SEPTEMBER 2018 $4.

00

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

BIG BUCK
REFUGES
STREAM
KINGS
NRC APPROVES
RECOVERING NEW DEER
BOWSHOT DEER REGULATIONS
WOODS-N-WATER NEWS OUTDOOR WEEKEND
Sept. 7-9 - Eastern Michigan Fairgrounds - Imlay City
www.woods-n-waternews.com • Like us on facebook Follow us on
 CHAPMAN'S SPORTS CENTER
5605 DAVISON RD
LAPEER, MI SALES: 810-653-0490 SALES: 810-653-0490
5605 Davison Rd., 4 miles east 5605 Davison Rd., 4 miles east
CHAPMAN'S SPORTS CENTER of Downtown Davison CHAPMAN'S SPORTS CENTER of Downtown Davison
5605 DAVISON RD Open 6 Days: Monday - Friday 9am-5pm; 5605 DAVISON RD Open 6 Days: Monday - Friday 9am-5pm;
LAPEER, MI Saturday 9am-2pm LAPEER, MI Saturday 9am-2pm
www.chapmanssports.com www.chapmanssports.com

*Offers vary by model. Rebate offers valid on select 2015-2018 new and unregistered Polaris® RZR®, RANGER®, Sportsman®, GENERAL®, and ACE® models purchased between 7/25/18-
9/30/18 and financing offers valid on select 2015-2019 new and unregistered models purchased between 7/25/2018 and 9/30/2018. See your authorized dealer for complete details. Rates
as low as 2.99% APR for 36 months. Examples of monthly payments required over a 36-month term at a 2.99% APR rate: $29.08 per $1,000 financed; and with a 60-month term at a
5.99% APR rate: $19.33 per $1,000 financed. An example of a monthly payment with $0 down, no rebate, an APR of 2.99% APR for 36 months at a MSRP of $12,399 is $360.52/mo. total
cost of borrowing of $579.84 with a total obligation of $12,978.84. Down payment may be required. Other financing offers may be available. See your local dealer for details. Minimum
Amount Financed $1,500; Maximum Amount Financed $50,000. Other qualifications and restrictions may apply. Financing promotions void where prohibited. Tax, title, license, and
registration are separate and may not be financed. Promotion may be modified or discontinued without notice at any time in Polaris' sole discretion. WARNING: Polaris off-road vehicles can
be hazardous to operate and are not intended for on-road use. Driver must be at least 16 years old with a valid driver's license to operate. Passengers, if permitted, must be at least 12
years old. All riders should always wear helmets, eye protection, and protective clothing. Always use seat belts and cab nets or doors (as equipped). Never engage in stunt driving, and
avoid excessive speeds and sharp turns. Riding and alcohol/drugs don't mix. All riders should take a safety training course. Call 800-342-3764 for additional information. Check local laws
before riding on trails. ©2018 Polaris Industries Inc.
CHAPMAN'S SPORTS CENTER
Offers vary by model. Offers valid on select new 2016 – 2019 Polaris snowmobiles. On approved Polaris purchases. Minimum Payments required. Offer may not be combined with certain other offers, is subject to change
and may be extended or terminated without further notice. All rebates are paid to the dealer. The Promotional Limited Warranty consists of the standard 12-month factory warranty plus an additional 12, or 24 months of
5605 DAVISON RD
additional promotional limited warranty coverage for a total of 24 or 36 months of warranty coverage. Any additional warranty coverage after the initial 12-month factory warranty is subject to a $50.00 deductible per
visit. Valid at participating Polaris Snowmobile dealers only. Model & year exclusions apply. See your local dealer for details. Offers valid between 8/3/18 – 10/31/18. US: Approval, and any rates and terms provided, are
LAPEER, MI
based on credit worthiness. Program minimum amount financed is $5,000 and 0% – 10% down payment required. Sales tax, registration fees, and dealer fees not included. Minimum Amounts Financed, Interest Charges,
and penalties for accounts non-current, may apply. Financing promotions void where prohibited. Canada: This is a limited time offer which is valid for the purchase of selected qualifying models and is subject to credit
approval from TD Auto Finance (TDAF) on qualified purchases financed during this program. Rates from other lenders may vary. Monthly payment and cost of borrowing will vary depending on amount borrowed and down
payment/trade. Minimum amount to finance is $5,000. Example: $7,500 financed at 3.99% over 36 months = 36 monthly payments of $221.40 with a cost of borrowing of $470.27 and a total obligation of $7,970.27.
Freight, license, PPSA/RPDRM, insurance, registration, any retailer administration fees and other applicable fees and taxes are not included in the financed amount. Dealers are free to set individual prices, but must be
enrolled with TDAF to participate. Does not apply to prior purchases.

YEAR END CLEARANCE SALE

*Offers vary by model. Rebate offers valid on select 2015-2018 new and unregistered Polaris® RZR®, RANGER®, Sportsman®, GENERAL®, and ACE® models purchased between 7/25/18-
9/30/18 and financing offers valid on select 2015-2019 new and unregistered models purchased between 7/25/2018 and 9/30/2018. See your authorized dealer for complete details. Rates
as low as 2.99% APR for 36 months. Examples of monthly payments required over a 36-month term at a 2.99% APR rate: $29.08 per $1,000 financed; and with a 60-month term at a
5.99% APR rate: $19.33 per $1,000 financed. An example of a monthly payment with $0 down, no rebate, an APR of 2.99% APR for 36 months at a MSRP of $12,399 is $360.52/mo. total Offers vary by model. Offers valid on select new 2016 – 2019 Polaris snowmobiles. On approved Polaris purchases. Minimum Payments required. Offer may not be combined with certain other offers, is subject to change
cost of borrowing of $579.84 with a total obligation of $12,978.84. Down payment may be required. Other financing offers may be available. See your local dealer for details. Minimum and may be extended or terminated without further notice. All rebates are paid to the dealer. The Promotional Limited Warranty consists of the standard 12-month factory warranty plus an additional 12, or 24 months of
Amount Financed $1,500; Maximum Amount Financed $50,000. Other qualifications and restrictions may apply. Financing promotions void where prohibited. Tax, title, license, and additional promotional limited warranty coverage for a total of 24 or 36 months of warranty coverage. Any additional warranty coverage after the initial 12-month factory warranty is subject to a $50.00 deductible per
registration are separate and may not be financed. Promotion may be modified or discontinued without notice at any time in Polaris' sole discretion. WARNING: Polaris off-road vehicles can visit. Valid at participating Polaris Snowmobile dealers only. Model & year exclusions apply. See your local dealer for details. Offers valid between 8/3/18 – 10/31/18. US: Approval, and any rates and terms provided, are

ALL REMAING BOATS

be hazardous to operate and are not intended for on-road use. Driver must be at least 16 years old with a valid driver's license to operate. Passengers, if permitted, must be at least 12
years old. All riders should always wear helmets, eye protection, and protective clothing. Always use seat belts and cab nets or doors (as equipped). Never engage in stunt driving, and
avoid excessive speeds and sharp turns. Riding and alcohol/drugs don't mix. All riders should take a safety training course. Call 800-342-3764 for additional information. Check local laws
before riding on trails. ©2018 Polaris Industries Inc.
based on credit worthiness. Program minimum amount financed is $5,000 and 0% – 10% down payment required. Sales tax, registration fees, and dealer fees not included. Minimum Amounts Financed, Interest Charges,
and penalties for accounts non-current, may apply. Financing promotions void where prohibited. Canada: This is a limited time offer which is valid for the purchase of selected qualifying models and is subject to credit
approval from TD Auto Finance (TDAF) on qualified purchases financed during this program. Rates from other lenders may vary. Monthly payment and cost of borrowing will vary depending on amount borrowed and down
payment/trade. Minimum amount to finance is $5,000. Example: $7,500 financed at 3.99% over 36 months = 36 monthly payments of $221.40 with a cost of borrowing of $470.27 and a total obligation of $7,970.27.
Freight, license, PPSA/RPDRM, insurance, registration, any retailer administration fees and other applicable fees and taxes are not included in the financed amount. Dealers are free to set individual prices, but must be
enrolled with TDAF to participate. Does not apply to prior purchases.

Rebate up to $3,000 on Lund Boats

2018 BOATS ARRIVING WEEKLY

SALES: 810-653-0490
5605 Davison Rd., 4 miles east
of Downtown Davison
Open 6 Days: Monday - Friday 9am-5pm;
Saturday 9am-2pm
www.chapmanssports.com
WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 3
 By Tom Campbell...Field Notes
Outdoor Weekend Sept. 7-9
T
here’s no better way to
“celebrate our outdoor
heritage” than to host
the 32nd Woods-N-
Water News Outdoor
Weekend, scheduled
for Sept. 7-9 at the Eastern Michigan
State Fairgrounds in Imlay City. We
have lined up an outstanding event
for showgoers starting with great
outdoor retailers, educational dis-
plays and exhibits – over 250 in all…
just about every type of product for
outdoor enthusiasts. Add a bunch of
great entertainment from jumping
dogs, to wild animals, artistic chain-
saw carvers, historical encampments,
blacksmithing, a 1794 trader’s camp,
Native American storytellers/dancers,
a Camp Chili Cook Off (Saturday),
seminars, a gun auction (Sunday), a
kids’ archery range, shooting gal-
lery, climbing wall and lots of food,
refreshments and puppies—lots of
puppies. There is so much happening
at this year’s event there’s not enough
SEASONS
Open All Year – Pike and walleye season on
Lower Peninsula Great Lakes, Lake St. Clair & St.
Clair & Detroit Rivers
Open All Year – Salmon and trout season on
Great Lakes, St. Marys River, Lake St. Clair &
St. Clair & Detroit Rivers
Open All Year – Catch-and-immediate-release
bass season on all Michigan waters open to
fishing
Now - Dec. 31 – Pure Michigan Hunt
Application Period
Now - March 15 – Walleye and pike open in
Lower Peninsula inland waters
Now - March 15 – Walleye and pike open in
Upper Peninsula Great Lakes, inland waters &
St. Marys River
Now - Dec. 31 – Smallmouth and largemouth
bass catch-and-keep on all waters, including
Great Lakes and Lake St. Clair and St. Clair
and Detroit Rivers.
Now - Dec. 31 – Muskellunge season Lake St.
Clair & St. Clair & Detroit Rivers
Now - Aug. 28 – Reserved Waterfowl
Application Period
Now - Sept. 30 – Crow Season
Sept. 15 - Mar. 1 – Squirrel; Fox and Gray
(black phase included) Season
Sept. 15 - Nov. 14 – Ruffed Grouse Season
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 Hunt
Oct. 10-31 – Pheasant Season Zone 1 (partial)
Oct. 10-31 – Sharp-tailed Grouse Season
Oct. 20 - Nov. 14 – Pheasant Season Zone 2
and 3
Oct. 20 - Nov. 14 – Quail Season
Nov. 15-30 – Regular Firearm Deer Season
*Consult the Michigan Hunting and Trapping
Digest, Fishing Digest, or other species-specific
hunting digests for a more complete list of dates and
regulations regarding each season or hunt period.
MJC MJC
ARCHERY ARCHERY
MACOMB OAKLAND
19744 15 Mile Rd 3001 Rochester Rd
Clinton Twp. 48035 Royal Oak, MI 48073
586-791-4600 248-589-2480
4 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
space to write about it all, so check
out the special insert in the middle of
this issue and at outdoorweekend.net
and on our Facebook page.
Coyote Control
at the Outdoor Weekend
New this year at our Coyote
Control seminars, nationally known
Michigan trapper, Woods-N-Water
News writer John Chagnon will con-
duct in-depth coyote trapping semi-
nars and demonstrations. Plus he’ll
give seminars on water trapping and
tips and tactics for winter trapping.
Seminars for Serious Hunters
We’ve put together a great event
this year and are really excited about
our tremendous deer hunting semi-
nar line-up. See Tony LaPratt with
his immense knowledge of land and
habitat improvement, one of the best
known Michigan experts. Do you
want to consistently harvest trophy
whitetail bucks? Is your small acreage
hunting property not living up to its
full potential? Is your property in a
high pressure hunting area? Then you
won’t want to miss Tony LaPratt’s
seminars!
Of course we couldn’t have a
great deer hunting seminar line-up
without Mr. Food Plots, Ed Spinaz-
zola, the author of two books on the
subject and a new DVD. Ed will offer
insight into improving your deer hunt-
ing land with his incredible seminar.
Back to the seminar stage this
year is Adam Lewis with his deer
hunting sound management seminar.
Learn new science on deer hear-
ing, noises hunters make, how these
noises hurt hunting success, and how
to leverage this knowledge to gain a
new advantage this fall.
Country Smoke House Field
Dressing Demo
Continuing with incredible deer
hunting seminars and a continua-
tion of the deer hunt, what do you
do once your deer is down? Learn
the proper field dressing and skin-
ning demonstrations of big game by
Steve and Sue Francis and family,
owners of Country Smoke House in
Almont. Their seminars have been
so popular they will be back again
this year along with venison cooking
demonstrations. The seminars have
turned into sort of an ‘everything
you need to know about what to do
after you shoot your deer!’ Steve and
family will also be giving butchering
tips demonstrations, big game cook-
ing and tips on sausage making. You
won’t want to miss these presenta-
tions on Saturday only at 1 p.m.
Air Dog Championships
Milt Wilcox’s Ultimate Air Dog
Championships return this year to
Imlay City. You can see the best of
the best when these jumping dogs
and their handlers compete for the
championship. First-timers are
welcome with open jumping taking
place Friday (Sept. 7)
only from 5 – 7 p.m.
Your dog does not have
to be UKC or ASCA
registered to jump at
this event. This event Last year’s Chili Cook-Off winners!
includes UAD exclusive deer, bear, elk or turkey mounts to the
games: Fetch-It, Chase-It, and Catch- show and have them professionally
It. Their team will hold a demonstra- measured. Many successful hunters
tion of each game, followed by a will have their trophies on display at
hands-on practice session before the the CBM booth under the big tent.
actual event starts. They will not just • Living history; Reg Pettibone
throw you out there not knowing what and his family will teach Native
you’re doing – they will make every American culture through interpre-
effort possible to teach everyone how tive dances and artifact displays of
to handle their dogs in these great the Ho-Chunk nation on Saturday and
new super fun games! Please note Sunday.
there is a fee for jumping, go to their • Outdoor writer and author Den-
website for all the details: http://ulti- nis Neely and partner Darrel Lang,
mateairdogs.net “Lt. Lang” will be on hand answering
your black powder shooting and black
What’s New in Ice Fishing?
Frank’s Great Outdoors, lead- powder hunting questions. He will
ers of the popular winter sport of ice have his 1794 River Raisin trader’s
camp set up and will be your guide to
fishing will have numerous displays
at Imlay City’s event. The newest ice learn the value of wilderness necessi-
ties, price beaver pelts and compare
fishing products will be on display.
Plus, product representatives will be today’s hunting gear with the trade
on hand to give you expert advice. guns, linen and leather clothing and
shelters used long ago. Learn the
Whether you’re a die-hard ice angler
or new to the sport you’ll find unique mix of fair-chase hunting, old-
style muzzleloaders and American
what you need and some incredible
deals! history.
• The Michigan Hunting Dog
So Much More Federation Puppy Area will again
• Back to the Outdoor Weekend;
have hundreds of puppies to pet, pho-
over his twenty-seven year career as a tograph and buy. Most major hunting
wildlife CO for the State of Michigan, breeds will be represented. If you’re
John Borkovich conducted some of interested in selling quality, healthy
the most fascinating, complex, and hunting breed pups call 810-724-0254
highly successful wildlife investiga- or check out www.outdoorweekend.
tions in Michigan. He will be on net for the rules and regulations and
hand Sunday (only) sharing these registration forms.
stories from his book: Wildlife 911: • The Camp Chili Cook-off on
On Patrol. Saturday, September 8, features teams
• Back again will be three days of competing for $750 cash with judging
champion chainsaw carving dem- at 3:00 p.m. in the Rotary Beer Tent!
onstrations by Alonzo Montoya of
Newaygo and Tom Gillman of Bay
We look forward to a great show,
welcoming back old friends and mak-
City. It’s amazing what these artists ing new ones!
can do with a chainsaw!
• The Waterfowlers’ Area, spon- Great Kids Stuff
sored by Freeway Sports Center of And 12 years and under
Fenton, will offer exhibitions with GET IN FREE!
boats, blinds, calls and decoys for the This is a family friendly event
waterfowler. Several Michigan Ducks and we encourage you to bring the
Unlimited chapters will be on hand. kids. In addition to the retail vendors
• Attractions, seminars and
to get your kids ready for the out-
demonstrations are not the only new doors, there’s also a climbing wall,
items; we also have a host of new
shooting gallery, archery shoot, wild
vendors joining the weekend, vendors animals and plenty of educational
with knowledge not only in products, displays and seminars. And remember
but also in all aspects of hunting, fish- kids 12-years-old and under get in
ing and the outdoors.
free.
• Terry McBurney, Woods-N- Show hours are Friday, 5 p.m.
Water News staff writer, will answer to 9 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.;
questions and offer free appraisals and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Imlay
about sporting collectibles, especially City is located between Flint and Port
vintage fishing tackle. Bring your old Huron; the Eastern Michigan State
“stuff” to the weekend and let Terry Fairgrounds is on M-53, a half-mile
give you an idea of what it’s worth. north of I-69 off Exit #168. Admis-
He is also interested in purchasing sion is $8 per person and kids 12 and
items for his own collection. under free and free parking. For more
• Commemorative Bucks of Mich- information check our Woods-N-
igan - the official scorers for record- Water News Facebook page, website
book big game - will have scorers in www.outdoorweekend.net or call
Imlay City. Patrons can bring their 810-724-0254.n
WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 5

HUNTING
RECOVERING
Bowshot deer
John Eberhart page 12
Waterfowl reserved hunt
applications now available
page 15
Fall bird-hunting season
page 15
READY FOR WATERFOWL?
Mark Romanack page 20
America’s honorable squirrel
Len McDougall page 24
A 78 day hunt for a trophy!
Richard P. Smith page 48
Gary Parsons/Keith Kavajecz
Mike Gnatkowski page 98
BIG WALLEYE
& CRANKBAITS
Paddling the Pine River Trail
Mark Romanack...page 44
Michigan Turkey Tracts
Bob Gwizdz page 64
Jonathan Schechter page 42
BIG BEAR
Jeff Pendergraff page 69
Michigan Deer Camp...
First time for everything
Jake Dykstra page 96
The wonderful essence
of early squirrel hunting
Tom Lounsbury page 102
LAST MINUTE FOOD PLOTS
Robert Kennedy Jr. page 107
COVER PHOTO
Story...
BIG BUCK REFUGES
Kenny Darwin...page 28
6 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
Conservation Conversation
Steve Law page 38
The power of a ‘wild place’
Joe Smith-MDNR page 52
Worst fishing trip...EVER!
Ron St. Germain page 58
A Swansong Love Story to
BETTY SODDERS
NEW DEER REGS!
Sharon Kennedy page 60
Keep your eye on the sparrow
and not upon the arrow
...page 16
Mike Simcik page 90
Share the thrill of the
FISHING outdoors with a youngster!
CONNOR PUHLMAN
Guest Column page 112
Jerry Lambert page 85
STREAM KINGS
Kenny Darwin page 8 TRAIL CAM PAGE OPINIONS
page 88
September Rocks! Fishing vs. Fortnite?
Mark Martin page 18 Tricia Auten page 71
PHOTO OF THE MONTH
BLUEGILLS
Next Bite... Alice Kukulski page 95
Structured Success!
Join our club and learn a trade
page 36 Capt. Fred Davis page 100
Late August means
Awesome Fishing The Outdoor Weekend
John Bergsma page 56 is dog friendly
Len Jenkins page 106
September’s best!
Mark Sak page 75 OUTDOOR NEWS
Electrofishing for answers COs seize record amount
page 78 of illegal red swamp crayfish
page 33
Best Fall Fishing
EARLY
BAD BEETLE
page 63
The pros and pitfalls of
constructing log crib reefs
Bill Ziegler page 110
John A. Muter
Memorial Scholarships
GOOSE
page 74 Kenny Darwin...page 92
FEATURE
The Mackinac Straits
Mackinac Straits oil pipeline
Raptor Watch risks fish and wildlife habitat
Darryl Quidort page 40 page 76 Drew YoungeDyke page 84
SPITTLEBUGS Howell named MUCC’s
‘Legislator of the Year’ GUNS/AMMO
Michigan Meanders... page 86
Canoeing...the essence Gun Chat...Ruger American .22
of all outdoors PERSPECTIVE Lee Arten page 32
Tom Huggler page 50
Black Powder Shooting...
Outdoor Weekend helps
Frustrated on the The Man in the Arena
outskirts of Caro groups/clubs raise thousands! Dennis Neely page 104
Tom Carney page 54 Randy Jorgensen page 34
SEPTEMBER 2018
Woods-n-Water News
$4.00
DEPARTMENTS...
Trophy Page. . . . . . 82 Classifieds . . 115-116
Michigan’s Premier Outdoor Publication
News/Op-Ed. . . . 84-86 Real Estate . . 117-129
BIG BUCK
REFUGES
STREAM
1-810-724-0254
KINGS
NRC APPROVES
www.woods-n-waternews.com
RECOVERING
BOWSHOT DEER
NEW DEER
REGULATIONS P.O. Box 278, Imlay City, MI 48444
WOODS-N-WATER NEWS OUTDOOR WEEKEND
Sept. 7-9 - Eastern Michigan Fairgrounds - Imlay City
www.woods-n-waternews.com • Like us on facebook Follow us on
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WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 7


The author is all smiles after landing and releasing this large salmon on a beautiful September day.
y float drifted
through the deep
hole then it tilted
slightly, stopped
and slowly sank
below the surface
of the Betsie River near Frankfort.
I jerked the rod to set the hook and
suddenly there was a heavy pull on
my line and all heck broke loose as
a huge salmon felt the sting of the
hook and went airborne. He leaped
from the placid water like a Polaris
missile gone amok.
Droplets of water were still
hanging in the air when the huge
fish splashed down making a loud
splash that sounded like someone
falling out of a boat. Then he got
down and dirty and charged deep
into the hole, ripping line off the
drag. He shook his head violently,
switched directions and sprinted
downriver, turned at the bottom of
the hole and charged upriver and
made another leap completely out of
8 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
By Kenny Darwin
the water like a hooked tarpon. Then
he dove for the comfort of the deep
hole and after a fever pitch slugfest
the brute finally became tired, some-
what controllable and I eventually
eased him onto a shallow sandbar.
One look at the impressive 20
pounder and I told myself “This
is the amazing fish that Michigan
fishermen seek to catch, not lake
trout.” The fact is king salmon are
the largest sport fish in the Great
Lakes. Well, muskie are longer and
can weigh more but a 25 pound
king fights like crazy, gets your
heart pounding and the adrenaline
rush you get when doing battle is
like no other. Kings are impressive
fish, long as your leg with huge
girth, tail broad as your extended
hand and teeth like a junkyard dog.
Most Michigan anglers would agree
kings are the premier sport fish of
the Great Lakes and many Michigan
fishermen flock to area streams in
September to catch them as they
choke rivers and streams. But get-
ting stream salmon to bite your hook
requires specialized fishing tactics
and a good understanding of how to
prepare and fish with salmon eggs in
the skein.
Oh sure you can fool fish by
casting spinners and you can get
tremendous strikes tossing deep
dive Husky Jerks, but if you want
maximum hookups and unbelievable
stream salmon fishing fun you need
to understand how to fish spawn,
often referred to as “candy” from
those who understand the deadly
tactic. Here’s why.
While kings are huge fish and
constantly snapping at each other
they are not very aggressive about
slamming lures. After decades of
testing a variety of tactics to catch
stream salmon I’ve hit on the hottest
tactic going, cut up salmon skein
dangling below a bobber. Hey, my
suggestion is forget about casting
lures and tying spawn bags and
learn how to prepare skein and how
to drift it below a float.
You see, kings are gentle giants
and sort of shun any fast moving
presentation but will gulp a bit of
candy drifting the exact speed of
the stream current. Perhaps it is
the smell of fresh spawn that keys
their instinct to strike or maybe it
is the wavering action of skein that
catches their eye. One thing is cer-
tain– drift cut spawn over a school
of kings and soon you can expect a
solid hookup.
The process begins by gathering
salmon roe and preparing it for river
outings. Some anglers catch salmon
in the summer and freeze whole
strips of skein for use come fall.
Others visit fillet stations along the
Great Lakes and collect eggs from
lucky anglers filleting their catch.
Begin by washing all the blood,
sand, guts, grass and debris from
STREAM KINGS page 10
 Ruger Summer
Savings
Ruger American Ranch .450 Bushmaster Rifle Ruger PC Carbine 9mm Rifle

Retail... $599.00 Reg... $449.99 Retail... $649.00 Reg... $519.99

SALE... $379.99 SALE... $479.99

Ruger American Rifle Ruger 10/22 Carbine .22 LR Rifle

(Various calibers)

Retail... $489.00 Reg... $399.99 Retail... $309.00 Reg... $249.99

SALE... $349.99 SALE... $199.99

Ruger LCP .380 Pistol Ruger LCP II .380 Pistol Ruger LC9s Pro 9mm Pistol
Retail... $259.00 Retail... $349.00 Retail... $479.00
Reg... $229.99 Reg... $299.99 Reg... $379.99

SALE SALE SALE

$189.99
Ruger SR22 .22 LR Pistol
Retail... $439.00
Reg... $379.99
$249.99 $329.99
Ruger LCR Revolver Ruger GP-100 .357 Mag Revolver
(Various calibers)
Retail... Retail... $829.00
$579.00 - $679.00 Reg... $699.99

SALE SALE FROM SALE

$329.99 $399.99 $599.99
All Ruger firearms are on sale, while supplies last!

M-13 LINWOOD, MI
WWW.FRANKSGREATOUTDOORS.COM
989.697.5341
WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 9
STREAM KINGS:
from page 8
the skein. Next get it into a Ziploc
bag and immediately place on ice.
When you get home set the skein
on a hand towel and roll in 20 Mule
Team Borax. Next, place skein in
Foodsaver bag and remove air and
freeze until ready to go stream fish-
ing or put skein in a freezer Ziploc
bag, roll it up and remove as much
air as possible and freeze.
Some anglers prefer coho skein
or eggs from steelhead. My roe of
choice is king salmon because it
has a special musky odor that draws
maximum strikes. However, if you
get your hands on some brown trout
skein I guarantee the fishing results
are absolutely incredible.
Prior to a stream outing thaw
the skein and cut into quarter-size to
small golf ball size chunks and roll
in 20 Mule Team Borax. Savvy fish-
ermen know kings are very selective
about egg color. Most mix the skein
with coloring that dyes the eggs
pink, red and orange. My favorite
egg cure is Pautzke BorX O’ Fire
with bright pink color and revo-
lutionary krill formula. I also use
Alaska Premier Bait Cure in radiant
color. Last fall kings went bonkers
for big chunks of skein dyed bright
pink from BorX O’ Fire recipe.
Sometimes brighter colors seem to
get the attention of more fish and
increase your hook-ups. One tactic
is to have several different colored
skein chunks in your fishing vest
and when the bite slows on pink
switch to a new color. Keep the
cured eggs refrigerated and put them
on ice in a cooler when fishing. One
trick is to carry in your vest a small
plastic jar of eggs and when you run
out go back to the cooler and get
fresher skein that is cold.
Salmon skein referred to as cut
spawn or chunk spawn milks while
drifting in the current and sends
A pod of piggishly fat kings slide upstream across a Betsie River sandbar
while migrating upstream after a cold September thundershower.
10 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
a strong chemical message to fish
waiting downstream. Plus the eggs
are natural, not tied in a spawn bag,
and they look like a cluster of eggs
ready for lunch. After several casts
the skein will begin to fall off the
hook and you need to re-hook the
membrane. When eggs wash out of
the skein and the membrane turns
white fish will ignore the presen-
tation and it is time to put a new
cluster on the hook. Don’t make the
common mistake of fishing candy
below salmon. Kings usually sus-
pend off bottom and if your offer-
ing is below them they seldom bite.
However, if your cluster is above
fish they will slowly rise and inhale
the offering. Sometimes they shark
attack the offering and your bob-
ber will suddenly jerk underwater.
However, kings tend to slowly rise
to feeding position and inhale the
offering in a smooth, gentle gulp.
Often they stay stationary after the
bite and the bobber jiggles to the
strike and slowly goes down.
Fantastic fishing is often depen-
dent upon scouting and you need to
locate where fish are holding in the
river system. Some holes will have
no fish while others areas will be
packed with schools. One way to
identify hot spots is to find a region
where kings are breaking the river
surface. When they enter Great
Lakes tributaries they prefer deep,
slow moving holes in the lower
river. Here they slow down, relax
in the cool current and they become
selective feeders and love to gulp
a piece of candy dangled below a
float or bobber. In early morning set
the distance from bobber to hook
at about 3 feet and when daylight
arrives lower the depth of the candy
by moving the float up the line.
One legendary area for limit
catches of kings is the deep holes on
Above: Kings prefer a large chunk
of fresh roe dyed bright pink.
Some anglers keep candy fresh by
carrying a small cooler stream-
side. Right: To make your own king
salmon candy, roll fresh skein in
Borax powder and mix until the cut
up pieces are covered. Use bait
cure to dye preferred pink, orange,
red, yellow color and refrigerate.
Treated skein will stay fresh for
about two weeks if you keep it
cold. Kenny Darwin photo
the Betsie River below River Road
Bridge at the trail parking location.
Downstream the Betsie makes many
winding turns and has numerous
deep holes. One hotspot is near the
Betsie River Campground and great
king fishing is available all the way
to the railroad bridge at Betsie trail.
Don’t overlook the deep pools in
the Big Manistee for top notch king
action and the Pere Marquette holds
solid numbers of kings too. The
Mighty Muskegon has plenty of big
kings but you need a boat to reach
the hotspots. The Grand River has
overlooked king honey holes and the
Kalamazoo gets a solid run of fish
as well. The St. Joseph River offers
great fishing but again you need a
river boat to reach the best locations.
Your goal for limit catches is to
locate deep holes holding maximum
numbers of fish.
Float fishing has taken over
stream and river fishing by storm.
The advantages are many and gone
are the days of bottom bouncing,
snagging gear and breaking lines.
Today’s wise anglers float presenta-
tions over debris using long rods,
center pin reels and specialized line.
Most combine a custom stand up
float and string of split shot above
the hook. Use a barrel swivel above
size #4 Eagle Claw or Gamakatsu
egg hook. Use an 18-24 inch clear
fluorocarbon leader of 8-12 pound
mono attached to a small ant size
Black Bird barrel swivel with a
main line of 10-18 pound test.
Savvy anglers use center pin style
drift fishing reels and custom stand
up style floats. Others prefer a bob-
ber and spinning reel attached to a
long 10-12 ft. drift fishing rod.
Get in position at the head of
the hole and cast slightly upstream,
mend loose line and allow the float
to drift the exact speed of the current
the full length of the hole. Keep
your rod tip held high to eliminate
line drag and allow line to free spool
off the reel as the bobber moves
downstream. Try to cast upstream
from the suspected salmon hideout
where the splash of your float and
shot does not spook fish. If your
float is moving fast add more shot
and if the float is barely moving you
can get by with only a few small
BBs.
If you find ’em and have a picnic
fighting and landing hawg salmon
but the action goes dead, take a
break. Step back from the pool, eat
a sandwich, drink some water, sit on
the bank and enjoy the scenic beauty
and give fish 30-45 minutes to relax.
Use the break as an opportunity to
rig frayed leaders or replace the not
so sharp hook. Senior fishermen are
quick to use the break to set the rod
down, lay on the bank and take a
power nap. Believe me on more than
one king outing I’ve relaxed against a
cedar tree, dozed off only to have the
splash of active salmon wake me up.
King salmon are Michigan’s
premiere Great Lakes species and I
hope you find time this September
to make a trek to area streams in
search of a monster. Savvy anglers
schedule trips following strong
northwest winds which create high
seas and push salmon into skinny
water and they charge up rivers and
streams. Many times a downpour
or a couple days of fall-like cool
overcast weather will cause salmon
to pile up in the lower sections of
many waterways.n
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WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 11
 RECOVERING
BOWSHOT DEER
O
ver my 50-plus
years of bowhunt-
ing whitetails I’ve
learned that patience
must be applied
to just about ev-
ery aspect of it, and this can’t be
any more overstated than what to
do once a deer has been shot. I’ve
taken around 100 bucks and likely
as many does with a bow and have
also aided in the recovery of deer
for many of my friends. There was
a learning curve over the years as
to how long I waited before trailing
based on the hit, the distances trav-
eled before expiration per type of
hit, expiration times, duration time
of recovery based on the terrain,
types of nasty terrain some poorly
hit deer gravitated to and what vitals
were hit upon field dressing.
One would think that for as
much film and ink is printed about
how to go about getting shot oppor-
tunities that there would be a decent
amount of instructional information
about the recovery process, but there
isn’t. In fact I’ve seen many poor
hit deer on TV and in videos where
they would have done the viewing
audience a favor if they wouldn’t
have edited out the entire recovery
process. No matter how hard we
try to avoid it, not all deer are hit
perfectly and die within sight or
hearing distance.
With modern equipment a pass
through is common and should
always be the goal. From elevated
stands, a high entry without a pass
through will oftentimes leave a
poor blood trail because the blood
remains within the body cavity
whereas with a low exit the blood
will spill onto the ground leaving a
good blood trail if a vital organ was
hit.
When a whitetail has been hit,
watch until he is out of sight and
then listen until out of hearing dis-
tance and unless he expired within
sight, mark the last sighting with a
landmark that will be easily recog-
nized once you’re on the ground. If
you heard him run quite a distance
beyond that landmark, before exit-
ing the tree use your compass and
take an approximate reading as to
which direction he went from the
landmark. The reading will give you
a direction to search if there is a lack
of blood.
Even if you saw him fall or
lie down, play it safe and wait 20
minutes to exit your stand otherwise
your exit noise could spook him if
12 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
By John Eberhart
he hasn’t expired. While waiting,
mentally re-run the shot procedure
to ensure you of the angle the deer
was facing, and where the arrow
entered as they should give you an
idea of what vitals if any were hit
giving you an idea of how long to
wait before making the recovery.
With a pass through check your
recovered arrow for the following
#1
clues and react accordingly
With a shot in
the front half of
the chest cavity
the likely vitals
hit would be the lungs and/or heart.
Dense coagulated blood likely
indicates a heart hit and if there are
tiny air bubbles in the blood it was a
lung or combination heart/lung hit.
If both lungs and/or the heart
were hit there should be a decent
blood trail beginning at or very near
the shot site and the deer will expire
within sight or hearing distance (50
to 100 yards is the norm). Often-
times during their full throttle death
run they don’t follow routes and
I’ve had two bucks run headfirst into
trees with one breaking off an antler.
Even if your arrow doesn’t pass
through with this shot and there is
no blood trail because the blood
remained in the chest cavity, the
deer should be easily recovered by
making visual circles from where
the deer was last seen or heard.
On straight down or severely
quartering shots it’s common to hit
only one lung and in this case he
must be given several hours before
attempting recovery. When trailing,
if you bump him, back off and give
him several more hours before con-
tinuing. Just as with humans, deer
can live with one lung and depend-
ing on where in the lung the arrow
passed, the deer may survive.
I’ve taken three bucks that had
scarred over arrow wounds through
one lung and know two recovery
dog trackers that hesitate to search
for deer in which the hunter tells
them they took nearly straight down
or hard quartering shots into the
lung area. A dog will find nearly 100
percent of gut and liver hit deer, but
the percentage odds of recovering a
single lung hit deer where the arrow
obviously missed the heart, due to
the distance the deer traveled before
seeking a tracking dog, are rela-
tively low.
The takeaway is with any sem-
blance of a broadside shot angle,
a just behind the shoulder double
lung hit should always be your goal.
Lungs are much larger than the heart
leaving a bigger margin for error
and depending on the shot angle the
heart can be partially protected by
shoulder blade. Also, the blood from
a double lung shot deer quickly fills
the air passageways in both lungs
drowning the deer a bit quicker than
a heart shot where the deer runs un-
til it pumps most of the blood from
#2
its system.
A center or
mid-body shot
is likely to hit
the liver, stom-
ach or both. This is a common hit
because many hunters tend to body
shoot instead of aiming just behind
the shoulder for a double lung hit.
If the arrow is covered in dense
coagulated blood only it was likely
a liver shot, if there is also a gritty
substance mixed in with the dense
blood it was a liver/stomach hit, if
there is minimal blood and green to
brown stomach matter on the arrow
it was a stomach hit, all of which are
lethal.
With a liver or liver/stomach hit
there should be an easy to follow
blood trail to the expiration site
if the deer is given sufficient time
to bleed out before an attempted
recovery. A high entry into the body
cavity without an exit may be an
exception because most of the blood
will remain within the body cavity.
The liver lies behind the lungs
and in front of the stomach and
a deer’s ribcage ends where the
stomach begins making the entire
liver somewhat protected by thin
ribs with a broadside shot angle.
An arrow has no problem penetrat-
ing through a couple ribs but the
ribs will leave a telltale sign on
the broadhead that the liver was
hit. If with a mid-body shot your
recovered broadhead has a dulled
or ragged edged blade or blades,
they hit rib bone and likely passed
through the liver. This is important
to note with a questionable stomach/
liver hit because deer will expire
quicker if the liver was also hit.
Liver shot deer can have huge
variances in expiration times and
there’s no way of judging how much
time it will take the deer to expire
just by looking at the amount of
blood on your arrow or the ground.
I’ve witnessed liver shot deer
expire in 10 minutes and have had
others with really good blood trails
for the first 100 yards still be alive
after 16 hours even though they
were too weak to get up.
The reason for such diversity
in expiration times, and distances
if pushed, is that the arteries enter-
ing the front portion of the liver are
large whereas the vessels in the rear
and around the edges are tiny. When
large arteries are severed the deer
bleeds out quickly whereas when
tiny vessels are severed it can take
many hours because they bed down
within a short distance which lowers
their heart rate and slows the bleed-
ing.
Liver hit deer rarely travel very
far prior to getting sick and bedding
down and they also retain their full
mental capacities until they expire.
When only small vessels are hit and
a recovery attempt is made too soon,
the deer will be pushed into dense
or wet areas in which a recovery
will be more difficult and in some
marshy swamp areas, nearly impos-
sible.
The dreaded gut or intestine
shot! Many whitetails are lost to
these shots, and that should not be
the case. The procedure for this shot
is simple. Even with a pass through
a gut or further back in the body in-
testine shot deer will not leave much
of a blood trail, but will die and be
easily recovered if given ample time
before a recovery is attempted.
With a liver, liver/stomach or
intestine hit wait 30 minutes before
quietly getting out of your tree,
picking up your arrow for inspection
and leaving the area. Do not even
consider walking in the direction the
deer went for at least 4 hours and if
the temperature is below 40 degrees,
wait at least 8 hours as the longer
you wait the better the odds of a
short recovery.
If while tracking, you see him
bedded up ahead with his head up,
or you jump him, even if the blood
trail is easy to follow, mark the spot
and wait another 4 hours before
resuming your search.
Early in the season when the
ground foliage is dense a poorly hit
deer recovery may require a lot of
searching, so if there is no blood
trail get as many friends as possible
and form an organized grid search.
If there is water in the area in
the form of a creek, river or pond
and you’ve lost the blood trail, make
sure to search the banks and look
into the water for the carcass as both
liver and gut shot deer will gravitate
to and oftentimes die in the water.
Doctors have told me that liver and
gut wounds burn and lying down in
the water is a way of cooling down.
In 2016 I knew I had hit a big
buck in the liver and gave him 5
hours before searching and found
the 11-point expired in the middle of
#3
a small pond.
Dense coagulated
blood with a neck
or hind quarter
shot indicates the
jugular vein, femoral or aorta artery
was hit.
A Whitetail’s Circulatory System
These are all large veins and
arteries that pump blood from the
heart throughout the body. The jugu-
lar veins run through the neck and
into the brain, the aorta runs from
the heart up and along the spine
and the femoral arteries connect to
the aorta and run through each hind
quarter and down the back legs.
When any of these 3 primary
blood vessels is severed there should
be an easy to follow blood trail to
the expiration location and expira-
tion is just a matter of time. Howev-
er, with this hit the deer should still
be given sufficient time to bleed out
before a recovery attempt is made
and this is especially the case with a
femoral artery hit depending on how
far down the leg the hit was.
If you’re positive you hit the
jugular vein in the neck you only
need to wait an hour, but with an
aorta or femoral artery hit wait at
least several hours before attempting
a recovery and then use the same
recovery process as a liver shot deer.
On an evening hunt in 1989 my
12 year-old son Joe hit a 3-point in
a rear leg just below the knee and
severed the femoral artery. I knew
that the farther down the leg the
artery went, the smaller the artery
got and the less blood it pumped.
We left him alone overnight and he
only went 150 yards before bed-
ding down and bleeding out. He had
lived well into the night as he was
still warm when we gutted him out
which meant that had we searched
just after dark we would have
pushed him.
No matter the angle of shot, the
neck or hind quarters should never
be the target area as the jugular and
femoral arteries running through
them are only about the diameter of
a 16 penny nail and hits that don’t
sever those arteries are usually not
fatal. Of my 31 Michigan record
book bucks, 28 of them carried at
least one old wound and many of
them still carried the bullet or broad-
head and most projectiles were in
#4
the neck or a hind quarter.
A high shot into
the back that
severs the spinal
cord will disable
a deer’s hind legs.
A shot that severs the spine will
drop the deer immediately but un-
less the aorta artery is also hit (aorta
artery explained earlier) the deer
will have its full mental capacities
and will need to be shot again in the
lung area to kill him. It’s suggested
to make the second killing shot as
soon as possible as sometimes a
deer can move pretty fast by pull-
ing himself with his front legs. On
2 occasions in the distant past I had
to chase bucks down for quite a
distance (once was a quarter mile)
before getting a second shot because
while getting down from the tree
to take another shot up close, they
crawled away at a brisk pace.
Common cause: While at full
draw there is something archery
instructors call a shooting triangle
which is comprised of the 3 distanc-
es; from your shooting eye to anchor
point, from anchor point to bow
hand, and from bow hand back to
shooting eye. When a hunter prac-
tices and sights in from the ground
their head is straight upright and the
distance from their shooting eye to
anchor point is longer than when
they tilt their head downward when
shooting from a tree before drawing
their bow. Tilting their head down-
ward shortens the shooting eye to
anchor point distance and changes
the shooting triangle and causes the
hunter to shoot high. Lowering their
arm from parallel (when practicing)
also slightly alters the triangle.
The ideal scenario is to prac-
tice and sight in from an elevation
similar to that of what most of your
hunting sites are set at. I always
practice from a platform that’s 25
feet off the ground so my bow is
sighted in using the exact same form
(shooting triangle) I will be using
#5
when taking a shot.
A thin layer of
blood indicates
a flesh or small
artery hit.
Unless a large vein or artery is
hit a deer will rarely die from a flesh
wound. Flesh wounds often leave
blood trails that are misleading and
look as though the deer will expire,
but generally the trail eventually just
runs out. However, when an animal
is hit you must make a concerted
effort to recover it.
Wait at least four hours before
trailing a flesh wounded deer, al-
lowing the deer to bed down and
possibly bleed out or become weak
if the artery is large enough to keep
the coagulating blood from plugging
the artery and stopping the bleeding.
If you jump him and the blood trail
is still easy to follow, back off for
several more hours before resuming
the search. Continue this process un-
til recovery or the blood trail expires
which will usually be the case. If a
large artery was not hit, the blood
will coagulate in the artery and stop
#6
the bleeding.
A slick slippery
shaft indicates
the arrow passed
through an area
with thick tallow such as; a high hit
along the loin, a brisket or low chest
hit or a high hind-quarter hit.
An arrow shaft coated with tal-
low is not a promising sign. Howev-
er with hard quartering shot angles
there can be tallow on the arrow
Recovering page 14
WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 13
 Recovering: from page 13 In many instances you can go
faster by looking for kicked up
leaves or dirt, especially if it has
with it still having passed through instincts and will usually be bed- rained recently, which makes any
vitals. Tallow can plug an exit ded nice and neatly in a hard to alterations on the ground very easy
wound, so with a low brisket exit find place when they expire. I once to identify.
through tallow if you do not find recovered a buck that had crawled When trailing through dense
a lot of blood, do not be surprised. under the low hanging branches of a brush, tall ferns, weeds, marsh
The arrow will likely be wiped clean large spruce tree. There were several grasses and cattails you will often
by the tallow as well, leaving no in- spruce trees in the area where the find more blood on the tall vegeta-
dicator of what might have been hit blood ran out and I just started lift- tion than on the ground due to the
internally. This hit should be treated ing the branches that hung to the deer’s body rubbing against it. If
similar to a gut shot unless you are ground to check under them. you think a deer may have expired
sure that the arrow passed through When trailing any deer with a in tall vegetation climbing trees may
some vitals. questionable hit you may want to enable you to look down into the tall

#7
consider taking your bow because stuff for a white belly or carcass.
A solid bone hit you may have to shoot the deer Wounded deer that retain their
such as a shoul- again to finish him off. full instincts will almost always take
the easiest route to get to a secure The author recovered this liver hit
der or knuckle If it’s raining or rain is in the 11-point that expired in a pond.
with no penetra- forecast, still wait the suggested destination area. When blood trails
tion will obviously not kill a deer. time before attempting recovery. are lost, check nearby runways, bow, quietly cut over 15 rows (count
This hit will make a loud whack- Yes, rain will wash away most lanes, low spots or holes in fence- them as you go) downwind from the
ing sound and typically the deer will blood, however with a poorly hit rows, or whatever route is easiest row he’s in, then quietly go down
run off with all but a couple inches deer you are still better off wait- for you to travel in that direction, to that row about 200 yards in the
of the arrow sticking out. The arrow ing and having him expire within a try and pick up the trail. same direction the deer was travel-
will eventually jar out or be pulled couple hundred yards as opposed to When trailing through a large ing, then cut back the 15 rows. This
out by the deer. Odds are not in your pushing him into a swamp or dense grass or weed field, which can be will put you in the same row the
favor but make every effort to find area of cover where the odds of difficult to trail in, look at the last deer was in. Set up a simple ambush
your arrow to insure that you did not recovery will be greatly reduced. two locations and get a line. Using site one or two rows off to the side
that line, go across the field and skirt
Tracking Process
penetrate deep enough to reach any and wait for him to start trailing.
vitals, and follow any blood trail and search the inside edge of the You may get a shot if he pushes the
until it expires. It’s common to go over the same tree line where blood will be easier deer past you. This same scenario
Deer vary in color shades, so trail several times before spotting to see on the leaves. Resume the can also be used if you are pushing
only when there’s white hair on the specks of blood and when trailing search once found. a deer towards a known funnel in a
ground do I pay any attention to gets difficult, slow down, get closer If a deer runs into a large stand- wooded area.
hair. White hair will give you ad- to the ground and check the ground ing cornfield there is an excellent Whenever you question whether
ditional information on location of before placing your foot with each chance that it will travel down the to immediately look, or wait prior to
entry or exit. It’s advised to look at step. same row because running against blood trailing a deer, always wait as
the rows is more difficult. If the
INTRODUCING
pictures or roadTHE NEW
kills to verify where Mark last blood with something your odds of recovery will be much
INTRODUCING
the common THE NEWpatches of hair
white easily visible like tissue or flagging hit was questionable and there is a greater. Also keep in mind that the
are located. tape and keep at least two mark- chance the deer will be alive and larger the animal, the longer it will
Unlike double lung or heart ers on the trail behind you to give bedded in the cornfield due to its usually take for him to expire (this
shot deer that expire all ™ ™
sprawled a direction to go by. If the deer was security cover, get your bow and is true with any type of hit).
“THE
outSTRONGEST.
with theirBECAUSE
white Ibelly
SAID SO.”
show- running, the direction of the blood a friend and have him stand at last In highly populated areas where
“THE STRONGEST. BECAUSE I SAID SO.” blood while giving you half an hour
– STEVE
ing, liver, AUSTINintestine, and
stomach splatters on the leaves can also aid property prices are high and hunting
large– STEVE
arteryAUSTIN
shot deer maintain their in the direction he is going before he starts trailing. With your parcels are often small, some neigh-
bors will refuse to let you trail on

WORK
WORK PLAY
PLAY
their property. The longer you wait
INTRODUCING THE NEW
14TH Annual for recovery, the better your odds
that if the deer is expired, he will
™ be on your property. I know several
“THE STRONGEST. BECAUSE I SAID SO.” Buck Pole/ hunters and have heard many others

HARD PLAYHARD
– STEVE AUSTIN
that had their bucks stolen by non-

HARD HARD
Family Event friendly or jealous neighbors.

WORK
Just as being patient is the most
important aspect of receiving shot
NOV. 15TH! opportunities, patience is also the
most important aspect of recovering

HARD HARD ea
poorly hit deer.

