Winter 2018/19

www.michiganoutofdoors.com

MICHIGAN’S PREMIUM OUTDOOR JOURNAL SINCE 1947

The Pros, Cons and Unknowns

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Official Publication of Michigan United Conservation Clubs

Winter 2018-19.indd 1 11/12/2018 9:08:37 AM
 When you plant the
seed of conservation,
you never know what
might grow.

Find a VOLUNTEER WILDLIFE HABITAT project near you and sign up at

www.mucc.org/ontheground
Winter 2018-19.indd 2 11/12/2018 9:08:39 AM
Winter 2018-19.indd 3 11/12/2018 9:08:39 AM
 VOLUME 72, ISSUE 4
contents

7 DIRECTOR'S DESK
8 ON PATROL
12 AROUND MICHIGAN: CWD
14 MUCC DECEMBER POLICY MEETING: PFAS

DEER AND BIG GAME

16 TRAPPING, TAGGING AND TRACKING WHITETAILS JOHN OZOGA
22 APRS: THE PROS, CONS AND UNKNOWNS CHRIS LAMPHERE
26 MORE THAN JUST STEAKS AND BURGER JASON HERBERT
30 FULL DRAW: HUNTING THE RUT TOM NELSON
32 BUCK OF A LIFETIME: AN 18-POINT MONSTER BROOKE SHIPPEY (15 YEARS OLD)
36 2018 MICHIGAN MILITARY YOUTH HUNT MORGAN WARDA
38 MICHIGAN OUT-OF-DOORS YOUTH HUNT WINNERS
40 YOU CAN'T EAT THE ANTLERS (BUT YOU CAN EAT THE HOLES) ANDY DUFFY
48 A BEAR OF A LIFETIME CHRIS LAMPHERE

FISHING

50 PLUGGING ALONG STEVE GRIFFIN
54 WILD GOOSE CHASE BLAKE SHERBURNE
58 DRILLING HOLES INTO WINTER CALVIN MCSHANE
62 THE REAL LESSONS OF ICE-FISHING SCHOOL DAVID ROSE
66 RIVER TO TABLE: AN ACT OF RESPECT CALVIN MCSHANE

SMALL GAME
70 MICHIGAN TRAPPERS MISSI MARTINEAU
72 PHOTO STORY: FOR THEIR SERVICE DAVE VELDMAN
76 FINDING A BIT OF HEAVEN IN A MICHIGAN WINTER ANDY DUFFY
80 ADOPT-A-GAME AREA: PHEASANTS BEN BEAMAN
88 GREEN BROKE: PROTECTING YOUR INVESTMENT NICK GREEN

STAFF REPORTS & MISC.
90 THE CAMPFIRE: GROWING A PUMPKIN ARMY SHAUN MCKEON
92 CONSERVATION THROUGH EDUCATION: YEAR IN REVIEW SHAUN MCKEON
94 THROWBACK: LIGHTHOUSE LAKERS RICHARD P. SMITH
96 ONE LAST CAST NICK GREEN

Winter 2018-19.indd 4 11/12/2018 9:08:39 AM

 bAsecamp Nick Green, Editor
WELCOME TO MICHIGAN OUT-OF-DOORS
MICHIGAN'S PREMIUM OUTDOOR JOURNAL

Fall seemed to depart as quickly as it arrived. I

presume that happens to most of us who are passionate
about our outdoor pursuits.
With winter upon us, we look back on our past
season, look ahead at the few opportunities we have
left and remember that there is so much to be thankful
for in our outdoor world.
This past season found me in aspen coverts,
November marshes, tree stands and on the river
chasing fall steel.
The experiences this fall were bolstered by the
friends I shared them with: I witnessed a friend harvest
his first teal, another take his first woodcock and yet
another hook into her first steelhead.
Solitude also found me, though, during those frigid
tree stand sits, treks behind my dogs in aspen covers
and next to my home looking for wood ducks on the
Maple River.
It's important, to me at least, to find a balance in
my pursuits; a balance that caters to the calling of my
inner soul.
Without my friends, some of those moments
wouldn't have been as special. But by myself, some of
those moments provided the time to reflect and think
about where I have been and where I am.
Without sounding too philosophical, I truly believe
that one has to have an unseen reason to hunt, fish
or trap. It isn't the tangible meat we eat or antlers we
chase. While those are certainly some of the reasons
we partake, they are only on the surface. There is
something in us all that gets us out at 4 a.m. in a duck
blind or keeps us out to 3 a.m. predator hunting, and it
isn't the act of the kill or the meat yielded.
Whatever your inner reason to hunt, fish or trap is,
I encourage you to embrace it. If you haven't found it,
I encourage you to look for it. For me, it's to keep my
sanity. For you, it might be connect to an old piece of
yourself or someone. With winter upon us, I urge you
to reflect and think about what makes your outdoor
pursuits a part of who you are.
This season's cover piece is an expertly-written
feature examining all sides of the highly-contentious
antler point restriction debate. Chris Lamphere talks
with opponents and proponents, as well as the DNR,
about APRs and their fate in Michigan.
For many of us, we often wonder what we will do
with our venison. Jason Herbert helps to share some
of his tips, tricks and recipes for smoking meats and
Calvin, Green's small Münsterländer, stands proud after
dethroning "The King." This was Calvin's second grouse
season and he proved that he will be a top-notch hunter.
making sausage. This piece made my mouth water and
got me thinking about branching out from the normal
burger, loin and steak regimen I have been on the past
few years.
Andy Duffy examines his childhood through deer
blind sits and the table fare that accompanied them.
And yes, according to Duffy, there is proper cuisine
fitting for a deer blind.
The always philosophical and always well-spoken
Calvin McShane takes us beneath the ice on Munising
Bay in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. His fishing
endeavors, whether lucrative or not, always turn into a
great read and a great story.
Finally, Blake Sherburne makes us again yearn for
canoes and brook trout. A frustrating float and camp
in the Upper Peninsula turned into a great learning
experience for him and one of his closest friends.
I hope you enjoy this season's magazine. Email me,
call me or come visit if you have comments. It's hard to
serve the readers when I don't hear what the readers
like or don't like about the magazine.
Good luck on the ice, in the blind, on the river or
wherever else your outdoor pursuits will take you. I'll
spend my winter with ice in the eyelets chasing winter
steelhead.
Yours in conservation,

Winter 2018-19.indd 5 11/12/2018 9:08:40 AM

 DEAR EDITOR,

Just finished reading my fall edition

of Michigan Out-of-Doors, and
wanted to get with you on the new
design of the magazine.

Call me old school, but I enjoyed

the magazine better the old way.
When I normally read the mag-

MOMENTS of MEMORY
azine its from cover to cover,
although my passion is mostly deer
hunting ,and fishing I enjoy reading
about some of the other passions
as well.

And I liked it better with the shorter

stories that I could read in just a
few minutesThe bedrock
in the of conservation
morning before I is taking care of our natural resources so that they can be passed down to
future
head off to work. generations. The natural resources that we conserve today were conserved for us by generations of
conservationists preceding us, and these generations are ever changing, ever flowing. Here we honor the passing
I do like the larger print now that of one generation of conservationists to the next.
the years have been added to my
birth date, and the eyes don't do
so well. But that could be obtained
by reducing the picture sizes. I have
been reading the magazine for In memory of
probably over 40 years now, and
hunting, and fishing the out doors
Art Dittmar
from
for probably 10 years more than
The Michigan Fly Fishing Club through a $500 donation to TRACKS magazine
that, and still find them both to be
refreshing, and joyful. I also liked
In memory of
the smaller paper size of the old
magazine, and soft covers for this David Shear
allowed you to fold the pages and from
hold it in one had comfortably. I His wife, Mary Shear
know I'm only one person and like
your final story different from all
others, but I really like the old mag-
azine much better. And truly agree If you have recently lost someone you would like to honor here,
to Hunt Your Own Hunt. please contact Sue Pride at spride@mucc.org.

But do it ethically and honestly.

Sincerely, DeLoy C. Clark

Muckegon, MI

DEAR SIR,

Having recently finished reading the

new format magazine, my first im-
pression in a word is "slick". Upon

Winter 2018-19.indd 6 11/12/2018 9:08:41 AM

 LIFE MEMBER
Thank you to the following conservationists who have made a lifetime
commitment to conserving, protecting and enhancing Michigan's
natural resources and outdoor heritage by becoming Life Members
of Michigan United Conservation Clubs:

Bob Taylor of Clarkston, Michigan

If you are willing and able to make a lifetime commitment to conservation, you can become a Life Member of
Michigan United Conservation Clubs with a $500 contribution to the organization.

Life members receive a lifetime subscription to Michigan Out-of-Doors, a Life Member MUCC ballcap,
a Life Member patch and a certificate commemorating your commitment to conservation.

Contact Sue Pride at spride@mucc.org or visit www.mucc.org/join_mucc and select "Life Membership."

