JANUARY 2019 $4.

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Micky
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Corey Sara
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MICHIGAN
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WNW NEWS JANUARY 2019 3
 STORIES Cover Buck! John
Rose

CONTINUE
By Tom Campbell...

O
h my how the deer hunting
stories keep coming! we love
it and will keep sharing them
with you the readers. If you have a pho-
to and/or story you want to share email
it to us at wnw@pageone-inc.com.
Unfortunately, not all the deer
stories are enjoyable. Like the ones in-
volving CWD. According to the DNR,
two new counties likely will be added
to the list of Michigan counties where
chronic wasting disease has been found. My husband is an avid hunter, and works really hard to prepare our Barry County
CWD is a fatal neurological disease that property for deer season. I had not been out hunting in two years but one of
affects white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk
and moose.
A 4-year-old hunter-harvested
buck in Pine River Township (Gratiot
County) and a 2-year-old hunter-har-
vested buck in Carmel Township (Eaton husband had told me that once I shoot, reload. I reloaded and right away saw
County) are suspected positive for the
disease. The samples were sent to the
National Veterinary Services Labora-
tory in Ames, Iowa, for confirmation,
which is expected next week.
Chronic wasting disease currently has
been confirmed in Clinton, Dickin-
son, Ingham, Ionia, Jackson, Kent and
Stuck Trophy!
Sara Opening day of gun season I was sitting
in my blind on the edge of a powerline when
Colyer out pops a deer about 80-90 yards heading
west. I proceeded to place him in my sights
and then discovered that he was an 8-pt.
buck. I pulled the trigger on him. He suddenly
went down, but then got up and ran back
onto the state land where he originally came
out from onto the powerline. I waited for 30
my girlfriends from work had never been, and asked if she could go hunting
with me. That got me back out in the woods. My husband got us both out in minutes then went tracking his blood trial.
I went about 100 feet up a ridge and saw
separate spots, and I waited, and waited! I finally saw a doe come in, got my him somewhat standing and facing forward
shot, and couldn’t believe when she went down - it was my first deer, at 37! My like he was resting and going to take off. Not
knowing that he was wedged in a nest of
this monster buck come over the ridge. He was cautiously looking to see what trees, I shot him again. I walked up to see
was going on with the doe. I knew I had to try to get this buck or my husband the real story of what happened. Between
my brother and nephew, we were successful
would never believe what I saw! I took my shot and watched it run about 30 in untangling him from the trees that he was
feet, I couldn’t believe it when it went down! I had gotten my first two deer five embedded in. Another successful hunt with
minutes apart! My husband says I have beginner’s luck. I fear I will always be the group at Sportsmen’s Club 31, Onaway.
chasing this high again. It was worth the wait. By Sara Colyer By John Rose

First Buck in 46 Years!

Montcalm counties.
As of Saturday, the Department of Natural Re-
sources has tested more than 16,000 deer in 2018,
with 20 of those confirmed positive for CWD.
There are an additional 18 animals suspected posi- I’m writing this story to you today about my
tive from townships in Clinton, Kent and Mont-
calm counties. Additional animals are being tested father who has finally tagged his first buck. My
daily.n father has been hunting since he was 19 years old,
now 65 turning 66 in December. For over 45 years
he has stayed dedicated and committed to hunting.
SEASONS
Open All Year – Pike and walleye season on Lower Peninsula
Keeping the family tradition going with myself and
two brothers he has helped drag, process, track our
Great Lakes, Lake St. Clair & St. Clair & Detroit Rivers deer as well as his brother, brother-in-law’s, and
Open All Year – Salmon and trout season on Great Lakes, St.
Marys River, Lake St. Clair & St. Clair & Detroit Rivers
father’s whitetail.
Open All Year – Catch-and-immediate-release bass season on But this year was different as it was us who
all Michigan waters open to fishing
dragged his first buck out of the woods. We
Kerry
Now - Dec. 31 – Pure Michigan Hunt Application Period
Now - March 15 – Walleye and pike open in Lower Peninsula couldn’t more proud of him. Kerry Hill took his first
inland waters
Now - March 15 – Walleye and pike open in Upper Peninsula buck November 17 at 7:15 a.m. hunting near Lake Hill
Great Lakes, inland waters & St. Marys River City. By Anthony Hill
Now - Dec. 31 – Smallmouth and largemouth bass catch-and-
keep on all waters, including Great Lakes and Lake St. Clair

DNR investigating hunter fatality

and St. Clair and Detroit Rivers.
Now - Dec. 31 – Muskellunge season Lake St. Clair & St.
Clair & Detroit Rivers
Now - Mar. 1 – Squirrel; Fox and Gray (black phase includ-
ed) Season
Now - Mar. 31 – Cottontail and Snowshoe Hare Season Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Dec. 15-16 – Duck Season Middle Zone conservation officers are investigating the
Dec. 29-30 – Duck Season South Zone shooting death of a hunter on the opening day
Now - Jan. 1, 2019 – Grouse season of the firearm deer hunting season in Antrim
Now - Jan. 1, 2019 – Late archery season
Now - Dec. 16 - Muzzleloading deer season Zone 1 County.
Now - Dec. - Muzzleloading deer season Zone 2 Justin Beutel, 38, of Sanford was pro-
Now - Dec. 23 - Muzzleloading deer season Zone 3 nounced dead at the scene.
Dec. 17 - Jan. 1, 2019 - Late antlerless firearm At about 1 p.m. Thursday, a conservation
*Consult the Michigan Hunting and Trapping Digest, Fishing Digest, or
other species-specific hunting digests for a more complete list of dates officer and South Torch Lake EMS personnel
and regulations regarding each season or hunt period. were dispatched to a reported hunting accident
near the intersection of West Elder Road and
MJC MJC Northeast Torch Lake Drive, which is located
ARCHERY ARCHERY near the village of Alden, roughly 20 miles
MACOMB OAKLAND northeast of Traverse City.
Upon arrival, Albert and EMS respond-
ers found Beutel unresponsive. First aid was
administered but he did not recover.
19744 15 Mile Rd 3001 Rochester Rd
Clinton Twp. 48035 Royal Oak, MI 48073 “Preliminary investigation reveals that Mr.
586-791-4600 248-589-2480 Beutel was deer hunting on private property
4 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS
and was apparently shot by another subject
hunting nearby,” said Lt. James Gorno, a dis-
trict law supervisor with the DNR.
The second hunter, who is not being identi-
fied, is a 45-year-old Gaylord man. Gorno said
the two men were not hunting together and it is
believed that they do not know each other.
The Antrim County Sheriff’s Office and
Michigan State Police are assisting the DNR
with the investigation and processing of evi-
dence.
Michigan conservation officers are fully
commissioned state peace officers who provide
natural resources protection, ensure recre-
ational safety and protect citizens by providing
general law enforcement duties and lifesaving
operations in the communities they serve.
Learn more about Michigan conservation
officers at michigan.gov/conservationofficers.
WNW NEWS JANUARY 2019 5

ICING
‘EYES
Next Bite By Gary Parsons/Keith Kavajecz...page 28
HUNTING
COVER STORY
Corey Memering’s 23-Point
Mark Sak page 8
COVER STORY
Micky Vaughn’s Swamp Buck
Randy Jorgensen page 10
COVER STORY
Wyatt Waterman’s Big Buck
page 14
Father & Son take P&Y bucks
Jerry Lambert page 34
Jacob’s second trophy buck
Mark Sak page 35
Land management produces
trophy buck for young hunter
Jerry Lambert page 36
14-year-old huntress
bags B&C black bear
Richard P. Smith page 37
Late season success..
JUST SCOUT!
Nathan Miller page 40
My first 10-point...Thanks Pappy!
page 41
Coyote hunting success
Richard P. Smith page 42
A triangle tower deer stand
George Rowe page 61
FISHING
After dark ‘eyes on ice
Kenny Darwin page 12
FEEL THE VIBE
Mark Romanack page 20
COVER PHOTOS
Colyer Buck...page 4
Memering Buck...page 8
Vaughn Buck...page 10
Waterman Buck...page 14
6 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS
Fall and Winter Reflections
FEATURE
Capt. Fred Davis page 62
Do some big bucks Michigan Deer Camp Traditions
opt out of the rut? An investment for your future!
John Ozoga page 24 Jake Dykstra page 70
Drought/Precipitation
and lake water levels Dear Fish Diary...
Bill Ziegler page 32 By quitting I will catch more fish
Ron St. Germain page 74
Making traditional snowshoes
Darryl Quidort page 38
Dog Training...Flagging
Len Jenkins page 55
COYOTE SCAT:
It’s in the details!
Don’t be fearful Jonathan Schechter page 68
of the lifeless approach Digging into
Mark Martin page 22 severed mineral rights
MDNR page 78
Countdown Crankbaits
Mark Romanack page 30 Sporting Collectibles...
Three bass finesse rigs
The Hurd Super Fly Caster
Terry McBurney page 86
Lady ‘Deerslayer’
that will blow your mind
Dave Mull page 56 TRAIL CAM PHOTOS
of the thumb
page 88 Tom Lounsbury...page 16
NEWS Hunting for the experience
Michelle Zellar-MDNR page 90
Wayne County resident
charged in elk poaching
page 25 OPINIONS
Adopt-a-Game-Area kicks off Hinge cutting: Do you know the
page 29 hazards with oak wilt?
William Drews page 80
Busy Beavers
Jeff Pendergraff page 46 Antler casting
and our deer management
January antlerless season in
Ruffed Grouse Southern Alpena County
Kenny Darwin page 81
page 48 The important roles
‘Endangered’ Status Fishing Tournament
older “mature” bucks
play in the deer herd
Tom Carney...page 26 Information System expands Kip Adams page 82
page 57
A truly unforgettable experience PERSPECTIVE GUNS/AMMO
John Bergsma page 58 Traditional Black Powder Hunting
Michigan Meanders... How can this be?
Perch Jerkin’ Season memories Dennis Neely page 53
Mike Gnatkowski page 72 Tom Huggler page 44
GUN CHAT...
Spearing and tip-ups for pike Support Conservation Groups Defensive pistol fundamentals
Mike Veine page 76 page 48 Lee Arten page 63
JANUARY 2019
Woods-n-Water News
$4.00
DEPARTMENTS...
Trophy Pages. . . 64-65 Classifieds . . . . . . . 92
Michigan’s Premier Outdoor Publication
News/Op-Ed. . . . 80-83 Real Estate . . . . 93-97
Micky
1-810-724-0254
Vaughn
Corey
Memering
Sara
Colyer
www.woods-n-waternews.com
MICHIGAN
Wyatt Waterman
TROPHIES P.O. Box 278, Imlay City, MI 48444
• Do Some Bucks Opt Out of the Rut? • After Dark 'Eyes on Ice
• Inland Lake Water Levels • 14-Year-Old Huntress Bags B&C Bear
 www.facebook.com/woodsnwaternews
• 'Busy Beavers' • Scouting Key for Late Goose Season Success
www.woods-n-waternews.com • Like us on facebook Follow us on
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WNW NEWS JANUARY 2019 7
COVER BUCK...
23 POINT!
Cory Memering’s
Buck; Top Five
All-Time Archery
Harvest...
L
et’s start this story out in dramatic
fashion. This buck will be top 5 all-
time archery harvest in the state of
Michigan’s rich deer hunting history.
The story of the hunter and the hunt
is also one of the best-ever if you are
a fan of pure bowhunting, family, faith, and hard
work as well as a little good luck. We can sum
it all up with one word that makes it all come
together and that word is fate.
Washtenaw County resident Corey
Memering is exclusively a bowhunter. A
high-voltage electrician by occupation,
when I first spoke to him via telephone
inquiring about this buck I was very
impressed in the first minute or two
into our discussion as he said he would
gladly share this great buck’s story with
our readers but couldn’t do it that
evening as he would like to help his
By Mark Sak
Corey was able to get trail cameras hung and got his first picture of the buck on October
1, 2018. He also got pictures of the buck October 9, 15, 16, 18 and 19 and 21.
8 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS
Corey Memering with his monster Washtenaw Co. 23-pt. that gross scored 227 2/8 inches.
The trophy buck may be in the top seven bucks taken in Michigan!
wife put their three young children to bed and
could we chat the next day? I knew I was dealing
with a good man.
The story on this magnificent buck
starts over a year ago on October 27 of
2017. A fellow hunter in the area sent
him a trail cam picture of the buck.
Corey inquired further and as the con-
versation narrowed down to this being a
Michigan deer his counterpart’s will-
ingness to provide information quickly
dried up.
Corey tells me “I didn’t think
much of it at the time. Sure, it was a
big deer, but it could be from anywhere.” As fate
would have it though four days later while their
family was out trick-or-treating Corey’s wife saw
the buck walking across a bean field and could
hardly wait to share the news with him.
“I couldn’t believe it. Not only was it real, but
it was close by. I had to find it!,” he shares.
So, the quest to harvest this buck began. He
initially had no access to any of the property in
this buck’s home area, so he started door knock-
ing, a quality that is often lacking in some these
days. He said at first the lady he approached
initially refused to allow him to hunt, but they
had a good long chat about everything from
diesel trucks to dogs, even camping and kids. She
obviously also saw some very positive qualities
in this young man. She said she would discuss
access with her husband if he promised only he
alone would hunt. Shortly after he received per-
mission and by the time the 2018 archery season
opened, he had identified what he thought could
be some of the buck’s travel corridors and maybe
even his core area. The area had the usual mix of
small parcels of 5 to 20 acres owned by private
landowners. It also of course had some nice thick
areas Corey termed as ‘gnarly,’ as well as agricul-
tural fields. He aided his search by aerial photos
to find specific funnels and bedding areas then
did some more door-knocking, and he was able to
gain access to several key small pieces of land.
Corey was able to get trail cameras hung and
got his first picture of the buck on October 1,
2018. He also got pictures of the buck October
9, 15, 16, 18 and 19. On October 20, severe
thunderstorms would roll through Michigan
and Corey took advantage of the rain, wind and
thunder to go back in and hang another stand
in the core area. He mentioned how a few folks
thought he was crazy, but this hunter knew he had
to take every opportunity given to have a chance
to harvest this magnificent buck. It wasn’t until
Oct. 21 when Corey got the buck’s picture mak-
ing a scrape near that new stand and signaling, he
had found his best location to try and harvest the
animal.
On October 30, he had planned to sit in that
stand all day. But as the morning began to slip
away, he felt like he needed to adjust one of his
trail cameras and proceeded to move it from one
side of the property to another. As it happens with
many moves the camera was left on and as he
was placing the camera in the new tree, he caught
movement from off to his left in a thicket and yes
it was the giant buck just 30 yards away. As the
standoff unfolded, the buck became nervous and
took what Corey described as two big bounds
away but stopped just out of sight. Corey felt a
doe had kept him from bolting off the property
and he took that opportunity to slip out and leave
the buck with his hot doe.
Later, he would see several pictures his trail
cam would take of the encounter with an aston-
ished hunter’s face froze while a monster buck
tries to figure out what is happening in his core
area. He ate lunch with his wife that day and
obviously was worried he had blown his one
chance at the buck he had focused on for the last
year. His wife gave what he describes as “some
tough love” and the assurance he needed to hear
and that afternoon he would sneak back into the
core area. He decided to take a slightly more
concealed route after the morning encounter and
walked in through a low wet area and when he
came up out of the area, he immediately caught
movement in the same exact spot from the morn-
ing encounter. He had a Lone Wolf treestand on
his back and a utility pack on, which he shed as
he dropped to his knees. Corey nocked an arrow
and grabbed his range finder from his pack. As
the hot doe began pulling the buck away, Corey
began creeping slowly in that direction. He said
he ended up within 10 feet of the stand he hung
during the thunderstorm when both doe and buck
came into view. He says at that point his emo-
tions really started reeling but with some self-talk
and concentration he settled in and waited for a
chance he has worked so hard for.
During the 8 to 10 minutes he waited for the
shot he witnessed the giant rake several trees and
make some amazing mature tending grunts. His
release was clipped in to his Mathews bow and
he was ready as the doe moved right into the one
shooting lane he had, and she stopped right in the
lane. The buck mounted the doe which gave him
the opportunity to draw and settle his pin on the
vitals. He took the giant buck right behind the
shoulder with a perfect shot.
Corey states as the buck barreled out, the
scene was chaos as deer were running every-
where. He immediately backed out and walked
out of the area and at one point the emotions
again overcame this young hunter as he dropped
to his knees and tried to grasp what had just taken
place. He called his wife and she first answered
the phone tentatively wondering why he was call-
ing her at 4:15 p.m. “I told her it was over. I shot
Splits.”
She immediately stated. “It’s 4:15!” She then
inquired about the shot and he stated, “It was a
good one, I double-lunged him and he is probably
dead right now.” He gave the buck several hours
just to be safe but found the buck a short 40-yards
away piled up under a bush.
This magnificent buck’s rack is not an easy
one to describe. A main frame 6 x 5, his green
score was 227 2/8 gross. The net as scored by
CBM scorer Dennis Sheets, ended up at 216 2/8.
He has splits in both his G-2 and G-3 on his left
side which are deep, wide and heavy. He also
sports a deep heavy split on his right G-2 and a
giant crab claw on his right G-4. His right brow
tine is split three ways and there are two more
nice stickers at its base, while the left brow tine
is split at the top and sports two nice stickers at
its base. The rack’s longest tine is his right G-3
which is 11 4/8 inches. The rack’s inside spread
is 22 7/8 and longest main beam is 26 inches. But
this description does very little to describe the
mass, cork-screwing, sticker-filled rack with 23
scorable points. The buck weighed 260-pounds
on the hoof and could possibly land at number
three or number four all-time on the archery list
of Michigan whitetails and number seven all-time
for all-weapons in Michigan.
Once again as we look at every aspect of this
great story, fate was on Corey Memering’s side
during this hunt. From his wife seeing the buck
last year, gaining access to the core area and
being able to put in the work needed to accom-
plish this goal was truly remarkable, and the
good fortune to have a doe pull the buck into
a shooting lane emphasizes that every great
trophy requires intense work, great skill and
a little luck.
Congratulations Corey on a tremendous deer
season!n
WNW NEWS JANUARY 2019 9
 Swamp
Buck
Kent County buck expected to score in the upper 160s
I
t’s a pure and simple fact! You can’t
shoot big bucks if you don’t pass on
little bucks! And it’s also a fact - you
can’t shoot big bucks from your trees-
tand if you’re not in it!
Of course, much easier said than done.
Micky Vaughn, 37, from just outside
of Cedar Springs, Michigan knows this to
be true. During the gun season Micky shot
a monster buck on his 21 acres, in Kent
County. The buck, a 10-pointer, had an 18
1/2 inch inside spread, 6 inches of mass,
sported heavy main beams and impres-
sive tall tines. The 4 1/2 year-old buck was
unofficially green scored at 177 1/4 and
is expected to officially score in the upper
160s.
Micky grew up in a hunting family and
shot his first buck at 9 years old. He de-
veloped a passion to hunt at an early age,
that passion has grown to a self-proclaimed
obsession.
“I like to chase big bucks and I love
to be in the whitetail woods, ” Micky told
me with conviction in his
voice.
Making use of two trail
cameras on his 21 acres,
which is surrounded by a
few hundred acres more of
swamp, Micky has a good
idea of the bucks in his
area. He hunts and scouts
By Randy Jorgensen
10 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS
hard.
“I give the bucks names so I can chat
with my wife and children about the ani-
mals I have seen that day,” Micky went on
to say.
His family is also interested in the out-
door lifestyle and they understand and share
Micky’s love of whitetails.
“I passed on 12 bucks before I shot this
one. A couple of them were real good bucks
too,” Micky said.
In late October, Micky saw the buck he
calls ‘Justice’ three times, but each time out
of bow range. He was a tremendous buck,
and for Micky the hunt was on. This is what
he likes to do, hunt big bucks. There was
only one buck now as far as he cared and
that was the big ole’ 10-pointer.
The gun season opener found Micky
with a cold and cough. Yet for him missing
opening day with a brute like ‘Justice’ in
the area, just wasn’t going to happen.
In fact, after talking with Micky, I
got the distinct feeling it would be easier
to drown a fish than keep him out of the
woods.
Micky just doubled up on cough drops,
muffled his cough and hunted. He sat all
day in the tree with no sign of his targeted
buck.
November 16th represented the 47th day
of whitetail hunting in Michigan, counting
both bow and gun. Micky was prepared to
sit all day again, or longer if needed. He
Micky Vaughn of Cedar
Springs shot this Kent
County buck on the second
day of the gun season.
The 10-pointer had mas-
sive beams, 6 inches of
mass, 18.5 inch spread,
and is expected to score in
the upper 160s.
had already hunted 43 of the 47 possible
hunting days.
The other key ingredient to big buck
success after passing on the little ones, is
to be in your tree stand when the big guy
walks past your stand. Micky understands
this well and has the discipline to do just
that.
At 9:30 a.m. the big buck showed him-
self at 150 yards, Micky watched him for
over 30 minutes.
“He just stood there, in the same spot
the whole time,” Micky went on to say.
Micky decided to shoot. Pulling the trig-
ger on his .450 Bushmaster the buck fell in
the thick cattails.
“I walked over to where I thought he
was and didn’t see him. After a while,
I saw a little movement in the cattails, I
shot him again to make sure he didn’t get
up and run off. And that’s when it hit me
on just how big he was!” Micky told me,
his voice quivering a little from recalling
the hunt.
“I was so excited to tell my wife I shot
this big buck and was thankful she under-
stands my passion to be in the woods,”
Micky explains.
“I truly believe God put that buck in
front of me that day because he knew I
wasn’t going to give up until I got ‘Justice.’
I am so blessed!” concludes Micky.
This is one of Michigan’s outstanding
“Swamp Bucks.”n
WNW NEWS JANUARY 2019 11

AFTER
DARK
’EYES
ON ICE
I’m not saying a #3 Do-Jigger spoon is the greatest walleye
lure of all time, but I have one in my box that has caught tons
of fish from a variety of waters from Saginaw Bay to Erie’s 30
foot depths, Lake Macatawa, Portage Lake and beyond. The one
characteristic is this lure glows. Not the new super glow color
but a chartreuse glow that somehow sends a message to hungry
walleyes and turns them into jaw snapping tigers with menacing
teeth slamming down on the spoon with reckless abandon...
By Kenny Darwin
OW! Fish on! I’ve fished the lure
religiously under a variety of condi-
tions but it shines when the sun sets,
the ice is aglow with fast fading light
and huge walleyes go on a feeding
spree. It is my go to spoon when the
sun sets.
If your goal is to ice more and bigger
walleyes ice fishing this season I’ve got exciting
12 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS
news for you that could bring limit catches and
the behemoth ’eyes like you wouldn’t believe.
I’ve got an ice fishing strategy that catches fish
like dynamite and you don’t have to wait eons for
strikes. Listen up!
Night fishing for walleyes in the dead of win-
ter is a relatively new science for most Michigan
anglers mostly because the best bite occurs at
sunset then quickly disappears as darkness falls.
The 72 year-old author, Kenny Darwin, is
still catching walleyes during the brutal
conditions of Michigan winter using a new
super glow Bloody Nose 3/8 oz. Moonshine
spoon. He’s convinced the hot new super
glow lures will transform night fishing dol-
drums into chaotic fish catching action.
Plus the idea of fishing at night for walleyes
generally involves difficulty seeing, fast falling
temperatures and endless jigging in the pitch
black abyss. However, the results can be worth all
the preparation and equipment, particularly when
you are icing lunkers. The following anecdote
best describes what I’m talking about.
It was a dark, windy night when I met Steve
VandeMark at his home on Saginaw Bay and we
headed out onto the frozen ocean in search of
walleyes. Steve has his 10-inch Lowrance graph
attached to his snowmobile and follows a previ-
ous trail using GPS and search structure as we
motor across the frozen lake to a distant walleye
honey hole found 8 miles from shore. When we
hit the destination Steve set up exactly where he
found a huge school of walleyes the day before
and I moved about 50 yards away.
VandeMark has been fishing the Bay for over
30 years and has a keen sense of where and when
to find schools of active fish with ease. He pulls a
flip-up ice shanty with a snowmobile and prefers
to travel with other anglers for safety. You never
know what you encounter on frozen ice during
dark and it pays to have backup especially during
emergency situations.
I shut down my Honda quadrunner, grabbed
the Jiffy 10-inch gas powered auger and punched
a hole through the thick ice at lightning speed.
After I drilled one hole for electronics and anoth-
er fishing hole I set up my Vexilar. There close to
bottom was a big bright band indicating a fish so
I rigged the glow Do-Jigger with a live minnow
and dropped it into the zone. When the jig hit
bottom I raised it about 12 inches and gave two
short 6-inch pumps of the rod tip. That’s when I
felt a solid slam and I jerked the rod skyward and
set the hook. It was hard for me to believe I was
already into a fish before clearing the other holes
of ice and soon a fat five pounder flopped onto
the ice.
I yelled to Steve, “Got one,” and he quickly
replied, “Me too,” as I frantically cleared ice
from other holes, rigged two rods and sent wig-
gling minnows dancing on spoons to bottom. But
my second rod was rigged with a 3/8 oz. new
super glow spoon from Moonshine Lures. It was
a relatively heavy spoon with glow-in-the-dark
colors that were extremely bright when I placed
them in front of my head lamp. The first thing
I noticed was the extra bright red on the spoon
called Bloody Nose highlighted with a greenish
super glow body and large black dots.
SLAM! I was into another walleye and soon
the super glow spoon outscored the Do-Jigger
three to one. That’s when I switched to another
Moonshine Lures spoon that had a perch pattern
with orange belly and attractive black markings
like a perch. I twitch the lure then let it sit vertical
as a huge red band comes off bottom. I lift the
lure, let it flutter, then give it that all important
pause in the fish’s face. The frantic flash of the
hooked minnow along with fresh fish oils in the
water send out an olfactory message driving him
crazy and he gulps the offering. But this fish
strips line off the drag, bends my custom 52” ice
rod double and after an outstanding battle my
headlight illuminates the trophy. Sure, it’s not a
10 pound-plus Shiver on the River winner but it
is a huge fish. My heart is pounding at the sight
of the 26-inch green backed walleye with huge
illumined eyes shining in the dark like underwa-
ter headlights. I ease the monster onto the ice and
give out a war hoop to announce my pleasure to
the fishing gods.
One key to the night fishing puzzle was
switching to super glow spoons. I found the Glow
Perch with bright super glow orange belly was on
fire. When I switched to a Crab Face spoon with
super glow body and two super glow red areas on
the gills and tail the walleyes absolutely slammed
the lure. I think in dim light walleyes can better
see super glow than other colors. In clear water
walleyes can detect movement at around 50 feet
but in the dim light of twilight the distance is
reduced. Certainly they can feel flashing spoons
with their lateral line and home in on the water
displacement but if they get a glimpse of color,
especially bright red or orange, it is bite on.
What I discovered is super glow lures un-
locked the mystery of night fishing for walleyes.
While natural forage like shad, smelt, alewives,
emerald shiners and more are dark backed, mir-
rored sides and light underbellies to match the
environment and offer camouflage in darkness,
the new ultra-super glow colors bring attention
like no other. They light up the water and it is my
opinion the new bright orange, red, green and
other lure colors offer an attractive facet of wall-
eye fishing that is virtually a new frontier. Among
tournament ice anglers the fancy new super glow
colors have caught on like gangbusters. Perhaps
now ice anglers can extend the walleye bite time
into the wee hours of the night and perhaps in
years to come there will be a whole new crew of
walleye fishermen who begin to ply the depths
only after sunset.
Now, you know me I’m old school and still
fish from a collapsible box I toss on the back of
a little Honda racing quad runner. I like to be in
the open air, regardless of wind, snow, sleet and
howling winds and I use long, custom made rods Well known Saginaw Bay walleye guru smiles while holding a dandy walleye caught using
designed to hook and land walleyes on a scale Moonshine super glow spoon tipped with a minnow.
most short rod shelter fishermen can never dream
about. Guess I’ve tried almost every jigging trick caught through the ice in late December 1991 food sources in a precarious position for feeding
and lure on the market and it is my conclusion and pushed the scales at 17 pounds 7 ounces. walleyes.
super glow spoons are the way to go. Lord knows I’d like to test glow lures on Erie There are certainly tactics you can use for
So, I packed gear and ran to Michigan’s west near Bass Island. A couple years ago I landed titan walleyes. Over the years I’ve probably taken
coast and used super glow lures on several lakes. over 200 walleyes in two days, some were 13-14 more 10-pound fish on white Swedish Pimple
Lake Macatawa was easy fishing, Muskegon pounds but we only kept a few three-four pound- tipped with two perch minnows. Two of my three
Lake was a tad slow, White Lake was reliable and ers for dinner. There is something addictive about monster Saginaw Bay Shiver winners came on
Portage was simply hot for walleyes and white- unhooking a large female walleye, sides bulging a pearl Do-Jigger tipped with three minnows.
fish. All experiments were conducted after sunset with eggs and feeling her power and energy as In Bay of Quinte my hot bait was a chartreuse
and while some lakes offered fantastic catches she swims unharmed to the depths. Swedish pimple in 23 feet of water. Quinte is
at sunset the action slowed then picked up an Night fish are different than day walleyes. where I tested lipless Rattlebait and pulled wall-
hour later. On two different occasions I had great Anytime you mark fish try to get them to move eyes from 50 feet away. Guess I still prefer a
fishing around 11 p.m. But being all alone on a upward and their mood changes and they become Jigging Rap for limit catches in the Saginaw
bitter cold winter night can play with your mind. more aggressive, as though instinct tells them River and I’ve had good luck using Little
You start to hear distant coyote mournful calls, they have a huge advantage over any food that is Cleo spoons just about everywhere. But if my
see owls flash by in the moonlight and you can suspended above them within inhaling distance. intuition is good and my field test work
get a cold lonely feeling only the solid strike of a Other times fish respond better to dropping the provided valuable information I’d have to
monster walleye can overcome. rod tip and allow the lure to flip on its side and say super glow spoons have won a place in
I’d love to test the glow lures on Lake Erie flutter toward bottom. Sometimes you need to my walleye fishing heart. They have provided
in search of a monster fish. But last year the ice pound the lure on sand, stir up silt and make the fantastic catches in deep and shallow water,
was iffy and most years you can’t get out there presentation mimic a feeding baitfish. Then lift day or night and extended the bite into the
when the prespawn monster hens congregate three-inches and pause then lift a foot and pause. realm of the night. While different waters
and snap at nearly any presentation. I’ve had The pause is deliberate as though a feeding crit- require new colors and different approaches
ice fishing limits on Erie and all the fish were ter is rising up out of the disturbance zone and I’d have to guess if you give them a try you
over 10-pounds. The Erie record walleye was stationary targets lifted off bottom represent will be impressed with the results.n
WNW NEWS JANUARY 2019 13
COVER BUCK...

Unique
Racked
Buck
E
leven year-old Wyatt Waterman of
Vassar, although young in age, is truly
an experienced deer hunter having
successfully hunted since the age of
six. That’s right; Wyatt has taken a
buck every season since he was six-
years-old! Wyatt’s dad, Troy, has been his mentor
and he’s quick to point out that they are not rich
and famous hunters. They have 80 acres near
Vassar that the two work on and manage to grow
more mature deer and they have fun doing it.
This year Wyatt took an awesome split-brow
12-point with a chocolate colored rack. The rack
still had velvet dried on antlers. The Watermans
had several trail cam pics of this buck for over
a month and always thought the velvet hanging
was grass or something from making a scrape.
Wyatt’s sixth career buck he took with his Killer
Instinct Crossbow is a very unique buck and they
even had it nicknamed, Chalky. Wyatt is so proud
of his buck he even insisted on writing his own
story…
This was one of my luckiest weeks I ever
had. It started off Thursday night, it was my
last football game against our arch rivals Cass Wyatt Waterman of Vassar with his sixth buck in six years of hunting. This one a monster!
City under the lights. We won the game 28-8 My dad was in a treestand behind me and we the stand something was coming our way.
and I had 13-tackles and two-sacks. Boy did my could watch both ways. I saw a couple of does at Then I heard something and saw this huge
body ached after that game. We had no school around 4:30, it was beautiful out. The does finally body and my feet started to shake. I could see the
on Friday, so I decided we’d go hunting in the left about 5:00 and I saw movement and I sat as rack and it was big. I thought it was the really
afternoon and little did I know I would shoot the still as possible. A button buck came out and then big eight-point that I had trail cam photos of. It
biggest buck of my life. laid down in the brush. The fawn buck decided was so huge, I stopped looking at the rack. My
When my dad and I left the truck the wind to get up with about 30 minutes of daylight but I dad always said make sure it’s a shooter then stop
was from the southeast, perfect for our stands. saw other movement and I text my dad to stay in looking at the rack and watch his body. Now I
could see it was Chalky and the fawn was dis-
tracting him so I could get a good shot and heard
the ‘smack.’
After waiting and watching the button buck
lay back down. I went to look for blood and
found it but lost it in the grassy field.
The buck went thru a switch grass field which
is hard to find blood at night in...The forecast was
rain starting at 2 am so we got out of there and
my dad called Mike at Michigan Deer Track’n
Hounds. He was helping another hunter find his
buck and couldn’t meet us until after midnight.
His dog June did a good job of following my
buck after three hours we marked the trail and
decided to come back in the morning.
The next morning I was pumped and we
starting trailing my buck and my dad told me I
should look in the creek so I split up and walked
the creek and could see something brown and it
was my deer and I started yelling for my dad. He
came running over and we celebrated for a while.
It was going to be a job getting that buck out of
the creek but Mike helped us and I couldn’t have
Wyatt’s buck had a very unique chocolate coloring to its antlers along with dried velvet. been happier!n
14 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS
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Michigan’s Premier Outdoor Publication
www.woods-n-waternews.com

WNW NEWS JANUARY 2019 15

 The Lady
‘Deerslayer’
of the Thumb
By Tom Lounsbury

C
onnie Osentoski of Cass City
didn’t begin hunting deer until 18
years ago, but it has turned into a
passion she shares with her hus-
band Marty. The fact is with their
busy schedule of handling Osen-
toski Realty and Auctioneering which is nearly
a seven days a week job, Connie and Marty also
generously donate a lot of their time and energy
handling the auctioneering at numerous fundrais-
ing events such as Whitetails Unlimited, Pheas-
ants Forever, Ducks Unlimited and Friends of the
NRA, just to name a few. Despite all this, they
put a priority on hunting local whitetails together,
and treasure the time they share afield.
Connie’s first deer hunting experience was Connie Osentoski of Cass City and her dandy Thumb 13-point non-typical buck she shot at 100
quite memorable to say the least, because she yards on the evening of November 16, 2018, after several weeks of dedicated and hard hunting.
discovered the hard way that scrunching into the their wooded bottomland property along the Cass crossbow by simply using a crank on the butt-
scope of a borrowed 12 ga. shotgun to shoot at a River allows them such wonderful deer hunting stock.
buck can be an enlightening experience. In this opportunities. It was the evening before this year’s October
case, it actually broke her nose, but this didn’t To extend her time deer hunting, Connie 1 opener for “bow season” that Connie took a
dissuade her any, and Marty would present her recently began using a Ravin crossbow dur- camera to her favorite hunting blind to see and
at Christmas that year with a more manageable ing the archery season, and fully appreciates its photograph whatever deer might be in that neck
H&R Ultra-Slug 20 ga., which she would use in reliable accuracy, light weight and very compact of the woods. That is when she spotted the buck
taking her share of Thumb bucks (she likes the limbs (six inch axle to axle width) which make of her dreams, a 13-point non-typical which even
dependable performance of Lightfield slugs). it handy not only in a ladder stand, but also ideal seemed to pose for the picture she took of him.
Marty Osentoski has for some time now put a for shooting out the window of a hunting blind. Connie made her mind up right then and there she
focus on shooting only bucks that he is willing to
She always does plenty of preseason shooting would put her entire focus on hunting this buck.
pay to have made into full shoulder mounts, and practice, which she enjoys doing with Marty, and However, the huge 13-point buck never made
his wife Connie decided to follow his lead. As a is fully confident in performing a humane killing another appearance during the whole month of
result they have quite a display of dandy Thumb shot at a variety of ranges. She also likes how it October, and Connie wondered if he might have
bucks in their home, and they feel blessed that is so easy to cock and even de-cock her Ravin been taken by another hunter, but she continued
to hunt for the 13-point at every opportunity
anyway, and passed on a number of nice bucks.
Early in the evening of November 10 however, a
real dandy 10-point buck Connie had never seen
before showed up near her hunting blind and
she decided it might be best to “take the bird in
hand.”
Connie is always very careful about the shots
she takes on deer, and makes sure the shooting
angle is perfect for a quick and humane kill, and
she used her range-finder to assure an aiming
point with her crossbow, which was a range of 47
yards. When the arrow tipped with a Rage broad-
head struck the 10-point high in the shoulder, the
buck dropped on the spot and was down for the
count. It was later that evening when Connie got
the call from Randy’s Hunting Center in Bad Axe
to let her know that her new “deer rifle” was all
sighted in and ready to be picked up.
During one of the conservation fundraising
events Connie and Marty were assisting, Con-
Connie Osentoski took this photo of the Thumb non-typical 13-point buck on the evening before the
October 1 bow season opener. Despite hard hunting whenever possible, Connie would not see this
buck again for several weeks. The Lady Deerslayer page 18
16 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS
 OPEN
NEW YEARS EVE & DAY
6AM TO 10PM