Receiv
Built to work hard on and off the job, The MULE PRO-FXR™ stands out with John has 31 bucks in the Michi-
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KAWASAKI CARES: Always wear protective gear appropriate for the use of this vehicle. Never operate under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Protect
in-field/classroom workshops will
the environment. The Kawasaki MULE™ side x side is an off-highway vehicle only, and is not designed, equipped, or manufactured for use on public
give you the knowledge to take
KAWASAKI CARES:Motors
streets; roads or highways. Obey the laws and regulations that control the use of your vehicle. Read Owner’s Manual and all on product warnings.
Always wear protective gear appropriate for the use of this vehicle. Never operate under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Protect mature bucks. For information on
KAWASAKI©2017
CARES: Always wear
Kawasaki protective
Corp., U.S.A. Printedgear appropriate for the use of this vehicle. Never operate under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Protect
in U.S.A.
the environment. The Kawasaki MULE™ side x side is an off-highway vehicle only, and is not designed, equipped, or manufactured for use on public
the environment. Eberhart’s Whitetail Workshops or
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Kawasaki MotorsObey
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please visit: www.deer-john.netn
1418MULEFXR6x5c
SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
18MULEFXR6x5c
 Waterfowl reserved hunt
applications now available
R
eserved waterfowl hunt
applications are available
now through Tuesday, Aug.
28. To apply for reserved
hunts on certain managed waterfowl
areas, visit a license agent or michi-
gan.gov/waterfowl. Applications
are $5, and hunters may only apply
once. Drawing results will be posted
Sept. 17.
Reserved hunts will be held
both mornings and afternoons of the
opening weekend (Oct. 13 and 14)
of waterfowl hunting season at Fish
Point State Wildlife Area, Harsens
Island and Shiawassee River State
Game Area.
Fall bird-hunting season
W
ith bird hunting
season just around
the corner, it’s a great
time to plan a fall
hunting trip.
Michigan has millions of acres
of huntable public land, with excel-
lent young forests that have made
northern Michigan a destination for
many.
GEMS and Mi-HUNT are two
DNR-developed programs to help
build a public-land hunting itinerary.
Nineteen GEMS (Grouse En-
hanced Management Sites) in the
northern Lower Peninsula and Up-
per Peninsula will be available
to explore this fall. GEMS are
large blocks of land managed for
young forests, with winding hunter
walking trails that provide added
comfort to those unfamiliar with an
area or those with mobility chal-
lenges.
Visit michigan.gov/gems for an
The maximum party size is four
hunters. For morning hunts and the
second-day hunts, successful appli-
cants must have appropriate licenses
and stamps and be accompanied by
one to three other appropriately li-
censed hunters. Youth have a special
opportunity because the opening-
day afternoon hunts are for those 16
and younger. Successful applicants
for the opening-day afternoon hunts
can have up to two adults who are
18 years of age or older with appro-
priate licenses.
For more information about wa-
terfowl hunting, visit www.michi-
gan.gov/waterfowl.n
interactive map, information about
individual GEMS, custom maps and
information about local businesses
showing support by offering dis-
counts.
Mi-HUNT is another option
for hunters who already know the
general area they’d like to hunt but
want specific stand and road infor-
mation. Visit michigan.gov/mihunt
to watch the tutorials that can help
you use the mapping system to its
full potential.
Michigan’s grouse season runs
Sept. 15 to Nov. 14 and Dec. 1 to
Jan. 1. Woodcock, a migratory bird,
have an abbreviated season, Sept. 22
to Nov. 5. To hunt grouse and wood-
cock in Michigan, hunters only need
a base license. To target woodcock,
a free woodcock stamp is required.
Licenses and stamps may be pur-
chased online at E-License or at one
of the many license agents across
the state.n
WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 15
 We Do
It All!
Midwest's Best
NRC approves
Selection of
Hunting - Fishing
- Boats!
deer regulations
related to CWD
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t the August meet- 16-county CWD Management Zone.
value Check In Store ing of the Michigan Under the new regulation, a hunter
For Many More! SALE in the CWD Management Zone can
w/purchase Natural Resources
$
299.99* Commission in Lan-
sing, the commission
use the restricted tag of the combi-
nation license to harvest a buck with
Terrain Hunting Blind PreSeason Special Hot Buy: approved a series of
deer hunting regulations aimed at
antlers as long as it has at least one
3-inch antler.
Edge Range Archer slowing the spread of chronic wast- • Created a discounted antler-
48x48x78 75x72x85 75x72x85 ing disease. The action came after
months of commission members and
less license opportunity in the CWD
Management Zone on private land;
Reg. $549.99 Reg. $699.99 Reg. $799.99
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Department of Natural Resources if purchased, the license will expire
Nov. 4, 2018.
399.99* 499.99* 599.99*
$ $ $ staff hearing from hunters, residents
and others interested in the long- • Effective immediately, a
term health of the state’s deer popu- statewide ban on the use of all
GIANT KAYAK, BOAT, MOTOR & ELECTRONICS CLEARANCE
lation, and a thorough review of the natural cervid urine-based lures
best available science on chronic and attractants, except for lures that
wasting disease. are approved by the Archery Trade
Boat Clearance -2018 Model Clearance “We hope that by setting these Association.
specific CWD regulations we can • An immediate ban on baiting
on all Pontoons & Fishing Boats limit the movement of this disease and feeding in the 16-county area
Save up to in Michigan,” said Vicki Pontz,
NRC chairperson. “We appreciate
identified as the CWD Management
Zone. This area includes Calhoun,
$10,000 all the comments we have received Clinton, Eaton, Gratiot, Hillsdale,
Ranger – Triton – Nitro – from across the state. Michigan Ingham, Ionia, Isabella, Jackson,
Tracker – Qwest – Regency hunters are very passionate about Kent, Mecosta, Montcalm, Muskeg-
deer and deer hunting, and I look on, Newaygo, Ottawa and Shiawas-
Lots of Trolling Motor Specials! forward to working with them as
we continue to confront this threat
see counties.
• A ban on baiting and feeding in
Fishfinder/GPS Sale Rig Take Off Minn Kota Talon Non-Bluetooth
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CWD is a fatal neurological ban for hunters with disabilities who
Reg. $889.99 SALE meet specific requirements. The start
$
749.99*
(brain and nervous system) dis-
10’ red, 12’ red or black ease found in cervids – deer, elk date on this regulation is intended
Humminbird - Minn Kota - MotorGuide - Garmin - Lowrance and moose. The disease attacks to allow bait producers and retailers
Minn Kota and MotorGuide Warranty Center the brains of infected animals and time to adjust to the new rule.
produces small lesions that result • Effective immediately in
Kayaks – Giant Fishing Kayak Year End Sale! in death. There is no cure; once an the CWD Management Zone and
Jackson – Evoke – Bonafide – NuCanoe - Ascend animal is infected, it will die. four-county bovine tuberculosis
KL Journey 10SS Sit on NuCanoe Flint The disease first was discovered area (in Alcona, Alpena, Montmo-
in Michigan in a free-ranging deer rency and Oscoda counties), hunters
w/ Free w/ Free in May 2015. To date, more than with disabilities who meet specific
paddle floor kit 31,000 deer in Michigan have been requirements can now use 2 gallons
tested for chronic wasting disease, of single-bite bait, such as shelled
Reg.
$329.99 SALE
$
229.99*
Reg.
$999.99 SALE
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799.99* and CWD has been confirmed in 60
free-ranging deer in six Michigan
corn, during the Liberty and Inde-
pendence hunts.
D&R SPORTS CENTER INC. counties: Clinton, Ingham, Ionia,
Jackson, Kent and Montcalm.
• Allowance of all legal firearms
to be used in muzzleloader season in
8178 W. MAIN STREET, KALAMAZOO, MI 49009 The approved deer hunting regu- the CWD Management Zone.
lations, which will be in effect for • A purchase limit of 10 private-
1-800-992-1520 O P E N 7 D AY S the 2018 deer seasons unless noted land antlerless licenses per hunter in
269-372-BASS Mon. & Tues. 9-6;
Wed., Thurs. & Fri. 9-8; otherwise, include: the CWD Management Zone.
www.dandrsports.com Sat. 9-5; Sun. 10-4 • Reduced the 4-point on-a-side • Restrictions on deer carcass
* PICTURES MAY NOT BE ACTUAL PRODUCT ADVERTISED. NOT RESPONSI- antler requirement on the restricted movement in the five-county CWD
BLE FOR MISPRINT, SALE PRICES TILL 9-16-18 OR WHILE SUPPLIES LAST. tag of the combination license in the Core Area (Ionia, Kent, Mecosta,
16 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
Montcalm and Newaygo counties)
and the CWD Management Zone.
• Antlerless options on deer
licenses/combo licenses during
firearms seasons in the five-county
CWD Core Area.
• Expansion of early and late
antlerless seasons in select counties.
• Changes to regulations regard-
ing wildlife rehabilitators.
In addition, the commission
asked the DNR to move forward
with:
• An experimental mandatory
antler point restriction regulation
in a five-county CWD Core Area,
including Ionia, Kent, Mecosta,
Montcalm and Newaygo counties.
The restriction would begin in 2019,
provided a survey of hunters shows
support for the requirement and spe-
cific department guidelines are met.
This is intended as a tool to evaluate
the effects of antler point restric-
tions on the spread and prevalence
of CWD, along with deer population
reduction.
• A hunter-submitted proposal
for mandatory antler point restric-
tions in Huron, Tuscola, Sanilac, St.
Clair and Lapeer counties. If hunter
surveys support this regulation and
specific department guidelines are
See us at the 32nd Annual Woods-N-Water News Outdoor Weekend
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met, it would be implemented in
2019.
These regulations come after
much collaborative work to better
understand the scope and pathways
of CWD and best management ac-
tions. In October 2017, Michigan
hosted a CWD symposium that
brought together roughly 200 wild-
life scientists and other experts from
across the country.
Recommendations/Public Outreach
Shortly after the symposium,
the DNR and the Natural Resources
Commission announced the creation
of a nine-member Chronic Wasting
Disease Working Group. This group
was charged with developing rec-
ommendations on additional steps
and actions to substantially mitigate
CWD in Michigan and in January
presented initial recommendations
centered on messaging, partnership
funding, regional management, and
the importance of continuing a solid
science-based approach.
Throughout April and May of
this year, the DNR hosted a series
of public engagement meetings in
Bay City, Cadillac, Detroit, DeWitt,
Gaylord, Houghton, Iron Mountain,
Kalamazoo, Marquette, Newberry
and Rockford. These meetings
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E-Mail: grabbag@tir.com
The NRC approved a series of deer hunting regulations aimed at
slowing the spread of chronic wasting disease at their Aug. meeting.
provided many opportunities for the More Information on Regulations
DNR to share the latest information Details on all regulations will be
and recommendations about CWD, added to the online hunting digests
while encouraging the public to of- on the DNR website, and DNR staff
fer their best ideas on how to slow will be available at deer-check sta-
the disease. tions during the hunting seasons, too.
During this outreach period, More information about these
more than 650 people attended pub- regulations also will be posted to
lic engagement meetings, and the the michigan.gov/cwd website. For
DNR received comments and sug- additional questions, contact the
gestions via 361 hard-copy surveys DNR Wildlife Division at 517-284-
and 135 online surveys. 9453.n
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WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 17
 September
ROCKS By Mark Martin
N
oticeably shorter
days and chillier
nights are what the
month of September
is all about. It’s the
time frame when
water temperatures begin to cool
and the walleyes start to move into
shallower water from their deep,
summertime haunts in main-lake
basins.
But it’s not just the fish that are
transitioning. Less daylight and
colder water conditions have weeds
of all types starting to wilt and dye
off. It’s usually not a major all-at-
once change, but a gradual one. And
this is a good thing as dying weeds
don’t make for good fish catching.
As the month progresses and
vanishing weeds become a bigger
deal, however, I’ll start fishing rocky
areas more. Here, walleyes find
what forage is left in a system…
including nymphs, crustaceans, min-
nows and young-of-the-year fishes.
For Those About
To Rock, We Salute You
High school Biology 101 taught
us that aquatic plants are the main
life-giving entities when it comes to
creating oxygen. But what wasn’t
talked about is how they can also
produce toxic gasses as they deterio-
rate. And these noxious vapors are
why fish eventually abandon decay-
ing weed beds.
Whether it’s a rock pile in shal-
low water, or, a rock-strewn area off
the first few breaks, huge boulders,
baseball-sized or pea-sized gravel,
walleye will abandon the dead flora
and swim about these hard-bot-
tomed areas in search of food.
One of the best ways I have
found to find rocky areas in water-
ways I am unfamiliar with is with
the SideScan Imaging of my Low-
rance HDS Carbon 12 with Struc-
tureScan 3D. With the images dis-
played from both sides of my Lund
with SideScan, I can find rocks with
ease, no matter what depth of water
they are in. And with a simple push
of a button or two, I can move the
cursor over the rocks I find and add
waypoints so that I can run my lures
in just the right place later on.
With SideScan I can literally see
rocks on the screen of my sonar in
near-3D imaging, and even spy fish
cruising the boulder bottoms.
But I also utilized the informa-
18 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
tion on the lay of the land underwa-
ter from the SD card from Navionics
I have inserted in the Carbon’s SD
card holder. Knowing that Mother
Nature has placed rock piles and
rock-strewn areas in similar areas
in most waterways, I can check out
other parts of a lake with parallel
water depths and breaklines within
the same system. With the informa-
tion Navionics mapping tells me,
my scouting time is less than half
of what it used to be before such
electronics were available. And this
information is invaluable.
To Cast Or Troll…
That Is The Question
How I fish rocky areas depends
on where they are in a system.
Rocks in shallow water, say, 3 to 12
feet, I’ll pitch jigs and crankbaits;
anything deeper I’ll often troll over
the tops.
In extremely shallow water,
I’ll cast Rapala’s Original Floating
Minnow, making sure to twitch it
during the retrieve to give it a “fish
in distress” action. The size I use
will depend on how deep the water
is and the forage that’s in the lake.
For example: The size-5 Original is
2-inches long and dives three to five
feet, while the size-7 has the same
dive curve, but, is an inch and a half
longer. And size can matter.
If the fish are preferring jigs, I’ll
tie on a 1/32- or 1/16-ounce North-
land RZ Jig directly to 6-pound test
Berkley FireLine (Flame green, so I
can see a strike as well feel it), and
then put on a Berkley PowerBait
Pro Jig Worm, or, tie on a pre-rigged
PowerBait Power Minnow.
The lighter jig head allows the
bait to fall slowly—which walleyes
love—as well will keep the bait
from getting caught up in the rocks
as much. And I can feel the moment
the jig taps a rock via the super-sen-
sitive FireLine telegraphing through
the graphite of a medium-light-pow-
er Fenwick Elite Tech Walleye Spin-
ning rod, as well that light telltale
tap when an ’eye sucks in my jig.
When fishing rocks in slightly
deeper water, say, 8 to 12 feet, I’ll
use the same jig bodies, but, will up
the weight of the jig head. When it’s
calm I prefer a 1/8-ounce head, but
if the wind’s up I will beef it up to a
1/4-ouncer. Overall, I always use the
lightest weight the wind will allow.
When casting crankbaits to these
As the month progresses and vanishing weeds become a bigger
deal, Mark Mar tin star ts fishing rocky areas more.
deeper areas, I like to use crankbaits
that dive just deep enough so that
the bait just “ticks” the rock tops. A
size-5 Rapala Shad Rap, for exam-
ple, will dive 4 to 9 feet deep, while
the size-5 and new size-4 Rapala
Shad Dancer both dive 7 to 10 feet.
Pulling Over
When fishing rocky areas or
reefs in water 13 feet or more, I like
to cover the water column as much
as I can while offering up as many
baits as possible. And this is why I
prefer trolling in these areas.
I usually start with crankbaits,
but will switch to spinners (crawler
harnesses) if I find the fish are pre-
ferring a slower presentation.
Just as when casting, the depth
my baits are running at is crucial.
Some of the crankbaits I mentioned,
like the Shad Raps and Shad Danc-
ers, are still go-tos when trolling.
Others that are often overlooked,
however, are in the series of Rapala
Scatter Raps, including the Scatter
Rap Tail Dancer, Scatter Rap Deep
Husky Jerk and Scatter Rap Shad
Deep.
The Scatter Rap’s unique lip cre-
ates an erratic action, as if the lure
has a mind of its own. It darts to one
side or the other every so often.
Overall, I pull crankbaits
anywhere from 1.5 MPH up to 2.5
MPH. But if my crankbaits aren’t
getting hits, I’ll switch over to spin-
ners and troll slower.
Just as with crankbaits, size
matters when it comes to spinners.
Colorado blades are what I tend to
use most, with size-3 and -4 blades
used most often, and size-5 and even
size-6 in the Great Lakes. A 1-ounce
in-line weight about 6 feet ahead of
the spinner is a good start.
When trolling at 1 MPH with
a 1-ounce weight, the depth of the
offering will be ½ the depth for the
amount of line out; this means a
spinner 30 feet behind a board will
be 15 feet down. Adjust your spin-
ner and crankbaits to where you are
seeing fish and bait on your sonar.
And using planer boards is a
must in my boat. The Church Tackle
boards I use get my lures out to the
side of the boat and into the faces of
more fish, as well keep my multiple
lines from getting tangled.
Rock on, Dude...Rock On
So, here’s the deal…
When the weed beds you’re so
used to catching fish in suddenly
have no fish, look for the rocks near-
est them. Cast a crankbait; cast a jig;
shallow, deep or in-between. Maybe
troll. No matter what, just figure
out where they are located and get a
bait in front of those rock-oriented
fish.
Mark Martin is a walleye tour-
nament pro, and, instructor with the
Fishing Vacation/Schools. Check
out his website at markmartins.net
for more information.n
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WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 19

 Ready for waterfowl season?
A
By Mark Romanack
vid waterfowl hunters
this time of year start
dreaming about the
upcoming hunting
season. Nothing is
more exciting than
having a flock of birds buzz over-
head, then for those same birds to
swing downwind, set up with the
wind in their faces and pitch right
into a decoy spread.
When a sight like that plays
out, it’s easy to understand why a
case of the “duck fever” takes over.
I’ve watched hunters shoot three
times and never once get the shot-
gun stock anywhere close to their
face! Becoming a better wing shot
requires shooting enough to develop
what is known as muscle memory.
In short, that means doing some-
thing so many times that you don’t
have to think about what to do, your
body just does it for you.
This fall when the moment of
truth arrives will your shooting
skills be up for the challenge? A few
smooth bore shooters are so gifted
they can set down their shotgun in Lots of hunters have discovered how effective hunting from layout blinds can be for waterfowl hunting.
December and not pick it up again Sadly, not many take the time to practice shooting from these blinds. A little off season practice from a
until the following October. For the layout can really help iron out wrinkles in your shooting form.
rest of us, some well-planned pre-
season shooting is essential to make Of course the reverse is true of to sit up, I use the gun to push open normal should be another impor-
sure that when the birds arrive feet left handed shooters who normally the blind door, grab the forearm of tant part of pre-season shooting.
down, we make the most of every do better on targets coming from the gun with my left hand and bring Clay target games generally present
opportunity. the left and moving to the right. For the gun to my face. While all this is rather short range targets. In the real
Lots of hunters practice shoot- lefties, spend some extra time on happening I’m keeping my eye on world it will be necessary to stretch
ing during the summer months. the range practicing targets coming a specific target and slipping off the that shotgun barrel to hit birds at 30,
Unfortunately, a lot of us do little from the right and escaping to the safety just before firing. 35 and even 40 yards.
to challenge ourselves during these left. When you get good at sitting up Regulation trap shooting is a
sometimes overly casual practice
sessions. Powdering a bunch of
Shoot Sitting and shooting well from the seated
position, the next step is to practice
good place to start because this clay
Another common failing among game allows shooters to shoot at 16,
straight away clays in September waterfowl hunters is not practicing picking out not one, but two targets 22 and 27 yard ranges. It’s amazing
might make your ego swell, but it from a seated position. The advent before moving into the shooting po- how much more difficult it is to hit
won’t help much at downing those of layout style blinds has changed sition. I like to avoid shooting at the the 27 yard targets compared to the
high flying and hard crossing birds forever how we hunt waterfowl. closest or what I call the “candy” 16 and 22 yard targets.
come October. Shooting from a seated position bird because normally other shoot- Skeet shooters can challenge
Left /Right Crossers is significantly more difficult than ers will be keying on that bird. This themselves by simply standing a
Most right handed shooters do shooting with your feet and weight helps to avoid two shooters ham- few yards behind the normal station
much better when shooting cross- directly under you. mering the same bird. position. A regulation skeet course is
ing targets that come from the right While a majority of hunters are Shooting well from a layout challenging to most shooters, espe-
and travel to the left. This occurs using layout blinds these days, very blind requires getting to a shooting cially at stations 3, 4 and 5 that in-
because the swing required to shoot few hunters make time to practice position in one rapid and smooth volve hard crossing targets. Adding
at a right to left target forces the gun shooting from the layout position. motion. The only way to achieve just five to 10 yards to the shooting
into the shooter’s cheek and tends to Timing plays a major role in shoot- this critically important sense of distance can be downright hum-
help the shooter keep his or her face ing success and many shooters timing is to practice shooting from a bling. Once a shooter figures out
down on the gun. struggle with the process of opening layout blind again and again. that breaking these crossing targets
When a right hand shooter the blind doors, sitting upright and Try taking your layout blind to requires considerably more forward
is forced to shoot at a target that getting the gun mounted properly. a skeet range and practice shooting allowance, shooting at wild birds in
comes from the left and travels to The transition from laying from the different stations. Even the the field improves dramatically.
the right, a far less natural and fluid almost flat to sitting up and shoot- most skilled skeet shooter is going Sporting clays shooters can
swing occurs. To break these targets ing at rapidly escaping targets is to be humbled by the challenge of simply stand a few feet behind the
consistently and to also do damage no simple task. I’m a right handed calling for a target while stretched station to increase the degree of
on wild birds while hunting requires shooter and I hold the pistol grip of out in a layout blind with the doors difficulty. It’s simply amazing how
spending some extra time concen- my shotgun firmly in my right hand, closed! adding a few feet to an otherwise
trating on keeping the gun moving with my trigger finger on the outside Stretch the Barrel
smoothly on these crossers. of the trigger guard. When it’s time Shooting at targets further than Ready for Waterfowl page 22
20 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 21
Ready for waterfowl:
from page 20
simple shot, changes things dramati-
cally.
Live Bird Shooting
Perhaps the ultimate shotgun
practice for waterfowl hunting
comes in the form of live bird shoot-
ing. Both Ohio and Indiana have
dove hunting seasons that take place
well before waterfowl season opens.
A few days dove shooting in
a neighboring state is the ideal
therapy for working out wing shoot-
ing kinks. Dove shooting is also the
ideal situation for experimenting
with the various chokes and getting
a feel for how much choke and lead
it takes to cleanly drop those high
flyers.
Anyone who can consistently hit
doves approaching from all angles
will have little trouble knocking
down ducks and geese during the
fall. For the motivated shooter who
is really looking for a challenge,
take along your layout blind and
shoot doves from the layout. Now
that’s about as good as practice gets
when it comes to hitting birds on the
wing.
Shooting feral pigeons is another
great way to dial in those shotgun-
ning skills. Pigeons multiply quickly
in agricultural lands and make a nui-
offers a full line of Snowplows/Spreaders for your
ATV/UTV/Light duty and Heavy Duty Truck from
22 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
sance of themselves by soiling farm
equipment and livestock feed.
Most farmers will allow hunters
to help control feral pigeon popula-
tions. Setting up a modest decoy
spread around a couple spinning
wing motion decoys is the best way
to lure in flocks of unsuspecting
pigeons.
The thing about pigeon hunting
is these birds work a decoy spread
exactly like ducks and geese. Setting
up with the wind at your back and
a spread of decoys in front of you
forces the birds to swing, pick up
the wind and decoy straight at the
shooters.
If there is natural cover avail-
able, simply sitting on a lawn chair
and remaining motionless while the
birds work will fool most pigeons.
In harvested grain fields or feed lots
that have little or no cover, using These young hunters have obviously developed some shooting
layout style blinds is the ideal way skills. Days like this one are special among waterfowl hunters who
to expand your practice shooting dream about overcast skies, windy weather and birds that just can’t
sessions. avoid a well-placed decoy spread.
Pigeons in Michigan are con- consistently successful. Thankfully with and encourage your shooting
sidered feral and can be shot at any some of that off season work is buddies to do the same.
time, with the permission of the land pretty darn fun. Spend a little qual- When the birds are raining into
owner of course. ity time this summer and early fall your decoy spread this October and
Summing It Up setting up creative clay target shoot- November, you’ll be glad you spent
Waterfowl hunting is expensive ing situations. Challenge yourself to time exploring the fine art of wing
and it requires a lot of work to be shoot angles you’re not comfortable shooting.n
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WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 23
 quirrels have an
honored place in
American history.
The importance these
prolific tree-dwelling
rodents have had in
the development of our nation is
partially reflected in the way that
accurate muzzleloading rifles of
.45 caliber or smaller were once
known as squirrel guns. In the
movie The Outlaw Josey Wales, a
young surrendered rebel objected
to having his muzzleloader confis-
cated by remarking, “I’ll be needin’
that fer squirrels and such.” In the
vast forests of the New World, tree
squirrels were a plentiful year-round
source of meat, and squirrel stew
was regular fare for commoners and
aristocrats alike.
The squirrel family is a broad
one, including everything from
groundhogs to chipmunks. But to-
day’s hunters are concerned primar-
ily with tree squirrels of the genus
Sciurus (literally, “shadetail”) par-
ticularly the larger Fox Squirrel, S.
carolinensis, and the Gray Squirrel,
S. niger. The family also includes
the half-pound red squirrel, although
that species has never been popular
with hunters because of its small
size. All squirrels are edible and
nutritious, although most are lacking
in fat, and some species is found ev- This photo of a gray squirrel’s typical feeding posture illustrates where the Genus name “shadetail” was derived.
erywhere in the world, which makes
squirrels the most important game in gray-barked trees, like beech. Fox emergencies - have a unique habit fulness or simply a drive to continue
a real-world survival scenario. squirrels generally include pines in of gathering pine and spruce cones with daily life, squirrels that melted
Adult fox squirrels weigh up their chosen territories, and their in autumn, and placing them into into the trees at the first hint of dan-
to 2.5 pounds at maturity, making grizzled rusty-red coats are all but round “nests” at the base of large ger seem to ignore a source of fear if
them the largest tree squirrels, while invisible against the dead needles of trees, where they might easily be it also ignores them. I’ve taken more
grays, which may be either gray a wind-broken branch. Few animals found later. than a half-dozen squirrels from the
or black, weigh up to 1.5 are better at hiding in plain Hunting lore claims that squir- same location using this time-prov-
pounds. Except for envi- sight than a tree squirrel. rels remember each seed and nut en method.
ronmental differences, like Food preferences and they bury, but in fact, a squirrel’s I prefer simply to walk along
wetter beech forests and behaviorisms are largely nose is among the keenest in the wooded hiking trails until a squirrel
drier oak forests, they share the same among tree world. A hungry gray or fox squir- reveals itself, a technique some-
the same habits, mating squirrels. Acorns, winged rel can detect the scent of a buried one once dubbed “stroll-hunting.”
seasons, and food prefer- maple samaras, pine cones nut through more than 6 inches of Freshly cut nut-bearing twig ends
ences. Both species are and other nuts are prized hardpack snow, then burrow down lying about on the ground tell of
prolific, mating in spring for their nutritional con- to retrieve it, leaving body-diameter harvest work in overhead branches,
and fall. Squirrels have tents, and the forest floor diagonal tunnels whose entrances and are a sure sign that squirrels are
are marked by a small spray of exca- present. Tunnel-like excavations
By Len McDougall
become such a beneath these
popular game trees will often vated dirt. They never actually find under fallen leaves, sometimes with
animal that they be littered with all of the nuts they’ve buried, which a spray of fresh soil at their open-
were imported to Europe, where fruit-bearing twigs that have been guarantees a regularly replenished ings, identify nut caches that their
gray squirrels, like imported rab- nipped free by a foraging squirrel’s crop of young trees to replace those owner won’t venture far from, on
bits in Australia, have proliferated sharp incisors. When a dozen or so lost to age or weather. penalty of losing claimed territory to
out of control, and now account for such twigs have been nipped free, In spite of acute olfactory sens- another squirrel.
millions of dollars in urban property the squirrel descends to harvest and es, good eyesight, and an elevated Listen too for barks, sharp
damage each year. cache the nuts. habitat that affords advantageous chirps, and chattering from the for-
One difference between black- Gray and fox squirrels cache use of both, there are chinks in old est canopy, even when all leaves
and gray-colored squirrels is type supplies of winter food in hollow bushytail’s armor. The most profit- have fallen. The most successful
of forest preferred by each. Gray trees and rock crevices, but most able is a short attention span that squirrel hunters have learned to
squirrels that are black tend to live nuts are buried individually in small, hunters can exploit by just sitting identify and locate their prey by
among oaks and maples whose bark shallow holes near the parent tree. quietly for about fifteen minutes using the sounds it makes. They’ve
color approximates their fur color. Red squirrels - which are consid- after shooting and retrieving one of
Gray squirrels that are gray prefer ered survival fare in wilderness their numbers. Whether it’s forget- Squirrel page 26
24 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
 RANDY'S HUNTING CENTER 26TH ANNUAL
USED GUN AUCTION
Rifles • Shotguns • Pistols
Sunday, September 9TH, 2018 • 11:00 a.m.
at the Woods-N-Water News Outdoor Weekend
at the Imlay City Eastern Michigan Fairgrounds
1. Marlin Model 60 semi-auto .22 LR with lightweight thumbhole stock...........................66640
2. CVA Optima .50 cal. muzzleloader.........................................................................................N/A
3. Mossberg 190 K-A bolt-action 16 ga. w/ removable mag and C-Lect choke.................71749
4. Thunderbolt Model JL .22 S, L, LR single shot rifle........................................................69654
5. Stevens Model 94 12 ga. Single shot with case color hardened receiver.....................71705
6. Knight DISC inline .50 cal. muzzleloader..............................................................................N/A
7. Remington 550-1 semi-auto .22 S, L, LR tube-fed rifle....................................................71750
8. Winchester 1300 pump-action 12 ga. w/ fully rifled barrel and rifle sights...................67354
9. Remington 742 Woodsmaster semi-auto .30-06 Sprg. w/ scope....................................72271
10. Glenfield (Marlin) Model 60 semi-auto .22 LR wood/blue................................................62852
11. New England Firearms Pardner Pump 12 ga. 28” barrel NEW IN BOX.........................66425
12. Mossberg 802 Plinkster .22 LR magazine-fed bolt-action rifle.......................................71739
13. Knight LK-93 .54 caliber muzzleloader with stainless steel barrel....................................N/A
14. Winchester SXP Waterfowl pump-action 12 ga. w/ Dead ringer sights.........................67357
15. Remington 770 bolt-action .270 Win. w/ 3-9x40mm scope.............................................69613
16. Traditions Yukon .50 cal. Muzzleloader w/ camo/nickel finish...........................................N/A
17. Remington 870 pump-action 12 ga. Shotgun w/ 28” vent rib barrel..............................66377
18. Ruger American bolt-action .22 MAG!! AS NEW!!..........................................................71487
19. Traditions Vortek .50 cal. Muzzleloader, full camo w/ ported barrel..................................N/A
20. ATI Omni AR-15 5.56/.223 Rem. w/ red dot holographic sight........................................72132
21. Remington 11-87 Tactical semi-auto 12 ga. w/ extended tube/red dot/ported..............66367
22. Hi-Point 995 semi-auto 9mm carbine rifle NEW IN BOX!!...............................................69696
23. Hawes Firearms single action .22 LR revolver with fixed sights...................................72300
24. Hi-Point JHP semi-auto .45 ACP pistol.............................................................................72301
25. Ruger LCP semi-auto .380 ACP w/ original box...............................................................72303
26. Bersa Firestorm semi-auto .380 ACP 7-shot great shooting pistol................................72305
27. Hi-Point C9 semi-auto 9mm pistol.....................................................................................72306
28. Taurus 24/7 G2 .40 S&W full-size semi-auto pistol two-tone w/ box..............................72307
29. Davis Industries DM-22 .22 MAGNUM derringer Chrome finish PRETTY......................72315
30. AMT Back-Up stainless steel semi-auto .380 ACP pistol................................................72316
31. Sig Sauer P229 semi-auto .40 S&W double-action pistol...............................................72321
32. Smith & Wesson SD9VE semi-auto 9mm pistol two-tone 16+1 capacity......................72325
33. Taurus Judge Public Defender 45 Long Colt/ .410 shotgun 2” barrel, 5 shots............72333
34. Glock Model 23 semi-auto .40 S&W pistol w/ night sights.............................................72359
35. Remington Sportsman 58 semi-auto 12 ga. w/ fully rifled barrel & scope....................66916
36. Remington Genesis .50 cal. Inline muzzleloader w/ scope.................................................N/A
37. Joe Bob ML-15 AR 5.56/.223 NICE HIGH-END RIFLE!!....................................................48149
38. Stevens 311-H Side x Side 20 ga. Shotgun w/ case color hardened receiver..............35297
39. Feather Industries AT-9 semi-auto 9mm carbine rifle w/ collapsible stock...................47042
40. Savage 220 bolt-action 20 ga. Slug gun with fully rifled barrel and box.......................71956
41. Thompson Center Triumph .50 cal. Inline muzzleloader w/ fiber optic sights..................N/A
42. Remington 742 semi-auto .30-06 Sprg. Wood/blue..........................................................71751
43. Remington 11-87 semi-auto 12 ga. w/ fully rifled barrel and Nikon scope....................65583
44. Remington 742 Woodsmaster semi-auto .30-06 Sprg. NICE!!........................................67364
45. Remington 1100 semi-auto 12 ga. Wood blue w/ 28” VR barrel.....................................67358
46. Winchester 94 lever-action .30-30 Win. Illinois sesquicentennial (150 yrs.).................68384
47. Remington 1100 semi-auto 12 ga. w/ nice wood/blue finish & smooth slug bbl..........65689
48. Henry Big Boy .44 Mag. Lever-action w/ beautiful brass frame.....................................71849
49. Remington 11-48 semi-auto 28 ga. Shotgun wood/blue finish NICE 28 GA!!...............71747
50. Anderson Arms AM-15 5.56/.223 AR rifle..........................................................................52874
51. Tristar Upland Hunter Over/Under 20 ga. shotgun w/ NRA logo NEW IN BOX.............67423
52. Remington bolt-action .270 Win. w/ 3-9x40mm scope NEW IN BOX.............................65180
53. Tristar Raptor semi-auto 12 ga. w/ Ducks Unlimited logo NEW IN BOX.......................54692
54. Remington 870 pump-action 12 ga. Wood/blue fully rifled cantilever w/ scope...........67684
55. Harrington & Richardson Handi-Rifle single shot .44 Mag. rifle....................................67360
56. Dickinson Arms pump 12 ga. Shotgun with 18.5” home defense barrel NIB...............68261
57. Thompson Center Thunderhawk .54 cal. Muzzleloader w/ stainless barrel......................N/A
58. Smith & Wesson M&P Compact semi-auto 9mm pistol..................................................72329
59. Ruger LC380 semi-auto .380 ACP pistol GREAT SHOOTER...........................................72332
60. Ruger LC9 semi-auto 9mm pistol with Laser Max laser and original box....................72339
61. Smith & Wesson Model 10-5 double-action .38 Special revolver NICKEL....................66672
62. Ruger Single Six .22 LR/.22 Mag. revolver........................................................................72250
63. CVA Scout V2 single-shot .44 Mag. w/ Leupold 2x pistol scope....................................60015
64. Smith & Wesson Model 500 double action revolver .500 S&W......................................65497
65. Smith & Wesson SW99 semi-auto 9mm pistol.................................................................72456
66. Glock Model 26 sub-compact semi-auto 9mm pistol w/ extended magazine...............72399
67. Arcus 98DAC semi-auto 9mm pistol two-tone double-action.........................................72400
68. Ruger Blackhawk 3-screw .357 Magnum 4 5/8” barrel and adjustable sights..............72449
Due to normal business activities, there may be more or less guns available on day of sale. Final list held by Osentoski Auctioneering
takes precedence. All guns will be sold as is. Payments can be made by Personal check, Cash, Master card, Visa, or Discover.
There will be a 13% buyers premium with a 3% discount
for Check and Cash www.osentoskiauction.com
FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL
RANDY'S HUNTING CENTER
(989) 269-GUNS • www.randyshuntingcenter.com
69. Glock Model 23 Gen 4 semi-auto .40 S&W pistol.............................................................72390
70. Beretta PX4 Storm semi-auto .40 S&W pistol with ambidextrous safety......................72391
71. Taurus 24/7 G2C semi-auto .40 S&W pistol two-tone w/ ambidextrous safety.............72401
72. Springfield XD Sub-Compact semi-auto .40 S&W w/ full-size magazine.......................72385
73. Sig Sauer SP2340 double-action semi-auto .40 S&W pistol...........................................72435
74. Winchester Model 290 semi-auto .22 S, L, LR wood/blue NICE.....................................64589
75. ATI Omni Hybrid AR-15 5.56/.223 rifle NEW IN BOX........................................................69677
76. Remington 1100 semi-auto 12 ga. w/ fully rifled cantilever barrel and scope..............65692
77. Beretta ARX160 semi-auto .22 LR tactical rifle with folding/collapsible stock.............65694
78. Remington 870 pump-action 12 ga. Shotgun smooth slug barrel w/ Bushnell............70102
79. Armscor Model 1500 bolt-action target rifle in .22 MAG w/ scope.................................47006
80. Winchester 1200 pump-action 20 ga. Shotgun wood/blue NICE....................................71835
81. Remington 783 bolt-action .300 Win. Mag. w/ scope & Boyd’s adjustable stock.........69406
82. Remington Model 572 Fieldmaster pump .22 S, L, LR rifle COOL GUN........................65255
83. Remington 870 pump-action 12 ga. Smooth bore slug shotgun w/ scope...................71659
84. Savage Model 12 bolt-action .22-250 Rem. with heavy target barrel.............................66727
85. New England Firearms Pardner Pump 20 ga. black/blue COMPACT NIB.....................65398
86. Ruger 10/22 semi-auto .22 LR w/ folding stock................................................................72294
87. CVA Wolf .50 cal. Inline muzzleloader SS/black w/ speed breech plug.............................N/A
88. Savage 93 bolt-action .22 MAG w/ stainless steel heavy barrel.....................................69468
89. SKS rifle 7.62x39 w/ adjustable stock and red dot sight.................................................69466
90. Ted Williams Model 200 pump 20 ga. Wood/blue adjustable choke NICE....................71853
91. Savage 111 bolt-action 7mm Rem. Mag. w/ target thumbhole stock.............................65480
92. Remington 552 Speedmaster semi-auto .22 S, L, LR wood/blue NICE GUN!...............69705
93. Mossberg 500 Bantam/Youth 20 ga. Pump fully rifled & ported bbl w/ scope..............64682
94. Mossberg 183T bolt-action .410 shotgun 3” chamber, 3 shot internal magazine........71826
95. Thompson Center Black Diamond .50 cal. Inline muzzleloader 209 primer......................N/A
96. Rossi S20 single shot 20 ga. Shotgun YOUTH................................................................69069
97. Taurus PT 24/7 G2 semi-auto pistol .40 S&W...................................................................72335
98. Cobray M11 Uzi pistol semi-auto chambered in 9mm w/ extended magazine..............72348
99. Kel-Tec P-32 semi-auto .32 ACP pistol GREAT LITTLE CARRY GUN............................72338
100. Beretta PX4 Storm semi-auto 9mm pistol.........................................................................72344
101. Glock 27 semi-auto .40 S&W sub-compact carry gun.....................................................72432
102. Smith & Wesson Model 36 double-action revolver .38 Special 5-shot..........................72443
103. Interarms Firestar Plus semi-auto 9mm pistol.................................................................72453
104. F.I.E. Titan E15 semi-auto .22 LR pistol.............................................................................72327
105. Llama Special semi-auto pistol in .32 ACP.......................................................................72404
106. RG 31 double-action revolver chambered in .38 Special................................................72407
107. Bryco Arms semi-auto .380 ACP pistol.............................................................................72405
108. Hi-Point JCP semi-auto .40 S&W pistol............................................................................72394
109. Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 380 semi-auto pistol in .380 ACP CARRY GUN..............72439
110. Taurus PT738 TCP semi-auto .380 ACP pistol EVERYDAY CARRY GUN......................72460
111. H. Schmidt Model 21 .22 LR single-action revolver.........................................................72466
112. Kel-Tec PF-9 semi-auto 9mm slim carry pistol.................................................................72347
113. Lorcin L25 semi-auto .25 ACP tiny pistol..........................................................................72342
114. Hi-Point CF380 two-tone semi-auto .380 ACP AS NEW...................................................72459
115. Kel-Tec P-32 semi-auto .32 ACP NEW IN BOX.................................................................70326
116. Cobra Model FS380 semi-auto .380 ACP shot twice, thrown once................................72473
117. Marlin Model 60 semi-auto .22 LR tube-fed rifle..............................................................72369
118. Remington 870 Magnum 12 ga. Pump shotgun 3” chamber, rifle sights......................72276
119. Remington Viper semi-auto .22 LR EXCELLENT.............................................................72273
120. Sears 101.100 single shot 20 ga. shotgun........................................................................72291
121. Remington bolt-action .30-06 Sprg. w/ scope LIKE NEW................................................72274
122. H&R Model 58 single shot 12 ga. shotgun.......................................................................72284
123. Remington 514 bolt-action .22 S, L, LR rifle.....................................................................72272
124. Century Arms YL-12 pump-action 12 ga. shotgun...........................................................72366
125. Revelation pump-action 12 ga. shotgun...........................................................................72381
126. Remington 870 pump-action 12 ga. w/ pistol grip stock.................................................72367
127. M-1 bolt-action rifle chambered in .30-06 Sprg................................................................72374
128. Sears single shot 12 ga. shotgun......................................................................................72370
129. J.C. Higgens bolt-action 20 ga. shotgun...........................................................................72380
130. Mossberg 152K .22 LR with fold-down forend.................................................................72373
131. Remington 742 semi-auto .30-06 Sprg. rifle.....................................................................72365
132. American Gun Co. Knickerbocker Side x Side 20 ga. shotgun......................................72364
133. New England Firearms single shot .410 shotgun............................................................72363
134. W.M. Moore Side x Side 12 ga. shotgun...........................................................................72286
135. Wolverine single-shot 12 ga. shotgun...............................................................................72298
WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 25
America’s Honorable Squirrel:
from page 24
learned that a sharp, chirping
“bark” is a rutting male sitting atop
a branch, proclaiming its domi-
nance and availability. A rustling
of overhead branches accompanied
by a frantic monkey-like chatter-
ing reveals a pair of adult squirrels,
probably fighting over possession of
a tree.
The alarm call of both fox
and gray squirrels is a rapid “kuk-
kuk-kuk” bark that most folks can
imitate by sucking tongue against
molars to produce a clucking sound.
A staccato barking denotes a high
level of alarm that will send every
squirrel within 50 yards into hid-
ing for the next quarter-hour. If a
predator passes by without incident,
its leaving will probably be an-
nounced by a slower “kuk...kuk...
These spruce cones amassed near the base of their parent tree mean that
the squirrel who put them there will come back to “squirrel” them away to
a secret cache. Len McDougall photos
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26 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
kuk” that diminishes in frequency
as the predator gets farther away,
eventually ceasing when the danger
is gone.
The squirrels’ own alarm sys-
tem can be turned against them.
Stalking a whitetail is easier than
sneaking up undetected on a dozen
sharp-eyed, keen-nosed bushytails
in elevated positions, so I don’t even
try to be stealthy. Instead, I just
walk casually through the woods
until a squirrel raises the alarm,
noting mentally from which trees
the most calls seemed to emanate,
but continuing on past that spot until
the alarm frequency diminishes to
an “all clear.” Then I stop, hun-
ker down, and wait quietly for the
squirrels to resume their activities,
while I study the surrounding trees
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It really isn’t the squirrel’s fault
for telling its brethren that the coast
is clear; in nature there are few pred-
ators capable of catching a squir-
rel that sees them coming, and an
instinctive drive to collect and store
food enough to survive the coming
winter forces animals to be active.
A hunter who raises the alarm can
lull the populace into a false sense
of security by seeming to withdraw
to a distance where the animals in-
stinctively feel safe. The advantage
for a hunter is that this distance is
usually within the effective range of
a .22 rifle (my choice) or shotgun.
The focus of most sitting hunters
is on catching forgetful squirrels
who return to foraging or mating,
but in places where squirrels have
been hunted hard enough to teach
them that a human within sight
poses a danger, activity may cease
for a longer time when a hunter is
present. Cold, windy days can also
inhibit foraging activities and make
squirrels keep to the trees, where
there’s less danger of a predator
using noise and air currents to mask
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its attack.
One optical tool that I have
always carried religiously when
hunting squirrels (or anything) is
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Mini-binoculars in the 10x28mm
range start at under $50, but a lens
diameter of at least 32mm delivers a
better sight picture among darkened
branches. The latest lens coatings
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depth perception, and light absorp-
tion to pick out squirrels hiding in
the treetops or on the ground. As
a factory rep at Bushnell once told
me “Get big glass, and get the best
glass.” That of course applies to
telescopic sights, as well.
Besides being one of the fastest-
moving hunting activities, chasing
down bushytails for supper is a great
way to tune up your shooting eye
and trigger finger for firearm deer
season. The same skill required to
tag a squirrel with a .410 or .22 ap-
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WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 27

BIG BUCK
REFUGES
Nothing improves your big buck
opportunities as much as a sanctuary
on your hunting grounds...
A
sanctuary is deer
cover free of human
encroachment, human
disturbance and human
scent from at least a
month before season
until it closes. Sometimes I enter
my sanctuary but only to retrieve
a deer. The goal is to protect cover
and bedding areas where bucks feel
safe with no human intervention.
This provides hunting
opportunities for bucks
that are relaxed as well
as creating a buck mag-
net providing safety and
cover. The following
anecdote best describes
this point.
It was October 27
when I climbed into
my treestand overlook-
ing old apple trees next
By Kenny Darwin
to an abandoned
farm and cedar
hedge. My trail
camera provided exciting video of a
dandy 10-point sneaking out of my
sanctuary parcel to feed under two
apple trees an hour before dark. The
rut was just beginning, temperatures
were in the 50s, light rain brought
an early sunset and I wasn’t really
expecting to kill a buck. I painted
my face to better blend in with the
tree and settled back for a relax-
ing hunt. My treestand was in the
crook of a large tree only 15 feet
off the green grasses when I no-
ticed movement to my left. I had to
do a double take because in broad
daylight I could see a dandy rack
working through the thick alders
headed directly at me. His body was
28 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
absolutely huge and the impressive
rack indicated he was the adult buck
recorded on the Stealth camera.
He stopped at the edge of thick
briars, looked every direction to
make certain it was safe and then
sauntered across an open tall grass
clearing on a runway that went
directly in front of my stand. I was
shaking with excitement when I
brought the Darton Toxin 180 to
my shoulder and settled
the 40 mm illuminated
scope on his chest. His
long nose and heavy
chest made him look an-
cient through the scope
and I gave him a slight
burp, stopped him in his
tracks and the Darton
sent a Spitfire broadhead
through his chest at
lightning speed.
He made
four big leaps
and piled into the
alders. When I climbed down from
the stand I was still shaking and
couldn’t wait to get my hands on the
rack. When I held his heavy head
and beautiful 10-point rack I recog-
nized the animal. It was a big buck
which usually hung out across the
street on private property that was a
horse farm and didn’t allow hunt-
ing. I figured out what happened. A
week earlier the horse farm hosted
a ride and dozens of horses and rid-
ers roamed the private ground and
pushed the deer from his home turf
onto my property. More importantly
the bruiser took up residency in a
sanctuary I called “The Briar Patch”
because it was a super thick 10 acre
plot covered with the thickest black-
berry thorn bushes in the county.
The Briar Patch held legends of cot-
tontail rabbits providing fun winter
bunny hunts and deer tended to slip
into the tangled brush and simply
disappeared. The patch held deer
year round and I stayed off the thick
brush all year with the exception
of berry picking season in summer
and bunny hunts during winter. The
big buck felt no pressure here and
the refuge gave him a false sense of
security and he felt safe.
In Michigan, habitat manage-
ment has caught on like wild fire to
the point where serious hunters put
in deer food plots. Food plots can
provide fantastic hunting. Others do
timber improvement, plant grasses,
dig water holes and work on habitat
enhancement. This can cost plenty
of money and be a lot of hard work.
Many simply believe improving
their hunting grounds will bring big
bucks but give little consideration
to developing buck sanctuaries. Did
you know buck refuges can cost
little or no money and the results
produce better than huge plots of
private ground?
You see, if hunters walk all
over their hunting grounds they
chase smart bucks to the neighbors.
Most make the common mistake of
overhunting good locations, educat-
ing bucks to stand locations and
smart deer move to more secluded
locations or become totally noctur-
nal to avoid hunters. If you want
to increase your buck harvest you
need to create refuges on your land.
Here’s how.
The idea is to provide sanctu-
ary areas where deer feel safe, they
can retreat and hide from hunters,
a place of refuge where they can
relax, a zone free of human scent
and human encroachment. It sounds
difficult but actually it is simple and
you can create a sanctuary at light-
ning speed.
In order to create a sanctuary
you need to pinpoint an area where
deer can relax adjacent to your
hunting grounds. A location that
can act like a powerful magnet to
attract deer, hold them and draw
in bucks from surrounding high
pressure hunting areas. Sanctuaries
Big Buck Refuges page 30
WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 29
 Once a big buck takes up residency on your refuge, you can
expect other bucks to join and share the sanctuary. Bucks
may scatter during the rut but during early archery and late
gun or archery season they are often back together.
Big Buck Refuges:
of your hunting turf. Follow this
rule and you will discover the joy
of dragging out the biggest bucks of
your life.
from page 28 Many hunters make the common
mistake of trouncing completely
are generally areas of the thickest a thick swamp might do the trick but across their property on opening day
cover; preferably with rolling hills, as a rule the larger the sanctuary the and setting up on the fenceline of
brush, cattails, conifer trees and better. the neighbors. Oops! Not only are
other structure allowing animals to Some savvy Michigan buck they spooking every buck on their
hide totally out of sight of hunt- slayers have discovered they can home turf before daylight but they
ers. The thicker the cover the more increase buck take if they simply are leaving a scent trail that bucks
deer the sanctuary will hold. Size is stay off their hunting turf and only easily detect. Adult deer are crafty
somewhat irrelevant if the cover is hunt the edges. Their goal is to critters and often avoid hunters by
super thick but the sanctuary must avoid deer detection and keep deer simply discovering human travel
be large enough for deer to avoid on their land. They always hunt routes. Often bucks discover human
humans and feel safe. Sanctuaries the downwind side of the property encroachment under the cover of
surrounded by standing corn, thick and never allow their human scent darkness.
conifer trees or other thick cover to blow into buck hideouts where I’ll never forget a hunting en-
is ideal and you can hunt the edges deer are resting. As a rule of thumb counter I had with a big buck. When
without being detected. An island in sanctuaries should occupy 70-90% my crossbow arrow deflected off a
branch, the monster charged from
the brush across a harvested corn
field onto the neighbor’s property.
Returning later from a barn party
around midnight, I turned a corner
and my headlights hit the field and
I saw the same buck sneaking like
a fox back to the location where I
took the shot. What he was doing
was scent checking under the cover
of darkness to identify my stand
location. Gee, never saw him in the
same location again because adult
deer not only find your travel route
but identify stand locations and you
are busted. Game over once they
know they are being hunted, they
simply move to a new location with
no human scent, trails or stands.
Savvy hunters know you can
hunt a stand for about three days
Adult bucks are masters at concealing their trophy rack and they and then you need to get out, let it
seek hiding locations like tall grass, standing corn, thick brush, cool down and more importantly al-
pine forests, cedar swamps and more. You can increase your chanc- low your human scent to be washed
es of attracting bucks to your hunting turf by creating sanctuaries away from rain and wind. Most
where they can hide, bed and feel safe. But success hinges on your stands need to cool down at least
ability to stay off the land. 5-10 days before you use them
30 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
again. That’s why smart hunters use
multiple stand sites. The trick is to
play stand chess and make frequent
moves to new locations and only
hunt downwind of your refuge so
your human scent is not drifting into
unsuspecting deer, alerting them and
chasing them from resting areas.
Southern Michigan buck hunters
can use standing corn as a sanctuary
especially when bordered by thick
brush, tall grass and alder swamps.
Locations that have been logged
off and allowed to grow into tall
brush and weeds can be ideal buck
sanctuaries. Northern Michigan
hunters can use cedar swamps to
their advantage along with marshes,
tamarack swamps and rolling hills
highlighted by thick cover. The trick
is to find special places where deer
hide out and turn them into whitetail
refuges.
Inner city hunters can benefit
from the multitude of areas closed
to hunting like cemeteries, airports,
city land fill sites, housing develop-
ments, condo developments, city
parks, recreational areas and golf
courses. The trick is to get permis-
sion on adjoining private property
and set up next to locations holding
adult bucks.
So, how long does it take deer to
discover a new sanctuary? You will
be amazed at how quickly deer set
up shop in locations with no human
intervention, far less than a year. If
you stay off whitetail turf during
gun season you will be amazed how
quickly deer are drawn to locations
with no hunting pressure. More im-
portantly, mature bucks are experts
at locating refuges and taking up
residency. Once one big buck nails
it down as home you can count on
other bucks to quickly use the prop-
erty as well.
 The Briar Patch refuge was in a sanctuary at lightning speed if bucks. Next you train deer to feel get out and stay out. Sure every
the middle of heavily hunted rural you choose the ideal buck hold- safe and use the turf as a big buck piece of ground is different and you
property. We simply stayed off the ing habitat and use creative hunt- magnet. When bucks get pressured need to decide the best locations to
ideal thick whitetail habitat. In a ing skills. The sweetest hunts I’ve you can count on them running to avoid deer detection. Such deer
matter of five years we harvested had in Michigan are the result of your well thought out and planned havens cost nothing and deer soon
several big bucks slipping from the sanctuaries, some in the inner city, refuge. take up residency and will stick like
protected land. On the third year my and others in the country where I Next, hunt around the refuge glue if you play your cards right.
buddy Scott Goldammer harvested simply protect deer and hunt loca- in a low impact manner to increase Sweet spots bordering buck hang-
a deer he nicknamed “Bucky” that tions sparingly. The key to success your success for bigger bucks. Set outs are what deer hunting is all
scored in the 160s and weighed often hinges on finding locations up stands during the offseason like about and hunting carefully cho-
over 200 pounds dressed. Sign of other hunters leave alone where you spring or summer. Trim stands dur- sen hotspots sparingly can be pure
the bruiser was throughout the sec- find most deer, particularly mature ing the same off season period then magic.n
tion, massive rubs on trees big as
your thigh, scrapes large as your
kitchen table and droppings that
resembled huge candy bars. But we
could never see the trophy until one
fall morning he was lured from the
tangled briar patch by a cute little
hot doe and Scott dumped him.
Then I realized the power of creat-
ing or designating an area as refuge
property and we completely stayed
off the land. In addition we planted
corn, soybean and rye grass food
plots around the sanctuary.
Bucks would feed on the food
and naturally slip into the
adjoining thick cover.
On another occasion I tipped
a farmer in Shiawassee County to
leave standing corn next to a thick
brush patch. I stayed away from the
area until late gun season. One cold
snowy day I eased to the location
at high noon, set up an Ameristep
Battlefield Kryptek Highlander
ground blind and brushed it in with
corn stalks. The following evening
snow was still coming down as I
slipped into the corn blind, turned
on the space heater and settled back
for an evening hunt. The first deer
in the stubble corn was a spike
buck, followed by several does and
some small bucks. Then out of the
brush stepped the monster buck I
was seeking. He lowered his head,
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looked back over his rear directly
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WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 31
 Gun Chat: Ruger American .22
I
’d been eying the Ruger
American .22 rifles since
they were announced.
Recently, I got my hands
on a carbine version in
.22 Long Rifle. The deal
included a scope, sling, mounts,
and 500 rounds of Armscor 36
grain, high velocity hollowpoint .22
ammo.
The carbine has an 18
inch blued, free floated,
barrel and a threaded
muzzle. The stock is black
synthetic with a red Ru-
ger emblem on end of the
pistol grip. The action has
an “integral bedding block
system” for stability. It also
has finger grooves in
the forend and raised
areas on the pistol By Lee Arten
grip. Both of them
are textured to make the grip more
secure.
The American .22 can use any
magazines made for the Ruger
10/22, including 25 rounders pro-
duced by Ruger, Butler Creek and
others. The rear sight can be folded
down onto the barrel when not in
use. It’s adjustable for elevation by
moving the sight blade up or down
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32 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
using small screws. (Remember to
bring the right size screwdriver to
the range.) Windage can be changed
by driving the rear sight base to the
left or right. The front blade has a
green fiber optic tube. It shows up
well in various lighting conditions.
Advertised weight of the rifle
is 5.3 pounds. So, with scope, the
American .22 carbine should come
close to the six and a half
pound weight of my Ruger
77RL deer rifle in .250 Sav-
age. The American .22 also
has a tang safety like my
77RL. This means practice
with the .22 should transfer
to the deer rifle easily. It
will also be cheaper than
practicing with a
center fire, even using
reloads.
I’ve been attempt-
ing to standardize on Federal 36
grain plated hollowpoints, but still
have a variety of .22 ammunition on
hand. Some is high velocity, some
standard, some is CCI Quiet .22,
and I even have a partial box of .22
Short. I took the Armscor ammo,
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The Ruger American .22 Carbine. A good bolt rifle that uses 10/22 magazines.
The package came with a scope
and mounts but I decided to shoot
the rifle with irons before adding the
scope. The fiber optic tube helped
me to get the front sight down into
the notch but the sight picture was
still fuzzy at times. That lead to larg-
er groups. I really need a peep sight,
or a scope, to shoot well these days.
I started shooting with the
Armscor ammo at 25 yards, using
my Caldwell bag rest and a sandbag
to rest my elbow on. My first group
of five shots was about two inches.
Another one had four in an inch
and a quarter and one high and right
that enlarged the group to two and a
quarter. Another had three shots in-
side an inch with two dropped down
making the final group three and
a quarter inches. The last group I
fired at 25 yards was three and a half
inches long by three inches wide.
My eyes were getting a bit fatigued
by then.
After a break, I shot at an In-
ternational Rapid Fire target at 50
yards. Using Armscor and Federal
hollowpoints, I got groups of seven
and five inches. The rifle will do
better than that when scoped. A
friend shot it with Federal ammo
and put eight shots into an inch
and a quarter. The ninth opened the
group to two inches. He is some-
what younger than I, so iron sights
are still relatively polite to him.
It’s one thing to handle a rifle at
home and another to shoot it at the
range. My friend thought the Com-
pact American rifle stock felt short.
The rifle comes with two stock mod-
ules. The one installed at the factory
has a low comb for iron sights. The
second has a higher comb for use
with a scope. It appears that they are
the same length, or very close to it.
Since I bought the rifle for plink-
ing and small game hunting, I don’t
think the short stock will bother me.
In fact, I hadn’t noticed it till my
friend asked, “Is this advertised as
a youth model?” (It doesn’t seem to
be.) I did find the toe of the stock a
bit sharp when I leaned into it at the
bench. Hunting clothes should add
to the length of the stock and soften
the feel of it on the shoulder.
One feature that pleases me
greatly is the tang safety. I prefer
them and have them on my grouse
gun, and my deer rifle. Having one
on a .22 rifle, too, is a good thing.
The rifle’s bolt is easily removed
from the action. It was a bit stiff in
operation, but I think it will smooth
up with use. The rotary magazine
was also a bit stiff. I had to resort to
pushing on it from the top of the ac-
tion to get it to fall free. I expect that
will change with use too. None of
my other rifles that take rotary 10/22
magazines have had that problem.
The rifle has a blade, called the
“trigger release” inside the trigger. I
have seen these types of triggers on
Savage rifles, and something similar
on Glock pistols, but have only
used one a few times. The Ruger
American trigger reminds me a little
of a two-stage military bolt action
trigger. Once the trigger release is
pulled back into the trigger the rest
of the pull is short and fairly light.
The trigger can be adjusted between
three and five pounds by following
directions in the instruction manual.
I have no plans to change the trigger
weight at the moment. It reminds me
a little of a trigger on a Browning
BAR. That Browning was my first
good deer rifle and had a trigger that
came from the factory set at three
and three quarter pounds. I’ve never
adjusted that trigger.
I have several good .22 rifles.
The new compact American .22
will probably see the range, and the
woods, more than the others for a
while.n
COs seize record amount of illegal crayfish
M
ore than 2,000 pounds of
live, illegal red swamp
crayfish recently were
seized by Department of
Natural Resources conservation of-
ficers – the largest aquatic invasive
species seizure by the Michigan
DNR.
Red swamp crayfish are prohib-
ited in both Michigan and Canada.
They burrow and create shoreline
erosion, creating instability. Addi-
tionally, they compete with native
crayfish, reducing the amount of
food and habitat available for am-
increase awareness and reporting of
the illegal crayfish, in addition to re-
moving infestations from confirmed
locations.
Michigan conservation offi-
cers are fully commissioned state
peace officers who provide natural
resources protection, ensure recre-
ational safety and protect citizens by Over a ton of
providing general law enforcement illegal red swamp
duties and lifesaving operations in crayfish was seized
the communities they serve.n by MDNR COs.