Winter 2018-19.indd 7 11/12/2018 9:08:43 AM

 PUBLISHER
DAN EICHINGER

EDITOR
NICK GREEN
editor@michiganoutofdoors.com

ADVERTISING Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC) is a 501(c)(3)

Nick Green nonprofit organization founded in 1937 by sportsmen clubs
edtior@michiganoutofdoors.com from around Michigan to protect conservation from politics.
Representing over 50,000 members and supporters and
PRESIDENT
GEORGE LINDQUIST
approximately 250 affiliated conservation clubs, MUCC is the
largest state-based conservation organization in the nation.
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT MUCC members determine its conservation policies through
THOMAS HERITIER a robust grassroots process, which MUCC staff works to
implement by working with elected officials, state and federal
VICE PRESIDENT agencies, its members and the public. MUCC has published
GREG PETER Michigan Out-of-Doors since 1947 and operates the Michigan
Out-of-Doors Youth Camp in Chelsea, MI. Learn more about the
TREASURER full range of programs MUCC uses to advance conservation in
FRAN YEAGER Michigan and become a member at www.mucc.org.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS

MUCC Staff
MIKE TAYLOR
PATRICK HOGAN
JAY MAKI
JANE FINNERTY DAN EICHINGER AMY TROTTER
CAROL ROSE Executive Director Deputy Director
KAYLA MCKERN deichinger@mucc.org atrotter@mucc.org
CHUCK HOOVER
NICK GREEN LOGAN SCHULTZ
RON BURRIS
Public Information Officer Digital Media Coordinator
BRUCE LEVEY lschultz@mucc.org
ngreen@mucc.org

MORGAN WARDA SHAUN MCKEON

Michigan Out-of-Doors (ISSN 0026-2382) is the official publication of Education Director
Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC), 2101 Wood St., Lansing
Wildlife Co-op Coordinator
mwarda@mucc.org smckeon@mucc.org
MI 48912, and is published quarterly. Telephone: 517.371.1041.
Receipt of this publication is through membership in MUCC. For
membership information, call 1.800.777.6720. Single copies available JESSICA HALLER AMBER ALBERT
to the public for $5.99 each. Periodicals postage paid at Lansing, Membership Coordinator
Michigan, and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address
Executive Assistant and Event
Coordinator aalbert@mucc.org
changes to Michigan Out-of-Doors, PO Box 30235, Lansing MI 48909.
All advertising communications should be sent to PO Box 30235. jhaller@mucc.orgorg
Views expressed by freelance writers are their own and do not nec- SUE PRIDE
essarily express those of Michigan Out-of-Doors or Michigan United Membership Relations &
Conservation Clubs. Copyright 2017 by Michigan United Conservation
Ian FitzGerald
MUCC Policy Intern Tracks Coordinator
Clubs (MUCC). The Copyright Act of 1976 prohibits the reproduction of
Michigan Out-of-Doors without written permission from Michigan United policystaff@mucc.org spride@mucc.org
Conservation Clubs. MUCC members may reproduce one copy for
personal use without permission. For permission to reprint a specific
HUNTER SALISBURY
article, and for inquiries, contact the editor at editor@michiganoutof-
doors.com. Outreach Specialist
hsalisbury@mucc.org

Winter 2018-19.indd 8 11/12/2018 9:08:43 AM

 The Real Reward of Fall Director's Desk
Dan Eichinger, Executive Director

I’ve had lots of seasons where I didn’t fill a freezer or

add another grouse tail fan to my wall; seasons where
the ducks didn’t decoy and the turkeys were always on to
me. But I’ve never had a bad hunting season. Truth be
told, this has always been part cliche for me, a somewhat
philosophical way to explain a lean year for grouse, deer
and ducks. But not this year. The output of the season
was more or less par for the course, but the outcomes
have been far more lasting.
This year, my 8-year-old has been game to join me for
some of his first serious forays into the woods for grouse
and woodcock. We packed the car and loaded the dog
together, stopped for breakfast and ate pancakes with
whipped cream, and we walked through tight stands of
aspen, briars and sucking-mud-places only a woodcock
hunter would love. We would seek out thickets of
high-bush cranberry and talk about picking them to
turn into sauce we would spoon over the grouse that
am experiencing my own rite. Juxtaposed between
seemed ever-elusive to my gun. We would find a good
introducing my child to the joyous experience of
tree to lean against for a break and draw pictures in the
hunting and facilitating satisfying and productive hunts
dirt with sticks. We would talk excitedly about Legos,
for my dad. In both cases, my personal bag limit and
trees and dogs. We became comfortable with silence,
desire to try one more spot are secondary to the quality
stillness and slowness. We would retreat into our own
of the experience I can provide them.
heads for a while, alone with our thoughts. He would set
I have always enjoyed hunting for the sake of the
the pace and decide when we were done. When we got
hunt — where the outcome of the hunt is incidental
home and his younger sister would ask, “Did you catch
to how I measure its quality. But this year’s hunting
any grouse!?” He would be the one to report that dad
season brought that into stark relief. Those words are
missed, again.
not a cliche but a real reorientation of focus, priority
This fall, I also spent a few days hunting with my
and value. Where in the middle of a dense forest I hear
dad. Recently retired to the southwest, he and my
not the thundering flush of a grouse, but a non-verbal
mom embarked on an epic road trip to visit all of their
communication between father and son that there is no
grandchildren from Texas to Michigan and Wisconsin.
place I would rather be than right here, right now, with
Their trip brought them through in early October, and
you. To me, this is the real reward of fall.
he and I set off to find woodcock for my young dog. We
covered a lot of ground: nearly 20 miles in two days
through pristine cover where there were no birds to Yours in conservation,
flushing multiples where no self-respecting grouse
should have been. We would chat about work and
kids and parenting. We would spend long stretches
in comfortable silence. He would set the pace and
decide when we were done. When we got home, his
granddaughter would ask “Did you catch any grouse!?”
And I would be the one to report that papa missed, again.
As my son is experiencing his rite of passage
into the community of hunters, I realize that I too

Winter 2018/19 | Michigan Out-of-Doors 7

Winter 2018-19.indd 9 11/12/2018 9:08:43 AM

 ON
PATROL
In each issue of Michigan Out-of-Doors, we highlight some
of the recent cases our brave Michigan Deparartment of
Natural Resources conservation officers handle. You don't
want to find yourself on this list.
August 26 through September 8, 2018
Whoops
CO Stephen Butzin received a
complaint of a vehicle stuck in the
mud on the Days River Walking
Path in the Brampton area. The
Days River Walking Path is a
non-motorized area.
CO Butzin, as well as friends
of the trail association and other
DNR personnel, searched the area
for the vehicles. After a short
search, two vehicles were located
on the trail. The vehicles were
stuck on the narrow trail and had
been abandoned.
A wrecker company was called.
It took over six hours to remove
the vehicles from the trail via skid
steer.
The walking path and a bridge
sustained severe damage caused
by the vehicles.
CO Butzin conducted several
interviews and obtained multiple
confessions from the owners of
the vehicles and passengers inside
the vehicles at the time they were
operating on the walking path.
Further investigation found
that there was a total of three vehi-
cles stuck on the path at one point.
Several drivers were found to
have suspended driver’s licenses.
The two drivers of the vehicles
now face tow bills of over $900,
8 |www.michiganoutofdoors.com
Winter 2018-19.indd 10
restitution to fix the path of nearly
$3,000, and charges of operating a
wheeled motor vehicle in a way not
intended for such use, and creating
erosive conditions with an ORV.
There isn't a Sandhill Season, yet
COs Colton Gelinas and acting
Sgt. Michael Evink were on
waterfowl patrol for the opening
day of goose and teal season in
Schoolcraft County.
The night before season, CO
Gelinas received information from
CO Mark Zitnik of possible illegal
waterfowl activity in Schoolcraft
County.
CO Gelinas and CO Evink
patrolled the area in question.
The COs were observing water-
fowl hunting activity on a small
field.
During the morning the COs
observed two sandhill cranes fly
over their location followed by gun
shots coming from the field.
The COs contacted the group of
hunters. During the interview with
the hunters, it was determined
that one individual in the group
shot both sandhill cranes, which
were subsequently recovered.
Law enforcement action
was taken, and a report is being
filed with Schoolcraft County
Prosecutor’s Office.
Obviously Illegal
CO Andrea Erratt checked
several fishermen on the pier
fishing in the Pine River channel.
While checking fishermen on
the south pier, CO Erratt observed
a group of five fishermen look in
her direction, talk to each other,
reel in and set down their fishing
rods.
CO Erratt checked the group
and only one angler had a license.
CO Erratt ticketed the other
four individuals for fishing without
a license.
Asleep at the Wheel, Literally
CO Tim Rosochacki responded
to a medical call involving a male
subject passed out in the driver’s seat
of a vehicle at the intersection of a
rural county road.
Upon arrival, the subject was
being checked by EMS personnel.
The subject refused further EMS
assistance.
However, CO Rosochacki
contacted the driver and observed
several signs of intoxication.
Field sobriety evaluations
were performed, and the driver
was arrested for operating a motor
vehicle with a blood-alcohol content
of greater than 0.17%.
11/12/2018 9:08:43 AM