WNW NEWS JANUARY 2019 17

 Connie Osentoski with her Thumb 10-point buck she shot at 47
yards on November 10, 2018 with a Ravin Crossbow.
The Lady Deerslayer:
from page 16
nie’s ticket was drawn for a Ruger
American Ranch Rifle in the now
very popular .450 Bushmaster
caliber. This was the blue barrel and
composite stock model, and Con-
nie decided to trade it in at Randy’s
Hunting Center for a spruced up
stainless steel version entailing
a 22 inch barrel with a Mag-Na-
Port muzzle brake, all topped with
a Leupold CDS scope and fitted
with a custom laminated wood
“thumb-hole” stock. Connie was
elated she would have her new rifle
ready to go when the firearms deer
season arrived on November 15. A
couple years previously, Connie had
presented Marty with a customized
Remington bolt-action in the .450
Bushmaster caliber for Christmas
and she was both impressed and
envious at the rifle’s performance on
the bucks her husband had bagged
with it.
Connie was once again seated
in her favorite hunting blind on the
evening of November 16 when she
spotted a large buck with several
does 100 yards away, and put her
Nikon binocular to work. The buck
turned out to be the non-typical
13-point she hadn’t seen for several
weeks and needless to say the adren-
aline began to automatically flow.
Connie made a point of settling
18 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS
down and waiting for the huge buck
to offer the perfect shot as does and
some smaller bucks milled around
it, thanks to the crazy atmosphere
of a peaking whitetail rut. When the
buck finally stopped and was stand-
ing fully broadside, Connie settled
the scope’s crosshairs high on the
buck’s shoulder, and the touched the
trigger only when everything looked
and felt just right. The buck dropped
in its tracks at the shot and never
twitched.
It was definitely a surreal mo-
ment for Connie as she approached
the downed deer with visible, very
large antlers protruding up. Once
she ascertained the buck was dead,
Connie tagged and then took time to
admire it before calling Marty (who
was in another hunting blind) on
her cell phone to let him know she
had the big 13-point buck down and
would definitely need assistance in
getting the bruiser out.
Needless to say, this was
a very special moment as the
couple worked together to load
the enormous buck onto the
cargo box of their side by side
ATV. There is no question that
Connie and Marty Osentoski
thoroughly enjoy sharing their an-
nual adventures of hunting
big Thumb bucks.n
Randy’s Hunting Center
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77 Hawkeye 450 Bushmaster
“STAINLESS” Walnut

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Three position safety, controlled round feed,
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Randy’s Hunting Center
721 E. Huron Ave.
Bad Axe, MI 48413
(989) 269-GUNS (4867)
www.randyhuntingcenter.com
WNW NEWS JANUARY 2019 19
 Feel the Vibe
The Western Basin of Lake Erie is perhaps the “proving grounds” for unique lures like the blade bait. Iconic lures such as the Reef Run-
S
ner Cicada were developed because of this spring fishery that attracts anglers from all around the country. Mark Romanack photos
ometimes the best
lures for catching
walleye are baits you
can feel working. In
the winter, early spring
and late fall when
water temperatures are cool to cold,
one lure group stands out
for its ability to attract fish,
trigger strikes and at the
same time let you feel that
it is working correctly.
The time tested and
routinely overlooked “blade
bait” may not be the first
lure a walleye angler picks
up, but these are lures that
By Mark Romanack
should be in
every fisher-
man’s tackle
box. A blade bait is little more than a
stamped piece of metal that roughly
imitates the profile of a minnow. A
chunk of lead is molded onto the
blade, usually near the front of the
lure, and the line tie attachment con-
sists of one or more holes punched
into the top of the blade.
When jigged, the blade gener-
ates a distinctive vibration or buzz
anyone who fishes these lures can
feel. Some blade baits are flat and
others feature a concave or cupped
profile. The shape and also the loca-
tion of the weight varies from bait
to bait, but the vibration or buzz
created is universal.
Some blade baits are rigged fea-
turing a split treble or double hook
that attaches to holes in the bottom
of the blade. Other manufacturers
use split rings to attach traditional
20 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS
treble hooks similar to how crank-
baits are rigged.
Most commonly thought of as
a vertical jigging lure for targeting
deep water fish, blade baits can also
be casted, allowed to sink to bot-
tom and retrieved by scooting them
along bottom. Blade baits
are also useful for ice fish-
ing. The vibration gener-
ated by a blade bait has the
power to lure in fish from a
considerable distance.
Blade baits are a lure
group that are best fished
just the way they come out
of the package. Adding
even a small
chunk of live
bait such as
a minnow head or chunk of night-
crawler quickly destroys the buzz
these lures are famous for produc-
ing. just enough stretch in fluorocarbon
Regardless if they are vertical
jigged in open water, casted or used
through the ice, blade baits produce
a different kind of vibration in the
water than any other lure group.
This unique vibration works won-
ders at triggering strikes from wall-
eye and also a host of other popular
species.
Rods/Reels/Line
Purists who fish blade baits are
quick to point out that these lures
shine best when matched up with
a medium to medium/light action
spinning rod about six and a half to
seven feet in length. A fast action
rod that has a soft tip, but lots of
backbone is ideal for feeling the
vibration and then setting the hook
solidly when a fish strikes.
A 3000 class spinning reel with
a wide spool is ideal for both casting
and vertical jigging applications.
Reels with wide spools help to keep
the line flowing smoothly off the
spool without coiling or excessive
memory. When fishing shallow to
moderate depths either monofila-
ment or fluorocarbon line ranging
from eight to 10 pound test makes
an excellent choice. literally covered up in walleye that
For deeper water applications,
a super braid in the 10 to 15 pound
test range is a better option. When
fishing blade baits on braided line
it’s a good idea to tie in a fluorocar-
bon leader about four to five feet in
length. The fluorocarbon leader not
only provides an invisible connec-
tion between line and lure, there is
to make this set up sensitive, but
very forgiving.
Also, because super braid lines
are soft and have near zero memory,
tying these lines directly to the
blade bait often leads to line tangles.
When jigged aggressively the hooks
on the blade bait tend to catch on
the main line. One of the best ways
to avoid this annoying problem is to
add a slightly heavier fluorocarbon
leader when fishing super braids.
The extra stiffness of the fluoro-
carbon leader nearly eliminates the
problem of the bait tangling with the
main line. The best knot for attach-
ing a fluorocarbon leader to super
braid main lines is the double uni
knot. The best way to learn how to
tie this knot is at a web page known
as www.animatedknots.com.
REEF HOPPING
Blade baits produce fish in riv-
ers, natural lakes, impoundments
and even the Great Lakes. Lake
Erie’s sprawling Western Basin is
perhaps the best known fishery that
has become the “proving ground”
for blade baits. In March, April and
early May the Western Basin is
spawn on countless reefs and shoals
dotted throughout the region.
Walleye spawn throughout the
Western Basin, but some of the
greatest concentrations of fish can
be found around the Bass Islands
region in both Ohio and Ontario wa-
ters. Maumee Bay is another popu-
lar place to find spawning walleye.
Some of the fish that visit Maumee
Bay stage in the Bay before running
the Maumee River and others spawn
on the sprawling gravel flats found
in both Ohio and Michigan waters.
Wind and waves stir up the
water in the Western Basin almost
daily, but the water here in the
spring is routinely stained to dirty
thanks to run off from the Detroit,
Raisin, Maumee, Sandusky and
Portage Rivers.
sIGHT fEEDERS
Walleye are sight feeders that
normally bite best in clear to stained
water conditions. When forced to
fish in dirty water, fishing success
for walleye is typically horrible.
This goes double when using clas-
sic lures such as lead head jigs and
crankbaits.
Ironically, some of the most
noteworthy experiences fishing with
blade baits can take place in water
the color of chocolate milk. The
vibration of a blade bait works at
attracting fish and triggering strikes
even in dirty water. Few other lure
groups produce as well as a blade
bait when the water clarity drops to
near zero.
Because the Western Basin of
Lake Erie is so often plagued by
dirty water in the spring time, local
anglers have widely adopted the
blade bait as the lure of choice for
jigging up walleye.
color matters
Because the water clarity of the
Western Basin is rarely ideal for
walleye jigging in the spring, blade
bait manufacturers have taken to
painting their lures a host of bright
colors that do a good job of standing
out even in heavily stained waters.
When fishing blade baits in clear
to lightly stained waters more natu-
ral finishes such as gold or silver
plated routinely produce best.
ADDING SCENT
The final piece of the puzzle
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when fishing blade baits is to recog-
nize the value of using scent prod-
ucts. In cold and often dirty water
walleye are lethargic. Using natural
scent products such as Pro Cure
Super Gel is one of the best ways
to maximize the number of strikes
these lures produce.
Super Gel is a sticky and easily
applied fishing scent made by grind-
ing up natural forage species like
emerald shiners, gizzard shad, smelt
or alewives that walleye routinely
feed on. The gel sticks nicely to
blade baits producing a scent stream
in the water for about 20-30 minutes
before it needs to be re-applied.
A stabilizing agent is added to
Super Gel to keep the product fresh
for up to five years without refrig-
eration. To get the most from Super
Gel or any scent product anglers are
advised to first clean the lure using
dish soap that contains no perfumes
or bleach. Lemon Joy dish washing
soap cleans lures, but leaves behind
no residue odors.
The blade bait has been responsible for countless scenes like this
Once a lure is cleaned, apply a on Lake Erie’s Western Basin and many other fisheries.
small dab of Super Gel about the to prevent the amino acids in this don’t understand and many
size of a pencil eraser. Because natural scent product from dulling simply don’t have faith in.
Super Gel is greasy it stays put on paint finishes. Compared to jigs, crankbaits
the lure and creates a lasting scent
Summing It Up and harnesses, the blade bait
stream in the water. At the end of
each fishing day the greasy film The blade bait is one of those
gets little media hype, but these
versatile lures have a time and
left behind should be washed off artificial lures that most anglers place in every tackle box.n
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WNW NEWS JANUARY 2019 21
Don’t be fearful of the LIFELESS approach
By Mark Martin
S
everal cold snaps
encompassed the Mid-
west early this year.
Overall, it’s usually
another month before
the ice is at its thick-
est. Besides the solidifying ice, lay-
ers of snow have been covering the
frozen façades for quite some time.
Oh, how cold and dark that water
below must be…
These are the very conditions
fish of all species have been liv-
ing in for quite some time now in
the Ice Belt region; not only are
these finned, cold-blooded creatures
below the solidified surface having a
difficult time moving about because
of stiff muscles from living in bone-
chilling (literally) temperatures, but
they are having a tough time breath-
ing, as well.
The latter is due to the majority
of weeds that were once producing
life-giving oxygen have now died
off in the darkened environment.
Instead, the decaying vegetation is
now producing a noxious gas.
But even though times are tough
for fish that live under ice, they
still need to go about their business
of foraging for food; just a little
slower, that’s all. And if you want
to catch these fish in dead of win-
ter conditions, you must often use
tactics which I like to call a “lifeless
approach.”
I’d Rather Bore
Than Be Bored
Overall, it’s not that fish are
unwilling to move much this time of
year, but more they physically can’t.
Even if forage is nearby, the laws of
living over dying dictate they cannot
expend more energy to eat than they
will get out of whatever it is they are
eating.
And this is why I like to move
around a lot until I find fish under
me rather than wait for them to
swim by.
My Lowrance HOOK-5 Ice
Machine, when coupled with an
SD card filled with detailed maps
from Navionics, is one of my most
important assets on ice. By utiliz-
ing the GPS portion of the product,
I can drive my quad or snowmo-
bile—Clam ice shanty full of gear in
tow—directly to areas where I think
the best bite will occur. And then I
drill holes directly over breaklines
and other structures Navionics map-
ping has shown me is below.
I drill as many holes as I am able
22 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS
Mark Mar tin pulls a huge walleye through a hole in the ice; the fish hit a
minnow suspended off the bottom while using a lifeless tip-up tactic.
the moment I get to the spot. This
way I make all my commotion on
the ice all at once, and allow the en-
vironment of the lake to settle down
before I ever drop a line.
Boring holes is simple when I
use my StrikeMaster Lithium 40v
Auger. It’s light in weight (the
8-inch model weighing in at only 24
pounds, and the 10-incher only 27)
yet has a powerful 40-volt, 5-amp-
hour lithium ion battery, which
allows me to bore more holes than I
need each and every day on the ice.
Once all my holes have been
made, I’ll walk around and place the
transducer of my sonar in each one
and watch the screen. And when I
spy fish on the screen, I’ll deploy
the camera of my MarCum Under-
water Viewing System so I can see
firsthand what species they are.
Once I figure out if the fish are
my target species, I’ll immediately
set up my Clam X300 Pro Thermal
shelter and drill all the other holes
that will be within its walls. And I
usually drill three holes for myself:
one to jig from, one for my sonar’s
transducer and one for one of the
lifeless tactics.
“Lifeless” Tactics
with Tip-Ups
Before getting in my shanty to
fish, I’ll set up a tip-up or two - the
quantity depending on the laws
governed by the state I’m in. And I
make sure to place them where I can
see then through the windows of the
shanty.
Tip-ups are a great tool of the
“lifeless” fishing trade, because of
the “set ’em and forget ’em” way
they are fished. But even though I
call them a lifeless technique, I still
want to use only the liveliest of live
bait when using them. This is why
I keep my minnows in a foam-lined
minnow bucket, and keep them well
oxygenated by using a battery-oper-
ated Rapala Floating Aerator.
The rig I use the majority of the
time when using tip-ups is a tiny
Berkley Ball-Bearing Swivel tied to
the main line, with a two-foot sec-
tion of Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon
as a leader when fishing for panfish
or walleye. To the tip of the leader, I
tie on a Daiichi Bleeding Bait (red)
treble hook - the size depending on
the species. This can range from size
10 to 8.
If pike are my target species, I’ll
beef the fluorocarbon leader up to
40-pound-test to ward off snipped
lines by the toothy fish, and use a
larger Daiichi hook up to size 2,
depending on the dimensions of the
baitfish I’m using.
Not until all minnows have been
nipped just under their dorsal fins
and sent off towards bottom will I
then get inside my shanty, zip up the
doors, open the vents, turn my on
heater and get ready to fish.
“Lifeless” Deadsticks
Next I’ll set a deadstick rig up in
one of my holes within my shanty.
What is deadsticking, you ask?
It’s a “lifeless” tactic much like
tip-up fishing; but instead of pull-
ing the line in hand over hand like
you do when bringing in a fish on
a tip-up, you use a rod and reel, the
former with an extremely soft tip.
If you don’t have a rod with ultra-
limber rod tip, then slip bobbers are
a great way to keep minnows up off
bottom when deadsticking. Either
method allows a fish to grab your
offering and swim off without them
feeling any tension in the line.
Usually, once a line goes taut,
the fish will drop the bait; so when
you get a hit while deadsticking,
it’s best to let the fish swim off with
your bait. When using a bobber, let
it disappear down the hole and un-
der the ice completely before setting
the hook.
While I’m deadsticking, I’m also
jigging a Rapala Jigging Rap, Jig-
ging Shad, Northland Live-Forage
Fish-Fry Minnow Spoon or Macho
Minnow from another hole.
In general, I feel the lure attracts
the attention of passing fish, but
then they go for the lively minnow
hooked up to the “lifeless” deadstick
rig. It’s a winning combination that
works wonders. So much so that if
there are two anglers in the shanty,
only one of them should be jigging
while the other one deadsticks.
There’s no doubt of this ploy that
we’ve discovered at the Ice-Fishing
Vacation/Schools over the years.
Set It, Don’t Forget It
There’s a million-and-one tactics
for catching fish through the ice. But
in the dead of winter it’s sometimes
best to use an approach that offers
the fish the easiest meal.
As soon as you get to your spot,
drill your holes and then settle in.
Deploy a tip-up or two and then
deadstick from one within the
comfort of your shanty. You’ll be
surprised at the results when you try
a lifeless approach.
Mark Martin is a touring wall-
eye tournament angler and instruc-
tor with the Ice-Fishing Vacation/
School. Check out his website at
markmartins.net for more informa-
tion about Mark, the school and
links to all the products listed in this
article.n
WNW NEWS JANUARY 2019 23
 Do some big bucks
opt out of the rut?
W
e normally as-
sume that all
sexually mature
whitetail bucks
compete ag-
gressively to
breed as many does as possible.
But is there any evidence that some
“big” bucks, otherwise physically
and physiologically normal, opt not
to compete for breeding
privileges?
Until reading Valerius
Geist’s account (in the 1994
Stackpole book, Deer) that
some big mule deer bucks
choose not to partake in the
frenzy of the rut, I admit-
tedly had never really pon-
dered the question.
Geist suggests
that such “nonpar- By John Ozoga
ticipants” are gener-
ally very large bucks with huge
antlers. Also, they do not socialize
with other large bucks, therefore
presumably are not part of the struc-
tured male society, and tend to stick
to very heavy cover.
At least one of the bucks Geist
had studied was a middle-age
animal that had behaved normally
until the “old master buck” thor-
oughly trounced him in battle. The
vanquished buck then did not rut for
several years thereafter. Later, how-
ever, after the population declined,
and virtually all large bucks had
died, this particular buck
became the alpha buck,
a status he held for three
consecutive years.
In Geist’s view, “The
opting-out strategy works
when there is a die-off,
as can happen in a severe
winter. When the large
bucks, exhausted
by the rut, may die,
he is more likely
to survive, having
spent the fall feeding and resting.
Not only does opting out preserve
the buck’s fat reserves, which he
may then draw on to survive lean Kenny Darwin photo
times, but it also gives him a head

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24 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS


start for growth the following spring
and summer.
“This in turn increases his
chances for survival and his ultimate
body size and thus his ability to
fight during the next rut. Moreover,
following a population crash and
the concomitant decline in sexual
competition, a huge master buck
may now breed a greater number of
females. That buck thereby increas-
es his genes disproportionately in
the herd.”
Looking back at over 20 years of
data from my Cusino deer enclosure
studies, I know of one whitetail
buck that also used the “opting-out
strategy” successfully. Although I
seldom observed this particular buck
(M-5), he did not associate with the
other bucks and apparently did not
compete for breeding rights. He too
grew to be very large, but held a
low dominance rank when we live-
trapped him annually and placed
him in a holding pen with the rest of
the herd.
Most interestingly, what we
examined M-5’s blood, we found
that he had unusually high plasma
progesterone values (typically
regarded as a female hormone, but
produced in quantity by the adrenal
gland when animals are stressed).
However, when the alpha buck was
poached, M-5 immediately assumed
the top position on the dominance
hierarchy, and his progesterone
values dropped to a normal level. He
held his alpha rank for the next three
years before he was removed from
the population.
Geist observes, however, that the
opting-out strategy doesn’t always
payoff. The largest buck he stud-
ied, for example, also chose not to
participate in the rut, but died before
a population decline and probably
never did breed.
Granted, whitetail bucks
probably only opt out of the
rut when populations are high,
and only when other mature
bucks are present. They probably
aren’t very common either. But
maybe this behavior explains
why, every now and then, some
monster buck just seems to
materialize out of nowhere.
I know, for example, that one
buck fawn I released from the
Cusino square-mile deer enclosure
was not harvested by a hunter until
it was 10.5 years old, despite resid-
ing in the immediate area for all
those years.n
Wayne County resident
charged in elk poaching
A 60-year-old Taylor resident has been charged with the illegal
killing of a bull elk, after an investigation by Michigan Department of
Natural Resources conservation officers and police in Otsego County.
The incident occurred Saturday, south of Vanderbilt.
The name of the man is not being released pending his arraign-
ment in Otsego County District Court. The charge is a misdemeanor
punishable by up to 180 days in jail and a fine of $2,000.
In addition, mandatory penalties include $5,000 restitution for the
animal, more for an antlered elk, and hunting privileges being revoked
for 15 years on a first offense.
At about 9:50 a.m. Saturday, Otsego County dispatchers received a
tip about the elk poaching. The information was forwarded to conser-
vation officers operating the DNR’s Report All Poaching line (800-292-
7800).
A Michigan State Police trooper and an Otsego County Sheriff ’s
deputy were able to locate the carcass of the elk, the crossbow used to
kill the animal and the suspect.
“Without the public’s help, this case might not have been solved,”
said Sgt. Mark DePew of the DNR. “The information we received led
to a positive outcome in this investigation.”
Meanwhile, conservation officers are continuing their investigation
into a November elk poaching case in Montmorency County. In that
incident, two bull elk carcasses were discovered on Saturday, Nov. 17,
off Montmorency County Road 622, near Roth Road.
The location is situated about 7 miles north of Atlanta, just south of
Clear Lake State Park. The animals appeared to have been shot Thurs-
day, Nov. 15, the opening day of the firearm deer hunting season.
Anyone with information regarding the November elk poaching
should call the DNR Gaylord Customer Service Center at 989-732-
3541 or the 24-hour DNR Report All Poaching line at 800-292-7800.
Information can be left anonymously; monetary rewards may be of-
fered for information that leads to the arrest of violators.
WNW NEWS JANUARY 2019 25
 Ruffed grouse approaching
“ENDANGERED” STATUS?
T
o the casually observ-
ing layperson, the
announcement likely
came as a shock, or
at least a surprise.
To professionals and
insiders, however, it must have
seemed more like the final hubcap
rolling from an accident happening
in slow motion: Indiana is consider-
ing adding the ruffed grouse to the
state-level endangered species list.
“In early November 2018, we were
asked to comment on a decision to
list ruffed grouse as an endangered
species in a state where they once
were common,” Benjamin C. Jones,
President and CEO of the Ruffed
Grouse Society and American
Woodcock Society (RGS/
AWS) announced in a press
release soon after Thanks-
giving. “Our team combed
through information, but it
didn’t take long to reach a
conclusion. The state’s en-
dangered listing for ruffed
grouse was warranted.”
Jones had a feeling
any grouse hunter
could relate to: “I By Tom Carney
had a knot in my
stomach. An endangered listing, the
last ditch effort to save a species on
the road to extinction. For our very
own, beloved ruffed grouse? Cer-
tainly not good news and an issue
deserving of undivided attention.”
Some of the information the
Indiana Non-Game Technical Advi-
sory Committee offered to support
its recommendation:
• A steady decline in the ruffed
Clear-cuts become stands of aspen and the lowland cover habitat that is
so impor tant for ruffed grouse, woodcock, forest songbirds, cottontail
rabbits and even white-tailed deer. Tailfeather Communications, LLC photo
26 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS
grouse population to the point where
it is now 0.5 percent of its peak in
1983
• A drop in the presence of
grouse in the state’s 92 counties
from 43 in 1983 – the widest in the
state since 1856 – to only a few
counties in 2018, with extirpation
occurring in at least 25 counties
since 1983
• No male ruffed grouse heard
drumming on 14 roadside routes (15
stops/route) during the 2017 spring
survey, the fifth consecutive year
that no grouse were heard
• Only one drumming grouse
heard in the last seven years
• An annual grouse harvest 98
percent lower than during the peak
years of the early 1980s
• Grouse hunting sea-
sons have been closed in
Indiana since 2015
The cause of this down-
turn in population, accord-
ing to Jones, the Indiana
DNR (IDNR) and anybody
who knows anything:
habitat loss. But the
culprits are not the
usual suspects, com-
mercial and residen-
tial development.
“It’s about maintaining and hav-
ing young forests on the landscape,”
says Al Stewart, Upland Game Bird
Specialist, Michigan DNR. The
state of Indiana isn’t harvesting the
forests on private or public lands for
young forests to thrive.
In contrast, says Stewart, Michi-
gan has long managed its 21 percent
of the state’s 20 million acres of
Indiana is considering adding the ruffed grouse to the state-level endan-
gered species list. MDNR photo
publicly-owned forests to insure losing young forest at an alarming
there will be plenty of young forests rate.”
for current and future generations. Almost as a coda to Stewart’s
In Michigan, grouse benefit from sentiment, Steve Backs, the Grouse/
management based on the national Turkey Biologist at the IDNR, has
ruffed grouse plan, Stewart says. written, “Our failure to maintain
“We achieved no net loss of aspen a diversity of habitat types in our
by 2012 and are working toward an forests is benign neglect for those
increase by 2020 or 2022. wildlife species needing young for-
“It’s done by maintaining or ests to survive.”
expanding the aspen-birch compo- In the Executive Report of its
nent. And balancing the age class “Ruffed Grouse Conservation Plan,”
distribution to maintain the young RGS is even more emphatic on that
forests. We keep a staggered rotation point.
by cutting adjacent parcels every 25 “Although ruffed grouse have
years.” the opportunity to be numerous on
Simply put, Indiana doesn’t do landscapes that support abundant
this. young forest habitat, there is wide-
Says Stewart, “In Indiana spread misunderstanding that old
specifically, tress have gotten older. forests are inherently more impor-
There are limitations on what they tant for wildlife than young forests.
can do as far as harvesting timber in Because land management policy
that state.” can be strongly influenced by public
Indeed, in 2017, the Indiana sentiment, it is imperative that the
chapter of RGS found “54 percent general public gain a better under-
of Indiana’s public forests are al- standing of the value of young forest
ready no-harvest. Also, since 1986, habitats and of the ecological role
100-plus year-old forest has in- of sustainable forest management in
creased 50 percent and exceeds 0-19 forest conservation.”
year-old young forest, which has The 2015 RGS Hunting Forecast
decreased by 70 percent.” Young for Indiana stated in no uncertain
forest makes up five percent of the terms, “Ruffed grouse numbers have
total, “compared to 60-plus years- been pushed to a sliver of what they
old forest making up 50 percent of once were by forest succession away
state acreage.” from young stands to middle and
Stewart implies much of this older stages of development due to a
situation has resulted from pressure lack of active management on both
from groups who don’t understand private and public forests.”
the importance of clear-cutting to And it’s not as if this situation
create new growth forests. “People sprung up overnight.
talk about old growth and the spot- In the November 2001 issue
ted owl, but the reality is we’re of Field and Stream, Philip Bour-
jaily wrote, “Indiana’s forests, declines in states where active forest “Virginia and Kentucky’s flush Backs wrote, “An active timber
like forests throughout the eastern management is not being applied at rates also show patterns of decline, management program under the
United States, are growing old to the the scale needed to support young and there are other states in this situ- guidance of professionally trained
detriment of species like the ruffed forest dependent species. Grouse are ation.” natural resource managers per-
grouse that thrive in early-succes- not the only species declining due Shaw avers that simply adding petuates a renewable resource while
sional forests.” to poor forest management. Young ruffed grouse to the Indiana state en- maintaining a diversity of habitats
Backs himself spelled things out forest-dependent songbirds have dangered species list won’t do much for wildlife.”
pretty clearly in “The Other Silent also been declining. for its recovery. He wrote that nearly 10 years
Spring,” a 2009 article for RGS “Ohio is also seeing historic “We are concerned that the lack ago. And he left us with questions
Magazine. This is the earliest men- lows in their flush rates due to the of infrastructure to harvest timber at whose answers now, with ruffed
tion I could locate where he used same issues that Indiana faces, I the rate and scale that is needed to grouse on the brink of extirpation in
the “canary in the coal mine” anal- believe they are at a precipice where influence population changes may Indiana, are all too apparent.
ogy for ruffed grouse and healthy they can turn the exponential decline make the recovery of the ruffed “Are we listening? Do we hear
forests. they are seeing around. grouse population difficult.” the emptiness? Will we listen?”n
Backs wrote, “Some of the eas-
ily identifiable avian icons of young
forest habitats are ruffed grouse,
American woodcock, and whip-
poor-wills. …
“Unfortunately, populations
of (those species) along with many
other young forest birds like yellow-
breasted chats, towhees and golden
winged warblers have dramati-
cally declined as the majority of
our forests reach maturity. In the
public’s zeal to protect natural areas,
there is a public misconception of
not ‘seeing the forest for the trees.’
Vegetative disturbance is a means of
revitalizing habitat diversity within
a very dynamic forest ecosystem
that needs young trees just as much
as old trees.”
Stewart concurs. “If you don’t
harvest the aspen it converts to
another type, typically maple,” and
the forest transforms into early suc-
cessional and than climax forest.
“Aspen have come in over time
through disturbances.” Think of
the various degrees of disturbances
caused by things like glaciers, fires,
and clear-cutting.
The 2017 Wildlife Science
Report from the IDNR concluded, Shooting
“Without natural or anthropogenic Range Gift
(human-caused) disturbances, oak-
hickory forests that produce hard
Certificates
and soft mast and invertebrate make Great
foods important to wildlife will be
replaced by shade-tolerant species Christmas
such as sugar maple. This change in Gifts!
forest type will dramatically influ-
ence populations of ruffed grouse
and other wildlife species of conser-
vation concern.”
Backs continued, The grouse,
woodcock and whip-poor-wills “and
their distinctive calls are ‘coal mine
canaries’ telling us by their ab-
sence that young forest habitats are
quickly disappearing.”
Stewart echoes the concern,
“The sky is falling for these species
in young forest communities. How
do we maintain and preserve these
young forest habitats?”
Heather Shaw, RGS Wildlife
Biologist for its Eastern Great Lakes
Region (Michigan, Indiana, Ohio)
says Indiana is not unique in its situ-
ation with ruffed grouse, and while
the ruffed grouse populations na-
tionwide are “robust, we are seeing
WNW NEWS JANUARY 2019 27
 ICING ‘EYES
A
nticipation would be a
great word to describe
what every ice fisher-
man is feeling this
time of year! Chances
are the walleyes still
have their fall feed bag on, which
means they will be fairly aggressive.
This can make for a really fun bite
at first and last light, all the way up
to at least an hour after dark. In tan-
nic water it can make for a great bite
all day long!
Of course, in order to hook into
one of these fish, you first have to
find them. So, when it comes to lo-
cation, we like to look for basin ar-
eas that are from 15 to 30-feet deep.
The best place to target walleyes is
close to drop-offs and within a few
hundred feet of the base of them. As
winter rolls on, they will become
harder to catch since they will begin
to roam the basin, making it a little
more difficult to pinpoint where
they are. However, during early ice
they will still be found closer to
drop-offs.
It is important to note that this
isn’t the only early season pattern,
as shallow weeds and weed edges
can produce in some lakes, but the
shallow basin areas can usually hold
good populations of fish. The best
spots to locate them are off points,
inside cups and areas between drop-
offs that are close together, such as
in between two sunken islands that
are close together.
Now that you know where to
find the fish, it is time to catch them.
This means it is Hot Box time.
When we say Hot Box, we are refer-
ring to the JT Outdoors Hot Box,
which is a heated aluminum box
While it may be hard to avoid the itch to get out on the ice, the authors can’t stress enough the impor-
tance of waiting until the ice is safe enough to do so! Then go prepared.
28 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS
The best place to
target walleyes is
close to drop-offs.
Next Bite...By Gary Parsons & Keith Kavajecz
keeps holes open up to 20 degrees
below zero!
We like to use it with a dead
stick (snare rod), although at this
time of year some prefer the more
conventional tip up flag option. The
36” Snare Rod, also from JT Out-
doors, has an integral Nitinol (an
alloy blend of nickel and titanium)
spring bobber that is virtually inde-
structible and kink resistant. It also
contains a highly visible indicator
bead at the end to let you know
when you have a strike. The rod
itself is a high-grade fiberglass with
a super slow action. This provides a
parabolic action, which allows the
rod to load ultra-subtly.
Once the fish grabs the bait,
the spring bobber and rod loads the
fish. When the fish begin to feel this
tension, they react by trying to swim
away, which in turn puts further
load on the rod and the fish end up
setting the hook themselves.
The length and long bend of the
rod give plenty of time for anglers
to get to the hole and land the fish.
Not only can no other method or
set-up match the sensitivity of this
system, but it gives anglers the abil-
ity to spread out lines as they would
tip-ups, yet be able to fight the fish
with a rod instead of pulling it up
hand over hand.
While you can also jig, it is
important to remain mobile. It is
imperative to spread lines from the
base of the drop-off and into the ba-
sin to get bites. We like to give our
Hot Boxes about 45 minutes in one
location before moving. We move
more while jigging, as we rely on
our Lowrance Ti2 to mark fish to be
sure we’re on them.
When it comes to bait; suckers,
shiners or larger fatheads work well
with the Hot Boxes. Set the depth of
the bait anywhere from six inches
to three feet off bottom, depending
on the water clarity. If the fish will
come up for the bait, you’ll get more
aggressive bites and catch more
fish, so always experiment with
your set-ups until the fish tell you
what they want. Jig set-ups can be
spoons, Moonshine Shiver Minnows
and plain jigs with minnows. We use
many of the Clam, Moonshine and
Sidewinder spoons, and most of the
time we have a minnow head on the
spoon too.
While it may be hard to avoid
the itch to get out on the ice, we
can’t stress enough the importance
of waiting until the ice is safe
enough to do so! Always take along
and wear a float suit such as the
IceArmor by Clam Rise and Ascent
suits. It is also important to wear ice
picks this time of year so if you do
break through you have the means
to crawl out.
Be sure you are constantly using
a spud to check the depth of the
ice as you make your way out. If
it becomes unsafe turn around and
come back another day. If there is
enough ice to take a four-wheeler
or sled out, be sure to pack a Nebu-
lus Emergency Flotation Device.
This product could save your life if
you break through the ice on your
machine.
While early ice is very produc-
tive and a great way to get your
Next Bite, it can also be treacherous.
So, have fun, but always remember
to be careful!n
 Adopt-a-Game-Area program kicks off at Maple River
O
n Monday, Dec. 3,
representatives of
the Michigan De-
partment of Natural
Resources, Pheas-
ants Forever and
many other organizations gathered
at Maple River State Game Area
(which stretches through Clinton,
Gratiot and Ionia counties) to kick
off the new Adopt-A-Game-Area
program and to dedicate the new
kiosk created to recognize sponsors
of the game area.
“We are excited to initiate this
new program that enables a unique
habitat restoration partnership
between Pheasants Forever, Michi-
gan DNR, the Hal & Jean Glassen
Memorial Foundation, and numer-
ous individuals, businesses, clubs,
foundations and conservation orga-
nizations,” said Bill Vander Zouwen,
Michigan Region representative for
Pheasants Forever. “Together, we
can make a big difference for grass-
land wildlife and the people who
enjoy them.”
The Adopt-a-Game-Area pro-
gram allows individuals and organi-
zations to sponsor grassland habitat
projects on state lands that they use
and appreciate.
“Support of the Adopt-a-Game-
Area program provides valuable
Come stay at
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lakefront paradise just 20 minutes
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a 4,400 sq ft luxurious home with all
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Hunters, snowmobilers, ice-
fisherman and winter lovers come
enjoy this majestic space on the
shores of Hubbard Lake, an 8,850
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For more information
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DNR staff and par tners gather around the newly installed Adopt-a-Game-Area kiosk at Maple River State Game Area.
habitat for nesting, brood-rearing
and foraging, and for the winter – all
for a wide range of wildlife, includ-
ing deer, turkeys, pheasants, ducks,
cottontail rabbits, songbirds and
pollinators,” said DNR upland game
bird specialist Al Stewart.
Throughout Michigan, grasslands
are being converted to agriculture
and development and are now one of
the rarest habitat types in the world.
In addition to providing habitat
and food resources for wildlife,
grasslands help improve water and
air quality and provide habitat for
pollinators like monarch butterflies
and bees, which help pollinate crops.
Grasslands also offer important
recreation opportunities for hunters,
wildlife viewers, photographers and
many others.
At the reception, Adopt-a-Game-
Area program sponsors were recog-
nized for their contributions to the
Maple River State Game Area:
• Gold Sponsors (over $25,000):
Michigan DNR Wildlife Habitat
Grant Program, Ducks Unlimited,
Inc., North American Wetland Con-
servation Council, Upper Mississippi
River & Great Lakes Joint Venture
• Silver Sponsors (over $5,000):
Enbridge Corporation, Clinton
County Pheasants Forever, Ingham
County Pheasants Forever, Gratiot
County Conservation District, Maple
River Wildlife Association
• Bronze Sponsors (over $500):
The Hal & Jean Glassen Memorial
Foundation, Clinton County Conser-
vation District
“We appreciate knowing that the
money that we help to contribute will
be used locally for habitat projects at
a game area that we are invested in,”
said Maple River Wildlife Associa-
tion member Nick Green. “Conser-
vation at the community level is of
vital importance.”
Sponsors are recognized on a
kiosk at the game area, on the Pheas-
ants Forever website and Facebook
page, on the DNR website, in an
annual press release and in additional
publicity materials.
Want to become a sponsor? Earn
gold, silver or bronze sponsorship
levels with your tax-deductible dona-
tion. Contact Ben Beaman at bbea-
man@pheasantsforever.org to make
a donation in support of Michigan
State Game Areas today. More than
20 properties are available to adopt.
Watch for a coming option on the
Michigan Pheasants Forever website
to donate and be recognized on a
state game area kiosk. and the public lands that you support
Learn more about the program at michigan.gov/pheasant.n
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WNW NEWS JANUARY 2019 29

