onaway
but are completely accessible by a well maintained trail system. The • Powers • • Hawks
lodge has 5 bedrooms, 2 baths, natural stone wood burning fireplace Menominee • Hillman
• Alpena
and covered outdoor living space. Truly a beautiful setting right next to Marinette •
• Atlanta
the river. Mio • • Harrisville

$349,000

• Almont

Linden •
Howell •

Craftsman home has 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths, on Main Branch of the

Sturgeon River. Located in the Sturgeon Valley between Vanderbilt and
Wolverine, just a few miles to I-75. The river is close enough to see and
hear from your front deck and living room. The main living spaces are
open and spacious with lots of natural daylight. Contact Your Nearest State Wide Real
Estate Office To Buy or Sell In Michigan
ALPENA HAWKS MARINETTE, WISCONSIN
1100 W. Chisholm, 49707 8383 Hwy. 451, 49743 1460 Marinette Ave., 54143
email: alpswre@speednetllc.com email: rita8383@yahoo.com email: statewidemarinette@yahoo.com
TARGET REAL ESTATE SPECIALIZES IN
WATERFRONT HOMES AND HUNTING PARCELS 989-356-2142 • Fax: 989-356-2144 989-734-4846 715-735-9964 • Fax: 715-732-1107
“WE REPRESENT BUYERS AND SELLERS”

WHITTEMORE TURNER
HILLMAN MARQUETTE
ALMONT 14938 State Street, P.O. Box 98, 49746
844 Van Dyke Road 856 W. Washington, 49855
email: statewidehillman@yahoo.com
lafrancesharon@yahoo.com 989-742-4523 • 800-228-7856 email: sw@statewiderealestate.org
810-798-8591 • Fax: 810-798-8079 Fax: 989-742-3931 906-228-9312 • Fax: 906-228-8069

120 acres of fantastic hunting property. Low lands Well wooded 40 acre parcel that is filled with deer sign. Rubs, beds
and ridges covered with red and white oak, and red and runways can be found throughout most of the property. Nice
pine. Located between Tawas, Whittemore and mix of tree types. Located just minutes from Tawas and Tawas HOUGHTON MENOMINEE
CURTIS/NEWBERRY
Hale. Call today. Bay, this property would also make a great building location. 500 Shelden Ave., 49931 3631 10th Street, 49858
MLS #1847246 $173,900 Main Street, P.O. Box 305, 49820
MLS #1843675 $79,900 email: dick@statewideofhoughton.com email: statewideone@newbc.rr.com
email: swcurtis@sbcglobal.net
MIKADO-$8,000, Build your country dream home on this 2.71 acre lot in Four Season’s Subdivision. The 906-482-6955 • 800-676-6323 906-863-9905
subdivision is surrounded by 600 acres of National Forest while the lot itself is nicely wooded with pine and 906-586-9606 • Fax: 906-586-9607 Fax: 906-482-7699
hardwoods. Borders McGillis Creek. MLS #1840694 Fax: 906-863-7935
WHITTEMORE-$8,500, 3.12 acre cleared building lot in a country setting at the corner of Nile and Keystone
Road on a county maintained paved road. MLS #1835860
NATIONAL CITY-$29,000, .39 acre Little Island Lake lot available. Just a short distance from thousands of
ESCANABA MIO
acres of state and federal land. Potential building site for your new cottage or year around home. MLS #1843431 HOWELL/LINDEN 102 West 8th St., P.O. Box 395, 48647
EAST TAWAS-$44,800, Potential building site located on the shores of Lake Huron between East Tawas and 2209 Ludington Street, 49829 1285 S. Michigan Ave., Howell, MI 48843
Oscoda on a side street off US23. This lot has 60’ of water frontage with seawall and is nicely wooded with several email: escanaba@statewiderealestate.net email: info@statewidemio.com
email: statewid@earthlink.net
mature oak trees. MLS #1846049
906-786-1308 • 800-900-0777 517-546-9060 • 800-531-4449 989-826-3292
OSCODA-$64,900, 113’ of sandy shoreline awaits at St. George’s Point on Cedar Lake. What a great location
for your dream home. City water, underground electric and natural gas are available. MLS #1837111 Fax: 906-786-1388 Fax: 517-546-9148 Fax: 989-826-2108
WHITTEMORE-$110,000, 33+ well wooded acres fronting 2 roads. Includes a 2 bdrm/1.5 bath 1360sf home
with 2 car garage, plus an additional home/structure to finish as desired. MLS #1831615
OSCODA-$124,000, 227’ of sandy frontage on Cedar Lake in St. George’s Point Sub. Build your dream home ONAWAY
on this .74 acre lot surrounded by upscale homes. MLS #1826558 GLADSTONE IRON MOUNTAIN
AU GRES-$135,000, 75’ of Lake Huron frontage. Paved street, city water, electric and natural gas. 380’ deep 231 East A. St. M-33 & M-68,
1401 Delta Ave., P.O. Box 478, 49765
wooded lot. MLS #1825912 Iron Mountain, MI 49807
NATIONAL CITY-$215,000, 80 acre Poncho’s Sand Creek Longhorn Ranch. Working farm with a 5 bdrm/1 Gladstone, MI 49837 906-828-2525 email: bigdan@frontier.com
bath home, barns, outbuildings, pastures and approx 10 acres of woods. MLS #1819844 906-825-9000 Fax: 906-828-2727 989-733-6522
MORE PARCELS ARE AVAILABLE . . . email: judy@statewiderealestate.net email: steve@multistatewide.com Fax: 989-733-2427
CALL TODAY FOR MORE DETAILS
866-496-4400
TARGET REAL POWERS
ESTATE COMPANY HARRISVILLE MANISTIQUE
701 W. Bay Street, East Tawas, MI 48730 430 S. US-23, 48740 10 N. State Highway M-149 W3776 US2 & 41, 49874
Office (989)362-4400 • Cell (989)370-2152 email: sold@anjstatewide.com Cooks, MI 49817 906-497-4190
info@TargetRealEstate.com
989-724-5711 • 800-655-5735 906-644-2304 Fax: 906-497-5328
www.TargetRealEstate.com
Fax: 989-724-6833 email: dekeysermary@yahoo.com holly@statewiderealestate.net

WNW NEWS AUGUST 2018 89

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90 AUGUST 2018 WNW NEWS

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