Good Dog
CO Sidney Collins assisted the
Montmorency County Sheriff’s
Deputies, and the Michigan State
Police with a B&E suspect.
The suspect broke into a cabin
where a local homeowner found
him. The suspect then ran off. MSP
brought a canine unit to the scene.
CO Collins and the canine unit
tracked the suspect through the
thick woods.
The canine found a backpack
full of items, including a laptop. The
backpack had a name in it which led
deputies to an address nearby.
CO Collins and the canine unit
continued to track the suspect
through the woods. The canine was
able to find the suspect’s clothes
which was stripped off to lose the
scent. The investigation is ongoing.
It's that time of Year
CO Patrick McManus, as well as
other area COs, patrolled the Betsie
River throughout the Labor Day
holiday weekend.
Numerous violations were
handled, including snagging fish,
illegal gear, fishing to close to the
dam, retaining foul hooked fish, drug
usage, littering, and various other
state land violations.
What Gear?
Working the Pere Marquette
River near Indian Bridge, CO
Kyle Publiski located two subjects
attempting to snag salmon with
illegal gear.
CO Publiski watched as the
subject put a salmon on a stringer
that was hooked in a fin instead of
the mouth.
As CO Publiski contacted the
subjects and advised them to not cast
their rods again, one of the subjects
casted and purposely hooked his
gear into a log and broke it off.
CO Publiski explained he had
been watching them for quite a while
and already knew they were using
illegal gear.
CO Publiski also explained that
Winter 2018-19.indd 11
purposely losing his gear in the river
also got him a litter ticket on top of
his fishing violations. Enforcement
action was taken.
Is this not a Reasonable Place to Pass
Out?
COs Brian Brosky and Kyle
Publiski were working a group patrol
on the Betsie River in Benzie County
when they were advised that a
subject was lying on the ground near
a parking lot and might need help.
Upon locating the subject, who
was passed out on a gravel foot path,
it was determined that the subject
was highly intoxicated.
The COs tried for several minutes
to determine what was wrong with
the subject, but they were only met
by incoherent speech, foul language,
and he was unable to tell the COs who
he was or retrieve his identification.
Several subjects said the subject
was there for some time and when
asked if he needed help he would
simply use foul language at them.
It was believed that the subject
drank at least one entire bottle of
whiskey before being contacted by
the COs.
The subject was arrested for
disorderly conduct and lodged in jail.
A Close Call
CO Ben McAteer was contacted
at his residence and advised of a
15-year-old girl and a 10-month-old
baby missing on the Au Sable River.
A severe thunderstorm had rolled
into the area and darkness had set in.
CO McAteer arrived in the area
and received additional information
that a total of 11 people were lost on
the river.
CO McAteer, along with Crawford
County and Roscommon County
Sheriff’s deputies, began searching
both sides of the river. After an hour
and a half search, CO McAteer located
7 members of the party, including the
10-month-old baby.
Emergency blankets were
provided to the group and they were
checked for injuries. The remaining
members of the party were located
by the Roscommon County Sheriff’s
Winter 2018/19 | Michigan Out-of-Doors 9
Department.
Roscommon County made
arraignments for transporting the
group to their vehicles. Aside from
a minor ankle injury and several
leaches, the group made it out of the
woods without incident.
Illegal on Muskrat
CO Larn R. Strawn conducted
a foot patrol of the Muskrat Lake
State Game Area for the morning
opener of the early teal season.
While observing the area, CO
Strawn watched a group of three
duck hunters arrive and get set-up
for the morning hunt.
As the sun rose, CO Strawn
observed all three hunters take a
shot at pair of passing ducks well
before the legal shooting hours. One
of the ducks fell and the hunters
retrieved it.
CO Strawn contacted the
hunters and discussed the hunting
hours violation.
During the contact CO Strawn
also discovered lead shot as well
as multiple license violations
including no state waterfowl license
and no federal waterfowl stamp.
Enforcement action was taken
Undersized Bass
CO Nick Ingersoll and Sgt.
Damon Owens checked several
waterfowl hunters at Point Mouillee
State Game Area.
During the waterfowl checks
the COs also contacted two anglers.
One of the anglers quickly
placed his bucket in his vehicle and
stated they were unsuccessful while
fishing.
Further investigation revealed
that the angler was in possession of
two under sized largemouth bass.
Enforcement action was taken.
These reports are randomly
pulled from the Law
Enforcement Division's
bi-weekly reports.
11/12/2018 9:08:43 AM
 Subscribe, become a member and get MUCC and
Michigan Out-of-Doors gear at www.mucc.org
and www.michiganoutofdoors.com

Get Michigan Out-of-Doors

by becoming a member of
Michigan United
Conservation Clubs
Visit www.mucc.org/join_mucc
or
Call Sue Pride at 517.371.1041

Affiliate Club members: Ask the person at your club who handles
membership about subscribing to the print edition
for a discounted rate.

10 | www.michiganoutofdoors.com

Winter 2018-19.indd 12 11/12/2018 9:08:45 AM

 TM

O T GR
U
Ound
N D
C C E G -gro
M U T H o n -the
N u Oc c . org/
m
MUCC's OTG ("On the Ground") program is in its
sixth year, with multiple projects planned across
all ages and experience levels throughout the
state. Volunteers participate in "on the ground,"
public land, wildlife habitat projects and are
provided an opportunity to engage in hands-on
conservation while learning about wildlife habitat
needs. 5/201
7 9
:42:02
AM

11/1

On Saturday, January 19, 2019, volunteers

will be working at St. Clair State Game Area to
soften the edges of the area by felling boxelder
trees. The trees will then be used to create rabbi-
tat there for local populations and better hunting
opportunities. Then in late January, OTG will be
working with the Michigan State University Ducks
Unlimited Chapter on a wood duck box resto-
ration project at Sleepy Hollow State Park. More
1
details, including the exact date, will be available
dd

heGro
und
(201
7).in
on MUCC's website as soon as they become
OnT
available.

On February 2, 2019, OTG will be hosting a

wood duck box project with Shiawassee Flats
Citizens and Hunter's Association at Shiawassee
River State Game Area. We will be building and
placing boxes around the area. In addition, we
hope to have a project in late February at Gra-
tiot-Saginaw State Game Area, and more infor-
mation will be available as the project progresses.

To wrap the winter season up for OTG, we will

be working with the Sharp-Tailed Grouse Associ-
ation near Cheboygan to prune and restore ap-
ple trees at Dingman Marsh. For more information
on event dates, details and to register, please visit
www.mucc.org/on-the-ground or email hsalis-
bury@mucc.org.

Winter 2018-19.indd 13 11/12/2018 9:08:46 AM

 Around MICHIGAN:
CONSERVATION NEWS FROM TWO PENINSULAS AND FOUR GREAT LAKES
M
UCC wants to remind
hunters that there are
still many more days
in the deer woods this
December to use any unfilled tags.
If you live in or hunt in the CWD
Management Zone, please read this
closely and when in doubt, always
refer to the 2018 Michigan Hunting
Digest and mi.gov/deer.
Carcass Transport
One of the most misunderstood
new regulations is how the rules for
deer carcass transport work in rela-
tion to the CWD Management Zone
and Core Area. Hunters should
make a plan before you head out as
to where and how you plan to check
your deer or where you might take
it to properly dispose of the carcass.
This graphic attempts to assist.
Hunters may bring carcasses from
a lower risk area to a higher risk
area, i.e. from outside of the CWD
Management Zone into the Zone
(brown to blue) or from the CWD
Management Zone into the Core
Area (light blue to dark blue).
CWD
Hunters may not transport
whole deer carcasses from high-risk
areas to low-risk areas in order to
reduce the risk of unintentionally
spreading CWD, unless:
1) The deer is properly checked
within 24 hours of harvest at any
DNR check station or head drop
box, OR
2) Only these portions of the
deer may be transported: hides,
deboned meat, quarters or other
parts of the cervid that do not have
any part of the spinal column or
head attached, finished taxidermy

The CWD Management Zone was updated in August to include 16 counties (light blue): Calhoun, Clinton, Eaton, Gratiot,
Hillsdale, Ingham, Ionia Isabella, Jackson, Kent, Mecosta, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo, Ottawa, and Shiawassee.
Within the CWD Management Zone, there is a five-county CWD Core Area (dark blue): Ionia, Kent, Mecosta, Montcalm,
and Newaygo.

CWD Core Area

(highest risk)
CWD Managment Zone
(moderate risk)
Rest of State
(low risk) Transport from:
The remainder Requires a carcass to be checked
of the L.P. is within 24 hours
considered low
risk

Does not require a carcass to

be checked

12 | www.michiganoutofdoors.com

Winter 2018-19.indd 14 11/12/2018 9:08:46 AM

 products, cleaned teeth, antlers, or
antlers attached to a skullcap which
have been cleaned of brain and
muscle tissue.

Check Your Head

We encourage all hunters to get
your deer head checked, where crit-
ical biological data can be collected
as well as samples taken for disease
testing. MUCC has advocated for
the last two years for $3.6 million in
total general fund appropriations to
make sure that any hunter desiring
to have the deer tested would be able
to do so, free of charge. Find a deer
check station, a head dropbox and
participating taxidermists near you
at mi.gov/deercheck.