Countdown Cranks
Surprising how walleye anglers rarely
get the most from these lures...
N
ine out of 10 crank-
baits float at rest
and dive when re-
trieved. It’s that one
crankbait out of 10
that does things a
little differently that walleye fisher-
men have unfortunately ignored.
Sinking or what are com-
monly called countdown
lures bring new options to
the crankbait party.
Crankbaits that sink
aren’t rare, but among wall-
eye fishermen these lures
are rarely used to their
potential. It might come
as a surprise to Woods-N-
By Mark Romanack
Water News
readers that
sinking style
body baits have a deep tradition in
walleye fishing and targeting trophy
fish!
A couple of the past Ohio wall-
eye state records were set with a
sinking crankbait, the legendary Bill
Lewis Rat-L-Trap. This bait was
designed for bass fishing, but it also
triggers savage walleye strikes.
30 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS
Understanding
Floating Crankbaits
Most crankbaits float at rest and
dive when retrieved. Water resis-
tance pushing against the lip causes
the lure to dive. Meanwhile, the
buoyancy of the lure and friction
from the line passing through the
water is working to restrict
diving depth.
The fundamental design
of a floating plug allows
these lures to be fished most
effectively with a constant
retrieve and over the top
of rocks, emerging weeds
or other fish holding cover.
Amazingly,
even floating
crankbaits with
big diving lips only reach moderate
depths on a cast.
A floating crankbait resists div-
ing and requires most of the total
casting distance to overcome the
forces of buoyancy and friction. On
a typical cast, a buoyant bait doesn’t
reach maximum depth until the lure
is reaching the end of the retrieve.
Floating crankbaits fish the targeted
and dive when retrieved. The Salmo
Hornet is available in both a floating
and sinking version making it a use-
ful for bait among walleye anglers
who are interested in getting their
lures deeper on a typical cast.
depth zone less than 25% of the time
they are in the water, making them
inefficient at best.
Sinking Crankbaits
A sinking style crankbait has a
completely different dynamic. Be-
cause the lure can be counted down
to specific depths before the retrieve
is started, a sinking or countdown
lure can effectively be presented at a
desired depth along the entire cast.
Most countdown style crankbaits
sink at a rate of approximately one
foot per second, should it be neces-
sary to target fish suspended in the
water column. However, most sinking
crankbaits function best when fished
in contact with the bottom or cover.
Another advantage of using
sinking crankbaits is they can be
used to effectively fish much deeper
water than is practical with a float-
ing style lure. Sinking lures can
also be fished at ultra-slow speeds
to increase depth or buzzed at high
speeds to enhance lure action and
rattling noises. Furthermore, sink-
ing crankbaits can be fished using
pauses, twitches and jerks that dra-
matically increase strike responses.
Most lipped crankbaits float at rest
Crankbait Styles
Sinking crankbaits have tradi-
tionally been offered in two com-
mon styles including minnow and
lipless versions. In the minnow
category a number of popular brands
and sizes are available including the
Rapala Countdown, Salmo Sinking
and Yo-Zuri Emperor, Sinking Crys-
tal and SW Pins Minnows.
In the lipless crankbait category
the list of popular lures includes the
Rapala Rattlin’ Rap, Salmo Zip-
per, Cotton Cordell Super Spot, Bill
Lewis Rat-L-Trap, XCalibur XR50
and the Sebile Flats Shad. All of
these lures feature a tight action and
high frequency rattle. Because of
the lipless design and heavy weight
that yields long casts, these lures
are great options for fishing on flats
with emerging weeds or for making
long casts from points, piers and
other shore fishing locations.
A third and little known sinking
style crankbait is offered by Salmo,
a Poland based manufacturer. Salmo
offers several of their most popular
diving lip style crankbaits in both
floating and sinking versions. The
popular Hornet is produced in
multiple sizes and both floating
and sinking versions. Combining a
diving lip with a sinking crankbait
allows these lures to achieve greater
depths than possible with floating/
diving plugs or traditional count-
down style lures.
This unique category of crank-
baits is in a class by itself. Using
this unique lure group opens up a
number of crankbait fishing options.
Practical Fishing
Applications
Early in the season, casting out
a rock strewn shoreline, flats littered
with boulders or the mouth of a
feeder creek represent some likely
scenarios where using a countdown
bait makes sense. Counting down a
sinking minnow like a Rapala CD11
or Yo-Zuri Sinking Crystal Minnow
opens up new retrieve options com-
pared to the steady pull of a floating
crankbait. Make a long cast and wait
for the bait to hit bottom. Start the
retrieve by skittering the bait across
structure in a stop and go retrieve.
Pause the retrieve occasionally and
impart additional action by popping
the rod tip not unlike the way a jig is
worked along structure.
The huge advantage here is a
countdown bait can be worked faster
than a jig. The crankbait is also a
larger target, more easily spotted
in murky water and the increased
water displacement helps attract
active fish.
Baits that both sink and dive like
the No.6 Salmo Hornet Sinking are
useful at reaching less active wall-
eye that may be holding in deeper
water. Casting along the tapering
contour of a point that juts into deep
water is a good example of how a
sinking/diving crankbait can be used
to stay in contact with bottom.
Points can be effectively fished
from shore casting out over deep
water. Allow the bait to sink to
bottom, and then retrieve it back
to shallow water. As the lure is felt
contacting bottom, raise the rod tip
to force the lure to rise in the water
column and skim the bottom. A slow
steady retrieve often works best,
but the retrieve can also easily be
modified to include some pauses
and twitches.
This same point scenario can
also be fished by positioning a boat
in deep water and pitching a sink-
ing/diving crank up shallow. Start
the retrieve with the rod tip high and
lower the rod as the bait pulls into
Tools of
the Trade
A few tools of the trade are
handy for getting the most from
casting countdown style crank-
baits. Long casts are essential to
success. To achieve the longest
possible casts, longer than
normal rods are recommended.
An eight to nine foot steelhead
style spinning rod is ideal for
achieving maximum casting
distance.
Fishing lines also matter.
Thin lines help in achieving
long casts. For anglers who
favor monofilament, six or eight
pound test is ideal. Anglers who
want even more performance
should consider fused or super
braid lines in the 8-10 pound
test range. Super lines represent
the ultimate in long cast tech-
nology and help to detect even
the most subtle strikes.
Crankbaits routinely produce monster walleye like this one caught by Jake Romanack of Fishing 411 TV.
Most anglers use floating/diving crankbaits, but countdown or sinking crankbaits fill an impor tant niche
when it comes to catching Great Lakes walleye.
deeper water. Lowering the rod tip
helps keep the bait in contact with
bottom.
Throughout the Great Lakes,
pitching lipless crankbaits like the
Rattlin’ Rapala or Bill Lewis Rat-L-
Trap parallel to the rocky edges of
piers, sea walls and other shoreline
protection is a popular way to target
walleye. Walleye often herd shad
and other baitfish up against these
man-made structures. Lipless baits
are heavy compared to other crank-
baits, making them ideal for mak-
ing long casts. Allowing the bait to
sink to bottom, followed by a steady
retrieve, brings out the best in these
rattling baits. If the bait rebounds off
rocks, so much the better.
Piers are generally targeted at
night, but countdown lures can be
used day or night to catch more
walleye.
43E. Burdick St.,Oxford
Summing It Up
The idea of using sinking crank- 1 Block East of M-24
baits isn’t completely foreign, but
www.burdickstreet.com
it is surprising how walleye anglers
rarely get the most from these lures. 43E. Burdick St.,Oxford
248.969.2800
The next time the idea of fishing a
crankbait comes to mind, ask your- 43E. Burdick
1 Block EastSt.,Oxford
of M-24
self if a sinking model wouldn’t be a
better option. 1 Block East of M-24
www.burdickstreet.com
Product Contacts
www.rapala.com. www.salmo-
fishing.com. www.sebileusa.com.
www.burdickstreet.com
248.969.2800
www.cottoncordelllures.com. www.
yo-zuri.com. www.berkley-fishing. 248.969.2800
com.n
WNW NEWS JANUARY 2019 31
 Drought/Precipitation
and lake water levels
M
ichigan inland lakes
have at least one of
three sources of wa-
ter to maintain their
water levels. The
sources are tributary inlets, ground
water table, and springs. Some lakes
have more than one of those in ad-
dition to runoff from their limited
watersheds around the lake.
Lake property owners and
lake users often have a
misunderstanding of what
the major sources of “their”
lake’s water are.
During my 35-year fish-
eries management biologist
career I often heard how
the lake in question
was a spring fed lake.
The bottom line is if
By Bill Ziegler
a lake has significant
water input from either springs or
inlets it will have an outlet. Ad-
ditionally many lakes with major
spring water input will have either
poor ice or open water during ice
conditions if they are located in
shallower water areas.
Many inland lakes in Michigan
are primarily water table lakes. In
other words, their lake levels are
very subject to the underground
water table of their immediate lake
watershed. The water table lakes
are typically most prone to gradual
water level changes over extended
drought or high precipitation periods
for years. Some of these water level
changes can amount to a significant
change of several feet of depth. In
the most recent drought that oc-
curred between about 2005 to 2012
(southwest UP) many of our water
table lakes levels dropped dramati-
cally by several feet of water.
One local water table lake ex-
ample, Runkle Lake in Crystal Falls,
can drop about five feet in depth
during extended drought periods.
This same lake can regain all that
depth and sometimes flood its banks
during extended high precipitation
years. This lake has dropped to a
low level and recovered to a high
level about three times during the 30
years I have been observing it. One
32 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS
politically connected person used to
call the DNR and eventually their
State Senator when the water level
was low or high. When the lake
was low, they wanted the DNR to
provide water to increase the water
level and when high they wanted the
DNR to remove water to bring the
lake level back to “normal.” Al-
though those requests could
not be practically honored,
under political pressure
DNR officials would pe-
riodically have to explain
why those measures could
not be carried out for that
lake’s water level.
Another example of
changing water level
is in Iron County’s
Indian Lake. Dur-
ing the same drought
mentioned above the water level of
this 196-acre lake dropped several
feet. Alarmed lake frontage owners
eventually voted a Lake Assessment
District to tax themselves to pay for
water pumping into to the lake to
bring the water level back up. An
old township nearby water well,
that some in that group had for-
merly blamed for drawing the lake
level down, was used to eventually
pump water back into the lake at
the lake property owners’ expense.
The pumping took a long time to
develop and during that time period
the long drought ended. Between the
natural ground water recharge and
water pumping the lakes water level
completely recovered. It is hard to
say how much affect the pumping
had since the lake level was starting
to come back up before the pumping
process could have had much affect.
Interestingly enough Chicagon
Lake that is only a short distance
(0.2 mile) from Indian Lake re-
mained at full water level during
this drought and period of years that
Indian Lake’s water level was down.
Chicagon Lake has a small inlet and
likely springs that help maintain its
water level along with a natural out-
let of Chicagon Creek that is larger
than the inlet.
Silver Lake in adjacent Dickin-
Golden Lake, a trout lake in the
Ottawa National Forest in west Iron
Co., water level also dropped dur-
ing the last drought. Golden Lake’s
water level has star ted to come
back. Author photos
states water rights are very specifi-
cally laid out and regulated by state
authorities. In the Great Lake states
where we are relatively water rich,
the DNR does not regulate those
water withdrawals. It becomes a
civil court matter if concerned land
owners can demonstrate a signifi-
cant environmental impact of “ex-
cessive” water withdrawal.
Evaporation can also play a lim-
ited role in lake water levels.
One thing you learn quickly as
a DNR biologist or conservation
officer is there can often be major
son County is also prone to rela- battles by lake owners over lake
tively drastic water level changes levels. In lakes with an outlet this is
during drought conditions. As the often the case. In a few cases water
most recent Central UP drought control structures which are expen-
occurred, the lake level dropped so sive to build and maintain have been
low in Silver Lake that the DNR constructed. In those cases, if done
boat access site could not be used to legally, a legal lake level has been
launch a boat. The water was so low established through township and/
a boater would have had to cross or county officials. In many cases
over a hundred yards of former in Northern Michigan there is not a
silty lake bottom to reach the water. formal water control structure, rath-
Since the drought ended and annual er a manmade or a beaver dam. In
precipitation increased the water some cases, lake owners have sur-
level at Silver Lake has completely reptitiously maintained beaver dams
recovered. The boat landing is now at the lake outlet that were aban-
fully functional with the water level doned by the beaver. Often there are
fairly high on the ramp. One narrow a significant number of lake owners
point on land that stuck out into the who want the water level relatively
lake is now partially underwater. high, while all the lake owners who
Other factors can affect water
levels in smaller inland lakes with
bought low lying lots want the water
level lower. This is a no-win situa-
limited water sources. Agricultural tion where one group or another will
water withdrawal is one example. always be unhappy. In these cases,
Water pumped from the lake for it is best to leave the outlet naturally
large scale irrigation can have an flowing or take the necessary legal
effect on water levels. Water can be steps and costs to establish a legal
legally taken by riparian (lake shore) lake level.
land owners in Michigan. There One thing is most times when a
has been considerable concern by lake fluctuates by a few feet it is part
other land owners in the past when, of the natural cycle. If lake level
for example, potato farmers were goes down, in any normal situa-
obtaining their irrigation water out tion it will eventually recover on its
of nearby lakes. In the Western own.n
This photo was taken during the summer of 2012 of Silver Lake
in Dickinson County showing the water level was down several feet
after years of drought that ran from about 2005 to 2012. The DNR
boat landing that was unusable due to the low water where the
actual water is a long distance off the current boat landing.
WNW NEWS JANUARY 2019 33
 Father/Son
Take P&Y
BUCKS!
C
alhoun County bow hunter, Mike
Seedorff, has been dreaming all of
his hunting life about shooting a
Pope & Young caliber buck. Mike
is passionate about deer hunting
and is a member of Michigan Bow
Hunters Association, the National Rifle Associa-
tion as well as an official Measurer for both Com-
memorative Bucks of Michigan (CBM) and Pope
and Young (P&Y).
On November 4, 2002, he had an opportunity
to shoot what he believes was a 140-class buck
but missed his shot. This hunt has haunted the
deer hunter and he naturally remembered this
event when he went out for a morning hunt on
November 4, 2018.
Shortly after first light, Mike heard deer
moving on the crisp leaves behind his treestand.
When Mike glanced over his shoulder, he saw a Son, Luke Seedorff’s 10-pt. (left) gross scored 131 ½ and netted at 126 inches and dad
hot doe being pushed by what he believes to be a Mike Seedorff’s (right) tall-thick 10-pt. would carry a gross score of 145 6/8 points and
two-and-a-half-year-old 8-point. The buck stood net at 140 inches.
broadside in a shooting lane just thirty yards
away but at this stage in Mike’s hunting career point the bow hunter decided to exit the woods A short time later, Seedorff heard a noise coming
he had no intention of shooting the buck. He was and give the buck some time. from the west and saw the biggest buck that he
waiting for one that was bigger; in fact, a legiti- Later in the evening, Mike took up the trail has ever seen while hunting running towards him,
mate Pope and Younger. but eventually lost blood. Feeling sick to his outright sprinting. The buck slowed down when
A half-hour later Seedorff’s heart’s desire stomach, he decided to once again back out and he smelled the doe estrus that Luke had placed
came walking down the same exact trail look for the trophy buck the following in front of his stand and the buck walked directly
as the two other deer had earlier tra- morning. After a very long and emotion- to the scented rag just twenty-two yards from
versed. Mike says, “I didn’t know what al roller coaster ride Seedorff found his the awaiting bow hunter. Luke took his shot and
he was but I instantly knew that he was buck lying on top of a hill. (Who says watched his arrow pass cleanly through the vitals.
a shooter. I just saw a big mass of white injured bucks won’t go up hill?) According to the twenty-seven-year-old hunter,
antler coming my way!” Mike tagged what turned out to be a “The buck mule kicked, ran about twenty yards,
When the big buck went behind a tall, thick-antlered 10-point that would stopped and stood in place for over a minute.
tree, Mike stood and turned to his left carry a gross score of 145 6/8 points and This concerned me, and I started to doubt my
anticipating that the beast would con- net at 140 inches. Pope and Young has a shot. Fortunately for me though, the buck then
tinue on the same path as the two other minimum entry score of 125 inches for tipped over and was down for the count.”
deer. He did, and Seedorff
drew his bow as soon as the By Jerry Lambert typical bucks so Seedorff’s
buck has made the book with
Luke called his father and the father son duo
walked up to the fallen trophy. Luke’s buck was
buck maneuvered through a room to spare! also a 10-pointer and scored 131 ½ gross inches
briar patch. This buck then stopped at the same One week later on Sunday, November 11, and netted 126 inches making the P&Y club by
thirty yard opening that the other buck stopped Mike’s son, Luke, went hunting in the same one inch. Mike and Luke, father and son, both
in and Mike let the arrow fly. The hit was a little Calhoun County woodlot that his father had the shot trophy bucks from the same family owned
farther back than what the archer had wanted so week prior. Luke arrived at his stand at 2:45 p.m. woodlot, in the same year that officially made
he was naturally concerned about his shot. At this and saw a doe less than an hour later at 3:25 p.m. Pope & Young. How cool is that?n

34 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS

 Jacob’s
Second
Trophy
Buck
By Mark Sak
J
ust as Jacob Clark’s circle of friends
were starting to calm down from his
first trophy of the 2018 deer season in
Michigan, the guy goes and gets them
all stirred up again. Less than one
month after taking a spectacular 167-
inch buck on the family lease in Lenawee County,
Jacob harvested a 6.5-year-old 140-class buck on
the same property. Jacob is tagged out and folks
are buzzing.
The 24-year-old climbed into a different stand
on the same property just before 2 p.m. on No-
vember 16 only a few hundred yards from where
he harvested his 167-inch archery kill back on
October 20 of this year. When one has that notch
in the deer belt already, most hunters may try to
catch up on some chores or finish up some yard
work. Jacob still has a pile of leaves in his yard
as his passion is deer hunting. He changed stands
to get a favorable wind and had a stand set up on
a food plot. Jacob stated he thought the primary
rut was done so he set up here because he knew
the does will filter in to the food plot and bucks
would still be close and may do some scent-
checking on them.
At 3 p.m. something unexpected happened.
The big 140-class eight-pointer quartered down-
wind towards Jacob, possibly after being bumped
softly by other hunters going out for the evening
hunt. We hear quite often how bucks throw cau-
tion to the wind during the rut and it was evident
that for whatever reason, walking downwind
wasn’t the best move this giant could make. This
buck didn’t reach 6.5 years old by making mis-
takes like this. Jacob took the trophy 8-point at 20
yards with his .450 Bushmaster. The buck only
ran 25 yards.
Think about this season for a second. Tak-
ing over 300 inches of antler in two bucks in
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Jacob Clark with his second trophy buck (above) of
the 2018 season, a 140 class buck. (Right) Jacob’s
first trophy buck of the season, a 167-inch. Both
bucks taken bowhunting Lenawee Co.
Michigan is quite an accomplishment. Just
having-two bucks that size running on the same
farm is amazing. To top it off Jacob’s father, John
Clark, took a nice 10-pointer during bow season.
They are certainly hunting on hallowed ground. I
asked him what he thought made this property so
special. Obviously as mentioned in the previous
article, they don’t shoot small bucks. The area
has always produced big racks so antler growing
conditions are a perfect blend of the right miner-
als, protein, carbs and cover. There is an area on
this property that provides thick cover they never
intrude upon. The property has a good number
of oaks that provide acorns early, and they leave
some crops up so there is a food source to get
them through the bitterly cold months. The deer acres, there were at least eight hunters and that
never have to leave the property. There is always number could easily double on some days. I
some hunting pressure but when they were able know of several spikes, fork horns and 6-pointers
to lock up a larger chunk of land like 600-800 harvested. Quite a different equation and impos-
acres there are just many less intrusions by other sible to hold giant bucks year after year.
hunters. At some point Jacob is going to have to get
When we look at most of the ground through- busy. He has some remodeling in his house to get
out our state that we hunt upon, many hunters done as he gets ready to put these two amazing
might have 40 or 80 acres to hunt if they are bucks on his wall. Last I had heard from Jacob,
lucky. Michigan averages seven bowhunters per he and his dad had limited out on late season
square mile. That certainly lessons the odds of pheasants on the same property. Doesn’t sound
shooting a trophy buck especially when several like those leaves are going to get raked any time
may be shooting 1.5-year-old deer. In my own soon. Congrats to Jacob and his family on a
section this year, which has approximately 640 whitetail dream season.n
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WNW NEWS JANUARY 2019 35
 Land management produces
trophy buck for young hunter
M
att and Lori Jones
bought a house in
the country with
forty-eight acres so
that they could live
their dream, which
was to be able to have hunt-
ing opportunities for their
family in their very own
backyard. The Lenawee
County acreage had plenty
of cover and plenty of po-
tential. Unfortunately, when
winter came the deer all
but left their property and
sought out food sources.
The Jones
family quickly By Jerry Lambert
remedied this
situation by planting a two-acre
food plot and establishing mineral
licks. In addition, they hinge-cut
trees and established a sanctuary;
a section of woods that they did
not enter so that the deer could live
undisturbed. By the following year,
they had successfully accomplished
their mission. They had deer living
on their own little whitetail paradise
throughout the year.
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36 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS
Matt says, “The property has
turned into a labor of love. My wife
works from home and has an office
that overlooks the backyard. She
loves to see deer while she works.
I have three sons, Jacob, Joe and
Gabe. My middle-son, Joe
really appreciates working
the land and established the
mineral licks and set up a
lot of the stands. I’m really
disappointed that starting
next year the Michigan
DNR won’t allow us to
have mineral licks any-
more. I feel that they are
very beneficial to
the health of the
deer. One buck in
particular, showed up on a lot of our
trail camera photos using the min-
eral licks. We were really hopeful to
get a crack at him during the season
and had great expectations come
opening day of the firearm season.
We have had pictures of this buck
for the last three years and found
one of his shed antlers last year. Joe
passed him up when he was a two-
year-old but now he was four and
Gabe Jones, 13 took this monster 12-pt. on opening day of gun season
scoring 166 5/8. The deer had a estimated 7-9” inches of broken tines
that were missing that would have pushed the deer over 170.
probably in his prime.” Gabe’s trophy whitetail has
Matt sat with his wife Lori twelve points on a crown filled with
and Matt’s brother, Frank, sat with character. He’s tall, thick and has
thirteen-year-old Gabe. They didn’t long tines. The gross green score
have to wait long before the target is 166 5/8 and the net score is 162
buck was seen on the property. Boone and Crockett points. Gabe
Gabe saw the buck chasing a doe
around the woods and prepared for a
shot the four-year-old buck with a
gun that his Uncle Frank let him
shot. Several times he got the buck
in his sites and was about to pull
use, a Ruger 44 rifle.
This is the third year in a row
the trigger when the rutting buck
would move and chase after the doe.
that Gabe has tagged a buck off
of the family property. His prior
Finally, the doe left the area and the two were both 8-points. Matt has
buck was acting like he was going already let his young son know that
to do the same. Gabe couldn’t get a he will now have to relinquish his
shot so Frank elected to shoot. blind to his mother for next year’s
Frank took a shot but missed. hunt.
The buck acted as if he didn’t know Matt says, “Improving the
where the shot had come from and habitat has made a huge difference.
took a couple of steps and stood There is a lot of hunting pressure
motionless seventy-yards away in around us but I believe that we have
a shooting lane. At this point, Gabe successfully created a place where
was able to get a good site-picture mature bucks will live year-round
and took a shot. His shot dropped because of the ample cover and
the big-antlered buck in his tracks. food.”n
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14-year-old bags B&C bear
By Richard P. Smith

F
ourteen-year-old Alli-
son Kellner bagged her
first bear in Menominee
County on September
21, 2018 while hunting
with her father, Keith
from Daggett and its skull was large
enough to qualify for national big
game records maintained by the
Boone and Crockett Club. Keith
said the bruin had a dressed weight
of 460 pounds and an estimated live
weight of 530 to 550 pounds.
“That bear was in my yard this
spring,” Keith said, “so I knew he
was around. After I started putting
bait out for Allison’s hunt, I had him
on camera at the bait, too. She had
the second hunt that started Septem-
ber 15.”
Keith said Allison applied for
a bear license in the Carney Bear
Management Unit for four years be-
fore she was successful in the draw-
ing. Once Allison’s hunt started, she
sat in a ground blind with her father
about 40 yards from the bear bait,
waiting for a bear to appear. They
put a lot of hours in over the first
weekend of her hunt without seeing
the bear they were looking for.
“The first weekend she hunted,
she saw a small bear,” Keith com-
could make an accurate shot.
“When the bear first came in, I
couldn’t hold the gun steady be-
cause I was shaking so bad,” Allison
confessed.
It was about 7:00 p.m. when
the big bear was in a good position
for a shot and Allison was able to
steady her aim. She made a great
shot. Keith said the bruin only made
it about 25 yards before dying. They
heard the bear make a death moan as
it expired, so they knew it was dead.
“Then we both got emotional,”
Keith said. “We hugged, cried and
fist pumped.”
Boone and Crockett scorer Dave
Wellman from Bark River officially
measured the skull of Allison’s bear
on December 1. Bear skulls have
to air dry for at least 60 days after
they are cleaned before they can be ATTENTION 450 BUSHMASTER OWNERS
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she knew the bigger bear was in the daughter had a pair of bucks and a Email: freedommachinewerks@gmail.com
area.” doe to her credit before taking the freedommachinewerks.com
As Allison said, “I’d rather shoot bear. Keith is having a full mount
a big one than a small one.” done of the bear for his daughter.n
Advice Allison got from her
father proved helpful, both in deter-
mining the size of the first bear she
saw and knowing it would be wise
to pass up the small one to wait for
the bigger one. Keith said he’s taken
four bears himself over the years.
The biggest of those weighed 260
pounds.
Keith also helped older daughter
Tiffany take her first bear a number
of years ago. Tiffany shot her bear,
a 160-pounder, with bow and arrow.
Allison was hunting with a rifle.
September 21 was Allison’s
third day of hunting. They saw a
deer before the bear.
“I remember seeing a doe come
in,” Allison said. “She was around
for a while and then left. Five min-
utes after the doe left, the bear came
in.”
Keith said the big bear arrived at
the bait about 6:40 p.m.
“Allison watched the bear for
about 20 minutes before she got
a clean shot with her .30-30,” the
proud father explained. “We were
both nervous while waiting for the
bear to give her a good shot.”
Besides waiting for the bear to
be in the best position possible for
a shot, Allison also spent some of
the time trying to calm down, so she
WNW NEWS JANUARY 2019 37
 Break your own trail…
Making Traditional Snowshoes
S
nowshoes have been
an important tool for
winter travel in the
Northern Regions
of North America
for centuries. Some
sources say they were in use 4,000
to 6,000 years ago. I can’t verify
that but it makes sense that to
survive by hunting and gathering
Native Americans needed a method
that allowed free movement during
the deep snow months. Snowshoes
filled that need. In use, snowshoes
spread the body weight over a larger
area to increase floatation on top of
soft snow. Traditionally, wooden
frames were bent to shape and laced
with strips of rawhide. This open
webbing allowed snow to fall back
through the lacing to avoid buildup
on the shoe. Early explorers, trap-
pers, and traders learned snowshoe
use from the Native Americans.
Different shapes and sizes of
snowshoes were developed to meet
the needs of the user. In thickly
wooded terrain they needed to be
shorter, to make turns, and wider,
to provide enough floatation. In
more open terrain the snowshoe
could be longer and narrower for
easier walking. The use of locally
available materials allowed the
snowshoes to be maintained and
repaired when needed. The most
useful designs have a slightly turned
up “toe”, to raise above the snow
as you step ahead, and a “tail” that
drags behind to balance the snow-
shoe and help it to track in a straight
line. be inserted inside the frame for
Today, technology has cre-
ated modern snowshoes made of
aluminum and plastic. But space
age snowshoes have little historic,
artistic, or sentimental value to
SIZE CHART
This chart gives the approxi-
mate size of Ojibwa style snow-
shoes needed for a given weight.
Remember to include any extra
weight such as a backpack when
sizing your snowshoes.
Size Weight
9 x 36...............up to 110#
10 x 42...............up to 130#
10 x 48...............up to 140#
12 x 48...............up to 175#
12 x 60...............up to 240#
38 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS
The author shows his finished Ojibwa style snowshoes. Author photos
outdoorsmen. As proof, you don’t
see them hanging over the fireplace
in any lodge or cabin.
Many people still prefer using
traditional snowshoes, therefore
the art of making wood framed
snowshoes lives on. Making and
using your own snowshoes is a very
rewarding endeavor. Along with the
educational value of the experience,
comes the sentimental and artistic
value of a well-made, hand crafted
item. It also leads to the feeling of
self-sufficiency valued by us mod-
ern pioneers. Whether your snow-
shoes will be enjoyed in actual use
or by hanging above the fireplace,
making your own will allow you to
break your own trail in more ways
than one.
Snowshoes work best when they
are somewhat individual. For best
results they need to fit the user and
the weight they must carry over the
snow. A heavier weight requires
more surface area of snowshoe to
“float” it on the snow. Also, softer
snow requires more floatation than
harder snow. Study the sidebar for
the approximate size of snowshoes
needed for average snow condi-
tions. Snowshoe style is up to the
individual as well. Consider where
and how you will be using them and
choose a style that appeals to you.
Then, build your snowshoes to fit
your own needs.
I chose to make Ojibwa style
snowshoes because they have an
eye appealing, graceful shape, they
were historically used in this area,
and they require two shorter pieces
of wood for each frame instead of
one very long piece. My “shoes” are
11 inches by 56 inches.
A form will be needed to bend
the wooden frames to the chosen
shape. The frame wood is pre-
pared for bending around a form
by heating or steaming, and us-
ing wet wood. After cooling and
drying it will retain the shape of
the form. A solid, well-built form
will last for bending many snow-
shoe frames but, if only making
one pair, a simpler form might be
used. The simplest form might be a
2-inch thick plank. For a turned up
toe round off one end of the plank.
Wooden blocks screwed onto the
plank will hold the snowshoe frame
in position. Draw a center line on
the form to keep your work straight.
It’s helpful to have a snowshoe to
trace around. The shape and size
can be customized from there. A
folded paper pattern can be used to
keep the form symmetrical.
Two crosspieces will need to
strength and stability. Position two
wooden spacers on the form where
the crosspieces will eventually fit.
This also assures that both snow-
shoes will be exactly the same.
The wood for the snowshoe
frames needs to be fresh and green,
not kiln dried. Any hardwood such
as ash, elm, or hickory will work.
The four pieces needed for a pair of
Ojibwa style frames should each be
at least 64 inches long.
Begin by cutting a 6-inch diam-
eter log about 7 feet long and use
wedges to split it lengthwise into
four quarters. Sawing the quarters
might cut through the grain of
the wood but splitting follows the
natural grain of the wood. This will
greatly help in bending because any
cut grain area is prone to break-
age. Reduce each quarter split to a
¾ x ¾ inch square piece. Use only
the sapwood, which is the white
wood closest to the bark. Remove
any dark, heartwood as it is too
brittle to bend. I start by cutting the
split quarter to rough shape with a
band saw. Then, square it up with a
drawshave and finish sizing it with
a joiner or planer. together while you drill the holes
Taper 12 inches on each end
of the pieces down to ½ inch thick
where they will be bent when in
the form. Look at the grain on the
end of the wood. Think of it like
the pages in a book. The wood will
bend easiest with the flat of the
grain so consider this when you
taper the ends of the pieces for
bending.
To prepare the wood for bend-
ing it can be boiled in water or
steamed. Hot, wet wood will bend
like a wet noodle for a few minutes
until it starts to stiffen as it cools.
I use a steamer made from 4 inch
metal stovepipe to steam my wood.
A pot of boiling water feeds steam
into the pipe with the wooden frame
pieces inside. Tilt the pipe so that
condensation will drain back into
the pot. Also, leave the tinfoil end
caps loose to keep it from pressur-
ing up. Let the wood steam for an
hour and a half.
Be prepared before removing
the wood from the steamer because
you’ll have a limited amount of
time before the hot wood begins to
cool. Have all tools, blocks, wedg-
es, etc. ready. I also have a paint
stripping heat gun handy to keep the
bending areas of wood hot while I
work on them.
Then, it’s just a matter of
removing the wood strips from the
steamer, bending them smoothly
into the form, screwing down
the holding blocks, putting in the
wedges, and lining everything up
on the centerline. Sounds easy! Did
I mention that I always steam an
extra wood strip? Wood seems to
have a mind of its own. Sometimes
it resists bending and breaks. It pays
to have a spare strip ready just in
case.
After bending the wood in the
form you can sit back, relax, and let
the snowshoe frames dry for a week
or more until they are completely
dry.
Remove the wooden frame
halves from the form when they are
dry and sand out any humps and
bumps. Round off all corners to
avoid any sharp edge where a splin-
ter could form which might eventu-
ally crack the snowshoe frame.
The crosspieces, two on each
shoe, can be mortised into the frame
at this time. Cut the crosspieces
from ¼-inch hardwood about 1 ½
inches wide and long enough to fit
tightly in a ¼ inch deep mortise cut
into the inside edge of the frame.
Fit the halves of the frame over
the crosspieces and glue everything
together. C-clamps will hold it
and rivet the toes and tails together.
I suggest using a couple of 1 ½-inch
rivets through the toes and three
through the tails. Copper rivets are
traditional but aluminum will work
just as well. I suppose small bolts
would also work.
The frames are now solid, one
piece affairs that are actually start-
ing to look like snowshoes.
Traditionally, snowshoes were
laced with rawhide which was cut
into thin strips and applied damp
so that it would shrink as it dried
to provide a tight lacing job. The
problem with rawhide is that it
stretches again when it gets wet,
causing the lacing to sag. Rawhide
can still be used, but is not the best
choice today. Synthetic materials
like nylon or neoprene make good
lacings and are superior to rawhide.
I used flat, nylon lacing purchased
from Country Ways Company (
www.snowshoe.com ). They will
also supply excellent instructions
for lacing snowshoes. Top left; A seven foot long elm
The process of lacing a snow- log which has been split into
shoe would make a complete article four quar ters by using wedges.
in itself and I won’t try to explain Splitting in this way will fol-
it fully here. The lacing pattern low the natural grain of the
is logical, but difficult to grasp at wood. Top right; Two ¾ x ¾
first. In fact, it’s a mind bending inch pieces at least 64 inches
puzzle to me. I suggest getting good long are needed for each frame
instructions, going slow, and back- for an Ojibwa style snowshoe.
ing up to fix errors as soon as you A pair of snowshoes will need
spot them. The lacing is a big, and
visible, part of the snowshoe. Strive
four pieces. Above; The author’s
to get it right. steamer is made from 4 inch
The finish on the snowshoes is metal stovepipe and a pot for
important to seal and waterproof boiling the water. Steam flows up
them. I used Min Wax Helmsman’s the pipe and heats and wets the
Spar Urethane. Put the first coat wood inside. Condensation runs
on heavily and let it soak into the back down into the boiling pot.
lacing until it is saturated. Follow Right; The steamed wood pieces
this with two or three lighter coats are bent into the snowshoe form
to cover all of the wood and lac- and held in place with wooden
ing. The nylon lacing soaks up the blocks. Below; Wedges are
finish and dries to a beautiful amber driven into place to force the
color. frame into the proper shape.
With use, your snowshoes will
seem to take on a persona of their
own and will soon become more
than just “equipment” to you.
The personal satisfaction of
making and using them will
bring a lasting pride of accomplish-
ment. Wear them with pride in
winter and hang them where you
can enjoy the sight of them during
the summer.
Anyone can buy a pair of snow-
shoes, but few will ever make their
own. Break your own trail.n
WNW NEWS JANUARY 2019 39
 Late season success...

t is late November; the
temp is 29° with a few
inches of snow on the
ground. This season the
weather has been nothing
short of perfect. We start-
ed October slightly warm, yet that
can be expected. After the first week
and half into the changing
season, we as outdoors-
man have had nothing
to complain about in the
weather department.
I took on guid-
ing nearly fulltime this
season, working under
Dave Patterson’s Sun-
rise Outfitters. As usual,
September had its warm
spells, but quickly shaped
up to some good
days afield. I’ve
put more hours in By Nathan Miller
scouting and hunt-
ing then I ever have in my entire
life. I’ve been a waterfowl hunter
since I could catch my first memory
in the blind with my father. My soul
has always been fulfilled because
of these memories and my time in a
blind.
I try to expand my hunting
opportunities within a 50-60-mile
radius and, let me tell you, there
is plentiful numbers of ducks, but
mostly geese to be hunted. We are a
goose state in Michigan
but our geese, as most any
true honker hammering
man or woman knows,
can be some of the most
frustrating and cumber-
some wild animals to
pursue.
This isn’t your typical
how-to article on hunt-
ing late season Michigan
geese. This is a confi-
dence boost
for your true
waterfowl self.
How bad do you
want it? How far are you willing
to go? At what point, does it take
for you to call it quits? I chuckle at
the thought of these questions, as I
have been thrown through the late
season ringer a time or ten. There is
so much literature out there for late
season goose hunting tactics I just
can’t bare myself to write another
one. But I can give you some confi-
dence, which I have found myself in
the field over the years.
We cannot predict the weather
for the fast-approaching winter, but
if it is to tell the future by what we
have already endured this fall we
may be in for a good old-fashioned
Michigan winter season. Winter is
fine but another Polar Vortex is not.
Lakes can freeze and that is never
a bad thing, but don’t break out the
ice fishing gear just yet because
somewhere the water is open.
Just Scout
This is where the question
comes back: how bad do you want
it or how far are you willing to go?
I have found myself venturing over
that 50-60-mile radius come late
season to try and get on some good
goose feeds. When the lakes have
frozen over it is time to look for
rivers, small towns, even cities with
dams or reservoirs. These places
have water flowing and that means
birds in good numbers. It’s finding
these places and finding the nearest
food source closest to them. Look
over your maps on Google Earth or
ONX Maps and pay attention.
I once found what looked like
a small ½ acre water hole in the
middle of a piece of farm ground on
Google Earth. As we approached the
field we saw the birds numbering
over 2,000 dumping down into this
watering hole and the shelled corn
fields that surrounded it. Permis-
sion was granted and the next day
we were dumping a six-man limit
to the ground in an hour’s time.
What led me to this field was a river
five-miles to the north. This was the
roost and I was online scouting. Yes,
there is such a thing today.
Without scouting we are either
going because we are misinformed
or we are merely seeking the experi-
ence. When it comes to late season

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40 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS
honkers most of us are seeking a bag
limit and the experience that comes
along with it. It is far too cold and
overbearing on a man’s hands and
feet to sit all day for just the experi-
ence of the outdoors. Scouting is es-
sential before each hunt throughout
the season, but it can pay huge divi-
dends come January. A normal 30
degree overcast winter day you will
find most geese feeding in the corn.
When the temps drop into the single
digits you might find them feeding
in winter wheat at times or maybe
not at all. They might even be flying
from water to water or roost to loaf
and skipping the feed all together.
Scouting, logging weather data, and
pattering the birds sounds like a lot
of work but it takes out so much of
the guess work and brings in more
of what might be expected. I cannot
express the excitement of finding
those big feeds of honkers hammer-
ing some corn, but then we come
under a big weather change and you
find yourself staring at the bright
sun on a cold blue bird day, instead
of the black paddles maple leafing
into your spread.
When all this comes together
and you step into the field, you have
made a confident step. You have put
in the work and it’s time to set your

Scouting, logging weather data, and pattering the birds sounds like
a lot of work but it takes out so much of the guess work and brings
in more of what might be expected. Nathan Miller photos
spread. Scouting has given me the doing during the regular season
confidence I look for before step- but don’t. The birds have seen it all
ping into every hunt I take on. I’ve and having the confidence on your
found the more time I have rubber shoulder to bring them at 15 yards
on the road leading up to a hunt the cannot hurt you.
more confidence I can take into it. There is always a lesson to be
It is half the fun watching the birds learned, whether a good hunt or a
from the road doing what they do. bad one. Log those good and bad
Setting that spread and calling the lessons learned. Capitalize on
shot brings up the other half of the them the next time and create a
equation. Be different; try things success story to be heard.
you have always thought about Just scout!n

OV E R 1 0 0 FREE
My first 10-point...Thanks Pappy! Quality
Exhibits
Parking
Sonja Hamilton Warner of Algonac harvested her first 10-point buck
on November 16 at 4:45pm hunting in Cottrellville Township in St.