GET AHEAD OF THE GAME

phibians, invertebrates and juvenile
fish.
Conservation officers in St.
Clair County were notified Friday,
July 13, by U.S. Customs and the

Firearms Optics
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
when a commercial hauler trans-
porting red swamp crayfish was
denied entry into Canada and would
be returning to Michigan. The
commercial hauler was stopped by
Canadian officials at the Sarnia,
Canada, border crossing in an at-
tempt to leave the United States.
“Our officers have great work-
ing relationships with professional
law enforcement partners across
the U.S. and Canada. This is a fine
example of how important those re-
lationships are in protecting Michi-
gan’s natural resources,” said Chief
Gary Hagler, DNR Law Enforce-
ment Division.
Assisted by customs officials,
DNR conservation officers stopped
the truck and obtained 55 bags of
live crayfish. After interviewing the
driver, the officers learned the truck
originated from Canada and made
stops in Maryland and Arkansas
to pick up cargo prior to attempt-
ing its return to Canada. The driver
did not have appropriate records,
other than a few purchase receipts.
DNR Law Enforcement Division’s
Great Lakes Enforcement Unit is
conducting further investigation. It
currently is unknown if any stops or
sales were made in Michigan.
The first concern regarding red
swamp crayfish in Michigan was
in 2013, when conservation of-
ficers learned the illegal crayfish
was being used as bait in southwest

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Michigan. The first live infestations
in Michigan were detected and re-
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WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 33
 Win a truck at the Weekend! Thousands of dollars are raised at the
Outdoor Weekend through raffles
and fundraisers each and every year

W
hen you think of
the Woods-N-
Water News
Outdoor Weekend, most
likely ATVs, deer blinds,
bows, arrows and whitetails
come to mind. Maybe it’s
our Puppy Tent, where hun-
dreds of puppies are sold
and the vision of a child
holding a chocolate lab
close to their face begging
to take it home. Or pole
barns packed with outdoor
merchandise and show-
goers doing what we call
the ‘Woods-N-Water shuf-
fle.’
It’s a festive mood, peo-
ple eating venison burgers,
Jeana Cheek, Ag Community Relief’s Region 1 Representative, and smoked turkey legs and
Bruce Milnes of Milnes Auto Group, stand with some of the models the tasting the winning Camp
raffle winner will get to choose from when the grand prize drawing takes Chili Cook-off recipe. and so many
place at this month’s Outdoor Weekend in Imlay City. A limited number of What you may not think
tickets are still available. To purchase tickets, visit agcommunityrelief.
com or call (517) 668-2676. As stated, the winner will be drawn at the
Outdoor Weekend on September 8th, some tickets may still be available. By Randy Jorgensen
of is the amount of money
generated for many worthy
outdoor causes. Thousands
of dollars are made through
raffles and other fundraisers
that in turn end up in the
hands of Michigan’s clubs’s
organizations and ultimately
those in need.
And you may not think
of the conservation-minded
organizations that rely on
the show to distribute edu-
cational literature, such as
the Ruffed Grouse Society,
National Wild Turkey
Federation, Pheasants
Forever,
Quality Deer
Management,
Safari Club
International
others.

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34 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
Huge crowds create an oppor tunity to sell raffle tickets for wor thy
causes and projects at the Woods-N-Water News Outdoor Weekend.
All worthy causes, Woods-N-Water
News is happy to play a part in
helping get the word out on these
fine organizations.
For example this year there’s a
few tickets left to purchase for the
Milnes Auto Group Ag Community
Relief Annual Truck Raffle.
Proceeds from the truck raffle
benefit Ag Community Relief, a
non-profit agency that was formed
in 2017 after the wildfires in
Oklahoma and Kansas to bring
relief to active farmers and ranchers
who experienced devastation across
the U.S. by assembling volunteers
and donations to help mitigate their
suffering.
To purchase tickets, visit
agcommunityrelief.com or call
(517) 668-2676. Some tickets may
be available at the Outdoor
Weekend with the winner being
drawn at the show on September 8. woods-n-waternews.com for more
There are also a score of non-
profit clubs who also benefit from
the Outdoor Weekend; Rotary
Club’s, t Lions Club, Elks Club,
variety of sportsmen clubs, County
4-H, American Legion and many
others. Most conduct raffles with
the proceeds going to various wor-
thy projects. September 7-9. Lets help preserve
The people who come to the
Outdoor Weekend are very giving
and caring people. Sportsmen are
one of the most generous groups
you could ever hope to work with.
All we have to do was mention a
worthy cause and they will pull out
their wallets and often give freely.
Recognizing the good that could
be done for our youth in the out-
doors and the many worthwhile
organizations that already exist, we
started the Woods-N-Water News
Outdoor Foundation.
A few years back, with the help
of our friends at Arctic Cat, we
were able to auction off a brand
new 4 x 4 ATV. We matched the
funds generated by the auction to
start the Outdoor Foundation. Since
then, we have awarded our founda-
tion grants to numerous organiza-
tions who promote and preserve the
outdoor traditions of Michigan. Of
course, those organizations who
cater to the youth and outdoor edu-
cation programs are always fore-
most in our minds.
Over the years we awarded
grants from our foundation to
improve river habitat, purchase rods
and reels and provide funds to help
support a fly fishing retreat for men
with cancer, built handicap docks,
supported Make-a-Wish Foundation,
helped put roofs on sportsmen clubs
and purchased bows and arrows for
sportsman camps just to name a
few.
All of us here at the Woods-N-
Water News are thrilled to be able to
contribute to these fine organiza-
tions and we encourage our readers
to get involved anyway they can.
One way is to contribute to the
Outdoor Foundation, we promise
we will use the contributions wisely
and for the benefit of this state’s
great hunting and fishing tradition.
Visit our website at www.
information about the Woods-N-
Water News and our Outdoor
Foundation.
Or talk with Tom Campbell or
myself at the 32nd annual Woods-
N-Water News Outdoor Weekend
held at the Eastern Michigan State
Fairgrounds in Imlay City,
our outdoor heritage in Michigan.
Also make sure you take the
time to enjoy our Outdoor Weekend
with all the same great free enter-
tainment, free seminars and over
250 exhibitors selling everything
from boats to bows.
The Outdoor Weekend is a suc-
cess for a lot of reasons, but perhaps
the biggest reason of all is the fine
people we work with and the sports-
men who annually come to our
show.
So many will benefit from the
efforts of a few.
Thanks again and mark your
calendars for September 7-9 and
visit us at the Woods-N-Water
Outdoor Weekend held at the
Eastern Michigan State Fairgrounds
in Imlay City.
Remember the gates open at 5
p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. on
Saturday and Sunday.
See you at this year’s Outdoor
Weekend.
Visit us at outdoorweekend.net n
WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 35
Structured
Success!
By Gary Parsons and Keith Kavajecz

D
o you believe every-
thing your buddies tell
you?
What a loaded
question! The an-
swer is probably,
“It depends!” As summer starts to
wind down, they might tell you that
you can’t catch any fish this time of
year. While the bite may be tough, it
doesn’t mean that the fish won’t bite.
Just bring out the trolling rods and
prove them wrong!
One of the most overlooked areas
for trolling this time of year is the 50-
100 yard basin next to offshore struc-
ture. In these areas we tend to look for
sunken humps that top out from 10 to
25 feet. While the fish are occasion-
ally on top of these humps, they are
normally found off the structure in the
extended sand and mud bottom areas.
Before wetting a line, cruise
around the area you are targeting with
your Mercury Verado while watch-
ing your Lowrance HDS for spots
that could be holding fish. Using the
StructureScan feature with side view,
look for transition areas with scattered
rock turning to mud. The fish you
mark will either be suspended or relat-
ing to bottom.
The depth at which you will find
fish will vary. While some days they
are shallow, on other days they can be
up to forty feet deep. Don’t just look
for “walleye arcs” on your Lowrance
HDS. If you see a cloud of bait fish on
your screen, this can be a giveaway
that walleyes are in the area!
If it gets rough and windy, try
fishing the shallow structure itself.
Since most structures are smaller, the
trolling passes won’t be as long as the
Gary Parsons believes when the fish bite
passes you would make when trolling
pure basin fish.
Once you are ready to start fish-
ing, spread out your lines to cover
water. Begin by trolling in the shal-
lowest area that you are marking fish,
and then move out. We will often run
two of the new Bass Pro Shops 9-foot
6-inch telescopic Walleye Angler
Trolling rods with planer boards off
each side of the boat. We also run lead
core off the back to keep the baits at
or close to bottom. If we are following
a contour that has a lot of sharp turns
we won’t use any planer boards at all
and just fish the lead core.
When trolling with lead core, you
is tough, just bring out the trolling rods.
will want to use an 8-foot 6-inch to
10-foot rod that is strong enough to
handle the weight of the lead, but
with a forgiving tip to help fight the
fish. Adjust your speed to adjust the
depth of the lures. Speed up to raise
the lures and slow down to drop them
deeper. We like to use 18 pound lead
core with a 10 pound FireLine leader.
You should be able to feel the lure vi-
brating and ticking bottom. If it stops
vibrating, check the lure as it may
have picked up debris.
If the structure is small, you can
use a snap weight somewhere be-
tween 2 and 3 ounces to get to the
desired depth instead of lead core.

CALL THE
HOTLINE

REPORT
FERAL
SWINE
TO REPORT FERAL SWINE OR FOR
MORE INFORMATION PLEASE
CALL: USDA WILDLIFE SERVICES AT
517.336.1928
OR
WWW.MICHIGAN.GOV/FERALSWINE

FERAL SWINE 
DAMAGE AGRICULTURE,
NATURAL RESOURCES,
PROPERTY, PEOPLE AND
CULTURAL SITES 

36 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS


Precision Trolling Data has just put
out new data on their app, which is
available on the Google Play Store
and the Apple App Store, to help you
get your bait in the strike zone. The
data was collected for 16 of the most
popular walleye crankbaits using the
Off Shore Snap Weight, specifically
the 2-ounce Guppy Weight.
The initial data was gathered with
a 50-foot leader of 10 pound Berk-
ley 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 – 1.5mph and 2.5mph and
tested with varying droppers out to
100 feet.
To use this data, open the Preci-
sion Trolling App and select the type
of line of “10# Berkley XT / 50ft
Leader 2oz 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 +
dropper).
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 will not affect the depth the lure
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is diving, no matter how far out
from the side of the boat you run the
board.
When it comes to lures, this bite is
best with crankbaits, such as Berkley
Flicker Minnows which mimic a natu-
ral presentation. This is also a great
opportunity to use the new Berkley
Jointed Flicker Shads, which give off
a high degree of action! They come
in 28 colors, including patterns with
bright “fire” tails and glitter tails. This
new bait and the traditional Flicker
Shad now come with Fusion 19
hooks. These hooks are thin to keep
the great action of the bait, but have a
strong tensile strength and are super
sharp!
After you connect with fish, repeat
the plot trail of your trolling path until
the fish move. By using the combina-
tion of your kicker motor to propel the
boat and the Xi5 bow mount trolling
motor to steer the boat, you will stay
on a very precise trail. If it appears
that the fish are in a transition area
and tightly packed, don’t be afraid to
stop and fish them with a Moonshine
Shiver Minnow or Johnson Thin
Fisher.
The coolest thing about this pat-
tern is you never know what will be
on the other end of the line. Don’t
be surprised if your Next Bite is a
northern or muskie, in addition to the
walleyes you will catch!n
YOUR ARGO DEALER
Cleanup improves health of
U.P.’s Menominee River
A recent cleanup effort along a stretch of the Menominee River is expect-
ed to boost fish and environmental health in the area as the river recovers.
The Menominee River forms the boundary between the northeast corner
of Wisconsin and the southern tip of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, with head-
waters originating in both states and eventually emptying into Green Bay.
Federal Environmental Protection Agency and state specialists from
Michigan and Wisconsin helped Lower Menominee River communities clean
up the river by removing contaminants left by historic industry use, including
manufactured gas, ship-building, paper and wastewater treatment companies.
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funds supported the cleanup.
“Restoration of sites like these makes an incredible difference for Great
Lakes communities and natural habitat, as well as the outdoor recreation op-
portunities they support,” said Office of the Great Lakes Director Jon Allan.
“Together, we’re achieving the goal of swimmable, fishable, drinkable waters
that everyone can enjoy.”
The environmental effects of that historic pollution had earned the lower
3 miles of the Menominee River designation as an “Area of Concern" under
the 1987 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. The residual impact of the
release of coal tar, paint sludge and arsenic from those businesses led to seri-
ous ecological impairments for many area communities.
Thanks to cleanups like this, positive changes are happening. Michigan
originally was tagged with 111 ecological impairments, which are defined as
damage to the environment that keeps the ecosystem from properly function-
ing. This cleanup triggered the removal of Michigan’s 48th impairment from
that original list. Office of the Great Lakes staff expect the Menominee River’s
last two impairments, regarding fish and wildlife habitat and populations, to
be lifted soon.
Although restoration of this site is almost complete, there is still much
work needed to address environmental damage in Michigan. People can get
involved in AOC cleanups through local Public Advisory Councils that work
in partnership with Office of the Great Lakes coordinators.
To learn more about work to protect, restore and sustain Michigan’s
waters, visit michigan.gov/OGL or contact Rachel Coale, 517-290-4295 or
Stephanie Swart, 517-284-5046.
WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 37
 Conservation Conversation
My Thoughts, My Views...By Steve Law - MACD
S
o many times, it seems as though
programs designed to “help the
people” are dreamed up in Wash-
ington or Lansing and launched on
the unsuspecting population without
the benefit of local guidance and
leadership. Not so with Michigan’s Conservation
Districts.
The story of Conservation Districts is one
of a successful long term federal, state and local
partnership. The Dust Bowl provided the politi-
cal will to create a new Federal agency, the Soil
The Dust Bowl encouraged the development of a
federal, state and local conser vation par tnership.
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Conservation Service, now known as the Natural
Resources Conservation Service. This agency
was created to work in states that had adopted the
Standard Soil Conservation District Law allow-
ing for the creation of Conservation Districts at
the local level, usually by county. When these
local Conservation Districts were created during
the ’30s, ’40s and ’50s, then federal employees
with special training in resource conservation
through the planning and installation of many dif-
ferent conservation practices would be assigned
to help the Conservation District with projects in
their area of concern.
The creation of a local Conservation District
required that the County Commissioners agree to
put the question on the ballot and because there
was so much support, most did just that. Then the Local leaders saw early on the need for a Con-
ser vation District.
people who made their livings on and cared for
the land made the trek to the polling place and most pressing resource concerns in the county.
voted to create a Conservation District to serve They coordinate with many other local leaders
their county. Today some 3,000 Conservation and groups to get this job done. No matter how
Districts provide local leadership in planning and serious one thinks our environmental problems
installation of conservation measures across the are today, just imagine how much worse they
nation. would be without the ongoing efforts of these lo-
Conservation Districts are led by a group of cal leaders to bring in the technical and financial
five locally elected directors. These directors are resources of the federal and state government and
responsible for developing a long range business focus them on the resource conservation issues
plan which when implemented will address the most important to the local people.
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 Conservation Districts are the “local delivery
system” for a great many programs which pro-
vide technical and financial assistance to private
landowners and operators. Today, districts assist
in the delivery of nearly 50 million dollars of
federal financial and technical assistance from the
Natural Resources Conservation Service. They
also are the go to organization when the state has
programs which benefit water quality, wildlife or
forestry on private land. Michigan’s agriculture
and forest products industry is a $119 billion sec-
tor of the state’s economy. Conservation districts
deliver $6.2 million in Michigan Department of
Agriculture and Rural Development programs,
such as the Michigan Agriculture Environmen-
tal Assurance Program (MAEAP), the Forestry
Assistance Program, and the Habitat Incentive
Program. Conservation Districts have proven
to be the low cost and most effective way to get
landowners to adopt new conservation practices,
which will benefit not only themselves but all the
citizens of Michigan by keeping our soils healthy
and productive, our waters clean, our forests and
woodlands well managed and our wildlife plenti-
ful.
Today, 75 Conservation Districts are serving
all 83 counties in Michigan. Many Districts are
well directed, funded and staffed and as a result
are able to deliver a greater share of federal and
state financial and technical assistance to the resi-
dents of the county they serve. Others, unfortu-
nately, are not doing as well mostly due to a lack
of operational funding and this is to the detriment
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of the landowners and the resources in the county.
Districts do not receive basic operational
funding from either their federal or state govern-
ment partners. Many Districts do not even receive
operating funds from the county in which they
were created and which they serve. This lack of
base funding drives districts toward grant writing,
plant material sales and many other revenue gen-
erating and project funding activities to be able to
carry out a local program. While writing grants
and selling trees are not bad things, they may not
result in the treatment of the most important re-
source concerns that could or should be the focus
of their efforts.
The Michigan Association of Conservation
Districts, which represents and serves Michigan’s
Conservation Districts, has identified the lack of
basic operational funding as the most important
impediment for Districts in addressing natural
resource issues locally as well as those at the state
level. Without operational funding, districts can-
not complete the upfront investments to inves-
tigate resource issues and to plan and organize
treatments which result in successful projects
down the road. For instance, a district recently
led an effort to remove a failing dam on a major
river. This effort took a great deal of time for
district staff and directors and years to get per-
mits, approvals and funding. Grants were needed
to pay for the work. Grant funds are most often
paid in arrears three to six months after the work
has been done. Districts which are successful in
pursuing grants need to be able to operate for that
Lapeer County
amount of time on their own funds in order to
secure grant funded programs which are needed
in their counties.
The picture seems clear that if county and
state leaders desire a low cost and effective deliv-
ery system for conservation programs and techni-
cal assistance to protect and improve our natural
resources on private lands they will seriously
consider providing a greater level of financial
support for Conservation Districts.
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation
Service delivers financial assistance for conser-
vation practices with and through the statewide
network of Conservation Districts.
Anyone interested in getting involved with
or learning more about their local Conservation
District is encouraged to attend a local board
meeting, annual meeting or check out the web-
site MACD.org for more information about the
excellent work being done locally by Michigan’s
Conservation Districts.n
WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 39
 Paddling the
Pine River
Canoe Trail
By Darryl Quidort

O
n a sunny, spring ness. The river was aptly named for
morning I slipped the groves of huge white pines that
my 14 foot cedar lined its banks until the 1860s when
strip canoe into the lumbermen came into the water-
slightly tea colored shed to harvest the big pines. Over
water of the up- the next 20 years thousands upon
per Pine River and pushed out into thousands of logs were floated down
the current. With one stroke of my the river to waiting sawmills. When
paddle I started on a new adventure. the pines were gone the lumber-
I intended to follow an old, nearly men moved on, but the Pine River
forgotten canoe trail for thirty miles remained. The river flows yet today
downstream to the first dam. I don’t unbridled from its headwaters to the
know of anyone who has actually dam in the city of Alma.
done it. The Pine River Canoe Trail was
Native Americans certainly actually mapped out in 1974 by
knew the route. This Central Michi- Alma College Biology Professor,
gan river must have been a major Mr. Lester Eyer. However, inter-
travel way for centuries. Histori- est dwindled until the trail was
cally, river travel was much easier nearly forgotten. In 2010 a new
than traveling overland through the group, Friends of the Pine River,
swampy areas of Michigan’s wilder- was formed to raise local interest
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The author anxious for a day of paddling.
in improving the watershed and
promoting recreational use of the
river again. They cleaned up trash
and cleared log jams from several
sections of the river. Unfortunately
interest soon waned again. Lack of
use, river obstructions, and water
quality issues have plagued the Pine
River and today the trail has been
nearly forgotten again.
The sun was shining down
through the new leaves on the oaks
and maples along the river that
morning as I started my journey.
It was quiet. Along with the dip
of my paddle there was only bird
song, the breeze in the trees, and the
soothing sound of moving water.
My timing seemed perfect; after the
early spring torrents and before the
gravel scraping low-water flow of
summer. For the first several miles
a swift current carried me rapidly
along over a cobblestone and pebble
river bottom. It seemed as though
everything was coming alive. The
ferns were coming up on the river
bottoms, the trees were wearing
bright new leaves, and one of the
year’s first mosquitoes was buzzing
me. I spotted a tiny fawn lying on
the river bank looking at me through
the emerging ferns. Then I noticed
the doe lying motionless beside him
watching me pass silently by. Al-
though there were a few backyards
and a couple of cabins, the river
appeared to be mostly wild.
Deer were a common sight along
the river, as were squirrels, and a
big raccoon climbed a tree to watch
me pass. A long list of birds, from
kingfishers to blue herons, were a
pleasure to see. Ducks were plenti-
ful and Canada geese, many with
young in tow, seemed to be found
around every bend. They usually
honked loudly until they jumped up
on the river bank to let me pass by.
However, one goose swam ahead of
my canoe for a long distance. Honk-
ing loudly at one second intervals,
he would not let me pass. It became
irritating.
“You have a horn,” a woman
shouted from her cabin porch. “Stu-
pid goose won’t leave me alone,” I
laughed. He finally tired of the game
and flew away.
Although I found most of the
trip safe and relaxing, it wasn’t
without challenges. Eventually the
river became a little wider with a
slower but more powerful current
flowing over a sand bottom with
deep holes on the river bends. I’d
hug the inside of the bends to avoid
the current slamming my canoe into
the brush on the outer side. Trees
fallen across the river became all
too common. Especially huge ash
trees which had been killed by the
emerald ash borer. As each fallen
tree came into view I would line the
canoe up to hit any opening through
it. Many times the fallen tree had
collected other flotsam and caused a
huge logjam across the entire river. I
often had to leave the river and drag
the canoe around an obstruction.
Sometimes I had to unload the ca-
noe and portage it on my shoulders
around a mess of fallen trees locked
together. In some areas I faced a
logjam every hundred yards.
Suddenly, I heard a new sound.
“That’s not wind in the trees,” I
thought. “It’s rapids!” I had no
intention of running an unseen
rapids. I headed for the nearest bank
intending to scout the river ahead
but the powerful current turned me
sideways and I nearly shipped water
as I bounced off a log. Straightening
out, I aimed for a narrow passage
between two trees. That committed
me to running the rapids. It didn’t
look too bad. As I steered across the
current and lined up for the rapids,
two fishermen reeled in to watch the
fun. “Great, an audience.” I’d only
seen two other people all day. I hit
it straight and rushed through the
rapids with standing waves slapping
under my canoe.
“Nice day for fishing,” I casu-
ally remarked as I whisked past the
fishermen. They both burst out in

40 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS

laughter!
“Surprised you even made it
this far with all the downed trees,”
one shouted as I disappeared around
the bend.
My wife was waiting for me
when I reached the Sumner Centen-
nial Park. The GPS showed that I
was 12 miles downriver from my
starting point at Lumberjack Park.
I had dragged my canoe around
about 25 downed trees and portaged
around half a dozen bigger river ob-
structions. I was tired. It was a good
tired though.
The upper part of the Pine River
Canoe Trail is quite scenic and fun
to paddle. There is basically no
white water and just enough chal-
lenge to keep it interesting. I would
recommend it to anyone for a day
trip.
Rain and high water kept me
off the river for the next two weeks.
Then I started where I had left off
at Sumner. The river was larger and
the current appeared slower but was
powerful and could quickly pull a
canoe into a dangerous situation.
I had barely started downstream
when I ran into the first logjam. The
current caught me and I got bumped
around a bit. That was a warning
from the river to keep an eye ahead
and be prepared to react sooner to
obstructions. And, there were plenty
of obstructions. So many fallen trees
had piled up into logjams that as
soon as I got by one the next one
was a concern. I got out of the river
many times to portage or drag my
canoe around downed trees.
A river otter surfaced near a
logjam and sort of raised up in the
water to inspect my approaching
canoe. Then a second otter joined
the first and they took turns diving
and swimming around the log pile
as I passed closely by them. I looked
back as one curiously raised up in
the water and watched me paddle on
my way.
The river flowed in lazy S-
curves and ox-bows through a low,
swampy river bottom. The reced-
ing water had left mucky flats that
smelled “swampy.” The muck banks
made a mess of getting in and out of
The author nearly stepped on this fawn while por taging his canoe.
the canoe. Between the mucky areas
fallen logs were hidden by high
green grass and ferns. Portaging
became an exhausting task. On one
portage I was walking through thick,
waist high grass with the canoe on
my shoulders when I came across a
little fawn. It looked up at me with
big brown eyes but never moved.
After a quick photo I turned away
and left it lying there undisturbed.
The flooded timber on this
stretch was home to large flocks of
colorful wood ducks. Many flushed
ahead of me and flew off making
their squeaky, whistling call. Some
had small chicks which could speed
across the surface like little motor
boats as the hen led their escape. Logjam. An all too common sight on the river.
In addition to the troublesome bridge discouraged me for good. I Gratiot County Parks and Recre-
fallen trees, many live trees had called my wife. “Come rescue me,” ation Department is working with
branches hanging so low to the I moaned. the County Emergency Manager on
water that they swept my canoe as I My goal had been to paddle the a plan to prevent damaging flooding
passed under them. They were full 30 miles of the old Pine River Ca- in the county. Their goal is to apply
of spider webs and several times I noe Trail. In all, I’ve canoed solo on for state and federal grants to clean
came out covered with cobwebs and about 20 miles of it. Will I ever fin- the Pine River. If this happens the
had live spiders dangling from the ish it? I don’t know. I’d like to, but Pine River Canoe Trail may once
bill of my cap. The canoe bottom I don’t know if it’s even feasible. again be open. If so, I will certainly
was a mess of leaves, sticks, and Attempting ten more miles of those finish my goal.
mud, with several big spiders crawl- logjams would be crazy. Clearing For more information contact
ing around in the litter. The day the river of obstructions would be Gratiot County Parks and Recre-
was now very hot and the mosqui- an enormous job. At this time I can’t ation at 989-875-5278. To view a
toes were ferocious. I was soaked recommend that part of the trail to map and brochure of the canoe trail
through with perspiration, and sweat anyone. go to www.gratiotmi.com/depart-
laced with mosquito dope burned There is hope, however! The ments/parks.n
my eyes. This part of the river
wasn’t exactly scenic, and canoeing
wasn’t fun anymore.
After the next portage I dug my
phone out of the dry box and called
my wife. “When I reach the next
road bridge I’ll have to make a deci-
sion whether to keep going or have
you come pick me up,” I informed
her. It had been a morning of hard,
hot work and I was exhausted. In the
last six miles I had been in and out
of the canoe to portage around ap-
proximately forty trees and logjams.
When I finally did approach the
next bridge I pulled ashore to eat
a sandwich and think things over.
The next stretch of river looked like
more of the same. However, I knew Redeem this ad for a
if I didn’t do this now, I might never
get it done. I actually got back in
the canoe and started out, but an- 10% DISCOUNT OFF SHOW PRICE
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WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 41
 Spittlebugs
O
ver two months
have slipped by
since strange frothy
bubbles shimmered
on plant stems in
meadows, fallow
farm fields and along weedy road-
sides. The season of the mystery
bubbles that seemingly ap-
pear overnight is over and
won’t return until late next
spring, but questions on
these eye-catching bubble
baths that kids like to poke
their fingers into still come
my way as I meander my
home turf on the wilder
side of
Oakland
County.
By Jonathan Schechter
And questions don’t just from little
kids, I also received them from
the hooks and bullets crowd of the
Michigan Outdoor Writers Associa-
tion, “Hey, nature guy; what’s this
stuff on the stem?”
And so on those sultry summer
Visit our booth
at the 32nd Annual
Outdoor Weekend!
42 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
days I share the adult version of
how the bubbles are made. The fact
of the matter is the bubbles have
nothing to do with spit, even though
they are created by a creature known
with a degree of affection as the
spittlebug. And as far as bugs go—
they are rather cute.
Little kids and nature-
curious adults often noticed
those stem-clinging bubbles
but I often held back on
sharing all details of their
creation to prevent young
Little kids and nature-curious adults often noticed those stem-cling-
children from collapsing on ing bubbles...but what is it really? Jonathan Schechter photos
the ground in fits of hysteri- and for that reason I am coming fantastic speeds, and some taste re-
cal uncontrollable giggles clean on the story of spittlebugs and ally, really bad. But if you are a very
that often their “bug-spit.” But all true tales tiny, perhaps tasty creature that’s
accompany
comments
of nature start with a beginning,
so that’s where we start, with one
shorter than a mosquito, with no
evasion and escape abilities, danger
on bodily functions. Truth could do word: Evolution. is rarely out of spitting distance.
that, especially if I told the truth, Predation has spurred the evolu- Concealment is the technique used
the whole truth and nothing but the tion of all sorts of clever survival by the crawling creatures that live
truth. Truth might even stir little adaptations in the world of insects within these frothy masses. They are
ones to scream such phrases as and bugs. Some tiny creatures have created by “spittlebugs,” and they
“Out their butts!” Science should be protective ‘armor plating,’ others are are the pale green nymphs of small
based on fact, not sharing of myth, masters of camouflage or can flee at jumping insects known as frog-
hoppers. They stay hidden inside
their bubble bath until they are big
enough to jump about. They do so
by covering themselves in what
scientists refer to as spittle, thus the
commonly used name of “spittle-
bug.”
Despite its most memorable
name of spittlebug, the frothy “spit”
isn’t spit at all—but by now you
already know where this nature
ramble is heading. But you can’t
name a bug a “butt bug” (or some-
thing else along those lines that
perhaps the editor would not let me
write), so the name spittlebug has
stuck. The fact of the matter is they
form the spittle by mixing air with
copious amounts of excess plant flu-
ids that come in through the mouth
parts and then through a serious of
strange internal muscle contractions
they quite literately blow bubbles
out their butts. Yes they do.
Here’s the dry way it’s often
described in scientific literature
that doesn’t see the excitement of
its creation. “As it voids the excess
fluids from its anus, the spittlebug
also secretes a sticky substance from
abdominal glands. Using caudal
appendages, it whips air into the
mixture, giving it a foamy appear-
ance.” I’ll add something here and
emphasize those “caudal append-
ages” function a bit like tiny fan
blades located inside the butt.
Another confession: There is no
way I can tell a public gathering for
a nature hike, “Today we are search-
ing for a tiny green nymph with a
miniature fan in its butt that blows
bubbles. Let’s touch the bubbles.”
But the hikes do happen, and we
do poke and touch and admire the
spittle.
I was hoping to capture a close
up image of the actual creation of
the bubbles but failed, and it took
an hour just trying to get even a few
clear images of the tiny nymphs for
its not easy to get them to pose on a
fingertip for close up. In the pro-
cess of the photo shoot back in late
June I was feasted on by squadrons
of blood-thirsty mosquitoes, and
several hours later, when I worked
on the images on my laptop, I felt
something on my ankle. A tick had
found me to be a good source of
nourishment while I was nearly
motionless in the field of hidden
spittlebugs viewing their behavior
when disturbed; just another hazard
of spontaneous scientific “research.”
I did however discover some-
“Spittlebugs” are the pale green nymphs of small jumping insects known
as froghoppers. They stay hidden inside their bubble bath for protection
until they are big enough to jump about.
thing else during my photo shoot.
Spittlebugs are shy of sunlight.
They would ‘walk’ as quickly as
they could on their very tiny, but
relatively tall legs to reach the shady
side of my finger. I also suspect that
in addition to the spittlebug’s foam
insulating them from the heat, and
perhaps protecting from the relative
chill of the night cold, it serves as a
natural moisturizer to protect their
soft-bodies.
A literature search to fact check
my tale mentioned each “dol-
lop” of foam only houses one or
two nymphs, however one of my
finger-poking expeditions into a
large foamy private residence to stir
residents into motion for a photo
revealed almost a dozen. Dollop was
a new word for me. It’s defined as
“a shapeless mass or blob of some-
thing;” a totally perfect description.
Autumn is not far off and soon
the female froghoppers will lay
clusters of eggs that will hatch next
year assuring a new generation of
bugs that remind us that evolution
is full of surprise. I think blowing
bubbles out their butts is one heck
of survival surprise, thankfully not
adopted by two-legged creatures.
Jonathan Schechter is a natural-
ist and outdoor writer in Oakland
County. Email:oaknature@aol.
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BIG WALLEYE and the
Crankbait
Connection
F
or more than 30 years
I’ve known something
about walleye and crank-
baits. Crankbaits catch
bigger fish on average
than jigs, spinners or
live bait rigging. Most of the serious
walleye anglers I’ve broken bread
with over the years would agree
with me that for some reason crank-
baits seem to routinely produce a
higher grade of walleye.
The problem is that not all
crankbaits are adept at catching
walleye. In fact, of the hundreds
of crankbaits marketed as walleye
slayers, only a handful of these baits
routinely catch fish. Every crankbait
has it’s day, but the crankbaits I’m
interested in owning and using are
the select few that catch fish day in
and day out.
Crankbait Categories
Learning how to get the most
from crankbaits starts with
understanding the differ-
ent categories of crankbaits
and when best to use them.
I break down crankbaits
into four categories I’ll call
stickbaits, minnow divers,
shad baits and high action
wobblers.
Stickbaits,
or what bass
anglers rou-
By Mark Romanack
tinely refer to as jerkbaits, feature
a shallow diving lip and slender
minnow profile. This category of
crankbait can be deadly casted and
fished as a jerkbait over the top of
emerging weed beds in the spring of
the year, but mostly these baits find
themselves pigeon holed as night
time trolling baits.
It’s true that stickbaits are es-
pecially useful when trolling after
dark, when fishing near the surface
and also when fishing in close
proximity to rip rap, breakwalls and
other types of shore protection. In
the early spring and again through-
out the fall, stickbaits are the “go to”
choice of serious walleye fishermen.
44 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
Literally every manufacturer of
crankbaits has a few baits in this
category. In my experience, the
best of the lot tend to be the larger
sized baits. In part, larger baits work
better because they displace more
water and are easier for walleye to
feel, see and ultimately zero in on.
Oversized stickbaits work especially
well when fishing after dark.
My short list for “must have”
walleye friendly stickbaits includes
the Rapala No. 18 Floating Minnow,
the Rapala Husky Jerk 14 and the
Smithwick Perfect 10 Rogue.
The next category of crank-
baits anglers must embrace are the
minnow divers. These baits feature
the same slender minnow profile
of stickbaits, but they have larger
diving lips that allow them to reach
significant depths. Minnow div-
ers are largely considered the most
important category of crankbaits as
these lures produce well
during the spring, summer
and fall.
While many minnow
divers share a similar look
or profile, the action these
lures deliver is vastly dif-
ferent from one to another.
The shape, length and
width of the diving lip, plus
the precise
location of the
pull point all
have a profound impact on the ac-
tion these lures deliver. Big walleye motivate Jake Romanack of Fishing 411 TV unlike other
species found in the Great Lakes region. Catching big walleye often
This point is important to grasp
boils down to using crankbaits and understanding which baits rou-
because a lot of minnow divers
work well on some days and not so tinely produce the desired results.
well on others. The Reef Runner using the two ounce Off Shore action was slow and the size of the
800 series is a classic example of a Tackle Snap Weight to get our baits fish were smaller than we expected.
minnow diver that can run red hot or to bottom in water from 40 to 45 It wasn’t until we put the Reef Run-
icy cold depending on conditions. feet deep. In practice we caught ner back into our spread that things
Recently the Fishing 411 TV fish on four different cranks, but the changed for the better.
crew hooked up with Steve Lynch of Reef Runner was clearly not the best This is precisely why I carry
Pro Cure Bait Scents to target some producing lure. a fairly large selection of minnow
walleye, trolling crankbaits on Lake The very next day we assembled diver style crankbaits and switch
Erie. Prior to shooting a TV episode a filming crew and loaded up our them out often until the most pro-
we normally spend a couple days spread with the baits that had pro- ductive bait for any given day is
pre-fishing to figure out a pattern. duced best the two days prior. You
On this particular trip we were guessed it, while we caught fish the Big walleyes page 46
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Big walleyes:
determined. My top choices in this
category include the Reef Runner
800 series, Rapala Deep Husky Jerk
No. 12, Storm Original Deep Jr.
ThunderStick, Bandit Deep Walleye
5/8 ounce, Berkley No. 9 Flicker
Minnow, Rapala TDD Deep Tail
Dancer No. 11 and Brad’s Lip-Stix.
Shad baits are another huge cate-
gory of crankbaits and fundamental-
ly critical to walleye fishing success.
Shad baits tend to have the greatest
following among anglers who fish
walleye in natural lakes and also im-
poundments. The shad profile does
an excellent job of imitating natural
forage minnows commonly found
in natural lakes and impoundments
including golden shiners, spot-tail
shiners, young-of-the-year bluegills,
gizzard shad and thread-fin shad.
Most manufacturers have baits
in this category, but a surprisingly
small number of shad baits have
proven themselves over the test of
time. The two families of shad baits
every walleye angler should own
include the Rapala Shad Rap series
and the Berkley Flicker Shad series.
In regards to the Shad Rap, I’m refer-
ring to the original balsa wood series.
Balsa produces an action that is very
tough to duplicate with plastic lures.
Of the hundreds of plastic shad
baits on the market, the Berkley
Flicker Shad series does the best job
of consistently producing walleye
day in and day out.
The last category of crankbaits
important to the walleye angler are
known as wide wobblers or high
action cranks. Because this category
of baits has the most pronounced
action, it is most useful when fishing
in late spring and into summer when
water temperatures are warmer and
walleye are most active.
Not surprisingly these baits tend
to work best at faster trolling speeds
that bring out the best in their ac-
tions. A few of the wide wobbling
baits that have proven themselves to
be invaluable to the walleye angler
include the Storm Original Wiggle
Wart, Storm Original 3/8 Rattle Tot,
Brad’s Wiggler, Salmo Hornet and
Yakima Mag Lip 3.0 and 3.5 sizes.
Besides a wide and aggressive
wobble, these lures are very noisy
which makes them useful when
summer plankton blooms stain the
water a nice shade of green.
Tuning Crankbaits
Ideally every crankbait will
come out of the package and run
perfectly straight in the water. Un-
fortunately, a lot of crankbaits need
to be hand tuned by making small
46 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
from page 44
adjustments to the pull point of the
lure to get the baits to swim properly
and dive straight into the water.
Off Shore Tackle recently intro-
duced a new product known as the
EZ Crankbait Tuner that is designed
to make tuning cranks easier and
faster. This tool features an offset
jaw that makes it easy to grasp the
pull point with the short jaw and
the edge of the diving lip with the
longer jaw. Also, this new tool
features a spring adjustable slip jaw
that helps to eliminate putting too
much pressure on the pull point and
damaging the lure.
The idea is to set the jaw tension
to be just strong enough to slightly
bend the wire pull point. Because
different crankbaits feature different
diameter pull point wires, having
an adjustable slip jaw design helps
tremendously in achieving just the
perfect amount of pressure to tune
any crankbait large or small.
Terminal Connections
A lot of anglers debate the best
way to attach crankbaits to their
line. Many anglers and manufactur-
ers recommend using a “loop knot”
to allow lures the maximum swim-
ming action. A loop knot is a good
option, but clearly not the most
practical option for fishing crank-
baits and switching out lures often.
A round cross lok style wire
snap is the most practical way to
attach any crankbait to the fishing
line. A No. 2 size snap is popular
with walleye anglers, but this size
snap will slide into and damage the
tip of many trolling rods. The No. 3
snap is a little larger, easier to open
and it won’t stick in the tip top of
trolling rods.
Another common debate is how
to attach the fishing line to lures that
come factory supplied with a cross
lok snap. Some argue that tying the
line directly to the cross lok snap
is the best option. Again, this is
an option, but clearly not the most
practical one.
Attaching a cross lok snap to
the end of the fishing line and then
attaching this snap to the cross lok
snap on the bait is the best choice.
Connecting crankbaits using a snap
to a snap may seem redundant, but
this option gives these baits the
maximum freedom to wiggle and
wobble in the water.
The more pronounced action a
crankbait has, the more important
it is to use a snap to a snap set up.
Wide wobbling and high action
lures simply come to life when they
are fished using a pair of snaps.
During a recent trip on Lake Erie, Mark Romanack (left) and Jake
Romanack (center) teamed up with Steve Lynch of Pro Cure Bait
Scents. Crankbaits routinely catch a bigger grade of fish for those
anglers who understand how to get the most from these lures.
Crankbait Modifications
Even the best designed crank-
baits can benefit from some after
market modifications. Rigging
crankbaits with not one, but two
split rings allows the treble hook
more freedom to turn without al-
lowing the fish leverage to pull the
hook. This simple trick all but elimi-
nates hooked fish escaping.
The other modification every
crankbait fisherman should embrace
is replacing factory treble hooks as
they get damaged and dull. A grow-
ing number of crankbait manufac-
turers are using premium hooks
on their lures. Premium hooks are
a good thing, but eventually these
hooks will become bent and dam-
aged from the process of unhooking
fish.
Once a hook is bent, bending it
back into shape becomes a band-
aid. The problem is the wire used in
making hooks is fairly thin and loses
it’s temper once bent. A good way to
insure you will lose a big fish is to
bend factory hooks back into shape,
rather than taking the time to replace
these hooks.
Thankfully the industry pro-
duces some exceptionally sharp and
durable aftermarket treble hooks.
The Eagle Claw TroKar TK300 and
TK310 are round bend and wide
bend style treble hooks designed
to hook every fish that bites. Made
from surgically sharp wire, the wire
used on the TroKar hooks is also a
little more stout and better able to
stand up to the rigors of landing and
unhooking lots of fish.
Using fishing scent is a final
crankbait modification to consider.
Fish scents are designed to set up a
natural scent stream in the water that
helps give fish that extra confidence
to strike at mechanical lures like
crankbaits.
The key word here is natural
or scents made from natural forage
species. Pro Cure Bait Scents are an
industry leader in producing fishing
scents made from the forage species
most commonly eaten by game fish.
For walleye fishing, my favor-
ite Pro Cure Super Gel scents are
alewife, gizzard shad, smelt and the
minnow formula.
Summing It Up
Most serious walleye fishermen
will agree that crankbaits catch a
larger grade of fish than jigs, rigs
or spinners. Getting the most from
crankbaits requires understand-
ing the different categories of baits
available and using these baits to
their full potential.n
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Bad Axe, MI 48413 WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 47

(989) 269-GUNS (4867)

A 78 day hunt
for a trophy!
M
ark Dalley from
Owosso, Michigan
learned a number
of valuable lessons
during his lengthy
hunt for a trophy
whitetail during 2017. Most impor-
tant among those lessons is if you
don’t get the buck you’re after, keep
hunting from one season to the next
and the next and there’s a chance
you will eventually score. Mark
finally did get the buck he was after
on his 78th day of hunting.
Over that length of time
he went through the early
bow season, firearm season,
muzzleloader season and
was into the late archery
hunt when he finally got
the buck with a crossbow in
December.
Mark saw
the buck a total
of 13 times
By Richard P. Smith
during the course of his pursuit of
the whitetail, and did get shots at
the deer a couple of times, but they
weren’t the best shot opportunities,
and that’s why he missed on those
occasions. In some cases, bucks that
are pressured in such a fashion go
nocturnal or relocate. In others, the
bucks end up being killed by anoth-
er hunter or a motorist. Fortunately,
none of those scenarios played out
in this case.
Here’s the story of how Mark’s
hunt for his 200-inch nontypical
progressed.
“The first time I saw him was
the beginning of May,” Mark wrote
in a summary of his hunt. “He was
standing with two smaller bucks.
His left main beam was already
about a foot in length with two
knobs, which created a stark picture
compared to his companions who
had only two-inch knobs.
“On July 14, I drove to my
hunting spot, an 80-acre tract, 20
of which is woods. I was five steps
away from my truck when he stood
up out of the wheat field 80 yards
from my stand. By now, his rack
was huge.”
If Mark had not decided to
focus all of his attention on that
buck when he first saw it in May,
he certainly made up his mind after
that sighting during July. Although
Dalley saw the buck a number of
times during the early bow season,
he was never able to get a bow shot
at the deer.
“On the second day of bow
season, he walked 60 yards from
my ladder stand, but I was on the
48 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
fence row 200 yards away,” Mark
wrote. “In the first light of the day, I
could see the dark mass on his head
silhouetted against the still-green
winter wheat. He zig-zagged while
scoping out the field for does, but
never went into the woods. Around
the end of the third week in October,
I saw ‘my’ buck again. At about
nine o’clock I saw him running
north along the creek line.
“At the beginning of November,
I noticed a change in his travel pat-
tern from north to south to
east to west. On the morn-
ing of November 12, he
was walking along the same
creek line with three does.
I tried to cut him off, but he
must have winded me and
got spooked because he ran
in the other direction. At
first light the
next day, I saw
him walking
alone along the fence line headed
east. Unfortunately, he was gone
before I could get closer. I rested the
day after that because by this time I
had hunted for 43 days.”
Dalley got his first shots at the
buck he was after on opening day
of gun season (November 15). On
that day, he carried both a Traditions
Muzzleloader and a Winchester
Model 12 shotgun in 12 gauge load-
ed with two 3-inch shells contain-
ing 00 buckshot and two slugs. The
muzzleloader was for shots over 100
yards and the shotgun was a backup
in case he needed a quick second
shot. The muzzleloader was loaded
with 100 grains of Triple 7 Powder
and a Thompson/Center Shockwave
Bullet with a yellow ballistic tip.
The rifle was sighted in 3 inches
high at 100 yards.
“On November 15, rain and wind
coming out of the southwest prompt-
ed me to move into the woods,”
Mark wrote. “I had a commitment
and needed to come out of the woods
by 2:30. Walking out of the woods, I
looked to the northwest corner, and
there he was about 250 yards away
standing in the open field, but still
hugging the fencerow. This was the
tenth time I had seen him.
“A small dip in the field pre-
vented me from seeing anything but
his head and neck. He could only
see my head and shoulders, but he
had seen me first. I couldn’t kneel
because he would be out of sight, so
I raised my 50-caliber Traditions. I
had my Leupold scope on his neck,
but I didn’t want to shoot him in
the neck. He suddenly turned to the
Mark Dalley’s Shiawassee Co. trophy buck had 17 scoreable points!
right.
“I took two steps to clear the
rise in the field, put the crosshairs
high on his shoulder, and pulled the
trigger. The smoke cleared, but he
was gone. That was my first shot
at the deer and buck fever hit hard.
After I regained my composure, I re-
loaded my muzzleloader and started
walking across the field to where the
buck had been standing.
“As I stood there looking at the
spot where he had been, he blew at
me. I was about 50 yards from the
fencerow and realized that he had
stood there and watched me cross
the field. I looked up to see him turn
his head and start running through
the thicket. A thorough search failed
to turn up any blood or hair.”
Mark saw the buck twice more
during firearm season, but was un-
able to get another shot at him. His
next chance came during muzzle-
loader season.
“I was walking out of the
woods with about five minutes of
legal shooting light left when I
looked across the field and spotted
a doe and two deer with their heads
down,” Dalley explained. “Through
my binoculars I could see two bucks
pushing each other while the doe
watched. They lifted their heads and
I immediately knew the one on the
left was him. He was unmistakable.
“With three minutes left of legal
shooting light, I crouched and ran
toward them until I was about 150
yards away, at which point he spot-
ted me. I kneeled into a shooting
position and shot. Again, I missed.”
After muzzleloader season
ended, the late archery season was
still open, so Mark continued hunt-
ing the buck with his crossbow. On
the morning of December 19, he
sat on the ground behind an old oak
tree 100 yards from the creek. At
7:45 a.m. a doe came from the creek
and walked toward Mark. When 50
yards away, the doe turned south
and walked across the field. Two
minutes later, the big buck Dal-
ley was after followed in the doe’s
footsteps.
Mark had the buck in the cross-
hairs of the crossbow’s scope as it
approached, following its progress.
When the whitetail turned to the
south where the doe did at 50 yards,
Mark mouth-grunted stopping the
buck broadside and the hunter didn’t
waste any time taking the shot. The
arrow spined the buck, dropping it
instantly.
The 17-pointer has a gross score
of 200 7/8 and nets 190 1/8. Mark
said the Shiawassee County buck
was at least 5 ½ years old and had
an estimated dressed weight of
150 pounds. The buck was brought
down by a 150-grain Excalibur Bolt-
Cutter Broadhead and Diablo Bolt.
Mark explained that he had a ritual
that he followed every morning that
he hunted the buck, which helped
him maintain confidence that he
would eventually be successful.
“Every morning I drink my
coffee, touch my autographed Fred
Bear Bow and listen to Ted Nugent’s
song about Fred Bear. As part of
my routine, I practiced shooting my
crossbow until I was consistent up
to 60 yards.”n
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WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 49

Canoeing…The Essence of All Outdoors
T
he button buck had prob-
ably never seen a human
before. We glided by
within a canoe length, close
enough to see the animal tremble
as he stood in the stream shallows
and watched us over his shoulder.
Later my wife said he looked like a
frightened, wide-eyed child.
During the next couple of
hours, we were treated to
a mink busy with a still-
flopping sucker. Later we
saw mallards and muskrats
and a great blue heron. At
dusk a woodcock stitched
the cloud-seamed sky. A
screech owl quavered while
we set up our tent on a
hardwood ridge above the
known in weeks a whippoorwill
stirred me awake, briefly. I dreamed
of fur-laden birch bark canoes low
to the waterline and of brave men
paddling along uncharted rivers.
Canoeing a Michigan river
whether five miles or 500 miles
from home grants me a child’s sense
of adventure. The always-changing
scenery, wildlife and dialects of the
river itself afford a constant
sense of wonder. A silent
sport in its own low-budget
class, canoeing is the es-
sence of all outdoors.
Teamed up with
camping, canoeing is as
American an experience as
movies and popcorn. But
an idyllic experience like I

Michigan Meanders
darkening river.
Soon the river
By Tom Huggler
would babble
us to sleep.
I remember
tired muscles—tight from stern-end
strokes all day—loosening to the
foam pad upon which I slept. We
had said goodbye to the 21st century
and a world of four-lane frenzy and
video-game violence. Sometime
during the most peaceful sleep I had
just described
comes only
through careful
planning and
preparation.
You have to help make it happen.
As I write this, my 12-year-old
son Daniel and I are organizing our
gear for an annual canoe/camp-
ing challenge when dads and lads,
grandpas and grandsons team up to
take on a Michigan river. This time
Canoeing a Michigan river whether five miles or 500 miles from home
grants the author a child’s sense of adventure.
the target for family and friends is
the Thunder Bay River that courses
through the northeast part of the
Lower Peninsula before emptying
into Lake Huron at Alpena.
In summers past we have en-
joyed adventures on the Manistee,
Muskegon, Pere Marquette, Pine
and Au Sable. Each has been a
memorable experience.
Besides appealing to those of us
who enjoy solitude, canoeing also
attracts the rowdy types who tip ca-
noes, scream at each other and spray
one another with beer. Some of the
more popular rivers like the Manist-
ee and Au Sable see too many booze
cruisers, which may prompt authori-