More Deer Season Left —

Don’t Eat Tag Soup
December 7 through December
16 (Zone 1 and 2) or December 23
(Zone 3): Muzzleloader season in the
16-county CWD Management Zone
only has been expanded to allow all
firearms legal during regular firearm
deer season for your hunting zone
(limited firearm deer zone rules still
apply) .
December 17-January 1: The
existing late-December private-land
antlerless season has been expanded
to several Lower Peninsula counties.
This encompasses zone 3, the
CWD Management Zone as well as
some perimeter counties, including
private lands within Alcona, Allegan,
Antrim, Alpena, Arenac, Barry, Bay,
Benzie, Berrien, Branch, Calhoun,
Cass, Clare, Clinton, Eaton, Genesee,
Gladwin, Grand Traverse, Gratiot,
Hillsdale, Huron, Ingham, Ionia,
Iosco, Isabella, Jackson, Kalamazoo,
Kent, Lapeer, Leelanau, Lenawee,
Livingston, Macomb, Manistee,
Mason, Mecosta, Midland, Monroe,
Montcalm, Montmorency, Muskegon,
Newaygo, Oakland, Oceana, Osceola,
Oscoda, Ottawa, Presque Isle, St.
Clair, St. Joseph, Saginaw, Sanilac,
Shiawassee, Tuscola, Van Buren,
Washtenaw, and Wayne counties, and
upon privately-owned lands within
that portion of Charlevoix county
within deer management unit 015.
Hunters on private land in the
CWD Management Zone, Core CWD
Area and DMU 452 and 487 can use
their unfilled antlered deer license
or a private land antlerless tag for
the DMU they are hunting in for an
antlerless deer during this late antler-
less season.
A possible January disease
management hunt may be authorized
by the Director if needed. The date
and location were not available as of
our print deadline; visit mi.gov/deer
to learn more.
Hunters in the Know Shoot
a Doe
In many areas of Southern
Michigan, our deer density is higher
than it should be, especially in
the face of CWD. While the DNR
has been reluctant to disseminate
numerical antlerless harvest goals,
they have endorsed an interim
goal of achieving more balance in
the harvest where needed, moving
towards a 1:1 ratio of bucks to does in
the harvest as a mid-term step in the
CWD Management Zone until more is
known about prevalence rates.
Hunters in the CWD Management
Zone, in particular, are encouraged to
harvest does. Plenty of antlerless tags
are still available over the counter. Is
your freezer full? Consider donating
a doe to Michigan Sportsmen Against
Hunger or a family in your commu-
nity in need.
Visit https://www.sportsme-
nagainsthunger.org/ to find a partic-
ipating processor near you.

Winter 2018/19 | Michigan Out-of-Doors 13

Winter 2018-19.indd 15 11/12/2018 9:08:47 AM

 High Levels of PFAS in a Deer
Discovered in Oscoda Twp.
The Michigan departments of Health and Human
Services (MDHHS) and Natural Resources (DNR) on
Oct. 19 issued a ‘Do Not Eat’ advisory for deer taken
within approximately five miles of Clark’s Marsh in
Oscoda Township. The advisory is due to high levels of
PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonic acid) found in a single
deer taken about two miles from Clark’s Marsh, which
borders the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base. PFOS is
one type of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances)
chemical.
One deer out of twenty tested around the former
Wurtsmith Air Force Base was found to have high levels
of PFOS. The level of PFOS in the muscle of the deer
was 547 parts per billion, exceeding the level of 300 ppb
at which action is recommended. PFAS was either not
found or was at low levels in muscle samples from the
other 19 deer. Although only one deer of this group
tested at such high levels, the advisory was issued
to protect the health of anyone eating venison taken
within approximately five miles of Clark’s Marsh. The
state has plans to test more deer from this area.
The five-mile radius encircles the Wurtsmith base
property and covers what the DNR has estimated to be
the expected travel range of deer living in or near the
marsh. to learn about PFAS consumption in wildlife.
DNR also collected an additional 60 deer for PFAS MDHHS and MDNR advise hunters to dispose of
testing this year as part of the Michigan PFAS Action any deer in their freezer that may have come from this
Response Team’s work on this emerging contaminant. area and do not eat it.
In addition to the testing around Wurtsmith, 20 deer If you have health related questions please contact
were taken from near each of the PFAS investigation MDHHS at 1-800-648-6942. Hunters can contact the
sites in Alpena, Rockford and Grayling with known MDNR at 517-284-6057 or DNR-CustomerService@
contamination in lakes and rivers. The deer meat tested michigan.gov for information about deer tags that were
from these areas was found to have no PFAS or very used in this region.
low levels of the chemical. An additional 48 samples of In Michigan, to date, only fish and deer have been
deer muscle from the 2017 hunting season were tested sampled for PFAS. For more information about PFAS
from other areas across the state. Preliminary data for in wild game and fish, visit Michigan.gov/pfasresponse
these deer also show no PFAS contamination or very and go to the Fish and Wildlife button. For more infor-
low levels of the chemical. mation about wild game consumption, visit Michigan.
PFAS are chemicals that are in Class B fire-fighting gov/eatsafegame and go to the Eat Safe Wild Game
foam that was used at the air force base near Wurtsmith button.

MUCC Dec. 8 Policy Meeting

and other sites in Michigan. These chemicals are also
found in stain and water repellants, personal care prod-

PFAS
ucts, and many other consumer goods. Some health
studies have linked PFAS to health issues such as
thyroid disease, increased cholesterol levels, impaired
immune system function, reproductive issues, high
blood pressure in pregnant women, and increased
chance of kidney and testicular cancers.
Chelsea Rod and Gun Club
It is unknown how PFAS could accumulate to this 7103 Lingane Rd.
level in deer. The State of Michigan is investigating the Chelsea, MI 48118
circumstances of the one deer with elevated levels and
doing further analysis on these test results to learn
more about PFAS in deer and wildlife. In addition, the
ALL MUCC MEMBERS WELCOME
state will be doing additional testing on deer from the RSVP online at mucc.org
Clark’s Marsh region and performing modeling studies

Winter 2018-19.indd 16 11/12/2018 9:08:48 AM

 Sportsmen and Women Urge Congress to Renew
Expired Land and Water Conservation Fund
The Land and Water Conservation
Fund has provided Michigan with
more than $320 million for public
outdoor recreation and access
projects in its 53-year history, but
Congress let it expire this year despite
bipartisan support. Congress can still
renew it, though, and the natural
resources committees of both cham-
bers of Congress have passed legisla-
tion to permanently reauthorize it.
Like the Michigan Natural
Resources Trust Fund, the federal
Land and Water Conservation Fund
(LWCF) invests royalties from gas
and oil development into public
outdoor recreation projects at no cost
to taxpayers. It has granted more
than $4.1 billion in matching grants
to states since 1965. The LWCF has
funded projects in every Michigan
county, from public land acquisition
and shooting ranges for Southern
Michigan state recreation areas to
Northern Michigan beach facilities
Winter 2018-19.indd 17
and boat launches at the state, county
and municipal level.
“For sportsmen and women, the
Land and Water Conservation Fund
is especially meaningful since it
addresses a range of critical concerns
for anyone who loves to hunt or fish on
public lands: access, wildlife habitat,
and opportunities to restore natural
systems,” the National Wildlife
Federation wrote in its recent report,
The Land and Water Conservation
Fund: Protecting America’s Hunting
and Fishing Heritage.
Congress created the LWCF in
1964. It is funded from oil and gas
royalties from Outer Continental
Shelf development. Congress let the
LWCF expire once before, in October
2015, before renewing it for three
years. The LWCF expired again on
October 1 of this year.
The House Committee on
Natural Resources passed its version
of reauthorization (House Bill 502)
on September 13, coinciding with a
$300,000 National Wildlife Federation
online ad campaign and a fly-in lobby
day for NWF affiliates and staff,
which included Dawn Levey, MUCC
past president, and Logan Schultz,
MUCC digital media coordinator.
Both Michigan representatives on
the committee – Rep. Debbie Dingell
(D-Mich.) and Rep. Jack Bergman
(R-Mich.) – voted for reauthorization.
However, the House version did not
Winter 2018/19 | Michigan Out-of-Doors 15
Drew YoungeDyke (NWF)
contain dedicated funding, which
means that while Congress would
be authorized to appropriate LWCF
funds, none were guaranteed.
On October 2, the Senate Energy
and Natural Resources Committee
passed its version (Senate Bill 569) of
permanent LWCF reauthorization,
including dedicated funding of $900
million. Michigan’s lone senator
on the committee – Sen. Debbie
Stabenow (D-Mich.) – voted in favor
and it passed 16-7.
These actions provide hope that,
as it did in 2015, Congress may still
renew the LWCF this year.
“Congress still has to perma-
nently reauthorize and fully fund the
Land and Water Conservation Fund
this year,” Andrew Black, public
lands field director for the National
Wildlife Federation, said. “This crit-
ical program has promoted sports-
men’s access to public lands and
waters central to our wildlife heri-
tage. Americans should remind their
senators and representatives of this
and urge them to bring this essential
program back from the brink.”
The Land and Water Conservation
Fund provided Michigan with $2.6
million in matching funds for public
outdoor recreation projects in 2018.
Whether Michigan ever sees another
dime of LWCF funding depends on
Congress – and you.
11/12/2018 9:08:48 AM
 Trapping, Tagging and Tracking

By John Ozoga
From a physiological/behav- We have here an animal that is an proximity.
ioral perspective (the two are expert in opportunism.”
inseparable, of course), northern The key to winter survival The Migratory Problem
white-tailed deer are unbelievably of whitetails on northern ranges
hardy and clever. If not for their hinges upon favorable winter Unfortunately, because their
seasonal metabolic adjustments, habitat – areas commonly referred summer and winter ranges are
shelter-seeking tendencies (often to as “deeryards” or “deer wintering often widely separated, many
requiring long-distance migration) complexes” – where proper shelter northern deer must migrate twice
and energy conservative nature in and quality browse occur in close
response to harsh winter weather,
there would be no whitetails on
northern fringes of their geographic
range.
I’ve said this before, but it
deserves repeating: “There are
many trade-offs – involving nutri-
tion, shelter and predator risk
– in the whitetail’s tactical bid for
winter survival. But it’s as though
the stressed whitetail possessed its
own sophisticated computer system
necessary to calculate energy
cost-benefited ratios, predict poten-
tial predator risks and make the
best judgments possible to survive…