F R I DAY
Clair County. She was hunting with her favorite deer rifle...a TC
Impact Muzzleloader. The big buck weighed in at 150 pounds field
dressed and although she doesn’t have a green score some people said
it should score around 140 and the bruiser was at least a 5-year-old
deer.
Sonja said, “I have been deer hunting since 2005 when my pappy
3pm – 8pm
challenged me saying I couldn’t deer hunt! You see for many years I
would get that phone call from Pappy that he’s got a deer down, ask-
ing if I wanted to come out and help track it? And of course I jumped S AT U R DAY
10am – 7pm
at every opportunity!”
She added, “So many great memories tracking his deer and listen-
ing to 50 years of his deer stories in his shop after we brought his
deer home. Memories I will never forget! He is the reason I love to
deer hunt and has taught me so much over the years from hunter’s
safety, the hunt, tracking, the harvest, and how to clean and process. I S U N DAY
10am – 4pm
love this sport and I love my Pappy for introducing me to it. Feeling
Blessed that I have him in my life and that he is the reason I know
how to hunt these magnificent creatures. Life is Good”
WNW NEWS JANUARY 2019 41
Coyote Hunting Success
A
group of four hunt is part of the story, but so is the
serious Michigan equipment they use to make it pos-
coyote hunters sible to hunt the way they do.
who have a Face- Where they hunt isn’t that im-
book Page called portant a part of the puzzle because
Savage Dog they hunt all over the state and coy-
Outdoors are among the state’s most otes are well distributed throughout
successful coyote hunters. Between the state. The tactics they employ
them, they had called in and shot revolve around farm country, but the
over 200 of the predators between methods they use can be employed
January and October of 2018. They anywhere coyotes are found.
could easily surpass the 300-mark Most of their hunting is done in
by the end of the year. large fields after dark where they
Liberalization of coyote hunt- can set up 100 to 200 yards from
ing regulations during any woods. Coyotes seldom
recent years has made their venture into open fields
phenomenal success pos- like that during hours of
sible. The predators can be daylight, but the predators
hunted year round. The big- feel comfortable in those
gest benefit to their success, settings under the cover
however, was legalization of darkness. This group
of centerfire rifles for night of hunters uses electronic
hunting. Most of their hunt- Icotec callers that have a
ing revolves variety of 350
around hunt-
ing coyotes at
By Richard P. Smith different calls
to choose from,
night. to lure coyotes into view.
These four exceptional coyote “A fresh cut hayfield is a perfect Randy Budde and Dave Granger with five coyotes they got one night
hunters are Randy Budde from place to call coyotes after dark,” during February.
Walkerville, George Widmaier from Budde commented. “Cut cornfields
Elk Rapids, Mike Numerick from are also good places to call coyotes when coyotes are spotted. They George uses a much more expensive
Interlochen and Dave Granger from after dark.” don’t use any lights when scanning infrared thermal imaging scope,
Custer. George and Mike started the All of their rifles are on tripods for incoming coyotes. They all use which can cost up to $5,000.
group. Randy and Dave joined later. to assure accuracy when they get a thermal imaging monoculars to “Thermal scanners are great
I talked to Randy to find out what shot and they stand up in the open look for predators. Their rifles are for locating animals,” Randy said.
is behind their success. How they when calling to be ready for a shot equipped with night vision scopes. “They cost a minimum of $2,000,
but they are worth it for the type

Church Tackle Co.

of hunting we do. “We’re spotting
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easy to open & close Randy explained that it’s usu-

Mini Lock-Jaw
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For drop weights & Release Release Hole for drop weights
or other applications
ally easy to get permission from
This clip may be mini but when it comes to holding power it’s second other applications Prevention Prevention
landowners to hunt coyotes. He said
only to it’s big brother, the original Lock-Jaw! Holds mono, super most private property owners they
braids, power pro, lead core or copper lines without damaging the line!
The Mini Lock-Jaw fits The Walleye Board, TX-44, TX-22, TX-12 & TX-6 1 7/8” Long
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The Mini Lock-Jaw is designed to fit other side planers, drop weights and attaching
to side-planers
WE DIDN’T INVENT CLIPS, contact with screw
Stingray willing to let members of the group
works for many other applications.
WE HAVE PERFECTED THEM! hunt at night to reduce their coyote
Part# 40620, 2pk Color - yellow Replacement Pads part# 40701 6/pk Diving Weight population. After they find a field
TX-007 Stern Planer & TX-005 Mini Stern Planer TX-44 Tournament Series Unique error-proof design allows anglers to put
more fish in the boat! Water strikes top surface,
they think will be good for night
The TX-44 is the first and the only in line planer to pull the large Divers,
(10 1/4” long, weighs about 3 oz) (7” long, weighs about 1.5 oz) Lead Core, Wire or Copper Lines and Heavy Weights. The size of the TX-44 forcing the Stingray downward. A fish on will hunting, they locate the property
An all new type of planer! makes it harder for fish to pull the board under, however it is still easy to force the nose upward & Stingray to the surface. owner to ask for permission to hunt.
retrieve. The Vise Clip comes standard with the TX-44; especially Available in unpainted or painted. 2 snaps for
rch Tackle Co. designed for lead core & copper, makes accidental each weight included
Most of their hunting is done
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release almost impossible. snaps off & on in seconds Lock-Jaw on private property. In the former
TX-44 Tournament Series now for easy removal & storage Clip Size #1 - .7 oz shotgun zone, centerfire rifles are
Easy to attach and remove.
available which comes with a #40300
Great for trolling in congested areas and more effective contour trolling along unpainted #40302 black not legal for coyote hunting after
Lock-Jaw Clip, Stainless Steel
drop offs contour lines, reef edges and weed lines in rivers, lakes or the ocean. Rear Pin and E-Z Store for easy dark on state lands. Night predator
Effective for all species. Run more lines out the back of the boat by staggering tow-arm removal. Part# 30630 hunting is limited to rimfire rifles on
Size #2 - 1.4 oz
the Stern Planers. Run any distance from the boat yet maintain desired depth. Standard TX-44 Part# 30610 Stainless Steel Rear Pin (14” x 4 1/4” x 7/8”)
state game areas. Centerfire rifles for
EZ Store! For Your Planer Board Allows for easy Tournament Series coyote hunting at night are limited
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& TX-22 side planers. Slide the tow-arm off for storage or change Includes a Lock-Jaw Clip
to another tow-arm & clip then slide back on when you’re ready to E-Z Store & Stainless George and Mike hunt with
fish again. Part# 40519 sold 2 per package 1 left & 1 right Rear Pin Assembly. (Part# 30640) #40305 unpainted #40306 chartreuse .223 caliber rifles, shooting 55 grain
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42 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS
Randy shoots coyotes with a 6.5
Grendel on an AR15 frame, shoot-
ing 107 grain Sierra Tip Match King
Bullets. Randy and Dave reload
their ammunition while the other
two use factory ammo.
Most members of the group hunt
two to three times a week either
alone or with another member of the
group.
“We go out right after dark to
start hunting,” Randy explained.
“Sometimes early morning hours
are better. If conditions are good, we
might stay out all night. After you
shoot a coyote, you have to move at
least a mile to try for another one.
“When you call in a double or
triple, that’s a thrill. When you get
five or six in a night that’s great,
too. It’s fun being out there with
friends.”
On some of their best nights,
they’ve collected six coyotes. Shoot-
ing three or four during a night of
coyote hunting isn’t unusual. One
night when Dave and Randy were
hunting together they called in three
coyotes at the same time and got
all three. When the first two were
within 70 yards, they each dropped
one. Then they turned their attention
to the third coyote. Dave and Randy
finished it off together.
On September 26, Randy got
four coyotes hunting by himself. He
started out that night by trying to get
a coyote that was hanging around a
house. The homeowners contacted
Randy because they were concerned
about the coyote being a threat to
their young dog. Randy said he
could see two animals in the woods
near the house with his thermal
imaging monocular and one of them
responded to the call, which he shot.
In the next spot where Randy
started calling, he called in four coy-
otes and got one of those. He killed
a third coyote at another location at
the amazing distance of 330 yards.
“That coyote actually came as
Mike Numerick (left) and George
Widmaier with a coyote they got
while night hunting with their rifles
and night vision scopes on tripods
for accurate shooting.
close as 150 yards,” Randy said,
“but I spooked him with the infra-
red light on my scope. He was out to
330 yards before I could stop him.
I aimed eye high and got him. Most
of the coyotes we shoot are about
100 yards away. Sometimes we kill
one at 200 to 250 yards. It’s tough
when they get out to 300 yards.”
A fourth spot that Randy tried on
the night of September 26 produced
coyote number four. Randy cred-
ited a cold front for his success that
night. Coyote pup in distress calls
are what he used to lure the coyotes
to him that night.
Randy explained that the most
productive calls to lure coyotes to
hunters vary with the time of year.
He said rabbit in distress calls work
well during the winter when the
predators are hungry, but that type
of call will work at other times of
the year, too. Pups in distress calls
work well during summer and early
fall. He said he’s also had good suc-
cess with calls labeled den rage that
are a combination of growling and
pups yipping that he got from Tony
Tebbe in New Mexico, who operates
Predator University. Dave Granger scanning for incoming coyotes, with his rifle on a
Randy said the most frustrating
situation he encountered when night
tripod ready for a shot.
hunting for coyotes is when it’s coyote populations. In fact, he had connected on 217 coyotes.
foggy. Under those conditions, he thinks the predators continue to George shot 91 of those, Randy got
can see the predators with his ther- increase. 67, Mike nailed 31 and Dave shot
mal imaging monocular, but can’t “I haven’t seen a reduction of 28. Besides hunting coyotes with a
see them with his infrared scope. coyotes where we hunt most often,” predator caller, Dave also traps coy-
That makes it impossible to shoot Randy commented. “In a month or otes. Dave had trapped 16 coyotes
the coyotes that are called in. two they are right back in there. It’s by late October. He skins and sells
Although Randy said their suc- like if you kill one out of an area, the pelts from the coyotes he traps
cess puts a temporary dent in the another one comes in and takes its as well as those the group shoots,
coyote population where they score, place.” depending upon the shape the hides
he hasn’t seen any reduction in By late October, the foursome are in.n
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WNW NEWS JANUARY 2019 43
 Seasonal
Memories
WINTER
A lesson learned is not
always remembered
Were you ready when winter
came way too early this year? My
family and I were not. Naturally, it
was my fault for chasing grouse and
woodcock too much all through the
fall. So when eight inches of snow
fell shortly after Thanksgiving and
temperatures slid into the teens,
there we were with no snowblade on
the tractor.
Our huge woodpile, which
should have been neatly stored in
the garage, lay smothered under
that white blanket too far away to
carry. And I couldn’t find
the garden hoses stretched
out somewhere on the lawn.
No matter—the hoses were
frozen anyway.
And then Nature offered
a three-day reprieve with
temperatures in a race to
hit 50 degrees. The bird
MICHIGAN MEANDERS
dogs, noses
pressed
By Tom Huggler
against
their
chain-link
kennels, howled in distress while
the family helped me winterize the
mowers, clean up the garden and
tend to those other long-ignored
tasks.
You would think that a New
Year’s resolution is clearly in order,
right? But a lesson learned is not
always remembered.
Song of the lazy farmer
If you keep chickens, you will
learn to lock them in the coop well
before dark. One winter evening I
had dispatched our teen daughter to
manage that tardy chore while the
glorious heat from our woodstove
had me drifting off. Suddenly the
back door burst open. “Dad, there’s
a ’possum in the hen house!”
“Grab a stick and drive him
off,” I suggested and closed my eyes
again.
“He’s hissing at me! The girls
are squawking! Wake up! I need
your help.”
The best way to get rid of
egg-eating skunks, opossums and
raccoons is not to let them into the
chicken coop in the first place. This
particular varmint was intractable,
even with vigorous prodding and
poking from two-by-fours wielded
by my daughter and me. Recalling
the time I was bitten as a kid by an
opossum caught in a trap, I wore
heavy asbestos gloves normally
reserved for stove use. Finally,
44 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS
when the unusually large critter
turned around to face my daughter, I
grabbed his tail and flung him from
the coop onto the snow. Fearless,
but disappointed, he shuffled off.
Back at the stove, I thumbed
through the FarmTek catalog for one
of those henhouse doors that rely on
a timer to close and open automati-
cally.
SPRING
A family travel
adventure close to home
Marengo Cave in southern
Indiana is well worth the drive to
see. Looking for a family vacation
spot during spring break in
April, our original plan was
to pull our travel trailer and
camp while visiting Mam-
moth Cave in Kentucky.
Marengo Cave is much
closer and equally spec-
tacular.
Formed more than
a mil-
lion years
ago, the
five-mile-
long cave
features two parallel underground
rivers and several dry upper cham-
bers one of which can accommodate
300 people at one time. Discovered
only in 1883, Marengo Cave was
recognized as a National Natural
Landmark in 1984.
On the blustery cold day we vis-
ited, the cave was actually warmer
than outside. In fact, we were too
early for camping. Winter hung on
well into April and we fought heavy
snowfall on the drive home. With
temperatures expected to fall to 20
degrees that night, I had the trailer
winterized again. hospital. My wife, also injured when
Parts of Michigan saw record-
setting cold last spring. Lansing,
for example, was hit with a major
snowstorm in late April. Wood-
cock banders normally tag chicks
in early May; this year it was early
June. Other ground-nesting birds
like pheasants, quail, grouse and
wild turkeys also struggled to hatch
eggs on a first attempt. Poor initial
nesting success led to late hatches in
summer and delayed recruitment of
young birds into fall populations.
SUMMER
A couple of close calls
The summer of 2018 is one I’ll
surely remember. Mid-Michigan
received so much rain from late
May through June that many farm-
ers planted late and some left their
The author’s second close call occurred on the Thunder Bay River
as he was helping to pull a heavy canoe over a huge log that
spanned the river. The half-submerged log was slick. He lost his
balance, fell into the river, and immediately found himself underwa-
ter and pinned to the log.
fields fallow. Closer to home, mul-
berry trees in our back yard were
so saturated with water their heavy
limbs drooped nearly to the lawn.
On June 22 I decided to remove
some of those limbs with loppers
and a hand saw.
One large limb required a ladder
and chain saw. My wife held the
lightweight ladder while I climbed
up five or six rungs with the saw
running and the bar brake engaged.
It was a simple, three-second cut to
the head-high limb.
I remember it cracking; the next
thing I recall is several faces looking
down at me. Apparently the snapped
limb knocked me from the ladder
and I crashed into my wife on the
way down.
I landed on my back, uncon-
scious with the chain saw across my
belly. Although the motor was still
running, I must have applied the bar
brake while falling, a pure act of
Providence.
My wife called 911, and about
15 minutes later an EMT team ar-
rived. Strapping me to a stretcher,
the paramedics slid me into the am-
bulance aimed for a Grand Rapids
she broke my fall, rode along and
also checked in for x-rays.
I suffered a nasty concussion,
but luckily neither of us broke any
bones. Resolved: My ladder-climb-
ing days are over.
That was the first close call. The
second occurred on the Thunder
Bay River a couple months later
when I was helping to pull a heavy
canoe over a huge log that spanned
the river (see the October issue of
Woods-N-Water News for photos
and details). The half-submerged
log was slick. I lost my balance,
fell into the river, and immediately
found myself underwater and pinned
to the log. Luckily the river bottom
was firm. I pushed off with my feet
while nephew Kevin, a strong young
man, helped pull me free.
I don’t know much luck a guy
in his 70s deserves or can get in
this life. Sometimes I wonder if my
ticket is now fully punched.
FALL
How did your garden grow?
The year 2018 was a tough
one for growing most things. Cold
temperatures and too much rain in
spring were followed by several
weeks of intense heat and drought.
Farmers moaned for lack of mois-
ture, and the 4-H kids, ours includ-
ed, had trouble finding decent alfalfa
for their show livestock.
By fall the half-acre of sweet
corn I planted was knocked down
and eaten by deer, which also de-
voured the pumpkins and squash I
sowed nearby. Rabbits somehow got
into my fenced garden and ate all
the pea and bean shoots before they
could bloom. The potatoes refused
to grow big, and the cucumbers
struggled to grow at all. Dill and
beets didn’t bother to germinate.
Any garden needs TLC, of
course, and I plead guilty for being a
lazy farmer with no dirt on his hand
hoe. On a positive note, I got some
of the nicest tomatoes this side of
Lansing, and we used them to can
succulent chili sauce, pizza sauce,
salsa and garlic/basil spaghetti
sauce.
Feathers and quills
As I reported here in the De-
cember issue, grouse and woodcock
numbers were a bit above average,
but success depended mostly on
where one hunted. Populations were
localized with banner days followed
by poor ones. The best day occurred
when several friends and our dogs
flushed 55 woodcock in only three
hours. The worst day was when I
cut a hunt short with no shots fired
because my setter, Ragan, tangled
with a porcupine. His vet removed
more than a hundred quills.
That was his second encounter
with a quill pig, proving—once
again—that a lesson learned is not
always remembered.n
PAID ADVERTISMENT

WNW NEWS JANUARY 2019 45

 BUSY
BEAVERS
I
never gave much thought
when I have heard in the
past the saying “busy as a
beaver.” But when my friend
called me up and said he had
beavers on his property in
southwest Michigan and they
had flooded out his woods
I was surprised. I know
his property very well and
have hunt there almost
every year for the past 25
years. But until he sent me
pictures of how bad the
flooding in his woods were,
I never would have thought
that beavers could cause so
much havoc.
By Jeff Pendergraff
He has
owned this
property since
the mid-1980s and has never had a
problem with beavers. Muskrats of
course in his ditch and in his pond,
NO TIME
FOR A WEEK
AWAY?
CALL FOR GREAT
1/2 WEEK
SPECIALS!
but never beavers. The biggest mys-
tery is where did they come from.
There isn’t a lake close by or a river,
in fact the closest is several miles
away.
His biggest concern besides
his woods being flooding out, is
that deer season is upon us. The
same woods that he has
several ladder stands and
two ground blinds on. The
deer often use these woods
to get from one patch of
woods to another once the
crops are down and as a
bedding area. Most im-
portant to me, is that is the
same woods I usually hunt.
Not to men-
tion the number
and the size of
the trees these furbearers could cut
down and then use to build their
dams.
The beaver is a large, primarily nocturnal, semiaquatic rodent.
Beavers are known for building dams, canals, and lodges.
A little history on beavers. For
the past several decades you nor-
mally could only find beavers in the
northern lower peninsular and the
upper peninsula. But now you can
most likely find them in every coun-
ty in Michigan, including Wayne
County. Beavers have been spotted
in and around the Detroit River in
recent years. While checking hun-
dreds of trappers in and around the
Detroit River and Lake Erie marshes
in the early 1980s there were thou-
sands of muskrats and other furbear-
ers, never a beaver!
I advised my friend to call the
DNR and see if he can obtain a
permit to remove the beaver. Know-
ing that the DNR on a regular basis
issues them to property owners who
run into the same type of problem.
The wildlife division of the
DNR issued him a permit and fortu-
nately my friend is an avid trapper
and was planning on trapping the
beaver himself even though there
are trappers out there who will come
in and trap the problem beaver or
beavers for free and some charge a
fee.
Biggest issue was to find the
dam and, in this area, the ditch
it was in, had thick cover. In this
case the ditch that runs through the
property has a different property
owner on the opposite side. So, my
friend doesn’t own the other side of
the ditch and could only set traps on
his side. Second problem is that the
ditch really doesn’t have a bottom,
so all the trapping will have to be
done from the shoreline and not in
the water. The bank along this ditch
is very steep, and a lot of caution
would be needed in this venture.
Knowing how good of a trapper
my friend is, I didn’t think it would
take long for him to trap this pesky
beaver. Much to my surprise he
wasn’t having any luck after sev-
eral days. He was unable to find the
beaver’s lodge and had set several
traps near the dam. Most likely the
lodge was located on the neighbor’s

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46 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS
property and he was unable to see it
because of the thicket covering that
area.
Once when he went to check he
found a trap had been set off only to
find the beavers toe in it.
Every time he tore a part of the dam
away and the flow started coming
back down- stream the beaver would
come back and cut new branches
and use them instead of using the
old ones to patch the break. The
biggest problem was this beaver was
working the night shift. My friend
thought by setting some leg hold
traps on shore near the old branches
he would catch the beaver returning
to reuse them.
When this didn’t work, he set a
conibear trap under the water near
where he thought the beaver would
come out onto the shoreline. He also
set two leg hold traps on shore near
the area he was feeding in and cut-
ting new branches to repair the dam.
The conibear trap had two
stakes on either side and was stuck
deep into the muck to hold the trap
up. He also had it wired to a tree.
Normally when the animal sticks its
head into the conibear that’s the end
of the animal.
The two leg hold traps were
also wired to another tree in order
to prevent the beaver from escaping
Apparently not, so far, the dam has
not been rebuilt.
If the ditch or drain is a county
ditch or drain the road commission
will help with the beaver issues. I
have another friend who lives in
southern Michigan and the county
road commission hires him to trap
out nuisance beavers. Normally,
when you contact the road commis-
sion, they will contact a trapper and
the DNR wildlife division will issue
a beaver nuisance permit which
is good for a year according to a
Michigan Conservation Officer I
talked to in Northern Michigan.
I also talked to Brian Masten-
brook, The DNR Field Operations
Manager out of the Gaylord Office
who was a biologist in Gaylord
Left; a tree taken down and killed by a beaver.
Above; a beaver dam, if it’s located in a county
ditch or drain the road commission may help with
the beaver(s) issue.
when I worked out of that office in

TROPHY SPECIALISTS
with the trap.
In the meantime, the county road the late 1990s. He told me a male
commission came and removed the beaver might travel several miles

dam. But it didn’t take long for our
busy beaver to rebuild it.
This went on for a few days.
Checking the traps, nothing there,
pulling the dam apart and doing it
all over again the next day. Much to
my friend’s surprise when he went
to check this morning there was a
very large beaver caught in his leg
hold trap.
After removing the beaver from
the trap my friend noticed that the
beaver was missing one of his toes!
So, apparently, he caught the right
suspect. Now, the big question is.
Does this beaver have any friends?
over dry land looking for new ter-
ritory. Which surprised me since
traveling that distance on dry land
would expose it to predators.
If you ever find yourself with
an issue with busy beavers flooding
you out, the first phone call I would
make is to the county road commis-
sion and if they can’t help you than
to the wildlife division of the DNR.
You can find the number to your
closest DNR office either online or
in your fishing or hunting digest.
Author is Jeff Pendergraff, re-
tired Captain with the law enforce-
ment division of the DNR.n
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WNW NEWS JANUARY 2019 47
 January antlerless firearm deer hunt in southern Alpena County
A
late antlerless firearm hunt of deer interacting with farms and 2019 hunt. Enrolled properties can be others? Sportsman Against Hunger,
on private land in southern help limit the number of bTB-infected viewed at michigan.gov/hap. the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan
Alpena County will be held wildlife and cattle herds in the future. Hunters can take antlerless deer and the DNR are working together to
Jan. 3-6 and 10-13. The Department People who would like to hunt, with an unused 2018 deer license or collect any deer to be donated during
of Natural Resources is offering this but do not own property in the area, deer combo license or a private-land this hunt. Drop off deer at the Alpena
season to provide an opportunity for are still able to participate. The antlerless license for DMU 487, or or Atlanta DNR deer check stations
deer management at a localized scale DNR’s Hunting Access Program, or with previously issued disease con- between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. during the
in the bovine tuberculosis (bTB) area. HAP, provides access to quality pri- trol permits. Additional tags can be eight days of the hunt.
The hunt area is private land south of vate land across the state to increase purchased at any DNR license agent Contact DNR wildlife health
Highway M-32 in Alpena County. public hunting opportunities. Multiple through Jan. 13. Successful hunters specialist Emily Sewell at SewellE@
This portion of Alpena County is a locations in the southern half of Alpe- can bring their deer to the Alpena michigan.gov or 231-340-1821 with
mosaic of land used for cattle farm- na County are currently available for or Atlanta DNR deer check stations any questions.n
ing, crop production, and deer habitat. all hunting seasons, with additional between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. all eight
Increased antlerless harvest in this properties being enrolled in a short- days of the season.
targeted area will reduce the number term lease exclusively for this January Want to donate your deer to help Support
Conservation
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48 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS
 ULTIMATE FISHING SHOW • DETROIT
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 Traditional Black Powder Hunting...By Dennis Neely
How can this be?
Friday, 25 November, 1763:
Old snow broke free. Long, slim
and brittle, an icy bar fell. The witch
hazel branch bobbed upward. Two
purple raspberry switches tugged at
a red wool leggin. Chilled fingers
gripped browned steel and shaped
maple. The air smelled damp with
a tinge of rotting oak leaves. White
puffs witnessed each breath. Two
steps and a pause…two steps and a
pause…
The still-hunt progressed over
the rise, then down the steep slope
to the edge of an impenetrable
huckleberry thicket. Treacherous
ice, spotted with irregular white
and dirty-gray frozen patches, filled
the spaces between the intertwined
bushes in the swamp. A doe trail
skirted the southwest bank, inter-
rupted for fallen trunks, then turned
north and crossed a narrow clearing.
Two steps and a pause…two steps
and a pause… bends. A British patrol? Lt. Lang is
The path veered west to avoid
a tangled finger that jutted into the
hardwoods. Three rum-keg-sized
red oak trees grew from the cut bank
at the hollow of the cove formed
by this obstruction. A moccasin toe
scraped away clumps of snow, ice
and damp leaves.
Content with this woodland lair,
Mi-ki-naak, the Snapping Turtle,
leaned the hunt-worn French fusil
against one oak. The returned white
captive pulled the walnut-hull dyed
trade blanket snug about his body,
then sat cross-legged amongst the
oaks. He grasped the fusil and
placed it across his legs with a
blanket fold covering the flint lock
and waited in ambush downwind of
the trail.
Six rubbed saplings, some show-
ing deep grooves from heavy antler
tines, marked a clear path to the
river bottom. Four sandhill cranes,
slow and silent, necks outstretched
and long legs trailing, winged south-
west above the Riviere aux Raisins’
winding course. A gray squirrel
threw snow and dirt as it dug at a
frantic pace beneath a large white
oak.
An hour after first light, sun
spears delivered warmth. A plump
fox squirrel moved from within a
scraggly hemlock bush, bounded to
a forked oak, then spiraled upward.
In all, eight squirrels, gray, black,
red and fox, searched and frolicked
in and about that tiny cove. A single
deer meandered through the oaks,
hickories and maples on the far side
of the narrow clearing as it headed
off to the river bottom.
Eight Canada geese in a loose
wedge passed low overhead. The
lead bird ke-honked now and again
as they flew out of sight. A chip-
munk appeared in an elongated
knot hole in a pitiful maple that
attempted to survive just below the
swamp’s cut bank. The little fuzzy
tail flicked as the chipmunk sat
upright and chattered with a high-
pitched, squeaky twitter. “It is time
to move on,” Mi-ki-naak whispered.
The returned captive who
learned to hunt by the tutelage of his
adoptive Ojibwe father, leaned the
French fusil against the oak, stead-
ied himself with his right hand and
began to stand up.
“BANG! BANG...BANG!
BANG! BANG…BANG!” A volley
of muzzle blasts disrupted the for-
est’s tranquility. Mi-ki-naak dropped
down to his knees, grabbed the fusil
and pointed it in the direction of
the shots. “A mile. Near the great
behind me, over the hog-back ridge.
How can this be?” Snapping Turtle
whispered.
Traditional black powder hunt-
ers seek what are called “pristine
moments,” a few seconds or minutes
where a living history adventure
suspends all markers of real time
and mirrors the mental and physi-
cal existence of a long-dead hunter
hero. Such instances offer a tre-
mendous sense of kinship with the
woodsmen of old, which is a com-
pelling reason for exchanging “what
is” for “what was.”
Pristine moments are pure, emo-
tional and unpredictable. Most last
for but a few seconds. When a pris-
tine moment passes, an exhilarating
realization pulses through one’s be-
ing. An overwhelming sense of loss
and sorrow sweeps in, followed by a
time of reflective contemplation that
can last for minutes or maybe years.
Pristine moments are the addictive
elixir that traditional hunters crave. Each living history persona must be considered a separate and unique
Once tasted, there is no turning individual. Like modern hunters, the clothing and accoutrements chosen
back. by an 18th-century woodsman reflected personal taste, handicraft skills
When six muzzle blasts broke and available resources or trade goods. Wild River tree photos
the peaceful solitude of a pleasant
November morn, my newest, histo- sented the first total immersion of an Professor Jay Anderson of
ry-based hunting character, Mi-ki- alter ego in a simple pursuit set in Western Kentucky University wrote
naak, reacted in a manner consistent 1763. The occasion was noteworthy extensively about living history and
with 18th-century living: he reached and unforgettable, at least for this quantified some of the basic pre-
for his fusil and began to assess the humble time traveler. cepts. In his book, Time Machines:
impending danger that surrounded The mere mention of “time The World of Living History, Prof.
the intrusion. Spontaneous concern travel” with respect to traditional Anderson summarized the quest:
flowed from his lips, summarized black powder hunting draws ques- “All serious living historians
with the bewilderment of “How can tions, along with a fair number of have a deep curiosity about the
this be?” skeptical stares and smirks. I never texture of life in the past. They want
That pristine moment, lasting for know if folks expect an answer that to know what it actually felt like to
however long it took two modern defies the laws of physics or proves live, for example, on a Celtic farm
hunters to rack off three shots apiece my lunacy beyond a shadow of a
at geese settling into decoys, repre- doubt. How can this be page 54
WNW NEWS JANUARY 2019 53
How can this be?
from page 53
and watch, as a Roman commander
marches his company of foot sol-
diers north to man Hadrian’s Wall…
“…we are like people in a boat
drifting along a winding river. Every
day, we see evidence of the present,
but past and future times are hidden
from us around the river’s bend.
Still, they are there, waiting for us
simply to step out of the boat and
walk around the bend into the past.
The problem is to figure out how to
beach the boat…” (Anderson, Jay,
Time Machines: The World of Liv-
ing History, American Association
of State and Local History, Nash-
ville, TN pp. 187 – 188)
Figuring out “how to beach
the boat” begins with selecting the
historical time period, a geographi-
cal location and a specific station in
life. A character is the next choice.
The “persona” might be a real per-
son who lived in that era, location
and practiced a given occupation,
or he or she might be a blending of
many individuals—as is the case
of a returned white captive named
Mi-ki-naak.
Armed with a basic idea of the
“who, what, when, where and why”
of this historical character, the tra-
ditional black powder hunter begins
reading and researching about the
life and times of that person or
persons. When a significant piece of
first-hand knowledge surfaces, the
persona becomes the “vessel” that
holds each nugget of information.
Just as modern hunters are the
product of many life experiences,
the living historian’s persona grows
and matures as new nuggets are
unearthed. With each additional
snippet, an idea emerges as to what
material possessions this persona
might own. The goal is to wrap his
or her being with all things ancient,
while eliminating and forsaking all
items modern.
Piece-by-piece, a clothing en-
semble takes shape, along with the
accumulation of the basic accoutre-
ments common to a backcountry

A hollow oak snag offered an oppor tunity to sit and take a break from the

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Route 3 Box 163 • Cornell, MI 49818
Incredible U.P. of Michigan
Hunting Opportunities
Private farmland in south Marquette
County Michigan, fully guided
bow and firearm hunts in
hunting preserve for: Elk,
Whitetail Deer, Buffalo, Wild
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Trophy Elk,
Trophy Red Stag &
Trophy Fallow Deer
day’s still-hunt. The broken-up tree afforded an upwind view of two doe
trails, but with no activity, the Snapping Tur tle continued on in his quest
for fresh venison.
hunter of a given time and lineage.
With each new discovery and acqui-
sition, the persona gains a unique
personality and existence. A mental
attitude takes shape that eventually
will guide this person over time’s
threshold and back to the chosen
time period.
A key element of the mental re-
training involves nurturing the mind
Large Russian Boar to suspend belief. This suspension
of belief is no different than becom-
Hunts Available! ing involved with a character on
the big screen and feeling the same
emotions he or she feels in the midst
of the unfolding drama. The differ-
ence is the traditional hunter
is not a viewer, but rather a first-
hand participant in a real life forest
drama
The first hunts of a new charac-
ter are uneventful and most often,
awkward. Just as historical knowl-
edge adds flesh to a persona, so does
getting out into the wilderness and
testing the clothing and accoutre-
ment choices. Then two dozen or
so outings later a pristine moment
happens.
For Mi-ki-naak, that revelation
began with a volley of musket fire.
Without thinking, he dropped to his
knees, seized his fusil and reacted.
“How can this be?” he whispered in
November of 1763…
Give traditional black powder
hunting a try, be safe and may God
bless you.
The author, Dennis Neely.
maintains a web site devoted to
traditional hunting at www.tradition-
alblackpowderhunting.com.n

Lodging available for Muzzle Loading State Events

groups of up to 12 people. Dec. 31, 2018--Last Blast of the Year: Blue Water Sportsman Assn.
Still Booking Hunts! 586-739-6499
Jan. 5-6, 2019--Frosted Paw: Columbiaville Sportsman Club
Call (906) 238-4482 or 810-793-7799 or 810-223-3956

(906) 630-1617 Jan. 12--Winter Woods Walk: Laingsburg: 810-241-3651 or 517-393-2772

Jan. 13--Woods Walk: Clinton River Muzzle Loaders
for more information and reservations. Detroit Sportsman Congress: 586-731-6088
www.superiorgameranch.com For a complete 2019 shoot schedule, send a SASE or e-mail to: Ron Fernwalt,
16808 Peach Ridge, Kent City, MI 49330 or rbfern@triton.net
54 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS
 FLAGGING
Dog Training Tips...By Len Jenkins

A
dog which wags his tail
stiffly while on point is
flagging. While some dogs
lock up on hard points and
flags as part of their pointing man-
ner, most flag out of uncertainty or
because they see the bird and realize
that they can easily pounce on it.
Some dogs will flag all their
lives and we won’t be able to stop
when there’s a good breeze. When
you get him downwind of the bird,
he’ll be certain a bird is really there.
Since flagging is usually caused
by indecision and uncertainty, the
strong breeze will let him know in
no uncertain terms that a hidden bird
is located upwind.n