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ties to regulate the amount of river deep-six. areas unless there is danger of the
traffic. Of course, the party people Another good idea is to carry river rising. Because stream bottoms
have as much right to enjoy the river day-use items—sunglasses, hat, rain are often low and wet, you may be
as the fishermen and bird watchers. parka, suntan lotion—in a plastic plagued by mosquitoes if you camp
And their loud interruptions are usu- bag with zipper so you don’t have there.
ally brief. to rummage through the waterproof Try a canoe-camping trip this
That’s because not only does the containers every time you want late summer or early fall. Don’t own
scenery change along a river, it also something. We also lash our duffle a canoe? Most major rivers have
changes on a river. and gear bags to the canoe thwarts. liveries which rent them and pro-
Picking an uncrowded stream Even on a day with no rain, wa- vide shuttle service, too. Canoeing
can be part of the planning. Included ter will get into canoe bottoms from Michigan Rivers by Jerry Dennis is
should be a careful study of stream dripping paddles and from getting in an excellent guide. You can also find
flow to help you decide if you can and out. So, keep a sponge handy or information in two of my books:
handle fast stretches as well as low- flip the canoe over at rest stops. Fish Michigan—50 Rivers and 50 The author and his son Daniel
water periods, along with put-in and Choose campsites in upland More Rivers.n with his first trout.
take-out points. Unless you seek a
true wilderness experience, you’ll
want to consider access points along
your route to get supplies or handle
an emergency.
The canoe is a remarkable
discovery that is quite safe when
treated with respect and handled
properly. If you’ve yet to travel in
one, try a beginning float with an
experienced paddler. Take the bow
position at first; after an hour or so
when your confidence has built, try
the stern end.
Learning to handle a canoe
requires the mastery of only a few
strokes and some safety tips such
as proper ways to get in and out.
People who tip canoes over are usu-
ally inexperienced paddlers that take
chances on dangerous rapids or who
don’t keep their center of gravity
low, especially in rough water.
Preparation involves not only
getting familiar with the sport but
also getting in shape. Even so,
canoeing always seems to bring on
sore muscles, but it’s a good sore-
ness that makes you feel alive and
toned at day’s end.
Because space in a canoe is
limited, you should pack carefully,
considering such lightweight items
as freeze-dried foods instead of
canned goods and a one-burner pro-
pane stove in lieu of bulkier two- or
three-burner models. A small back-
packer’s tent of nylon takes up less
space that the four-man type. You’ll
appreciate the planning efforts that
result in downsizing equipment if
you have to portage around logjams,
dams or dangerous rapids.
Take along a sharp axe for chop-
ping your way out of tight spots and
for driving home tent stakes. Carry
a life preserver (I use the kind that
doubles as a seat cushion), plenty
of bug dope, a first-aid kit and
water purification tablets or filter
cup along with your own drinking
water. And don’t forget waterproof
matches.
You can buy waterproof bags for
camera equipment and other gear. I
learned their importance a few years
ago when our canoe tipped over
on the Rifle River. I grabbed our
daughter, age five at the time, and
watched helplessly while two Nikon
FM2 cameras and a couple rolls
of exposed Kodachrome film did a
WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 51
 The power of a ‘wild’ place
“I knew every bridge on every road”...By Joe Smith - MDNR

T
here’s a place I
remember quite well
from my childhood. It
was tucked way back
into the woods, along
one of the wider dirt
roads we used to travel in our old
family station wagon.
In those days, before their
divorce would separate me from
my siblings across an international
border, my mom and dad would take
us for long rides in the woods.
Depending on the season, we’d
pack fishing poles, berry-picking
pails or paper grocery bags for
apples, bug spray and a picnic lunch
my mom had put together.
We’d travel old logging trails
and railroad grades, turned two-
track roads, looking for whatever
wildlife we could see, a chance to
enjoy the sunshine and to listen to
the car radio.
This was back before cassette,
or even 8-track, tape players made
their way into the dashboards of
American automobiles, back when
the radio would play folk, rock, soul
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A view of a slow, downstream, side from one of the bridges in the
Upper Peninsula backwoods.
and country, back-to-back, all on the the black-topped county road. We’d
same station. wait in the car for my dad to come
Sometimes, on our way, we’d out with a slim-jim for him, a Bit-
stop at the little store that sat along O-Honey for me and my mom and
whatever my younger brother and
sisters had wanted.
At the end of the blacktop,
where the road split into three dirt
roads, we’d often take a right. This
is where the adventure would really
begin for me. We were finally past
all the houses, the town and the
trains and cars.
water – whether it was playing with
the garden hose, in the plastic back-
yard swimming pool or down at the
lake by our house, hunting for frogs
Out here in the woods, that
meant bridges. My dad would stop
on the bridges long enough for me
to look out both back passenger
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on one side and then the other. I dis-
covered a lot of these bridges were
like the 45-rpm records I played at
home on a box-styled record player
we had – there was a fast side and a
slow side.
I liked them both.
Not surprisingly, the fast side
was usually more exciting, but the
slow side was deeper. I never tired
of stopping on bridges to look at
water.
The forests and countryside
we’d drive through would change as
we’d ride, like watching a movie out
the window.
Tall red and white pines would
change to leafy, green northern hard-
woods to alders and cedars along the
creeks to grassy fields and yellow
meadows, flanked on their sides by
beautiful, ghostly poplar trees.
My mom would bring a little
gardening spade and maybe a
cardboard box or a plastic pail. If
she found some pretty flowers in
the woods – remnants from some
deserted homestead garden or some-
thing growing wild – she’d get a
start to bring home with her.
She grew vegetables and flowers
– green beans, carrots, lettuce and
peas, not far from red tulips, purple
and pink hollyhocks, poppies and
trellis-climbing morning glories.
We knew a small, shallow lake
back in those woods, where there
were picnic tables overlooking the
water. This is where we’d many
times stop for lunch.
While my mom was pulling out
the food and paper plates, my dad
would sit at the table, watching.
He’d draw a drink out of the old
yellow-and-brown tartan-print juice
jug we had.
They’d talk, while I and my
siblings would wade among the lily
pads and swamp grasses, explor-
ing. I remember one time we found This fabulous icy water – which
leeches stuck to our legs when we clearly held trout – was combined
came out of the water. My folks with a quiet set of modest campsites,
called them “bloodsuckers” and which sat on a flat place under the
my dad pulled them off, while my trees, at the top of a set of wooden
sisters screamed. steps that reached from the river.
If our constant kid pleadings had This place was amazing. A kid like
found favor with my mom, lunch me could live here forever and fish
might mean bologna, or split hot trout all day, every day –brookies,
dogs and ketchup, or peanut but- rainbows and browns. I could eat
ter and jelly, on white bread, with berries along the road, drink water
orange or green Hi-C or Kool-Aid from the pump and make a campfire
to drink and potato chips or those all the time.
canned Pik-Nik original shoestring To heck with having a fort in the
potatoes. backyard at home, my brother and
Once, when a thunderstorm I could sleep here in a tent – every
ruined our woods picnic, we put a night. Maybe even have pizza. One of the old woods roads traveled often by the author’s family.
blanket on the floor at home and had There were often people camp-
our dinner there. ing there, but not ever in any large with the tremendous power of that Underneath those pines, sitting
From the lake, the road wound numbers. They seemed to be folks place by the river – a rustic state around a campfire looking up at the
slowly through the trees, up and like us, eating dinner from a frying forest campground in the wilds of stars, listening to the water – raising
over a few hills, with at least a pan or a dinner pail, looking to find Upper Michigan. a glass to mom and dad and those
couple more wooden plank bridges a place to connect with nature, away It grabbed me and never let go – days gone by – when the biggest
to cross over little creeks, rolling from home. at once capturing my heart and my thing in life was stopping on a
streams or places where the sun We’d drive slowly through the imagination, without my ever hav- bridge to look at the water.
had sucked almost all the water dry, campground sometimes, looking at ing stayed there even once. These Michigan has 138 state forest
leaving only grass, rocks and sand the folks and nodding hello – like days, I’ve got two boys of my own, campgrounds, most all associated
in the river bottom. Henry Fonda and the rest of the even a beautiful little granddaughter with a body of water, some found
I knew every bridge on ev- Joads in the labor camp arrival my dad never got to meet before he along state pathways. These rustic
ery road, and the names of all the scene from movie version of the died. I now imagine a time when campgrounds are found throughout
streams. Because of this, some “The Grapes of Wrath.” me and my brother, and my the Upper Peninsula and northern
roads were favorites, while others Unfortunately for me, my two boys – who are now men Lower Peninsula.
didn’t rate at all. What’s the point of parents weren’t the camping kind. themselves – might one day Learn more about these rustic
even having a road, if there were no Consequently, my brother and I find ourselves together in that state forest campgrounds to start an
bridges on it, I wondered? never did live out my dream of wonderful place. adventure of your own today.n
This brings me back to the place. camping there – not even once – at
That place way back in the woods, least not yet.
past a farm powered with a wind We were young when they
turbine, several deer-hunting camps divorced, and my brother and sisters
and countless raspberry and black- moved to Canada with my mom and
berry brambles crowding the sides her soon-to-be new husband.
of the cobbled dirt road. As the oldest – a 13-year-old
We’d usually get there late in the with the choice of where I wanted
day, as the sun was sinking down to be – I stayed with my dad here in
behind the treetops, the air had Michigan and learned how to cook
cooled, considerably, and we needed dinner, do laundry, clean house and
to be heading home. other stuff my mom used to do.
There was a bridge there – a glo- My dad would take me out to
rious bridge, maybe the best bridge. the restaurant in town every payday
Not because of the bridge works, for supper.
but because of one of the best com- Those early experiences helped 3+ SAFE
bination fast sides and slow sides I shape me in becoming the person I HOURS TO COOK
had ever seen – like Credence Clear- am today. There are lessons there I OF FIRE! OVER
water Revival’s “Travelin’ Band” am very grateful to have had. I’ve
and “Who’ll Stop the Rain.” often been struck over the years
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WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 53
 Frustrated on the outskirts of Caro

Tuscola County Conservation Club...

At the 6 Stand shotgun spor t activity, Doug Kline shows visitors how “easy” it is to break the clay targets.

“I
t’ll be like ‘Crazy Quail’ Can’t say I hadn’t been warned. where we were attending the annual presented at different speeds and
on steroids,” Tom Loun- His description fired my imagination meeting of the Michigan Outdoor from different angles gives it the
sbury had cheerfully and launched my hopes. I signed Writers Association. Among the “sporting clays” feel. Instead of tak-
advised, comparing an on to join him and a few others to many shooting areas at the TCCC ing a walk along a course or field,
activity choice to a ramped up ver- visit the Tuscola County Conser- is the “six-station” 5 stand. It’s like as one does with sporting clays,
sion of an already amped up clay vation Club (TCCC) near Caro, regular 5 stand but with an added however, in 5 stand the shooter just
target sport. about 35 minutes south of Bay City, station for shooting, you moves from station to sta-
see. And that’s where we tion, as he would in skeet.
shot. 6 Stand. According to club
If I were less of a man, president Doug Kline of
I would have been angry. Vassar, the membership
More prideful? I would ratio of rifle and tactical
have been humiliated. A aficionados to shotgun en-
better shot? Frustrated. thusiasts is approximately
Let’s just say in my 80 percent-to-20 percent.

By Tom Carney
hopes and attempts
to show I’m a better
shot than I am, I
was stymied. This game was, in-
deed, like “Crazy Quail on steroids.”
THE FRIENDS OF NRA PROGRAM HAS BEEN OPERATING As a shotgun shooting sport, 5
NATIONWIDE SINCE 1992. DURING THE PAST 25 YEARS, OVER stand is basically a combination of
$3,561,632 HAS BEEN SPENT IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN! AS trap, skeet, and sporting clays. Like
THE PROGRAM GROWS – SO DOES WHAT WE GIVE BACK! trap and skeet, the 5 stand course is
set up in a small area, perhaps 30
2018 BANQUET DATES yards wide with five different shoot-
DATE EVENT CITY
ing stations. The variety of shots
Understandably, the
club sports many
more courses for
rifle/tactical use than for scatterguns.
TCCC is in the fifth year of a
plan to create an indoor 300-yard
rifle range and shooting structure.
It became functional last fall, but
the club is still tinkering with the
details.
As he points out the spots where
spray foam and acoustical tiles will

9/5/2018 WEST BRANCH

9/8/2018 PORT HURON
9/12/2018 BAD AXE
9/13/2018 GRAND BLANC
9/15/2018 MASON
9/27/2018 SAULT STE. MARIE
Please consider attending an event in your area, or joining a local
FNRA committee to help support this great fundraising program!
Visit www.friendsofnra.org/mi For more information.
To find a committee near you; to help start a committee; or to request a grant application
and put this money to good work contact your Michigan NRA Field Representative. Dave Bogner, vice president of the Tuscola County Conser vation Club,
Contact Field Rep Al Herman at aherman@nrahq.org keeps shooters on their toes as he launches clay targets of varying sizes,
speeds and angles of flight. Tailfeather Communications, LLC photos
54 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
be installed for sound reduction
Kline says, “Everything is in mo-
tion as we go along here,” The club
recently completed the addition of
an NRA-approved safety wall in the
structure, with 8 inches of stone be-
tween the inside and outside walls.
Shooters in the long range build-
ing have their choices of targets
set at 100, 200 and 300 yards. And
from most of the shooting benches
a shooter can only see the targets of
one of those distances. The targets
and stands are built of AR 500 steel,
the toughest material the club could
find.
In the rifle and tactical shoot-
ing areas, the shooting bays are set
off from one another by tall earthen
berms, much of the dirt for which
has been donated by the City of
Caro.
“And we can’t say enough about
the Schriber family,” says Kline. A
family of club members, “they’ve
done a whole lot of work for us,”
says TCCC vice president Dave
Bogner of nearby Millington.
The club is also set up with an
indoor, weatherproof pistol bay,
for “3 Gun Nation” competitions,
and “special event bays” where
“shoot and scoot” exercises for law
enforcement, tactical, or just rec-
reational shooters take place. For
example, a “helicopter” made of
sheets of corrugated plastic panels
offers shooters a vantage point to
practice or simulate rescue opera-
tions in battle zones. They shoot
from the chopper and then scoot to
the protection of the stacked “oil”
drums. For the “Texas Star” station,
shooters enter through saloon doors
and face a smoothly rotating target
wheel consisting of several “spokes”
at the ends of which are stars. As
each star is shot off, the wheel
rotates less smoothly, less predict-
ably, and becomes more unbalanced,
challenging shooters with shots of
increasing difficulty.
Kline says, “In Bay One we
could set up a ‘shoot house’ with
360-degree lines of fire.”
Another area is being considered
as a place for police – or civilians
– to practice shooting while using
their vehicles for cover.
It seems everywhere you look
there is another bay offering a spe-
cial shooting challenge – and most
of them are undergoing changes or
improvements. Much of the work,
says Kline, has been “12 years in the
making.” TCCC board member Ron
Champagne, of Caro, summarizes
simply: “They’re all in process.”
As far as the inspiration for the
evolution of the shooting courses at
TCCC, Kline explains it more as a
matter of serendipity than any hard
planning on his part. The club offers
free skeet lessons on Thursdays.
Bogner showed up and didn’t let on
he had won the 1994 state doubles
championship. Once he showed
some interest in developing the clay
target shooting courses, says Kline,
“I let him run with it. I write the
checks – he runs with it.”
It’s pretty much the same thing
for Champagne.
“Ron lives nearby. He just
grabbed on to the pistol side of
things. These guys know what they
are doing. You just say ‘Let’s go!’
and get out of the way.”
Rather than getting out of the
way, though, when we got to the
6 Stand, Kline led us through the
stations, demonstrating how easy it
would be to hit all these wild flying
targets. What he neglected to tell us
was what a fine shot he is; thus, we
– or at least one of us – were filled
with unrealistic confidence when we
stared down our first clay bird.
The targets flew from all angles,
heights, speeds and distances: geese
incoming from 100 yards out; cross-
flying teal; wood ducks from over-
head and behind; rabbits bounding
toward a hole in the ground; a small,
frantic covey of quail; a rooster and
a hen pheasant, which required a
well-placed shot to avoid a penalty
for killing the hen.
In the shoot shack at the far end
of the stations, Bogner operates like
Sound Protection – Tuscola County Conser vation Club president
Doug Kline shows off his homemade noise dampener in the recently
opened long-range rifle structure at the club.
the Wizard of Oz behind the curtain, The 6 Stand opens at 6 p.m. on
pulling levers and pushing buttons Thursdays from just after Easter in
to create the magic; managing 25 spring to just before duck season
different launchers – both at hand begins in the fall. Cost for a round is
and in remote houses; hand-cocking $8 for members and $10 for non-
those launchers in the shack and menbers. Ammunition not included.
adding an extra clay bird every now The course is available for private
and then – just to keep shooters on parties and TCCC offers group
their toes. rates.
In the end we all agreed: Each of A membership to TCCC (indi-
us showed much room for improve- vidual or family) is $50/year.
ment. Each felt the need to improve. For more information on the
Each would welcome the opportu- clays course or on the TCCC in
nity to come back and get better. general: Doug Kline, 989-673-7938,
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WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 55
 Late August means
AWESOME FISHING!
South Manistique Lake
Largemouth Bass
Every year I spend a week in
early August at Pine Bluff Resort.
This is the week I just kick
back and fish two of my fa-
vorite lakes, Big and South
Manistique Lakes in the
little town of Curtis. This
year I filmed an awesome
largemouth bass show on
South Lake. This is flat out,
one of the best largemouth
lakes that I have ever
fished in the late
summer. On
many lakes, the
By John Bergsma
bass will go very deep and become
a bit tougher to catch. Although this
lake offers deep water, it seems that
I have never had a problem finding
big bass in 15 feet or less.
Here are a few patterns that I
have found to hold true all season
long on this lake. The first one
seems like a no-brainer. Dock fish-
ing on this lake is “lights out” from
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56 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
the moment they put them in until
they take them out. There’s always
a dock bite. Some docks are better
than others…and here are a couple
tips that will make you a better dock
fisherman. Choose docks
that are close to weed
patches and/or near the
deeper water or a quick
drop off. These docks
simply get more and bigger
fish accessing them.
The second tip is a little
known one; wood docks
often hold fish
better. Wood is a
great conductor
and holds heat longer than an alumi-
South Manistique Lake is one of the best largemouth lakes the
author has ever fished in the late summer.
num dock. These older docks also
usually have a big rectangular area choice. These big ol’ boats offer ing dock. Many folks don’t work a
at the end for sitting or accessing a excellent shade and also create great dock well enough and leave fish in
boat, this creates a very nice shady hiding spots for bass to ambush their the water, rather than on their photo
area for bass to hold up and also is prey. I always look to see if it looks memory chip.
a great attractant of minnows and like a boat has been recently used. I absolutely love the lightly
small bluegill, perfect for a hungry The less activity, then the better the weighted wacky worm on this lake.
bass. chances of encountering fish. Lastly, It’s the one single bait that will
Pontoon boat docks are my third make multiple casts to a good-look- always produce fish. When I’m dock
Fishing the nor theast corner of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula in
August/September is fantastic and underutilized. The straits and
bridge are not only beautiful but hold some of the hottest action in
the area during late summer.
fishing, I use either no weight and
a #1 worm hook, or a VMC 1/16
ounce weighted and weedless wacky
hook. Add to this hook a Strike King
Zero or Shimmy stick, and you are
ready to fish. This set up is deadly
in up to 10 feet of water and helps
prevent snagging up on the dock
and hoists. I also use this rig in and
around the weed beds that are every-
where on South Lake. Find weeds
that contact the major points and
mid-lake humps, and you will find
the bass in numbers.
Mackinaw City/Cheboygan
Lake Trout and Atlantics
Here’s another great August/
September bite that is simply under-
utilized. The fishing on the northeast
corner of Michigan’s Lower Penin-
sula never ceases to amaze me. The
fishing can be great much earlier in
the season, but this stretch of Lake
Huron is in full on combat mode in
August and September. The straits
and bridge are not only beautiful
but hold some of the hottest action
in the area during late summer. This
bite stretches all the way down to
the port of Cheboygan. Awesome
lake trout and Atlantic fishing is in
store for those that decide to come
and try out this stretch of water.
In Mackinaw City and Cheboy-
gan, the presentation is simple yet
effective. A spread of “high lines”
mixed with a high and low diver on
each side and finished with a down-
rigger on each corner and you’re
ready to fish. My basic approach is
simple. The high lines are search
rods for Atlantics. I like a spread of
three coppers per side, consisting of
a 75, a 125 and a 200. This spread
on each side will give you excellent
coverage for the Atlantics. The wire
divers can be set to get “just a bit”
deeper than the 200 coppers and
the riggers can accomplish the deep
stuff.
I usually like to go simple on
the northeast side. A nice mix of
brightly colored Dream Weaver
Super Slims is a great starting point.
Make sure that you have some UVs
in your color set up as well, there’s
days where that’s all they want. If
you want to run a rotator on the
divers and riggers, then a #8 Spin
Doctor with an Action Fly or Whirly
Gig are dynamite choices for lakers.
An important tip for fishing this
area; don’t be afraid to fish around
the reefs and major point structures.
Many of my best catches are around
structure, not just aimlessly trolling
in no man’s land.
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Speed can also be a big deal
when it comes to catching Atlantics.
These fish almost more than any
-N-
other silvers want the speed at 2.75
mph or more! The thing is, the lake
trout up there will also hit, even at
that speed. Lakers are seemingly
more aggressive in this neck of the
woods, so don’t be guilty of going
too slow!
The best starting points that I
can give you are these: both areas
north and south of Boblo Island hold
lots of fish and offer major struc-
ture. The areas around Reynolds
and Spectacle Reefs straight out of
WATER
the port of Cheboygan are awesome
spots. Shoreline breaks can also be
a very productive troll if the winds
are more than you want to battle.
Speaking of winds, this is one of the
biggest reasons to plan a trip to this
area, the winds are almost always
offshore and are typically very fish-
able. Includes dirt bikes, motorcycles (under 500cc),
If you get bored with the ‘same
ol’ thing’ and want a new adven- personal watercrafts, ATVs and snowmobiles.
ture…try the northeast corner of our
beautiful state. You might be just as
hooked as the fish.
For great Facebook Video
Reports of this and other regions
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WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 57
Worst fishing trip...EVER!
H
Dear Fish Diary:
ow bad can it be?
It’s fishing right? Oh
sure, things can go
wrong. The weather
can put a damper on
the festivities, the fish
might not bite or you could run out
of gas five-miles from shore in a
thunderstorm. Been there, done that,
even forgot the bait. But bait-less,
engine-less and inclement weather
are all miniscule issues when com-
pared to being a smoker and real-
izing you left your cigarettes ashore,
and…you’re the only smoker on
board.
Every boat I pass… “Hello!!!
Do you have any cigarettes?”
I was asked this not too long
ago. “If there was one thing I could
go back and change about myself,
what would it be?” The answer was
swift and simple. “I would have
never started smoking.”
And now it begins. Realizing
this, and trying to reverse several
decades of an addiction, a new era
of my life begins. One of a non-
smoker.
Hello, this is Charlie Morse.
I don't have a lifetime to wait!
Air pruned containerized
plants, equals RESULTS SOONER!
58 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
Let’s be clear, you quit smok-
ing for one reason and that reason
is to live longer. So when a doctor
recently wrote me a prescription for
a drug that was supposed to help me
get through the nicotine withdrawals
I immediately filled it without ques-
tion. Before taking anything I began
reading the side-effects. We are in
an era where many times
the side effects are worse
that what you’re taking the
medication for. Sometimes
you’re better off keeping
the ailment rather than tak-
ing the medication. In this
case, suicidal tendencies
was one of the first things
listed. I’m going to quit
smoking so I
can live longer By Ron St. Germain
while taking
a drug that might make me want to
kill myself. Hmmmmmmmm…
In my generation smoking was
billed as a tough guy stamp and
there were no side effects to smok-
ing. Doctors did smoking com-
mercials and only endorsed certain
brands. The Marlboro man was an
icon much like today’s Avengers.
Cigarette companies dominated the
commercials during major sporting
events. Heck, you could even smoke
in the stands of a sporting arena.
Now, you can no longer smoke in
public buildings and even some
parks are putting up no-smoking
signs. You have to be 20-30-feet
away from any building to smoke.
When this first became
a law, 20-feet from my
building put me in the first
lane of traffic on a major
road downtown. I’d walk
out to the center turn lane
and light up while vehicles
honked at me. I did it
because I was young and
wanted to be rebellious.
Whatever horn
honkers…
I’ve not
had the best of luck trying to quit.
The first time, I was three days in
and someone ran a red light and
broadsided my car at a major inter-
section. I crawled out of my com-
pletely totaled car, wondering how
I was still alive, and went right to
the 7-11 across the street and bought
two packs. The second time, again
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three days in, I got a phone call that
I was going to be a father for the
first time. That afternoon I backed
into a brand new Cadillac in the
parking lot. That car wasn’t even a
week old and I completely smashed
the grill right off it. I quickly wrote
the owner a note with my informa-
tion, and went to a local store and
bought a pack of cigarettes. Since
then I always start smoking again
after the second day just to avoid
another bad luck, or life-changing
encounter.
What I’ve realized this time
around is that I’ve found more
reasons to continue smoking than
I have made excuses to quit. I’m a
much nicer person when I’m not
trying to quit smoking. For quite
a while it seemed nobody was a
smoker. Suddenly, everybody is a
smoker. Those smokers know I’m
trying to quit and they taunt me. I
have no idea who these people are,
I’ve never seen them in my life, but
somehow, they know I’m trying to
quit and they’re purposely egging
me on. Maybe I should just give
them my prescription.
All my friends seem to want to
talk about lately is smoking. It’s like
getting a massage with a barbwire
glove. It’s like eating ice cream and
donuts in front of a diabetic. It’s like
showing up to an Alcoholics Anony-
mous meeting with a case of beer.
People said food would taste
better once I quit smoking. So far,
fish still taste like fish. But it’s fine
really, I mean, food tasted good
when I was smoking. One thing not
smoking has done for me is helped
was an athlete, an avid outdoorsman
and loved being physically active.
But, I was also a hyperactive person,
and somehow smoking calmed my
nerves and helped me focus. I guess
I thought it helped with my creative
thought process too. Now I’m at an
age where I guess I don’t really care
if I focus or not. I also know that
even without smoking, I’m always
going to be a smoker. These nasty
things have physically left their
If you have any secret tips to
quit smoking I’d love to hear them.
Funny fish stories
wanted: Strangest thing
you’ve ever caught
Send a short description of
your “best or worst” fishing day, or
worst fishing-related adventure, or
strangest thing you’ve caught to me.
You don’t have to write the entire
story, just a brief outline of what
happened. If it has some humor to it
I’ll be getting in touch with you and
we’ll work on the completed story
together.
Contact Woods-N-Water News
columnist Ron St. Germain by
calling (517) 626-2814, e-mailing
DaPhotoDude@aol.com. Visit the
author’s Facebook page www.Face-
book.com/BearwaveBooksn

New manual showcases latest

me with not sleeping. I just lay there mark on and in my body. I just don’t
thinking about cigarettes. When I have to make it any worse than it

in forestry ‘best practices’

do sleep, I have the most ridiculous,
stupid dreams and sadly I can’t
remember any of them.
I will never catch another fish.
Mainly, because instead of quietly
smoking while waiting for a bite, I
constantly fidget, bouncing my foot,
tapping my knee, banging on what-
ever is near. In other words, I’m just
plain scaring the fish.
I was a clean smoker. I never
trashed the environment with my
butts like so many do. My butts
always went in the trash. I wish
everyone would put their butts in
the trash. Not too many things are
more disgusting than seeing every-
one’s butts laying around dirtying
up the place. Or seeing someone’s
butt swim past you in the lake while
you’re fishing, that’s just nasty…
As the world becomes more
educated and anti-smoking, I still
can’t believe I was ever a smoker. I
already is.
I’ve never been a quitter, but this
is one thing I think is okay to quit.
The objective is to quit and that’s
what I keep telling myself. I’ve
never backed down from a good
challenge, and believe me, there are
few things that are more challenging
than giving up smoking.
Well anyway, thanks for lis-
tening. Writing this column and
venting my frustrations has been
great therapy for me and it’s really
made me want a cigarette. Now the
next time I head out fishing without
my cigarettes I’m hoping it’s not
part-two of the worst fishing trip
ever. If any of you remember a guy
pulling his boat up alongside of you,
jumping on your deck, talking like
a pirate and demanding you give
up your cigarettes, I’m sorry. I had
temporarily lost my mind and I’m a
changed person now. Well…sort of.
Those interested in learning about
current techniques and trends in caring
for forests can check out the new manual,
Michigan Forestry Best Management Prac-
tices for Soil and Water Quality.
The manual, updated from 2009,
includes changes in procedures for en-
dangered species assessment, estimating
stream channel width and culvert diam-
eters, and additional guidance on harvest operations. Sections covering forest
roads, chemical treatments and use of pesticides also have been reorganized.
“These ‘best management practices’ contain legal requirements and vol-
untary practices that can help prevent sediment or other sources of pollution
from going into lakes and streams during forest management activities such
as a timber harvest, whether it’s on public or private lands,” said Deb Begalle,
chief of the DNR Forest Resources Division.
The revision process was a joint effort by the DNR, the departments of
Environmental Quality and Agriculture and Rural Development, the Michi-
gan Association of Timbermen and the Michigan Forest Products Council.
The DNR, DEQ and the Michigan Sustainable Forestry Initiative Implemen-
tation Committee contributed money for printing.

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WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 59

 A Swansong
Love Story to
Betty Sodders
When she emailed me and said she
didn’t have long for this world, her first
thought was of her readers...

O
ver the years Betty challenge. Even at age 89 she con-
Sodders has become a tinued to write stories on wildlife.
beloved outdoor writer Some were published many years
to the many people who ago and given a fresh update. Some
read her stories. As she stories were brand new as a result
moves on to another realm where of someone contacting her with an
we cannot follow, I want to share interesting fishing, hunting, or trap-
some personal insights about Betty. ping tale.
As a modest lady, she has always Betty saw stories everywhere.
Writer and author Betty Sodders has been writing for Woods-N-Water
found it difficult to talk Even when she was hospi- News for over 25 years and now faces a diagnosis of terminal leukemia.
about herself and her many talized for health problems
accomplishments, but those she chatted with the woman which kept her readers captive. One of Betty’s greatest gifts was her
of us who call her friend in the bed next to her and When she emailed me and said ability to listen. She loved to hear
are aware of her many came home with a story. It she didn’t have long for this world, stories told by hunters and fisher-
talents and the wisdom she might not be about rescued her first thought was of her readers. men. She understood the importance
imparted to us. animals or 500 pound black She was worried because she hadn’t of keeping traditions alive and pass-
I called this column a bears, but it was something finished writing stories for the ing them from one generation to the
“love story” because Betty that held our attention as monthly magazines that depended next. She was always eager to learn
upon her work. She wanted me to
By Sharon Kennedy
is loved by all we read it in new things and meet new people.
who have met the Woods-N- complete them for her and share She was a pioneer blazing the way
her and spent Water News the byline, but she was too weak to for female outdoor writers. She was
many delightful hours at her kitchen or some other outdoor magazine. send anything by mail or to sit at her the first woman in Michigan to write
table. Whether it was sharing a meal Betty’s list of published articles is computer. She hoped people would for outdoor magazines.
of fried whitefish or playing a game long and varied. She wrote thou- contact me if they had a story to Betty wanted to thank her edi-
of Scrabble, Betty was up for the sands of stories and six books, all of share with others. tors and readers for their words of
encouragement through emails,
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60 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
T
here’s a television cook
who calls herself the
Pioneer Woman. She
lives in a beautiful home
outfitted with all modern
conveniences, appears on
QVC to hawk her wares, and occa-
sionally you’ll see her smiling face
on a placard as you enter Walmart.
She’s about as “pioneer” as my fake
fingernails. If you want to meet a real
“pioneer woman” look no farther than
Goetzville, Michigan, and you’ll find
Betty Sodders. parent, but we settled down in a rustic
Many readers are well acquainted
with Betty’s wildlife articles, but they
may not know the story behind the
woman who traded in city life for
the wilderness. The story behind the
photographs and articles is as interest-
ing and intriguing as the lady herself.
She and her husband of 59 years lived
what she calls a “simple” life because
it was rustic. Once you get to know
her, you’ll realize there was nothing
“simple” about their life except the
cabins without modern facilities and
the jobs taken. The former thrust her
into a pioneering tradition and the
latter offered her a chance to observe
and record the daily activities of
wildlife.
Betty and I are contributors to the
Mackinac Journal, a monthly maga-
zine published in Cheboygan. I was
intrigued by her stories and wanted to
meet her so I sent an email. The first
time we met was last winter when she
invited me to her home for a fish fry.
As the lunch progressed, I realized it
was time for someone to tell her story
and give her fans a chance to meet the
delightful lady who has lived a life as
full of adventure as that of the early
pioneers.
Betty didn’t set out to live as a
pioneer woman or to become Michi-
gan’s first female outdoor writer,
but as she put it, “If I wanted to stay
married, I had to follow my husband.
In the late 1970s, when Bill and I
were both 46, he announced he was
quitting his job and heading north. I
had two choices. Wave goodbye and
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wish him well or tag along with him. I
decided a change of scenery might be
an interesting challenge, but I had no
idea it would lead to the most exciting
and rewarding years of my life.
“We sold our home in Marine
City in 1979 and never looked back.
Our four kids were married and
probably thought our decision was
crazy, but that didn’t deter us. Bill
was stressed from police work and
ready to live closer to nature. When
we crossed the Mackinac Bridge, the
enormity of our adventure became ap-
cabin west of Detour in the Eastern
Upper Peninsula and took to the area
like bears to honey.
“Bill had experience as a duck
hunting guide. He was also an excel-
lent hunter and angler. His goal was
to accept only wilderness related jobs,
never work the same job twice, and
never stay at one position for more
than nine months. My contact with
nature was the usual kind found in
urban areas—cats, dogs, birds, and
the occasional skunk or raccoon that
ambled through our backyard. I was
raised in Ironwood in the western end
of the U.P., and although I enjoyed
the out-of-doors, I never dreamed of
living among wildlife.
“Bill was a visionary who wanted
to pursue life according to his rules,
and it didn’t take me long to learn the
wisdom of his decision. The wilder-
ness promised a smorgasbord of
opportunities for us. We did some fas-
cinating things from managing hunt
clubs to co-directing the first Michi-
gan Youth Corps Camp at Brevort
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Lake where we supervised young
people on forest and stream related
jobs. We managed outdoor museums,
raptor release units, were caretakers
on an island seven miles out in Lake
Huron, and conducted numerous stud-
ies of regional and local deer herds.”
Betty’s adventures are many and
varied. Soon after she and Bill arrived
at Detour, she got out her camera and
started taking pictures. She had no
idea her hobby would land her a job
as an outdoor writer and photogra-
pher. Betty’s stories and photos earned
her the honor of becoming the first
female outdoor writer in Michigan’s
history. She won the admiration and
respect of men who had been outdoor
writers for years. It wasn’t a case of
fighting her way into a man’s world.
It was a case of good writing, superb
photographs, and living in tandem
with nature. Although the stories of
other writers were interesting and
informative, her work was a firsthand
look at nature. Living in the wilder-
ness gave her stories an unmatched
authenticity.
As our conversation continued,
Betty, who is the size of a minute,
grew taller with the telling of each
new tale. She has the energy and
enthusiasm of a giant, and at 88 years
of age, her memory is as sharp and
clear as a pane of glass. Her joy for
life and all manner of wildlife is be-
yond measure. Her home is a treasure
trove filled with items like bird track
(Cuspidiform Petroglyphs) rocks
dating back millions of years, burls,
webbed deer antlers, pudding and
Petoskey stones, polypores, and a 52”
musky mount caught by her friend,
Bud Thomas. I quickly took notes as
she reached into the past and recalled
days full of excitement, surprise, and
even some danger.
“Anytime I look back and real-
ize all the interaction we had with
wildlife, I am amazed,” she said.
“Watching a war between two rival
flocks of wild turkeys led to my first
article and began my writing career. I
was 53 years old and had never writ-
ten an article or submitted anything to
anybody. I had no formal education
as a journalist or photographer, but I
thought the battle of the turkeys was
too good a story to keep to myself. I
sent the article with photos to Michi-
gan Out-of-Doors, and the response
of editor, Ken Lowe, went like this.
‘The story was filled with amusing
observations of the antics of these
birds, some of which I had never
come across in the literature dealing
with this species. This was nature lore
of the first order. I couldn’t wait to lay
the story before our readers.’ Those
turkeys were the beginning of 35
years of writing outdoor articles.”
Betty became a prolific writer
who continues to crank out stories
about her years in the wilds as well as
conducting interviews with interesting
people who cross her path today. She
loves talking with folks and shar-
ing their stories. She has written six
books, thousands of magazine articles,
been a staff member of prestigious
outdoor magazines, and a field editor
and feature story writer at Whitetails
Swansong love story page 62
WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 61
A swansong love story:
from page 61
Unlimited for 22 years. She’s contrib-
uted to Woods-N-Water News for 24
years and Michigan Out-of-Doors for
12 years.
At the national level, her articles
have been published in the American
Waterfowler, the Varmint Hunter,
Bear Hunter, Deer and Deer Hunting,
Trapper & Predator Calling, Gun Dog,
Wing & Shot, Fishing Facts, Buck-
Masters, Women in the Outdoors,
Wheelin’ Sportsmen, and Woodalls
Travel Publications. That’s an amaz-
ing resume for a lady who started her
writing career at 53.
Other notable accomplishments
include writing historical booklets on
Michigan’s early history, its light-
houses, the Soo Locks, the Mackinac
Bridge, and a Drummond Island Tour-
ist Brochure. She appeared on a PBS
segment of “Ancient Copper Miners
of the Keweenaw and Isle Royal” and
on the podcast “Hunting Michigan’s
Black Bears” for an Ohio internet
magazine entitled the Hunt Fish Jour-
nal. She was adopted by the Cherokee
Indians of Georgia who named her
Ni-ag-aka which means “Bear Who
Writes” for work she did on a Magel-
lan Project entitled Michigan Prehis-
tory Mysteries I & II.
She’s been a member of the Out-
door Writers Association of America
for 26 years and is currently a much
sought after lecturer. Some of her
books are still in print. Michigan on
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Betty has lived with and been
amused by the antics of pine martens,
watched seven black bears sleep off
their intoxication from feasting on
fermenting apples, and witnessed two
bears stealing a camper’s frying pan
filled with pork chops. She saw a sow
sit down and spank one of her cubs
for not crossing the road with her and
its siblings. She studied three families
of red fox that lived a few yards from
each other. She watched a mother
woodchuck carry her babies by their
tails and place them in a new burrow.
And she helped Mother Nature raise
two separate litters of raccoons after
their mothers were killed by cars.
“Nightly the kits trooped in for
portions of popped corn, puppy food,
and if they were good, they each
got an Oreo cookie. Just like kids,
the little ones took apart the cookie
and licked off the white filling in the
middle.”
Betty learned how turkeys choose
their leaders by means of what she
called the “Turkey Olympics.”
“There were two large flocks of
birds. It was January and toms and
jakes squared off in pairs and began
a wrestling match. As the loser slunk
off to stand in the ditch, another male
tackled the winner. The matches
lasted half a day. By the last round,
four birds were left. Apparently they
co-lead because the four marched
down the road, and the show was
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over. Their ‘cheerleaders’ were hens
that sat on the fence and watched the
matches.”
Another fond memory is that of a
litter of eastern gray squirrels. “The
most interesting thing about the litter
was their unusual color phase,” Betty
said. “One kit was black with a honey
gold tail. Another was all honey gold.
A third was honey gold except for its
black tail. The youngest was totally
black. Such coloring in one litter is
unusual. I called them brothers under
the skin, so to speak.”
Betty’s interaction with whitetails
is legendary. She once walked with
the matriarch of a wintering deer
herd who “ruled with an iron hoof.”
The doe adopted three orphan fawns
although she had twins of her own. As
Betty tells it, “While the other does let
their fawns play after eating, she had
her three orphans and her twins line
up in single file only to leave without
play time. Her story was special, from
trying to kill me to her acceptance of
strangers on her land.”
Betty has seen deer migrate as
wolves followed them and witnessed
a six-point buck driven out of the
feedlot by a doe that took him on
head-to-head. She studied a colony of
beavers that hadn’t been disturbed in
50 years.
One of her favorite memories is
that of two Canada lynx. A friend, Jan
VanHoesen, brought them to Betty’s
house for socializing. “My first
encounter with Crystal was when she
wrapped her huge paws around my
leg. Jan yelled that Crystal was just
hugging me. A second Lynx named
Aurora was adopted when Crystal
died. Aurora liked to jump on top of
the fridge, walk across countertops
and the gas range, and inspect my
coffee pot.”
Helping to socialize the lynx was
a task much easier than teaching her
German shepherd to hunt pheasants
and partridges, but she did the latter
by walking the dog through the bush
every morning until he learned the art
of hunting.
As a fearless protector of wildlife,
Betty touched a moose that was dying
of brain worm disease. She spoke
to the animal in a soft, cooing voice
realizing, of course, it was too far
gone to hurt her. “It was oblivious of
its surroundings to the point that dogs
were attacking it. I asked the owners
to pen up their dogs. Then I pushed
the moose off in a different direction
which gave it time to move away
from the dogs and die on its own
terms.”
Betty’s stories about porcupines
are chilling. “I saw many deer that
died or were hurt by porkies’ quills,”
she said. “One deer came away with
a face filled with quills and could not
eat. Another suffered from quills to
its eyes. There is so much in nature
we never see from the comfort of our
homes. It’s when we live on a par
with nature that we see the beauty as
well as the harshness inflicted upon
wildlife. There is no right or wrong
in nature. It’s all a matter of survival.
The porcupine has its quills. The
skunk its odor. Both use what nature
has given them in order to survive
potential life-threatening attacks.”
Because Bill Sodders was the
catalyst who ignited a firestorm of
creativity in Betty, I was curious how
they met. She explained, “I was visit-
ing my sister who lived in Algonac.
One summer day I was pushing my
nephew in his stroller when I passed
by Bill’s house. He was mowing the
lawn. Upon my return from down-
town, I noticed he was still cutting the
grass. He yelled at me so I stopped
and asked how long it took to get
the job done. He said he would have
pushed the mower all day until I came
back down the sidewalk. That began
a friendship that blossomed into a
love that lingers to this day. Bill lost
his battle with leukemia in 2009.
Ours wasn’t an easy life, but it was a
rewarding one few people are fortu-
nate enough to experience. And it was
a whole lot more exciting than my job
as a secretary at Chris-Craft!”
Talking to Betty is like convers-
ing with a youngster. She has more
energy and zest for life than many
folks half her age. Betty has overcome
health challenges that endangered her
life, but instead of taking it easy she’s
eager to see what surprises the New
Year brings. Her primary goal contin-
ues to be turning hunters
into “wildlife/recreational enthusi-
asts.”
Like a true pioneer, Betty says
she’s fortunate to live as a leader,
not a follower. She’s an inspiration
to her many friends who applaud her
good humor and positive attitude. Ree
Drummond may have QVC, but Betty
Sodders has the heart of anyone who
reads her stories.n
 BAD BEETLE
The Asian longhorned beetle
is a highly destructive, invasive
pest that can kill maple, birch, elm,
willow and other hardwood trees.
by phone to 800-292-3939 or online
to the Midwest Invasive Species
Information Network at misin.msu.
edu.
Since August is national Tree Check Get more details on the Michi-
Month, people are encouraged to gan Invasive Species website’s The Asian longhorned beetle (right photo) is an invasive and can be deadly to our forests. The
keep an eye out for this invader that Asian longhorned beetle page, Michigan white spotted pine sawyer (left photo) is sometimes confused but it has a distinctive white
is known to be in Ohio, New York, michigan.gov/alb.n spot below the base of its head.
Massachusetts and Ontario. Report-
ing sightings or signs of this pest
can help prevent widespread tree
loss in Michigan.
A native of China and Korea,
the Asian longhorned beetle (Ano-
plophora glabripennis) is considered
an invasive species in the United
States. Adult beetles have bullet-
shaped bodies from 3/4 inch to 1-1/2
inches long. This beetle is shiny
black with white spots and long,
black-and-white-striped antennae.
Its legs and feet may be bluish in
color.
A similar beetle native to Michi-
gan is often mistaken for the Asian
longhorned beetle.
The white spotted pine sawyer
(Monochamus scutellatus) has a
distinctive white spot below the
base of its head – between the tops
of its wing covers. This, and it being
brown or dull black in color, distin-
guishes the sawyer from the Asian
longhorned beetle.
Anyone who sees Asian long-
horned beetle or its signs or symp-
toms is asked to report it. If you
can capture the insect, look to see
if it has a spot between the top of
its wing covers – if so, it likely is
a white spotted pine sawyer. If not,
place the insect in a jar and freeze
it. Take photos, note the location
and report it as soon as possible by
email to the Michigan Department
of Agriculture and Rural Develop-
ment at MDA-info@michigan.gov,

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Michigan Turkey Tracts
All three are located in the southwestern part
of the state… By Bob Gwizdz-MDNR
P
erhaps many Michigan-
ders have never heard
of a Turkey Tract, but
they’re gaining in popu-
larity as the Michigan
Department of Natural
Resources opened its third such site
this spring at the Barry State Game
Area, near Middleville, in Barry
County.
Turkey Tracts are demonstration
areas, complete with trails, designed
to show newcomers to turkey hunt-
ing – or other wild turkey aficio-
nados – exactly what prime turkey
habitat looks like.
The tracts are similar to the
DNR’s Grouse Enhanced Manage-
ment Sites (GEMS), which high-
light ruffed grouse and American
woodcock habitat. However, the two
programs differ in significant ways,
including where you can find them
in Michigan.
GEMS are located within the
northern Lower Peninsula and the
Upper Peninsula, where most of the
better grouse and woodcock habitat
A successful hunter displays the
turkey he shot at a Michigan
Turkey Tract.
can be found. In addition, GEMS
are heavily managed to maintain
early-succession, high-stem density
forest, where grouse and woodcock
thrive.
Wild turkeys have less specific
habitat needs. As adults they thrive
in mature woodlots, but they need
grasslands for nesting and brood-
rearing. Good deer habitat is typi-
cally good turkey habitat.
So the land management at
Turkey Tracts is less specific than
at GEMS and includes maintain-
64 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
A group of Michigan Depar tment of Natural Resources officials and suppor ters gathered at the open-
ing of the Barry State Game Area Turkey Tract in Barry County. MDNR photos
ing openings and establishing food
plots.
The additional existing turkey
tracts at the Allegan State Game
Area in Allegan County and the Flat
River State Game Area in Montcalm
County are located near established
foot-traffic paths in places that are
often the remnants of old logging
trails. The trails are often planted
with clover or some other vegetation
that wild turkeys will use.
All three Turkey Tracts are situ-
ated generally in the southwestern
part of the state.
“Southern Michigan has always
been prime turkey habitat,” said Al
Stewart, the DNR’s upland game
bird specialist. “A lot of the release
sites during our turkey restoration
activities were on southern Michi-
gan state game areas.”
The Turkey Tracts program is
the result of a partnership between
the Michigan chapter of the Na-
tional Wild Turkey Federation and
the DNR.
“The Turkey Federation is do-
ing the heavy lifting,” Stewart said.
“They’re paying for the signage
materials and placing the signs. The
kiosks are being made by federation
members.”
The Michigan chapter of the
Federation has gone all-in on Turkey
Tracts.
“It’s a wonderful cooperative
effort between the DNR and the
NWTF,” said Art Pelon, president of
the Michigan National Wild Turkey
Federation chapter. “It provides
access to the woods for youths and
handicapped hunters by providing
foot trails that make it easier for
hunters to get in and out of good
habitat.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity to
give people who are not experienced
in turkey hunting a good launching
point. It’s a great way to go out and
get into the outdoors.” expanding as well, Stewart said. “If
Ryan Boyer, a regional biologist you’ve never hunted turkeys before,
with the federation, said an impor- get on the trail at a Turkey Tract be-
tant aspect of the Turkey Tracts fore sunrise and call and maybe lo-
program is the connection it makes cate a turkey gobbling and sit down
between hunters, state game areas and hunt him,” Stewart said. “And
and local communities. these sites are great places for hunt-
Businesses in the game area’s ers with mobility issues, as they’re
vicinity help sponsor information not climbing over logs or stumbling
kiosks at the sites, and hunters over other obstructions out there in
who take a selfie photograph at the the dark when they get on the trail.”
kiosks and show it at participating Over the past several decades,
businesses are eligible for discounts. rehabilitation of wild turkey popu-
“It makes a connection between lations in Michigan has been a
local businesses and hunters and dramatic success.
helps illustrate the economic impact Wild turkeys were totally wiped
of hunting … something that I think out in Michigan in the late 1800s,
is often overlooked,” Boyer said. but their populations have been
“A lot of people are completely rebuilt to where they can be found
unaware how these resources are in all 68 counties of the Lower
funded – by hunters.” Peninsula and in most of the Upper
The kiosks are being made by Peninsula’s 15 counties. Only seven
federation members and students at states harvest more wild turkeys
Belding schools. than Michigan.
Boyer said that habitat manage- Get more information on the
ment benefits not only turkeys but DNR’s Turkey Tracts at michigan.
other game and nongame species gov/turkey.n
that use these areas.
“It’s a beneficial pro-
gram that we’re excited
we can help build on
and expand,” Boyer
said.
Expansion is in the
works, Stewart said, and
eventually there will be
a series of Turkey Tracts
across southern Michi-
gan, not unlike the way
GEMS are sprinkled
around the northern por-
tions of the state.
“The next ones are
envisioned for south-
eastern Michigan,”
Stewart said, “at game
areas – places like Lap-
eer, Holly, Waterloo or
Tuscola.”
The partnership is
 32nd Annual Woods-N-Water News

Outdoor Weekend OVER

250
Outdoor Exhibits!
Seminars, Puppies
Gun Auction & More

OUTDOOR WEEKEND
SPECIAL PULL OUT
O u r O u t d o o r H e r i t a g e !
Ce l e b ra t i n g
September 7 - 8 - 9 th th th
Friday 5-9 pm, Saturday 9 am-7 pm, Sunday 9 am-5 pm

Eastern Michigan State Fairgrounds in Imlay City

www.OutdoorWeekend.net
 • Friday, September 7 -- 5 pm to 9 pm • Saturday, September 8 -- 9 am to 7 pm • Sunday, September 9 -- 9 am to 5 pm
FIELD DRESSING
& BUTCHERING
DEMONSTRATIONS
Plus: Sausage Making
and Wild Game Cooking
Learn from the master, as
OUTDOOR WEEKEND
SPECIAL PULL OUT
Steve Francis and family of
COUNTRY SMOKE HOUSE
demonstrate field dressing and
butchering techniques on stage!
Then be treated to
cooking tips and techniques from
COUNTRY SMOKE HOUSE!
Seminar Saturday 1 p.m.
Wild Animal Exhibit... You can literally get face to face...and stare into
the eyes of a live grizzly bear cub, a 700 pound
black bear, a cougar and a wolf. ($1.00 fee)
Commemorative
Bucks of Michigan
CBM will be scoring deer, turkeys, and
bears throughout the weekend. Bring
yours in to be scored. You might
qualify for the state record books!
TRAPPING SEMINARS HUNTING SEMINARS
New this year at our Coyote Control If you’re serious about deer hunting
seminars, with Michigan trapper, you won’t want to miss this amazing
Woods-N-Water News writer John collection of deer hunting experts...
Chagnon will conduct in-depth
coyote trapping seminars and Tony LaPratt
demonstrations. Plus he’ll get Do you want to consistently
seminars on water trapping and harvest trophy whitetail
tips and tactics for winter trapping. bucks? Is your small acre-
age hunting property not
living up to its full poten-
Dog Training Demonstrations tial? Is your property in a
high pressure hunting
Back this year; Custom
Gun Dog Trainer,
area? Then you won't want
to miss Tony LaPratt's semi-
Len Jenkins will be doing
nars! Tony LaPratt is a professional trophy deer
hunter, habitat management expert and hunting
consultant. Tony leads the nation in manipulating
'in-booth' talks and and influencing the habitat and bedding areas to
attract large mature bucks.
demonstrations on Seminars: Fri. 7 p.m./Sat. 12:30 and 4:30 p.m./Sun. 12 and 3 p.m.
handling that new puppy.
Ed Spinazzola
What's New in ICE FISHING ! Mr. Food Plot, the author of "Food
Plots, Easy As 1, 2, 3" will be giving
FRANK'S GREAT OUTDOORS... an all new seminar for showgoers
that goes beyond basic food plots.
will have the newest ice fishing His field tested ideas make it possi-
products on display and super ble to plan where you want the
preseason deals. Plus product
reps will be on hand to give you deer to move, the number of food
expert advice. See the newest plots and locations, bedding areas, sanctuaries, water
technology in ice augers! sources, travel lanes, budget, soil preparation, planting
Whether you're a die-hard ice methods and planting dates. His seminars this year are
angler or new to the sport
you’ll find what you need!
"Ultimate Corn Based Deer Kill Plots for Bow and Gun!"
Seminars: Fri. 8 p.m./Sat. 11:30 and 5:30 p.m./Sun. 11 a.m.
Adam Lewis
Learn the new tech-
niques and tactics of
“sound concealment”
that can take your hunt-
ing to a new level. In
this seminar you’ll learn
new science on deer
hearing, noises hunters make, how these
noises hurt hunting success, and how to
leverage this knowledge to gain a new advan-
tage this fall.
Seminars: Sat. 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m./Sun. 2 p.m.
CHAINSAW CARVING DEMONSTRATIONS!!!
Three days of champion chainsaw carving demonstrations; by
Alonzo Montoya of Newaygo and Tom Gillman of Bay City
• Friday, September 7 -- 5 pm to 9 pm • Saturday, September 8 -- 9 am to 7 pm • Sunday, September 9 -- 9 am to 5 pm

The Ultimate
Air Dogs
ALL DOGS WELCOME TO COMPETE!
This is a qualifier for the 2018 Ultimate Air Games. Your dog does not have to be UKC or ASCA registered to jump at this
event...This event includes UAD exclusive games: Fetch-It, Chase-It, and Catch-It. Our team will hold a demonstration of each
game, followed by a hands-on practice session before the actual event starts. For more information www.ultimateairdogs.