16 | www.michiganoutofdoors.com
16 MICHIGAN OUT-OF-DOORS | SUMMER 2017

Winter 2018-19.indd 18 11/12/2018 9:08:50 AM

 Pictures for this piece were provided courtesy of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources
annually, traveling considerable
distances from one seasonal range
to the other.
Keep in mind, throughout the
upper Great Lakes region, 10 to 15
percent of the habitat will naturally
support deer during the winter
season. Herein lies the problem:
While deer may be sparsely scat-
tered on summer ranges, often
well below the biological carrying
capacity of the habitat, concentra-
tions of several hundred deer per
square mile are not uncommon in
many deer wintering complexes.
During the autumn hunting
season, many deer are still on the
summer ranges, often miles from
their traditional wintering grounds.
So, in order to reduce deer browsing
pressure within a given deeryard,
antlerless deer harvests must
Winter 2018-19.indd 19
be focused on a relatively large
geographic area encompassing both
summer and winter ranges used by
the herd.
Likewise, many deer wintering
complexes in Upper Michigan are
under private ownership. This
means any forestry/land-use-man-
agement practice that does not
consider the long-term welfare of
wintering whitetails, even on small
areas of critical winter deer habitat,
can negatively impact the deer herd
over a large area.
Hence, it’s important for wildlife
managers to know the migratory
patterns of deer using any given
deeryard, to know the distance and
direction deer travel and be able to
delineate the total geographic area
that any given deeryard serves.
Fall 2018
Winter 2018/19
The Study
Years ago, the late Dick Aartilla
(former Michigan DNR district
wildlife supervisor) called me with
a rather unique problem. It seems
a group of sportsmen in the Upper
Peninsula (U.P.) of Michigan wanted
to become more directly involved in
deer management. “Did I have any
ideas,” he quizzed.
I suggested he have them trap
and tag deer. Hopefully, return
sightings and recoveries of marked
deer would help to more accurately
determine the migratory behavior
of deer associated with critical
northern white cedar and hemlock
wintering complexes in the U.P.
Sportsmen across the U.P. took
to this project with unbelievable
enthusiasm and zeal. They built
| Michigan Out-of-Doors
| Michigan 17 17
Out-of-Doors
11/12/2018 9:08:50 AM

portable deer traps, hauled them
from one trapping location to
another and ultimately trapped,
wrestled down and tagged more
than 2,600 deer in deeryards scat-
tered across the U.P.
Deer trapping was carried out
primarily at known deer winter
concentration sites, especially
where timber harvesting operations
were in progress, January through
March 1989 to 2006. Generally, six to
12 traps were deployed at each site
18 | www.michiganoutofdoors.com
Winter 2018-19.indd 20
procedure often resulting in a few
bumps and bruises for the handlers
but minimal wear and tear on the
animal.
The public then notified the DNR
of subsequent marked deer observa-
tions, which included live sightings,
hunter-harvested animals and deer
killed on highways. Michigan DNR
biologists mapped these locations to
determine migration distances and
annual range for deer that occupied
each deeryard.
During an 18-year period, 2,694
deer were captured, tagged and
released in 28 deeryards throughout
the U.P. An average of 96 deer were
tagged per winter concentration
site, but trapping success varied
from a low of six deer (at Carmody)
to a high of 249 deer (at Choate).
Observation Rate
About 38 percent (1030 deer) of the
tagged deer were subsequently
observed at least once. Most (64
percent) were seen only once,
generally during the year they were
tagged.
In other words, 62 percent of the
tagged deer literally disappeared.
Although a few were reported
12 years following tagging, only
10 percent of the observations
were recorded two or more years
after being tagged. Nearly half (48
percent) of all deer observations
were made during October and
November when deer hunters are
active.
Observation rates of tagged deer
also varied among tagging sites.
For example, only 26 of 174 deer
(15 percent) tagged in the Hiawatha
deeryard located in the Eastern U.P.
and pre-baited with corn for about
were ever observed. In contrast,
a week prior to trapping in order to
28 of 39 deer (72 percent) tagged in
pre-condition deer to the traps.
the Western U.P.’s Sturgeon River
All deer were handled manu-
yard were observed at least once.
ally — that is, without the use of
Apparently, observation rates of
drugs. This involved grabbing the
deer hinged heavily upon the prox-
deer by the hind legs and literally
imity of the tagging site to human
wrestling it to the ground. Within a
population centers, with greater
few minutes, the sex and age (adult
human density and highest obser-
or fawn) were recorded, a numbered
vation rates in the West U.P.
plastic livestock ear tag (color-coded
to a given deeryard) was attached
and the animal was released — a
11/12/2018 9:08:51 AM
 Sex-age Differences
About 50 percent of the male deer
tagged as adults were observed, at
least once, compared to 36 percent
of the adult females, 38 percent of
the male fawns and 37 percent of the
female fawns.
This adult sex difference is
not unexpected, of course, since
hunters are more apt to kill and
report antlered bucks, rather than
antlerless deer which comprise a
smaller percentage of the annual
harvest.
Also, the observation rates
reported for adult bucks (49 percent)
versus male fawns (38 percent) in
this study were comparable to those
recorded for hunter-harvested deer
tagged in the Petrel Grade deeryard
located in Alger County (46 percent
and 32 percent, respectively).
Since a high proportion of the
tagged deer were never observed,
it seems reasonable to assume that
most of them succumbed to natural
causes, especially during harsh
winters typical of this northern
region.
This data might also suggest
that male fawns were more likely
to die due to malnutrition during
winter, since male and female fawns
were observed at about the same
rate the next autumn. That is, since
hunters are more likely to shoot
yearling males rather than yearling
females, fawn sex differences in
observation rate should have been
similar to that noted for adults in
subsequent years.
Given the light antlerless deer
harvest throughout much of the
U.P., it’s more difficult to explain
the low observation rate for adult
females. Since deer are normally
reluctant to enter traps, females in
the poorest physical condition (the
hungriest) were probably the first
ones captured – many of which did
not survive the winter.
In this northern region, adult
deer typically make up about 70
percent of the wintering herd, while
fawns comprise about 30 percent.
However, in the study, 54 percent
of the deer captured were fawns,
37 percent adult does and 9 percent
Winter 2018-19.indd 21
adult bucks.
Obviously, fawns are trapped
more easily than adult deer, hence
contributing to an inflated fawn per
doe ration of 1.5 fawns per doe among
tagged animals. To the contrary,
U.P. deer hunters on average report
seeing only 0.5 fawns per doe during
the November firearms season —
suggesting that about 50 percent of
the fawns die soon after birth.
Assuming adult males and adult
females were equally able to be
trapped (which may not be the case),
the post-hunt, doe-to-buck ratio was
4.2 to one. This compares to about
three does per buck reported by
hunters during the first day of the
annual firearms season. In other
words, adult deer sex ratios are not
nearly as skewed to females as most
hunters believe.
Migration Distance
Many deer that reside on
summer ranges in areas of high
snowfall in the Northern U.P.
migrate southward to areas of lesser
snowfall during winter. These deer
tend to travel long distances and can
be classified as “obligate” migrators
because they tend to migrate every
year, some spending as much as five
months annually on winter range.
In contrast, many deer in the
Southern U.P. are “conditional”
migrators. They move shorter
distances from summer to winter
Winter 2018/19 | Michigan Out-of-Doors 19
range, only during the most severe
weather, and spend less time in
winter cover.
The greatest distance between
tagging site and observation for
deer in this study was 53 miles.
Fifteen deer were sighted 40 or more
miles from their tagging site, and
all 15 were observed in Marquette
County. These deer were tagged
in the Echo Lake, Mead and North
Perkins deeryards.
The average distance from
tagging sites and summer obser-
vations was 11.6 miles for females
and 10.6 miles for males. These
distances are somewhat greater
than the average (8.6 miles) previ-
ously reported for U.P. deer and for
deer in Northern Lower Michigan
(9.4 miles).
The fact that U.P. female deer
were observed at greater distances
from tagging sites is somewhat
surprising, given that males tend
to disperse two to 20 miles from
their mother’s home range. If male
dispersal movements were random,
we would expect some tagged
male deer to move further away to
establish new home ranges. So it
appears that dispersing males are
more likely to move toward familiar
winter concentration sites, as Mike
Nelson and Dave Mech reported for
deer in Northern Minnesota.
We expect deer to return to their
traditional yarding areas, winter
after winter. But this may not be
11/12/2018 9:08:52 AM
 the case for U.P. deer, as revealed by
the relatively large average distance
between consecutive winter obser-
vations of individual deer – 4.9 miles
for females, 4.2 miles for males.
These long distances between
consecutive winter observations of
the same deer could be due to mild,
early-winter weather and delayed or
incomplete migration movements.
On the other hand, wintering
whitetails in the U.P. might be much
more mobile than previously thought
and eagerly seen (or are literally
trained to seek) active timber cutting
operations for food — a finding that
could be critically important when
managing winter deer habitat.
If wintering whitetails in the U.P.
are highly dependent upon winter
logging operations for sustenance gross under-estimate. critical information, makes it
(i.e., survival), as some biologists At the time, this deer wintering possible to establish meaningful
suggest, then natural selection area supported about 43,000 deer deer management unit boundaries
would logically result in the perpet- through winter. However, corporate and more accurately set antlerless
uation of such behavior. forest-management practices empha- deer harvest quotas to control deer
sizing production of wood products, numbers using a specific wintering
as advocated by the primary land- complex.
Annual Range owner, have since then fragmented Also, if deer in the U.P. contract
and degraded the hemlock and diseases such a bovine tuberculosis
This study demonstrated that
northern white cedar stands in the or chronic wasting disease, biologists
distinct populations of deer are
area. As a result, the Mead deer now have basic data to calculate how
associated with individual wintering
wintering complex has lost much of these diseases might spread across
complexes. However, the total annual
its former deer wintering value and the peninsula and more effectively
range occupied by deer populations
now likely harbors fewer than 25,000 formulate containment and eradica-
using any given winter complex were
whitetails — a good example of how tion programs.
highly variable, in some cases due to
unfavorable forestry practices on Unfortunately, the majority of
small tagged deer sample sizes. But
a relatively small area of critical deer tagging in this study simply
the majority of wintering complexes
deer winter habitat can impact deer disappeared — likely due to rigors of
had annual deer population home
numbers over a vast area. the tough winter climate and resul-
ranges ranging from about 300 to
tant malnutrition-related mortality.
500 square miles in size. The Mead
Conclusion Clearly, winter weather and the
deer wintering complex had by far
quality of the winter habitat still
the largest annual range, covering
This hands-on, deer-tagging determine relative deer abundance
about 2,388 square miles — yes, 2,388
project required more cooperation, in this northern region.
square miles.
The large size and importance and did more for improving rela-
of the Mead deer wintering complex tions, between sportsmen and the As a researcher, Ozoga
has been known for a long time. Michigan DNR than any other such authored or co-authored more than
However, this new data indicates venture I know of. Even today, those 90 technical publications. Although
the annual range for this particular involved still talk fondly of their his scientific work includes papers
deer population covers far more “deer wrestling” days. on elk, bears, foxes, coyotes,
geographic area — and therefore In order to effectively manage
songbirds and small mammals,
is much more important to the deer wintering habitat on northern
range, it is essential to control deer his research focused primarily on
region — than biologists originally
estimated. numbers via controlled antlerless white-tailed deer ecology, phys-
Based upon limited data, biol- harvest. Likewise, in order to harvest iology, reproduction, nutrition,
ogists estimated the annual home surplus deer, managers must know behavior and population dynamics.
range for the Mead deer wintering where those deer are during the
population in 1987 covered about annual firearms deer season.
1,400 square miles — obviously a Data like this provides such