“One-Stop” Service, Sales, Parts, and Supplies!

this because it’s hereditary. You’ll
have to revise your expectations and
expect this if yours is such a dog.
If he does everything else right, the
flagging won’t be that objectionable
if his points result in bird finds.
If your dog flags sometimes and
holds a rigid tail other times, he’s 615 RW Harris Drive
flagging due to uncertainty, not the
constraints of hereditary. Manton, MI 49663
Most flagging is caused by im-
proper handling during early train-
ing. If the handler makes planted
birds too visible to the dog and does
everything in a routine fashion, the Contact Jason or Kim Lutke
dog might flag on point because he
thinks everything is a set-up. If you Phone: 231-824-6655
see this happening, vary your tech-
niques and the locations at which Fax: 231-824-9421
you plant birds.
However, if you find that the
dog continues to flag, there is a www.LutkeEquipment.net
remedy that usually works if adjust-
ments in your timing and technique
fail to bring about improvement. Lutke offers all types of harvesting like short wood, tree length,
This correction involves bring-
ing the dog up on the training table
thinning, clear cuts, and whole tree chipping designed and
and using the spike forced col- planned for YOUR type of timber and YOUR terrain.
lar. Ask an assistant for help here
because you’ll need to concentrate
on your dog. While you’re heeling
your dog away from the table, have www.LutkeEquipment.net 615 RW Harris Drive
your assistant place a harnessed Manton, Michigan 49663
bird on the training table. Turn your
dog around and then walk up to the
Great Prices and
table. Whoa him firmly when he
sees the bird because he’s up off Quality Products! Email: lutke_hydraulics@yahoo.com
the ground and closer to your level, Phone: 231.824.9505
your dog will concentrate more in Fax: 231.824.9596
compensation for the insecurity he
feels while on the table. This will Please Contact
necessarily cause his points to be
more intense. Jim Sutterfield or
When he’s on point, stroke or
tap the underside of his tail with Lonnell Lutke
the serrated edge of the saw blade.
Communicate to your dog that this
hard, rigid pointing stance with tail
stiff is what you want. Remove or
flush the bird. Walk the dog down
the ramp and repeat this process a
few more times and your problem
should be solved.
As your resume planting birds
in the field, try to keep them hid-
den from the dog’s easy view. A
word of caution is in order regard-
ing a flagging dog: work your dog
on well-hidden birds only on days
WNW NEWS JANUARY 2019 55
 Three bass finesse rigs
that will blow your mind
C
urse thee, YouTube. acting like a gamefish’s typical prey.
Each winter, you cost They don’t call a lot of attention to
those of us who don’t themselves, but act like minnows
like ice fishing way and crayfish going about their daily
too much money. We business, trying to not get eaten.
bass anglers can spend
hour after hour watching anglers of Damiki Rig
all skill levels catch fish after fish Basically a soft plastic jerkbait
on things that aren’t in our tackle on an open-hook jig, the rig got its
boxes. What’s worse, name because the origi-
YouTube, you’re a step- nal featured a jighead
ping stone to websites and Armor Shad from
where we can punch in the Damiki Company. I
credit card numbers and watched a YouTuber who
stock up on these things calls himself BassGeek
we’ve never used, but catch a giant smallmouth
that convincingly catch somewhere down south
fish on your videos. on a 1/2-ounce Drop-
head jighead from
By Dave Mull
As we watch these
videos, we envision Ledgehead Lures, and Blow your minds with these finesse-y rigs come spring. (Counter-
our own lakes, casting searched Dropheads clockwise from top left) Damiki-rigged Zoom Fluke on Mooneye Jig-
from kayaks or boats, catching fish online. Turns out they cost $7.25 for head, Z-Man Hula StickZ on Revenge jighead, Slider head on 4-inch
like YouTube content providers do. a three-pack. I didn’t order any— Slider Worm, Slider head on Double Action Grub and Cruncher Tube
We’re going to look at three fi- yet. I also scanned for the Damiki on a Jika Rig featuring a 1/4-ounce Motley Fishing Tungsten Drop
nesse-y rigs: the Damiki Rig, Slider Armor Shads, which look like your Shot Weight.
Worms and a Jika-rigged tube bait. basic 3-inch Baby Fluke.
These rigs don’t make much noise, BassGeek fished a 1/2-ounce Drophead on 6-pound fluorocar- I was sorely tempted to buy
bon and a medium action rod— some Dropheads and Damiki Armor
seems like too light of a setup for Shads, but fought off the urge. I pe-
a 1/2-ounce jighead, but he liked it rused my tackle and found a pack of
JOE THOMAS PRO SERIES ROOSTER TAIL
®
plummeting down to the school 40 VMC Mooneye Jigs and one paired
feet deep and being able to keep it
DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY
nicely with a trimmed Fluke in the
directly below his rod tip when the baby bass pattern. I also discovered

FOR BASS
wind pushed him around. Once it’s
down there, his main approach was
to let it hover and quiver. Occasion-
ally he’d trigger bites from the fish
he saw on his graph by giving the
Classic Rooster Tail w/HD reel handle a quick turn.
Split Ring & Pre-Sharpened Two important things about
Black Nickel Hook the jighead. First, it should have a
90-degree hook eyelet—the eyelet
Pulsating Hackle/Tinsel
should be sticking straight up from
Dressed Hook Attracts Fish
the top of the head. That helps keep
Genuine Silver, it hanging horizontal amongst your
Brass and/or
Painted Blades target fish. Second, it ought to have
realistic eyeballs to look more like a
real minnow.
a three-pack of 1/4-ounce jigheads,
watermelon color, from Revenge
Baits. These matched magnificently
with a Mud Minnow pattern Hula
StickZ from Z-Man that I trimmed
to 3 inches. I’m already envisioning
pulling some big bass over the side
of the kayak from a couple of deep
clear lakes this spring.
Charlie’s Sliders
The late Charlie Brewer belongs
on the Mount Rushmore of finesse
anglers, coming up with the original
Slider head and worm. I just got his

Enjoy
Upland Bird Hunting
August 15—April 30
This new Rooster Tail was designed with
input from professional angler Joe Thomas
and built specifically for bass and schooling
stripers. Special components make it extra
strong to handle the toughest fish, and it features all the
attributes that make Rooster Tail so productive. Available in two sizes, No Hunting
½ and ¾ ounce for long casts and fast retrieves, the Joe Thomas Series License
Rooster Tail comes in 12 finishes hand-selected by Joe Thomas.
Required!
Michigan Association of
Gamebird Breeders & Hunting Preserves
For information & listing of our preserves near you go to:
www.michiganhuntingpreserves.com
56 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS

book Charlie Brewer on Slider Fish-
in,’ and it is going to be excellent
wintertime reading. First published
in 1978, it extolls the “Do Nothing”
method of fishing with light line and
the unique, flat jigheads that Brewer
developed to fish the lakes around
his home in Lawrenceburg, Ten-
nessee. You can get your own copy
for a bargain price of $6.95. While
you’re at it, you can do what I did
and get free shipping by ordering
$43.05 worth of Slider Heads, Slider
Worms and Double Action Grubs
(which we now would call swim-
baits.
Slider fishing is as basic as bass
casting gets. I watched an hour-long
YouTube video, edited from the
original, which was made in 1988. It
features Charlie and his buddy Foxy
Griffin talking about all the main
components of Slider fishing, with
extra stuff about how Charlie came
up with the rig.
Basically, back in 1988, you just
rigged a 4-inch Slider Worm on one
of the flat jigheads, cast it on 6- or
4-pound test monofilament, counted
it down to the depth you wanted it to
travel, and then reeled very slowly.
That’s about as “do nothing” as it
gets. The video details the gear of
the day which included short spin-
ning rods and small spinning reels,
so chosen to be light weight
and comfortable to use. Charlie
recommends taping the reel to
the all-cork rod handle, (known
as the Tennessee handle) to keep
the combo lighter and more com-
fortable in the hand.
I don’t think I’ll change
from my 7-foot medium-light
Shimano Convergence rods with
the inexpensive Sedona spinning
reels or go back to monofilament
instead of the braided Power
Pro and 8-pound Seaguar
AbrazX fluorocarbon leader, but
I can’t wait to start casting some
of those baits and doing nothing
other than reeling to catch bass
with them.
Fishing Tournament Information System
Jika Tubes
expands to include muskie, walleye
Starting January 1, all
The Jika Rig (properly pro-
nounced ZEE-ka rig) is a fairly bass and walleye fishing
tournaments, as well as
recent Japanese import that has
a free-swinging weight below a competitive fishing events
targeting muskellunge, must
hook, usually rigged weedless into
a plastic bait. Fortunately I already be registered in the DNR's
Michigan Fishing Tourna-
had a good supply of tungsten drop-
shot weights from Motley Fishing ment Information System,
available online. These events
(motleyfishing.com). They are the
least expensive tungsten weights I must report their results, too.
The inclusion of wall-
could find. I also have a bunch of
Mizmo and Cruncher tubes that I eye and muskie adds to the
statewide registration and
bought last March at the Ultimate
Outdoors Show in Grand Rapids. reporting requirements for
bass fishing tournaments that have been in place since 2016.
Having the tubes was fortunate, be-
cause although the Jika can be used Tournament and event directors are required to register and report
using the Fishing Tournament Information System. The DNR has worked
with about any soft plastic, I found
a YouTube video that showed how it the last 10 months to overhaul the system in order to accommodate the
new requirements. That system now is operational and currently accept-
works with a plastic tube lure.
The excellent, short video on the ing 2019 registrations.
“This is an important step in gaining a better understanding of what
AnglingBuzz channel features Capt.
Ben Wolfe of Sport Fish Michigan, competitive walleye and muskellunge fishing means to angling, conserva-
tion and Michigan’s economy,” said Tom Goniea, a fisheries biologist and
which is a group of guides and
charter captains. Capt. Wolfe shows the DNR’s tournament fishing specialist. “To date, the Fishing Tourna-
ment Information System has been a tremendous success, receiving
succinctly how to rig a cylindrical
drop-shot weight on a split ring that more than 2,000 bass tournament registrations and reports. We expect a
smooth transition to include a couple hundred annual walleye and mus-
goes through the eyelet of an extra
kellunge events.”
wide-gap hook, with a tube Texas-
For more information, including definitions explaining the differ-
rigged on the hook. Man, the under-
water footage of that tube bouncing ence between a fishing tournament and a competitive fishing event, visit
just about the bottom made me want the system site at michigan.gov/fishingtournaments. Questions? Contact
to eat it. It just looked great. Plus, Tom Goniea at 517-284-5830.
Capt. Wolfe points out the Jika setup
lets the weight directly contact the
bottom, giving the angler better feel
than a jighead rigged inside the plas-
tic would. A bonus is the whole rig
is heavy enough to cast on a baitcast
combo.
I didn’t have split-ring pliers
handy before I took the photos for
this story, and found it impossible to
get the split ring in the 2/0 Mustad
KVD Ultra Lock Light Wire Hook,
which fit the tube well. So I used a
snap from Torpedo Tackle, which
adds a little bit of hardware, but was
simple to rig. I bet it will still catch
fish. Hello, this is Charlie Morse.
If you’re like me, I bet you al- I don't have a lifetime to wait!
ready envision a big black bass, half Air pruned containerized
way out of the water, trying to shake plants, equals RESULTS SOONER!
free of one of these rigs.n

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R IF 720 East Center T
Omer, Michigan 48749
Mini Barns • Storage Sheds • Deer Blinds
Rustic Outdoor Furniture • Produce • Deer Feed
Garden Supplies • Nursery • Spring Greenhouse • Flowers
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Bulk & Bagged Apples, Sugar Beets, Carrots,
Corn, Statewide Delivery; or pickup.
Gas Station & Independent Contracts Available
WNW NEWS JANUARY 2019 57
 A truly
unforgettable
experience
F
rom the moment that I
arrived at Meta Lake,
I knew that this was a
special place. The lodge’s
owners, John
and Cheryl
Wiersema were right there
at the dock to greet us and
the staff took care of all
our stuff. It might seem
like a “little thing” but
after a long drive, and then
the flight in, it was much
pike and walleye fishing. It did not
disappoint. This was a crazy four
days of fish, food, camaraderie and
campfires. There are a few things to
note when choosing a great
“fly-in” fishing destina-
tion. I personally love the
camps and lodges that are
operated by the person that
you speak with at the sport
show. I’ve heard too many
horror stories from others
who booked a trip and it

By John Bergsma
appreciated.
Meta Lake had
long been on my
“short list” of Ontario Destinations.
This lodge is situated right in
the middle of the famed Albany
watershed. This area of Ontario is
known for its awesome northern
wasn’t anything
like the sales
pitch.
Meta Lake is every bit as good
as advertised. The owners were
there for the guests, night and day.
Service is a serious emphasis with
John and Cheryl.
The author caught this dandy nor thern pike right in the middle of
the famed Albany watershed. Author photos
The fishing is why we all go to a literally as many walleyes as anyone
Canadian destination. Meta Lake is could ever want each day. The wall-
an awesome fishery. Without exag-
geration, we, in both boats, caught Unforgettable page 60

with your host

n B e r g sm a
Jo h Now on...
CBSSN: Saturday’s at 7:30 a.m January-March
Fox Sports Detroit: Sunday’s at 7:00 a.m January-June
Online viewing at: www.fishermansdigest.com
Visit our website and find out about . . .
• Destinations • Fishing Reports •
• Our Show • Cooks Corner •

58 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS

 Che
Met ck Out
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Lod Lake
Nakina FAC ge On
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WNW NEWS JANUARY 2019 59
An unforgettable experience:
from page 58
eye bit in several different depths,
which really made fishing easy. The
go-to presentation for my boat was
a two-fisted approach. I love to “feel
the bite” so consequently, I opted
to back-troll a small jig and plastic
tipped with a fathead minnow. This
worked from six-foot out to 15-foot
depths, anywhere we stopped.
The key was to watch the graph
and throw a marker on some of the
better spots. We’d then just slow
down and vertical jig, it was stupid
good on some of the spots. I had
many occasions, where we’d hold
on top of a school of 17 to 22-inch
walleye and catch 20 or more before
the bite would slow. Our second
method of fishing was trolling
crankbaits. It was equally produc-
tive, and results were very similar,
with stretches of shorelines produc-
ing 10 to 25 feisty walleye.
This is a very fun fact about
Meta Lake, the “big pike” are mixed
right in with the walleye! At Meta,
there’s no need to go looking for
the big one, just keep catching and
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Hogs Fallow Bucks $1,000
Call For Availability
Fallow Does • Red Stag Does
PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE!
60 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS
it will happen! It’s so crazy, one
second, you’re just catching the snot
out of walleye and then, BOOM you
are into a big northern.
A tip to increase the catch rate of
those larger fish; I have been using
an 18 inch hand tied leader, using 25
pound Seaguar Fluorocarbon. This
stuff is tough and the walleye don’t
seem to mind it at all.
I always try to help with a few
good lures for people to bring. For
me it would be ¼ to 3/8 ounce jig
heads in bright colors with 2 to
3-inch brightly colored plastics.
Crankbaits are great, and I would
suggest a splash of several colors
of ¼ Hot-N-Tots, Flicker shads
and Strike King Bonzi Shads were
the best baits by far. Fire Tiger,
Pink Lemonade, Purple see thru all
worked great!
The equipment and boats all
worked very well. The wooden
boats are dry and track very nicely
when back-trolling. Boats are
equipped with graphs and it’s an
awesome feature when fishing a lake
On many occasions the author would hold on top of a school of 17
to 22 inch walleye and catch 20 or more before the bite would slow.
you’ve never been too. The docks Although fishing is why you
are stable, and the dock helper was come, John and Cheryl’s food is
there waiting for us anytime we why you will come back! It was
stopped back. Gas, minnows and simply fantastic! The meals, the
great fishing information are all breads and desserts were homemade
right at the docks. and awesome. This place was great
The cabins at Meta Lake Lodge in every way.
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Cheryl really makes this lodge feel www.metalakelodgefishing.com.
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 A do-it-yourself project...
The triangle tower deer stand
T
ower stands easily get the
highest safety rating of any
elevated stand. A tower is
also much nicer to use since
it does not limit or inhibit your vi-
sion or hearing, and shooting in any
direction is possible. This particular
design is simple, strong and easy to
build. It includes a sturdy ladder.
You can build a tower
stand in your garage or
driveway in an afternoon.
The materials list is short
and simple and only ordi-
nary tools are required. You
will need:
• Six 14-foot 2x4,
treated wood.
• Half of a 4 x 8 sheet of
By George Rowe
half-inch treated
plywood
• Three eight-
foot 2x6, treated wood
• Three twelve-foot treated 2x4
for the ladder (two verticals and the
steps) or you can make the ladder
and steps out of two-by-sixes ripped
in half.
• Eighteen 5/16ths carriage bolts,
four inches long, with flat washers.
• Decking (coated) screws to
fasten the deck and the corner braces
Affordable, Fly-in Fishing on 6 Remote Lakes
FishBuckLake.com
705-534-1991
to the triangles.
• Coated wood screws (2 – 3
inches) to fasten the triangles to-
gether.
The first step is to make the three
triangles, each four feet to the side.
Rip the 2x6 and cut each side to 48
inches. Bevel each end to 60 degrees
and fasten the triangles together with
wood screws. Cut the ply-
wood to fit one triangle and
attach with decking screws.
From the plywood
scraps, fashion corner
braces for the bottom brace
triangle and the top rail
triangle. Measure, mark and
drill holes in the triangles
for the bolts, making sure
you do not get the
uprights (and the
bolt holes) too
close to the corner, making wrench
work difficult.
The bottom brace triangle should
be about two feet above ground or
four feet from the bottom of the ver-
tical support. The platform triangle
should be about two feet from the
top and the top rail triangle goes
right at the top of the vertical sup-
ports. If you are very tall, you might
want the top rail a little higher off the
platform. The 24 inches used here is
about right for the average person.
Measure, mark and drill the verti-
cal supports for the bolts. Lay two
of them flat on your work surface
and insert the bolts in the holes. Set
each triangle in place and fasten with
nuts but do not quite tighten. Add
the other vertical supports and insert
bolts and apply nuts with flat wash-
ers. The stand is now basically com-
plete. Mark (with numbers or letters)
every bolt hole so that you can easily
reassemble the stand in the woods.
You can now carry off the stand in
the form of the separate vertical sup-
ports and the three triangles. You can
actually get the whole thing (all the
pieces) on the back rack of an ATV.
Construct the ladder, using ripped
two-by six treated lumber or two-
by-fours. Fasten the steps securely
with two screws on each side. The
steps will work better if you slant
them slightly so that your foot hits
them squarely (see drawing). When
the stand is erected in the woods,
fasten the ladder to the stand with
screws through the platform triangle
and horizontally, through a vertical
support.
Pick a spot for the stand care-
fully, looking for natural deer trails
or crossings or perhaps a spot where
scrapes or rubs have been spotted in
previous years and pay attention to
the prevailing winds.
Take a post-hole digger and a
shovel into the woods and plant the
stand in a group of small trees, for
cover. Make sure you have some
big trees in the background so that
you cannot be skylighted. Probe the
ground with a piece of re-rod, before
you start digging, to make sure you
don’t have a problem with big rocks
or roots. If you plant it two feet deep,
you will have the good height and a
solid stand. Pack the soil while shak-
ing the stand, to get it well rooted.
You can make it really solid by plant-
ing it within a foot or two of a stout
tree and cutting a V-shaped notch in
a two-by-six for a brace. Fasten the
brace to the bottom of the platform
after pushing the notch against the
tree. Screw an eye-bolt into each side
of the brace and tie a rope around the
tree. While the stand is by no means
portable, it can be pulled out of the
ground (use some sort of lever) and
carried off by two men, with the lad-
der removed.
The stand can be painted, after
it weathers for a few months, but
the natural color is fine. Each year,
before using the stand, check all nuts
and screws and especially the ladder
to make sure all is tight and secure.
Remember safety is the number one The author’s diagram of a tower
priority.n stand for deer hunting.
predator hunnting doesn’t need to end once the sun
goes down. with our exclusive nightsnipe hunting
lights you can safely and effectively target
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Attica, MI 48412
WNW NEWS JANUARY 2019 61
 Fall and winter
REFLECTIONS
T
his hunting season, why some of the dogs are called
it seems as though “Golden.” It really does not refer to
Mother Nature is just their color.
unable to decide what My wife and I look forward to
weather she wants to attending the show each year and we Scott Thrushman and Matthew Vazana show off their successful results of
cover Michigan with. believe it to be the largest outdoor, a European Hunt at the Ranch.
An early snowstorm in November family activity in the state. Sure
sure helped out with all those there are lots of shows, but into the second week of September, outdoors. My friend Gordy Miller is
hunters out there tracking. not too many with the length near the end of the fishing season another source for good eating during
In the past, cross coun- of years at 32 and still going and just in time to welcome in a new hunting season. He is fortunate to
try skiing was popular in strong. There are none that hunting one. have a field behind his house where
the state parks of the upper combine the selection of Pheasants in the wild, at least in the deer hang out and like Scott has
thumb; Port Crescent and products, activities and up the Thumb, are hard to come by. I shared some great, corn-fed venison
Sleeper. For select events, to the minute face to face was thrilled one day in early Novem- with us.
some of the County parks information that outdoor’s ber however when I spotted three I plan on spending the winter
may allow it also. Maybe persons want to know. The hens strolling along a ditch just out- right here in Michigan this year and
food vendors side of Port Austin. They were the really look forward to seeing what I
By Capt. Fred Davis
if this snow
continues, deliver some first ones I had seen in years. Used have missed for over 30 years loung-
snowmobiling great offerings to be, I could hop the fence behind ing around in Florida.
could even make a comeback. also, just ask Pat. my house at 8 a.m. and pheasant was Capt. Fred Davis is a retired char-
Weather was perfect I recall If you have not attended to judge cooking by 5 p.m. for dinner. We ter captain and nationally published
during the Woods-N-Water Outdoor for yourself, you should. We love never found any wild game tastier. author of boating articles. His Boat
Show in September as we sat in the to watch as Mom, Dad, kids and the My son-in-law Scott had an op- Smart articles have been published in
bleachers watching the Ultimate Air family dog, often dressed in their portunity this year to participate in a each edition of Woods-N-Water News
Dog Show and spent an hour or so at camo hunting gear stroll through the pheasant hunting outing at Rooster for 30 years and online at www.cap-
the puppy tent. I have to share with great hunting and fishing displays. Ranch in Ubly. He and longtime tainfredsboattips.com.n
my readers the fact that I discovered The show dates are ideal; three days hunting pal, Matthew Vazana learned
of an annual fundraiser; “K-9 Pet
Rescue” which helps fund adoptions
Open Mon thru Fri in Macomb County. It was a Euro-
9am-7pm • Sat 9am-6pm pean Hunt and the day they hunted
Sun 9am-4pm was great weather and included great
1380 N. Cedar food and successful results. Scott
was good enough to share his bounty
(517) 699-0597 from the hunt by preparing a big pot
(½ Mile South of Holt, 127 to of soup. He told me he had chatted
Cedar St. exit, North 2 Miles)
with another fella at the Ranch who
Over 2,000 Guns in Stock shared his soup recipe. If you have
INDOOR GUN RANGE never tried using pheasant for a deli-
Hand Guns, Long Guns, Muzzleloading, cious soup, you should try it.
Reloading Supplies, Ammo, Archery & Accessories I’ve learned the deer bow season
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• CASH FOR USED GUNS • INDOOR GUN RANGE cessful and I’m not surprised. Every
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of the woods. The early snow lent
2018 GUN & KNIFE SHOWS itself to the urge for hunters to get Gordy Miller with his nice buck!
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Harrison
Clare County Fairgrounds
418 Fairlane
www.jankspheasantfarm.com www.hotshotoutfitters.com
62 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS
 Gun Chat...By Lee Arten

Defensive pistol fundamentals

G
rant Cunningham has
been teaching classes
and writing about
self-defense with
firearms for years.
In 2014 his book,
Defensive Pistol Fundamentals was
published by Gun Digest Books. I
found a copy recently and decided
to review it.
Cunningham wastes no time in
getting to his subject. The introduc-
tion of the book is entitled, “The
Worst-Case Scenario What We
Train For.” He goes on to write,
“The surprise attack, the ambush,
is the worst case scenario we’ll be
considering throughout this book,”
and “This book is about defending
yourself from the surprise crimi-
nal attack, the criminal ambush.
It’s about that very short period of
time-measured in seconds-when you
find your life in imminent danger
and where lethal force is the correct
response.”
Chapter 1 is entitled “Safety
First,” and reviews common gun
safety rules mostly derived from
Col. Jeff Cooper’s Four Rules.
Chapter 2 “Being Efficient”
discusses ways to shoot a pistol
without wasting time or effort. Cun-
ningham states that efficient does
not always mean fast.
Chapter 3 is “Picking A Semi-
Auto Pistol.” This chapter would
be more useful to a newer shooter.
I read it but, I’ve been shooting for
years and have already made my
choice of handguns. In semi-autos
I usually end up with a 1911 pat-
tern gun in .45 ACP or 9mm Luger.
Often my choice is not a pistol but a
revolver in .38 Special, .357 Mag-
num, or .41 Magnum.
Chapter 4, “Ammunition For
Defensive Shooting” was more
interesting to me.
Cunningham takes up failures to
stop by small caliber and larger bul-
lets. He discusses penetration, “Too
www.woods-n-waternews.com
crouching and moving the hands up
to shield the eyes when attacked.
When defending themselves with
a handgun they most often use the
Isosceles stance. He says that stance
aligns most with natural reactions.
I was skeptical, but then started
thinking about an International
Defensive Pistol Association match
I shot years ago. In one stage of the
match there were targets within a
few yards of the competitor, and
targets 20 or 30 yards out. My plan
was to turn, go to the Weaver Stance
and shoot all the targets from it.
When the whistle blew I turned and
shot both near targets one-handed.
Then I went to the Weaver Stance
for the longer ones. I guess my
subconscious mind had decided
that one-handed, shooting would be
faster, and more effective, on the
close targets.
An IDPA match is not an attack,
but it does add stress to a trip to the
range. It may also have shown that
some of my planning was not worth
the mental scrip I had scribbled it
on.
Chapter 8 is entitled, “Making
Decisions Efficiently.” In it Cun-
ningham points out the difference
between “experts,” and those who
have never really considered that
they might have to defend them-
selves, or others, against a deter-
mined attack. “Someone who has
never been in a lethal force situation
or who has never thought about
what he or she would do in response
to a deadly attack will be forced to
improvise their response.”
In contrast, “The expert reacts
to a stimulus, recognizes what the
correct course of action is, then
responds in an automated way.”
Defensive shooters need “...fre-
quent and realistic training.” Realis-
tic training, to Cunningham, means
to, “train intuitive skills-those skills
Your Woods-N-Water News is
which work well with what your
body does naturally.” It also means,
“...practicing at unpredictable dis-
tances, and with varying size targets,
and with shoot indications that are
not known beforehand.”
I have almost always added
longer distance practice to my range
sessions. I could do more with Cunningham also suggests differ-
targets that are different than stan- ent targets, some commercial, some
dard bullseye, or silhouette targets, homemade. Someone to call num-
however. bers, colors, or shapes to shoot at
Cunningham also has chapters is also a help, he writes. Since it is
on precision in defensive shoot- impossible to know how many shots
ing, balancing speed and precision, it will take to stop a criminal attack
legalities of defensive shooting, Cunningham suggests abandoning
what skills are really needed, grasp the “double tap” or “double ham-
and stances, trigger control, eyes mer” and practice shooting longer
and sights, drawing the gun, dealing strings of fire without any significant
with more than one attacker, reload- pause between shots.
ing and malfunctions, integrity in While this book is about shoot-
training, and choosing a course to ing well enough, and fast enough,
take. to stop an attacker, or attackers, it
Chapter 24 “Practicing Realisti- has enough general information on
cally” suggests varying the same pistol shooting to make it valuable
number of rounds fired. For Bulls- to most handgun shooters. The book
eye practice shooting strings of five is illustrated with many black and
is fine. For defensive practice, “... white photos.
you should always practice firing a It can be bought from Gun Di-
random number of shots...” gest Books.n
Manufacturer of Fine Northern Hardwoods
Firewood
Buyers of by the Semi-Load
Standing Timber
Buyers of Standing Timber
SFI Trained Loggers and Forest Consultants

much penetration can be as bad as SFI Trained Loggers and Forest Consultants
too little,” and the benefits of using Wildlife andandTimberland Improvements
“Just a Click Away!”
Wildlife Timberland Improvements
hollowpoint defensive rounds.
Chapter 5 “Testing Your Pistol Select Cutting;
Select Clear
cutting; Clear cutting
cutting
For Reliability” makes good points Mechanized logging and handcutting
Mechanized logging and handcutting
about changing main and magazine • Subscriptions
springs on used handguns. I haven’t Contact
always done this. Cunningham may • Email the Editor Contact one
one of our buyers
of our buyerstoday
today
brad@billsbylumber.com or jim@billsbylumber.com
have convinced me to start. • Classifieds - Buy, Sell, Trade brad@billsbylumber.com or (989)
jim@billsbylumber.com
Chapter 6 “Realities Of Defen- (616) 634-1522 or 544-9342
sive Shooting The Ambush Attack” • Send Photos or Story Tips 2725 Larch Rd. • Harrison, MI 48625
(616) 634-1522 or (989) 544-9342
and Chapter 7 “Your Body’s Natural • Advertising Information 2725 Larch Rd.
www.billsbylumber.com

FIREWOOD BY T H E
Reactions” may have changed my Harrison, MI 48625
mind the most. Cunningham favor
the Isosceles Stance, where the body www.woods-n-waternews.com www.billsbylumber.com

SEMI-LOAD
is facing the threat, and the arms
are straight out and form a triangle.
It’s Easy . . .
Cunningham says security cam vid-
eos of ambush attacks show people
VISIT TODAY!
WNW NEWS JANUARY 2019 63


TROPHY PAGE
Aaron
Passarell
took this
8-pt. on
Autumn Oct. 12. He
Stawecki came out
took of his food
this nice plot with a
8-pt. at 9 10-pt. and
a smaller
am Nov. 8. Dressed
16 in St. out at 195
Clair Co. lbs. and
he green
scored
125 inches Norman Foster of Clio took this
taken in beautiful 10-pt. in Genesee Co.
Sanilac Co. Nov. 16 with a muzzleloader.

TJ
Matthews Richard
with a Perry took
nice buck this nice
taken in looking
Traverse buck on
City public
land near
Lowell.

Chad Patton of Leslie took this

unique 10-pt. hunting opening day Brent Barber of Fort Gratiot took
of firearm season in Ingham Co. this nice 9-pt. Nov. 1 on state land.

Parker Tommy
Smith Trudell,
11, took 15 of At- Ed
this 6-pt. tica took Parker
dur- his first took
ing the buck, this
youth a 6-pt. 8-pt.
hunt in with his hunt-
Clare com- ing
Co. It pound near
was his bow at
Pat Meehleder took this first hunt Byron.
Bay Co. 8-pt. as he was 15 yards
and first hunting
fighting with a smaller Phil Perkowski,
8-pt. on Nov. 3. shot with his
ever. took this 6-pt.
mother. Nov. 16 hunting
near Atlanta.

Zach
Eberling
with Easton
his first Pleyte
deer! bagged
Taken his first
while buck on
hunting open-
with his ing day
Uncle in 2018!
Arenac Archer McGraw, 7, of Gladstone
Co. Aaron Woodruff of Brighton took this 4-pt. buck on opening
with his big Nebraska 9-pt. day, hunting with his dad.
64 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS
 

TROPHY PAGE

Isaac Treat of Imlay City took this

wide racked buck hunting Nov.
Drew Wilkerson after 20 plus Tom LaLonde took 25 at 3:40 p.m.
Vano Vandeberghe, 16 took
years finally harvested a ma- this great mature buck in the
this fine 8-pt. during
ture whitetail with his com- morning of October 20 with archery season on his
pound bow! his crossbow. property in Otisville.
Brayden
Kyle Krause, Eaton,
8 took his 13 took
first buck, his first
this 7-pt. deer
hunting this 8-pt.
Nov. 25 in hunting
St. Clair Co. in north-
with his west
dad. Isabella
Co. on
Nov. 18 Seven-year-old Mackie Maltese
with a with her first deer taken with a
Trenton Holstege, 9
30-30. took his first big doe crossbow on her friend’s prop-
on Nov. 13 in erty near Howell.
The Tuckey Ottawa Co.
brothers
Alex
had a
successful Ogonowski,
opening 12 of New-
day; Rick port took
(lt) 8-pt. his first deer
Jay with hunting Nov.
a 10-pt. 15 in Monroe
hunting Co.
near Cass
City

Christopher
Beaman 12
of Cottrell-
ville took
his first
deer a 4-pt. Brothers Success: An-
thony D’Alessio, Dan
hunting Hinman took their bucks
Montmo- on public land and AJ
rency Co. Stevens (top) hunted the
Nov. 17. Lucas Reygaert, 9 took Logan Anthony took special handicap hunt
Mason Sierpien, 10 of Es- his first deer hunting this Bay Co. 9-pt. on in Shiawassee National
canaba took this 10-pt. Nov. 4 in Lapeer Co. on Refuge and all took nice
hunting in Art Texas. his second hunt. Nov. 28 at 4:25 pm. bucks!
WNW NEWS JANUARY 2019 65
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66 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS

 MICHIGAN'S
NUMBER 1
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WNW NEWS JANUARY 2019 67
 COYOTE SCAT:
It’s In the Details!
W
ho would
have thought
that a magnif-
icent mound
of moist coy-
ote scat bak-
ing in the sunlight of South Manitou
Island, a gem of Sleeping Bear
Dunes National Lakeshore,
would bring me untold
fame and fortune includ-
ing publication in the next
issue of Ranger, the glossy
magazine of the Association
of National Park Rangers.
It’s about to happen, a fact I
discovered last month while
attending a
gathering
of national By Jonathan Schechter
park service
personal in Bowling Green, Ken-
tucky, home to Mammoth Cave
National Park.
This strange but true tale of
coyote poop actually started three
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68 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS
years ago but came to fruition last
June when my favorite, and rather
handsome, Easter Coyote that treks
along the shoreline of South Mani-
tou near the island’s 1871 lighthouse
left a fresh deposit of scat within
eyeshot of the lighthouse. To set the
scene for the rest of this tale, the
8.3 square miles of South
Manitou Island is home to
perhaps a dozen coyotes,
maybe less, more likely
more, but after spending
three seasons on the island
as the volunteer Lighthouse
Keeper for our National
Park Service, I’m happy
with that
number.
I’m also
pretty darn
certain that the coyote in question
whose image appears in this cel-
ebratory ramble had come to know
my ways and my wanderings in far
more detail than I knew his.
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The author’s award winning photo.
Coyotes are both curious and
wary, and our paths would cross
frequently, usually near dawn or
dusk as I trekked to or from my
lighthouse post. Tracks in the sand
confirmed that assumption. I also
believe he saw me far more often
than I noticed him, but on occasion
we would give each other a passing
glance from a 100 or 200 feet away
and he would continue on his shore
patrol in the foredunes in a behav-
ioral pattern that seemed to say,
“Oh, it’s just you.”
My official position with the
National Park Service was to
interpret and share historical and
human history information about the
lighthouse and the Manitou Passage
with the backpackers and day trip-
Even the
pers that came over almost daily on best turkey
the famed ferry of Manitou Island
Transit; the Mishe Mokwa. But with
hunters appreciate
my many years as a naturalist back less recoil and
in Oakland County I perhaps spent
muzzle jump!
more time chatting about nature’s
way and the wildlife of the island,
and that’s where coyotes came into “I recommend Pro-Port to all my clients”
the story, for the lighthouse catwalk Graig Everetts, Bluffton, South Carolina
gave me a view of their world and
my insatiable curiosity had me fol- Phone: 586-469-6727
lowing their tracks and trails. Fax: 586-469-0425
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Perhaps I should state that none
went down during my watch; with
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the last significant wreck being the
Francisco Morazan. Gambling with
late season Great Lakes weather, but
wanting to make one last trip before
winter, the Francisco Morazan left
Chicago on November 27, 1960 but
fell victim to the gales of Novem-
ber the next day during a blinding
snowstorm and ran aground about
300 feet from the southeast corner
of South Manitou. Today her rapidly
disintegrating above water remnants
is home to cormorants and a smat-
tering of gulls. The shipwreck nest-
ing gulls remained secure from ‘my’
coyote and his egg loving kin.
In my casual ramblings about
the island I’d often point out coyote Coyotes are both curious and wary, and the author’s paths would cross frequently with this coyote,
tracks and dried scat that was rich usually near dawn or dusk as he trekked to or from his lighthouse post. Author photos
with snowshoe hare bone and fur.
When spring arrived on the island All adventure tales tend to have grasshoppers would only win in a forward to returning in the spring of
chipmunks are added to the menu a beginning and an end, and so does contest when your nature loving 2019 and another round of adventur-
and by the end of May it’s time for this one. Here’s the end: Back in peers are the judge. ing with my shoreline song dog.
Herring Gull eggs to be followed by November I attended “Ranger Ren- My moment of fame is about Jonathan Schechter lives in
tender Herring Gull chicks. Berries dezvous 41” of the Association of to arrive with the next issue of Brandon Township in addition to
of many types, especially strawber- National Park Rangers, a gathering Ranger, and as for the fortune, well; being a Lighthouse Keeper for the
ries, enrich the diet and by early for those affiliated with the National I just feel fortunate to have had the National Park Service at Sleeping
June the scat tends to be moist. And Park Service, even as a volunteer. opportunity to man that historic Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
that’s where this tale from the wilder This year’s meeting was held in lighthouse and share the island with he is the Nature Education Writer
side of Sleeping Bear Dunes Nation- Bowling Green, Kentucky with side the coyotes that call it home. I’ll for Oakland County Government.
al Lakeshore gets really interesting. trips and optional field training with consider that my fortune and look Email: oaknature@aol.comn
Moist poop attracts many spe- Law Enforcement Rangers of Mam-
cies of insects, including butterflies. moth Cave National Park. And there
Butterflies are well known for deli- was a photo contest where the rules
cately sipping nectar from flowers, were pretty simple. There were five
but their tastes also run to stronger categories to enter and the pho-
life sustaining stuff than nectar and tos must have been taken within a
that includes rotting carrion and National Park. The categories were
fresh feces. A pile of nutrient rich People in the Parks, Landscapes,
feces is an all you can eat buffet for Wildlife, Historical and Cultural
butterflies. Butterflies land on the Resources and; It’s In the Details
alluring pile of poo and use their which was further defined as “close
uncoiled proboscis like a straw to ups, abstract designs, micro details.”
suck up a mix of salts, nutrients and I entered images from the island
amino acids they cannot get from in all the categories, including the
flowers. I stumbled upon such scene accompanying coyote image in the
and snapped a close-up photo last wildlife category. When the results
June—the kind of thing a naturalist were tallied my pile of poop en-
might do. And I almost forgot about try took top prize for ‘It’s In The
that photo. Until last November that Details.’ I have a feeling that moist
is. poop playing host to butterflies and