Michigan Hunting Dog Randy’s Dennis Neely will take you on a

journey to 1794 as your guide.
Federation Puppy Tent Hunting Center

OUTDOOR WEEKEND
Visit the River Raisin trader’s

SPECIAL PULL OUT

camp, learn the value of

GUN AUCTION: wilderness necessities, price

Buy and Sell!
If you are in the market for a new hunt-
ing dog, the Michigan Dog Federation
Outdoor Weekend’s Puppy Tent is the
place for you. For information on
registering to SELL your puppies:
www.outdoorweekend.net
or call 1-810-724-0254
!
Free Appraisals
beaver pelts and compare
today’s hunting gear with the
trade guns, linen and leather
Over 150 guns clothing and shelters used
on display all long ago. Learn the unique mix
of fair-chase hunting, old-style
weekend for muzzleloaders and American
this special history. Dennis will be on hand
all weekend to talk with you.
gun auction
on Sunday, Great Deals On Outdoor Merchandise...
September9th Over
(See Randy's ad on page 25) 250
Exhibits and
Auction begins at 11 a.m. Sunday
Located in the Green Building Displays
www.randyshuntingcenter.com

Fishing Tackle Antique Road Show

Terry McBurney, Woods-N-Water News writer, will be answering ques-
tions and offering free appraisals about sporting collectibles, espe-
cially vintage fishing tackle and Coleman camping items. So bring your old "outdoors Don’t miss the Chili Cook-off competition!
stuff" with you. Terry is also interested in purchasing items for his own collection. Saturday, September 8th -- Rotary Beer Tent
Stop and sample them all!
For more Outdoor Weekend information, seminar schedules, event times
or directions to the Eastern Michigan State Fairgrounds visit our website at:

www.OutdoorWeekend.net
 • Friday, September 7 -- 5 pm to 9 pm • Saturday, September 8 -- 9 am to 7 pm • Sunday, September 9 -- 9 am to 5 pm

A STEP BACK Something for all outdoor lovers

IN TIME!
NEW 2019 TRUCK GIVE-AWAY
Ag Community Relief has
Here’s a chance for you to step back in time, teamed up and Milnes
see the way it was on the frontier. Our Auto Group and will be
raffling off a Brand New
encampments are a journey in education for 2019 truck with the
young and old alike. Watch a one of a kind winning ticket being
performance on Saturday and Sunday as Reg drawn at the Outdoor
Pettibone and his Native American family Weekend on Saturday
afternoon. A limited
explain the culture and perform beautiful number of tickets are still available. To purchase tickets,
dances of the Ho-Chunk nation. visit agcommunityrelief.com or call (517) 668-2676.
OUTDOOR WEEKEND
SPECIAL PULL OUT

Great Fun for the Kids!

And it's FREE ADMISSION FOR KIDS 12 and under!
Meet the
Outdoor
Weekend
Mascot...
"BUCKY" and
get your
picture taken!
Climbing Wall •Puppies •Shooting Gallery...Plus Wild Animal, Educational Displays

Heritage Church Fly Fishing

Demonstration
Kids' Archery Shoot and Instructions
Here’s an opportunity for youngsters By Bill Mangan
to shoot some arrows under the
supervision of certified archery (FFI ) Certified Fly Casting
instructors that will assist with proper Instructor, Certified Fly
techniques and safety procedures! Fishing Guide and writer
John Borkovich
Over his twenty-seven year career
as a wildlife CO for the State of
Michigan, John Borkovich conduct-
EVERYTHING FOR FOOD PLOTS
ed some of the most fascinating,
complex, and highly successful
BAITING BAN FOR THE L.P. IN 2019...
Considering putting in a food plot for next year's
wildlife investigations in Michigan. hunt? The Outdoor Weekend can help. All your
He will be on hand Sunday (only) equipment needs from tractors to planters and
sharing these stories from his experts to help you through the process!
book: Wildlife 911: On Patrol
 BIG
BEARS Destination...
Northern Manitoba
By Jeff Pendergraff
I
n an effort to fulfill my 15- year quest
to harvest a color phase black bear I
headed to Northern Manitoba this past
June. I have harvested six black bears
and passed on many others over this
time span. A 300 pounder in Saskatch-
ewan, two from Manitoba and three from Ontario.
I chose an outfitter who was located 200 miles
north of Thompson, Manitoba. This area could
only be accessed by a float plane and Thompson
is about as far north as you can drive in Manitoba.
Most bears there have never seen a person be-
fore and the most important factor there is a fair
amount of color phase bears in the area.
The outfitter had sent me pictures of several
color phase bears that had appeared on his trail
cameras. Of course, another important element of
this trip is the world class pike and walleye fish-
ing.
Because they are located so far north and
spring comes later, they normally don’t start bear
hunting until mid-June. My hunt was scheduled
to start on Friday, June 15. My good friend, Ray
Piper, was with me on this trip. After making our
way to Thompson, Manitoba, we were to take
a flight on an Otter float plane 200 miles to our
lodge and we were both very excited to see what
the next seven days of hunting and fishing was
going to bring us.
However, Mother Nature had other plans for
us on our first day. Our flight was scheduled to
leave at 7 a.m. and a major front moved in and if
the rain wasn’t bad enough the ceiling was very
low. When the sky cleared up for us, we discov-
ered by phone with the outfitter that landing condi-
tions were poor at the lodge.
Finally, we left at 1 p.m. and arrived at the
lodge at 3 p.m. Besides the rain, the winds picked
up and I was very confident that the bears weren’t
going to be moving in this type of weather so we
decided to unpack and take it easy on our first
day, hoping things would be better on day two.
This was a seven-day hunt and giving up a day to
weather is always tough but we didn’t have much
of a choice.
Day two started with a quick breakfast and we
then headed out to our blinds to hunt. Normally
I am not a big fan of hunting bears in the morn-
ing. But our outfitter said the bears move freely
throughout the day with no human pressure and
they have taken them in the morning.
This time of year, this far north, it doesn’t get
dark until almost midnight. Then it’s the kind of
The author, Jeff Pend-
ergraff, with his trophy
black bear estimated to
weigh over 400 pounds.
twilight that gives “the midnight sun” its name and
about three hours later its starts to get light again.
So, I figured we would be spending a lot of time
on stand.
The lake the lodge is located on is very large.
The lodge itself is located on a small island in the
middle of the lake. All hunting is done by boat.
Most stands are located not far from shore where
you are taken by a guide. There are ladder stands
at many sites, but most hunting is done by pop up
blinds.
After my morning hunt and no bear sighting,
Ray and I headed out fishing. It was still windy
and we caught several northern pike, but we fig-
ured fishing would be better once the wind settled
down.
For my afternoon hunt we headed to a differ-
ent site by boat that was about eight miles from
the lodge. It was a long sit and again no sightings.
The wind had died down but the temperatures
had picked up a lot. Once back at the lodge where
there is access to the internet we discovered that
the next week was going to be unseasonably
warm, with temperatures hanging in the 80s. Not
what I had planned on and this without a doubt
was going to slow the bears down.
Russ, our outfitter, showed me some pictures
of the bears that had been at the site I had just
hunted. There was a chocolate colored boar on
camera that had to go at least 400 pounds. Russ
said it had last showed up a couple of days ago
at 9 a.m. After seeing that picture I decided that I
was only going to hunt that bear and spend the rest
of the hunt at that site hoping he would show up!
Russ said these big boars normally showed
every third day or so and right now the rut was just
starting and they were just roaming looking for
girlfriends. He also said sometimes the boar would
just walk through a bait site without eating just
trying to pick up the scent of a sow in heat.
On my third day, I headed back to the spot
that the giant chocolate boar was last seen four
mornings ago on camera at 9 a.m. I was going to
sit for a few hours and go back to the lodge and
have lunch and do some fishing before the evening
hunt.
The sun was out and very bright. We headed
on our eight-mile boat trip. I had my sunglasses on
as well as my head net because the bugs were bad.
At least until I got into my blind and turned on my
thermo cell.
As we pulled up to shore, the 14-foot alumi-
num boat hit a rock and made a loud noise and I
thought that any bear that was within two miles
heard it and would take off!
I jumped out of the boat and my guide handed
me my gear. I was hunting with my Thompson
Encore 50 Cal Muzzle Loader, a 250- grain bullet
with 150 grains of powder. I kept it loaded, minus
the cap, in my hard rifle case as we traveled from
the lodge to my hunting site. I didn’t want to take
a chance on banging my rifle or scope up so I
decided it was best to travel with it in a case. It’s
legal there to have a rifle uncased in a boat.
I laid it on the ground and we started setting up
the pop-up blind about 20 yards from the bait. As
I looked in the direction of the bait, I couldn’t be-
lieve a giant bear was looking at us 15 yards away.
My guide saw the bear about the same time as I
did and all he said was look at the melon (head) on
that giant bear. All I was thinking, “Where’s my
gun!”
I kept my eyes on the bear as I slowly backed
up until I could reach my gun case. While still
looking at the bear I reached down and got my
gun out and grabbed the cap for my muzzleloader
that was in my front pocket. I had to walk forward
back to where the blind was because my guide was
still standing there and I couldn’t shoot at the bear
with him in front of me.
As I put the cap on, the bear figured he had
seen enough of these strange animals and just as
he started to leave I shot him. I knew I had hit him
hard and he just started to walk away while I was
reloading. I may have set a record time re-loading
my muzzleloader, at least it felt that way!
He moved about 20 yards away and stopped,
but there was a lot of brush in the way and I had
to move closer to him to take another shot. The
second shot put him down for good.
Everything happened so fast and while I still
had my sunglasses and head net on it never sunk
in that it wasn’t the giant chocolate bear that had
been hanging out at the site. It was a giant black
colored bear.
There was no ground shrinkage as I walked up
to the bear. It was by far the biggest black bear I
had ever seen. It was missing an eye and it turned
out that this bear had been to this bait in years past
from pictures that the outfitter had.
Big Bears page 70
WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 69
 Aluminum
BOAT TRAILERS Big Bears:
from page 69
(Built with) Aluminum I-Beams It took four of us to carry the bear
out on a stretcher. Once the stretcher
15-FT TO 50-FT was placed in the boat there was no
ALL TYPES AND SIZES
room in the boat for myself, I had to
ride back in a second boat.
My outfitter, with 35 years of
Single Axle, experience, told me the bear was all
of 400 pounds but there was no scale
Tandem Axle, Tri-Axle, in camp to weigh the bear.
Bass Boat and others Prior to leaving, my guide and I
walked back to where the bear was at
first and discovered the bear had dug
a hole behind a tree and was sleeping
in it when we got to the site, most
likely guarding the bait from other
bears. While we were setting up the
Available pop- up blind the bear decided to get
Disc Brakes, Galvanized up and check out all the commotion.
Axles, Greasable Hubs, We didn’t hear him or see him
LEDs Rear, Torsion Axles until he was about 15 yards away
looking at us. How can a bear that
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is, if he wanted us he had us. There
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70 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
if I was sitting there and the bear
walked in and I had time to figure
out he wasn’t a color phase bear. It
would have been very hard to pass
on a world class bear like this big
giant!
Not only are there outstanding
bears in this area but the pike and
walleye fishing are also world class.
We caught lots of big pike and wall-
eye. The pike are very aggressive.
We were catching pike and walleye
on daredevils in the same areas. We
caught many pike in the 12-15-pound
range. I caught one pike 36 inches
long and at the end of May and early
June pike in the 40-46-inch range are
caught while laying on their beds.
As far as Ray’s bear hunting
went, it didn’t. The warmer tempera-
tures kept many of the bears moving
at night only. I have to give a lot of
credit to him, he spent 14 hours in
just one day on stand with it being
in the 80s. He did pass on one bear
and another hunter in camp also
shot a monster bear. It’s hard to fight
mother nature when she changes
from normal weather patterns.
After harvesting my huge bear
on Father’s Day, I spent the next few
days fishing and thinking about my
next bear hunting trip!
If you’re interested in this outfit-
ter contact jptrophyhunts@hotmail.
com for more information. This is
a true wilderness hunt with great
fishing!n
QuietKat Ambush
$3,299
MI-E 35 750 Watt
$1,799
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with front and back suspension
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Fishing VS Fortnite?
By Tricia Auten, Pretty Hunters
A
s a parent, how frustrat-
ing is the obsession our
kids have with this stinkin’
game! Or the simple fact
that these kiddos rely on electronics
for entertainment? Most of us these
days can relate to these thoughts and
reactions. I say, we parents just use
‘our’ superpowers: a fishing pole, a
hook and a few worms! And if there
is any skepticism from the young-
sters, a lofty fishing story might do
the trick to get them thinking about
getting outside and throwing a line
in.
Another weapon to use from
Brady and Travis LeMarbe Mil-
ford, 10 and 8.
the parent tackle box might sound
something like, “Can your gam-
ing fingers really pull in a fish?”
OR when all the before mentioned
doesn’t do the trick, “You might be
a gamer but there is no doubt you
cannot out fish me!” A good ol’
competitive dare should do the job.
Being in the great state of
Michigan there is no shortage of
water. So grab that tackle box of
superpowers, as many youngsters as
you can shove in the car and get
after it! Just take a look at these
young anglers, their smiles say it
all!n
Hailey, 9, and Kade Vander-
Ploeg, 11, of Attica.
Even the
best turkey
hunters appreciate
Hannah Ketterer with a nor thern.
less recoil and
muzzle jump!
“I recommend Pro-Port to all my clients”
Graig Everetts, Bluffton, South Carolina
Phone: 586-469-6727
Fax: 586-469-0425
Shotgun Division MAG-NA-BRAKE
www.magnaport.com
MAG-NA-BRAKE
email@magnaport.com
• Reduce Recoil
• Reduce Recoil • Reduce Muzzle Jump
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41302 Executive Drive
• Quality Porting Since• 1971
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Dennis Lominac, 12, of Commerce. Ph: 586-469-6727 · Fax: 586-469-0425
41302 Executive Dr., Harrison Twp. MI 48045-1306
Email: email@magnaport.com
Ph: 586-469-6727 · Fax: 586-469-0425
www.magnaport.com
Email: email@magnaport.com
www.magnaport.com
WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 71
 FABULOUS
FALL FISHING By George Rowe
A
utumn presents the out-
door set with a strange
and wonderful dilem-
ma. Sure, it is time to
start hunting but there is
still some great fishing around and
there are just so many days in this
very special season. The challenge
is to figure out just what to pursue
when that day off comes around.
Here’s how I decide. If the weather
is sort of marginal – cold or rainy
or perhaps a bit windy, I go fishing.
If the weather is nice – sunny and
warm – I take to the woods. In your
boat and with your rain gear on, you
can stay comfortable and the fish,
believe it or not, like a nice rainy
day.
There are many sorts of fishing
that actually peak in the fall. Let’s
list a few:
Mid Thumb Game Ranch Redpine Whitetails
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Contact at 810-378-5632
DAILY 7 AM - 10 PM
80 ACRES, MOSTLY
WOODED-HEAVY COVER
NO LICENSE
REQUIRED
$50 Deposit (personal check)
WWW.MIDTHUMBGAMERANCH.NET
Rams & Goats $325 & Up
Hogs &
Long Horn Cows
Call For Availability
PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE!
72 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
Trout
Brown trout, the largest and
most common trout in our streams,
spawn in late summer and fall. You
can expect to find at least some of
them on mid-stream gravel in Sep-
tember and October and, once they
have left their usual hideouts, they
may be easier to catch. While some
streams are closed after September
30, many of the best streams remain
open throughout the year.
Steelhead enter major streams in
the fall to take up winter residency.
These fish are feeding, not spawn-
ing, and they are easier to catch than
they would be during their spring
spawning runs. The fall/winter
steelhead fishing usually peaks in
November or December and just
when most of the outdoor set dons Fall fishing will produce perch in good numbers and some jumbos
blaze orange and takes to the woods will be in the catch as well.
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in search of deer, some anglers put
on warm waders and creep cau-
tiously into the big streams in search
of finned lightning.
Browns and rainbows resident in
major inland lakes leave the depths
in the fall, as soon as the water cools
sufficiently, and move into the shal-
lows to feed. The fish that are way
below the depths that we usually
fish in the summer are now available
and they get caught. Big browns
and rainbows are feeding right
along with bass and walleyes in 10
to 12 feet of water in October and
November and they get caught on
plugs, crawler harnesses and jigs.
Bass
Both largemouth and small-
mouth bass become relatively inac-
tive in the winter, when the water
is really cold. Their feeding almost
stops and they are seldom caught,
by accident or design. In the fall,
however, these same fish are re-
ally on the prod, taking on fat for
the winter. The best fishing starts in
September and lasts well into the
fall. The fish are usually well scat-
tered, vertically, and can be found
in many depths but not way down
there. The best fishing might be with
spinnerbaits and plugs that wiggle
back to the boat just four or five feet
down there. I recall a lure called a
Paul Bunyan 66 that was a weighted
spinner with a single hook dressed
in bucktail. This was a particularly
effective lure in the fall.
Walleye
The tasty fish with the strange
eyes gang up in the fall and they
really seem to feed well. A check
of the fishing log indicates that my
chance of catching a limit of wall-
eyes is best in September and Oc-
tober with a number of really good
catches early in November. Not
only do the fish cooperate in good
numbers, they seem to run larger in
the fall with most days producing
a better ratio of keepers than in the
summer and with many fall catches
including some fish over 20 inches.
Pike
The northerns seem to move
up in the water column in the fall,
leaving those depths that made
them almost inaccessible in the hot
summer months. By the middle of
September, they will be back in the
shallow weed beds and ready to
whack anything shiny that shim-
mies by them. Pike feed readily all
through the winter but they never
seem hungrier than in the fall.
Perch
Those wonderful yellow-bellies
are at their absolute best in the fall.
While they were scattered in the
summer, they school up in the fall
and, when you find some, you will
often find a school so large that you
can anchor over them and haul in fish
after fish. There is a definite relation-
ship between the size of the body of
water and the quality of the perch
fishing so the best perch action will
be on the Great Lakes with the next
best bet on the largest inland lakes.
The perch are apparently rebounding
on Lake Michigan and Lake Huron
so we can look forward to better
fishing this fall than we have expe-
rienced in some years. On the larger
inland lakes, there is ample evidence,
from fish caught this summer, that
we have at least two exceptional
year-classes of perch available this
year, with many fish in the eight-to-
ten inch range or even larger.
Whitefish
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this wonderful fish, they are avail-
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able in some situations and they
spawn in the fall, moving into more
shallow water. The fish that were
in 100 feet of water in the summer
might now be available in only 50
feet. They are common only in a
few of the largest inland lakes and
in some Great Lakes waters. East
Grand Traverse Bay is one of the
best places to fish, summer and
fall. Many anglers will launch their
boats near Elk Rapids and bounce
their Swedish Pimple jigs off the
sandy bottom, using stiff rods and
no-stretch braided line. There is no
minimum size and you can keep 12
fish daily. They don’t freeze well but
they are wonderful fresh or smoked.
Salmon
The fall is the pedestrian season
for salmon. The big boats and the
downrigger set have pretty much
given up by now but the anglers
who fish off the beaches and piers
will still be after them well into
October. The fish are often dark and
less than prime table fare but they
still fight like crazy.
Yes, we all know that the fall
is for hunting but the fishing is so
good that we have real trouble mak-
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John A. Muter Memorial Scholarships
T
he Muter Outdoor Fund
is pleased to announce
the first three recipients
of its inaugural John A.
Muter Memorial Scholarship. The
new scholarship recognizes college
undergraduates who are committed
to engaging new audiences and new
generations with Michigan’s natural
resources and rich outdoor heri-
tage. The program was established
in memory of the late John Muter,
an avid Michigan sportsman, who
passed away in 2016 after a long
and courageous battle with cancer.
The winners were selected from
a highly-qualified pool of 23 appli-
cants, representing eight Michigan
colleges and universities. Recipients
were selected for their clear passion
for Michigan and its outdoor oppor-
tunities as well as their demonstrat-
ed commitment of introducing oth-
ers to those opportunities, such as
fishing, hunting, camping, boating
and wildlife watching. Each win-
ner received a $1,000 scholarship
to support her 2018-2019 academic
expenses.
Our three winners for 2018
include:
74 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
Jennifer Digna
Alpena, Michigan
Northwood University
Jennifer is driven by her passion
for improving the lives of youth
in northern Michigan. For the past
eight years, she has been working
with the Boys & Girls Clubs of
Alpena leading fishing, recycling,
and other nature-based activities for
hundreds of youth in the area. Jen-
nifer received her associate degree
in Business Administration from
Alpena Community College in May
2018 and is now continuing her
education at Northwood.
Samantha Lobdell
Harrison, Michigan
Central Michigan University with families visiting the park.
Merging her interests in natural
resources and outdoor recreation,
Samantha is committed to helping
others find a lasting connection to
the outdoors. In 2017 she developed
and led the very first public nature
program at Wilson State Park in her
hometown of Harrison. In summer
2018, she expanded that park’s out-
reach efforts through leading nature
Jennifer Digna Samantha Lobdell
hikes, fishing, and other programs
Mallory Verch
Waterford, Michigan
Michigan State University
Mallory is entering her senior
year in the Department of Fisheries
& Wildlife at Michigan State Uni-
versity. At MSU, she serves as the
president of the Fisheries & Wildlife
Club, plays violin in the MSU Con-
cert Orchestra, and participates in
several other student organizations.
She has also been actively involved
in several wildlife-related research
projects, ranging from conduct-
ing deer surveys in East Lansing to
working as a black bear research
technician in Nevada.
About the Muter Outdoor Fund
The Muter Outdoor Fund is a Mallory Verch
501(c)(3) not-for-profit organiza-
tion, established to provide schol- to introducing new audiences to
arships, grants and programs that fishing, hunting, and other forms of
promote outdoor recreation and cel- outdoor recreation in Michigan.
ebrate Michigan’s natural resources To learn more about the Muter
and rich outdoor heritage. Our first Outdoor Fund and how you can
program, the John A. Muter Memo- support our scholarship program,
rial Scholarship, recognizes college please visit our website www.mu-
undergraduates who, like John, have teroutdoorfund.org or e-mail us at
demonstrated their commitment muteroutdoorfund@gmail.com.n
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September’s best!
By Mark Sak
S
eptember has been said to
be a tough month to fish.
Many anglers are mostly still
in summer mode. Many of
the early September days feel more
like July, but deep down things are
changing quickly in the aquatic en-
vironment. Water temperatures can
swing wildly. Baitfish are bigger,
bug hatches are different and weeds
are everywhere. So, September can
be perceived as being a difficult
month when actually we should not
only be altering our approach but
looking at species that present better
opportunities.
Here are a few opportunities
anglers should take advantage of…
Starting on your home waters, if
there are bluegills to be had, Sep-
tember is a great month to fish them.
Midges or Griffiths gnat have some
of their best hatches in mid-Sep-
tember. It is honestly the reason we
don’t swim on Labor Day weekends
anymore. Swimmers are covered
with the larvae when they surface.
This is the time to put a couple of
nice dinners in the freezer before
waiting for ice. Use a slip bobber
with a teardrop with hair on it and
keep the bait shallow. Many times
the gills will be actively feeding so
just cast to the rings on the surface.
Walleye fishing doesn’t get a
lot of attention in September but
there are still great opportunities.
One of the best is Sault Ste. Marie
in Michigan’s U.P. Fish migrate up
the Saint Marys River throughout
August and September and end up
right at the Soo. Anglers can pitch
jigs to the rock piles around the
channel markers, or drag crawler
harnesses downstream to harvest
these golden beauties. The Soo is an
angler’s dream in September. Keep
a good grip on that rod as one never
knows when an Atlantic or Chi-
nook salmon, giant pike or muskie
could snatch up the offering as well.
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Nearly every species that swims in
the Great Lakes can be taken in the
Soo in September.
Speaking of muskie, fantastic
muskie fishing can be had on Lake
St. Clair in September, and the
fish migrate towards the American
waters during the fall. Trolling or
casting big cranks like Believers or
tandem bladed in-line spinners es-
pecially around weed beds can hook
anglers up with the fish of a lifetime.
These fish are voracious feeders
trying to put on some winter fat. It
is not uncommon to run through 20
fish trolling or 5-7 casting. There are
many fish in St. Clair measuring 55
inches and weighing 40 pounds.
Perch fishing in many areas of
Michigan has been fantastic. Late
August and early September offer
stellar opportunities to put some of The author encourages anglers to hit the big water for big fish!
these tasty morsels in the freezer.
Try Bolles Harbor in Lake Erie, the raised in a hatchery. They are wild. As the colors start to change and
Detroit River, Saginaw Bay, Tawas, Without the massive amounts of the breeze turns cooler, get out on
Munuscong Bay, Traverse Bay planted fish the average size of a the water this fall. There is no better
and ports down the Lake Michigan king salmon is much larger. But therapy for what ails us. Don’t for-
side. Fish up to 14 inches are not beware, your fish catching muscles get to take that youngster out with
uncommon. The real trick is making won’t be in shape for many of these you. It simply adds fun to the day.
sure there are perch minnows for brutes. I’ll see you on the water.n
sale where you will be fishing. Call
ahead or you may want to stop and
grab some to take with you if there
aren’t any at the local bait shops.
Crawlers and wax worms will also
take perch but they sure like a small
minnow.
Last but not least, the salmon
and lake trout bite will continue into
September. The lake bite peaks in
August but there are still great fish
to hook up with well into early Sep-
tember. As cooler winds start blow-
ing, fish will hit the river mouths
and provide some great action both
on the lake and in the rivers. Fish
up to 30 pounds are not uncommon
and once again Michigan anglers
have broken the 40-pound mark
several times this summer. Most of
the salmon taken these days weren’t
th at the
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WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 75
 The Mackinac Straits Raptor Watch
W
hen asked, ‘why
spend time and
energy in watch-
ing the record
bird migration
in the Straits of
Mackinac?’ everyone who par-
ticipates in that fun task answers
differently. Most people come to
see the beauty, power, and freedom
embodied in hawks, owls and ducks
– wild nature at its best. Others
cite the camaraderie of sharing the
challenging pastime of finding and
identifying the birds. Here one can
witness grand spectacles of nature:
thousands of waterbirds skimming
or swimming beneath the Mackinac
Bridge; hundreds of hawks circling
in the sky; or a northern saw-whet
owl about the size of one’s hand,
caught and carefully banded under a
sky full of stars.
Ed Pike focuses on the research
on birds that are threatened by hu-
man activities. Pike founded and
chairs the non-profit organization,
Mackinac Straits Raptor Watch
(MSRW), which celebrates its 5th
birthday this year.
“We went out on a limb to
In a test count last fall, volunteers tallied 214 rough-legged hawks
flying south. Rick Baetsen photos
launch MSRW, hoping our vision of
maintaining a safe migration path-
way through the Straits of Mackinac
would attract people who care about
birds. The overwhelming response
has allowed MSRW to expand our
research and public education work
every year,” says Pike.
Pike was pleased when this
spring’s Hawk Watch tallied 64,298
hawks, eagles, and vultures fly-
ing north. The count in Mackinaw
City set a U.S. record for the most
red-tailed hawks (5,360) seen on a
single spring day in North America.
Such high numbers prove that the
Straits of Mackinac form a critical
bottleneck for migration between
the Lower and Upper Peninsulas.
As such, it makes an ideal place
to monitor the birds and develop a
better understanding of changes in
population size, migration timing,
and ecosystem health.
From August 25 through No-
vember 14, the first intensive fall
Hawk Watch will take place at Point
La Barbe near St. Ignace. In a test
count last fall, volunteers tallied 214
rough-legged hawks flying south.
This species nests in the high Arctic
and primarily visits the Lower
Peninsula during the winter. Seeing
this many in the fall drew statewide
attention from birders and profes-
sional ornithologists.
Another unexpected sighting
was a magnificent frigate bird,
which may have been blown north
out of its normal range of coastal
Florida by winds associated with

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fall hurricanes.
MSRW has contracted with
Jason Bojczyk as the Fall Hawk
Counter. Bojczyk began serious bird
watching in 2005 and has worked
as Lead Hawk Counter at Acadia
National Park in Maine with the
Schoodic Institute, Hawk Counter
at Gulf Coast Bird Observatory in
Texas, and Hawk Counter at Tussey
Mountain, Pennsylvania for Shav-
er’s Creek Environmental Center.
Bojczyk finds raptor research
particularly rewarding. “Hawks,
raptors and other predators play
important roles in ecosystem health.
They help keep small mammal
populations under control. They
are indicators of ecosystem health
because many require large areas to
forage. They can respond quickly to
changes in the environment includ-
ing human disturbance and environ-
mental toxins. Trends from moni-
toring raptors over the long-term
show whether a species is declining,
stable, or increasing. For species
that are declining we can focus on
why this is happening and what can
be done about it.”
MSRW also plans fall Owl
Research at Point La Barbe, to be
conducted by Maycee Hash from
California. Pike explains, “We
expect more owls to move through
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in the fall than the 182 that were
caught and banded in route north
this spring. During the summer, new
hatchlings emerge, increasing the
population. These young head south
instinctively on their first migration,
although most do not survive the
winter to return in the spring.”
The biologists collect age and
sex information on each owl, help-
ing conservationists understand
population dynamics. Sometimes, an
owl already was banded elsewhere.
This spring, ten birds were such
‘re-caps.’ One had been banded
by MSRW in October 2014 as a
hatch-year bird, making it five years
old and approaching the longevity
record of seven years in the wild. In
2017, one re-captured female was 6
years old. “It would be really terrific
A nor thern
saw-whet owl
about the size
of one’s hand,
will be caught
and carefully
banded so
biologists can
collect age and
sex information.
to see her again,” says Pike.
Other re-caps came from Cedar
Grove, Wisconsin; Hawk Ridge in
Duluth, Minnesota; and Whitefish
Point in Michigan. To join a field
trip to the owl banding site between
September 20 and November 10,
Pike asks people to email him at
msrwinfo@gmail.com.
The third and latest research
thrust is the waterbird count at
McGulpin Point, Mackinaw City,
which people may visit for free
between August 20 and Novem-
ber 10. Last fall’s count yielded
26,283 individuals of 43 species.
Among commonly-seen birds were
long-tailed ducks, redhead ducks,
and white-winged scoters. Unusual
species included American avocet
and greater and lesser black-backed
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We Sponsor: Wheelin 457 Team, Whitetail Unlimited,
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gulls. Contractor Kyle Wiktor from
Illinois welcomes visitors to stop
by and see these birds anytime from
dawn to midafternoon when the
flights die down.
To showcase raptors and water-
birds, the fourth Mackinaw Raptor
Fest is planned for April 5 to 7,
2019. “Nearly 200 people attended
some portion of the Fest in 2018,
where they saw and learned about
these migrants,” said Pike. In addi-
tion, outreach to the public yielded
1,400 guest visits at research sites,
programs, or public events. To make
the organization and its volunteers
more effective, MSRW recently
hired a part-time Director.
The Mackinac Straits Raptor
Watch conducts scientific studies of
hawks, owls and waterbirds migrat-
ing through this region of northern
Michigan, educates the public about
them, and aids in conserving and
protecting the resting and feeding
stop-over habitat for birds of prey in
the Straits of Mackinac region.
To learn more, visit the MSRW
Facebook, Instagram, or www.
mackinacraptorwatch.org for maps,
blogs, event dates, support options,
and link to photos of Mackinac
Raptor Fest, the primary educational
event held the first weekend of
every April.n
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 By Cory Kovacs and Carl Christiansen-MDNR
n a rainy August morn-
ing, three men dressed in
dark-shaded green chest
waders and rain jackets
slowly make their way
upstream, through the
chilly waters of the Rock River in
Alger County.
Two of the men carry long white
poles with rectangular boxed ends in
one rubber-gloved hand and a fish-
ing net at the end of a wooden pole
in the other.
From each of the two men, a
thick yellow electrical cord runs
downstream to a blue or red equip-
ment box in a small aluminum boat,
which is being pulled up the river by
the third man.
As the men move the ends of the
white poles under the stream banks,
and the wet alder trees overhang-
ing the water, large and small brook
trout begin to appear, floating side-
ways or upside down in the creek.
Quickly, the fish are netted and
moved to a plastic bin filled with
water that’s sitting in the bottom
of the boat. The men pull the boat A MDNR crew works with electrofishing units to conduct a stream sur vey on the Rock River in Alger County.
to the muddy shore and they begin
measuring the fish and collecting cians with the Michigan Department In every case, fisheries managers are A stream shocker is made up of
information on each of them. of Natural Resources. trying to gather more data on fish a small generator and a control box
They work quickly because it Within the DNR, the Fisher- populations to help guide manage- that can alter the amount of current
won’t be long before the fish have ies Division is responsible for ment recommendations. being produced by the generator.
The electric current flows from a
revived and are once again darting
under the banks of the stream, look-
managing fish populations within
the state’s streams, protecting and How It Works positive to negative charged direc-
ing for places to hide. preserving these valuable resources Electrofishing in Michigan got tion.
This process is called electro- for the public and posterity. its start at the Hunt Creek Research These components are put into
fishing, and it’s been around for Because every stream is unique, Station in Montmorency County a small boat or barge. There can be
quite a while. The men and women each one requires attention to fac- during the summer of 1942. There, two or three anode (positive) elec-
who perform this task for the state tors that may, or may not, have an the electrofishing unit first used trodes on the boat (the red and blue
are fisheries biologists and techni- impact on the fish community. in Michigan was a 1-horsepower boxes), allowing several people to
gasoline motor that powered a “shock” the stream at the same time.
500-watt generator. The electrical These electrodes are often con-
current was conducted to the water nected with cord reels, allowing the
through a rubber-covered, two-wire technicians to be able to move away
cable using a pair of electrodes that from the boat to get to different
were attached to wooden handles. areas of the stream. The boat acts
The two electrodes used the water to as the other electrode (negative) or
complete the electrical circuit to the “cathode,” completing the electrical
generator. circuit in the water.
Today the concept is still the The final, and largest, electro-
same, although the equipment has fishing tool is the boom shocker.
come a long way since 1942. There These tools are used on large rivers
are three main electrofishing tools and lakes. They usually consist of
used by the DNR in Michigan. a 16- to 20-foot, flat-bottomed boat
The first is called a backpack equipped with large booms, a gen-
shocker. It is designed for small erator and a control box. The booms
streams and is very portable. It runs act as the anode (positive) electrode,
off a 12-volt battery or sometimes a and the boat serves as the cathode
small generator. (negative) electrode.
The second type is called a All three types of electrofishing
stream shocker. These units are gear options serve the same purpose.
designed for larger streams that They produce an electric current in
a backpack shocker cannot cover the water which temporarily stuns
adequately, and they are what the
A scale sample is taken from a brook trout during a stream sur vey fisheries team was using on the
in Alger County. Rock River that rainy day in August. Electrofishing page 80
78 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
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WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 79
Electrofishing:
from page 78
the fish, firing their muscles invol-
untarily, allowing technicians to
collect the fish and collect biological
samples.
The fish are netted and placed
in temporary holding tanks to be
sampled and then released back into
the water of the stream or lake being
surveyed.
Uses of the technology
For decades, fisheries manag-
ers have used electrofishing gear to
grow their knowledge about the fish
community that lives in each stream
or lake.
The many uses for electrofishing
gear, illustrating why it is a critical
tool for fisheries managers, include:
• Aiding in estimating the num-
ber and type of species living within
fish communities.
• Collecting wild fish for egg
gathering. The eggs are taken to fish
hatcheries and hatched. The fish
produced from these eggs are used
for stocking streams and lakes.
• Providing data to help judge
the effectiveness of fisheries man-
agement actions.
• Monitoring important fish spe-
cies or non-native, invasive species
that can harm fish populations, wa-
ter quality, recreation or economic
concerns.
In the early 2000s, the DNR’s
Fisheries Division developed a stan-
dard process for stream sampling to
compare fish populations between
different streams with similar habitat
types. Electrofishing gear is used to
collect information from the popula-
tions in these streams.
Typically, information fisheries
biologists, technicians and manag-
ers are looking for includes length,
fish species type and age. They often
will take scale or spine samples to
help determine age.
Examples
Under a rotation plan – three
years of stream sampling, three
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80 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
A crew uses a Lagler Class boomshocker in this undated photo.
years without – the Rock River in
Alger County is sampled using the
established standard method. The
stream contains a wild population of
brook trout.
By sampling within a 1,000-
foot length of stream, a population
estimate for brook trout is calculated
from each sampling effort. From
the information gathered, trends in
brook trout abundance, mortality
and growth can be identified, which
are key components to fisheries
management.
Every year during spring runoff,
rivers rise, swollen with snowmelt.
In Newaygo County, the DNR’s
Fisheries Division organizes a fleet
of electrofishing boats to head to
the Muskegon River, below Croton
Dam, in search of walleye.
The Muskegon River serves as
one of two locations in Michigan
where wild walleye brood stock
(eggs used to grow fish populations)
is collected. The second is Little
Bay de Noc in Delta County.
Because of the high and fast
water conditions of the Muskegon
River during the spring spawning
run, electrofishing boats are very
effective at successfully capturing
spawning walleye. This provides
the number of eggs needed to meet
targets for production at the Wolf
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Michigan - Georgia
Lake State Fish Hatchery in Van
Buren County.
Additionally, about one month
later, on the east side of Michigan,
electrofishing boats search the De-
troit River for muskellunge during
their spawning period. Great Lakes,
or “spotted,” muskellunge have been
the primary focus for DNR Fisheries
Division production since 2010.
Until inland brood-stock lakes
become well-established with an
acceptable population level of Great
Lakes muskellunge, the DNR will
rely entirely on the Detroit River to
collect eggs for its statewide mus-
kellunge stocking program.
In the early stage of this muskel-
lunge program, efforts with other
gear types were unsuccessful on
this massive waterbody. Today the
sole method for collection is with
electrofishing boats.
Many times, anglers visiting
a stream wonder, “Why does this
stream have a different fish size
limit than another stream just down
the road?”
To answer this question, fisher-
ies managers typically reply with
some data, biological reasoning and
information that may seem like it
just came out of nowhere.
However, that information was most
likely learned from data collected
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during electrofishing, which sup-
ported a need for a fish size restric-
tion on one stream and not another.
Similarly, when a dam is re-
moved after being in place for years,
fisheries managers will want to
know what effects the removal has
had on the stream. Electrofishing
gear most likely would be used to
help evaluate the changes in the fish
communities, upstream and down-
stream of the dam site.
Another instance to consider is
invasive fish species and how the
DNR and other entities identify
their occurrence or status. Invasive
species awareness has been of the
utmost importance in recent years
and on the radar of every fisheries
manager across the nation.
When someone reports seeing an
invasive species to the DNR, field
staffers often conduct electrofishing
surveys to determine the presence or
absence, and location, of the inva-
sive species.
Responses to invasive species
reports are relatively fast using elec-
trofishing gear, since all the compo-
nents of the tools typically are found
within one unit, not requiring any
significant amount of setup time.
Over the past three-quarters of a
century, electrofishing has found its
place in fisheries management and
research. The original uses of this
sampling equipment are still being
applied today.
With the development, refine-
ment and continued use of this
technology, questions once thought
to be impossible to answer are now
able to be answered efficiently and
confidently.
Electrofishing is a tool likely
to remain important in helping to
protect and preserve Michigan’s
thriving stream and lake fish com-
munities well into the future.
Get more information on fishing
in Michigan at www.michigan.gov/
fishing. To report potential invasive
species, visit MISIN or contact the
appropriate person for your area on
the DNR’s invasive species website
with photos attached.n
WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 81


TROPHY PAGE

Logan Brown of Milford caught and re-

leased this monster smallmouth bass on
east Traverse Bay that weighed 6.9 pounds
and he’s caught a 6.39 pound smallie on
Lake St. Clair at the age of 5…both catches
captured on video!
Reily Reeder, nine-years-old, of New
Baltimore landed this massive small-
mouth bass.
Samantha Richards caught this 33 inch
pike at the mouth of the Dead River
in Marquette. Dean Meyer caught this
19 inch, 5.73 pound largemouth in
Schoolcraft Co.

Erich Franz Jeanne

caught this Shamblin
with her
giant master grandsons,
angler Caleb
skamania that Dykstra and
Myles Mix,
measured 36 and the
inches long walleyes and
fishing the perch she
Kalmazoo caught using
a crawler
River in early harness on
August. the Mus- Tom Denz caught this
kegon River walleye near his cottage
at the Hardy on Lake St. Clair while
Dam.
perch fishing.
Carl
Carlton of Aiden
Clinton with his
Twp. retired
harvested grandpa
this big Dave
tom with Shamblin
a 9-inch on
beard and Indian
1-inch Lake. Go
spurs on Aiden,
April 28 at Brady Johnston caught this The first
big bass on his 12th birth- fish of
the age of many
78! day at his buddy’s. He was Bob, Rob, and Sandi Neering
using a top water frog. more.
with a limit for “The Bottom
Line.” Including a huge 23 ½
Family and inch Master Angler Lake White-
friends had a fish caught by Sandi (right). They
great day on were fishing July 11 on Lake
Lake Michigan Huron near Drummond Island.
out of Manistee.
(lt-rt) Brett Ba-
ranek, 15, with
a 13 lb. coho;
Ryan McDonell,
12, with a 17 lb.
king; Al Oleck
with a 27 1/2 lb
king that mea-
sured 26 inches
and Dave Isabella Solis, 7, with her first fish, a 24 inch north-
Schacki with a ern pike and her mother, Cristal Gomez, with a 43
16.8 lb. king. inch muskie. Both caught on Lake St. Clair.
82 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
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WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 83
 Hot Topic: My Thoughts...My Views

Mackinac Straits oil pipeline

risks fish and wildlife habitat
441 miles of Great Lakes
shoreline. 100,000
square miles of Lake
Michigan and Lake Huron
surface water. 60,000
acres of unique wildlife
habitat. 47 species of
special concern.
$1.8 billion in lost
tourism and outdoor
recreation economic
activity. Polluted drink-
ing water and irreplace-
able tribal and cultural
resources damaged…
inland sections of Line 5 totaling 1
million gallons since 1968. Subse-
quent reports and inspections have
revealed missing protective coating
on the pipeline, and this past April a
tugboat’s anchor dented the pipeline
while dragging across the lakebed.
Concern about the potential of a
Line 5 oil spill and what it could do
to northern Michigan communities
has grown to a fever pitch in recent
years. In a May 2018 EPIC-MRA
poll, 87% of likely voters statewide
said they are concerned about a Line
5 oil spill, and a majority want it Line 5 carries up to 23 million gallons of oil and natural gas liq-
shut down, by a two-to-one margin uids from Superior, Wisconsin to Sarnia, Ontario, taking a shor tcut
over those who don’t. The most through Michigan and the Great Lakes, crossing about a mile west

T
vocal organizations drawing atten- of the Mackinac Bridge.
his is what is at risk from tion to the danger of Line 5 have
the continued operation of been the National Wildlife Federa- and larvae by oiling and also de- Upper Peninsula still needs propane.
Enbridge Energy’s Line 5 tion and environmental voices like layed population impacts of sub- In July, the National Wildlife
oil and natural gas liquids For Love of Water (FLOW), but in lethal doses compromising health, Federation released an independent
pipeline which traverses along the June of this year Michigan United growth, and reproduction. Many fish report it commissioned from Lon-
lakebed in the Straits of Mackinac, Conservation Clubs also adopted a spawn in close proximity to Line 5 don Economics, International (LEI)
according to a recent draft risk policy resolution calling for “serious and their spawning grounds will be with funding from the C.S. Mott
analysis report issued by consideration of alterna- impacted depending on the season Foundation. The report analyzed
the state of Michigan. tives to pipelines across or of an oil spill.” alternative delivery mechanisms for
The draft report ana- below the Great Lakes.” Waterfowl like redhead, long- Michigan’s propane needs if Line
lyzed the risk of a worst- The draft risk analysis tailed duck and red-breasted mer- 5 is shut down. Due to an abundant
case scenario from a Line 5 released in July modeled ganser use the Straits, and shore- supply of natural gas liquids and
oil leak. It was compiled by 4,000 scenarios to estimate birds like the endangered piping falling demand in Michigan, LEI
a team of academics from the impact of a worst-case plover arrive in the counties which determined that supply would not be
Michigan universities led scenario leak from Line 5, could be impacted by an oil spill in negatively impacted, though isolated
by Dr. Guy Meadows of depending on the time of May and don’t leave until August. events like the 2014 propane short-
Michigan Techno- year, direction of the Common loon populations in the age could still occur, as they could
logical University. By Drew YoungeDyke currents, ice cover, area peak in the spring and fall. The even if Line 5 continues operation.
Line 5 carries up to location and volume most likely risk to mammals is from Supply could most cheaply
23 million gallons of oil and natural of the leak. The estimates were so- secondary poisoning. In the Straits, be replaced by truck or rail from
gas liquids from Superior, Wis- bering, as detailed above: 441 miles these include fur-bearing species Superior, Wisconsin. Propane last
consin to Sarnia, Ontario, taking a of shoreline, 100,000 square miles like muskrat, river otter, beaver and winter averaged about 2 dollars per
shortcut through Michigan and the of surface water, 60,000 acres of mink. gallon; truck and rail would only
Great Lakes, crossing about a mile unique habitat for 47 species of con- The draft report identifies 47 add 5 cents per gallon for consum-
west of the Mackinac Bridge where cern and $1.8 billion in cleanup and species of special concern at risk ers, which would be lost in normal
it splits into twin 20-inch pipelines. lost economic activity. And while from a Line 5 oil spill, summarizing: fluctuation of propane prices.
Built in 1953 after it was approved these numbers model a worst-case “Finally, declines in abundance “This report shows that Line 5
by the Conservation Commission, a scenario, they assume that Enbridge of primary producers and primary is not critical to propane supplies
surveyor who worked on the con- detects a leak within five minutes: consumers resulting from an oil in Michigan,” said Mike Shriberg,
struction project told a documentary it took them 17 hours to detect the spill would mean that consumers Great Lakes Regional Executive
filmmaker that it was meant to last Kalamazoo River oil spill in 2010. higher up in the food chain may Director for the National Wildlife
50 years, an age it passed 15 years If it takes them longer than five need to shift to finding alternative Federation and a member of the
ago. Its risk to the Straits of Macki- minutes to detect a leak from Line food sources, affecting ecosystem Michigan Pipeline Safety Advisory
nac came to light after the 2010 5, then those numbers could grow as dynamics in oiled areas. Given this Board. “A small investment of
Kalamazoo River oil spill when En- more oil is released before the flow diversity and richness, an event like resources from propane consum-
bridge’s Line 6B pipeline ruptured. is shut off. an oil spill may represent a point ers would eliminate the risk Line
In 2013, the National Wildlife The researchers provided a de- of no return for species loss and 5 poses every day to 441 miles of
Federation (NWF) conducted a tailed analysis of potential impacts extirpation.” Great Lakes shoreline, northern
dive to inspect the pipeline, not- to fish and wildlife from a Line 5 Most of Line 5’s 23-million gal- Michigan’s regional tourism econo-
ing missing supports in violation oil spill, as well. Lake trout could lon capacity of oil and natural gas my, 60,000 acres of critical wildlife
of the easement with the State of be impacted by higher egg mortal- liquids is delivered to Sarnia, On- habitat, and irreplaceable tribal and
Michigan allowing Line 5 to op- ity. If the spill was in spring, when tario, but it also delivers an average cultural resources.”
erate in the Straits. Enbridge has yellow perch spawn near Line 5, of about 81,000 gallons per day of So what’s next for Line 5? While
since added those supports, but the they would have increased mortality natural gas liquids for propane to the most pipelines in the United States
impact on the pipeline’s structural to eggs and larvae. Lake sturgeon Upper Peninsula via the Rapid River are governed by the Pipeline and
integrity after being subjected to six are at a higher risk to exposure to processing facility. While this is Hazardous Materials Safety Admin-
decades of currents in the Straits oil due to their close proximity to only 0.35 percent of Line 5’s capac- istration (PHMSA), Line 5’s cross-
while those spans were unsupported sediments. The report summarizes ity, it supplies much of the propane ing under the Straits of Mackinac is
is unknown. A 2017 NWF report impacts to fish: relied upon by Upper Peninsula
found 29 historical spills from the “Significant mortality to eggs residents. If Line 5 is shut down, the Mackinac Line 5 page 86
84 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
 Hot Topic: Take a Kid Hunting, Fishing or Outside...

Share the thrill of the outdoors with a youngster!

L
ike the past several years, I
am once again spending an
October 1 evening sitting in
a hunting stand. This year I
am in an enclosed tent blind over-
looking a clover field. Pre-season
scouting indicated that this field is
the preferred food source for a good
number of deer. Sitting quietly to
my right is my 11 year-old stepson,
Noah. The poor guy is suffering
from a head cold, but the determined
warrior is toughing it out displaying
grit and determination. These are
two great qualities that I am glad to
see him develop.
Noah and I have spent many
summer evenings slinging arrows
and our shoot two nights
prior was a real confidence
builder. We shot several se-
ries of successful shots into
a buck target placed twenty
yards away. For this eve-
ning hunt, I have placed an
autumn olive branch in the
field twenty yards in front
of the blind so that
Noah can easily gage By Jerry
his shooting range.
Just before 7 p.m., a small buck
enters the field in the company of
three does. They are 150 yards dis-
tant and casually feed in a direction
going away from us. Noah uses a
range finder to accurately calculate
the distance.
As we watch the deer, I notice
movement from the left through my
peripheral vision. A lone yearling
doe has entered the field, and she is
only forty yards away. I quietly alert
Noah and prompt him to get ready.
He picks up his bow, nocks a Thun-
derhead tipped arrow and clips on
asperated, Noah flops back into his
chair in despair. Noah thinks that the
gig is up and that the deer has run
off. From my angle, I can see that
the doe only went a few yards and
is returning. Curiosity killed the cat;
will curiosity kill this deer?
I whisper, “Noah get another ar-
row, she’s still here.”
Noah’s disposition turns inside
out. His face comes alive, and he
quickly reacts by nocking a second
arrow. Once again, the doe focuses
on the branch and stands broadside
at 20 yards. Noah draws and releas-
es his second arrow and this attempt
ends with a thumping sound.
The deer takes off running a half
circle around us favoring
her front leg. I mentally
mark the spot where she
exited the field. I ask Noah,
“Where did you hit her?”
Once again the roller
coaster of emotions dives
downward as Noah re-
sponds in a defeated man- The entire family shares Noah’s successful deer hunt.
ner, “I hit her in the Noah’s mom, Michelle, had her thanked me.
Lambert leg.” smile on high beam as I knew she Deer hunters have a lot of per-
I attempt to en- would. What I didn’t factor in was sonal highs. Getting your first deer
courage him without building false seeing the happiness that little sister, is a memory that will last forever.
hope. We wait only twenty minutes Lindsey, displayed for her older Experiencing the thrill of a young-
because I want to check the exit brother. Later on, Michelle told ster taking his first deer, ranks high
trail before it gets completely dark. me that Lindsey prayed that Noah on the trophy scale. The ever popu-
Noah’s head cold is kicking in, and would get his deer. lar Bill Jordan ends every Realtree
he walks slump shouldered behind Next we all stood around the production by encouraging viewers
me. He thinks that he wounded the truck bed enjoying the autumn to take a child hunting. What a great
deer and is feeling discouraged. night air as one very proud hunter way of touching lives in a manner
We silently walk the field edge, narrated his successful adventure. that could be life changing. Most
and I check the exit trails with It doesn’t get much better than hunters live the lives that they do
my flashlight. I see big bright red watching a child shine. My father- because someone, at some time or
splashes of red on the second trail in-law extended his hand to me another, took the time to take them
and whisper for Noah to come over and while hand-shaking, he humbly out.n
to me. When the beam of light
displayed a crimson highway, Noah
pumped his fist and victoriously
Letter To Woods-N-Water News

An Asian Carp eaten is controlled!

his release. The doe starts feeding
on the lush green clover. She then
notices the autumn olive branch and
goes on alert pondering the foreign
object.
After a few head bobs and foot
stomps, I realize that the doe’s
next move will be to scent check
the branch for apparent danger.
Sure enough, the deer knows the
script and starts circling between
the branch and us. With the desired
prize only ten yards away Noah
draws back his bow. This creates
a little noise and the deer startles,
trotting a few yards away, and stops
about ten yards to the right of the
branch. As the deer walks to the
branch, Noah remains at full draw.
When the deer stops fidgeting and
stands motionless 20 yards out,
Noah touches the release and watch-
es brokenheartedly as the broadhead
slices into the clover right in front of
the doe.
Once again, the deer startles and
bounds off to the right. Totally ex-
exclaimed, “Yes!”
We slowly follow the obvious
blood trail into tall weeds, and after
a couple of turns Noah yells out, “I
found her!”
Pride beams from the successful
hunter. My heart jumps with joy and
Noah’s youthful energy is exhilarat-
ing. Living in the age of cell phones,
a call to mom is priority one for the
young boy. I get to hear the proud
hunter boast, “I got a deer!”
This 11 year-old boy bowhunted
a lot the year before, but could not
close the deal. Two shots were taken
but only white tail hair was cut. This
year, the additional practice has paid
off. Noah hit one inch from the heart
and severed the main artery. I field
dressed the deer and then Noah and
I loaded her into the truck bed for
the short ride home.
Four smiling faces meet us in
the driveway. Noah’s grandpar-
ents drove over to celebrate his
hard sought after accomplishment.
Dear Woods-N-Water News:
I read Tom Carney’s article
regarding Asian Carp in the August
2018 issue. We have spent $100s of
million dollars so far and we have
more Asian Carp than we started
with.
The USGS biologists say we
can control Asian carp by restoring
the native fish, Duane Chapman,
Biologist with USGS, also says we
can control them. Now all we have
to do is restock native fish after
they remove Asian Carp which
they are already doing. Repeat until
native fish are restored. Juvenile
Asian Carp are eaten by almost
every native fish we have, an Asian
Carp that is eaten is controlled!
The loch that is closed in
Minnesota, The Eagle Marsh 1.7
miles of berm it is my understand-
ing we have 1800 miles to guard
and flooding anywhere. We make
the entire water body Asian Carp
resistant full of predators no mat-
ter how they get in! This could be
done with ponds, everywhere in
the country, all the studies say we
should do it, we can do it, what’s
the problem?
Predators controls other fish
same…same! Who doesn’t want
more perch, bluegill, walleye, crap-
pie etc.... instead of Asian carp?
Who?
At least we would be doing
something the looks like biology!
We have 183 invasive species that
are bite size as well, native fish
eat them as well, they would be
controlled also!
Thank You
Tom Matych
Twin Lake
WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 85

Howell named MUCC’s ‘Legislator of the Year’
S
tate Representative Gary
Howell has been hon-
ored by the Michigan
United Conservation Clubs
(MUCC) as its 2018 Legislator of
the Year. This is the third such honor
that Representative Howell has
received this year, as he was named
‘Legislator of the Year’ in May
by the Hunting Dog Federation of
Michigan and he will be recognized
later this month by Ducks Unlim-
ited with its ‘Legislator of the Year’
award as well.
Howell was given the award at
the recent MUCC annual convention
which took place in Clare.
Howell, of North Branch, serves
as Chair of the House Committee on
Natural Resources. He was recog-
nized, in part, “for all the hard work
and thought he puts forth toward
the issues we work so hard on in
Lansing,” MUCC reported to its
membership.
Not only has Rep. Howell been
widely involved in promoting many
key conservation issues, but he was
instrumental in breaking a log jam
by sponsoring legislation that for the
first time ever has given the MDNR
a land management plan to protect
*Visit our display at Woods-N-Water News Outdoor Weekend*
86 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
Hot Topics in the Outdoors...
Dan Eichinger, Executive Director of
MUCC presents State Representative
Gary Howell as the club’s “Legislator of
the Year.”
the 4.6 million acres of state forests,
parks, and game areas.
“MUCC was pleased to rec-
ognize State Representative Gary
Howell as our Legislator of the
Year,” Dan Eichinger, Executive
Director of MUCC, said. “We have
come to know him as fair, thought-
ful, deliberate in his approach, and
deeply committed to the conserva-
tion of our natural resources. It was
an easy choice for us to honor him
in this way.”
“When I first became Chair of
the House Committee on Natural
Resources, one of my first priorities
was to establish a land management
plan for the vast properties owned
by the MDNR,” Howell said. “This
was a project that had been dormant
for five years. I saw the danger
of nothing happening if I didn’t
address it quickly and with full re-
solve. I am greatly appreciative that
a prestigious conservation organi-
zation such as MUCC, with many
chapters throughout the state, would
see fit to honor me with this award. I
am pleased that MUCC was a major
partner at the table as we focused on
getting this legislation signed into
law.”
Public Act 240 of 2018, spon-
sored by Rep. Howell, now gives
the state a clear strategy for how
public land will be purchased, sold
and utilized in the future due to this
landmark legislation. Many other
initiatives by Rep. Howell have also
advanced a strong commitment to
our natural resources, particularly in
guaranteeing that access for hunt-
ing and fishing be preserved and
expanded.
“Representative Howell has
elevated Michigan’s conservation
community by regularly reaching
out to MUCC and our many partners
for engagement on issues confront-
ing our natural resources,” Eich-
inger, of MUCC, said. “His genuine
Mackinac Straits Line 5 pipeline: from page 84
permitted only by that 1953 ease-
ment, a contract between Enbridge
and the state of Michigan. The state
can revoke the easement if Enbridge
is in violation of its express terms,
such as clause requiring Enbridge to
“exercise the due care of a reason-
ably prudent person for the safety
and welfare of all persons and of all
public and private property.”
The governor or the attorney
general could take such action to
terminate the easement. Instead,
last fall Governor Snyder entered
into an agreement with Enbridge
- without consulting his Pipeline
Safety Advisory Board – to reach a
decision about the future of Line 5
right about the time you’re reading
this. He has already tipped his hand
about a preference for a tunnel to be
constructed underneath the Straits
of Mackinac for Line 5. Enbridge
delivered a report to the governor in
June of this year estimating a tunnel
would cost $500 million and take
seven years to complete.
commitment to get the right folks in
the room to get the right policy in
place has enabled all of us to work
through some challenging issues.
We could not ask for anything more
from an elected official.”
“When the residents of Lapeer
County saw fit to send me to Lan-
sing, it was my immediate intent
to hit the ground running and to
involve myself in meaningful leg-
islation that would last for decades
to come,” Howell said. “This award
encourages me to pursue additional
conservation legislation.”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,
PO Box 278, Imlay City, MI 48444
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“The debate over a tunnel sim-
ply kicks the can down the road,”
said Shriberg, who also serves on
the Pipeline Safety Advisory
Board.
And that’s even if a tunnel could
get permitted for construction;
meanwhile northern Michigan con-
tinues to be held hostage by the risk
of Line 5 leaking, rupturing or being
struck by a bigger anchor than the
one that struck it just a few months
ago. Compare that to the much
simpler option of shutting it down
and replacing the 0.35 percent of its
capacity Michigan actually needs
for propane with truck or rail for 5
cents a gallon.
Whether it’s this administra-
tion or attorney general who finally
takes action on Line 5 or the next, it
cannot remain in its current condi-
tion under the surface of the Straits
of Mackinac, where it hangs like
a guillotine on a fraying rope over
northern Michigan’s water, wildlife
and way of life.n
WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 87
 TRAIL CAM/OUTDOOR PHOTOS
Join us in sharing interesting and sometimes rare
trail cam and/or outdoor photos with our readers.
Send your photos to: wnw@pageone-inc.com (please submit in jpeg format)

Larry McDowell trail cam took

this photo of a bald eagle on a
fawn carcass near Columbiaville.