www.michiganoutofdoors.com
20 || www.michiganoutofdoors.com
20

Winter 2018-19.indd 22 11/12/2018 9:08:53 AM

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 APRs
The pros, cons and
unknowns
By Chris Lamphere

F
ew wildlife conservation-related topics elicit the degree of passionate
disagreement and debate as the merits of mandatory antler point
restrictions.
Some supporters extol the virtues of antler point restrictions as if they
were a magic bullet curing many longstanding problems in the management
of Michigan’s whitetail deer population.
Some detractors say they are a pie-in-the-sky idea imposed on hunters to
increase rack sizes at all costs, including the overall health of the herd.
The reality? Antler point restrictions have been around for several years
and there is dependable data regarding how they affect the population — at
least in the short term.
There is also a lot of research that has yet to be done to determine the
impact they could have on other issues critical to the health of Michigan’s
deer.
Michigan Out-of-Doors magazine talked with advocates on both sides of
the issue, as well as the DNR, to find out the current status of this controver-
sial topic.

22 | www.michiganoutofdoors.com

Winter 2018-19.indd 24 11/12/2018 9:08:54 AM

 APR history They think there will be a dumb,
big-rack buck behind every bush.
Antler point restrictions exist It’s just a pipe dream. They’re doing
in many Michigan counties in a this for themselves at the expense
variety of forms — from hybrid of everyone else. I think it is very
programs that limit harvestable wrong to impose what you want on
deer depending on the type of tag other people.”
one purchases, to totally manda- Critics of antler point restric-
tory programs that do not allow the tions also say they have led to deer
majority of hunters to take deer overpopulation, increases in deer/
with less than three or four points vehicle collisions and destruction
on one side. of crops.
Such is the setup in the aptly-
named “Northwest 12,” where What supporters say about
mandatory antler point restrictions
were implemented in 2013, and then
APRs
made permanent in 2017.
A group that is spearheading
The counties that comprise
the implementation of antler point
the Northwest 12 are Mason,
although Levey said if he sees a restrictions throughout the country
Lake, Osceola, Manistee, Wexford,
year-and-a-half old buck with a doe, is the Quality Deer Management
Missaukee, Benzie, Grand Traverse,
he will voluntarily shoot the doe Association.
Kalkaska, Antrim, Charlevoix and
and leave the male for another hunt. QDMA Director of Conservation
Emmet. Leelanau County, which is
“I don’t mind neighbors getting Kip Adams said the goal of antler
in the same area as the Northwest
together and voluntarily deciding point restrictions is to protect at
12, had implemented a similar
not to (shoot younger bucks),” least 50 percent of 1.5-year-old
antler point restriction program
Levey said. “But I’m not in favor of bucks.
some time previously.
it being mandatory for everyone.” He said protecting this age
In order for antler point restric-
Levey added that some areas group leads to larger numbers of
tions to be implemented on a trial
of the state don’t have the type of older bucks and a more “natural age
basis, more than 66 percent of
soil that is high enough quality to structure” for the entire herd.
hunters surveyed in the Northwest
support the growth of big racks. “This makes for a healthier
12 counties had to support them,
“APR by itself is not a good way herd,” Adams said.
and in 2013, 68 percent said they did.
to establish quality, big bucks,” Adams said in the Northwest
Four years later, that support
Levey said. 12, the percentage of yearling bucks
grew from 68 to 76 percent, and the
Tuscola County resident Jerry harvested dropped significantly
Natural Resources Commission
Keck, 84, also added that he believes since antler point restrictions were
approved making antler point
antler point restrictions primarily implemented, while the overall
restrictions permanent.
benefit those with food plots, while harvest numbers have remained
the majority of hunters don’t have steady, as well as hunter success
What critics say about the luxury to pass up on the oppor- rates.
APRs tunity to take a buck if they see one. During the first few years of
“Most people just don’t hunt mandatory antler point restrictions,
Bruce Levey, 64, has fond memo- that way,” Keck said. “APR people Adams said the antlerless harvest
ries of his father — a dedicated say they’re all about herd health to also spiked considerably as a result
hunter who only shot a handful of camouflage their antler obsession. of hunters having to pass up on
bucks in his entire life.
In his final years, Levey said
it would have been heartbreaking
for his father to have to pass up
on a nice, six-point buck because
some law dictated it wasn’t mature
enough to be harvested.
“It should be up to the individual
what’s a trophy, not somebody else,”
Levey said. “We need to keep the fun
in hunting.”
At his home in Clinton County,
no antler point restrictions exist,