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 An investment for your future!
Michigan Deer Camp Traditions...A series of stories
about deer camps in the great state of Michigan

O
ver the past few hunters are beginning to make that
months, we’ve same dream their reality as well.
seen that deer camp What if, by chance, the chasm
traditions come that these hunters are able to hurdle
in vastly differ- really isn’t impassable for you
ent ways. Many either?
hunters have traveled hundreds When acquired at the right price,
of miles for decades to real estate should be seen as
Michigan’s Upper Penin- an investment. Historically
sula to hunt both public or speaking, property values
private land. Others simply have always maintained
walk out their back porch their present worth. In most
to hunt homestead acreage. regions of our great state,
Many hunters have been property values have con-
blessed with the opportu- tinued to rise. There simply
nity to fulfill their dreams isn’t any more land being
in making the made. As the de- Another successful Timber Stand Improvement plan managed by a
seemingly large
leap of acquiring By Jake Dykstra mand increases,
so does required
registered forester. Author photos
acres of Michigan U.P. ground at ground to local farmers or actively
property of their
own, specifically of Wildlife Realty capital to acquire
it. If you recall
$50 per acre. Now, forty years later,
the neighboring property to his hunt-
managing your forest for both
habitat improvement and financial
for the purpose in a previous ing camp recently sold for $800 per success (and in some cases both)!
of recreational land use. As time article, one deer camper in particular acre. If you intend on purchasing a I would argue that the majority
continues to progress, many more had the opportunity to obtain forty piece of property and holding onto it of Michigan deer are harvested in or
for some time, rest assured that long around agricultural farmland. There

Je n k
term appreciation trends are in your is certainly nothing wrong with

e n i ns
favor when you make the decision that! Deer have a natural tendency
to eat five times a day; what would

L
to sell. But it is here where hunters
and land stewards have the advan-
tage of recognizing opportunity, not
just from a hunter’s perspective, but
be more obvious than to hunt within
close proximity of a large food
source such as a corn field or stand-

HUNT CLUB
also a financial gain.
Aside from appreciation, hunters
have a real opportunity to use their
love of the sport for their personal
financial success as well. That’s
quite a statement! How many people
can say they have the opportunity to
enjoy doing what you are most pas-
Custom Gun Dog Training English Setters sionate about and successfully reap
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4989 Abbot Road • Reading, MI 49274 This can usually be done in one
of two ways: leasing agricultural
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ing bean field?
Not to mention the fact that
harvesting deer off of these food
sources also adds significant benefit
to the local farmers. These “food
sources” can also be used in the
decision-making process of land ac-
quisition. Michigan State University
recently published a study stating
that the average lease agreement be-
tween a local farmer and a landown-
er is at $123 per acre. Let’s say, for
instance, that you were interested in
a sixty-acre parcel of land, twenty

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70 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS
have obtained a negative connota-
tion for destroying Michigan forests
by decimating the tree population
and leaving the forest floor a natural
disaster. Not to mention the negative
repercussions this has on the native
animal species that populate these
regions. When this process is done
correctly the wildlife gains and the
financial benefits are exorbitant!
So, how does a hunter go about
tapping into this?
First of all, it is recognizing
that there is opportunity for Timber
Stand Improvement, NOT clear
cutting. Let’s face it, a deer hunter’s
ultimate goal is to harvest an animal
of their desired caliber. It is not to
decimate their forest for financial
gain. Be aware that not all forests
are capable of holding deer, due to
lack of browse and a lack of cover.
This is commonly a result of a ma-
ture forest canopy (trees 14 inches
in diameter or greater) crowding
out sufficient sunlight that inhibits
understory growth. A mature forest
does not present a problem, rather
it presents the average deer hunter
the opportunity to both afford his or
her purchase as well as benefit their
hunting opportunities.
Bret Kuipers, the licensed
Forester of Michigan Forestry Co.
simplifies Timber Stand Improve-
ment by relating the process to
“weeding the garden.” Note that
he uses the terminology of Timber
Stand Improvement rather than
“clear cutting.”
The first step as a licensed
Forester is to understand the land-
owner’s goals. When the property
owner hires a logger to come in and
harvest their trees, they will get just
that; a timber harvest without any
plan or direction. The results are
detrimental to the wellbeing of the
woods. The property owner will be
left with next to nothing, waiting for
the next five to seven years for their
timber to return to a useful growth.
With the landowner’s best inter-
est in mind, the licensed Forester
implements a plan to fit their desired
needs, which is most often bet-
ter deer hunting. Consequently,
the second step in the process is to
“weed the garden” of the trees that
are currently prohibiting the goals of
better deer hunting. Depending on
the extent, these select cuts usually
offer an immediate return on invest-
ment. Who said money doesn’t grow
on trees?
Quite often, Bret is able to work
with the landowner to lay out po-
tential logging roads such that after
the first selective timber harvest, the
trails can be used for access routes
for the hunter or even narrow food
plots for the deer. The benefits of
the first Timber Stand Improvement
don’t stop there, however, it is just
the beginning!
A licensed Forester can be
likened to that of an investment
manager. A well-managed Timber
Stand Improvement plan is great for
increasing browse, opening access
routes, creating potential food plots,
and consequently increasing the
overall capacity of the land to hold
more deer. Many landowners elect
to take the next step in making their
hunting land profitable for them.
Bret Kuipers and other licensed
professionals are able to establish a
program for landowners such that
every seven to ten years, a Timber
Stand Improvement cutting takes
place.
These cuts not only put more
money in your pockets, but it also
compounds the timber value. Over
time, lesser quality trees have been
harvested, leaving veneer (Grade
A) trees growing on your property.
Foresters know exactly what species
are in high demand in any given
market. This means that when black
walnut trees are in high demand
and soft maple are not, the forester
will instruct the timber harvesting
companies to remove only the wal-
nut trees. The maples would then be
left for a market that yields higher
demands.
There is still yet another op-
portunity to be had as active land
manager of your investment. Hunt-
ers and property owners can take the
next step in enrolling on one of the
several government programs that
provide tax incentives, such as the
Quality Forest Program and the For-
est Stewardship Program. Kuipers
mentions that some of these pro-
grams save the landowner upwards
of 18 mils on their annual property
taxes for non-homestead property.
All you need to know is that only
a registered forester can enroll
landowners in these programs.
There truly are multiple avenues of
revenue to be had when investing in
the right piece of hunting land and
hiring a registered forester like Bret
Kuipers is an excellent way to maxi-
mize your return on investment.
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parts, accessories and collectables.
For more information go to
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Internet bidding is available thru
Proxibid on all firearms.
MSU recently published a study indicating the average lease agree-
ment between a local farmer and a landowner is at $123 per acre.
Quite possibly the greatest
benefit that comes as a result from
acquiring your own hunting land
is the memories that will be made
and passed down from generation to
generation. At that point, deer camp
is no longer just a seasonal pas-
time that is shared with family and
friends. As a land manager, you can
essentially extend your deer camp
traditions into year-round activi-
ties. The early winter months can
be spent scouting your woods for
additional deer sign or expanding
your land possibilities with a Timber
Stand Improvement plan.
In the spring and summer it’s
time to get out the farm equipment
or even a simple rake, planting crops
or managing food plots for creating
more successful hunting opportu-
nities. All the hard work that gets
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season suddenly becomes that much
sweeter when you or your loved one
gets rewarded with the opportunity
to harvest a great Michigan deer on
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about.
Many a great deer camp tradi-
tion has been established on the
hundreds of thousands of acres of
public land this great state has to of-
fer. But, if hunting land of your own
has been on the back of your mind
for some time, one could argue that
with the opportunities presented,
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WNW NEWS JANUARY 2019 71
Perch
Jerkin’ By Mike Gnatkowski
Y
ellow perch, like
bluegills, tend to in-
habit just about every
lake in Michigan. But
it takes a certain kind
of lake or body of
water to produce reliable numbers of
jumbo yellow bellies. Usually, larger
inland lakes in the northern Lower
Peninsula, U.P. and Great Lakes
bays produce the most consistent
catches of perch during the winter.
These larger, more expansive bodies
of water provide the habitat, preda-
tor/prey relationship and abundant
food sources that are needed to grow
numbers of big perch.
Following is a sampling of
winter destinations that are sure to
produce the main ingredients of a
great perch fry this winter.
Little & Big Glen Lakes
Even though Little Glen and Big
Glen lakes are connected they’re
like night and day. Big Glen Lake
(4,865 acres) is nearly four times
as big as Little Glen Lake (1,400
acres). Little Glen Lake has a maxi-
mum depth of 13 feet; Big Glen
Lake has water as deep as 130 feet.
But what they do have in common
is that they are both excellent winter
perch lakes.
“Usually Little Glen freezes up
right about deer season,” said avid
ice angler and guide Dave Rose.
“It’s usually Christmas before Big
Glen has good ice on it. Both are hot
for jumbo perch on first ice.” Rose
said to expect frantic action in 8 to 9
feet of water on Little Glen as soon
as you can get on the ice. A hotspot
is where Little Glen Lake narrows
where it connects to Big Glen Lake.
Use caution when fishing near this
area early in the season. Rose said
that jumbo yellow bellies in the 10-
to 15-inch range are not uncommon
then. Rose claims that a lot of the
jumbo perch that reside in Big Glen
Lake migrate into Little Glen Lake
in late fall and early winter. First ice
usually produces a hot bite.
Because Big Glen Lake is so
deep, it’s slow to freeze. The lake
also doesn’t have a lot of structure.
Key to finding good numbers of
perch on first ice is to locate weeds
72 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS
adjacent to the first drop offs in 15
to 20 feet of water, according to
Dave Rose. Prime first-ice hotspots
are near the narrows in 5 to 25
feet of water and in the northeast
corner of the lake. Later as winter
deepens and the ice becomes safe,
perch schools roam the 35 to 50-foot
depths. The best tactic is to punch
lots of holes and keep moving until
you locate the schools. Walleye-
sized shiner minnows are the ticket
for jumbos that will occasionally top
15 inches.
Access to both lakes can be
gained at the public access located
near the narrows on the east shore of
Little Glen Lake. Anglers can also
access the lakes via numerous road
ends. For more information on bait
shops, lodging and amenities in the
area contact the Leelanau County
Chamber of Commerce at (231)
271-9895 or online at www.leela-
nauchamber.com.
Crystal Lake
“The winter perch fishing on
Crystal Lake is always good,” stated
Dave Bovee of the Backcast Fly
Shop in Benzonia. “It’s just a ques-
tion of how much sorting you want Yellow perch, like bluegills, tend to inhabit just about every lake in Michigan.
to do. There’s no shortage of perch shore. Anglers take some real jum- River and out to Elk Lake. Most
in the lake, but you need to do some bos there in water as deep as 70 feet. years it’s late January before anglers
searching to find the good ones.” Again, big minnows seem to catch can venture safely on to the ice.
“Goods ones” in this case are perch the biggest perch. A good place to prospect for
that will routinely measure in the For live bait, tackle and lake perch is right off the south shore
12- to 14-inch range. maps contact Backcast Fly Shop at access off Baggs Rd. Anglers can
“I’ll tell you one of the secrets (231) 882-5222. For information on turn north and find some of the
to catching big perch in Crys- lodging and other amenities in the lake’s deepest water or go west to a
tal Lake is to use big minnows,” area contact the Benzie County Visi- 15-foot flat that harbors schools of
claimed Bovee. “The bigger wall- tors Bureau at (800) 882-5801 or winter perch. A teardrop and wiggler
eye-sized minnow seem to catch the online at www.visitbenzie.com. is the best medicine for numbers of
bigger perch. You can use wigglers perch on Skegemog, but to target the
and you’ll catch a lot of perch, but Skegemog Lake real jumbos go armed with some big
you won’t catch many big ones.” Kalkaska County’s Skegemog shiner minnows.
Benzie County’s Crystal Lake Lake is famous for its big Great For information on lodging and
is big (9,711 acres) and deep, with Lakes muskies, but it’s also home accommodation in the area contact
spots in excess of 175 feet and slow to some outsized perch. Some of the the Kalkaska Chamber of Com-
to freeze. Some of the best winter biggest specimens are taken through merce at (231) 258-9103 or online at
perch action takes place on the east the ice. Perch in the 10- to 11-inch www.kalkaskami.com.
end of the lake off the town of Beu- range are fairly common and perch
lah. This is the first area of the lake up to 15 inches aren’t unheard of on Hamlin Lake
to freeze and anglers do well there Skegemog. Mason County’s Hamlin Lake
in 15 to 25 feet of water on first ice. Even though 1,460-acre Skege- has a reputation as being one of
As ice conditions improve, anglers mog Lake is relatively shallow with the best winter bluegill lakes in the
venture farther out on to the lake. A only one spot approaching 30 feet, state and deservedly so, but because
mid-winter perch hotspot then is off the lake is slow to freeze because of of that its productive winter perch
Railroad Point on the lake’s south currents running in from the Torch fishery goes nearly unnoticed.
 You’ve got to move around until
you find the schools and even then
you’ve got to do some sorting, but if
you work at it you can usually come
up with a pretty good mess. A lot
of the perch are going to be 8 to 10
inches, but you can get into a school
of perch that will be 12 inches, too.
Most of the best winter perchin’
on 5,000-acre Hamlin Lake occurs
on the lower lake. While the upper
lake is shallower with lots of weeds,
the lower lake reaches depths of up
to 80 feet. The lower lake features
steep contours in many locations.
Key to finding perch is to locate flats
in 25 to 45 feet of water. Hamlin has
a rich food supply. Often the perch
are regurgitating wigglers when you
bring them up, but like most places
big perch in Hamlin like meat- big
walleye-sized shiner minnows. The
best tactic is to use a ½-ounce bell
sinker on the bottom to get down
quickly, two small treble connected
to the mainline with Bear Paw Con-
nectors and a slip bobber. Jigging
spoons, lures and teardrops will
work too.
Anglers can enjoy hot perch ac-
tion right into March on Hamlin, but
the perch often move much shallow-
er then in a pre-spawn migration.
On last ice the biggest yellow bellies
can often be found in as little as five The author, Mike Gnatkowski with a pair of Michigan yellow bellies.
or six feet of water.
For live bait, tackle and infor- plenty of room to roam and moving and North bays. Early and late in the area contact the Curtis Area Cham-
mation on guides contact Captain and cutting holes is key to finding season ice anglers congregate out ber of Commerce and Tourism
Chuck’s II Inc 231-843-4458 https:// them and staying on top of them. from Churchill Point and off Har- Bureau at (800) 652-8784 or online
capt-chuck.com/ Prime winter locations include the wood Point too. at www.manistiquelakesarea.com.
mouth of Maple Bay, off Kingsley Public access to Hubbard Lake
Burt Lake Beach, off Resort Road, and on the can be gained at Backus Beach, on Lake Gogebic
I was daydreaming, enjoying the flats west of Greenman Point. East Bay and at North Bay. For in- If you want to get a jump on
local rock station and savoring one Like most places, Burt Lake’s formation on accommodations, bait the perch ice fishing season head to
of my favorite Nicaraguan cigars biggest perch have an affinity for shops and guides in the area contact Gogebic County’s Lake Gogebic.
when I notice my slip bobber jiggle big minnows. The big shiners also the Alpena Convention & Visitors You can probably head out for some
and then slowly start sinking. appeal to the Burt’s walleyes. For Bureau at (989) 354-4181 or online ice fishing now! Winter comes early
“Walleye,” I said to myself live bait, tackle and lake maps con- at www.alpenacvb.com. to this part of Michigan.
as I reeled up the slack and set the tact Young’s Bait at (231) 548-5286. Some of the best perch action of
hook. The hook set was met with North Manistique Lake the year on Lake Gogebic is on first
solid resistance. I gently pumped the Hubbard Lake Luce County’s North Manistique ice. The fish are relatively shallow
fish up from the depths as it tugged Alcona County’s Hubbard Lake Lake (also called Round Lake) is then and actively feeding. Good
against the drag and when it was is famous for its perch. “Hubbard one of the U.P.’s premier winter places to prospect are on either
about 10 feet below the hole I could Lake produces some jumbo perch perch lakes. The 1,722-acre lake end of the lake in 10 to 20 feet of
make out the olive bars on the fish, up to 15 inches,” said Northern produces consistent perch catches water and around the abundant
its orange fins and yellow belly. As Lake Huron fisheries biologist Tim for winter anglers with some of fish shelters that have been placed
the fish neared the hole I excitedly Cwalinski. “The perch numbers the biggest specimens pushing 14 around the lake. As winter deepens,
knelt down and scooped 14 inches tend to be cyclic, but there’s a fair inches. the perch schools concentrate in the
of yellow perch onto the ice. Simul- number of medium-sized perch in Located near the town of Curtis, deeper water in the center of the
taneously, I noticed that my second the lake, too.” Cwalinski added that North Manistique Lake has depths lake. Wigglers are a favorite food
bobber was gone. I scrambled for Hubbard Lake had a good popula- of up to 50 feet, which is where of Lake Gogebic perch and they
the rod and a few minutes later a tion of shiners, minnows and other you’re likely to find the perch once have been known to follow forag-
twin to the first perch was flopping invertebrates that provide excellent winter sets in. On first ice, probing ing schools of suckers that stir up
on the ice. The action was not fast perch forage. Most perch caught around the artificial reefs found on the bottom and expose the wigglers.
and furious, but a few hours later through the ice on Hubbard average the west and north shores can pay Don’t forget to try a good-sized
I had 14 nice perch on the ice and a solid 10 inches. big dividends. The lake’s bottom is minnow though when wigglers
only one of them was less than 10 Finding the perch schools on ex- mostly sand with some gravel and aren’t producing. Expect to catch
inches. pansive 8,850 acre Hubbard Lake is with sparse weed growth any type of plenty of yellowbellies up to a foot
There are a lot of really nice the difficult part. A shantytown de- structure is likely to attract schools long plus some bonus walleyes.
perch in Burt Lake and winter is one velops each winter on the north and of perch. A good starting point is For more information on perch
of the best times to catch them. Burt south ends of the lake in 30 to 50 right off the Luce County Park ice fishing opportunities on Lake
Lake has a bounty of forage even feet of water. Perch schools take up located on the lake’s south shore. Gogebic contact Bear’s Nine Pines
though the lake has few weed beds. residence there during mid-winter Most of the perch you’ll encounter Resort at (906) 842-3361 http://
The pristine water produces plenty and offer consistent action. Try the will be 8 to 10-inch “eaters,” but the www.ninepinesresort.com.
of mayfly larva and other aquatic usual assortment of baits including lake also gives up some footlong I can’t think of anything bet-
insects and minnows that perch and wax worms, wigglers and minnows. jumbos with regularity. ter than a heaping platter of golden
walleyes can grow fat on. At 17, Hotspots on first ice include the For more information on bait perch fillets. Make sure to get out
260-acres, perch in Burt Lake have areas around the weed beds in East shops and accommodations in the and get some this winter.n
WNW NEWS JANUARY 2019 73
 By quitting I will catch more fish
Quitting is like trying to land a 20-pound salmon on two-pound test line
in a raging stream filled with downfall trees, stumps and rocks…
I
Dear Fish Diary:
n my daily… no wait,
hourly… no wait, minute
to minute… no wait –
second to second, yes,
that’s more accurate…
battle to quit smoking,
some of you have shown you care.
In which case, I’m going to remove
you from my hit list. You will not be
subjected or singled out during one
of my common nicotine withdrawal
rages or rants.
If you’ve never tried to quit
smoking, you should. If you’ve nev-
er smoked, I think you should start,
just so you can quit and have a clue
what obstacles I’m going though.
It’s like trying to land a 20-pound
salmon on two-pound test line in a
raging stream filled with downfall
trees, stumps and rocks while the
mosquitoes and flies are relentlessly
attacking you on a 100-degree day
with 90 percent humidity. And,
you’re in your underwear.
I’ve heard from several of you
Tom Carney
Among the Aspens
To purchase: $34.95 (Michigan residents, please add $2.10 sales tax) plus
$6.35 postage/handling
Send check or money order to: Partridge Pointe Press, 2470 Strawberry
Farm St. NE, Belmont, Michigan 49306.
Purchase online at www.tomcarneywriter.com
74 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS
since writing my initial column
as I began my battle to give those
cigarettes up and for that I thank
you. One thing I’ve tried to do is
get away from thoughts of smoking.
This hasn’t been easy because all
they’re talking about on television
is legalizing smoking pot. Come
to think about it, that’s all they talk
about on the radio. Come
to think about it, that’s all
anyone is talking about, or,
that’s all I hear. That figures,
I’m finally trying to quit
smoking and all anyone is
talking about is smoking.
I’m not using any drugs
to quit. No patch, no pills,
By Ron St. Germain
no gum. After
reading the
side effects on
some of the drugs designed to help
us quit, honestly, I’d rather smoke.
These are the warnings and side
effects for just one drug that’s be-
ing sold to help us quit smoking…
Depressed mood, trouble sleeping,
irritability, frustration, anger, feel-
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.
ing anxious, difficulty concentrat-
ing, restlessness, decreased heart
rate, increased appetite or weight
gain. Some people have had new or
worse mental health problems, such
as changes in behavior or think-
ing, aggression, hostility, agita-
tion, depressed mood, or suicidal
thoughts or actions while taking or
after stopping this medica-
tion. Some people have had
seizures during treatment.
Get emergency medical
help right away if you have
symptoms of a heart attack
or stroke. Sleepwalking can
happen with this medication
and can sometimes lead to
harmful behav-
ior. Do not take
this medication
if you have had a serious allergic or
skin reaction to it. These can hap-
pen with this medication and can
be life-threatening. Stop taking this
medication and get medical help
right away if you develop swelling
of the face, mouth, throat or neck;
trouble breathing; rash with peeling
skin, or blisters in your mouth. Use
caution when driving or operating
machinery until you know how this
medication affects you. Decrease the
amount of alcohol you drink while
taking this medication until you
know if this medication affects your
ability to tolerate alcohol. The most
common side effects of this medica-
tion include nausea, sleep problems
(trouble sleeping, vivid, unusual, or
strange dreams), constipation, gas
and or vomiting. If you have side
effects that bother you or don’t go
away, tell your healthcare provider.
Isn’t that great? Honestly, these
are pretty much the same symptoms
I’ve had since trying to quit without
the drug. Okay, without the nausea,
without sleepwalking aggressively,
without the new or worse mental
health issues, without the seizures,
without my face swelling or my
skin peeling off. Other than that I’ve
pretty much experienced everything
else.
The best part of the medication
is, once you quit smoking and get
off the medication, there are similar
side effects you’ll have from quit-
ting the medication. Whoa, it’s like
quitting smoking twice because
once isn’t hard enough. Instead
of beating one addiction, you’re
beating two. How cool is that? I’m
already irritable, frustrated, angry,
anxious and restless without the
medication. And why would I want
to quit a habit that is killing me, just
to take a medication that makes me
want to kill myself? Yes, I can really
see the benefit to taking a hallucino-
genic medication to curb my urge to
smoke. Is it any wonder that these
pharmaceutical companies are so
rich?
I do have the memory lapses… I
do have the memory lapses. Mainly
because while trying to quit I can’t
even tell a story without the con-
stant thought of smoking. My brain
works like this…The other day
(cigarette) A friend of mine and I
were (cigarette) going to go fish-
ing (cigarette) and we decided we’d
(cigarette) go to lake (cigarette)
Mitigwaki (cigarette). By the time
we got there (cigarette) which was
about (cigarette) 4 am, there was no
parking (cigarette). This really made
me want a (cigarette). Come to find
out (cigarette) there was a big foot
(cigarette) siting and all of these
(cigarette) people were coming out
to (cigarette) to catch it…(cigarette)
(cigarette) (cigarette) – Okay, you
get the message…
One thing I’m hoping by quit-
ting is that I will begin catching a lot
more fish. That down time wait-
ing for a bite just makes me want
to smoke. After this many months
I would have thought it would be
easier, but it’s not. Oh, there are
certain things that are easier, but
in a nutshell, I’M NOT OVER IT
YET!!! – Why am I yelling?
Mood swings, temper tantrum,
it’s quit common with people trying
to quit. I’m really hoping 2019 is
better...I had a lot of excuses to keep
smoking, such as, I smoked because
the cigarette taxes were supposed to
go toward fixing the roads. Well a
lot of good that did.
Any idea what I’m thinking after
writing this column? Right, I want
a donut really bad, best fishing treat
ever…
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 strang-
est thing you’ve caught to me. You
don’t have to write the entire story,
just a brief outline of what hap-
pened. 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
 Get the 2018 wild turkey patch now!
2020 patch design contest ends Dec. 31 What’s In Your
The 2018 Michigan Wild Turkey Patch is available now to hunters,
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?
??
Ol d Tac k l e B ox ??
er who had a 2018 wild turkey hunting license, but anyone can purchase
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The state’s wild turkey patch program is coordinated by the Michigan Woods-n-
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 Spearing and tip-ups for pike...
A perfect one/two punch

M
ichigan is blessed
with a thriving
population of north-
ern pike from one
end of the state to
the other. Northerns
are hard-fighting, aggressive biting
sportfish and they taste very good
too, providing the bones are re-
moved properly during the filleting
process. With the current trend in
high water levels across much of the
state, pike numbers are increasing.
The high waters opens up critical
pike habitat and also increases for-
age fish numbers making pike grow
numerous, big and nasty.
During the winter, pike are a
near perfect ice fishing target as they
are predictable in their locations, are
fairly easy to target and are a blast
to catch or spear.
I grew up spearing pike and
chasing them with tip-ups all
through winter. In fact, pike were
our main, under ice quarry. As kids
back in the 60s and 70s, we had
shanties on multiple lakes in Man-
istee County and we hit the ice at
every opportunity all through winter.
Things have changed a lot though
over the years with quality, portable
ice shelters, power augers and a long This big pike was caught by Al Christensen on Saginaw Bay while fishing with the author.
list of other ice fishing refinements;
first day we tried for walleye and orocarbon when I’m targeting pike. plished using a 10-inch gas powered
however the old saying, “the more
perch in the inner Bay, but danger- When I’m after walleyes, I change auger where we drilled six holes in
things change, the more they stay
ous pressure cracks limited our op- to an eight-pound fluorocarbon rectangular type pattern (three holes
the same” really applies to winter
tions so we only had scant success. leader. The leader is attached to the wide, two deep). We then used a
pike pursuits. I’m still addicted to
The next day though we planned mainline with a snap swivel for easy spud to chip off the edges. Some
spearing pike and setting tip-ups to
catch them too. Even though equip-
to set up in a good pike area close changing and to avoid line twisting spear anglers like larger holes,
to shore in shallow water. We had when the bait swims in circles. For which is as simple as just drilling
ment has evolved some over the
18” of ice and we probably could northerns, I like a #6 treble hook more holes to make it bigger. A
years, a lot of things related to this
activity are still the same as when
have driven our trucks right to the with one of the hooks put through small, mesh landing net was used
spot, but we instead just walked out the top of the back of the sucker to remove most of the ice from the
my father and grandfathers perused
the 1/3 mile to the fishing grounds mid-body so the bait hangs horizon- holes and a ladle finished off the
those toothsome fish. It’s still my
which were in six to seven feet of tal in the water. You have to be care- task. It only took us a half hour to
favorite winter time activity.
water. On the way out we started ful not to hit the spine of the sucker, set all the tip-ups and set up the
After a couple mild winters,
we finally got some good ice on
setting a string of tip-ups baited but also ensure that the hook is deep flip-over ice shelters over spearing
with suckers. My friends, Phil Toc- enough to secure it so it can’t wiggle holes. We positioned the shelters
Saginaw Bay last year. I moved to
zynski and Al Christensen had their off. I like to set the suckers just a so they faced towards the tip-ups
Au Gres a few years ago, but the
own tip-ups rigged up, but after couple feet off bottom in the shal- so we could keep an eye on them
first two winters living there had
I inspected them, I suggested that low waters where spearing is ideal. and the wind was on the back of
virtually no safe ice on the Bay to
we use the six I had brought along I put a small split shot or rubber the shanties as planned. We stayed
recreate on. Because my taxidermy
instead of theirs. They had them core sinker about six inches above close enough so we could talk to
work load kept me going seven days
rigged up with heavy, black Dacron the hook to maintain depth. one another, yet far enough away to
a week last winter, I didn’t get to hit
tip-up line, thick steel leaders and Phil is kind of set in his ways cover some water along a gradual
the ice much until later in the winter.
large treble hooks. And while those though, so he insisted on using a drop off.
During mid-February, a couple
heavy rigs work great in the stained couple of his tip-ups just to prove We were using artificial decoys
friends that I grew up ice fishing
waters of Manistee Lake and similar me wrong. We set six tip-ups total to lure in the pike although my
with who still
other waters where they do most of so we each could go after perch, friends often like to use live, sucker
live in and
their pike fishing, the gin clear water walleye or what ever else came decoys too. I use a regular, ice fish-
around Man-
of Saginaw Bay necessitates a more though our spearing holes that we ing spinning setup for the decoy and
istee joined me
stealthy approach. couldn’t legally take a stab at with have a homemade rod holder for it
for a couple
I prefer a 20 pound, clear, mono- the spears. that allows me to jig it up and down
days on Sagi-
filament main line with a five-foot Once all the tip-up were set in while still in the holder. I keep the
naw Bay. The
leader made from 20 pound test flu- a long string that went from down decoy a few feet off bottom and
By Michael Veine wind to up wind, we drilled out our
spearing holes. This was accom-
swim it in a circular motion stop-
ping it briefly on a regular basis.
76 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS
For a live decoy, a pin setup is used
to hold the sucker on the line, but it
too must be jigged now and then to
keep it swimming.
Right after getting situated I
remembered that a local friend of
mine wanted me to call him when
we got out on the ice to let him
know how the wind was. I was
chatting with him on the cell phone
when I noticed a nice pike cruising
in from the south. I had the phone
on speaker, so I just set it down on
the seat next to me so I could pick
up the spear. My friend Ken Glup-
ker got to listen to the action on the
phone. The big pike circled once
and when I slowly jigged the decoy,
he burst in biting it savagely. That’s
when I smoothly tossed the spear
the short distance into the back of
his neck ending his attack. The pike
went nuts though thrashing around
and I had to carefully retrieve the
rope so it wouldn’t pull out of the
spear. I used a gaff to finally pull
the fish from the hole, which turned
out to be a chunky 35 incher.
About the time we were settled
back down into spearing mode again
I noticed that a tip-up flag was
flying high. Phil and Al had each
just seen a pike cruise through their
holes, so they didn’t want to leave
guard. I ventured out to check out
the tip-up alone. After I removed
the hole cover, I could see the spool
slowly revolving so I carefully lifted
the tip-up paying off the extra line
while I set it to the side of the hole.
I was positioned on the down wind
side of the hole when I set the hook
Phil Toczynski is a happy angler with a fine catch of nor thern pike
taken with spears and tip-ups.
For a spearing hole, the author just augers out six, 10-inch holes and then uses a spud to trim it out
some. It doesn’t have to look perfect to function well. Author photos
with a semi-hard, short, yank and
then I began pulling in line hand
over hand placing the line down
wind. When the wind is blowing,
keeping the line out of the hole is
important.
When the fish neared the hole I
saw the flash of a nice pike streak by
as it blasted off on a lightning quick
run. I just let the line slip through
my fingers while applying gentle
pressure preventing slack forming.
Once he stopped his run, I began
retrieving him again and the spunky
pike made several more dashes
before tiring enough so I could steer
him through the hole and onto the
ice. With another thick 30-inch pike
in my possession, I was limited out
on northern, so when I noticed a
couple other flags flying in the wind
I had to yell for my partners to get
on them. While they were pulling
in those fish, an eagle swooped in
and tried to steal one of my pike,
but thankfully it was too big for him
to lift off with, so he dropped it and
flew off a short distance where he
watched for his next opening. Had
he stolen it I’m not sure if I would
have been legal to catch another
pike that day. I guess that’s one for
me to ask a CO the next time I run
into one.
For the next hour or two we had
non-stop pike action with spears fly-
ing and tip-ups popping. My local
friend Ken joined us to get in on the
action too. The last flag was taken
by Al and when he set the hook
and announced that: “It feels like a
good one,” I got the gaff ready for
action knowing that Al doesn’t joke
about fish size. When that big pike
cruised by the hole we all crowded
around to get a peek and a collec-
tive gasp was let out by all when
it swam by. It was humongous. A
few days earlier I had a similar sized
one on and it broke off when I was
trying to get it through the hole solo.
I was hoping that this giant would
not get away. Al fought the bruiser
expertly and when the nose came
into the hole I gaffed the monster
and slid over 20 pounds of northern
pike onto the ice. What a way to
cap off our day.
Besides pike, we also caught
some perch and saw some wall-
eyes cruise through the spearing
holes too. It’s hard to fool walleyes
though with lures or even minnows
in that gin clear water during the
day. They will often come up to a
lure and look it over close up, but
never want to bite. If you want to
catch walleye in those shallows
along with pike, then you need to
fish the night shift or set up in wa-
ters that are more stained. I prefer
to spear in waters that are five to
eight feet deep, but sometimes I go
as far as 10 feet.
Incidentally, Phil’s heavy duty,
tip-up setups never got a bite all
morning despite the abundance of
pike in the area.
The spears we use are rather
large models with nine, long prongs
and an overall length of about five
feet; however some avid back stab-
bers prefer even larger models. I
have about 15 feet of ¼” nylon rope
attached to my spear which I tie
off on one of the metal tubes of my
shelter. About any shelter with a big
enough hole opening will work for
spearing. I really like the flip-over
models though due to their large
opening, comfy seats, and quick
setup. Just need to make sure the
roof height is tall enough for the
spear. My old Fish Trap is barely
tall enough for my five foot spear,
but it still works well.
One last note on pike: They are
excellent table fare rivaling walleye
when cared for properly. The key
is to learn to fillet out all the bones
properly. There are dozens of vid-
eos on You Tube that demonstrate
the filleting techniques. It takes me
a bit longer to clean a pike com-
pared to a walleye, but the reward is
well worth it.
The author offers fishing char-
ters specializing in Saginaw Bay
walleyes. Contact Mike Veine at
www.trophyspecialists.com or 734-
475-9146.n
WNW NEWS JANUARY 2019 77
Digging into severed mineral rights
A
couple of winters ago,
when a copper mining
company announced
plans for exploratory
drilling under a sec-
tion of Porcupine
Mountains Wilderness State Park,
the topic of severed mineral rights
– and the question of what exactly
they are, and what powers they
convey – was raised by many people
concerned about potential mining
activity at this beloved Michigan
state park.
Similar questions have been
raised more recently with a mining
company application to lease state-
owned minerals on properties in
Marquette County.
In the 1940s, when lands were
being acquired in the western Upper
Peninsula to develop the state park
amid the storied northern hardwood
and hemlock forests of the Porcu-
pine Mountains, some properties
were sold, with the mineral rights
retained by the previous owner.
Under this scenario, though the
state of Michigan owns the surface A drilling crew conducts exploratory drilling on private land in the western Upper Peninsula. MDNR photos
property rights, the state must allow
the mining company “reasonable ac- The rights to develop minerals in real property and can be owned estate,” said Julie Manson, property
cess” to the minerals situated below Michigan are based on common law in conjunction with, or separately manager with the Lease Manage-
ground. doctrines. These doctrines, which from, the surface rights,” said Mark ment Unit of the DNR’s Office of
As a property owner, if some- have evolved through courts’ inter- Sweatman, director of the Michigan Minerals Management.
one told you he or she had the right pretations of rights, have roots in the Department of Natural Resources’ In the case of the mining com-
to use the surface of your land to old English laws that we inherited. Office of Minerals Management. pany test drilling at Porcupine
extract the minerals underneath, you What Are Mineral Rights? An owner can separate the Mountains Wilderness State Park,
would likely think he or she was Real property ownership in- mineral rights from his or her land the DNR allowed access to drill
mistaken. cludes a bundle of ownership rights, by conveying (selling or otherwise core samples, but required various
How could that be true? including the right to possess, use, transferring) the land but retain- safeguards to protect the surface
Unless you also own the miner- enjoy, encumber, will, sell or do ing the mineral rights; conveying features at the park.
als under your land, that someone nothing at all. the mineral rights and retaining the Some of these provisions includ-
might be right. “Mineral rights are a type of land; or conveying the land to one ed drilling only when the ground
person and the mineral rights to was frozen, using tracked vehicles
another. to lessen any potential impacts to
“Landowners are sometimes vegetation and using old logging
surprised to find out someone else roads to access core sites, rather
owns the rights to the minerals than building new roads.
beneath the surface of their land, The test drilling was completed
and that a mineral owner typically over a span of two winters without
has the right to reasonable use of any adverse impacts to DNR-man-
the surface as necessary to extract aged lands at the state park.
minerals,” Sweatman said. “Mineral At some point, if the mining
rights owned by someone other than company does decide to mine the
the surface owner are rights said to minerals lying beneath the park, it
be ‘severed.’” would do so from outside the park
Once mineral rights are sev- boundary.
ered from the surface estate, the Permission to mine would re-
mineral estate becomes the “domi- quire the mining company to work
nant estate” and the surface estate through a separate permitting pro-
becomes the “servient estate.” This cess via the Michigan Department of
legal principle recognizes that some Environmental Quality. That process
degree of surface access is necessary would allow for public comment
to develop the mineral estate. on plans prior to the DEQ’s final
“Because of its dominance, permitting decisions.
the mineral estate holds an implied Mineral Rights
Revenue from oil, gas and mineral leases in Michigan is returned to the easement to use as much of the Managed by the State
state in grants that fund recreation projects, like this walkway at Bond surface as is reasonably necessary The DNR manages over 6.4
Falls in Ontonagon County. for the development of the mineral million acres of mineral rights,
78 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS
including almost 2.3 million acres of
mineral rights where someone other
than the State of Michigan owns the
surface rights.
“Most of these rights were
acquired by the state between 1920
and 1940 due to non-payment of
property taxes,” Sweatman said.
“When tax-reverted properties were
subsequently sold, it was common
practice for mineral rights to be
retained.”
The DNR is the only state
agency authorized to lease State of
Michigan-owned mineral rights.
Mineral leasing activities, as well
as the verification of mineral lease
revenues are administered by DNR’s
Office of Minerals Management.
Mineral rights leased by the
DNR include, oil, natural gas, me-
tallic minerals – such as copper and
nickel – and non-metallic minerals
such as sand, gravel, limestone and
salt.
“Revenue generated from the
leasing and sale of state-owned min-
eral rights translates into funding for
the acquisition, development, and
maintenance of local and state parks
and other recreational areas, result-
ing in a wide range of recreational
opportunities and access to Michi-
gan’s forests, trails, waterways, and
beaches,” said John Pepin, DNR
deputy public information officer.
“Mineral revenue generated since
the 1980s for Michigan has ex-
ceeded $1 billion. Many important
recreation projects funded in Michi-
gan through the Natural Resources
Trust Fund have been financed with
revenue produced by oil, gas and
minerals leasing revenue.”
In Marquette County, a min-
ing company recently applied for
permission to lease mineral rights
owned by the state of Michigan. The
state will consider the application
and then decide whether to grant the
leases, based on recommendations
from foresters, biologists and other
natural resource professionals.
“A mineral lease from the State
of Michigan does not mean there are
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actually valuable mineral resources
in that location, nor does it give per-
mission to drill a well or mine for
minerals,” Sweatman said. “A lease
simply gives the lessee the exclusive
right to pursue development of the
mineral rights, should they choose
to. If the lessee chooses to develop
the mineral rights, all necessary per-
missions must still be obtained, and
all regulations must be followed.”
In the mining industry, compa-
nies often secure leases to prevent
competitors from exploring mineral
development in those areas.
Legal Issues
Michigan has laws in place that
require owners of a severed mineral From state-managed parks to private vacation proper ties, proper ty own-
interest to take steps at least once ers may be separate par ties when it comes to mineral and surface rights.
every 20 years to keep their inter-
est alive. If the severed mineral pleted to determine its value. If the surface rights issues may want to
owner does not take those steps, the State of Michigan owns the mineral consult an attorney.”
severed oil and gas rights will revert rights a program exists whereby a Property owners – whether sur-
to the surface owner and the other purchase can be pursued.” face or mineral rights owners – can
severed mineral rights will revert to Mineral ownership can have a benefit greatly from an understand-
the last owner of those rights in the big impact on the ability to use and ing of severed mineral rights, what
chain of title. enjoy the land as desired, even when they mean and how they work.
For more information, please the land is a Michigan state park. Clearing aside the mystery can
refer to the Dormant Mineral Act The DNR seeks to purchase surface reveal what truly lies beneath the
(MCL 554.291 et seq) and the and mineral rights jointly whenever surface of the lands we love.
Marketable Record Title Act (MCL possible. Get more information on miner-
565.101 et seq). Neither of these “The issue of mineral rights can als management in Michigan.n
be complicated,” Sweatman said.
laws apply to governmental entities.
While only the mineral owner “Those involved in mineral and Submitted By Michigan DNR
is typically entitled to royalties
when the minerals are developed, a ED'S NEW DVD
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the developer to receive payment for ULTIMATE
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WNW NEWS JANUARY 2019 79
 Hot Topics...Letters...My Thoughts...My Views...My Opinions