Alan Crandell of Roscommon Co. trail camera

caught this coyote with a fawn!

Cari Versluis took this beautiful cow moose and twins

with her camera in the UP in June.

Philip Carney of Hope caught this

bear on a trail cam. Philip has
never seen a bear that far south.

Michael Shinabarger trail cam caught this doe

and her fawn.

Larry Piotrowski caught this close up of “Mr. Roman

Nose” in Oakland Co.
The loca- Michael Shinabarger trail cam also
tion for caught these bucks near Lowell.
this trail He just wants to know where these
cam was bucks are in the fall?
picked out
by 4-year-
old Richie
Perry near
Lowell

An update
of trail cam
Joe Misiak’s trail cam must like to take photos from
close up photos. (Right) He catches a strut- Kraig Staples
of Millers-
ting tom and (above) he got this close up burg with
of a deer, both in Macomb Co. an elk and
black bear.

88 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS

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WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 89
 Keep your eye on
the sparrow and
not upon the arrow

L
incoln County in the Up-
per Peninsula, in 1962,
was a great place to fish,
tent-camp, hunt deer, or
get lost. It’s your choice. I
have always been success-
oriented since I was ten years old to
present date, and when things don’t
go well I just back up and
go to plan B. But I never
give up on my goals.
A good friend of mine
Jim, who worked with me,
had talked about going
fishing in the U.P. but we
never did go. So, that year,
we planned on going deer
hunting with bow
and arrow in Lin-
coln County, since By Mike Simcik
we shot bow at
the Chicago Archery Club, and we
thought we were fairly proficient.
The big weekend arrived and I
was ready to rock and roll for that
330-mile trip into the pines, alders,
aspens, two-track dirt roads and
the great outdoors. We were both
decked out like Howard Hill or
Fred Bear. I had more than enough
equipment stuffed in my red and
white 1959 Chevy Impala convert-
ible. We arrived close to dark with
just enough time to gather
wood, put up the tent, make
a campfire and a pot of
coffee. Since I was not a
good cook, dinner was out
of a can that night. I forgot
the can opener so I used my
hunting knife to fillet the
cans and warm them on a
hot rock.
Morning came
way too early for
me and the over-
night chill crept into places I didn’t
even know I had. But, there we
were, a perfect day for a deer hunt.
Jim and I paced off about 50 yards
The author’s Plan B or C.
and began walking slowly through
the brush, ferns, and trees. I had no
idea what happened to Jim, I think
his 50 yards stretched out to 200
yards. I came upon a large open
meadow and stayed at the forest
fringe, watching, as hunters do. Out
of the woods to my right walked a
magnificent buck with a trophy rack.
He stood there looking at me about
35 yards away. I put the prover-
bial Grey Goose shaft in my trusty
Osage longbow, adjusted for eleva-
tion and let fly.
I missed! But that deer just stood
there looking at me. I loaded an-
other arrow, drew back and missed
again, over his shoulder. He never
moved! I thought, “Is that buck
stupid or what?” I let fly a third
arrow. This one rattled through his
antlers and I missed again. This time
he moved 20 yards further away
so I approached him with another
arrow strung. I calmed down bit
and let fly another arrow with all
the confidence of the Archers club.
Yes, I missed again! And I thought,
“Is this deer crazy or am I?” After
four missed shots, the answer did
not come easily to me. I still did
not know where Jim was located.
Meanwhile, I began looking for my
arrows stuck in the dirt and while I
was putting them in my quiver that
buck put his head down and charged
right at me. I became the hunted and
had to run for my life back into the
woods! But then he stopped, put his
head down and stamped his foot in
defiance.
The whole weekend went this

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 For the rest of the evening, we pondered the error of our ways and even considered this area
was possibly cursed by some unknown evil spirit. That, or, we were really lousy bowhunters...
way and no matter what plan we
tried, it failed miserably. We ran out
of canned stew for dinner, so plan
C was to come back the next year,
sadder but wiser hunters.
In the fall of 1963, Jim and I
made a second attempt at redeem-
ing ourselves and recapturing some
of our lost dignity. Returning to the
exact same spot Friday night, we
pitched our tent, gathered wood,
made a campfire and a pot of coffee.
This time I had a backup plan, and
we were not going home empty-
handed for I had done my homework.
Saturday morning broke, clear,
crisp and full of promise. It didn’t
take us long to discover that hunt-
ing pressure made the deer a little
spooky. But, in the previous year
I had spotted a wild apple tree and
since there was a hard frost on the
ground, so were the apples. I staked
out the tree at a qualifying distance
while Jim staked out a rut-trail area.
Long about 4:00 p.m., yes, you
guessed it, no deer, only the sound
of irritating squirrels and crows
heckling us!
For the rest of the evening, we
pondered the error of our ways and
even considered this area was pos-
sibly cursed by some unknown evil
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spirit. That, or, we were really lousy
bowhunters.
Sunday morning broke, it was
another fine day - that is for paint-
ing the porch or mowing the lawn. I
was forced to resort to plan D: either
shoot a deer or go back home. My
father had always told me that when
a door closes, a window opens, and
we were in a prime place for a dif-
ferent kind of wild game.
Jim walked off down a two-track
with deadfall everywhere, his bow
loaded for any legal game in sight. I,
on the other hand, staked out an area
of aspens and wild crabapple trees.
I had left my bow in the trunk of
my car because at the bottom of my
camp-bag I found my old Sears &
Roebuck slingshot and a Band-Aid
can of ¼ inch ball bearings.
I cleared away pine needles on
the ground near the trees, covered
myself with an Army blanket and
waited. I even dozed off for a while.
An hour had passed when I heard
several grouse on the ground mak-
ing funny noises and drumming
their wings. Some of them were
perched in the low-lying limbs.
I raised up my head slowly
under the blanket, loaded a ball in
the sling and with the first shot I
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brought down a good sized grouse.
The rest scattered, but after 15 or 20
minutes they came back again, eat-
ing and milling around as if nothing
ever happened. In all, I shot three
male grouse that day, and Jim had
the same luck with his bow, after
walking for two miles. I showed
him how to take the cape off with
poultry shears as I used the feathers
to tie fly-fishing lures. That evening
we ate three birds roasted over the
campfire. No canned stew for us
tonight!
Several years after I got dis-
charged from the Navy, got married,
then had our firstborn child, I started
thinking about that crazy deer that
tried to kill me to save his own hide.
I never thought that deer were sup-
posed to be that smart, or are they?
In the year 1972, I went back up
north with three friends on opening
day to pitch a tent, gather wood,
make a campfire and, of course, a
pot of coffee. We got there just in
time to absorb the sunset, the smell
of pine trees and the wonder of the
great outdoors. Saturday morning
broke into a beautiful day and once
again I walked through the forest
till I came to that same meadow.
Low and behold, I swear it looked
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like the very same deer from 1963
that walked out into the clearing
and stood there just looking at me.
This time I raised my Winchester
.308 and that crazy buck never knew
what hit him!
That night I had the strongest
feeling to call home. So I left the
camp to find a pay phone and I
called my wife. My mother an-
swered and told me my daughter
had been jumping up and down on
our bed, she fell off, twisted her
leg, broke it then was taken to the
hospital. A regrettable situation, but
it was my vehicle and I had to get
everyone packed up and drive all the
way back home.
I gave the venison to the other
three guys. It was the least I could
do under the circumstances. My
daughter’s leg healed fine and I
made a lamp from the plaster cast
for her room. Jim and I never went
bow-hunting again but I still have
that slingshot. The truth be known,
I prefer the taste of wild campfire-
grouse over venison any day, so
“All’s well that ends well.”
Since I can’t walk well and feel
too old to hunt grouse in the heavy
forest, today’s plan E is for me to
hunt rotisserie chicken at Walmart!n
WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 91

EARLY GOOSE
M
ichigan’s Early Goose
season offers sports-
men a unique oppor-
tunity to go hunting
when temperatures
are ideal, landowners
allow hunting, you share the out-
doors with family and friends and
the action can be unbelievable; the
best of the entire year.
Sure, there are days when end-
less scanning the horizon can be
boring but when the distant call of
huge birds flying your direction
transforms into a fast-paced shoot-
ing spectacle it makes all the effort
worthwhile. There is something
powerfully addictive about
the raspy sound of huge
beating wings at close range
and the excited “get ‘em”
yells from friends. When
the feathers clear the air and
you are rushing to pick up
15-pound plus giant birds
your heart will be beating
By Kenny Darwin
off the charts and
the adrenaline
rush is simply
incomparable in the wing shooting
world. This is best described by the
following anecdote.
We had Big Foot full body
Canada decoys in position long
before shooting hours and when
the predawn darkness was outlined
by a bright pink rising sun I caught
movement, something was flying
directly at us. There was no honking
of frantic early morning geese eager
to dine in the harvested wheat field,
no long line of huge birds but the
movement was coming from flying
birds coming directly our direction.
It took a few seconds to register but
92 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
I finally made out the huge flapping
wings of a dozen big Canada geese
flying low across the field, below
the tree line, just a few feet over the
expansive grain field. We scrambled
to get out of sight, grabbed shotguns
and stayed motionless as the gi-
ant birds set wings and glided into
the spread. Scott Goldammer of
Okemos dumped the first bird with
a clean shot, and when the flock
flared Brandon Conner of Ionia and
I opened fire.
The impressive sound of mas-
sive beating wings in my face got
my heart pounding and the shooting
was at close range and we rained
geese from the sky. At one
point the hissing sound of
wings got my attention as
Brandon slammed a big
goose and it fell close, al-
most hitting me in the head,
making a loud thump as the
15 pound bird crashed near
my feet. When the loud
shooting ended
we had seven
geese on the
ground and we celebrated with high
fives and hand slapping. We danced
around when we heard more geese.
Scott yelled, “From the south!”
When I glanced at the tree line I
could see a flock of around 20 geese
coming directly at us.
Once again we scrambled to get
ready, crammed shells into empty
chambers, dove for cover. I gave
the newcomers one loud “Honk”
and the flock answered back and
lowered landing gear. That’s when
I noticed a crippled bird from the
previous volley had gotten up and
was wandering in the decoy spread.
camouflage to the environment and
remain motionless until birds decoy
into range and you set up, take aim
and begin firing.
Incoming birds noticed the live bird
prancing through decoys, set wings
and zoomed for the moving goose.
Somebody yelled “Get ‘em!” A
quick count revealed we were only
two birds from our three man early
goose limit of 15 birds. It was fun-
filled, fast-paced outstanding hunt-
ing considering the season had only
been officially open a few minutes.
We gathered harvested birds and
placed them belly down in the decoy
spread with heads tucked under a
wing to mimic resting geese. Before
I could sip my hot coffee Brandon
announced “Geese” and to the north
we could see a large flock of around
50 birds circling. But this flock was
headed for a field occupied by a
large group of hunters with a huge
decoy spread. I giggled at the sight
of multiple birds suddenly falling
from the sky and moments later we
heard a volley of around 25 shots
that sounded like loud firecrackers
on the 4th of July. It was a beautiful
sight as hard core Michigan water-
fowlers put their skills to work in an
outdoor ballet resulting in top notch
early goose shooting action. On this
day the hunting was remarkable
and we soon filled our limit. A few
savvy hunting tricks and you can
make this an easy task.
Most importantly, you must
have recent goose intelligence that
tells you what birds are doing,
where they are landing or roosting
and outlines where to go hunting.
Scouting is the key to fast shooting
success and knowing exactly where
geese are landing can provide thrill-
ing gunning. Savvy field hunters
identify hot spots in certain fields
that hold birds and water hunters
Field hunters need to match their
often ambush returning geese. The
more you scout, the more geese you
will find and updated hot informa-
tion can lead to exciting outings.
If you are dead center where
hundreds of geese are feeding you
don’t need large decoy spreads to
draw them into easy range. Most
hunters prefer larger spreads to ac-
commodate several hunters, large
parties require additional decoys. If
you are alone you can get by with
a dozen quality decoys especially
if you can place them where geese
are living. Sometimes you can
have good luck using only a couple
decoys and setting up where you are
fully camouflaged in a hot zone.
Don’t forget to sign across the
federal stamp and attach it to your
license or the CO’s will confis-
cate your prize shotgun and write
a ticket. If you are hunting over
water you will need waders, boat or
flotation device to hold decoys and
gear. Field or dry land goose hunts
require important gear like layout
blind, rubber boots, face and body
camouflage, gear bag for shells,
water bottle, sunglasses, head lamp
and snacks.
Serious modern goose hunters
transport gear, decoys, dogs, by
quad runners and more in utility
trailers. If farmers don’t want ve-
hicles driving on fields they simply
load up quad runners and motor to
goose hot spots, set up and stash
the sports machine. Take the group
of hunters one mile north of us on
opener last year that busted 52 birds.
They had a field goose hunting pro-
gram. They started at 3 a.m. trans-
porting generators and huge stadium
lights to their hunting location. Once
the scene was all lit up they put up a
picnic table and started frying eggs,
ham, diced potatoes and brewed
hot coffee served with a smile in
the goose field. Next they brought
camo layout blinds and huge piles
of goose decoys. These boys had
a giant spread of 150 Greenhead
Gear Hunter Series full body field
geese with motion stakes. Two
hours before daylight the army of
hunters looked like ants on a distant
hill as they set up decoys, placed
layout blinds, gobbled breakfast and
toasted the opener. Come the first
hint of dawn the decoys looked like
a huge flock of feeding geese and
the hunters were tucked in comfort-
able layout camouflaged blinds and
their gear and transportation was
parked at the barn. These water-
fowlers were in position, fully fed,
locked, loaded and ready for geese
to arrive before shooting hours.
Truth is these hunters were set
up in the exact location where about
Early goose page 94
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WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 93
Early goose: from page 92
500 geese were feeding on a daily
basis in a harvested grain field.
94 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
Their big white utility trailer beat
me to my spot and when I arrived
Geese are large impressive birds and retrieving them brings a fist
full of happiness and big smiles. Kenny Darwin photos
at the field long before shooting
time I was amazed at their bright
lights on large tripods, their huge
decoy spread and how they ef-
ficiently prepared for a successful
field goose hunt. I parked along
the country road and watched them
through my 10x50 Nixon binocu-
lars. It was interesting to observe
the well-organized hunting team
and I enjoyed seeing how they put
good use to a large gear trailer to
transport outdoor lights, decoys,
blinds, chow and much more. That’s
when I moved to a field birds would
fly over on the way to the hot spot.
Soon I was joined by my pals and
we set up pronto and we had a
dozen geese on the ground and fired
the first opening day shots in the
County. But soon large flocks passed
us up and decoyed into the hot spot
covered with the huge decoy spread.
It was music to my ears to hear them
calling, followed by fast paced mul-
tiple shots on unsuspecting decoying
geese.
I’m kind of old fashioned and
still lay on the ground wearing
full camouflage from head to toe.
I toss three or four dozen Big Foot
decoys in my Ford van after I take
out the back seats, load up with
shell bag, gun and cooler and drive
out into open fields, unload and set
up in minutes. My strategy is to be
mobile, prepared to change hunting
locations based on scouting intel-
ligence and sometimes I hunt alone.
In my average season I’ll hunt sev-
eral dozen different farms, chang-
ing locations as birds alter feeding
flights. I also hunt several counties
in southern Michigan: Shiawassee,
Ingham, Ionia, Clinton, Jackson,
Isabella, Midland, Bay County,
Kalamazoo and more. My goal is to
hunt in southern Michigan’s giant
Canada heartland and I frequently
set up just outside big cities and
decoy birds from protected parks,
water treatment plants, golf courses,
private lakes and ponds, large condo
developments with waterways high-
lighted by small islands and lawns
covered with lush green grass.
Once a field has been hunted
and is somewhat burned up I begin
the scouting process all over again.
What happens is adult geese are
spooked from hunted locations and
they shift feeding patterns to new
fields. The trick is to follow early
morning flights leaving roosting
waterways and follow them to
current feeding fields. Early geese
prefer to fly at sunrise, return to
waterways for a mid-day rest and
return to fields late in the afternoon.
If you scout geese, learn their flight
patterns and set up where they like
to land, you are guaranteed great
gunning.
During the current early goose
season, try a hunt or two. If marsh-
lands and waterways don’t provide
the action you desire, make the
switch to open field layout tac-
tics. Dawn is without a doubt the
best time to ambush unsuspecting
flocks but field hunting can provide
action any time of day, adrenaline
rush excitement and challenging
wingshooting.n
Photos Of The Month...

BLUEGILLS! 71st Annual

Text/Photos by Alice Kukulski POINTE MOUILLEE
WATERFOWL FESTIVAL 2018
MICHIGAN DUCK HUNTERS HIP BOOT RACE
TOURNAMENT
GOOSE & DUCK CALLING
WILDLIFE ART & CRAFT SHOW CONTEST
HURON RIVER DOG JUMP GREAT LAKES SLING SHOT
HUGE OUTDOOR TRADING CONTEST
POST
ARCHERY / NOVELTY SHOOT
HUNTING & FISHING
EQUIPMENT, JUNIOR/SENIOR ARCHERY
Say the word ‘fish- CLOTHING & SUPPLIES
ing’ and most people BB GUN SHOOT
will think of things DOG RETRIEVER
like fishing poles, DEMONSTRATIONS LIVE AUCTION
bobbers, bait, sinkers,
etc. However when I
hear the word fish-
ing I think of snorkel
gear, wetsuit, and
camera! Don't get
me wrong I do love
smoked lake herring
Sept. 15th & 16th, 2018
and salmon as much
as anyone, but when I
fish it's usually not with dinner in mind. Bob Whitwam, Executive Director, 734-587-3221 • Shauna Nietubicz, Marketing Director (734) 558-5980
Yes I fish with an underwater camera. Jokingly I call myself the left Dick Whitwam, Community Affairs Director, P.O. Box 1, Rockwood, MI 48173 (734) 379-4292
handed Polish blonde fish finder! Store bought fish finder gadgets work
great but have you ever wondered what it would be like just to stick
your head in the water and see for yourself? The things you can see are PROCEEDS WILL GO FOR THE LARGEST FRESHWATER MARSH RESTORATION PROJECT IN NORTH AMERICA
simply amazing!!
Recently while snorkeling Bear Lake near Kalkaska I came across
the most wonderful area, fish beds, lots of them. I was caught up in
the moment when out of the corner of my eye I spotted a huge school
of bluegill. They were at the surface; I was amazed and excited to get a
good photo! The shot was so great that I had to share it! It was a snap-
shot moment I won't soon forget.
I hope this photo will inspire some of you to give it a try. Who SATURDAY, September 15th, 2018
knows, maybe it will help you reel in the catch of the day! It's a whole
new world down there! If you haven't tried it you're truly missing the
best part!
Sincerely Alice Kukulski
SUNDAY, September 16th, 2018
Subscribe Today and Enjoy
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WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 95

 Michigan Deer Camp Traditions...
First time for everything
A series of stories about
Deer Camps in the Great
State of Michigan...
I
t always brings me great joy
to listen to a young, up-and-
coming hunter relive their
first successful hunt. With
tremendous excitement and
exhilaration, these
stories are often scripted
better than what we see on
most outdoor shows these
days. From reliving the
highs and the lows of the
newcomer’s first hunt or
two, it inevitably brings you
back to recollecting your
own first experi-
By Jake Dykstra
ences in the field.
The mistakes you
made, the lessons of Wildlife Realty
learned, the heart
wrenching lows and the triumphal
highs; it’s what hooked us all right
from the beginning, and it can usu-
ally be traced back to our first few
hunts that we experienced with a
96 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
close friend or a loved one. For Paul
and his son Tyler, 2017 was packed
with many exciting “firsts,” includ-
ing Tyler’s first successful solo hunt
as a 14-year-old.
The fall of 2017 had brought
about the long-anticipated closing
date for Paul’s first and very own
80-acre vacant land parcel of hunt-
ing ground. Although 60% agricul-
tural fields, the remaining
wood lot provided steep
ravines, dense cover, and
a four season stream that
provided a constant water
source for the property. Af-
ter years of searching, Paul
and his son Tyler could now
start their own annual deer
camp traditions on
his own property.
Already
midway through
Tyler, his first deer and the star t of a lifelong journey of creating memories.
hunting season, of property can often seem daunt- at the dining room table, had a long
Paul and Tyler elected to postpone ing, but there’s no better way than to rectangular box sitting directly in
the building of the pole barn “man have boots on the ground. front of Tyler’s chair. Without any
cave,” and instead decided to make It was November 20, a Sunday hesitation at all, Tyler ran to the box
the best of their time and hang a few night Tyler said, that dad had called in excitement, beaming from ear
ladder stands. Learning a new piece him upstairs out of bed. Paul, sitting to ear. Tyler’s first ever “real gun,”
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he said, which was a Mossberg
500 12 gauge. After reviewing the
not nearly often enough repeated
precautions and safety measures that
Paul was responsible for teaching
his son, Tyler learned that their first
hunt on their new property would be
this Tuesday. This would also allow
for time on Monday to sight in the
new firearm.
Tuesday couldn’t come quickly
enough. Although the gun seemed
to “kick just a little bit,” Tyler was
shooting two-inch groups at 50
yards with ease. The school day
seemed like it would never end, but
Tyler was changed and ready to go
by 3:30 p.m. and waiting on Dad. A
short drive to the property had father
and son walking on freshly fallen
snow as the snowflakes fell deli-
cately on the ground. By 4:00, they
had reached Tyler’s stand, which
overlooked their newly acquired
field edge corner, which bordered
the neighbors still standing bean
field.
Paul once again took the time
to walk his son through the routine.
Unload the gun, tie it to your strap,
climb up the tree, clip in to your
safety harness, pull up your un-
loaded gun, and get situated. Only
after Tyler was comfortable and
situated was he permitted to load the
gun. Tyler had done everything as
explained and was sitting comfort-
ably in his ladder stand by 4:15 p.m.
Paul only had a quick 80 yard walk
to his stand, which was systemati-
cally placed for the sole purpose of
watching Tyler.
An hour had gone by before
Tyler caught a glimpse of movement
between him and his Dad, who he
could very clearly see in the “bright
orange suit” at just a short distance.
First, one deer, then two, then five,
then ten; the deer just kept coming!
Tyler had counted 17 does before
he had lost track. The deer had been
coming up the ravine and were set-
ting to walk behind Tyler’s stand.
Slowly, they made their way toward
Tyler, but on his first solo hunt,
he admittedly froze, and couldn’t
decide if he should turn around or
not! Single file, the does walked just
20 yards behind him. Shortly after,
when Paul had assumed the deer
were in the neighbor’s bean field, he
texted Tyler that it was time to go,
as Paul had a school board meeting
to attend that night.
As Tyler could see his Dad be-
ginning to descend down the tree, he
caught a glimpse of a doe walking
back on to their field, just 40 yards
away. Immediately, Tyler called his
Dad back and whispered, almost
inaudibly Paul recollected, to STOP!
With Tyler’s recent gift already rest-
ing on the gun rest, Tyler slowly
put the phone back in his pocket
and pulled the gun to his shoulder.
The doe appeared massive inside
of Tyler’s scope, but after
rehearsing Paul’s words from
the night before about tucking
the crosshairs right behind the
shoulder blade, Tyler squeezed
the trigger. The
doe instinctively kicked up and took
off along the fence row and presum-
ably into the neighbor’s bean field.
Paul immediately called back,
“Did you get it”? Tyler, too shaken
to speak, tried to whisper words of
excitement into the phone. Within
a minute, Paul was at the bottom
of Tyler’s stand, once again coach-
ing him through the unloading and
lowering of the weapon. When Tyler
made it to the ground, the adrenaline
had him “shaking like a leaf, I just
couldn’t control it!”
The father and son quickly
shuffled to where Tyler had thought
he shot the doe. Sure enough, bright
patches of blood were glistening
in the snow. Paul high fived his
son, “Looks like I’m not going to
be making it to a board meeting
tonight!” Paul grinned. Paul, already
having seen the deer just 45 yards
down the fence row, still used the
moment as a learning experience,
tracking one step at a time behind
Tyler. After about 20 yards of track-
ing, Tyler looked up, and he too saw
his deer. Still shaking with excite-
ment, Tyler trotted up to his doe
and sat behind it, “just like they do
on TV.” As Paul made it up to the
deer, he offered a congratulatory
high-five, to which he grabbed his
son and wrapped him in a giant bear
hug. The proud father was every bit
as excited as his young hunter. After
a few pictures in the newly fallen
snow, Paul’s hunting mentor cap
was back on for proper field dress-
ing of the deer, for which Tyler had
never seen before.
By 6:30, Paul and Tyler had
made it back to the truck. With
only six-inches of snow, they both
happily bounced their way back
in the pickup to Tyler’s doe. With
Tyler talking 100 miles per hour the
whole way back, reminiscing about
the adventures of the past hour, Paul
couldn’t help but smile. This was
the moment he had been waiting
for; the beginning of his own father
and son deer camp tradition. The
start of a lifelong journey of
creating memories to last a lifetime
and skills that can be passed on
to the next generation of hunters.
With Paul’s deer camp tradition
seed planted, he was overjoyed to
admit, there is always a first time for
everything.n

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WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 97
Best Fall Fishing
Y
ou can’t blame sports-
men who are itching
to pick up the gun or
bow come September.
Fishing is a year round
sport where hunting
only takes place a certain times of
the year. Hunters can expand their
season by traveling or hunting with
more than one weapon, but regard-
less of what or how you
hunt there’s always some
down time. And it seems
hunting seasons take place
all at once so if you’re a
multifaceted hunter it’s
tough to get everything in
during the open season.
Throw in the fantastic fish-
ing that take place in Mich-
other walleye magnet. Local anglers
know that Long Lake’s walleyes
begin to make nightly pilgrimage
into the shallows as the waters cool
in the fall and produce an entirely
different kind of bite.
“The walleyes move shallow
under the cover of darkness,” con-
fided area fishing guide Dave Rose.
“Key is to cruise the lake during the
daytime and locate green
weeds and then work the
edges of those weeds after
dark.” Rose recommends
using suspending stickbaits
like Rattlin’ Rogues, Rapa-
las, Husky Jerks and other
elongated lures. You can
add suspend dots to shal-
low diving lures. Rose said

Mike Gnatkowski
igan in the fall
and you’ve got a
real dilemma. Do
I hunt or do I fish come fall?
Most Michigan sportsmen I
know try to reach a happy me-
dium. Mix in a little fishing on the
perfect Indian summer days. Or a
little grouse hunting in the morning
and fishing in the afternoon. Nasty
days are reserved for waterfowl-
ing, although that kind of weather
is ideal for fall muskies, too. First
two weeks in November are prime
time for the whitetail rut. But if you
arrow a bruiser early in the rut, early
November is pretty hard to beat for
steelhead fishing.
Long Lake Walleyes
Grand Traverse County’s largest
inland lake at 2,860 acres, Long
Lake is a bustle of activity during
the summer months, but once school
resumes and summer cottage owners
go home the lake settles down and
anglers reclaim the lake.
Long Lake has a long history of
walleyes plants and the persistence
seems to have paid off. Long Lake
supports a good walleye population
now. The fish average 16 to 17 inch-
es, but ’eyes in the 25- to 26-inch
range aren’t uncommon. Anglers jig
with minnows or troll with crawler
harnesses to catch walleyes during
the summer months. These same
tactics work during early fall during
the daylight hours. Because Long
Lake is very clear, don’t be sur-
prised to find the walleye in water
25 to 35 feet deep or deeper dur-
ing the day. The ’eyes relate to the
myriad of structure that the lake af-
fords. Sloping contours off the mid-
lake islands are natural hotspots. An
underwater point straight out from
the boat launch off Edgewood Ave.
on the lake’s northwest corner is an-
to anchor quietly
and cast parallel
to the weed edg-
es. Schools of walleyes will move in
to herd minnows against the weed
edges. Rose advised using a light/
medium-spinning combo with super
line. The super sensitive line is per-
fect for detecting the subtle bite of a
nighttime walleye.
Most of the ’eyes will be 1½ - 3
pound eaters, but walleyes over 6
pounds are not unheard of. Try the
shallow flats in the bays on the west
side of the lake. Listen for schools
of walleyes slashing minnows.
For bait, tackle and maps contact
Gander Mountain in Traverse City
at (231) 929-5590.
Big Glen Lake Trout
“There are a lot of lakes that
are planted with trout in northwest
Michigan that nobody really fishes,”
offered Dave Rose. “You might find
a few people trolling for trout in
the summertime, but after that you
hardly see anyone fishing specifi-
cally for trout.” Rose said that fall
is prime time to cash in on this
untapped resource. The trout move
from the depths into the shallows
as the waters cool and provide great
sport on light tackle then.
One of Rose’s favorite fall trout
lakes is Big Glen Lake. At 1,400
acres, Big Glen Lake has a long
history of trout plants. From 1995
through 2001 the lake received
regular plants of brown trout, lake
trout and splake. More recently
Big Glen has been the recipient of
rainbow and steelhead plants. Those
fish are now reaching good size.
Rose emailed me an image recently
of two fat rainbows that he took
from Big Glen Lake just last fall.
Those trout should have added a few
pounds by this fall.
Local anglers know that walleyes begin to make nightly pilgrimage into the shal-
lows as the waters cool in the fall and produce an entirely different kind of bite.
Big Glen Lake doesn’t have that has some openings in it and cast
much in the way of structure. The stickbaits, like Rattlin’ Rogues and
lake is basically bowl shaped with Husky Jerks, into the pockets in the
few points or humps. The exception weeds. Let the bait sit for 20 sec-
is where Little Glen Lake enters Big onds or more before giving it a few
Glen Lake. A ridge there is worth subtle twitches, then let it sit again.
prospecting for fall trout. Other- Walleyes will explode on it.”
wise, Rose advises just working Rose said to look for weeds in 4
the shoreline drop-off. As the water to 12 feet or water where walleyes
cools, trout move shallow and cruise will school up and work the min-
the edge. He said just cast to 4 to 10 nows over. Most of the walleyes will
feet of water with a suspending stick run from 15 to 19 inches, but fish to
bait and hold on! “The big ones will 8 or 9 pounds are not uncommon.
darn near rip the rod out of your Rose said that if the stickbaits
hands,” chided Rose. Rose said that aren’t working you can always fall
Elk, Burt and Torch lakes are good back on the old standby- a jig and
bets for fall trout action too. grub or worm. Rose said in the clear
To sample some of northwest waters of South Lake Leelanau that
Michigan’s best fall fishing contact natural colored plastics work best.
Dave Rose at 231-276-9874 or on- Try motor oil, pumpkinseed or red
line at www.wildfishing.com. colors highlighted with a chartreuse
jig head to call attention to the
South Lake bait.
Leelanau Walleyes South Lake Leelanau is a big
“We have so many great fish- body of water at 5,370 acres and is
ing lakes up here it’s tough to pick long and narrow so the wind doesn’t
just one or two,” said guide Dave affect it too much unless it’s com-
Rose. “But one destination I’d ing straight down the lake. Prime
have to include would be South walleye locations include Perrin’s
Lake Leelanau. From about mid- Bay on the south end of the lake, off
September until the weeds start to Robinson Point, and near the inlets
die off the walleyes really turn on of Weisler and Cedar creeks. There
in there.” Rose said weeds are the are boat launches on the both the
key to South Lake Leelanau’s fall east and west sides of the lake.
walleye fishing. “Look for cabbage Contact Dave Rose at 231-276-

98 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS


9874 to try your hand a catching
some South Lake Leelanau walleyes
this fall. For information on lodging
and amenities in the area contact the
Leelanau County Chamber of Com-
merce at 231-271-9895 or online at
www.leelanauchamber.com.
Gun Lake Largemouths
Allegan and Barry County’s
2,680-acre Gun Lake is popular
with bass anglers. Unfortunately, it’s
also very popular with powerboats,
personal watercraft and water skiers.
Once Labor Day arrives boating
traffic drops dramatically. Fishing
pressure nosedives too and the bass
move shallower as the waters cool
making fall a prime time for Gun
Lake largemouths. For information on amenities,
“Gun Lake has an outstand-
ing largemouth population,” said
Southern Lake Michigan Manage-
ment Unit Fisheries Supervisor Jay
Wesley. “I would have to consider
Gun Lake to be one of southern
Michigan’s premier largemouth bass
lakes.” One reason largemouths do
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just about any way you like to fish. fall run of Salmon and
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Spinnerbaits are great for prob- Manistee River, or the
ing the docks, canals and shoreline
structure. Crankbaits excel for cov- late fall/early spring
ering water and working the deeper trophy class Walleye on
points. The bass will average 2 to 4 the Saginaw River!
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are not unheard of. Boating access
can be gained off Murphy’s Point in
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Fishing Service
camping and accommodations in has the experience
the area contact the Southwestern
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and equipment
925-6301 or online at www.swmich- necessary to
igan.com. For lake maps, tackle and provide you with
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WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 99
Join our club and learn a trade
Told by HYC members…To Capt. Fred Davis - Boat Smart
T
he HYC (Huron Yacht
Club), located at the
mouth of the Pigeon
River on Lake Huron
in Caseville has had a
remarkable forty years.
The club is like no other group
of boaters. In 1978 a group of 30
sailors envisioned the future and
became charter members. “Join our
Yacht Club and learn a trade,” was
soon adopted as their motto. Third
generation members, that now total
thirty-three, continue to sail. When
hosting club activities with fam-
ily and friends the group’s number
raises to over one hundred.
I observed the club’s progress
over the years. Their accomplish-
ments far exceeded their imagina-
tions of forty years ago. Yes, they
are all sailors, but they are also hard
working people who totally re-built
a lowly fish house into the beautiful
clubhouse it is today. When a call
of, “All hands on deck,” is sent out,
all members fit and able respond.
A statement is often repeated; “The
only way to be excused from a work
session is to attend their funeral.”
0% for 42 months
$3,599.00
3995 Fairgrove Rd.
Fairgrove, MI
100 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
Over the years, challenges to
protect their property presented
as water levels rose. Lake Huron
often riled up with strong winds that
washed into the river where their
boats sat at dockside. Urgent calls
would go out to members to assem-
ble and stand their ground to hold
back the erosion of their property.
Rebuilding and maintaining was
accomplished because of the diver-
sity of occupations of its members.
Engineers, teachers, construction
workers, doctors, lawyers, and
veterinarian describe but a few.
Helping one another, they learned to
do plumbing, masonry, pipe fitting,
roofing and many other skills. By
doing the work themselves, they not
only learned how and saved the club
money, they built a strong sense of
pride.
I was invited to sit down in the
clubhouse and chat with some of the
“Golden Age” construction crew.
They were eager to relate the club’s
history and told how charter mem-
bers scraped together funds to put
a down payment on the Gillingham
Fish Company property. It provided
Top photo is the Gillingham Fish Company proper ty and the begin-
ning of the HYC. Bottom photo is the HYC today!
five-hundred feet of frontage with boast of. Members often donate
quick access to Saginaw Bay. The their race flags to display along the
seller stressed they did not want rafters of the clubhouse.
the property used for commercial Member Mike Elliott has com-
purposes. The prospective owners peted in 25 Mackinaw races. While
assured them the development was racing in a Nood (National Orga-
to be purely for the enjoyment and nization One Design), he bested
camaraderie of sailing for members 2,000 competitors for a victory.
and their families. The docks, built The Noods are sanctioned races
by club members, hold 34 boats that feature identical boats. They
from 24 to 38 foot with many of are held throughout the year and
Visit our booth at
them fitted out for competitive rac- 35 to 40 HYC members and family
the Woods-N-Water News ing – and race they did. Over the have enjoyed participating in them.
Outdoor Weekend lengthy span of years, there have They travel to the west coast, South
Sept. 7, 8 & 9 been many events that the club can Carolina and many other locations.
Lake Leelanau Narrows Resort
Great Northern Michigan Fishing
www.kirks-mi.com Reservations call: 231-994-2108
989-693-6741 www.lakeleelanaunarrowsresort.com
Several members raced in a Nood
held at St. Petersburg last year.
Scott Maust, took his 33 foot Hobie,
Rhumbline, and four crew members
to Miami in 2016 to compete in the
International Miami to Havana race.
It had not been held for sixty years
but resumed when Cuba opened its
doors to visitors. He brought home a
trophy for finishing first in his class
and was interviewed by Dave Reed
of Sailing World because of the
distinction.
Over the long span of years,
members have participated in single
and double-handed races from Port
Huron to Mackinaw. Each year
members join the fleet that races
in July to Mackinaw Island. Three
boats represented the club this year
with 15 members along as crew. The
wind did not favor them however
and they were a bit late rounding the
buoy to enter the harbor.
Locally club members really
enjoy the “Slammer Cup Regattas”
held since 1982 with Tawas Bay
Yacht Club. The host club alternates
each year and sets a ten mile trian-
gular buoyed course that, depending
upon wind, may conclude in two
to six hours. Boats race the course
twice to score points and a winner is
awarded the Slammer cup to place
FISH FOR STOCKING
Trout, Bass, Pike, Walleyes, Catfish, Pan Fish,
Minnows for Fast Fish Growth, Hybrid Bluegills.
• FARM PONDS • FISHING CLUBS • LAKE OWNERS
(Fish available during the months of
April, May, October and November)
Fish may be picked up in small
quantities or we deliver by truck.
Imlay City Fish Farms, Inc.
Fish Consultants
1442 N. Summers Rd., Imlay City, Michigan 48444
Phone: (810) 724-2185
www.ImlayCityFishFarm.com
1-800-700-2628
in their clubhouse. Tawas is the host
this year and 7 to 10 members will
be sailing across Saginaw Bay a
few days in advance of the race to
prepare.
Closer to home and hearts of
many are the WOW (Women on
Water) races that feature women
only. They set a buoyed course off-
shore and hold a captain’s meeting
to determine race details. One of the
men describing the event declared,
“Many of our women are much bet-
ter sailors than the guys.” Winners
of each race have their boat’s name
inscribed on a trophy that sits atop
the club’s mantle.
It’s not all work or racing at
HYC – the group takes time off to The Golden Age Construction Crew who told the tale (left-right);
enjoy annual functions. The Com- Charlie Morden, Rich Bass, Tom Main and Scott Meyersieck.
modores Ball leads off the season on
Memorial weekend and each year a participate in civic endeavors to the area wearing a tee shirt noting;
theme is adopted. It may be formal promote the community and its “HYC Swim Team” ask them
or everyone may be told to show up progress. how they earned the privilege to
as cowboys or perhaps pirates. The Although the grounds and build- wear it. I was told club members
4th of July is always a big fam- ings seem enough to keep members who fell off their docks – or boats
ily gathering and a focus is put on busy, they find time to maintain – were awarded one of those tee
entertaining the youngsters. A Labor a row of beautiful vessels. Their shirts.
Day activity and Christmas party beauty is on display as they sail in Capt. Fred Davis is a retired
round out the year’s events. If a regattas across the bay. Each boat charter captain and nationally
member is active with a group, such stands out with its own colors and published author of boating articles.
as the Kiwanis’ Club, the clubhouse flags, providing a breathtaking view His Boat Smart articles are pub-
may be the scene of one of their of the results of hard work. lished online at www.captaifreds-
annual activities. Many members If you see a member around boatips.com.n
We also sell pond supplies...
pond dyes, chemicals,
aeration and fish pellets!
WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 101
 The wonderful
essence of early
squirrel hunting
By Tom Lounsbury
W
hen summer
winds down
and begins to
transcend into
autumn, I auto-
matically think
of squirrel hunting, and you can’t
beat Michigan for pursuing this
unique outdoor pastime. It doesn’t
require much traveling anywhere in
this state to discover great squirrel
hunting opportunities. The problem
is, small game hunting on a whole
in Michigan, which includes squirrel
hunting, is at an all time low these
days in regards to hunter par-
ticipation. This is a fact that utterly
amazes me, because I thoroughly
enjoy the wonderful essence of early
autumn squirrel hunting, and it is
something I have passed on to my
three sons, and they in turn are pass-
ing it on to my grandchildren. It is
a unique atmosphere that can offer
complete relaxation combined with
moments of frequent hunting action
which is a great way to share an
outdoor experience with kids.
And you can’t beat the weather in
the woods either, which can at times
be outright balmy. When the mid-
September squirrel opener arrives,
the leaves on the hardwoods are
still green, with only a hint here and
there of autumn’s colorful splendor
that is fast approaching. The woods
are also still teeming with songbirds
that have yet to migrate south, and
squirrel hunting for a fact has turned
me into a bit of a birdwatcher. I now
never go squirrel hunting without
my bird identification book and a
The author, Tom Lounsbury’s, favorite squirrel rifles are the scoped Gamo
air rifle (top) and his beloved .22 Marlin Model 39 lever-action (bottom)
topped with a Williams peep-sight, which he used for over 50 years.
102 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
binocular with me that is as much
for watching birds as for locating
wary bushy-tails. Needless to say,
I’m never bored with a day spent in
the September squirrel woods.
I have a wide array of firearms
that I employ for squirrel hunting,
but my favorite squirrel rifle of all
time is a .22 rimfire Model 39 Mar-
lin Lever-action topped with a Wil-
liam’s peep sight which has been my
frequent woods companion for over
50 years now. With a butter-smooth
action, it has become a natural ex-
tension of me.
Other squirrel guns that I use
entail a variety of .22s, including
handguns. I have a traditional cap-
lock .32 caliber muzzleloader which
adds a touch of unique nostalgia,
as well as recent years have seen
me using an air rifle. My scoped
.17 caliber Gamo air rifle might not
be absolutely quiet when I fire it in
the woods, but its abrupt, coughing
report is more mellow than the typi-
cal firearms often used. I’ve noticed
wary bushy-tails pay less heed to
my shooting an air rifle in a dense
and woodsy environment, and that
works for me.
When it comes to shotguns for
squirrel hunting, I prefer the smaller
bores, with a tight-choked .410
stoked with number 4 birdshot being
my favorite. A shotgun definitely
gives the shooter an edge in trying
to hit a small target in the heavy
foliage setting of hardwoods during
early autumn (a favorite of mine is a
scoped T/C Contender .410 handgun
with a 10 inch barrel).
Tom Lounsbury with a mid-September Thumb fox squirrel taken with his
scoped .17 caliber Gamo air rifle using a lead hunting pellet (a proper
pellet is the key when dealing with tenacious squirrels).
On occasion I enjoy using a bow
and flu-flu arrows tipped with Judo-
points as well. What hunting arma-
ment you wish to use for squirrel
hunting is purely whatever is legal
and suits your fancy and hunting
technique (I haven’t tried a sling-
shot yet, but I have been seriously
considering it).
My most used hunting technique
is simply sitting down in good
squirrel habitat against a handy tree
trunk and patiently waiting (and
sometimes dozing off) for shots of
opportunity. The key here is not to
get up and retrieve each squirrel
right after a shot because this visible
movement in the cover alarms squir-
rels more than the sound of the shot.
I mark the spot to memory where
the squirrel falls, and stay put until
I have finished hunting that loca-
tion, and only then do I get up and
gather any downed squirrels. I have
on occasion bagged my daily limit
of squirrels from one location in this
manner, and refer to this technique
as taking a “squirrel stand.”
Of course some locations in the
woods from day to day aren’t as
squirrel-active as others, especially
right where I’m sitting, and this
will find me still-hunting (using
eyes and ears more than feet while
moving slowly through the woods
one careful step at a time) to a more
likely hunting site to sit at. This type
of hunting can also turn into a spot
and stalk event when a bushy-tail is
sighted, and stalking into range of
a squirrel can be a very challenging
endeavor that I much enjoy, whether
or not I get the shot (I’ve found
being proficient at squirrel hunting
has made me a better deer hunter,
including honing marksmanship
skills in heavy cover).
A friend introduced me to squir-
rel hunting with dogs a few years
ago and I have been smitten with
this technique ever since. It is a
method that is full of action with the
dog first finding squirrels by scent
and then sight which is an important
factor when dealing with squirrels
that travel across branches from tree
to tree. A good squirrel dog keeps
an eye on its quarry once a squirrel
is treed and the pooches can even
retrieve squirrels after the shot.
The dogs I had hunted with were
on the squirrels the minute they
hit the ground after the shot. Large
squirrel dogs are known as curs and
the smaller ones are called feists
and this type of hunting is an old
American pastime that’s making a
great comeback, at least in this neck
of the woods (it has always been
popular down south entailing some
old and time tested bloodlines of
squirrel dogs).
I purchased a young female black
and brindle Mountain Cur last fall
and I’m utterly amazed at the versa-
tility of this actually quite old Amer-
ican dog breed, which is also a great
family dog that can’t resist smooz-
ing with kids. You name it and she’ll
hunt it, including pheasants (she has
a deep howl which really rattles the
typically wily and wary wild roost-
ers), rabbits and of course treeing
squirrels is right in her nature. I’m
really looking forward to September
squirrel hunting with my Mountain
Cur, and it will be great to have kids
along too, because it truly can be
action packed. Typically, I prefer
to use a small bore shotgun for this
type of hunting, for both safety
reasons and more efficiency when
shooting at often animated squirrels
in the treetops.
Needless to say, I thoroughly
enjoy the mid-September squirrel
woods in Michigan, no matter what
hunting technique or hunting arm I
choose to employ.
If you have never tried it, you
should, because you don’t know
what a unique pastime in a distinct
atmosphere you are missing out
on.n
DNR’s incident management
teams are ready to respond
By Timothy Webb-MDNR
M
ost people in Michigan
know the Department of
Natural Resources plays
a critical role in keeping
people, homes, forests, fields and
other resources protected when wild-
fires take off.
Throughout the state, DNR staff
members stand trained and ready for
dispatchers to send them off to the
next fire. What most people don’t
know is how that same training pre-
pares those firefighters for all kinds of
other disasters.
The DNR Forest Resources Divi-
sion supports four incident manage-
ment teams, two each in the Upper
and Lower peninsulas.
While their primary job is coor-
dinating response to large fires, the
teams’ training under the National
Incident Management System also
prepares them to assist in just about
any other catastrophe.
Many team members attend work-
shops specifically geared to “all haz-
ard” response. There, they run through
simulations of tornadoes, floods and
many other emergency situations.
Small incidents requiring only a
few people, who are involved for a
short length of time, don’t really need
A section of the Lake Linden Trail
sliced through by flood waters.
Sportsman’s Haven Museum
from Saginaw Bay and surrounding areas. Vintage wooden duck decoys, trapping
Located inside Cornerstone Venture at 4 N Center Street in historic downtown Sebewaing, Michigan
Open Friday-Saturday-Sunday 10AM-5PM (mid-April through December) 989-551-2739
oversight from an incident manage-
ment team. But when lots of people
and multiple agencies get involved for
more than a day or two, an incident
management team can step in to coor-
dinate the effort.
“Incident management teams help
bring organization to chaos,” said Jim
Fisher, the DNR’s fire section man-
ager. “A team can expand or contract
to fit the situation at hand. The more
complex the incident, the bigger the
team.”
Team members on a large fire
or other incident in Michigan might
be responsible for requesting and
checking in responders and equip-
ment, developing strategies to attack
the problem, coordinating tasks and
communications among responding
agencies, providing food, supplies and
lodging for staff, producing incident
maps and weather reports, collecting
information for the media, and so on.
DNR teams are managed by the
Forest Resources Division but include
members from other DNR divisions
who help with communications,
finances and logistics.
In the early morning hours of
Sunday, June 17, torrential rains sent
emergency responders in Houghton
County into action. The National
Weather Service reported seven
inches of rain fell over nine hours.
The rainfall, coupled with the steep
topography in and around Houghton
and Hancock, resulted in dozens and
dozens of roads, homes and busi-
nesses damaged or destroyed by flash
floods, landslides and cave-ins.
According to plan, Houghton
County’s emergency operations center
mobilized its own incident manage-
ment team.
At the same time, the storm-rav-
aged area recreational trails and boat
ramps elicited a response from DNR’s
Parks and Recreation Division.
Jeff Kakuk, western Upper Pen-
insula trails specialist for the DNR,
Plan to visit us and see classic waterfowl hunting and fishing items
items, commercial fishing items and boats which were built in Sebewaing are
displayed in a manner which is educational for the entire family.
Museum admission $3.00 for 13 and over Children 12 and under Free with adult
A bulldozer works to repair a section of trail where damage was
caused in June in Houghton County. MDNR photos
started checking local trails later that
same day. He quickly determined the
task before him was enormous, well
beyond what could be handled with
local staff.
DNR officials soon decided an
incident management team could help
Kakuk and others start wrapping their
arms around this overwhelming situ-
ation.
By Wednesday morning, team
members began arriving from across
the state. The Quincy-Franklin-
Hancock Townships Volunteer Fire
Department offered its fire hall for use
as DNR’s incident command post.
Brian Mensch, DNR fire supervi-
sor at nearby Baraga, stepped in as
incident commander to lead the team.
“Our first job was to size up the
damage to the local DNR trails and
close off the damaged portions of the
trail system as quickly as possible for
public safety,” Mensch said.
During the next several days,
DNR ground crews documented 150
washouts on about 60 miles of trails.
After putting up fencing and signs
to close off critical trail access points,
they started the lengthy process of
repairing washouts and regrading
eroded trail surfaces. Staff also dug
out plugged culverts and delivered
and spread gravel on storm-damaged
trails.
Just 12 days after the rains, the
DNR Forest Resources and Parks
and Recreation divisions’ staffers
had reopened more than 40 miles of
trails and two boating access sites in
the county, which needed only minor
repairs.
That’s about where the incident
management team’s work ended. It
had taken care of immediate public
safety concerns, assessed the storm
damage and got ground crews rolling
on initial trail repairs.
Team members had engaged the
Michigan Department of Environ-
mental Quality and a private engineer-
ing firm to help plan repairs of the
major trail washouts. Cost estimates
had been delivered to the Federal
Emergency Management Agency for
potential federal disaster funding.
“At that point, the team handed
things back over to Parks and Rec-
reation Division staff to oversee and
implement the long recovery process,
with the goal of restoring the recre-
ation infrastructure so important to
the Copper Country economy,” Kakuk
said.
Incident management team mem-
bers returned to their home stations
after spending just over a week at the
incident.
It will take quite some time before
things are back to normal in Hough-
ton County, but the DNR’s incident
management team members are back
to their own normal – waiting for
the next dispatch to a wildfire or
whatever else nature throws in their
direction.n
WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 103
 Black Powder Shooting Sports...