Winter 2018/19 | Michigan Out-of-Doors 23

Winter 2018-19.indd 25 11/12/2018 9:08:55 AM


younger bucks and instead taking
does (more on this later).
Adams said antler point restric-
tions might also be helping to retain
hunter numbers, as participation
has remained relatively stable in the
Northwest 12; in other parts of the
state, it has dropped over the last
several years (more on this later, as
well).
While voluntary antler point
restriction programs are very effec-
tive in certain areas where hunter
density isn’t very high, Adams said
in areas such as the Northwest 12, the
sheer volume of hunters would make
compliance much more difficult.
What the DNR says about
APRs
Officially, the DNR’s stance on
antler point restrictions is that they
support voluntary compliance but
also recognize there is a process to
make it mandatory, said Deer, Elk
and Moose Program Specialist Chad
Stewart.
24 | www.michiganoutofdoors.com
Winter 2018-19.indd 26
In his final years, Levey said it would have been
heartbreaking for his father to have to pass up on
a nice, six-point buck because some law dictated it
wasn’t mature enough to be harvested.
“It should be up to the individual what’s a
trophy, not somebody else,” Levey said. “We need
to keep the fun in hunting.”
While debate about the merits of While it’s too early to say if antler
the policy are ongoing, Stewart said point restrictions have improved
there is no doubt that antler point hunter participation numbers
restrictions have been very effective compared to other areas where it is
in increasing the average age struc- rapidly declining, Stewart said it’s
ture of male deer. safe to say they haven’t exasperated
Previous to 2013, around 60 the problem.
percent of all bucks taken in the In the Northern Lower Peninsula,
Northwest 12 were yearlings. hunter participation has dropped
Every year since 2013, the year- between 6 and 8 percent, while in
ling harvest has remained under the Northwest 12, it has dropped by
30 percent, while most of Northern around 4 percent.
Lower Michigan has had a yearling As for claims that antler point
harvest between 44 and 57 percent. restrictions have led to less antlerless
Stewart said the yearling buck deer being harvested, Stewart said the
harvest has been declining for several Northwest 12 actually has a slightly
years even in areas where there aren’t more balanced doe to buck harvest
antler point restrictions in effect. ratio than other parts of Northern
“There is a cultural shift Lower Michigan.
happening,” Stewart said. “It’s just The problem with less does being
not as dramatic as in the (Northwest taken than bucks is that it can lead to
12).” overpopulation, which can cause a
Antler point restrictions notwith- host of other problems, Stewart said.
standing, overall hunter participation While there may be some parts
has been on the decline for some time of Michigan where the management
throughout Michigan as a result of strategy is to grow the herd, Stewart
younger people not being as active as said in most of Northern Lower
the generations that preceded them, Michigan, their goal is to lower
Stewart said. the population by increasing doe
11/12/2018 9:08:56 AM
 harvests.
In the Northwest 12, the ratio of
does to bucks harvested is 0.92 to 1.
This is higher than the rest of Northwest 12 Rest of State
Northern Lower Peninsula, which has since 2013
a ratio of 0.73 to 1, excluding the coun-
ties of Presque Isle, Montmorency, Hunter participation has Hunter participation has
Oscoda, Iosco, Alpena and Alcona,
where the ratio is 0.87 to 1 as a result
dropped 4 percent dropped 6 to 8 percent
of those areas having a hybrid antler
point restriction program in effect up .73 to 1
until recently. .92 to 1 Ratio of does to bucks
“We’re still seeing more bucks
Ratio of does to bucks
killed than does, but (the Northwest harvested
12) is the closest to where we want to harvested *This excludes Presque Isle, Montmorency, Oscoda,
be,” Stewart said. Iosco, Alpena and Alcona counties where the
ratio is .87 to 1.
The argument regarding soil
quality and rack size is interesting, "Stewart said the yearling buck harvest has been declining
Stewart said, because it’s true that for several years even in areas where there aren’t antler point
without surplus nutrients, a buck
isn’t able to devote adequate resources restrictions in effect.
to grow big antlers.
In the areas where antler point
"There is a cultural shift happening,” Stewart said.
restrictions are in effect, however, “It’s just not as dramatic as in the (Northwest 12)."
Stewart said they have taken histor-
ical rack size averages into consider-
isn’t definitive data available yet on but comparing this information to
ation to ensure the habitat is able to
the impact that antler point restric- Michigan would be like comparing
support them.
tions could have on the spread of apples to oranges, Trotter said.
Other claims that antler point
CWD. Since there are questions that
restrictions contribute to crop
“There is concern associated haven’t been answered quite yet,
damage and greater numbers of
with aging of bucks and the spread Trotter said MUCC is reluctant to
deer/vehicle collisions haven’t been
of (CWD),” Stewart said. “But we take a position on antler point restric-
quantified by statistical research,
don’t have that info yet so we don’t tions one way or the other.
Stewart said.
know what potential outcomes we are If MUCC stakeholders would like
dealing with.” the organization to take a policy posi-
APR impact on chronic Stewart said there are plans tion on the issue, however, Trotter
wasting disease in the works to research possible said they are always willing to have
correlations between CWD and that conversation.
The big question that still lingers antler point restrictions in areas If any members have questions
regarding antler point restrictions is where the disease has been detected about how to develop a resolution on
how they could potentially affect the in Michigan. antler point restrictions for discus-
spread of chronic wasting disease. sion, contact Trotter at atrotter@
Some antler point restriction The future of antler point mucc.org.
critics have pointed out that by A group in the Thumb area of
increasing the average age of bucks
restrictions Michigan has proposed implementing
in the herd, this could increase the mandatory antler point restrictions
Amy Trotter, deputy director in Tuscola, Huron, Sanilac, Lapeer
likelihood of spreading CWD, which
of Michigan United Conservation and St. Clair counties.
has been found to be more prevalent
Clubs, said the interplay between In December, the DNR will mail
in older deer.
antler point restrictions and CWD out formal surveys to hunters in the
Kip Adams, with QDMA, said
has been a primary concern of her region to gauge their support of the
antler point restrictions only protect
organization. idea.
the youngest bucks, not the ones that
“We just don’t know enough yet,” Results should be back by
have a higher potential for getting
Trotter said. “The question really springtime, at which time antler
CWD.
isn’t settled.” point restrictions could be imple-
“There are some that will make
There is some data available mented on a trial basis, similar to
it to that age but certainly not the
from counties in other states that what occurred in the Northwest 12,
majority,” Adams said.
kept antler point restrictions in or the idea could be dismissed.
Stewart, with the DNR, said there
areas where CWD was detected

Winter 2018/19 | Michigan Out-of-Doors 25

Winter 2018-19.indd 27 11/12/2018 9:08:57 AM

 More than just
Steaks and
Burger
“D
ad, guess what I traded
my jerky for today at
lunch?”
Most dads would cringe at the
thought of their kids trading away
jerky at the lunch table. But I know
my kids get so much of the lean,
healthy venison at home, that I love
it when they bless their friends and
share with them.
“What did you get, dude? Oreos?
Goldfish crackers?”
“Nope, a dollar!” My 8-year-old
answered excitedly.
Now we got a problem, I thought
to myself. “Buddy, it's actually
illegal to sell deer jerky. Tomorrow,
give your friend his dollar back.”
“Ok, Dad.”
Feeding a family of six without
going to the grocery store is
certainly a challenge. I've yet to
accomplish this task, but every year
I give it my best shot. Lean, red meat
is a huge part of my family's diet,
and I harvest all we need by hunting
26 | www.michiganoutofdoors.com
Winter 2018-19.indd 28
deer. From the venison I shoot we
not only make steaks and burgers,
but we also create all sorts of other
wonderful treats that not only will
my kids eat, but they look forward
to. Many butcher shops and deer
processors also make these deli-
cious snacks, but I like doing things
on my own — and it's a lot more
cost-effective as well.
Between my dad, kids and
myself, we butcher between six
and eight deer every year. Because
of the high volume of deer we take
in, we have invested in everything
we need to make our own butcher
shop. We have a meat grinder, a
meat slicer and a vacuum sealer. We
also utilize a smoker, a dehydrator
and a pressure cooker. We have a
nice hanging gambrel and high-end
cutlery that stays sharp. All of these
things are a big investment up front,
but certainly pay for themselves in
the long run.
By Jason Herbert
Jerky
Jerky is the king of meat snacks,
the oldest portable snack known to
man, and by far my family's favorite.
In fact, last season, almost two entire
deer went to just jerky. Most of that
jerky went to snacks and school
lunches, but a lot went to my older
two son's winter sports teams. My
oldest is a wrestler and those boys
who are watching their weight need
high-energy, lightweight snacks —
jerky fits the bill. My second son
is a swimmer, and the amount of
calories those boys and girls burn in
a day is insane. They look forward
to having their jerky snack to refuel
at the end of every long, grueling
practice. I'm proud of the fact that I
could share God's blessings with not
only my children, but other kids in
the community as well. If anything,
the snacks we provide are healthy.
If I have my way, I have just inspired
two whole sports teams worth of
11/12/2018 9:08:58 AM

Similar to a master craftsman caulking a window, laying down the jerky on the
dehydrator is a learned art. Squeeze the jerky squirter too hard and you'll have a
pile that will not dry well; too soft and you'll have small pieces with a lot of wasted
space in between.
young men and women to take up
our sport of hunting.
We make jerky two ways. Most
of the time, we take ground meat
and mix it with a seasoning kit.
When using ground meat, be sure
to mix in the appropriate amount
of cold water and let it sit in the
refrigerator overnight. I then take
the jerky gun or “jerky shooter,”
pack the meat in the tube with a
spoon and lay it down on my dehy-
drating sheets like I'm caulking
a newly-installed window. If you
don't have a dehydrator, you can use
a smoker, grill or simply put meat
on a cookie cooling rack in an oven
to dry out your jerky. The key is a
low, dry heat. When using an oven,
be sure to leave the door cracked
so moisture can escape. Regardless
of what I'm using, I try to run my
jerky temps at between 200 and 225
degrees. Depending on how thick
it is, it's usually done in about four
hours.
The other way my kids enjoy
jerky is the traditional, whole
muscle method. By taking roast
or steaks and slicing them thin, I
create nice, chewy strips of jerky.
I use our meat slicer, but another
Winter 2018-19.indd 29
method is simply cutting the meat
when it's half frozen with a regular
knife. By cutting the meat while it
is still half-frozen, it slices much
more evenly and easily than if it
were completely thawed. We then
marinate these strips of meat in
whatever mixture we feel like using
at the time and also let it sit for 24
hours in the refrigerator. The same
method is used to dry the sliced
meat. I like my dehydrator, but once
again, other people use smokers,
grills or their oven. Heck, when
I was in Africa, those guys made
their Biltong by simply hanging it
on a rack on the roof of their houses
during the hot, windy season. That
authentic Biltong was some of the
best jerky I've ever had in my life! I
wouldn't recommend hanging meat
to dry on your roof in Michigan, but
my point is that people have been
making jerky since the dawn of time
— it's not that hard to get the stuff to
dry out.
Sausages
Once the jerky is made and
I'm ready to try some more things,
Winter 2018/19 | Michigan Out-of-Doors 27
I move on to sausage. Sausage
is a mystery to a lot of people,
but I have found it to be really
quite easy to make. Basically, it is
seasoned ground meat in a casing.
Some people heat it and dry it, like
in a salami, and others leave it
uncooked, like in a brat. I also buy
seasoning kits to make the sausage
process as simple as possible. I'll
take 20 pounds of ground venison
and mix it with 5 pounds of pork fat.
I simply grind the fat in my meat
grinders, as well. I then mix the two
together, and it becomes very thick
and pasty. I know the mixture is
right when the color changes from
a bright red meat to a lightish pink.
At this point, I decide what sort of
sausages I want to make. My family
really likes the big, fat summer
sausages, brats, snack sticks and
smoked dried brats that I call
“slicing sausage.” I personally do
not own a sausage stuffer yet, but I
do have an attachment on my meat
grinder. The problem I've had with
stuffing sausages through my meat
grinder is that it generally tends to
get bogged down with the mixture
being sort of pasty and the auger
can't push out any meat. So, I tend
to improvise now, and I just use my
jerky squirter gun with a round
tube nozzle and I fill my sausage
casings that way. When filling a big,
3-pound summer sausage casing, I
squirt in as much meat as I can and
then squeeze it down to the end.
Then I start the process over again
11/12/2018 9:09:01 AM