Hinge cutting: Do you know the hazards with oak wilt?

I Guest Column
know there are many
sportspersons very passion-
ate about the outdoors and
the stewardship we owe to
our wildlands and wildlife. I count
myself very high on that list. Michi-
gan is truly blessed with a vast array
of wild type species both plant and
animal. From my first memories of
following my dad on his walking
hunts to my time spent in our woods
today, I still marvel at the diversity
I see. We all need to stay informed
about protecting Michigan habitats
and water while doing all we can to
not use practices that could threaten
them. So now we get to the point of
this article!
As a long time International So-
ciety of Arboriculture (ISA) Certi-
fied Arborist and avid deer hunter, it
has concerned me that the practice
of hinge cutting trees for improve-
ment of deer habitat has not ad-
dressed the potential for introducing
the oak wilt fungus.
From an arborist’s perspective,
hinge cutting is an awful thing to
do to a tree. It is also a very unsafe
By William Drews
practice for the person cutting, due
to “barber chair” possibilities. In
theory, the hinge cut tree survives
with some tissue connected and
provides a low, dense canopy for
security concealment/ bedding for
the deer. If you are not familiar with
the concept, just search the internet
to find out, but read the rest of this
article first to learn about the risks.
So What’s The Problem?
The easiest time to perform
hinge cutting is in the spring months
when the wood fiber is pliable, al-
lowing the tree to bend-over without
breaking, although often breaks still
occur. If your target tree is an oak,
especially a red oak we are now
entering the “Problem Zone”. Oak
wilt is a fatal fungal disease and is
most easily spread in spring months
– the High Risk Period of infection.
Picnic beetles that are drawn to the
smell of the freshly hinged (wound-
ed) wood, bring spores of the oak
not want to lose any oak, let alone
a whole forest. Oaks are preferred
mast (acorn) producers for deer and
turkey. We are essentially shooting
ourselves in the foot if our practices
invite oak wilt into our trees and
forest.
Another Caution!
If oak wilt is introduced and
spreads across property lines you
could be held liable. As a property
owner, or a lessee with privileges to
allow some cutting (shooting lanes,
etc.) you need to do your homework
before cutting takes place.
Suggestions…
• Identify the tree species before
hinge cutting, if it’s a red oak try
and choose a different tree.
• Confirm what you are doing
will not threaten oaks i.e. try not to
create wounds in any red oaks.
• Do not cut/trim oaks during
warm months. It’s not worth the
risk. If you have to trim/cut cover
wounds immediately with pruning
paint, this will prevent the picnic
beetles from landing.

Thank you
wilt fungus with them. Once this The Arboriculture Society of
fatal fungus enters the vascular sys- Michigan (ASM) and the Michigan
tem of the oak, it rapidly kills that Oak Wilt Coalition encourage you

for your
tree. Once infected, red oaks can to be a responsible land owner and
die within a few weeks regardless outdoors person. More information spread this is or how easily you can
of its size! The fungus then trav- on oak wilt and the risk periods start an infection.

“concern”
Dear Woods-N-Water News:
I would like to take a moment
to recognize our local DNR staff
for their outstanding concern about
CWD. I live in Barry County and
els from the infected tree through
roots to nearby oaks leading to their
death. We have now established an
epicenter, which can allow rapid
movement of the fungus, killing
adjacent oaks. Oak wilt stays active
in connected root systems until there
are no more oaks left alive. We do
for wounding oaks can be found at
www.MichiganOakWilt.org or by
calling ASM at 517-337-4999.
Note from author: My personal
contact with so many new epicenters
of this disease are solid evidence of
the seriousness of this oak wilt is-
sue. Please do not dismiss how wide
The author, William Drews is an
I.S.A. Certified Arborist # MI-
0309A, ISA Qualified Tree Risk As-
sessor, Michigan Oak Wilt Qualified
Professional # MIOWQ-007, Mem-
ber Michigan Oak Wilt Coalition
and an avid Michigan bow hunter
and outdoorsman.n

DNR’s Drummond Island

a friend of mine had a doe behind
his house that was obviously sick;
foaming at the mouth, not scared of
humans, etc. A call was placed to the

buck kill numbers a crock!

DNR on a Saturday and the response
was ‘we can’t come out today.’
My friend asked if he could shoot
the sick doe putting her out of her
misery. The DNR responded ‘only if
you have a permit,’ which he didn’t.
The DNR suggested calling the po-
lice so we did. The police came out
too shoot the doe but the DNR has
never shown up.
Now if we are so concerned
about deer disease, CWD, EHD and
what not; where was the concern
in this case? As far as we know
that deer is contaminated and it’s
still back there. In my opinion it’s
time our DNR gets some priorities
realigned and start doing what they
claim they do. And the bait ban, they
need to enforce the rules they have
before making new ones.
Upset Hunter
Barry County
80 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS
Dear Woods-N-Water News:
In regards to Richard P. Smith’s,
Drummond Island buck kill; 300
bucks killed on Drummond Island is
a crock! Based on the camp survey.
How many deer were seen on pri-
vate property with food plots?
How did all of these hunters get
to Drummond Island? Swim? They
didn’t take the boat. Where did they
stay? Under their trucks? Where did
they buy bait? Not at Rick’s.
As far as the estimates go, they
shouldn’t be taken as the truth.
Johnson was very surprised
when he heard that 300 bucks were
taken on Drummond Island. He said
they didn’t ask for information on
the deer he checked because they
don’t want to know the truth.
Estimated buck harvest plus or
minus 173? How was this figured? A
dart at a dart board?
Johnson said he only checked 61
deer. He figured double that number
or about 122. Rick Johnson can do
the mandatory check for Drummond
Island and the Sportsman’s Club
will pay for it, not costing the DNR
one penny. But the DNR doesn’t
want to know the truth.
The last time they did a manda-
tory check there were 505 checked
in and two biologist sat in the coffee
shop and discuss whether to double
or triple that figure. They tripled it.
If you want to know about deer
hunting on Drummond Island, check
with Rick Johnson at Rick’s Sport
Shop…not the DNR.
When the DNR knows what
they are talking about and listens to
the sportsmen of Drummond Island,
I will again participate in the camp
survey, but not until then.
I offer to take the DNR people
out on state land to count the
number of deer and then on my
157 acres that has 19 food plots to
see what the difference is. I don’t
believe they will take me up on it!
Sincerely
John (The Bugman) Ostlund
 Hot Topic...My Thoughts...My Views...My Opinions
Antler casting and our deer management
N
ovember 2018 will
go down in the
books as one of
the coldest. Most
of Michigan had
tracking snow on
deer opener and November was
highlighted by temperatures below
freezing, at times in the teens and
record snow fall. The cold caused
the whitetail rut to slow and by
early December plenty of
bucks dropped their antlers.
Actually I expected more
bucks to drop early but they
were actually casting at the
normal time. Here’s why.
Every deer is different
and those run down by a
strenuous rut and severe
loss of body mass tend to
By Kenny Darwin
drop early. The
process begins
after rut when tes-
tosterone levels plummet and bucks
suffer from the exhausting regimen
of breeding. Those in poor condition
do not survive cold winters and soon
become coyote chow. Most Michi-
gan deer drop their antlers in De-
cember. But if weather warms, snow
melts and food sources become
available bucks can hold on to their
antlers longer. Deep snow is the kiss
of death for northern bucks strug-
gling to survive and southern county
deer tend to have a higher survival
rate due to available agricultural
food sources and they tend to hold
antlers longer than northern bucks.
Some savvy hunters understand
whitetail life cycle and how im-
portant food is to general health.
Many create food plots of corn and
soy beans for the purpose of feed-
ing deer and making them healthy,
disease free and to enhance antler
growth. Fact is, the more food avail-
able the healthier deer become and
subsequently southern Michigan
deer tend to drop antlers much later
than northern bucks. There are some
interesting studies that indicate
feeding deer will drastically increase
antler growth and antler casting is
late. More importantly the whitetail
nation is quick to understand the im-
portance of feeding deer, especially
during the high stress period from
December through April. Many
believe healthier bucks not only
grow larger racks but they can be-
come disease free. With this in mind
perhaps Michigan’s DNR needs
to reconsider their outdated stand
regarding feeding deer and banning
use of bait in 2019.
Following rut, bucks are worn
down, tired and often physically
whipped. Combine poor physical
condition with drastic drop in testos-
terone and bucks go into a semi-per-
manent resting stage. When daylight
diminishes, nights grow longer
and weather turns bitter cold most
bucks respond by avoiding daytime
movement. They spend daylight
hours bedded, often alone curled
into a ball to keep warm and reduce
caloric output. Feeding sprees are
confined to night activity and the
sooner they find good food
sources the faster they
recover from rut and the
better they can withstand
brutal winter weather.
Most of northern
Michigan got smacked with
severe cold and plenty of
snow in early November.
Heck the Detroit Thanks-
giving Day parade
was the coldest on
record and many
parts of the Upper Peninsula was
blanketed with snow 12-17 inches
deep for gun opener. Michigan was
blasted with some of the earliest
cold weather on record and bucks
responded by curtailing rut activ-
ity, shutting down movement and
soon antlers began to fall. Obviously
deepening snow and severe cold has
an impact on whitetail metabolism
and when bucks kick it into winter
survival mode antlers fall like rain.
However, even the cold winter blast
had little impact on bucks in south-
ern Michigan. I attribute the normal
antler drop time to availability of
green grasses late into the season.
Michigan had an exceptionally
wet fall and warm weather caused
grasses to grow green and tall. This
provided bucks with a fresh food
source just when winter conditions
arrived.
Scientists claim temperature has
little impact on antler casting. They
say when testosterone levels drop
antler casting comes soon. Most
indicate by late December when
the shortest days of the year arrive
testosterone levels drop drastically,
which initiates antler casting.
I agree but it has been my field
observation deer that have poor
nutrition, those physically stressed,
crippled from battle or gun and
arrow wounds drop early. Keep in
mind the only source regarding ant-
ler casting in Michigan’s Upper Pen-
insula would be the whitetail guru
John Ozoga who headed the Cusino
Whitetail Research Center, and I
think he would agree UP bucks drop
earlier than deer in Jackson County.
However, you need to enter
proper nutrition into the equation.
My experience is corn fed bucks
Casting is a relatively fast process Some studies show antler cast-
ing can take place in less than 48 hours.
outlast them all, period. But there
are no studies available evaluating
bucks living in the Corn Belt. No bi-
ologist can tell you how many deer
can be properly fed in a corn field
or how many deer can be supported
through winter months by eating
corn. Years ago I observed monster
bucks running around like Santa’s
reindeer at the Dow Chemical
fenced area near the mouth of the
Saginaw River. What did they eat?
Corn! Gee, on one occasion we
went to the Saginaw River just prior
to the walleye closer and witnessed
fresh buck rubs, several deer with
complete trophy racks and even
bucks sparing. That was in March! I
witnessed the same at the Shiawas-
see National Refuge back in the day
when they left huge acres of corn for
swans, waterfowl and other wildlife.
What did those monster bucks at the
refuge eat? You got it, corn. Today
the national refuge managers across
North America are in an anti-deer
mode. I’m talking about no longer
planting corn on the Mississippi
flyway or at Shiawassee Refuge
and deer numbers at the Michigan
Shiawassee Refuge have fallen from
an estimated 11,000 to a pitiful less
than 2,000 animals. It is sad that the
Feds are decimating deer popula-
tions and doing everything in their
power to reduce deer numbers.
Gee, does this sound like the
same management policy used by
Michigan’s DNR today? Their first
move is to stop planting corn on
state land. See my point? If you
want more and bigger deer you need
to consider a deer feeding program
that centers on corn. Please make
huge food plots of corn. It is also
my opinion corn is the miracle food
making southern Michigan bucks
big and healthy, and they carry huge
racks much longer than deer in the
UP feeding on cedars.
Don’t get me wrong I’ve photo-
graphed some brutes in the UP when
the population was expanding, prior
to the DNR doe slaughter and EHD
disease wiped ‘em out. And don’t
think for a minute I didn’t harvest
impressive racks in northern Minne-
sota while working in Brainerd for
Babe Winkelman. But those mon-
archs I took in northern Minnesota
came from a farm growing corn and
it is my opinion corn is the miracle
food to help bucks sustain tough
winter months and hold their antlers
longer even after testosterone levels
plummet.
Guess what I’m saying is corn
is the food that will get your bucks
through tough winter weather and
help them to begin massive antler
growth come early spring. Once
again I’ve gotta throw stones at
Michigan’s DNR for stopping their
corn growing policy on state land.
It is my opinion they need to take
a giant step back in time and go
back to the days of unrestricted corn
planting. I’m not just talking about
planting corn but also leaving the
crop throughout winter as food for
deer, turkeys, squirrel, rabbit and all
wildlife. The more corn they plant
the more wildlife they will sup-
port on public hunting property and
the better deer will survive severe
weather and diseases.
Texas has led the country in
managing whitetail deer and all
successful deer managers have
intensive year round feeding pro-
grams. In fact the same is true here
in Michigan and those who maintain
healthy herds feed them year round.
The average 3-year old buck roam-
Deer management page 83
WNW NEWS JANUARY 2019 81
 Hot Topic...My Thoughts...My Views...My Opinions
The important roles older “mature”
bucks play in the deer herd
By Kip Adams; Wildlife Biologist and the Director of Conservation with QDMA
F
or decades in the late
1900s states such as
Alabama, Michigan,
Pennsylvania and others
managed deer herds in
such a manner that the
majority of bucks harvested were
1½ years old and very few bucks
ever reached maturity. In Pennsylva-
nia, less than one-percent of bucks
reached maturity prior to imple-
mentation of antler restrictions in
2002. Even in the absence of mature
bucks, does will still breed and most
northern does will even breed during
their first estrous cycle. Does this
mean there is no biological benefit
to having mature bucks in a herd?
Does it mean there is no biological
harm in not having them?
The importance of mature bucks
extends far beyond being the most
sought-after targets during hunting
season. To understand why, let’s
first define maturity and then look at
the role mature bucks play in a deer
herd.
Whitetail bucks generally reach
skeletal maturity from 4½ to 6½
years and grow their largest set of
antlers from 5½ to 7½ years. Most
biologists refer to bucks 1½ to 2½
as young or immature, 3½ to 4½
as middle-aged, and 5½ or older as
mature. For this article, let’s com-
bine middle-aged and mature bucks
and consider 3½ years old or older
as mature.
Mature bucks are awesome crea-
tures. Even dyed-in-the-wool meat
hunters relish the opportunity to
shoot a mature whitetail. And why
not? Mature bucks are rare in many
areas and it’s difficult to make them
available to hunters. Producing them
requires knowledge, skill and time,
and harvesting them is usually more
difficult. Just as big fish and big
trees indicate successful fishery and
forestry programs, the presence of
mature bucks is a positive sign for a
deer management program.
Whitetails are social animals,
and scent is their primary commu-
nication method. During the breed-
ing season signposts such as rubs
and scrapes provide the location
for scent marking and information
sharing. A growing body of research
suggests pheromones (chemicals
secreted from an animal’s body that
affect other animals) are deposited
at these signposts by mature bucks,
and these pheromones may have a
“bio-stimulating” or trigger effect
82 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS
on the breeding season.
Research also suggests that older
bucks produce “controlling” or
“priming” pheromones that yearling
bucks are not physically mature
enough to produce. Some stud-
ies even suggest a buck reaching
dominant status produce greater
amounts of pheromones than less
dominant bucks of the same age,
and increased stimulation of does by
mature bucks through signposts may
cause earlier and more synchronized
breeding. While there isn’t defini-
tive proof that priming pheromones
exist in whitetails, retired researcher
Louis Verme and his colleagues
found that does penned with bucks
experienced estrous earlier than
those that were not.
As most hunters know, rubs and
scrapes play central roles in deer so-
cial life immediately before and dur-
ing the rut. The relative abundance
of rubs and scrapes on a given area
is directly related to the density of
mature bucks, and areas with mature
bucks can have 10 times as many
rubs as areas without them. Noted
researchers John Ozoga and Louis
Verme found yearling bucks lacked
the scent-marking behaviors char-
acteristic of mature bucks. In their
study, mature bucks began making
scrapes two months before any doe
bred, whereas yearling bucks made
only 15 percent as many scrapes and
none until one week before the first
doe bred. They also noted yearling
bucks made only 50 percent as
many rubs as mature bucks during
the breeding season.
Signpost behaviors are important
to the whitetail’s breeding ecology,
and therefore the “priming” effect
that mature bucks may have on the
length and/or timing of the rut is re-
duced or absent when mature bucks
are scarce.
The priming effect from sign-
posts likely has a stronger effect
in southern latitudes as northern
studies show the majority of does
are bred during their first cycle even
in the absence of mature bucks.
However, this doesn’t discount the
benefit of mature bucks to northern
herds. Research shows young bucks
engage in breeding and may sire
nearly a third (30 percent) of fawns
even in populations where mature
bucks comprise over 50 percent of
the bucks. Of course young bucks
sire a higher percentage of fawns
in populations with fewer mature
bucks. However, this is unfortu-
nate because it is advantageous for
yearling bucks to spend less time
chasing and/or breeding does and
additional time feeding and storing
fat for the upcoming winter. Year-
ling bucks that enter winter in better
physical condition have higher
winter survival rates and are able
to contribute more spring forage to
body growth and less to recover-
ing the additional body weight lost
during winter. Young bucks can
handle the breeding requirements of
a herd but they do so at their own
nutritional expense. Therefore, the
presence of mature bucks suppresses
the breeding activities of young
bucks. This is good for the future
health and growth of these young
bucks and the health of the entire
deer population.
Abundant research shows
skewed adult sex ratios combined
with young buck age structures
often result in does not being bred
until their second or third estrous
cycles. Second and third-cycle
fawns are born one to two months
later than fawns from does bred on
time, and these fawns begin life at a
distinct disadvantage. Habitat qual-
ity is reduced by the time they’re
born, they have less time to grow
before the onset of winter, and pre-
dation rates are often higher because
you lose the “saturation effect” of
having abundant prey on the ground
at the same time.
In northern populations, young
bucks breed the majority of does
during their first cycle, but southern
populations aren’t as fortunate. Hav-
ing mature bucks in the population
helps ensure the vast majority of
southern does are bred during their
first estrous cycle, bringing about
the benefits of an earlier, shorter
fawning period.
Mature bucks are part of a
“natural” deer herd. Archaeologists
determined historic deer popula-
tions had an advanced age structure.
We assume that Native American
hunter-gatherers harvested the first
deer available, regardless of its age
or sex, and thus their harvest was
a relatively random sample of the
population. Examinations of deer
remains in Native American mid-
dens (trash piles) suggests many
deer survived to older ages (20 to 26
percent of populations were 5 years
or older). Interestingly, data from
modern-day unhunted herds show
similar age structures. Unfortunate-
ly, most modern-day hunted herds
have this age structure for does but
few do for bucks, a result of har-
vests made up largely of yearling
bucks. However, according to Dr.
Dave Guynn from Clemson Univer-
sity, when a balanced age structure
is achieved it ensures the behavioral
and biological mechanisms that
shape deer populations are allowed
to function. Dave continues that the
density, sex ratio and age structure
of a deer herd should mimic a popu-
lation regulated by natural predators
and hunting by Native Americans.
This natural condition provides for
a nutritionally and socially healthy
herd, and it is only achieved when
mature bucks are present.
In addition to the biological
benefits, mature bucks also provide
additional recreational opportunities
for hunters. Sightings or trail-cam-
era photos of a mature buck can help
motivate more hunters and keep
them afield longer. When you are
trying to achieve doe harvest goals,
recruit help for habitat management
efforts, or simply gather attentive
club members for an educational
program on QDM topics, increased
interest works in your favor.
Finally, the enjoyment level of
hunting is often directly proportion-
al to mature buck numbers. More
mature bucks equals more rubs and
scrapes for hunters to find. Hunt-
ers witness behaviors like sparring
and chasing more often, and hunters
are more likely to hear vocaliza-
tions like grunting. Success rates
with rattling and calling are higher.
Even hunting for shed antlers in the
off-season is more productive. All
of these factors increase enthusiasm
for hunting and year-round QDM
efforts.
So, can deer herds exist without
mature bucks? Sure they can, but
remember: Whitetail populations
evolved with mature bucks. Their
social order works best with mature
bucks. Young bucks’ fitness can be
enhanced by the presence of mature
bucks. Hunting interest increases
when mature bucks are present.
All of these points are good for
the deer herd, for deer management
and for the future of hunting. The
next time you pass a young buck,
know that you did your part to im-
prove the health of the deer herd as
well as increase your chance of tak-
ing a mature buck in the future.”n
 Hot Topic...My Thoughts...My Views...My Opinions -- Continued
Antler casting and our deer management: from page 81
ing the wild might grow a 140 size
rack. Giving him upgraded nutrition
rich with, vitamins, minerals and
fresh water, he will grow a 170s
rack at lightning speed. Of course
monster 200-point deer are rare in
the wild but with proper genetics,
age and food; growers can attain
200 class deer with ease. Have
doubts? You better check out www.
whitehousewhitetails.com and take
a peek at how fired up year round
feeding programs create monumen-
tal monster whitetails.
Now, I know what you are think-
ing…what about CWD and other
deer-related diseases and food. Well,
there are no studies proving beyond
a shadow of a doubt that baiting or
feeding for recreation causes CWD.
Truth is CWD and EHD are at epi-
demic levels across North America
and no DNR policy has any effect
on the spread of diseases. Baiting
deer has nothing to do with increas-
ing CWD or EHD, period. I view
Michigan’s CWD rules as hunter re-
strictive which discriminates against
law abiding sportsmen, reduces the
harvest and contributes to fast dwin-
dling hunter recruitment rather than
controlling disease. Let’s face it, if
you toss down some corn, deer will
come and you get to fill your tag.
Take away baiting and the number
of deer harvested will plummet and
especially young hunters will get
out of hunting at a monumental fast
rate.
It is my opinion the DNR should
allow unrestricted feeding of deer
and those who are feeding should be
required to supply deer populations
with food throughout winter. Hey,
what the heck is the DNR doing
studying those few deer remaining
in the terribly mismanaged UP?
They need to concentrate studies on
the impact of feeding deer and de-
termine what makes deer so healthy
in the Corn Belt.
The whitetail world is light years
ahead of Michigan’s DNR and their
restrictive policies. Savvy sports-
men understand the importance of
keeping deer healthy and disease
free. This is a no brainer. If you go
in the hospital what is the first thing
doctors check, your nutrition habits
and water intake. Any farmer who
raises quality pork, beef, sheep and
any animal understands the impor-
tance of nutrition. If animals are
weak or diseased the first remedy is
increased and enhanced nutrition.
More importantly healthy animals
are more disease free. It should
be the goal of the DNR to take a
leadership role and manage white-
tails far beyond hunting and estab-
lish policies to grow and maintain
healthy deer.
However, when it comes to
Bloody pock marks signal fresh antler casting however the process
is basically pain free for bucks. Kenny Darwin photos
big bucks and antler drop it goes
without saying proper nutrition
will keep bucks healthier and drop
can be somewhat postponed. Some
studies indicate certain bucks drop
at the same time every year regard-
less of nutrition or winter severity.
But based on my observations UP
and northern Michigan bucks drop
antlers earlier than bucks in south-
ern Michigan.
Casting is a relatively fast
process and I’ve seen crippled
bucks drop antlers pronto. Several
studies show the process begins
when testosterone levels drop. Faint
lines below the antler burrs begin
to breakdown and granulate at an
accelerated rate. This osteoclast
layer of cells can deteriorate in a
matter of a few hours. Some studies
show antler casting can take place in
less than 48 hours, which explains
the rapid drop of antlers following
severe weather, deep snow or other
stressful conditions.
I’ve seen bucks knock off antlers
by shaking their heads or brushing
them with their legs. Some antler
collectors claim it is not uncommon
for bucks to drop both antlers simul-
taneously or about the same time
based on the number of pairs they
find in close proximity to each other.
When a big buck drops his rack he
suddenly gives up rank to any other
buck still carrying antlers. It is my
opinion when big bucks drop their
antlers they become submissive and
depressed because they no longer
rule the roost and adult does have
an edge on them. Most biologists
agree antler casting and the entire
hormone change is nature’s way of
allowing rut crazed bucks to regain
strength and hopefully survive the
remaining winter.
While bloody pock marks signal
fresh antler casting the process is
basically pain free for bucks. They
are incredible animals and quickly
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
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exposed crater bleeds but a scab www.woods-n-waternews.com or
quickly forms and soon the antler
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 One Of A Kind...
The Hurd Super Fly Caster
M
y first Woods-
N-Water News
Outdoor Weekend
was in September
2004. Needless to
say, I was more
than excited to be going. I loaded
my Suburban up to the top with
antique tackle of all kinds – lures,
reels, rods, minnow buckets, glass
minnow traps . . . you name it, I
brought it. I drove across the state
to Imlay City and discovered that I
had a 20-foot booth in the “old red
building.” I had brought twice as
much tackle as would fit, and then I
discovered that the ceiling was too
low and would not accommodate
the tall bamboo fly rods that I was
going to feature. Regardless of the
challenges, I was ready to go by
showtime Friday night when the
gates were opened a few minutes
before 5 pm and show goers started
flowing into the Eastern Michigan
State Fairgrounds.
My very first visitor walked up
to me at exactly 5 pm with a reel
and rod combo that I had never seen
before. It turned out to be a Hurd
Super Caster, and I was surprised by
its quality one-piece design. I soon
discovered that it had been made
only seven miles from where I was
sitting. The Hurd Lock and Manu-
facturing Company, whose main
plant had been located in nearby
Almont, built their successful reel
and rod combos from 1946 through
1950.
The Hurd Lock Company
86 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS
founder was Edwin P. Hurd, a native
Detroiter, who was born on Febru-
ary 26, 1891. During my research,
I discovered that Hurd first worked
as a plumber and then was listed
as a purchasing agent for a local
Detroit business on his WWI draft
registration. The 1920 U.S. Cen-
sus listed him as a salesman for an
auto parts company, which
apparently was the start of
what became known as the
Hurd Lock and Manufac-
turing Company. The idea
that started the company
came from a challenge that
plagued early automobile
owners. The mounted spare
tire was either stored on the
fender, the
wheel well, Sporting Collectibles
or on a rack
mounted on By Terry McBurney
the rear of the
automobile . . . all locations where
the tire could easily be stolen. Hurd
came up with the idea for his Hurd
Automotive Tire Lock and Chain,
and he started producing them in a
two-stall garage behind the family
home on the eastside of Detroit. The
Hurd Automotive Tire Lock and
Chain sold well and quickly outgrew
the family’s garage. Other locks
were added to the Hurd lineup and
production was moved to a machine
shop on Gratiot Avenue, and then in
1931 Hurd moved his plant to an old
foundry building located forty miles
north in Almont.
The company continued growing
About 101,000 Hurd Super Caster combos
(top) and 3,300 of the rare Hurd Caster
combos (bottom) were made between
1946 and 1950. Bill Wazelle collection
even during the Depression, though
profits were small to non-existent.
The Hurd company expanded into
other categories besides keyed and
combination locks during this period
adding automotive door, trunk, and
ignition locks, plus many differ-
ent automobile accessories. But
World War II changed all that, as
the company was uniquely
positioned to make defense
products, and they were
contracted to make naval
ordnance - shell primers for
naval guns.
Sometime during
WWII, Edwin Hurd, his
chief engineer, Herbert
Dies, plus other Hurd
employees
started work-
ing on the
design for the
Hurd Super
Caster reel and rod combo. Eventu-
ally, six patents were applied for, all
relating to the Super Caster combo,
the vinyl carrying case that it came
packed in, and the machine that
carved the checkered design onto
the walnut rod handles. All six of
the patents were applied for between
November 3, 1945 and December
6, 1946 and were granted between
September 24, 1946 and December
11, 1951.
An article in the August 29,
1946 Almont Times-Herald newspa-
per stated: “Of particular interest . .
. is the announcement that the Hurd
Lock and Manufacturing Company
is now working exclusively on the
production of the Hurd Super-Cast-
er, an ingenious casting rod which
has been hailed as one of the finest
inventions in sporting equipment in
many years. Both the Almont and
Adrian plants of the Hurd Company
have about 400 of their employees
working entirely on the caster.”
The article went on to announce
that ads were scheduled to run in
national sporting magazines includ-
ing Sports Afield, Outdoor Life,
Hunting and Fishing, and Field
and Stream. The Super Caster was
proclaimed to be built of the highest
quality corrosion resistant materials
and manufactured to last a lifetime.
The other important features listed
were that the reel was built right
into the handle creating a rigid,
one-piece frame, as well as having
a thumb button that allowed the
angler to delicately control the drag.
Incredibly, the Hurd Super Caster
retailed for $45 in 1946, a very high
price to pay for a reel and rod com-
bination for the average angler!
Sometime during 1948, Hurd
developed a less-expensive ver-
sion that they named the “Caster,”
which sold for only $27.50, or 39
percent less than the Super Caster. It
had a straight ivory-colored plas-
tic handle, and the Super Caster’s
Thumb Button Control was replaced
instead with a spare-parts storage
compartment. The Caster’s reel and
solid steel rod were painted “battle-
ship grey” as compared to the Super
Caster’s polished aluminum reel and
its black solid steel rod.
Hurd put serial numbers on both
of their combos. The highest Super
Caster serial number found so far is
just over 101,000. The lower-priced
Caster combo is only about 3,300 in
number and is highly sought after
because of its comparative rarity.
There were two other Hurd fish-
ing-related patents. Design Patent
#153,804 (applied for October 11,
1947 and granted on May 17, 1949)
and Patent #2559433 (applied for
December 22, 1947 and granted on
July 3, 1951). Both of these patents
related to a fly fishing “art deco”
style reel and rod combo. Since this
fly combo apparently was never pro-
duced, the two patents were relegat-
ed to the Hurd archives by collec-
tors including me. That all changed
when a unique prototype was sent
to Lang’s Auction to be included in
their fall 2018 sale, October 27th
and 28th of this year. Needless to
say, Hurd collectors were astounded
and bidding was robust.
This newly-discovered Hurd fly
reel and rod combo was part of a
large collection of fishing tackle that
had been stored away in Florida for
some twenty years. The owner was
not aware of the importance of the
reel and rod handle, nor that it was
related to the Hurd Lock and Manu-
facturing Company and their Caster
and Super Caster combos. So, it was
packed in a carton along with other
vintage tackle and shipped north to
Lang’s Auction in upstate Bouck-
ville, New York. I would have liked
to have been there when that box
was first opened, inspected, and in-
ventoried, but I was not. Lang’s fish-
ing reel expert, Jim Schottenham,
was the one who opened the carton
and immediately recognized what it
was – a “One of a Kind” treasure.
The Hurd Lock and Manufactur-
ing Company did trademark the fly
reel and rod combo on October 23,
1951. The trademark name was “Su-
per Fly Caster”, though there is no
evidence Hurd ever used it in print
or as part of any advertising.
Mechanically, the Super Fly
Caster fishing reel and rod proto-
type worked quite well. The patent
begins by emphasizing that it was
a properly balanced reel and rod,
a major help to the fly fisherman.
Secondly, the reel spool was eas-
ily removeable and replaced with a
second spool. This would permit the
angler to simply switch to a differ-
ent fly line. The aluminum-hinged
housing with decorative egg-shaped
cutouts is hinged at one end and
secured with a knurled wheel when
closed. When the housing is opened,
the handle and drag cassette can
be reversed from right-to-left-hand
retrieve. The internal cylinder that
holds the handle has an outgoing
“clicker” that sounds an alarm only
when the line is pulled out. And
it also has an anti-reverse feature
when the blue button at the end of
the handle is pushed in. It has an
internal spring that creates the anti-
reverse, which can be disengaged by This “One of a Kind” Hurd Fly Reel and Rod Combo was one of
simply turning the handle. Overall, a featured items in the Lang’s 2018 fall auction selling for $1200 +
well-designed and ingenious fly reel. 21% buyer’s premium. Lang’s Auction, Inc photos
The rod portion of the design
is a different matter. Edwin Hurd to be cut off above its handle and the important question I have as a
had to start working on the design correct matching male ferrule would Hurd collector is whether it was
in 1947, possibly in 1946, or even then have to be glued on to make it a “One of a Kind” prototype, or
earlier. At that time, fly rods were fit. Practically speaking, I doubt that is there a second example out
made primarily from bamboo and this would have worked. there – possibly in the Tri-City
in some cases from steel. Hollow I bid on the “Super Fly Caster” area near Almont, Imlay City or
fiberglass fly rods did not come during the auction, but unfortu- Capac?
along until 1947 when Shakespeare nately was not the lucky winner. The I would like to thank Jim Schot-
introduced their very first two fiber- winning bid was $1,200 plus a 21 tenham from Lang’s Auction for all
glass fly Wonderods. The Hurd fly percent buyer’s premium or a total the help he gave in preparing this
reel and rod combo patent shows a of $1,452. What also amazed me article.
female ferrule at the end of its cork was that this exceptional model was Feel free to contact the author
handle. The angler was then sup- beautifully made and almost identi- at antiquefishing@comcast.net with
posed to choose the right matching cal to the design patent drawing, as your questions. Photographs are im-
fly rod, most likely bamboo, and well as the U.S. Patent drawings . . portant, so please send them. They
then mount it into the Super Fly . and it worked perfectly as well. It help me with identification and give
Caster female ferrule. In effect, the was ready to be fished as soon as the me an idea of the condition of the
angler’s bamboo fly rod would have right fly rod was mounted to it. The item.n
The left-hand view showing the
housing and the crank handle.
The housing is hinged at one end
and secured with a knurled wheel.
The right-hand view of the Hurd
Fly Reel and Rod Combo.
The spool The hinged housing showing
can be easily the spool plus the handle
changed to and drag cassette.
accommo-
date different
fly lines or
quickly turned
changing it
from right
to left-hand
retrieve.
WNW NEWS JANUARY 2019 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

Dan Gentner caught another bobcat on his trail

camera in Missaukee County.