The Man in
the Arena
have the certificate which was about 2014. This award

“I right here,” Ed Den-

nis said in his quiet,
matter-of-fact tone.
“It says ‘Offhand
Rifle Distinguished Master.’ It was
the first time the National Muzzle
Loading Rifle Association came up
with this award, which was
about 2015.”
“I kinda questioned
J. L. (Hargis) when he
called,” Ed Dennis said.
“Then I looked back at my
records and discovered he
was right. You have to have
ten aggregates over 180
By Dennis Neely
since 1933. There
were 13 shooters
who accomplished
this level of scor-
ing over 82 years. There have been
others who qualified since that time,
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is very special to me.”
The black powder shooting
sports offer a wide range of oppor-
tunities for enjoyment and personal
satisfaction at the local, state and
national levels. Some folks shoot
for the fun of it, others revel in the
camaraderie with friends
and family or perhaps crave
a taste of the historical
traditions that surround the
old muzzleloaders—and
a few pursue competitive
excellence.
Ed Dennis combines a
love for all aspects of the
hobby, but he also
seeks to achieve
his personal best
when standing
at the shooting line. He travels to
countless local club shoots, is a
regular competitor at the Michigan
State Muzzle Loading Associa-
tion’s State Championship Shoot,
and when time permits, makes the
pilgrimage to the NMLRA’s home
grounds in Friendship, Indiana.
“I started in the 1970s in
Michigan,” Ed Dennis explained,
“then went to the nationals in the
late 1980s. It wasn’t until the 1990s
that I started learning what it took
to score consistently, to accomplish
what I did in the 2000s.
“I had a friend who introduced
me to black powder shooting. I had
an allure for the history of the old
guns. Another friend changed my
perspective on black powder. He
said, ‘We are not trying to go back.
We are trying to bring something
A Minie ball fired from a three-band Enfield musket whapped the round
bullseye at 100 yards. A hole in the middle of the “9-ring” attested to the
marksmanship of Ed Dennis. Wild River tree photos
that was good forward.’ The men breath, drops his gaze to the ground
and women who did all that we in a moment of focused solitude,
read about in history, who did those then exhales. Shoulder position,
things every day, were so coura- seating the butt stock, hand loca-
geous, so brave. We need to bring tion and pressure, mixed with
that spirit forward, as my friend another breath come next. Line up
said.” the sights, exhale, one, two, three
Ed Dennis shoots flintlock or seconds and the hammer falls. If it
percussion rifles and muskets with doesn’t, the gun drops to mid-chest
equal skill and ability. He is easy and the process starts over.
to spot. The khaki bucket hat with “I like to shoot .40-caliber at
“NMLRA” embroidered on the Friendship. You need to talk to the
front, the tee-shirt of the day with best shooters and learn what they
a black leather vest over top of it, do. You might have two muzzle-
black jeans with a tarnished brass loaders of different calibers, and
“US” belt buckle and a glove on you will have three opinions, maybe
his left hand with the thumb and more, regarding those two rifles.
first two fingers cut away are dead With .40-caliber you can shoot all
giveaways. day. The recoil is less punishing and
Regardless of venue, his fellow that caliber has a good trajectory out
competitors respect his dedica- to 100 yards.
tion and devotion to the sport. The “At the national level, you need
workman-like manner, the meticu- to shoot a qualification aggregate
lous attention to detail and inten- to establish your shooting classi-
sity of commitment stand out as a fication. From then on, you shoot
proven model for success, which against other people with your clas-
up-and-coming shooters cannot go sification. This encourages competi-
wrong emulating. When asked, Ed tion, and looks at a shooter’s ability
Dennis is quick to share his years of and skill. Shooters are grouped
experience and does so in eloquent, much like baseball, where you have
to-the-point, yet soft spoken tones. ‘A,’ ‘Double A,’ ‘Triple A,’ and the
When he steps to the line, his major league.” Ed Dennis added.
process never changes. He plants “The offhand rifle and offhand
his feet, glances downrange, takes a pistol ranges at Friendship clas-

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104 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
sify shooters by their ability” J. L.
Hargis, the past chairman of the
NMLRA’s rifle committee said.
“There were always four or five
shooters who were at the top, win-
ning the medals. Shooters wanted to
participate and compete, but were
unable to.
“In 1994 we created three clas-
sifications with the ‘Expert Class’
being the highest, but we still had
too many at the top, so we created
the ‘Master Class,’ which is where
Ed shot,” Hargis added.
At the NMLRA’s national
shoots, “Aggregate CA” is designed
to classify first time shooters with
a total score from four matches. A
competitor can move up by post-
ing higher scores in three classified
aggregates. On rare occasions, the
rifle committee can be petitioned
to downgrade a classification for a
change in shooting ability.
“The Master Class consists of
shooters averaging 88% to 100% in
a 3-6 target aggregate, Expert Class
averaging 83% to 87%, Sharpshoot-
er Class averaging 75% to 82% and
Marksman Class 74% and below,”
Neil Eddington, the current rifle
committee chairman explained in
the 2018 NMLRA Spring National
Shoot program.
“The designation of Off-
hand Rifle Distinguished Master
is achievement based on offhand
scores at the NMLRA’s national
shooting championships, which are
now held in the fall,” J. L. Hargis
said. “The list of distinguished
masters was created about the same
time as the Rifle Hall of Fame came
to be, and like the hall of fame, is
based on shooting accomplishments.
“The committee looked at those
who finished their rifle shooting
careers before 1981. We researched
the early people one-by-one. If a
person won a rifle championship,
they earned three points, second
place got two and third got one. For
the newer group, those after 1981,
the men have to achieve 100 points
to be inducted into the NMLRA’s
Rifle Hall of Fame. The women
need 50 points, because their shoot-
ing program is smaller and there are
less opportunities to earn points.
“The distinguished master came
about from that research. Some
competitors demonstrated a high
degree of proficiency, but did not
meet the hall of fame requirements.
For the Offhand Rifle Distinguished
Master Award, a shooter must post a
score of 180 or better out of 200 in
a series of events, and done so ten
times or more.
“For the men, there are six
championship aggregates a person
can compete in with one target shot
at 25 yards, two at 50 yards and one
at 100 yards. Each distance has a
different diameter target, but they
are all round bulls. The aggregate of Attention to detail and a consistent loading process are key con-
scores for the four matches, which is tributing factors for success in the black powder shooting spor ts.
50 per match, adds up to 200. This doer of deeds could have done them fails while daring greatly, so that his
is a standard set by the rifle com- better,” he recited from memory. place shall never be with those cold
mittee. There are only a few people “The credit belongs to the man who and timid souls who neither know
who have done this in the history of is actually in the arena, whose face victory nor defeat.
the organization, and Ed Dennis is is marred by dust and sweat and “I am not a gifted shooter,” Ed
one of them,” Hargis said. blood; who strives valiantly; who Dennis continued in his modest,
Ed Dennis avoided the question errs, who comes short again and humble voice, “I just work at it.” Ed
when asked how he felt about the again, because there is no effort Dennis does, after all, personify the
award. “Over my bench,” he said without error and shortcoming; man in the arena…
after a long pause, “I have a quote but who does actually strive to do Give the black powder shooting
from Theodore Roosevelt, ‘The Man the deeds; who knows great enthu- sports a try, be safe and may God
in the Arena,’ Are you familiar with siasms, the great devotions; who bless you.n
it? spends himself in a worthy cause;
“It is not the critic who counts; who at the best knows in the end the
not the man who points out how the triumph of high achievement, and
strong man stumbles, or where the who at the worst, if he fails, at least
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condo grounds, parks and
recreation areas.
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WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 105
The Outdoor Weekend is dog friendly
September 7-9, Fairgrounds - Imlay City...By Len Jenkins

T
he Outdoor Weekend tioning and training. I’ll have pigeons and pheasants to
is always a great op- Socially neglected pups who demonstrate using live birds in the
portunity to meet dogs were raised in a cage will never training process. There is no reason
or perhaps enter the achieve their full potential and you you have to depend on mere luck as
Michigan Hunting Dog would do well to search further you pursue winding birds that just
Federation “Puppy for a pup who doesn’t suffer from might happen to be present in your
Tent,” which will immediately put negative excess ‘baggage’ caused by training area.
you in “puppy heaven!” You can poor early handling or neglect. Besides being available for
visit with many litters of puppies If you select a pup, bring him individual help with your dog
as well as their owners and perhaps to me and my helpers for early bird I’ll also be conducting structured
select your next canine companion contact along the west fence ad- training seminars in which you can
or hunting partner. jacent to the puppy tent. I’ll have get your pup excited over birds,
Just remember all puppies are plenty of birds for your new pup to leash broke, working cover with a
‘cute’ but they’re not necessarily meet. That early bird exposure is high head, working the scent cone
‘equal.’ If the pups you’re looking at critical. conditioned to noise such as clap-
are receptive to being handled, that’s We can also show you how you ping or voice or anything else you
a good sign. If the pups like your can expose your pup to light gunfire think you might need. Your young
voice, that’s also good. It shows that as he becomes excited over birds. dog will have plenty of opportunity
they’re interested in having further This helps assure that your new pup to point and retrieve. If you have an
interaction with you. If the owner of will associate gunfire with positive older dog which needs bird contact Len Jenkins will be hosting
the pups you’re looking at talks to exciting bird contact. We won’t and training, you can bring him puppy training seminars at the
the pups and if the pups are aware of actually fire a blank gun at the fair- to the seminar also. If you want Outdoor Weekend.
voice inflection, enthusiasm in tone grounds but we’ll make a loud voice to enjoy your dog at the outdoor of the Outdoor Weekend.
and excitement, it shows that the signal such as “POW!” as we flip weekend, we can teach him to walk Feed your dog prior to entering
pups had positive interaction with the bird upward to simulate flight. with you in a civilized manner on the fairgrounds and allow him time
humans during their formative early All gun-shy dogs are made gun-shy the fairgrounds. I have plenty of the to relieve himself. Don’t feed you
weeks. They will not suffer from by improper introduction to gunfire. Scott collars available to help assure dog during the day. You don’t want
arrested social development and will We’ll make sure that you don’t in- you’ll have ‘power steering’ with to create any digestive discomfort or
be receptive to future social condi- advertently make your pup gun-shy. your dog as you enjoy the festivities teach you dog to beg for food.n

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106 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
Last minute weedy food plots
Did You Have A Busy Summer? Guest Column...By Robert Kennedy Jr.
F
or the most part, our lives
are hectic, whether it is
work, responsibilities,
hobbies or obligations. It
is a never ending process
and a lot of times it causes
us to lose track of time. Being an
outdoorsman, when I am not oc-
cupied by work or responsibilities, I
spend the majority of my time out in
the woods, fields and streams. With
so many outdoor hobbies it is easy
to forget about making preparations
for the next season. This is espe-
cially true when it comes to putting
in food plots for deer season.
Location and Blend
The neat thing about last minute
food plots is the pre-work put into it
is very little. When I’m looking for
the place to plant my food plot, I try
to find the most open areas where
the least amount of work is required
to let sunlight down to the ground.
My hope is that I don’t have to cut
any trees, but when I do only a hand
saw is needed. I also try to take into
account how I will hunt the plot,
planning out stand placement, where
the deer are coming in from and so
than three hours of sunlight the
food plot blend should entail shade
tolerant vegetation. Red clovers
and cereal grains have the ability to
tolerate areas that are less sunny. If
the chosen location receives more
than three hours sunlight you can
incorporate white clovers, brassicas,
radishes, and chicory into the op-
tions you could plant. My favorite
combination is red clover, ladino
clover, cereal grains, chicory and
radishes all mixed together. This
blend provides some shade tolerant
vegetation, plus both early season
and later season food sources. It’s
an exceptional idea to always try
to incorporate clovers as they are a
perennial food source and you won’t
have to replant it the following year.
The author’s last minute food plot method; weed whip, spray, plant, fer tilize! After your open space is chosen,
on. Sometimes, however, you just to be just shy of a quarter acre and the fun begins. I break it down into
have to pick a spot and make up for some of the weeds were head high. three simple steps: preparing the area,
your lack of preparation. I was elated in the fact there were so spraying herbicide and finally plant-
When locating these open spots, many weeds as it helped me decide ing. In reality I like to split the work
usually a quarter acre or smaller, that I wouldn’t have to rough up the up into two separate days. The first
they tend to be covered in weeds. ground. day is preparing the area with the sec-
Don’t be discouraged as this will To an extent the location of ond day spraying and planting.
actually help in the planting process. the plot will dictate what you will
My most recent food plot turned out plant. For example, if it gets less Food plots page 108
WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 107
Weedy Food Plots:
from page 107
Preparing the Area
To prepare the weedy open area
all that is needed is a weed whacker
to mow the weeds down. Before
owning a weed whacker I used noth-
ing but an old weed scythe to cut
them down. It really doesn’t matter
what is used as long as the weeds
are cut down to around 4 inches.
If ample amount of cut weeds are
piled up where seed will not reach
the ground it would be a good idea
to remove the piles. But, if the cut
weeds are evenly spread out across
the area removing them is not neces-
sary. Leaving those weeds on the
ground will work as mulch keeping
moisture in the soil and helping your
food plot grow.
Spray and Plant
After the weeds are mowed, try
to wait one week after preparing the
area before spraying herbicide. The
purpose is to try to allow a regrowth
of weeds to occur. Often times when
trying to spray when the weeds
are too tall you will not reach the
weeds growing closer to the ground.
Other times the larger weeds can
be too hardy to kill. By allowing
Tom Carney
Among the Aspens
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108 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
regrowth after weed whacking you
will get a better overall kill when
spraying. Not only will you have a
better overall weed kill, but when
the weeds die they lay down on the
ground creating more mulch for
your food plot. It’s very similar to
covering freshly seeded yard grass
with straw. It will help retain the
moisture in the soil creating better
growing conditions, and since heavy
machinery is not being used to cre-
ate an optimal seed bed, improving
natural conditions is a must.
Cover the area well when spray-
ing, taking the time to hit every
weed. A backpack sprayer is an
excellent tool for spraying smaller
food plots. In most cases, a four-
gallon backpack sprayer can cover
nearly a half-acre before running
empty. It is of great benefit when
you only have to fill up one time to
get the job done instead of making
multiple trips to refill.
For choosing an herbicide, it
is wise to select something with
no residual to speed up the time
in between spraying and planting.
Plain and simple, Roundup is the
Award-winning nature and outdoor
writer Thomas Carney returns to
form in his latest collection of
essays, Among the Aspens: Stolen
Moments in Secret Coverts.
As with his previous collections,
Sun-Drenched Days, Two-Blanket
Nights; and Bird Dogs and Betty
Cakes, Tom employs a variety of
perspectives and presentations
as his writing glides effortlessly
across the lines that delineate
serious writing, humor, nostalgia,
analysis, description and storytelling.
Different this time around: Instead
of moving from activity to activity
with the progressing seasons as he
did in his first two books of essays,
in Among the Aspens Tom delivers
the goods through a single form
of outdoor recreation: upland bird
hunting.
The author planting his food plot.
most common herbicide to use when
planting food plots and has no re-
sidual so the seed will be unharmed
as soon as it dries. There have been
times I’ve only waited 5 minutes to
broadcast seed after spraying. Quick
and easy.
Once confident that the herbi-
cide has dried on the weeds, begin
seeding your plot. With this food
plotting method I encourage going a
little heavy on the seeding as germi-
nation of the seed may vary slightly.
For example, an average broadcast-
ing rate of clover can be upwards of
five-pounds an acre. My most recent
plot was only a quarter acre and I
spread two-pounds of clover mixed
with all of the other seed I had. If it
were well worked ground, it would
be excessive to spread that much
seed. In this situation more seed
ensures something will grow.
During the three step process
of creating the food plot, fertilizer
can be applied at any time. For best
results, take soil samples and get
them analyzed. Tested samples will
help determine the corrections that
are needed for you plot to flourish.
But, with time being limited, spread-
ing some 19-19-19 along with some
pelletized lime can work in a pinch.
The food plot may not reach its full
potential without the proper analy-
sis, but it is a last minute band aid.
Emergency Method
If two days cannot be spared
to prepare, spray, and plant there is
one more way to be able to get a last
minute food plot planted in grassy
Pheasant Hunts
No minimum bird purchase
Evart, MI
weedy areas. This is accomplished
by not spraying the area with
herbicide. The chosen location is
first seeded and fertilized while the
weeds still stand and then directly
after application you mow the weeds
down with the tool of your choos-
ing. In this method you will cut the
weeds very short to the ground as
you will not be waiting for a flush
back before spraying. You still leave
the cut weeds to create the mulch af-
fect, but that is all the work you put
into it. The only problem with this is
you will have a prevalent amount of
weeds come back while your food
plot is growing. The weeds won’t be
as thick as before from cutting them
extremely short, but some are sure
to come back and create an unsight-
ly food plot.
I prefer to have my food plots
established and groomed well ahead
of time, but this method works
wonderfully when in a bind. It is
especially useful when wanting to
plant something on a property you
do not own. Many landlords won’t
object to mowing weeds down and
replacing the weeds with something
to feed wildlife, whereas clearing a
bunch of trees may not be so appeal-
ing to them. It is also a great starter
food plot for those just getting into
habitat work and can also be far
cheaper and more effective than
having baiting sites. In the end this
approach is a great time saver while
still being greatly beneficial for the
deer herd and other animals in the
area.n
Tim Ladd
Owner/Operator
231.250.3224
Trevin Ladd
231.388.3479
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WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 109

 The pros and pitfalls of constructing
log crib reefs in inland lakes
A
common fish habitat
improvement project
for lake associations
or sportsman’s clubs
is constructing a log
crib fisheries reef. If
the targeted water (lake/reservoir)
has a good fish population and has
sparse fish habitat, this can be a very
productive project. Con-
struction of this type of reef
is best done in the winter,
on safe ice, due to the prac-
ticality of reef construction
(versus boat construction
and deployment) and winter
is also when potential
volunteers are less busy
with other pressing
outdoor activities.
As a DNR Fish- By Bill Ziegler
eries Management
Biologist I looked into measures we
could take to mitigate the loss of our
limited aquatic vegetation beds in
our U.P. lakes. Many of our area’s
aquatic vegetation beds (weed beds)
were greatly impacted by the il-
legal introductions of rusty crayfish
primarily during the 1980s and ’90s.
The rusty crayfish were brought by
anglers from the central US states
(where rusty crayfish are native)
Aerial view of the competed reef in
Stanley Lake consisting of 22 cribs.
We placed this reef on a flat in
11 feet of water where an aquatic
vegetation bed had grown annually
before a rusty crayfish infesta-
tion. Numerous diving and fishing
evaluations of this reef indicated
consistent usage by good numbers
of walleye during the open water
period of the year.
110 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
to be used as bait by bass anglers.
As is often the case, when some of
those anglers were done fishing they
dumped their bait buckets into the
lakes, and as a result these invasive
crayfish became established. The
rusty crayfish overwhelmed the
aquatic community by reproducing
to excessive numbers displacing na-
tive crayfish and destroying
native vegetation beds by
their “over grazing.”
Some of our less fertile
lakes with strong fish popu-
lations had scarce weed
beds even though rusty
crayfish had not infested
those waters. For a couple
of decades DNR
Fisheries, Depart-
ment of Corrections
(minimum security),
and volunteers constructed the log
crib reefs in Dickinson and Iron
Counties. We prioritized waters
where aquatic cover and vegetation
beds had been degraded or lost due
to environmental factors (invasive
crayfish, excessive drawdown of
reservoirs etc.).
Prior to initiating the crib reef
construction projects, I researched
the experience of my fellow lakes
states fisheries biologists either
with direct contact or through their
scientific write ups. My research
revealed what specific methods of
crib reef construction and placement
worked best and mistakes we could
avoid during the inevitable learning
curve with taking on a new proj-
ect. In addition, for over 25 years I
have followed up by evaluating the
reefs we had created. We monitored
the reefs by SCUBA, snorkeling,
electrofishing, hook and line fishing,
underwater video, electronic sonar,
and with angler and game warden
contacts.
The following are suggestions as
a result of those efforts:
Likelihood of Success
The most critical determina-
tion any crib reef project leader
should make is if the reef is actually
needed, and will the reef receive
significant use by the fish in the
targeted water. A log crib reef will
only work if this type of submergent
habitat is very limited or missing
from the water’s fish habitat. Prop-
erly constructed crib reefs in affect
act as a quality aquatic vegetation
bed similar to a potamogeton (“cab-
bage”) bed that fish prefer to use for
cover. If the lake you are interested
in is well stocked with good qual-
Log crib as par t of a 26 crib reef placed in about 12 feet of water at
First For tune Lake just off the Bewabic State Park in Iron County. The
cribs were 8 feet by 8 feet and 5 feet high. The crib was constructed
with predominantly sugar maple pulpwood and a roof and alternate log
“floors” of hardwood or pine slab wood.
ity aquatic vegetation, addition of cribs which also appeared to be one
a log crib reef will have little or no of the more preferred spots for most
affect. The fish will prefer the native game fish.
vegetation over the “artificial” log Before initiating this project, the
crib reef. In waters that have very other fisheries biologists I spoke to
little weed beds, although fallen felt the best depth to place the reef
tree cover is common, a crib reef was about 11 to 12 feet in depth. In
will likely have limited fish usage. many of our Michigan lakes 12 feet
Research indicates warm and cool is about the typical maximum depth
water fish utilize crib reefs in lakes, the higher value rooted aquatic
although trout rarely use this type of plants are found. You are required
habitat. to obtain a Michigan DEQ permit to
Placement and Design construct a log crib reef on public
waters and one of their require-
Correct placement of a log reef
ments is that the crib be placed
is critical to the success of the proj-
ect. Historically many wood cribs deep enough so it does not become
were constructed by Department of a navigation hazard. Most log cribs
Conservation, Civilian Conservation placed in natural lakes have dimen-
Corps, US Forest Service and other sions about 8 feet by 8 feet by about
conservation groups and clubs. In 4 or 5 feet high. This leaves about
the past individual cribs were widely 6 feet of water over the top of the
scattered around the lake with lim- crib in a natural lake that avoids the
ited fish usage. Subsequent research navigation hazard.
found placing a series of log cribs I have evaluated several reefs
together in a reef resulted in much constructed by other groups that
higher fish habitat value and usage. were placed in natural lakes at water
In our reef follow up evaluations depths of 20 feet or greater. In each
of both our projects other group’s case all the effort that went into
reefs clearly indicated the portions construction of the reef was lost
each reef where the cribs were with no apparent fish use of these
placed closer together, rather than deep reefs. We found the Michi-
wide gaps were the preferred loca- gamme Reservoir which is operated
by the power company as a water
tions in the reef by most fish. We
found the most preferred spacing for storage and draw down reservoir
good fish usage was constructing the to be an exception. We constructed
reef so that the individual cribs were those reefs in about 23 feet water (to
only separated by about one crib avoid them being crushed by the ice
width. To maximize surface area in annual winter draw downs) and
and therefore fish habitat value cribs they hold good numbers of game
should be offset in a line as a “zig fish. At Michigamme Reservoir the
zag” pattern. Sometimes we put a game fish appear to have adapted
perpendicular T or leg on the line of to readily using deeper fish cover
than the numerous natural lakes I
have followed over the years. If a
deeper depth is being considered for
a reef, the depth in that water where
dissolved oxygen runs out should
be determined. This is a consider-
ation any time a reef project is to
be placed in water at depths of 20
feet or greater. The depth summer
dissolved oxygenated water drops
below oxygen concentrations most
fish require, varies from lake to lake.
One common misconception
we encountered with crib projects
conducted by other volunteer groups
related to the necessary extra weight
required to get the log cribs to sink.
Some individuals always thought
the “green” wood cribs would sink
by their own weight. We found it
took about 600 pounds of extra
weight (sand bags or cement blocks)
added to the cribs to result in them
sinking to the bottom where you
intended to place them. In the cases
where individuals skipped adding
extra weight or did not secure the
weights and they fell out after the
cribs tipped extremely as they went
through the ice, cribs occasionally
floated away, creating a major navi-
gational hazard.
If you are going to go to the
effort of constructing a crib reef
you should obtain materials that
will last a long time underwater. We
found hardwood pulp wood was the
right size for normal volunteers to
An unfor tunate mistake in construction resulted in this crib not sinking
to the bottom, in Iron County’s Hagerman Lake. This crib is an obvious
navigation hazard floating just below the surface of the water and drifting
around the lake with winds.
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handle if you made sure the wood
was predominantly sugar maple or
oak and would hold up underwater.
We used either hardwood slab wood
(normally waste from local saw
mills) or pine slabs to keep our proj-
ect costs down. In hind sight after
considerable follow up evaluation of
our reefs, I would have used heavy
rough cut planks (2” x 10” by 8’)
to construct the roofs of each crib
at any highly popular fishing lake.
The cribs and roofs remain intact in
most of the lakes where we placed
15 reefs in Dickinson and Iron
Counties in the 1990s. However,
the individual cribs in the reefs at
Stanley Lake have all been damaged
by careless anglers.
The Stanley lake reef received
more fishing pressure than any other
reef I have followed in my career.
Most anglers found the reefs with
their electronics, experience and
visually with early season higher
water clarity. Most anglers anchored
off to the side of the cribs and either
fished with conventional walleye
casting methods or used a slip bob-
ber rig to fish in the reef itself.
Unfortunately, after most of
the damage was done, we observed
a small number of anglers were
locating the reef visually and then
purposely dropping their anchor into
the crib to vertically fish. Anglers
that did this soon after the cribs
sunk lost their anchors as they broke
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A large smallmouth bass alongside of one of the cribs in the reef at First
For tune Lake in Iron County. Regular snorkel obser vation of this reef
reveals the larger smallmouths often are found just outside the cribs.
Looking inside the cribs often reveals multiple sizes of largemouth bass,
bluegill, crappie, rock bass, yellow perch and occasionally a nor thern pike
or walleye. Species usage of varies with gamefish species dominance in
any given lake.
through the crib “roofs” and the ter locating the exact spot of those
fasteners held. Eventually the fas- reefs, I found the soft flocculent bot-
teners on the slab roofs did not hold tom was over four feet thick. All the
and these anglers would power their cribs of several reefs had sunk into
anchors out of the crib, destroying the bottom to a point they no longer
the roof and alternate slab “floors” could be used by fish or anglers.
below the roofs. These same people
moved down the reef as each top- Longevity of the Reef
less crib did not hold many walleye After all the work of construct-
anymore. ing a crib reef anyone might wonder
Unfortunately, all 22 cribs how long it will last. Research and
“roofs and floors” were eventu- experience indicates some woods
ally destroyed which resulted in last a long time underwater in
much lower walleye usage. Walleye Michigan. If placed deep enough to
require shade during most days avoid major ice damage high quality
that the former covered cribs had hardwoods like maple and oak logs
provided well. last for many years underwater. Slab
Lastly cribs need to be placed or plank wood roofs and “floors” of
on the ice above a firm enough lake hardwood, white/red pine, hemlock
bottom type to support them. It or cedar will also last a long time as
does not have to be sand or gravel well. Some wood species to
although the soft mud layer should avoid are balsam, spruce, aspen
only be about less than a foot thick. and birch.
Offshore many lakes and reservoirs A fisheries habitat study in On-
bottom types consists of a thick tario, at similar latitude to Michigan,
layer (at times over 5 feet deep) of revealed with proper wood species
soft flocculent silt or mud. selection preferred wood species can
I followed up on complaints last over hundreds of years under-
from a number of anglers that they water. However long your reef lasts,
could not locate about 70 log cribs if you take the time to place it prop-
placed in several reefs by a federal erly and construct is well, your great
conservation agency in a popular grandkids would likely be still able
North Iron County walleye lake. Af- to enjoy fishing at the reef site.n
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WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 111
 Connor Puhlman“Trust me, I have this covered!”
Guest Column By Parents, David & Lee Ann Puhlman...
From the beginning,
Connor had a vibrant
personality; he was
active, inquisitive,
and thoughtful...
W
e spent a lot of
time outdoors with
him from infancy
on, believing that
the Earth already
had everything a
young child needs to learn: colors,
shapes, textures, opportunities for
problem solving. Connor rarely had
tantrums, but the ones he did have
usually occurred when he was told
he had to go inside. We spent a lot
of time by the river, and we took
him fishing for the first time when
he was very small.
His inquisitiveness and thirst for
knowledge were clear from early on.
At age of two, we heard “Uh oh...”
come from the bathroom. We went
in to find blue foam rising from the
toilet. Connor had decided it was
a great place to do science experi-
ments because it would mix things
well. Luckily, the only things avail-
able were his shampoo and soap.
Around 7 to 8-years-old, Con-
nor took an interest in photograph-
ing wildlife, especially deer. One
day he came home proud that a
certain buck he had been watching
had finally come close enough for
a picture. He discovered the move-
ments of deer were predictable, and
varied by seasons, but if he studied
them, he could tell them apart and
have a good idea of where he would
find them and when.
At age 9, Connor was invited
to go hunting with a family friend.
This was the beginning of his love
of hunting. He decided he wanted to
take it up. As no one in our family
was a hunter, we were uncomfort-
able. However, Connor had been
grocery shopping with me and had
helped enough in the kitchen to
know just the perfect argument. He
said, “Mom, hunting is the most
organic and sustainable way to get
food. Animals that are used for meat
are not always treated right, but
hunters let the animals live a normal
life, and then when they shoot one,
they don’t waste the meat. Really, it
will be the best meat we can have.”
He had us there, and he knew it.
He took his first deer at age 10
with another family friend. How-
ever, Connor had decided he was
interested in learning archery.
His dad had never hunted deer,
112 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
Connor Puhlman and last deer he took in 2014, an 8-point with a 22 inch spread.
but he wanted this special time with
his son, so Connor began teaching
David everything he had learned;
cover scents, how to figure out the
movements of the deer and the best
place for a stand. He practiced with
his bow daily getting ready for the
season.
Connor took his first buck with a
compound bow that year, and from
that point on, we purchased very
little meat for the household, eating
mostly venison and fish brought
home by Connor and his dad. I
remember telling him that he should
feel proud to be using his skills to
help feed his family.
Connor had, from an early age
taken an interest in supporting the
homeless and local soup kitchen.
So from that first year hunting, his
second deer harvested was always
given to the soup kitchen. Our local
processor would donate the process-
ing for a certain number of deer per
year.
Although often a bit shy around
others, Connor had no shyness when
it came to hunting; it really brought
out his personality. One time, we
were driving past a local property,
and Connor mentioned, “Oh, that’s
so and so’s property. I’m going to
have Dad bring me over here to ask
if we can hunt it.”
I asked Connor how he knew
this person, and he replied, “I don’t.
I memorized the plat book. I keep it
in my head.”
Oddly, I didn’t surprise me.
By age 12, Connor had begun
using deer sheds he found or pur-
chased to create pieces of art- can-
dles, desk top pen holders, business
card holders, etc. He went to a few
local auctions and sold them, mak-
ing quite good money for a young
person. He made some business
cards, and called his business Con-
nor’s Creations.
He also had some interest in
inventing, and was usually found
tinkering with one thing or another
and was full of ideas for solving
problems.
This gave him a taste for busi-
ness, and Connor started buying
and selling a variety of things. His
friend Ryan once went with him to
a flea market and commented, “He
disappears and comes back with the
craziest things and he manages to
sell them. He bought an old, rusty
tricycle. I thought he was crazy, but
he said someone would buy it to
decorate a garden.
I ceased being surprised at what
would show up in the driveway- he
bought and sold a carriage, scooters,
golf carts, a 1950 Allis Chalmers
tractor, lawn mowers, and a wide
variety of other things.
One favorite story about buy-
ing and selling; I was finishing up
at work one summer day. Connor
called me, having just got off the
phone with his dad. He said, “Mom,
don’t freak out, just meet me at the
bank.”
I was curious enough to actu-
ally do it. I got there and he stated,
“Okay, weird request. I just bought a
car, and I need you to get money out
of the bank.”
I called David, who had ap-
proved, with some skepticism. He
told David, “Dad don’t worry. Trust
me, I got this.”
Although not sure about this
plan, Connor had been doing busi-
ness for a while, and we figured
while he was young was the time
to make mistakes and learn, so
I got the money out. However, I
said, “Um...son... you are only 16,
you can’t actually buy a car.” He
said, “Oh, I went home and put on
nice pants with a collared shirt and
combed my hair nicely. They don’t
know I’m only 16.”
I said, “Son, the DMV is going
to know. You are going to need your
dad.” He said okay, and went off. He
doubled his money on the car within
24 hours. He stated, “The biggest
thing, Mom, is it just needed a thor-
ough cleaning. People don’t give
enough credit to cleaning when they
sell things. It makes a big difference
in how the product looks.”
I had to laugh because one of
his other buddies, who had come to
see the car, commented, “Connor, I
love how your parents just look, roll
their eyes, and keep right on walk-
Connor Puhlman page 114
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WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 113

Connor Puhlman:
from page 112
ing when you buy stuff like this.”
We were just very used to this being
Connor, who had said to me once,
“Mom, you don’t have to worry
about me. I’m going to be successful
and I’m going to help people. But
you have to realize that sometimes
success takes time, and I might go
bankrupt at least once first. But if I
do, no worries; I will bounce back.”
He finished with what had be-
come his favorite line, “Trust me, I
got it covered.”
Along with this interest in
business came a knack for raising
money. His school supports Miles
for Miracles annually. The year
Connor was a freshman, the middle
school was raising money for Miles
for Miracles, and the high schoolers
were not, as they supported another
cause that year. One of Connor’s
teachers mentioned that she felt
they needed to put more effort in,
as funds were low for Miles for
Miracles at that point. Connor came
home and told me, “Mom, I need
to head out for a while. Miles for
Miracles needs more money.” He
had called a buddy, and they went
out together to go door to door in
his friend’s neighborhood. They
came home with over $900 in one
session. Connor had a knack for
Affordable, Fly-in Fishing on 6 Remote Lakes
FishBuckLake.com
705-534-1991
114 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
talking about money, and causes,
and people seemed to trust him. We
heard several good things about his
courtesy and professionalism.
Connor had a good buddy,
Ryan Ervin, with whom he often
engaged in hunting activities. They
were even starting a small business
making European mounts for two
seasons, he had 35 European mounts
scheduled to do for a local Taxi-
dermy business. They had a few ad-
ventures together. Once, a wooden
hunting platform they were in broke.
Connor leaped onto a branch and
Ryan rode it down. They were both
okay and had a story to tell.
In 2013 we were out turkey
hunting and Connor shot a record
book turkey (12” long beard), the
second longest In Isabella County
history.
Year after year he loved spend-
ing as many days and nights fishing
and bow fishing with Ryan and Joe
as he could.
One evening Connor was hunt-
ing across the road and watched a
deer cross the road in front of a car
and the driver did not see the deer Connor’s parents spent a lot of time by the river and took him fishing
and hit it. Connor wanted to make for the first time when he was very small.
sure the people in the car were okay,
he climbed down out of the tree to that made the comment said they snowboarding.
check on them. would never doubt him again. Connor loved trucks, in August
The next spring Connor was He accomplished so much hunt- 2014 he wanted to start looking for
looking for land to bow hunt on and ing in such a short time; he took five a square body Chevy truck (1973 to
one of the doors he knocked on was turkeys, five bucks, (a 6-point and 1987) to work on with his dad. After
the guy that hit the deer. He remem- four 8-points) and a few does. looking at a number of not very nice
bered Connor and told him that he He loved and played a number trucks they found a real nice, one
owns 129 acres of prime hunting of sports; football, swim team, and owner, 1980 Chevy truck. Through-
property, that he only allows one soccer when he was younger, and out the winter they worked on get-
other person hunt it, and would like then in middle school added track ting it ready to drive when summer
to give Connor the opportunity hunt (he was quite a good little hurdler). arrived. He loved that truck, it was
the land also. He ended up helping From the age of 5 until he died he the only thing that he would not
to manage the property. played baseball and basketball. He sell, even if he could double his
In 2014 Connor was 14 and put also enjoyed wake boarding and money.
a tree stand up in the woods just off
of a food plot, he was told he was On August 20, 2015, Connor died in a tragic motor
crazy to put it there because the
tree did not have a branch on it (it vehicle crash caused by a drunk driver.
looked like a utility pole). Connor Please, drive responsibly. Do not drink and drive.
said, “Wait and see I will have a
deer tomorrow morning.” About 8 Tomorrow is not promised to any of us, and a life
a.m. the next day he shot an 8-point
with a 22 inch spread. The people and a family can be shattered in a single instant...
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 Woods-N-Water News Classified Section
MISC.
AN ADJUSTABLE BED with
queen iComfort mattress included.
New in plastic, As Seen On TV.
Cost $3,800. Sell for $975. 989-
923-1278. M-3-18-TFN
..............................................
A TEMPUR-PEDIC
M E M O RY FOAM
MATTRESS SET. Clean. Never
used. As seen on TV. Cost $1700.
Sell for $695. 989-832-2401. M-4-
14-TFN
..............................................
AN AMISH LOG
HEADBOARD AND QUEEN
pillowtop mattress set. New. Sell all
for $275. 989-923-1278.
M-4-14-TFN
..............................................
AMISH LOG BEDS, ANY
SIZE $199. 5 drawer log chest
$199. Good quality. Lowest prices
in Michigan. 989-839-4846. M-4-
14-TFN
..............................................
To reach an immense outdoor market use the . . .
MISC. WANTED FOR SALE HUNTING HUNTING
TIMBER: Buying all types of tim- TINY HOUSE ON WHEELS TROPHY ELK HUNT: Private
WALNUT TIMBER ATTENTION U.P. BEAR
ber, 5 acres or more, top price paid. - Washer/Dryer, Composting Toilet, ranch, elk management area. Sec.
LANDOWNERS. Get HUNTERS: Top of the Line
Cash in advance. Improve wildlife Shower, Solar Panels, Propane 36 Bay County. Cabin. 70% suc-
paid for your walnut veneer. Guide Service offers excellent
habitat. Patco Forest Products, Heater, Needs finished, 20 feet cess. $200 per point. Phone nights
Michigan Timber Products. 269- hunting opportunity for black
989-539-7588 after 6 p.m. W-10- long. On Demand hot water - 40 989-846-6228 H-9-4
967-2850. M-4-6 bear hunters in Newberry man-
12/17 gallon water tank, $30,000 in will agement area. Fully licensed ..............................................
.............................................. sacrifice for $20,000. Can send guide offers unlimited day hunt- DEER HUNT: Bay County.
LOG BUNK BEDS. $495. pictures on request. 419-708-4137. ing. Lodging available. High Cabin. No Deer, No pay. $200 per
Amish lodge furniture. Call Dan FS-9-1 point. Ranch phone 989-846-6228.
success rate. For information
989-832-1866. M-4-14-TFN .............................................. H-9-4
.............................................. FOR SALE LIGHTHOUSE TACKLE:
or references call Bruce at 906-
477-6983 or 616-566-0183. ...............................................
Turnkey bait and tackle shop, City H-7-3
G R E AT L I F E O U T D O O R S . of Port Huron. Old Texaco gas sta- HUNTING PROPERTY:
COM OUTDOOR GEAR ON tion. Owner retiring. 810-985-3374.
WANTED SALE!! Ravin, Tenpoint, Lone Wolf, FS-9-2 ELK & DEER GUIDED
315 ACRES PRIME
HUNTING, 15 miles north
Victory, Lews, Daiwa, Gamakatsu, .............................................. HUNTS 100% success, Northeast of Alpena, Michigan. Parcel is
CVA, TC, + More+ More + More!!! POND SUPPLIES: Live game- MI no license needed. Plus, great surrounded by private hunting
Only the Top Brands hand picked! fish for stocking. Large selection of fishing for bass and bluegills, cabin
TIMBER MANGEMENT: clubs. $350,000.00 Call 586-
Traverse City’s Online Outdoor lake, pond and watergarden sup- with boat and motor. Text or call
Ensuring landowners maximum 438-0157. H-6-6
Superstore. Family Owned. Over plies. Free catalog! Stoney Creek, 989-493-2909. H-9-12/18
value for their timber for over
11,000 Satisfied Customers. FS-9- Inc., Grant, MI (800) 448-3873,
35 years. Michigan Timber ..............................................
Products 269-967-2850. W-4-
1 www.stoneycreekequip.com FS-4- MECOSTA CO WHITETAIL
7
.............................................. 7 HUNTING: 160 acres, youth bow
GUIDED U.P. BEAR
.............................................. HUNTS OVER BAIT. and gun and muzzle season, hunts
Amasa, Gwinn and Baraga available. Land is also for sale. 231-
units. With great results. 972-8430. H-9-1
Over 20 years experience.
FISHING
..............................................
Call Rick at 231-464-1077

Woods-N-Water News Classified or 231-690-3164.

www.mountainridgeoutfitters.
DEER AND ELK HUNTS,
LAPEER COUNTY.
Classified ad rates: $30 for the first 20 words
10 FT. FISHING KAYAK com H-7-3 Bow or gun. Antler Ranch.
Every word over 20 is .25¢ per word -- Box your classified, $5 additional charge AND ALUMINUM Larry 810-793-2302
TRAILER: Both like new, will www.antler-ranch.com
This effective advertising is simple to do, place your ad by . . .
deliver. $500. 313-562-0087. KENTUCKY TENNESSEE Breeder bucks, fawns,
• Calling 810-724-0254 Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm
• Email your ad to wnw@pageone-inc.com
F-9-1 TROPHY BUCKS: Hunt fair does for sale. H-9-1
• Faxing your ad 810-724-8552 chase unpressured whitetails. Early
• Complete your Classified online at www.woods-n-waternews.com November three day muzzleloader
• Mailing your ad to Woods-N-Water News, P.O. Box 278, Imlay City, MI 48444 CANADA FISHING: or December January Rifle and four 1-2 BUCK HUNTING CLUB
Want to go fishing? Come to day crossbow hunts. As low as MEMBERSHIPS IN
Classifieds MUST be paid in advance of publishing; MasterCard, Visa accepted. Make
Northern Walleye Lodge for $800. Free brochure call or text N O R T H E A S T E R N
check/money orders payable to Woods-N-Water News. Classified ads can not be
billed and once a classified is processed no refunds can be made. Limit of 75 words. Great Walleye, Small Mouth, 270-348-4281. H-9-3 MICHIGAN Quality club, camp
Northern, Jumbo Perch, Lake .............................................. and facilities (also turkey, small
All classifieds posted to our website FREE! Trout for 6 nights $450 U.S. per game) West Branch - Hale area.
Use one of these useful classified categories... person with 4 or more. Includes 2018 MICHIGAN BEAR Tremendous value and opportunity.
A = Archery FP = Food Plots HW = Help Wanted SM = Snowmobiles remote lake front cabin with HUNTS: Newberry/Gwinn. Stag. $1,375 per year.
ATV = ATVs FW = Firewood M = Miscellanous T = Taxidermy own dock, 2 people per boat, Just outside of Seney Wildlife See: dynamicra.com or phone
B = Boats G = Guns RE = Real Estate TK = Trucks 15hp electric start Yamaha Refuge. High success rate. Dan 989-893-5819. H-9-3
D = Dogs H = Hunting RR = Resorts/Rent TR = Trailers motors, fish finders and swivel
F = Fishing HL = Hunting Leases RVC = RV’s/Campers W = Wanted 34 years. State and Federal li- ..............................................
F = Free seats. Upgrade boats available. censed and experienced. Guar-
Black bear hunts available. anteed active baits. 6 nights, 5
OCTOBER 2018 CLASSIFIED DEADLINE SEPTEMBER 3, 2018 3.5 hours North of Sault Ste. day hunt includes lodging and
HANEY BOYS GUIDE
SERVICE. Bear Hunts with
Marie. See web site for specials meals. Start at $750. Bow and hounds. Will travel to your area
CLIP AND MAIL
and more info . . . rifle deer hunts. $125 per day.
Woods-N-Water News Classified Advertising
if needed. For more information
www.northernwalleyelodge.com 906-439-5242. call Jeff or Tom: Home 989-426-
(Please print clearly. We are not responsible for unreadable orders.) email: fishingtrips@outlookcom www.bucksportinglodge.com. 6677 or Cell 989-574-1850.
Make sure phone number is included in your ad! Toll free 1-877-434-2440 H-7-3 H-9-1
F-12/17TFN
NAME
ELK HUNT: Northern Mich. We NORTHERN ONTARIO
ADDRESS FISHING WITH have ten club permits. Cows or BEAR HUNTS
CAPTAIN TED. Muskegon Bulls. $200 per point. Crop damage GUARANTEED TAGS!
CITY                                           STATE                      ZIP River, jet or drift boat trips start- area. Ranch phone 989-846-6228. Booking now for spring of 2019.
ing at $200.00. Fly or spinning DNR inspects heads. H-9-4 Limited spots available for
DAYTIME PHONE NO. gear supplied. Trout, salmon, .............................................. September 15, 2018. Includes com-
steelhead, summer steelhead, fortable cabin, boat and motor,
VISA/MASTERCARD#                                                       EXP:
smallmouth and walleye. Call HUNTING PROPERTY: baited stands. Very experienced
CLASSIFICATION OF AD                      MONTHS TO RUN 231-250-3103 or email at fish. 600 ACRES AVAILABLE guides. High success rate. 3 hours
slayerarcher@gmail.com for just north of Alpena, Michigan. from the Soo. References on

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) reservation. No deposit Property is surrounded by request. $1,650 U.S. for single
required. F-9-1 private hunt clubs. Could pos- hunter, including taxes and non-
(7) (8) (9) (10) (11) (12) sible split acreage, $1,000.00 resident bear license and tag.
per acre. Call 586-438-0157. Cheaper rate for more than one

(13) (14) (15) (16) (17) (18) H-6-6 hunter. $650 deposit required.
Call 705-869-3272.
www.texasandsons.com
(19) (20) $30.00 $30.25 $30.50 $30.75
HUNT CLUB DEER HUNT, SAGANING H-8-12/18
$31.00 $31.25 $31.50 $31.75 $32.00 $32.25 CLUB. Bucks $150 per point.
PRICE REDUCED: Member- Private cabin, lots of game, high
ship in mid Forest Lodge Hunting DEER HUNTS: Reducing
$32.50 $32.75 $33.00 $33.25 $33.50 $33.75 success rate, no deer, no pay. Call herd size! Doe hunts $200 or 2
Club. Prime hunting and fishing - 989-846-6228. H-9-4
18,000 acres, four season hunting for $350. Any buck over 8 point
$34.00 $34.25 $34.50 $34.75 $35.00 $35.25 .............................................. with a doe $2500. No guide
and outdoor activities, 11 lakes. ELK HUNT: Northern Mich. No
Located 15 min. south of Hough- service, no license required.
$35.50 $35.75 $36.00 $36.25 $36.50 $36.75 game, No pay. Have ten permits thegrandviewranch.com 989-
ton Lake in beautiful Roscommon $200 per point. Private ranch. 989-
County. Call 989-429-3084. HC- 732-2978. H-8-2
Enclosed is $                                               for 846-6228. Call nights. DNR
BOX MY CLASSIFIED - $5 Extra
9-1 inspects kills. H-9-4
words to run                     months. .............................................. More Classifieds Next Page
..............................................
WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 115
 Woods-N-Water News Classified Section
HUNTING
ALBERTS BEAR GUIDE
SERVICE: Bergland and Baraga
units. Federal license, 26 years
experience. Call 906-231-9136,
Home 906-827-3731. H-5-5
..............................................
BEAR AND DEER
GUIDED HUNTS, also
guided side by side rides in the
U.P. We hunt all over Newberry
BMU and ride the rest of the
U.P. on unmarked trails. Trust
someone that grew up in the
U.P. and hunted everything
there is to hunt. Lodging, food
and a good time. Call 231-620-
0398. H-6-4
RAY’S U.P. HUNTING – Over
25 years experience guiding for
deer and bear. Baited stands in
Amasa, Baraga, and Bergland
Units. Lodging Available. Call Ray
at 906-265-9420 or cell (906) 284-
2216. Licensed and Insured. H-1-
12/18
..............................................
BAIT
CHERRY FILLINGS & CABIN ON THE PINE RIVER
CHERRY SYRUP in 55 gal
Drums $50 per barrel. Other
products available also. Call
or Text 616-862-3768. BT-8-3
..............................................
RESORTS/RENT
COHO BEND RIVERSIDE
RV RESORT Seasonal-only
camping at a private, gated
paradise on Big Manistee River.
Large, wooded sites, full hook-
ups, boat ramp and docks,
surrounded by NFS land. Quiet,
peaceful, lots of wildlife! 231-
723-7321 www.cohobend.com
RR-4-7
HUNTING LEASE
PREMIER DEER HUNTING
FOR LEASE: 20 acres in
Missaukee County, several estab-
lished food plots. Includes 3 bed-
room home sleeps six, bunkhouse
sleeps 10, pole barn. More info
www.homeaway.com
Property ID#7131992 “The Farm” or
call Mark at 231-510-8122. HL-9-1
..............................................
HUNTING LAND FOR
LEASE: UP of Michigan, Delta
County. 906-786-1767. HL-9-2
..............................................
HUNTING LAND TO LEASE:
30 acres - AuGres on US-23, 1056
ft. of frontage. Large creek is rear
property line. Mostly wooded, good
cover. Lease from September 1,
2018 - January 1, 2019. $800 Call
810-217-8295. L-9-2
..............................................
Subscribe
Today!
(810) 724-0254
email: wnw@pageone-inc.com • website: www.woods-n-waternews.com
116 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
REAL ESTATE
FOR SALE: 156 ACRES
– 2 Tracts Recreational/Hunting
Tracts. Located Near Caseville,
MI - 45 Miles from Tri Cities.
CONTACT Mark Williams:
810.252.6938 Or Tom Bosserd:
734.646.7339 HALDERMAN
REAL ESTATE SERVICES,
INC. 800.424.2324
Halderman.com RE-8-2
LAKEFRONT, year round home
in private, gated hunting fishing club
Roscommon County. QDM deer
program for 18,000+ acres you
hunt, fish, shoot, fifty miles of roads,
year round caretaker. Home is two
bedroom, 1.5 bath, large 2 car
garage with loft/bunk room. Sand
beach, panoramic water views with
nesting loons, eagles and more.
Talking $295,000 very softly. 248-
979-4101. RE-9-3
..............................................
SIDNEY - 35 ACRES - prop-
erty offers mature hardwoods,
pond, food plots & road frontage at
2 points-surveyed - Easy commute
to GR- perfect to build & play on!
Andrea Belding - REMAX United
616-240-1472. RE-9-1
..............................................
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-9-3
Classifieds Work!
810.724.0254
40 ACRES PRIME HUNT-
ING LAND. Surrounded by farm-
land. Rows of cedar and pine trees
plus woods with trails throughout.
Call or text to set up your personal
tour. 810-705-1060. RE-9-2
..............................................
280 AC. AND CAMP IN
ONTONAGON CO., MICHI-
GAN. All wooded must sell medi-
cal reasons. Food plots and blinds.
Ready to hunt. No CWD $185,000
will hold land contract. Call 616-
799-0530 or 616-723-4285. RE-9-
2 hair, must be AKC registered.
..............................................
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
REAL ESTATE
52 ACRES OF OUTSTAND-
ING RECREATIONAL
PROPERTY IN WESTERN
LENAWEE COUNTY. Has
woods, water, low land, native
grasses, tillable land. Within a few
miles of several lakes. A property of
this caliber is hard to find and price
is only $4,000 per acre. Call Larry at
Faust Real Estate, LLC 517-270-
3645. RE-9-1
..............................................
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-9-1
..............................................
40 ACRES AND CABIN,
excellent hunting. Gladwin
County, easy access off US10
and M18. $109,000. 989-560-
9600. RE-9-1
BUYING OR SELLING!
Farms, Vacant Land or Recreational
Parcels throughout Michigan. Call
Doug Beasley at Faust Real Estate,
LLC 517-260-2939. RE-9-1
..............................................
in the We-Hee-Gen Land Co.
Private Club. 16842 Wereheegen
East in Leroy Tustin area. 1170 Sq.
Ft. $97,500 Call JAC 231-250-4951
or look up on realtors.com or MLS.
RE-9-2
..............................................
LITTLE TWO HEARTED
RIVER, 32+acres, quarter mile
frontage, snowmobile/ATV trails,
brook trout, blueberries, high
ground, nice building sites on bluff,
surrounded by miles of state forest.
$100,000 OBO. quantumdog99@
yahoo, cell 219-545-1702. RE-7-3
..............................................
DOGS
GERMAN SHORTHAIR
POINTER PUPS FOR SALE.
Both parents champion bloodlines,
father titled master hunter. Both
parents have had hips certified
before breeding. Have both liver
and black and white available.
Ready to go Sept. 13. call or text for
all info 989-627-5077.
D-9-1
..............................................
LOOKING FOR STUD
SERVICE: Southern Michi-
gan Area. Black German Short-
Send copy of Pedigree and
picture of stud. 734-770-6109.
D-9-1
YELLOW LAB PUPS FROM
POINTING LAB BLOOD-
LINES. Dew claws, first shots,
wormed. Litter enrolled, health
clearances for parents. Both par-
ents’ hunters. Males and females
available $600. Ready to 8-16-18.
517-468-2219. D-9-1
..............................................
DOGS DOGS DOGS
AKC IRISH SETTER MALE
GUN DOG TRAINING AT
PUPS AVAILABLE. Ready FDSB LLEWELLIN
ITS BEST! by Paul
September 14th. Raised in our SETTERS DAYBREAK:
Rheaume. Over 35 years Llewellins has puppies and
home. $1200, contact Gerri for
experience with pointing and started dogs available. Find us
more information 231-388-1238.
flushing breeds. All inclusive 4 on Facebook or online at
week classes available that are
D-9-1
.............................................. daybreakllewellins.com
customized to meet your dog's Please contact Kevin at
needs. Excellent for young
989-291-7915. D-9-1
dogs starting out, for experi-
enced dogs tuning up, or for
dogs with issues. $600. Find
Subscribe Today
us on Facebook Rheaume's
Kennel. (989) 864-8606.
D-7-5
and Enjoy
BIRD DOG HALL OF
Michigan’s Best
FAMER DAVID GRUBB is
now training on wild birds here in
Michigan. Only trainer in history to
Outdoor Magazine!
win National Championships on five
game birds and did it twice! We train
all breeds (labs too.) Special rate.
248-860-1009. D-9-1
..............................................