Kevin Strang caught this unique Larry Nutt’s trail camera caught a pair of bucks in a
racked buck near Davison. battle for superiority.

Fanning gobblers in the snow caught by Larry

Nutt’s trail cam.

Ron Amat caught this nice bear

This young Newaygo Co. buck got ‘up close and per- pic on one of his trail cams near
sonal’ with Joe Tuttle’s trail cam. Curran.

Kraig Staples’
trail cam set
near Millers-
burg captured
Lauren Trainor caught this dandy nocturnal a couple of
buck. predators.

Joe Misiak named this back-

yard buck Corky.

Terry Bekins trial cam caught this very

Ken and Dawn Ball of Newaygo County and a coyote
busy mom.
and nice buck.
88 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS
WNW NEWS JANUARY 2019 89

Hunting for the experience
W
hen I think
about hunt-
ing, it is
amazing
to me how
something
I am so passionate about today
was never introduced to me when I
was young. I grew up in the Upper
Peninsula, a part of the generation
that always had the opening day of
deer season off from school – it was
literally considered a school holiday
– and yet, at that point in my life, I
never really knew why.
Into my late 20s, I was still
wondering what all the deer hunt-
ing fuss was all about. Still, going
out to deer camp, eating good food
and having lots of laughs with good
friends and family sure seemed like
something I could see myself enjoy-
ing. You see, that was my perception
of deer hunting.
Little did I know the experiences
I had ahead of me. Things changed
in 2002 when my husband, Jamie,
took me out hunting a few times. It
wasn’t long before I hunted on my
own for the first time, the following
year.
My transformation has been
dramatic.
Michelle Zellar and the buck she bagged this year.
90 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS
By Michelle Zellar - MDNR
Ryan, Bailey, Michelle and Justin Zellar with a deer that Michelle
bagged on one of her hunting trips.
When I think about deer hunting
now, I think of peace, leaves falling,
twigs snapping, seeing my breath
in front of me, a crunchy skiff of
snow and that smell. You know that
smell, pungent yet so refreshing, the
smell of nature at its peak – hunt-
ing season. I hunt now in all three
deer seasons – archery, firearm and
muzzleloader – and I revel in the
uniqueness of each experience.
An Archer
In The Woods
Picture walking in to your tree
stand in late October to archery
hunt, dragging the wet leaves stuck
to your boots, pointing your nose
upward to smell and feel for the
wind direction that you had already
checked multiple times throughout
the day and the days prior. You
know, sitting there that night, you
will be completely exposed to any
buck in the woods – wary as they
are and with such keen senses.
Climbing as quietly as you
possibly can, you try to get settled
quickly, yet comfortably, because
the amount of movement from
here on will be limited for the next
couple hours. At this point you are
one with nature, listening to the
birds chirp and the squirrels and
chipmunks chatter, all the while
hoping to get a look at the elusive
majestic buck. Pure peace, yet every
rustle, every snap, increases your
awareness and anticipation.
Then there’s that instant heart
flutter that suddenly makes you
aware. You can literally hear your
heart pounding, just as you get that
glimpse of the tail flutter, and in
walks a doe with deliberate stride.
Nothing compares to being that
close to a whitetail deer in its natural
environment.
Every sit in a tree stand is a new
experience, each one. Hunting this
way is, in my opinion, the ultimate
hunting experience. Though this is
the most exhilarating way to hunt,
even as an avid deer hunter, I must
admit I have yet to harvest a buck
out of my tree stand.
Having said that, I did harvest
my first black bear from my tree
stand, which was amazing!
November Rituals
As each firearm deer season ap-
proaches, the thoughts and antici-
pation are at an all-time high, but
so very different for very different
reasons. The weather is changing,
the deer habits are unpredictable,
traditions and rituals with friends
and family are being planned and set
in place.
It’s that time – it’s deer season.
Just the thought of sitting in my
blind from dawn to dusk is exciting
and a thought that never gets old.
The walk in is the same for me
every year, every step placed as
lightly as possible, thinking with
every step about getting into my
blind without any creature knowing
I was there. This walk seems like it
takes forever, because of the rush of
emotions and adrenaline. My steps
are long and lean. I’m paying close
attention to any sound not made by
my footsteps.
As I approach the blind, it seems
I can’t be too quiet and careful. The
preservation of my opening-day
hunting spot depends on it. Now I
am in. I’m finally here. A check of
my watch, counting down the min-
utes until that blurry view becomes
light enough to see. So very still,
I’m just listening and watching for a
sign that a deer might walk out into
view at any moment.
Suddenly, a brush of movement
catches my eye in the wide distance.
No, I am mistaken. It’s just the wind
and my anticipation.
After hours of sitting in the blind
content and peaceful, combing the
tree line visually back and forth
through my binoculars, searching
for a flicker or flash of brown off in
the distance, I’m peering with great
intent. Only then do I realize a nice
buck has approached from behind
and is strolling, nose to the ground,
steadfast through this clearing.
I am overcome by an instant
mirage of thoughts and emotions,
some too quick to process. “Breathe,
breathe,” I tell myself.
I need to get a shot off quickly
because he’s not stopping.
“Squeeze the trigger,” I hear my-
self think.
“Breathe.”
“Squeeze.”
This buck – still not so much as
a lift of the head, just a stealth stride
focused on a mission.
Bang!
Did I shoot?
I didn’t feel a thing.
I can hear and feel my heart
beating outside of my chest. The
deer, a full 360 jump and run.
“Load another one, Michelle,
load another one.”
I’m shaking uncontrollably. Sud-
denly, a dead stop, a turn of his head
both ways and another jump out of
sight.
“Oh, he looked nice.”
“What just happened?
“Breathe.”
“Stop talking to yourself.”
I’m wrapped up in a whirlwind
of emotion, excitement, anxiety. Oh,
the anxiety, I can’t see him lying
there.
“OK, take a breather. Wait until
you get the steady back into your
shaking legs before you exit the
blind looking for signs of a fatal
shot.
“Now make the call.”
The Retrieve
This will be the call to my
husband and family that I got one,
still not certain whether it was seven
antler points or eight, just that it was
plenty big enough to shoot and they
couldn’t get here fast enough for us
to retrieve it.
You see, this is the most special
Michelle Zellar with the 7-point buck she shot and described in her story.
part of the hunt, retrieving the ani-
mal with the people you care about
most. Sharing the story, every detail,
every emotion. It all happened so
fast, yet the story goes on and on.
Retrieving the animal as a family
has given my children the opportu-
nity to experience the success and
emotion of the hunt. Together we
are all making those connections,
making those memories. They have
seen firsthand my passion and ex-
citement, which makes them want to
experience the rest of the story.
For me, it’s all about the experi-
ences, very little about the harvest
– experiences I very much want to
continue to share with others: my
husband, my boys, my sisters, but
most importantly, my daughter,
Bailey.
Mother and Daughter
Bailey, who is now 14, hasn’t
committed to hunting to harvest an
animal, but by participating in the
process and being exposed to our
experiences, she has a complete
understanding and appreciation for
deer hunting here in Michigan. Sit-
ting with my boys over the years has Michelle and Bailey Zellar enjoy the mother-daughter hunting expe-
rience together.
been fun, but the first time I took my
only daughter out to hunt with me is
a memory I will never forget. with those little legs, complete with
a backpack containing her baby doll,
the anticipation and excitement we
hunters feel when we get a glimpse
She had been out to the blind
before with the family, putting it baby bottles and a few snacks, was of the animal while afield. She
out for the season, playing around an eye-opener for her. understands the process, the value to
as we put it up. She was there when Cute as a fawn’s button nose, conservation, and she will treasure
we brushed out the shooting lanes with her fuzzy hunter orange hat, our family traditions and memories.
and set up the trail camera. Come baby doll in her lap she sat peering It’s all about the connections;
the middle of the season, when there out the windows, wondering when it’s all about the experience.
was a foot of snow to walk through and if we were going to see some- I did my job as a sportsman, a
thing. Having heard us say so many parent and a conservationist and ful-
times that just seeing deer when filled my commitment as a woman
you’re out hunting is fun, she now to share that hunting is so much
understood after sitting in the same more than killing an animal, it’s
place for several hours. respecting the animal, and it lends
She was rocking her baby side the ability to embrace and appreci-
to side, when out came a doe and ate conservation.
fawn walking leisurely down an old I take great pride that my
logging trail. 18-year-old son Justin is an avid
“That’s so cool,” she said. archery hunter. One of my fondest
And I, with a smile and a nod of moments hunting was the day my
the head, quietly said, “Yes, it is.” son Ryan, Bailey’s twin brother,
shot his first buck with me from my
The Experience blind. I’m not sure who was proud-
Bailey has yet to be sitting with er, or who was more excited.
me when I have harvested a deer. Even though this will forever be
She is much more apt to suit up a hunting highlight, it doesn’t com-
to retrieve the harvest, but she’s pare to knowing my daughter can
experienced the hard work, the share my passion, appreciation and
connection with nature, the peace. understanding even though she’s
She sees and feels the passion I never pulled the trigger.
have for hunting and doesn’t miss It’s priceless.
the opportunity to jump in a photo The author Michelle Zellar
capturing the success of a hunt. And works for the Michigan Department
I can’t forget to mention my favorite of Natural Resources as an adminis-
part: the hug, which is followed by a trative assistant and coordinator for
“Good job, mom.” the Becoming an Outdoorswoman
She wouldn’t have this hunting program, which introduces women
appreciation had she not had these to recreational and educational ex-
family experiences. periences in the wonderful outdoors
She understands the ethics in- of Michigan. Get more information
volved, she understands how nature on hunting in Michigan at michigan.
recharges the soul, she understands gov/hunting.n
WNW NEWS JANUARY 2019 91
 Woods-N-Water News Classified Section
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Classified ad rates: $30 for the first 20 words 2216. Licensed and Insured. H-1- FOR SALE: AKC REG-
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Use one of these useful classified categories... great pheasant hunting, 15 ACRES in Newaygo County near
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(13) (14) (15) (16) (17) (18)
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tures a second access to the lower

$31.00 $31.25 $31.50 $31.75 $32.00 $32.25 HUNTING
OCTOBER 1ST – JANUARY
$32.50 $32.75 $33.00 $33.25 $33.50 $33.75 1ST: 11 acres, St. Clair County
$1,600.00. Call 248-240-0985.
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LEASE
tional large clearing. This part of
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as the southern boundary has

$34.00 $34.25 $34.50 $34.75 $35.00 $35.25
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springs. Land Contract terms for
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92 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS
 Real Estate
PAGES 93 - 97
Whitetail Realty,
Lake City, MI
231-839-8142 or
office@lakecityrealestate.com
lakecitymirealestate.com
North Missaukee • MLS# 201801895 • $24,000
• 10 Wooded level Acres
• Build your home or cabin
• State land is within a mile
• Hunt, ride ATV’s or snowmobile

North Missaukee • MLS# 201801783 • $252,900

• 80 Wooded Acres of Prime hunting Land
• 3 Bedroom 1 ½ Bath home
• Basement, Back entry/mud room
• 36’ x 60’ Pole Barn with 11ft door
• 16’ x 36’ 3 sided addition to Pole Barn

North Missaukee • MLS# 201800647 • $89,000

• 28 x 48 Pole Barn with Electric
• 12 x 24 addition setup for sleeping qtrs.
• 15+ wooded Acres for recreation use
• State land and trails just ¼ mi away

Kalkaska County • MLS# 201802152 • $112,000

• 2 Bedroom 1 Bath Getaway Cabin
• The cabin gives you that Upnorth feel
• Beautiful Fireplace, Deck to relax on
• 2 Storage buildings for all your gear
• Close to State land & the Manistee River

North Missaukee • MLS# 21124646 • $89,000

• 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

80051 - 80030 -
Beautiful! Extraordinary
Peace and 90 year old
quiet. 40 home on over
acres of 2 acres with
hardwoods. Close to pigeon river state forest. 1/2 approximately
way between Atlanta and Lewiston. If you want it 700 feet on the beautiful Thunder Bay River in
all... this is probably it. $259,900 downtown Atlanta features 4,000 square feet, two
80056 - full living areas, zoned heating, fireplace, formal
Log sided 3 dining room, family room, elevated sitting room,
bedroom, 3 laundry room, attached garage, covered porches,
bath chalet and patio area. Six of the seven bedrooms do not
on 40 acres, have closets, which was typical of the era. Some
bordering remodeling and updating has been done. A unique
State Land with several deer blinds, trails, a 2 car piece of Atlanta’s history! $139,900
garage, barn, and more outbuildings. Garage has
80033 -
nice attached room with separate outside door which
Immaculate
could be an office, man cave, hobby or work room. A
custom built
creek runs through which is a tributary of the Thunder
home on 40
Bay River. Property has apple, pear, plum trees, and
beautiful
blueberry bushes. Much, much more $259,900
wooded acres
80054 - with your own private pond/small lake right out
Two bedroom the back door. Custom kitchen with beautiful cabi-
home on 25 netry, open concept, formal dining room, central
acres designed vacuum, Anderson Windows and life time shingles.
for “off grid” 3 nice sized bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths on the main
recreation, floor, attached garage, partially finished basement
garden area, propane lights, solar panels, private with a walkout to the water and the beautiful yard.
drive, lots of wildlife, morel mushrooms, wild berries, There is a work shop, 3 car garage, and much more
fruit trees, indoor inverter for power. $79,900 $374,900

12631 State St.

PO Box 663
Atlanta, MI 49709
989-785-2600 Office • 989-657-4904 Mobile
aerorealestate.usa.mls.com
WNW NEWS JANUARY 2019 93
 $349,000
YOOPER SPECIAL!
6 bedrooms
4 Baths
3,463 sq ft Sq Ft
Lot Size 39.73 acres
Built in 2004
Listing ID: 1850935

E6809 E SANDENE • IRONWOOD TWP 49911

80 Wooded Hunting Acres Renovated
4 Bdrm, 2 Full Bath, 2200 Sq Ft. Farm House.
PRICE REDUCED $279,900

Near W
N

3,960 ft
Marlette S

Beautiful Family Resort or Hunting Lodge sitting

on 40 acres with 3 hunting blinds in Wexford
in Sanilac 121
County. This property has everything. Close to
County Acres
the Pine River for Kayaking, and Fishing, Caberfae
$
Ski Area for skiing and snowmobiling, state trails
for your all terrain vehicles or horseback riding
326,700
and hiking. The property has 3 apartments
40 acres of Hunting Bliss. Ranch home OR
750 sq ft. each with 2 bedrooms, kitchenette, with a full walk out basement, 3 bedrooms, Will $
full bath and living area. Each apartment shares
2 full baths, gourmet kitchen. All season consider 2,700 per acre
the great room and the kitchen. Along with the
Sun room with separate entrance. Attached 1,320 ft
property is a 37x40 pole barn. all offers.
3 car garage plus a 32’ X 48’ Pole Barn (can
fit 2 semi trucks) 14 ft doors. Deer, rabbit
231-667-0474 (Mobile) | 231-775-1205 (Office) & turkey are bountiful. There also is a small
debrae@remax.net pond and swamp area on the property.
RE/MAX CENTRAL
Hunters Paradise is at 2152 Five Lakes Rd,
124 S Mitchell St, Cadillac, MI 49601 Metamora, MI 48455 $460,000

Thinking of Buying or Selling?

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

MOSSYOAKPROPERTIES.COM
ALLY ING IV
E ING ICE ED
STICUCED LIST T LIST PR UC
R A
D ED NEW AC NEW D
R RE

Cass County Branch County Berrien County

Barry County 67.6 +/- acres 80.31+/- acres 94 +/- acres
99.6 +/- acres List Price $258,400 - An List Price $649,000 - List Price $279,000 - 94 +/- Ontonagon County
List Price $549,000 - exceptional mixed use 67.6+/- 40+ acres are tillable, acres of primarily wooded 80 +/- acres
Beautiful cabin parcel of ground in Cass County, woods, a pond, and EXCELLENT hunting property List Price $124,900 -
overlooking a spring Michigan with EXCELLENT a 4 Bed 2 full bath in Berrien County, Michigan Wooded acreage in the
fed fish pond on Hunting, potential building home with 2900 sq.ft. just South of I94, and directly Western Upper Peninsula
rolling wooded sites, and tillable ground of living space, and across the road from Point O’ with beautiful turn key
acreage generating farm rent yearly outbuildings Woods Golf Course D-style log cabin

EACH MOSSY OAK PROPERTIES OFFICE IS INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED

94 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS

Alcona/Alpeana County,
408+/- Acres, Incredible Retreat,
3 Lodges, Large Pole Barn, Beaver
Creek Frontage, Tons of Wildlife
$1,400,000
Calhoun County, 80 Acres, Big Buck
County, Lots of Deer Sign,
Oak Ridges, Rolling Hills.
$275,000
Lake County, 7 Acres, Little Manistee
River Frontage, Cozy Cabin,
Great Hunting and Fishing
$125,000
38 Acres, Newaygo County,
White Cloud Cabin/Home, Five
Mile Creek Frontage, Deer,
Bear, Turkey, and Seclusion!
$169,000
Osceola County, 120 Acres, Trail Sys-
tem, Near Reed City, Tons of
Deer and Turkey Sign, Food plot areas
$269,500
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
Gladwin, 142 Acres,
Fully furnished Deer Ranch.
The Rack Ranch
$835,000
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, LeRoy Twp,
141 +/- Acres, Easy access
to US-131, Large Pond
$211,500
Arenac County, Au Gres, 773.42 Acres,
Whitetail Paradise, Road/Trail System,
Large Pond, 10 Gun Shacks,
Awesome Deer Hunting Property.
$1,850/Acre
Isabella County, 80+/- Acres, Duck
and Deer Hunter’s Paradise, Over
a mile of Pony River Frontage.
$160,000
Midland County, 80 Acres
12 Miles to Mount Pleasant,
Excellent Hunting
$176,000
80 Acres, Newaygo County,
Food Plots, Mature Timber Value,
Loaded With Deer And Turkey,
Economically Price!
$160,000
Osceola County, 163+/- Acres, Great
Trail System, Awesome Hunting,
Rolling Hills, Must See!
$245,000
52+ Acres, Benzie County,
Near Interlochen and Traverse City,
Great Road Frontage, Beautiful
Build Spots, Great Hunting,
Nation Forest Adjoins Property!
$99,000
Jackson County 38.14 Acres,
Log Home/Cabin, Tillable,
Timber Value, and 30 year old
Walnut Timber Stands!
$255,000
6+ Acres, Mis-
saukee County,
Secluded 34’x16’
Pole Barn - Deer
Camp! This is a
MUST SEE with
an incredible
track record of
harvesting
MATURE
Whitetails!
Price Right!!
$55,000
Newaygo County, 88 Acres, 2100 ft.
Pristine Muskegon River frontage.
Excellent hunting.
Fully furnished living quarters.
$575,000
Osceola County, Evart, 278 Acres,
Major Deer Sign, Multiple Food Plots,
Rolling Terrain,. Thick Bedding Cover,
Near State Land, Great Deer History.
$517,000
WWW.WILDLIFEREALTY.COM
15+ YEARS OF EXPERIENCE
& 70+ MILLION IN
MICHIGAN LAND SALES
Calhoun County, 74 Acres,
1/2 Tillable ,1/2 Wooded,
Trophy Buck Genetics
$275,000
Jackson County, 105+/- Acres, WRP
Program, Mature Hardwoods, Great
Deer, Turkey & Waterfowl Hunting
$199,000
ING
ND
P E
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
$362,000
Presque Isle County, 1,500 Acres,
High Fence Deer Ranch, 50,000+ sq. ft.
lodge, rolling hills, caretakers
house, and pole barn.
$6,400,000
Calhoun County, 67+/- Acres
300 ft. All Sports Prairie Lake,
Tillable Acreage
$275,000
Jackson County, 537 +/- Acres,
Excellent Duck, Deer & Turkey Hunting.
Area of Other Large Property Owners.
“Man Cave” w/Game Cleaning Station.
$1,074,000
Newaygo County 4+/- Acres
Muskegon Riverfront, New cabin,
Beautiful landscaping, Secluded woods.
$220,000
Oceana County, 67 Acres, Great Deer
and Turkey Hunting, Tillable,
Thick Forest Floor, Food Plots, Pond,
Hunting Shack and Pole Barn.
$164,900
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 JANUARY 2019 95
 Full Rut Ranch...Where the Heat is Always On!
This 88 acre high fence trophy whitetail deer ranch can be yours for

$649,999
Complete with floor to ceiling pine lodge and full scale bar.
This ranch can accommodate 10 people on its main floor and
4 on the upper level suite. 2 full bathrooms and kitchen to complete
the ranches accommodations for your hunters. The front barns
include processing facilities and a gun siting range.
Approx 60 deer remaining after this year’s hunts. Deer herd
has been managed for 15-20 trophy whitetail hunts per year.
Full Rut Ranch also offers event spaces for weddings, reunions, and more!

Please call 734-740-9519 with questions or to view the property.

Heritage Exclusive Marketing Agents for Northeast

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

4215 N US 23 406 E Fowler Rd

This is your chance to walk
into a well-established
Antiques and Furniture store
with several detached
commercial rental units and
10 residential rental units
with good history including
almost 5 acres. Priced to
sell at $625,000
1770 sf, 3 bed, 1.5 bath with
40 acres ideal for the
upcoming hunting seasons or
just to enjoy as your new
getaway. This is one of those
hidden gems that doesn’t
come along very often.
$153,700

10316 7th St 5550 Michaud

1170 sf, 3 bed, 1.5 bath , 2
car garage, easy access to
town, and all the outdoor
enjoyment you want. HOA
dues cover lawn and snow
One of northeast Michigan’s premier resorts located so no need to worry about
anything with this Move in
on 300 feet of Lake Huron sugar sand beach,
Ready gem. NEW $70,000
between Oscoda and Greenbush. Includes 11
cottages with one or more bedrooms, 3 bedroom, 2
bathroom owners or managers home with all the 840 S Stockton Rd
amenities your looking for including an inviting sun 1440 sf, 3 bed, 2 bath with
61 acres ideal for hunting or
room, stone fireplace and breakfast nook, enclosed recreating close to trails and
Game Room including pool table and arcade state land. As a bonus
games, Basketball/Badminton court, Horseshoes, includes a standalone guest
Volleyball courts and enjoy sitting lakeside next to house ideal for visitors.
the campfire during the late evenings. This nicely $198,500
wooded site is over 300 feet deep. Great rental
history with several repeat clientele. Cottages
feature knotty pine interiors, full bathrooms, 4100 Lakeshore Dr
separate heating with room to sleep up to 8, cable 1960 sf, 2 bed, 3 bath,
television and internet, and complete furnishings attached garage with over
250 feet of Lake Huron
right down to the silverware. This is an active turn
Shoreline to enjoy all year.
key business opportunity that only comes around This gem is definitely worth
once in a lifetime. Priced to sell with owner financing check out and won’t last
available to qualified buyers. long. $379,900
2220 sf, 4 bed, 3 bath
overlooking your private
pond as well as 40 acres with
many trails to roam. Enjoy
the views from your covered
porch or while sitting in your
sunroom. $289,900
3175 Big Buck Trl
2500 sf, 3 bed, 2 bath with
60 ft attached waterfront lot
on AuSable Lake. This
move in ready gem is just
waiting for you to enjoy all
year long without worrying
about waterfront taxes!
$189,000
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. $167,900

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

96 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS
 WEST BRANCH HALE WEST BRANCH
R S ALE R S ALE
M-33/M-55 OFFICE F O OFFICE F O LOOP OFFICE
1953 S. M-33 3160 North M-65 2575 S. I-75 Business Loop,
West Branch, MI 48661 Hale, MI 48739 West Branch, MI 48661
10 miles north of I-75 exit 202 “Gateway to Huron National Forest” 1 mile north of I-75 Exit 212

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

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

“UP NORTH” HOMES AND COTTAGES

LITTLE CLEAR LAKE!!
Lovely 3-bdrm, 2 bath home that is move-in ready w/little
updates needed and 90 feet of canal frontage leading to
30 acre private lake! Open floor plan, newer appliances,
master suite, 31x15 deck with fantastic lake views!!
$59,900 1853977
SPACIOUS 4-BEDROOM!!
This home has over 2000 square feet, beautiful wood
ceilings, bedrooms on both floors, bamboo wood floors,
laminate floors, knotty pine interior, heated breezeway,
garage w/elec, encl porch, deck & much more!!
$100,000 1849751
OVER 3000 SQUARE FEET!!
This spacious 4-bdrm, 2.7 bath home is beautiful & well-
maintained. So many fantastic amenities, full walkout
bsmt, 2.5 ACRES, finished garage, large deck, privacy
fence, tasteful landscaping & above ground pool!!
$199,900 1837404
NEAR FEDERAL LANDS!!
Well-maintained 2-bdrm mobile home with 2-story barn-
style garage on 2 partly wooded lots. Upper level of
30x20 pole barn could be used for your guests & has liv-
ing area, bdrm, kitchen & bath! Also near AuSable River!!
$44,500 1838111
DEEDED LAKE ACCESS!!
3 Nice 2-bdrm home just down the road from private boat
access & near sandy beach at STYLUS LAKE! Wood
floors, nice kitchen w/lots of cabinets & snack bar, balco-
ny, 2-story gambrel-style garage, rear deck & much more!!
$114,900 1849895

CONVENIENTLY CLOSE TO TOWN!!
2-bdrm home sits on 2 City lots. Has a
great yard or elbow room to build a garage.
Needs some updates but has great poten-
tial for nice place!!
$24,900
WELL-MAINTAINED!!
Move-in ready 4-bdrm ranch-style home on 30 ACRES,
w/garage, full walkout bsmt, 9x11 bonus room or office,
family room, master suite, deck, porch and beautiful
wooded views of property and your very own pond!!
1855325 $167,900 1853504
NEAR ALL SPORTS LAKES!!
3-bdrm, one bath home needs some TLC but is locat-
ed in fantastic recreational area and near both Rifle
and George Lakes for fishing, boating and swimming.
Also close to many trails for the outdoor enthusiast!!
$35,900 1852749
SAGE LAKE WATERFRONT!!
2-bdrm home, knotty pine interior, hardwood floors,
main floor master, full walkout bsmt, move-in ready
& mostly furnished! Lakeside deck & boat dock w/
speed boat, hoist and trailer included in selling price!!
$164,900 1849059
ALMOST 3/4 OF AN ACRE!!
Cute 2-bdrm home on 5 wooded lots for plenty of el-
bow room and a garage for storage. Near State lands
and many lakes for fishing, boating and swimming. A
great place to call your getaway or cozy year round!!
$34,900 1851463

FANTASTIC LOCATION!!
This 2-bdrm home with attached garage sits on AN ACRE
of property and is just a short distance to all sports Lake
George. Has wood flooring, large front deck, full base-
ment, paved driveway and a second 24x28 garage!!
COZY GETAWAY!!
2-bdrm home on two lots w/garage that has
finished heated upstairs! Located in great
recreational area and has vinyl windows,
covered & enclosed porches & more!!
OVER 6 WOODED ACRES!!
2-bdrm, 2 bath stick built home w/garage & almost
1700 square feet of living space! Newer roofing and
newer furnace. Property is nicely landscaped and
has a picnic area and a one acre pond with dock!!
AN ACRE OF PROPERTY!!
Updated 3-bdrm on full bsmt w/laminate floors, newer
stainless steel appliances, family room, maintenance-
free lighted Trex decking, newer windows, newer doors &
newer siding and a 30x24 garage plus shed for storage!!
BUSH LAKE ACCESS!!
Neat and clean 2-bdrm year round home or affordable
getaway just across road from lake access. Move-in
ready with partly knotty pine interior, FP and is mostly
furnished. Located just 100 feet from DNR boat access!!

$69,000 1844224 $27,900 1855290 $129,900 1841975 $134,900 1850717 $49,900 1837134

ACROSS FROM LAKE!!
Well-maintained 2-bdrm home with a beautiful view of
all sports RIFLE LAKE and just across the road from 20
foot access spot! Spacious living area, hickory cabinets,
knotty pine interior, carport, deck, covered porch & more!!
$79,500 1847245
ACROSS FROM NAT’L FOREST!!
This 3-bdrm home sits on a deep lot with some shade
trees and has been freshly painted. On almost an acre
of land and located in great recreational area and not
far from lakes. Exterior of home does need some TLC!!
$45,900 1848661
2.36 ACRES!!
Spacious brick and vinyl 2-bdrm home with 1674 square
feet of living space, formal dining, some appliances, family
room w/its own entrance, huge 72x39 heated 5-car garage
plus 24x32 pole bldg, both wired for electric & much more!
$134,900 1848848
LOTS OF POTENTIAL!!
4-bdrm home on large lot in need of some TLC and updat-
ing. Open floor plan w/lots of charm and is a fixer-upper
with good bones. Located in very desirable area and near
all sports Lake George for fishing, swimming & boating!!
$49,900 1851324
20 ACRES!!
3-bdrm home on full basement with garage!! Some
recent updates include updates to kitchen and
bath. Outside there is a large covered deck w/
beautiful views and trails for walking or the hunter!!
$154,900 1840412

BEAUTIFUL LAKEFRONT!!
3-bdrm, 2 bath home with frontage on BIG WILLIAMS
LAKE. Ranch-style home w/addition, partial walkout
bsmt, master suite, FP, sunroom, wrap-around deck w/
gorgeous views, garage & 60’ of sandy lake frontage!!
$92,000 1842289
WELL-INSULATED!!
Nice 3-bdrm home located in great recreational area near
many lakes and state land! Would make the perfect year
round home or an excellent weekend or vacation getaway!
Large fenced yard for your pets & deck for relaxing!!
$59,900 1851030
SPACIOUS CHALET!!
Over 2300 square feet of living space, 3-bdrm, 2 full bath
and 4-car garage. Home has beautiful views from multiple
decks & is located in great subd w/access to 2 all sports
lakes, golf course, tennis courts, trails, camping & more!!
$143,900 1846541
WEST BRANCH OF RIFLE RIVER!!
Beautiful 4-bdrm, 3 bath home on 10 ACRES!! Over
500’ of frontage on the gorgeous Rifle River for excel-
lent fishing and kayaking. So many great amenities,
including 2 garages! A must see home and property!!
$339,500 1852070
ON CHANNEL TO ALL SPORTS LAKE!!
Nice 3-bdrm ranch-style home w/garage, formal
dining, bright kitchen w/island & breakfast nook,
spacious walk-in closet, master suite, wrap-around
deck w/beautiful views, a pond & boat dock!!
$149,900 1810533

38.84 ACRES!!
Immaculate ranch-style manufactured home w/3-bdrms, 2
full bath, open floor plan, formal dining, mudroom, master
suite, 30x40 garage and more. This property would also
make a great place for a hunting club or church retreat!!
$176,000 1851925
1.25 ACRES!!
Affordable 2-bdrm, 2 bath home w/large rooms, appliances,
lots of kitchen cabinets, generator, 16x14 sunroom, paved
circular drive, breezeway from home to 24x24 garge, newer
windows & newer roof & you can walk to State land!!
$49,900 1849274
BEAUTIFUL LAKEFRONT!!
SPACIOUS CUSTOM BUILT 3-bdrm, 3 bath
home, large lot, full walkout bsmt, garage,
open floor plan, wood floors, AC, gorgeous
kitchen, master suite & so much more!!
$232,500
AMISH REMODELED!! LOTS OF UPDATES!!
Gorgeous 3-bdrm w/custom cabinets, mobile Nice 3, possible 4, bdrm home on OVER 1/2 ACRE, w/ga-
kitchen island, Amish built furnishings, FP, 2 rage, newer metal roof, remodeled bath, newer windows,
covered porches, oversized garage and all NES- newer well, laminate floors, gas log FP, appliances, snack
TLED ON 20 ACRES w/groomed trails & 4 blinds!! bar area, large yard w/fire pit & 3 miles from town!!
1854973 $249,900 1855393 $89,995 1853056

FOR MORE LISTINGS

VISIT OUR WEBSITE: WWW.CAHANES.COM
WNW NEWS JANUARY 2019 97
 Dan Dan The Mattress Man
SPORTSMENS FURNITURE PARADISE

Solid wood bunk w/mattress

- Woodcrest 2400 bunk
$
275 Rustic Tables
- Hundreds to choose
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149 - Choose your fabric 649
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Child Recliners 99
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$ Unique Log Beds
- Queens start at
$ Solid Wood
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199
www.DANDANTHEMATTRESSMAN.com
802 Ashman St. • Midland
989-832-1866

98 JANUARY 2019 WNW NEWS

 See us
the Ult at
Fishingimate
Sh
in Nov ow
Januar i
10 th-13 thy
!

PolarKraft 179 Frontier FREE

ELECTRONIC
S
PACKAGE

Powered by Suzuki Outboards

Holding Power
Retrievability • Durability The Chene Anchor
201 Industrial Way, Fenton, MI • 517-202-2949
or available at...
THE KNOWLEDGEABLE BOATERS A BETTER
SPORTS
CENTER
BEST CHOICE MOUSE TRAP
Visit us at www.freeway-sports.com for a complete listing of boats!
FULL SERVICE PARTS & ACCESSORIES
Service Department • Indoor & Outdoor Storage
(810) 629-2291 Hours: FLINT FREEWAY
SPORTS CENTER
SPORTS
3241 Thompson Rd. Mon.-Fri. 9am - 6pm EXIT 84
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Closed Sunday's
96
Exit 84 on US-23 ANN ARBOR DETROIT sales@freeway-sports.com
MACOMB CO. MICHIGAN BICENTENNIAL COMMEMORATIVE RIFLE

200 ANNIVERSARY TH

Created in Honor of
Macomb Co. Michigan
and built on a Collector’s Grade Henry .22,
this special edition is richly engraved in artwork inspired
by Macomb Co. Michigan history - a fitting tribute to the
people and places that make this County great.

There are 25 of each of

the three rifles available!
The rifles from each model are numbered 1 through 25.
This is a limited edition and the 25 of each is all that will be made.
Also Available in Golden Boy and Big Boy Models

Engravings Include:
• Logo w Old Courthouse 1880 – • Grand Trunk Station 1859
Bicentennial Dates • William Upton House 1867
• Map of County w/Towns and Cities • Halfway Schoolhouse 1872
• General Alexander Macomb • Whitetail Deer
1782-1841 • Walleye
• Washington Octagon House 1860 • Individual Rifle Number

Reservations are accepted in the order which they are received.

31516 Harper Avenue
St. Clair Shores, MI 48082 Available at: Layaways Welcome

Michi-GUN
Phone (586) 296-2360
Fax (586) 264-8307

STORE HOURS: 
Mon. - Fri: 10am-7pm;
Sat: 10am-4pm; Closed Sunday www.michigunandtackle.com