AKC ENGLISH LAB
PUPS: Chocolate-black and
yellow. OFA $800. Rheaume's
Kennel. Gun dog training avail-

able. 989-864-8606. D-8-2
MAPLEHILL BRITTANYS:
AKC/FDSB/OFA dual quality pups,
selectively bred to bird hunt from
the finest bloodlines and top dogs in
the country. Featuring the greatest
National Field Champions and Hall
of Famers of our time. The best of
the best and guaranteed not to dis-
 New Subscription        Renewal
appoint. Stud service and started                            (Please attach mailing label)
gundogs. 810-543-0733. D-9-1
 One year $29        Two years $55
..............................................
GERMAN SHORTHAIR
POINTER PUPS: Males
and females available. Excel-
lent hunting dogs and superb
family pets. Close working
NAME
dogs with strong point and
retrieve instincts. Reasonably
priced for the sporting family.
Money back guarantee. Eulen-
hof Kennels, Gladwin, MI.
ADDRESS
http://www.eulenhof.com
989-426-4884 D-8-2
DAKOTA TRAINING AND
HUNTING. For the 20th year,
we’ll take your dog/pup for 2 weeks CITY                        STATE           ZIP
in North Dakota. They will see more
birds than they have seen in a year
here! Only $350 for the 2 weeks,
which includes everything. Please
 Check/Money Order            Visa/Mastercard
call soon as we will only take 6
dogs. Last 2 weeks of October.
David Grubb 248-860-1009. D-9-3
..............................................
  Card #                              Exp. Date      
PROFESSIONAL DOG
TRAINING AT ITS FIN-
EST with pro-trainer Brett
Send to:
Walla (586-482-4101). Open-
ings available now through fall
Or Call
at Rooster Ranch 989-658-
2332, www.roosterranch.com Woods-N-Water News (810) 724-0254
D-8-2
P.O. Box 278 FOR OFFICE USE ONLY
Classifieds Work!
810.724.0254 Imlay City, MI 48444 Date           Ck#          $
 

PAGES
117-129

COVERINGST
SOUTHWAEN!
MICHIG
Barton City
120 Acres – Your Own Playground!!!!

Specializing in:
120 Acres 75% wooded w/trails, food plots and
hunting blinds throughout. The stocked pond
- Acreage
includes a sandy beach and bridge to small island. - Hunting Land
There is a year round 3 bed, 1 ½ bath home in the
process of being totally renovated, 30 x 40 pole - Premier Michigan Waterfront Properties
barn and 532 sf hunting camp. $275,000
Call Barbara at 989-590-0238 CALL BRANDON | BROKER, LAND SPECIALIST (office) 269.357.7036 or (cell) 269.816.3010
barb@anjstatewide.com
A n J State Wide Real Estate
MOSSYOAKPROPERTIES.COM
Each Mossy Oak Properties Office is Independently Owned and Operated
430 S US 23, Harrisville, MI
WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 117
 RIVER FRONT OR LAKE FRONT? Two cabins with 181’ frontage on scenic Ocqueoc River. Both 2 bedrooms, ¾
bath. One remodeled, both in good condition. Furnished. $140,000 #314177
54 ACRES
Affordable waterfront lot with 24’ 5th wheel, 12 x 16 shed, electric and well.
On quiet private lake. $40,000 #305314
Affordable river front cabin built in 2008. 2bed/1bath, full walkout base-
CHIPPEWA RIVER LITTLEFIELD LAKE
ment w/space for additional bedroom & bath. $85,000 #310887
Barryton, Mich. Beautiful Nature Oasis with 2,340 Lake, Mich. Beautiful waterfront home with 4 extra
ft. Premier Chippewa River Frontage. 5,840 sq. ft. large bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms. Two gas
Quality Construction w/ 4-5 Bedrooms, 2.5 baths, fireplaces, a heated four seasons room with vaulted Reduced – Affordable farm house with 3bed/1bath. Main floor remodeled,
Geothermal, Oak Flooring, Modern Upgraded ceilings and sky lights, new furnace w/ central upper story can be finished for added room. Rural setting. $48,500 #312106
Kitchen. Master suite has Hot Tub room. Sundeck air, newer well, heated kitchen floor, and sprinkler
Overlooks River. Canoeing, Hunting, Deer Blinds, system. Large 2 car detached garage with potential New Listing – Built in 2013, 3bed/3bath quarter log home with pole barn on
ORV Trails. Detached 3-car Garage, Pole Barn, Guest attached bunk house included. All appliances and
House and more! $689,900 dock are included too. $399,000 29 wooded acres. Has full basement for extra living space. $237,000 #314629
MATTHEW COZZIE
Realtor/Sales Executive
402 N Mission, Ste #2
STATE WIDE REAL Check out our web site for
additional properties of all types.
Mt. Pleasant, MI 48858 ESTATE OF HAWKS www.statewideofhawks.com
989-289-4001 matthewcozzie@gmail.com www.hometowne-realty.com OF HAWKS FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT ONE OF OUR AGENTS: 989.734.4840

320 Acre
Licensed
Deer
Farm
Located between Charlevoix
and Traverse City.
10 foot x 3 mile fence.
Mostly wooded, mostly maple.
Trout pond, access to
shooting ranges.
$1,450,000
231-330-9210

Get in the game.

If you are looking to take your outdoor experience
Whitetail Realty,
Lake City, MI
231-839-8142 or
to the next level, we can help you take the office@lakecityrealestate.com
lakecitymirealestate.com
next step. We offer a variety of loan options for North Missaukee • MLS# 201800647 • $89,000
recreational land of any size. Contact your local • 28 x 48 Pole Barn with Electric
• 12 x 24 addition setup for sleeping qtrs.
GreenStone branch to learn more! • 15+ wooded Acres for recreation use
• State land and trails just ¼ mi away
800-444-3276 Lake City Area • MLS# 201801420 • $11,000
• 7+ acres for Recreational use
• Hunting, trail riding, Camping
• Seasonal road access

N. Missaukee • MLS# 21124646 • $94,000

• Wooded sq 40 acre recreational parcel
• Includes 2 campers with hookups for more
• Electric, Well and Septic already on site.
• Includes two permanent tree stands

E. Missaukee • MLS# 201800205 • $79,000

• Wooded 40 Acre Parcel
• Great hunting area, trails close
• State Land is less than 1 mile
• Older mobile used for sleeping qtrs.

Lake City Area • MLS# 201801290 • $23,900

• 12.5 open & wooded acres
• ATV & snowmobile trails close by
www.greenstonefcs.com • Private drive off blacktop road
• Electricity available

Cadillac Area • MLS#210800240 • $99,900

• Excellent hunting & recreational land
• 71.75 wooded and rolling acres
• Trail road access, Borders state land
• Lots of wildlife seen on the property

118 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS


Alcona/Alpeana County,
408+/- Acres, Incredible Retreat,
3 Lodges, Large Pole Barn, Beaver
Creek Frontage, Tons of Wildlife
$1,400,000
Gladwin, 142 Acres, Fully furnished
Deer and Buffalo Ranch.
The Rack Ranch
$925,000
Lapeer County 102+/- Acres, Trail
System, Mixed Hardwoods, Pond,
Food plot areas, Tons of Deer Sign.
$380,000
I NG
END
P
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
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.
$550,000
Isabella County, 80+/- Acres, Duck
and Deer Hunter’s Paradise, Over
a mile of Pony River Frontage.
$160,000
40+/- Acres Mecosta, Fenced
in pastureland and pond. Perfect for
equestrians and cattle owners!
$97,900
Newaygo County, 50.5 Acres, Custom
Built Home, Secluded, Wildlife Galore,
4 Beds & 2.5 Baths.
$550,000
Osceola County, 160+/- Acres, Trail
System, Near Reed City, Tons of
Deer and Turkey Sign, Food plot areas
$359,000
Calhoun County, 74 Acres,
1/2 Tillable ,1/2 Wooded,
Trophy Buck Genetics
$275,000
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 County, 80+/- Acres, Rolling
Hills. Mature Woods. Heavy Deer,
Turkey, and Mushroom populations.
Just north of Emerald and Pickerel Lake.
$199,000
Osceola County, 163+/- Acres, Great
Trail System, Awesome Hunting,
Rolling Hills, Must See!
$290,675
Calhoun County, 67+/- Acres
300 ft. All Sports Prairie Lake,
Tillable Acreage
$275,000
Jackson County, 105+/- Acres, WRP
Program, Mature Hardwoods, Great
Deer, Turkey & Waterfowl Hunting
$199,000
Missaukee County, 80 Acres, Custom
Built Home, Wrap-Around-Porch,
4 Beds & 3.5 Baths.
$350,000
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
WWW.WILDLIFEREALTY.COM
15+ YEARS OF EXPERIENCE &
OVER 70 MILLION IN
MICHIGAN LAND SALES
1+/- Acre Clare, 1200’ cabin or
year round residence.
Move in Ready!
$49,500
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, 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
Clare County, 70 Acres, Mixed
Woods, Creek, Food Plots, Cabin,
Great Deer/Turkey Hunting.
$167,500
Lake County, 7 Acres, Little Manistee
River Frontage, Cozy Cabin,
Great Hunting and Fishing
$125,000
Newaygo 40 Acres, Secluded Cabin,
Rolling Hardwoods,
Big Buck County.
$199,000
Oceana County, 78 Acres, Great Deer
and Turkey Hunting, Tillable,
Thick Forest Floor, Food Plots, Pond,
Hunting Shack and Pole Barn.
$154,000
Roscommon County, 480+/- Acres,
High Fence Deer Rach, First Class
Lodge and House, 120’x60’ Pole Barn,
Quality Deer Herd.
$2,900,000
WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 119
 Curran, MI, HUNTING LAND: Wow, this is Hubbard Lake, MI, HUNTING LAND: Sportsman’s
an awesome Northeast Michigan recreation Dream Package in Northeast Michigan. This is a great
property. Complete with 4 ponds groomed retreat for the entire extended family with a very livable,
and stocked with fish, 3080 sq’ recently up- attractively decorated Up-North 1200 sq ‘ cabin plus an-
dated lodge, 2 storage barns for all of the other 800 sq’ Guest cabin complete with its own 3/4 bath
woods toys and deer plot equipment, mowed trails and active food plots, and laundry area. Hunting second to none with deer blinds, food plots and trails through-
and even a trout stream running through it! See the photo tour to appreci- out. Nicely landscaped pond for swimming and it is stocked with fish for the grandkids to
ate the quality of this “Up-North” package. MLS 157-18-0039 $375,000 catch! Close to Hubbard lake for recreational boating and fishing. Deer, Turkey, Bear and
Ossineke, MI, HUNTING LAND: Isolated small game are all available in great quantity and quality. MLS 157-18-0020 $269,900
hunting property on a county maintained Barton City, MI, HUNTING CAMP: 4 beds; 1 bath; 1 1/2 story;
seasonal road. Nice 24x28 cabin with ad- 2350 sq ft. For the sportsman this is heaven in the north woods.
ditional 24x28 basement. Also has a de- Some of the best hunting in this county with 4 miles of estab-
cent tractor shed and food plots, trails lished trails, deer blinds and food plots. 1/2 mile of 1st class trout
and borders federal land. Just a short jaunt to Negwegon State Park fishing with the Comstock River running through and a large pond in the yard at the lodge . The lodge
for day use and Lake Huron Swimming. Property is very good low-land is very nice and could be used as a year round residence. 3 garages and a shed to store all the tools and
cover to support loads of wildlife. MLS 157-18-0010 $149,900 toys. See this unique first class Northeast Michigan Gem today! MLS 157-16-0044 $409,900
105 Traverse Bay Rd, Lincoln, MI 48742 • (989) 736-8171 • www.bycerealestate.com

W E

Near

3,960 ft
S

Marlette 121
in Sanilac Acres
County $326,700
OR
$
Will 2,700 per acre
consider 1,320 ft
all offers.

3 BD, 1 BA on 2.4 Acres. Lovely
stone fireplace and beam ceiling de-
tail in the living room. 2-car attached
garage and a large insulated 40x40
barn/workshop with heat and elec-
tric. Swing set in the back yard for
the kids and 2 storage sheds on the
property provide additional storage.
MLS 18038746 $134,900
66’ of frontage on Mill
Lake! This parcel comes
with a 20 ft camper with
an attached screened in
porch. Perfect spot to get
away and enjoy the great
up north! Call to schedule
your appointment today!
MLS 18033873 $29,900
50’ of frontage on beautiful
North Lake directly across
the street! 2 BD 1 BA cottage
in immaculate condition. Up-
dated bathroom, new well,
septic system, electrical ser-
vice, counter tops, slider and
several windows!
MLS 18027310 $79,000
84’ of frontage on Hamlin Lake Basford Lake Front Chalet
with amazing views of this pri- with 2 BD and a large loft for
vate swimming. 1 BD upstairs extra sleeping room. Full fin-
with 2 (unofficial) BD down, ished, walkout basement with
plus another living area in the its own kitchen, living area and
full, finished, walkout base- laundry. There is a 2 stall ga-
ment. Assoc. ownership in 183 rage and 2 sheds for storage.
acres adjoining Federal Land. 15’ walkway to Big Star Lake.
MLS 18029308 $89,900 MLS 18026515 $129,900

Beautifully wooded 10 acres in
un-zoned Cherry Valley. State
land is just down the road making
this an excellent hunting/camping
base. For those who love riding
the trails, the Tin Cup Spring Trail
is close by. Electric is available at
the road. Land Contract Terms.
MLS 18036624 $28,900
120 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
Wooded 7.5 acres with access
from a county maintained road.
Enjoy as a camping site or build
a cabin for a hunting camp
base. The recreational oppor-
tunities are nearly limitless with
Federal land only a mile away.
Available on land contract.
MLS 18022244 $23,900
5 acres in un-zoned Cherry
Valley. State land is just down
the road making this an excel-
lent hunting/camping base. For
those who love riding the trails,
the Tin Cup Spring Trail is
close by. Electric is available at
the road. Land Contract Terms.
MLS 18036628 $18,900
House in need of repairs on a Nicely wooded .59 acres of vacant
nice double lot in the Village of land in historic Idlewild. Situated on a
Luther. 3BD, electric on site, no county maintained road this would be
indoor plumbing or evidence of an excellent place to get away from it
a well. In back of the house is all. Close to the Middle Branch of the
a small 6x6 outhouse. Site pre- Pere Marquette, a multitude of lakes
viously used for camping. Land and the Manistee National Forest is
Contract Terms Available. less than a mile away!
MLS 18035480 $12,900 MLS 18037487 $7,000
 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

w hitetailpr 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 SEPTEMBER

6/21/18 121
20182:13 PM

VISIT OUR WEBSITE TODAY!
statewiderealestate.net
• Houghton
Iron Mountain • Manistique •
• Gladstone
Escanaba •
• Powers
Menominee •
Marinette
Contact Your Nearest State Wide Real
Estate Office To Buy or Sell In Michigan
ALPENA
1100 W. Chisholm, 49707
email: alpswre@speednetllc.com
989-356-2142 • Fax: 989-356-2144
ALMONT
844 Van Dyke Road
lafrancesharon@yahoo.com
810-798-8591 • Fax: 810-798-8079
CURTIS/NEWBERRY
Main Street, P.O. Box 305, 49820
email: swcurtis@sbcglobal.net
906-586-9606 • Fax: 906-586-9607
ESCANABA
2209 Ludington Street, 49829
email: escanaba@statewiderealestate.net
906-786-1308 • 800-900-0777
Fax: 906-786-1388
GLADSTONE
1401 Delta Ave.,
Gladstone, MI 49837
906-825-9000
email: judy@statewiderealestate.net
HARRISVILLE
430 S. US-23, 48740
email: sold@anjstatewide.com
989-724-5711 • 800-655-5735
Fax: 989-724-6833
122 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
Offices Serving Lower &
Upper Michigan
Bringing people and places together since 1945
Marquette
• Newberry
Curtis
• to other parts of the property. Approximately 30 acres are tillable with
Linden •
HAWKS
8383 Hwy. 451, 49743
email: rita8383@yahoo.com
989-734-4846
HILLMAN
14938 State Street, P.O. Box 98, 49746
email: statewidehillman@yahoo.com
989-742-4523 • 800-228-7856
Fax: 989-742-3931
HOUGHTON
500 Shelden Ave., 49931
email: dick@statewideofhoughton.com
906-482-6955 • 800-676-6323
Fax: 906-482-7699
HOWELL/LINDEN
1285 S. Michigan Ave., Howell, MI 48843
email: statewid@earthlink.net
517-546-9060 • 800-531-4449
Fax: 517-546-9148
IRON MOUNTAIN
231 East A. St.
Iron Mountain, MI 49807
906-828-2525
Fax: 906-828-2727
email: steve@multistatewide.com
MANISTIQUE
10 N. State Highway M-149
Cooks, MI 49817
906-644-2304
email: dekeysermary@yahoo.com
TARGET REAL ESTATE SPECIALIZES IN
WATERFRONT HOMES AND HUNTING PARCELS
“WE REPRESENT BUYERS AND SELLERS”
MIKADO
This great home sits on a hill overlooking 120 acres with beautiful
• views of Duval Creek, a large pond with perch, bluegill and wildlife
galore. There are vehicle and tractor bridges crossing the creek to get
Onaway clover and alfalfa fields and the remaining 90 acres is wooded. The
• • Hawks trail system on this property is second to none with numerous hunting
Hillman blinds throughout. A main level deck and a lower level walkout patio
• Alpena
•
• Atlanta provides great views. There is a large pole building for dry storage and
Mio • • Harrisville nicely maintained landscaping around the home. The 3 bedroom 2.5
bath 2492 square foot home is very well maintained with hardwood
and ceramic flooring throughout. In the kitchen there are stainless
appliances, custom cabinets, tile backsplash and an island. The
spacious living room offers vaulted ceilings and a gas log fireplace.
A large laundry room, Andersen windows throughout and an attached
two car garage makes this offering one of the best in the area.
• Almont MLS #1849900 $475,000
MORE PARCELS ARE AVAILABLE . . .
CALL TODAY FOR MORE DETAILS
Howell • 866-496-4400
TARGET REAL
ESTATE COMPANY
701 W. Bay Street, East Tawas, MI 48730
Office (989)362-4400 • Cell (989)387-1850
info@TargetRealEstate.com
www.TargetRealEstate.com
MARINETTE, WISCONSIN
1460 Marinette Ave., 54143
email: statewidemarinette@yahoo.com
CALL Pete Nemish, Associate Broker
715-735-9964 • Fax: 715-732-1107 Coldwell Banker Schmidt Realtors
2721 Sunnyside Dr. • Cadillac, MI 49601
MARQUETTE (231) 920-8424
856 W. Washington, 49855
www.cbgreatlakes.com/pete.nemish
email: sw@statewiderealestate.org
906-228-9312 • Fax: 906-228-8069
ACRES...AND WOODS...AND HOMES...'OH MY'!
MENOMINEE CADILLAC - Secluded, wooded, peaceful, 10 maintained, 'spacious', 2Bedroom (possibly 3),
acres! Hike, snowmobile, hunt, camp, enjoy! 2Bath home, & 'large' 2Car garage, built 2003.
3631 10th Street, 49858
Adjoins State Land! Easement egress! You $249,900. 1850493
email: statewideone@newbc.rr.com
Want Privacy?? This is it! $24,900. 1850793
906-863-9905 VESTABURG - Magnificent wooded 71 acres,
Fax: 906-863-7935 TUSTIN - Location! Great 5 acre corner parcel to with small pond. Specifically managed for
build your countryside home. Partially wood- hunting and taking many trophy whitetail
MIO ed, within 5 to 15 minutes drive from every- bucks! (also turkey and other game!) 5 Elevated
102 West 8th St., P.O. Box 395, 48647 thing you need! $16,900. 1843067 deer blinds! PLUS the immaculate 3BD, 2BTH
email: info@statewidemio.com LUTHER - Fabulous wooded 10 acres, adjoins home. A/C, large deck, master suite, 2Car
989-826-3292 State Land! With a quaint, 384 SF, "Amish garage, & Home Warranty! A MUST SEE!
Fax: 989-826-2108 Micro-Cabin"! Well, septic, electricity all $249,900. 1848267
attached. Tons of amenities! CALL TODAY! TUSTIN - 97 Acres! Mostly open (about 60-70%
$59,900. 1838528 tillable), some nicely wooded areas, and a
ONAWAY
M-33 & M-68, TUSTIN - 'A bit o' everything'! 43+Acres! small pond! Spacious older farm house has
P.O. Box 478, 49765 Wooded, open, level, rolling, 2 creeks, and a 5BD, 1BTH, full bsmt., possibilities galore!
email: bigdan@frontier.com smidgen of swamp! Wildlife galore, from the (totally livable while you do the updating!).
989-733-6522 winged to the 4-legged! Paved road! $65,900. PLUS, 2Car grg, 2 large pole buildings, AND the
Fax: 989-733-2427 1840952 great 'old red barn'! $270,000. 1848943
CADILLAC - 37.5 Acres on Long Lake! (190 acre CADILLAC - 40 Gorgeous acres, surrounds this
beautifully done home with unique floor plan
lake). Wooded, rolling, private, with state land
POWERS and amenities galore! 3BD, 2.5BTH, 'silent
W3776 US2 & 41, 49874 on 2 sides! Abundance of wildlife to enjoy!
flooring', large island kitchen, nearly finished
906-497-4190 Come See! $84,000. 1844171
walk-out bsmt., attached garage, deck, cov-
Fax: 906-497-5328 CADILLAC - Here is the ultimate recreational ered porch, panoramic view! The land is wood-
holly@statewiderealestate.net property! 80 Acres, outstanding hunting prop- ed, some open, level rolling and adjoins Federal
erty, Federal land on 2 sides. PLUS, the well land!'! Fabulous! $309,000. 1848720
 WEST BRANCH HALE WEST BRANCH
R S ALE R S ALE
M-33/M-55 OFFICE F O OFFICE F O LOOP OFFICE
1953 S. M-33 3160 North M-65 2575 S. I-75 Business Loop,
West Branch, MI 48661 Hale, MI 48739 West Branch, MI 48661
10 miles north of I-75 exit 202 “Gateway to Huron National Forest” 1 mile north of I-75 Exit 212

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

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

“UP NORTH” PROPERTIES FOR SALE!!!!

4 BEDROOMS!!
This home has many great amenities in-
cluding 4-bdrm, 2.5 baths, kitchen w/ap-
pliances & snack bar area, full basement,
newer roof, cozy porch, deck & more!!
$129,000
PRIVATE LAKE ACCESS!! VIEW OF LONG LAKE!! SAGE LAKE WATERFRONT!! BEAUTIFUL RIFLE RIVER!!
Spacious 3-bdrm on “no motor” lake, new- Cozy one-bdrm w/deeded lake access 2-bdrm, knotty pine interior, hardwood Nice 2-bdrm home w/80 feet of gorgeous
er windows & siding, partial bsmt, garage & to 190 acre lake! Wood floors, sunroom, floors, furnishings, walkout bsmt, porch, river frontage! Open floor plan, full bsmt,
pole bldg w/elec, covered porch, nice rear some updates, heated garage, rear deck, patio area, lakeside deck, deck plus a boat wood stove, laminate floors, tons of win-
deck and fenced yard!! community boat dock & more!! & trailer are included!! dows, deck, porch & garage!!
1850723 $149,900 1847559 $65,000 1818008 $164,900 1849059 $149,000 1844075

SAGE LAKE WATERFRONT!!
3-bdrm, 2 ba home, almost ½ ACRE, full
bsmt, AC, appliances, FP, attached ga-
rage, sandy beach, wrap around deck,
beautiful views & end of road!!
$249,900
GREAT REC AREA!!
2-bdrm home on 2 lots in need of some
updating. Garage w/electric and home is
close to all sports Skidway Lake and acres
of State land for the hunter!!
1844387 $55,900 1849268
COUNTRYSIDE VIEWS!!
2-bdrm, 2.5 ba home on 41 ACRES w/ lots
of windows, FP, full finished basement, ga-
rage, covered deck & great hunting prop w/
lots of wildlife in area!!
$189,900 1850380
20 WOODED ACRES!! SPACIOUS 4-BDRM!!
3-bdrm, attached garage plus a shed, full Beautiful wood ceilings, bamboo wood &
bsmt, recently updated kitchen & bath, laminate floors, knotty pine interior, garage
large covered deck, trails thru-out for stroll- with electric, fenced yard, porch, patio,
ing or perfect for the hunter!! deck and nice views!!
$154,900 1840412 $100,000 1849751

OVER 6 ACRES!!
2-bdrm, 2 ba home with 1680 square feet
and garage! Newer siding & furnace, stock
pond with a dock & picnic area, just min-
utes from town & State lands!!
$129,900
6+ ROLLING ACRES!!
Gorgeous views from this 3-bdrm, 2 ba
home w/AC, great room, FP, garage,
blacktop drive, 3 season room, gazebo, 2
stocked ponds & flowing artesian wells!!
1841975 $139,900 1848506
STUNNING PARK-LIKE SETTING!!
7+ ACRES, spacious 3-bdrm, apple or-
chards, creek-fed pond, 2 garages, large
deck overlooking pond, beautiful views and
so much more!!
$119,900 1850060
REMARKABLE INSIDE AND OUT!!
Gorgeous full-log home on 13 ACRES!!
Prisine property with trails & a pond. Home
has open floor plan, 3-bdrm, 3 ba, FP, full
bsmt & more!!
$271,900 1843572
10 ACRES!!
Older 3-bdrm, 1.5 bath home in need of
some TLC and updating. Garage, main
floor master & enclosed sunroom. Fantas-
tic area bordering the Rifle River Rec Area!!
$44,900 1846697

20 ACRES!!
Perfect horse farm, arena, tack room, barn,
5 stalls, pastures, pole barn for storage
plus a deer blind at the rear of property!
Gorgeous 3-bdrm w/tons of amenities!!
$359,000 1847969
POPULAR SAGE LAKE!!
3-bdrm, with 45’ on canal! Over 3500
square feet, walkout basement, family
room, 2nd kitchen, furnishings, AC & FP
& home has two sunrooms!!
$200,000 1846248
SPACIOUS YEAR ROUND!!
4-bdrm on 10 WOODED ACRES, with full
basement, wood stove, nice wood floors,
porch for enjoying the outdoors, shed w/
electric for more storage!!
$105,000 1843928
NEAR LAKE GEORGE!!
LAKE OGEMAW!! Recently remodeled 3-bdrm, 2 bath home,
3-bdrm, 3 bath lakefront home!! Over 1900 with garage, open floor plan, fireplace,
square feet, walkout basement, FP, natu- freshly painted, newer floors & counters
ral gas heat, doorwalls to decks, garage, and two sheds for more storage!!
beautiful views & more!!
$249,000 1846265 $74,900 1840493

BEAUTIFUL WATERFRONT!!
3-bdrm, 2 bath home with 2100 square
feet, partial walkout basement, gas FP,
large sunroom and beautiful views of 60”
on 21 acre Big Wms Lake!!
$105,900
LARGE DOUBLE LOT!!
Cute 3-bdrm, vertical log home with de-
tached garage, partial bsmt, wood stove,
screened porch & mostly furnished. A great
place to make your getaway!!
1842289 $49,900 1850311
ACCESS TO BUSH LAKE!! ACROSS FROM NAT’L FOREST!! UPDATED!!
Nice 3-bdrm home with 2-car garage on 3-bdrm home on deep lot with nice shade Spacious 3-bdrm, full bsmt, ONE ACRE,
cul-de-sac for some privacy! Large kitch- trees, c ustom cabinets, freshly painted, on garage & large shed w/elec, laminate
en, FP with insert, natural heat, front & rear almost an ACRE, & located in great recre- floors, appliances, trex lighted deck, newer
decks wlake across road!! ational area!! windows, doors, gutters, siding & more!!
$199,900 1837404 $45,900 1848661 $139,900 1850717

34X28 HEATED GARAGE!! FRESHLY PAINTED INSIDE & OUT!! SPACIOUS YEAR ROUND!! 5 BEAUTIFUL ACRES!! AFFORDABLE GETAWAY!!
Two lots w/garage with electric, high ceil- Cute 2-bdrm home nestled on beautiful 5-bdrm, 4 ba, 10+ ACRES, nice pond & creek, 3-bdrm, 2 full bath mobile home with some Cozy 2-bdrm home in Skidway Lake area
ings, water heater, cement floors, vinyl hardwoods, with some privacy and few garage & 2 add’l outbldgs, patio, balcony, FP, updates, incl newer vinyl windows & metal with large fenced yard for your pets, nat’l
siding, oversized doors, well and septic & neighbors. Near popular 780 acre all built-in, radiant heat floors & many other great roof. Large garage w/2nd kitchen, 3/4 bath, gas heat, newer roof & pump, shed w/elec
near lakes & State lands!! sports Sage Lake!! amenities!! heated with electric!! & water and near lakes!!
$22,900 1850816 $42,900 1848932 $239,000 1843882 $69,900 1850896 $24,500 1838322

FOR MORE LISTINGS

VISIT OUR WEBSITE: WWW.CAHANES.COM
WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 123
 Own a piece of historic
Van Buren County Zulu Land!
450+ acres of deer, turkey and waterfowl habitat

Over a mile of
frontage on the
Paw Paw River!

Four Ponds
designed for
planting duck
habitat!
Price varies per parcel, call Listing Agent for more details!

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
124 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
 W 370 ACRES RANDY MINTO LAPEER COUNTY
N E Always Working Hard for You!

REALTOR
Direct:

810.449.1286 192 ACRES

Drummond Island - Cabin - OR - Beautifully renovated historic Victorian Bed
& Cottage on Lake Huron. Office: and Breakfast with horse facilities.
*DV 810.653.4500
$949,000 $1,490,000 *DV
SPECIALIZING IN UNIQUE, LUXURY AND LARGE RECREATIONAL PROPERTIES
DEER & NATURE LOVER’S DREAM PROPERTIES

ST. CLAIR COUNTY

257 ACRES LAPEER COUNTY 86 ACRES
PRICE
SANILAC COUNTY

REDU
LICENSED
PHEASANT
CED
200 TILLABLE ACRES PRESERVE 40 ACRES
Great farming, income producing. 1/2 mile on Fantastic Development Opportunity. Gorgeous 3270 Sq Ft Ranch with
Belle River, multiple Outbuildings, 2 Ponds. 30 2-Acre Lots. loft. Built 2011. 2 Pole Barns.
*DV $1,250,000 *DV $550,000 *DV $399,000

LICENSED DEER RANCH AMAZING APPLEGATE HUNTING O LDACRES

400
N EW ACRES
8.86

PRESERVE! $1,250,000 S
34 ACRES 60-80 DEER
10-15 TROPHY BUCKS
GENESEE COUNTY CLARE COUNTY LAPEER COUNTY
Woodland Deer Ranch in Davison. 6-car garage, Great Hunting Lodge, 14 5,200 Sq Ft
pond, 5 blinds, 3 lg feeders, Lg polebarn. 4BD, 3BA. Blinds, 6 Food Plots. Living Space.
*DV $849,900 APPROX. 200 DEER APPROX. 100 ELK *DV $598,000 *DV $798,000

NEW
CLARE COUNTY
NEW
GENESEE COUNTY

170 ACRES SANILAC COUNTY 186 ACRES

90+/- ACRES
Amazing Ranch Home & Property, 1/2 Million+ Dollars Worth Deer/Elk Cabin & 2 Mobile Homes,
Private Lake. Inventory Included in Sale. Ranch Home & 1 Mile+ on Muskegon River.
*DV $1,650,000 *DV Lodge - Several Outbuildings *DV $229,000

G
NEW
36 ACRES
ZIN
GENESEE COUNTY
NEW
MONROE COUNTY
A
AM ICE
GENESEE COUNTY
PR
6 ACRES
5 Pole Barns, 2-Story Home, 2,080 Sq Ft Watchman’s Quarters above
Beautiful Home, Private Lake. Great Business Opportunity. 2,080 Sq Ft Garage. Gorgeous View!
*DV $425,000 $450,000 *DV $399,000

NEW NEW
30 ACRES
NE W
SANILAC COUNTY
Farmland & 25 Acres, 289 acres, Luce County,
Commercial Properties in Davison. Woodland Sanilac County. Large Cabin, Heavily Wooded.
*DV $85,000 - $595,000 $119,000 $85,000 *DV $349,000

D 61 +/- 60 79 ACRES
SOL ACRES
NE W ACRES
NEW PRICE
REDU
CED
LAPEER COUNTY
OSCEOLA COUNTY OSCEOLA COUNTY 30 ACRES Amazing Home Over 5,200 sq ft of Living
10 Acres+/- Nice Cabin & Great Hunting Property, Osceola County, Great Space & Outdoor Entertainment. Gorgeous
St. Clair County Outbuildings. 16x20 Hunting Cabin. Hunting Property. property, 8 ponds. Very Private and Secluded.
*DV $159,000 *DV $159,000 $159,000 $75,000 *DV $1,150,000

DRONE
*DV VIDEO GO TO: MIDREAMPROPERTIES.com
OR CALL 810-449-1286
WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 125
 FINALLY HUNTING SEASON HAS ARRIVED!
COME ON UP NORTH AND BUY A PIECE OF HEAVEN!
ALL OFFERS WELCOME!!!

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

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. Ex-
cellent hunting! $329,500 #313950
185’ ON MULLETT LAKE! Includes two 2 bedroom
recently renovated furnished cottages. One cottage
has a hot tub and the other has a sunroom. Use
one for yourself and rent the other out, make a fam-
ily compound or as an investment property. Strong
rental history. Just listed $445,000 #315324
325’ OCQUEOC RIVER FRONTAGE! 3
ACRE PARCEL ON A PRIVATE ROAD. Gen-
tly rolling land that’s ideal for a walk-out
basement. Great place to camp or build
your up north cottage. Trout fishing or kay-
aking. Land contract terms possible. Re-
duced! $25,700 #295457 (Millersburg area)
Carol Steiger, Associate Broker
CANADIAN WATERFRONT AND
RECREATIONAL PROPERTY.
LOG HOME ON 15 WOODED ACRES. CLOSE TO SAULT STE. MARIE,
All the bells & whistles! 2 baths, stone MICHIGAN BORDER
fireplace, covered porch, 2 side decks,
private setting, 2 ponds, a 2.5 garage
*LAND CONTRACTS
with finished/heated workshop and AVAILABLE O.A.C.*
BEAR SEASON
2nd floor PLUS a 30x50 pole barn too!
$188,800 #313640 (Millersburg)
NOW OPEN!!!
ALSO HUNTING
DUCK • GOOSE
SMALL GAME
MOOSE & WHITETAIL
TROPHY DEER & BEAR AREA
WITH GREAT FISHING!!!
149 SECLUDED ACRES! Trail roads, 11 estab-
lished blinds, small clearings for food plots, trail OTHER PROPERTIES AVAILABLE has it all): 60 miles east of Sault Ste. Marie.
roads and a creek. Nicely wooded with a mix SMALL AND LARGE. SEND OR 300’ frontage on Bright Lake near Hwy 17
of evergreens & hardwood, mostly high ground. CALL WITH YOUR INQUIRIES!
Abundant game. Close to Hammond Bay Har- East (lake area approx.. 24 sq. miles), year-
bor. $159,000 #313641 (Millersburg area) NO GUIDE OR
OUTFITTER REQUIRED!
Don't Be Shy, Make An Offer.
LOOKING FOR OFFERS!!!
160 ACRES HARDWOOD & SOFTWOOD:
Large beaver pond. Only 2 miles off year-
round maintained road. 35 minutes East of
Sault, Ontario. $49,900 US.
CENTRAL LAKE. Set back off the road this 400 ACRES OF ROLLING HARD-AND
quaint home has 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, full
basement, attached garage plus a 28x32 pole SOFTWOOD HILLS: Large beaver pond and
barn and a tree lined paved driveway. All this creek runs thru property, next to above property
on 2 beautiful country acres 2 miles from Inter- if more acreage is required. Property is great for
mediate Lake & Grand Traverse Bay. Reduced bear hunting, white tail and grouse. Four miles
to $149,000 #314251 off year-round maintained road. $119,900 US.
RE/MAX NORTH
LAJAMBE OFFICE:
(231) 627-9991 Office
(989) 351-0110 Cell
email: carol.steiger@remax.net
ENTERPRISESINC.
846 S. Main, Cheboygan, MI 715 Finns Bay Road
www.liveupnorth.com Echo Bay, Ontario CAN POS 1C0
SUMMER SPECIALS! • DISCOUNTED PRICES! • SUMMER SPECIALS! • DISCOUNTED PRICES! • SUMMER SPECIALS!
1,350 ACRES: Prime hunting property - 50
min. East of International Bridge. Hunt camp,
hard and soft wood timber not harvested.
Timber info available on request. Miles of
trails thru-out. Beaver ponds and streams.
Small amount of open area. $839,999 US.
MACDONALD PROPERTY: 759 acres with
hunting camp, 25 miles east of Sault St.
Marie Ontario, property is gated, isolated and
wooded, with a four bedroom, two-story pole
barn. 20-acre lake and 2 streams. Great
Bear Hunting! Two Deer plots! Five deeds, no
guide required, underpriced at $249,900 US.
Terms available, excellent buy!
One-10 ACRE SAND BEACH LOT (this lot
round access with power to property. Inland
lake has Perch, Bass, Walleye and Northern
Pike. Priced to sell at $119,900 US.
EXCLUSIVE LAKE HURON WATERFRONT &
WATER-VIEW ESTATE LOTS LOCATED IN
THESSALON, ONTARIO 50 MILES EAST OF
SAULT STE. MARIE, ONTARIO ON HIGHWAY
17 EAST: Lighthouse Point serviced with
hydro, telephone, sewer, water, gas, cable on
paved street. Airport, marina and hospital in
area. No time limit for building. Waterfront lots
100’– 478’ frontage, waterview lots 80’ front-
age. Prices from $9,999 US and up.
(705) 248-9663 CELL: (705) 941-8355
FAX: (705) 248-1110
Frank Lajambe
flajambe@lajambe.com
www.lajambe.com
*Prices subject to change.

THEY SAY “LIFE IS NOT MEASURED BY THE BREATHS WE TAKE, BUT

BY THE MOMENTS THAT TAKE OUR BREATH AWAY”…AND YOU ARE
IN FOR MANY OF THOSE MOMENTS, EVERY TIME YOUR EYES GAZE
UPON THE BREATHTAKING VIEWS FROM THIS BEAUTIFUL HOME….
Located in the UP of oramic view of the lake.
Michigan offering over Family room with a floor
3200 sq. ft. of finished to ceiling stone, natural
living area, with awe- gas fireplace, vaulted ceil-
some view of your pri- ing, hardwood floors, and
vate lakefront. Fishing door wall to a wrap around
right out your back deck. Beautiful open kitch-
door, hunting on State en, with gorgeous tongue
Land, boating on Lake and grove pine cathedral
Superior, the great- ceilings that flows thru to
est of the Great Lakes! the living room. A total of
Along with some of 4 Bedrooms, 3 Full baths,
the best snowmobil- first floor laundry, and a
ing/four wheeling in the country, and Brick pavers around the ex- full finished walkout basement.
now this is just the location! The terior. Interior ceilings are Cedar, Near to Sault Ste Marie, Canada
home offers Cedar siding in excel- master suite on the first floor, with and Mackinaw City. A Beautiful
lent condition, recently installed master bath, a natural gas stone Home for All Seasons! Come see it
architectural shingles on home fireplace, and a door wall exiting today! And make an offer….There
and garage (with true 8’ Doors), to the massive decking and a pan- is so much to see… $319,950

OPEN HOUSE
Sunday, September 23
2-5 pm
2756 S. Lang Drive
Brimley, Mich.

Call Now! 248-625-2226 6825 Dixie Hwy. Suite F

Clarkston, MI 48346
Kevin Tersigni, Broker 248-379-4375 • Aletha A. Bills, Assoc Broker 248-431-7360
126 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
 Ken Ames (231) 838-7909
Kidd & Leavy Real Estate • realestate@kenames.com• www.kiddleavy.com

$949,900 $1,600,000
A 5 bedroom, 4 bath Lodge
and 330 acres sitting on an el-
evated site with dramatic view
to the East, South & North.
Located 4 miles from I-75 Wol-
verine Exit, just 10 miles North
of Gaylord. Additional build-
ings include guest cottage off
Everything is exceptional about the 180 acres, lodge and river. Don’t be the corner of Corey Lake and
fooled by the name, Deer Creek is a full flowing main artery of the Jordan a 30’x50’ Storage Building. To
River. The densely wooded rolling hardwoods can be hilly in places but are the East lies a remote portion
completely accessible by a well maintained trail system. The lodge has 5 of State Land. To the South, Co-
bedrooms, 2 baths, natural stone wood burning fireplace and covered out- rey Lake and to the North, the Little Sturgeon River meanders well over a
door living space. Truly a beautiful setting right next to the river. half mile through woods and hills. Living and family rooms have fireplaces.

$550,000 $1,650,000
Drummond Island on Sturgeon Lodge on 158 acres has
Bay is as good as it gets. Beau- a private, peaceful feel-
tiful views of the bay, offshore ing offering country-side
islands and crystal clear water. views, trails, gardens,
The home is tucked away down ponds, and wildlife ev-
a long driveway offering 5 acres erywhere. The grounds
of privacy. There’s a unique still have the original
space for everyone on both the farmhouse and barn as
upper and lower levels. In ad- well as a very modern
dition to the 4 bedrooms there accessory building with
is an upper living space and a office space and garage.
spacious bonus room. On the There is something for
main level you’ll find a den/ every family member, from pond side reading, sitting near the outdoor fire-
bedroom, dining room, breakfast nook, living room and a sitting room. The place under the massive covered porches, hunting, shooting clays or hitting
attached finished garage is 32x26. Landscaped and manicured. golf balls on the driving range. Mostly furnished.

CCAROLE
oventry R ealty LLC
PORRETTA, GRI, BROKER-OWNER
12 W. High Street, Metamora, MI 48455
810.678.2288 Office • www.CoventryRealtyLLC.com • 248.310.4242 Cell
6350 WOLF - $2,995,000 2201 OAK GROVE - $695,000 4721 HASSLICK – $1,490,000

• 240 Acres! Owner’s own 10K sq ft Barnum log home!
• Custom finished, elevator, 5 bed, 5 bath, 1st fl master!
• Full fin walkout, patios, landscaped, att garage for 20 cars!
• Children’s rec or theatre room, trails for horses or 4 wheelers
• Plus 11K sq ft separate retreat for 24+ guests, RV hookup, kennel!
• Hunters paradise with trophy deer, turkey, pheasant!
3695 MERRITT LAKE - $695,000
!
• Exceptional retreat w/5 bedrooms 4.1 baths on 120 acres!
• 2-way Calif Driftstone fireplace separates living/dining rms
• Spacious kitchen w/Subzero, new double ovens, granite!
• Master ste, full balcony overlooks landscape, koi pond, pool.
• 2000 sq ft LL fin walkout w/300 gal saltwater aquarium
• Private log cabin, large pond, ideal riding, hunting/fishing!
5675 PHILLIPS - $579,000
• 20 Private acres, 3 acre Koi pond, fully landscaped
• 8,500 sq. ft. European Estate, 5 bedrooms/6 baths
• 3 story ballroom accesses English courtyard with garden art
• Master Suite with Romeo & Juliet balcony, custom bath
• Copper dome gazebo, heated pool, Cedar Scandinavian Sauna
• 3 heated barns, sep apt, close to pavement with a gated entry
4930 BALDWIN - $625,000

!
EW

EW
N

• 35 woodsy acres on Merritt Lake, 3000 sq ft custom brick home!
• 3 bed/3.5 baths, Oak floors, inset Pewabic tile, 1st fl master
• Lovely kitchen, huge granite island, dbl ovens, cooktop, st stl
• Bkfst dining to Trex deck, sunken family & living rms w/frplscs!
• Custom Oak trim, newels, doors, antique hardware, Generator
• LL w/o, family rm, bath, prepped for study & bedrm, 3+ car Gar!
• Custom-built Red Pine log home with beautiful appointments.
• Spacious kitchen w/Hickory cabinets, newer appliances & large island.
• Custom woodwork including bentwood railings & staircase.
• 20 Acres with breathtaking views. 8 acres are hardwoods for hunting.
• Morton barn with 3 overhead doors, electric and radiant heat.
• Livestock Barn with water, 220 elec, runs, hay storage & pastures.
• 2 HOMES on 20 ACRES! Metamora Farmhouse, 4 bed/2.5 Bath
• 3200 sf, tile, hardwd, living rm w/sunken frplc, big window seat
• Bright Kitchen, leaded glass cabinets, bay dining, blt in cooktop
• Beautiful foyer, dining & sunrooms, huge master, custom bath
• 2200 sf Guest house, 4 bed/2 bath, 2+ car garage, 2nd garage
• Lovely pond, horse barn, pole barn, milk house, paddock-WOW

OFFER ON THESE INCREDIBLE BUILDING SITES IN THE METAMORA HUNT AND SURROUNDING AREAS!
$574,900 Davison Lake Rd, Oxford Schools, 52 Acres $179,000 Casey Rd, Metamora, River 23 Acres $ 64,900 Thornville Rd, Metamora, 10 Acres, River REDUCED Metamora Golf & Country Club Lots Starting at $25,000!
$349,900 Bowers Rd, Mayfield Twp, 70+ Acres $109,900 Casey Rd, Metamora, River 12+ Acres $ 67,000 Princeton Ave, Clarkston 1.78 Acres McLean Drive, Imlay City 3 Lots Starting at $19,900!
$489,000 Sutton Rd, Metamora, 60 Acres $ 99,900 Casey Rd, Metamora, River 11+ Acres PENDING $ 54,900 Lake Nepessing, Elba Twp, Lot w/sewer taps Coming soon in Hunt country! Large tracts of
$189,000 Sutton Rd, 3 Wooded 20 Acre Lots $ 82,900 Pinecrest Court, Dryden Twp, 3 Acres $ 29,900 Sutton Rd, Paved, Nat’l Gas, Attica 2.5 Acres land and farmhouses! Call for more information!
WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 127
 223 W. Main, Edmore MI 48829
www.eaglerealtymi.com

888.967.4140
CLARE COUNTY: 2004 Chalet on Little
Norway Lake w/60 Ft. of Water Frontage.
MLS#18011613/168996 - $149,900

TUBBS LAKE: Mobile Home w/75 Ft. of Private

Channel Frontage to Martiny Chain of Lakes in
Mecosta County. MLS#18031555 - $69,900

CLARE COUNTY: Turn-Key Cottage on Shingle

Lake near Lake George. 50 Ft. of Water Front-
age. MLS#18019529/169291 - $69,900

SIX LAKES: Little Bass Lake Bungalow w/40 Ft.

of Private Sandy Lakefront in Montcalm Coun-
ty. MLS#18039116 - $129,900

BARRYTON: A total of 4 lots (one waterfront) come

with this seasonal cottage w/67 Ft. of Frontage to
Martiny Chain of Lakes. MLS#18034651 - $59,900

BLANCHARD: Beautiful Chalet on 20A in Mecosta

County. Great Hunting! Current Owners participate in
quality deer management. MLS#18039091 - $159,900

SIX LAKES: 1994 Manufactured Home on

65A. Good Mix of Tillable & Wooded Acreage
40X48 Pole Barn. MLS#18019830 - $230,000

SIX LAKES: Centennial Farm on 78+/-A. Estimated

65A is tillable w/remaining as recreational. Nice Farm-
house w/35X50 Barn. MLS#17051575 - $255,000

3 Bdrm, 1 bth, mfg home. Beautiful, 1 Bdrm cottage on Escanaba 4 Bdrm, 1 bth camp or home.
wooded 10 acres. Gar, wood shed. River. Porch & Large deck. Log home. 40 Acres. Pond.
Privacy. Covered porch. Brampton. On the river. Cornell. Great hunting!! Cornell.
$88,000 1108945 $34,900 1108333 $116,000 1109383

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 $98,500 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 $239,000 1106871
128 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS
 Joel & Audrey
Martinchek
www.JoelandAudreyRealtors.com
JoelMartinchek@BHHSMI.com
11506 N. Straits Hwy • Cheboygan, MI 49721
231-420-0231 Contact Joel & Audrey Martinchek
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105’ SANDY FRONTAGE, 100’ FRONTAGE, 3 beds, 2 baths,
turn-key, 4 bed, 3 bath home fieldstone fireplace, garage w/
w/updated kitchen & more! bonus room. MLS#312437
MLS#314712 $349,900 $539,900
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NEWER METAL ROOF, encapsu- 150’ OF SANDY FRONTAGE! Log
late crawl plus guest cabin with cabin w/fireplace, 1 bed, loft and
bath. Sits on beautiful 1.9 acres. det guest qtrs. Lot across road
MLS#313865 $139,900 incl. MLS#313868 $189,900
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165 152
CUSTOM HOME ON PRIZED
PERFECT UP NORTH HOME.
Blue Ribbon Trout stream, comes
with separate guest quarters. Modern home built for year
Beautiful views from every an-
gle. MLS#314846 $239,900
round use. Warranty Protected.
MLS#313257 $162,000
©2018 BHH Affiliates, LLC. An independently owned and operated franchisee of
BHH Affiliates, LLC. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and the Berkshire Hathaway
HomeServices symbol are registered service marks of HomeServices of
America, Inc.® Equal Housing Opportunity.
Heritage
House
RealtyPC
“Personalized Service is the Difference”
5710 Clouse Rd, Glennie
990 sf, 2 bed, 1 bath with 12
acres on dead end road.
Interested in having a hobby
farm? This is for you, room
to roam, some fencing, ideal
location. $85,000
For more information text
R569702 to 52187
4950 N Lakeshore Dr
2200 sf, 3 bed, 2 bath Cape
Code with 100 feet of
gorgeous Lake Huron
Waterfront. You must see to
appreciate all this Move in
Ready Home has to offer.
$229,900 For More Info
Text R435894 to 52187
3754 Rearing Pond
670 sf, 2 bed, 1 bath stone
cottage with matching 2 car
garage and 40 acres of
prime hunting with Bryant
Creek flowing through to
enjoy all year or ideal as a
hunting retreat. NEW
$167,900
405 E Church, Harrisville
1750 sf, 4 bed, 2 bath
Victorian in downtown
Harrisville. Own a piece of
history with this move in
ready gem. $119,900. For
More Information Text
R306384 to 52187
Call 800-650-5566 - Glennie or 800-982-0102 - Harrisville - www.HeritageHouseRealty.com
TWO GREAT HUNTING OR
FISHING CAMPS FOR SALE
29 +/- acres on Private
Lake near Remus, MI.
Electricity, well, dock and
/-
s+ nice deck set up for camp-
Ac re
83 ing. Great Bass fishing
and Deer hunting in Rifle
zone. Multiple food plot
NORTHERN PARADISE! U.P.
property sleeps 12. Great sites. Corn and Hay fields
hunting and snowmobiling. to the north of the prop-
MLS#307981 $124,900 erty. Neighbors are QDMA
VACANTS members. $125,000
100’ Lake Huron. Prime building
site on Duncan Bay. MLS#302684
$144,900
Cabin on 5 wood-
115’ Long Lake. Great building ed Acres near
site for walkout with gentle slope Sunrise Lake. East
to water. MLS#301057 $79,900
100’ Cheboygan River. Outstand- of Leroy Michigan.
ing view & setting on the Inland Wa- Miles of trails to
terway! MLS#310145 $87,000
Seller May Split. Great location at ride or hike on
313 Exit ramp on I-75, Indian River. state land. Pike
7+ acres. MLS#312791 $299,900
and Bass on Sun-
103’ Black Lake. Boat, ski, fish,
swim, golf, ATV, snowmobile, ice rise Lake. $43,000
fish and more! MLS#297747
$234,900
Commercial, 8.8 acres and 513’of
Prime US -23 Highway frontage.
Btw Cheboygan/Mackinaw City. Call or Text Rob Trowbridge
MLS#301410 $69,900
Commercial, Waiting for your de-
velopment site plan. City services
avail. MLS#313531 $89,900
at 517-726-0221 For More Information
Exclusive Marketing Agents for Northeast
Michigan Properties
Located in the Heart of the Huron National Forest, on the
Shores of Lake Huron and the banks of the AuSable River
4100 Lakeshore Dr 1009 Zimowske Rd, Mio
1960 sf, 2 bed, 3 bath, 1500+ sf, 3 bed, 1.5 bath
attached garage with over with detached garage and
250 feet of Lake Huron barn on 25 acres. Come see
Shoreline to enjoy all year. what living up north is all
This gem is definitely worth about on your new covered
check out and won’t last porch or covered deck with
long. Newly Listed this Move in Ready Gem.
$379,900 $149,000
610 Marilyn Ln 3464 Kimberlin, Glennie
10 acres with rusting cabin 20 acres perfect for building
just needs finishing touches. or hunting with small pond
Ideal location for hunting / and nice mix of wooded and
fishing / recreation with open areas. Structures
easy access to ORV trails have no value and sold in
and National Forest lands. “as-is” condition. $50,000
Make your Up North Retreat For More Info Text R627991
dreams come true. NEW to 52187
$45,000
7098 Lakewood Shores Dr 3692 N Lakeshore Dr
Recently remodeled 3 Plenty of summer fun left to
bedroom 2 bath home with enjoy the view from this
large deck and attached back deck and firepit for
garage all with Lakewood entertainment. 2 bedroom 2
Shores amenities and bath home with open floor
access to both Cedar Lake plan for easy entertainment.
and Lake Huron. Reduced Reduced $64,900
$134,900
5550 Michaud 5115 Pine St
2220 sf, 4 bed, 3 bath 740 sf, 2 bed, 1 bath with
overlooking your private 131 feet on Vaugh Lake at
pond as well as 40 acres this price makes this an
with many trails to roam. ideal investment. Restore
Enjoy the views from your the current home or design
covered porch or while your ideal waterfront retreat.
sitting in your sunroom. NEW $69,900
NEW $289,900
WNW NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 129
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802 Ashman St. • Midland
989-832-1866

130 SEPTEMBER 2018 WNW NEWS

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