It is crucial that when smoking meats you reach the proper internal
temperatures. Here is a closeup of Herbert's probe thermometer that came
with his pellet grill. If you don't have such a fancy setup, just simply use an
old-fashioned meat thermometer.
and again until the casing is full.
Lastly, I'll tie the open end off with a
string and it's good to go.
Brat and snack stick casings
are much narrower than summer
sausage and a bit trickier to work
with. When crafting brats or snack
sticks, I take the casings and slide
them up over the nozzle of my jerky
gun and fill them that way. When
filling narrow sausages with a stuffer
or jerky gun, it's important to grease
the nozzle with a little bit of cooking
oil to get the casing to slide on easily.
Once the sausages are stuffed,
you can throw them right on the
smoker, pinch them into bun links
and twist them for brats or let them
sit in the refrigerator to cure a bit
more overnight. I throw them on the
smoker. When smoking the meats,
I try to reach an internal tempera-
ture of 156 degrees for any of my
sausages. When making summer
sausage, I immediately pull them
off the smoker and give them a cold
water bath. This tends to draw the
fats to the surface, lubricating the
casing, which makes it easier to peel
off. The summer sausage is the only
casing that I don't eat. Brat casings
are natural intestines and snack
28 | www.michiganoutofdoors.com
Winter 2018-19.indd 30
stick casings are made from a vege-
table collagen. Both are totally safe to
eat. In fact, with these edible casings,
I don't even notice that they're there.
Corned Roasts
My dad is famous for his corned
venison. There are all sorts of
recipes online for how to do this, but
he takes a good, hind-end roast and
trims it liberally. He then brines it
for a while before rinsing it off and
boiling it. The whole process may
take a week or so, but it is absolutely
worth the time. There's not a lot
better than a homemade, venison
Reuben sandwich.
Canning
Another thing that not many
people do is can their venison in
a pressure cooker. We've experi-
mented with a variety of ways, and
I have found the simplest is literally
just filling a jar to within an inch
of headspace with clean cubes of
venison, filling the jar with water
and canning it. Always reference a
professional guide to see how long to
can meat, but I know it doesn't take
more than a few hours. By simply
adding water, the venison cooks down
and creates its own natural gravy. I
also like adding an onion slice, some
jalapenos or even a peppery broth
to continue to enhance the flavors.
On a busy school night with several
sports activities, a quart jar of
venison dumped over some potatoes
is a wonderful, home-cooked meal
and takes only minutes to prepare.
Gourmet grilling
Not only do I enjoy smoking
meats, but I also love grilling. One
of my favorite things to do on the
grill is to take a venison loin, wrap it
with bacon and grill it slow and low
for quite a while. When the bacon is
crispy, I can almost always be sure
the venison on the inside is done.
Thinly slicing these wrapped loins
makes medallions of amazing flavor.
I also like to take a big roast or
a thick steak and cut it in the shape
of a “Z” from the side where I can
unfold it into three separate joined
pieces. I then pound that out with a
meat tenderizing hammer and make
a big, thin, venison patty, similar to
a pizza crust or flatbread. Next, I'll
spread cream cheese, peppers, mush-
rooms, onions or whatever I feel like
and roll it back up into a round log.
Sometimes, I'll grill that straight,
other times I'll wrap it, too, in bacon.
I really like serving gourmet venison
off the grill to guests or people who
aren't accustomed to wild game
meat.
As I mentioned earlier, it's
always a goal of mine to not go to the
grocery store. I take a lot of pride in
feeding my family naturally but also
know the benefit of having a variety
of foods. Kids are picky eaters, and
even though something is healthy, it
doesn't mean they're going to want to
eat a lot of it. In fact, when something
is considered healthy, it generally
doesn't taste all that great. The cool
thing about venison is that it doesn't
take much to make it taste great! So,
if you're lucky enough to get a deer
or two this fall, experiment with
meat snacks. Both your family and
wallet will thank you!
11/12/2018 9:09:02 AM
 Game on!
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Winter 2018-19.indd 31 11/12/2018 9:09:03 AM

 Full Draw:
Hunting the Rut
By Tom Nelson
I
f I were given the option of
only bowhunting the 31 days
of October or the first 14 days
of November, it would not be
a difficult decision for me. Give
me the first 14 days of November
every time. Now, I am by no means
stating that Michigan’s October bow
season is not a great time to be out
chasing whitetail deer. The largest
buck taken on our property was
arrowed October first by my wife,
Beth. I have bow-killed multiple
good bucks during the month of
October. Whitetails are still in their
summer routine and relatively
easy to pattern until the influx of
hunters, both small game and big
game, force savvy whitetails into a
more nocturnal and inconsistent
routine. What I am simply stating is
that I personally prefer bowhunting
the November pre-rut and rut.
Halloween has always been the
date on the calendar that reminds
me that its time to get serious. No
more sleeping in or forgoing hunts
30 | www.michiganoutofdoors.com
Winter 2018-19.indd 32
because of poor weather. The pre-rut
is now in full swing, and to many
bow benders, this is their favorite
time to match wits with whitetails.
Bucks are now putting down scrapes
with a vengeance and are beginning
to badger the local doe population.
Rest and food are becoming less
important each day, and although
these Romeos are ready to breed,
the local does are not. Out of frus-
tration, bucks spar frequently and
lay down an increasing number of
scrapes. They also begin to venture
further and further from their
home range. Studies have shown
that bucks will triple their range
as the rut approaches. While many
bowhunters believe that bucks they
have observed all fall have disap-
peared or been shot by a neigh-
boring hunter, it is more likely the
buck has ventured off for a few days
or even weeks seeking a receptive
doe.
From my personal observa-
tions and more than 40 years of
11/12/2018 9:09:03 AM
 bowhunting whitetails in Michigan,
I believe that the rut starts here
in Michigan around November
4 — increasing in intensity until
peaking around the start of the
firearm season. Weather often plays
a big part in just how extreme our
rut will be. A warm spell will slow
the daytime rutting activity down
considerably. Conversely, a cold
snap will increase rutting behavior.
This is a time for a bowhunter to
spend as many hours in a stand as
he or she can afford.
While I favor afternoon and
evening hunts during October, I
switch to morning hunts as my
favorite in November. Bucks tend
to stay on their feet far longer
during this time period. They have
been out all night chasing does
and they are often far from home
and their bedding area. This is the
perfect time to catch them as they
try to sneak back home late in the
morning. Often, they take the time
to check any scrapes close to these
bedding areas before retiring to
their beds for the day. The last two
years I have arrowed a good buck
late in the morning as they traveled
unconcerned towards their resting
spot. Both of these bucks were taken
after 10 in the morning.
November is also the time to take
advantage of everything in your
bowhunting bag of tricks. Utilizing
grunt calls, rattling antlers and
scents are all a means to success in
Winter 2018-19.indd 33
November. I do a lot of doe grunting
and fawn bleating during this time
period. I oftentimes randomly call
with loud and short series of doe or
fawn bleats. These non-aggressive
calls seem to bring in more bucks for
me than aggressive grunt calling.
Not all bucks are looking to
engage in a physical confrontation
or they may just skirt the area
around you in an attempt to get the
wind in their favor. I have found that
bucks approach my position much
more calmly when hearing a doe or
fawn bleat that, again, is not a threat
to them. Also, with bucks in search
of does, what better way to draw
them in close than advertise there is
a vocal doe in the area?
During the pre-rut and rut,
remember to spend as much time
in your stand or blind as you can.
Hunt all day if possible. Hunt where
the does are. Areas where you were
seeing a lot of does but few bucks in
October can now become hot spots.
Leave a few stand locations undis-
turbed until November, then silently
slip in and hunt them. Utilize calling
and scents to lure rut-crazed bucks
into bow range. Lastly, do not forget
to practice when you have a spare
moment. This is the one time of year
that many of us forget to fling a few
arrows to be sure everything is still
in working order. Heed this advice
and you will increase your odds
of placing your tag on a Michigan
whitetail this fall.
11/12/2018 9:09:04 AM
 Buck of a Lifetime
15-year-old Brooke Shippey
tells her story of harvesting an
18-point buck

S
eldom do we get the chance to shoot a buck of a
lifetime, especially in Michigan. If we are lucky,
we may get a chance to make that dream a reality.
Whether I am in school, in front of the soccer net
or looking through the scope of a firearm, I always try to
prepare myself to seize the opportunity if a chance for
success presents itself. I do everything in my power to set
myself up for success to make my goals a reality. When it
comes to hunting white-tailed deer, I have been raised to
appreciate the hunting experience, and I know that success
does not necessarily mean killing an animal; but, rather, it
is appreciating the experience, the hunt and the memories
that come with each time I step into the great outdoors.
From generation to generation, hunting has always
been a huge part of my family. My father's passion quickly
became mine as he taught my sister and me the ways of
the sport. At 8 years old, I had taken the hunter's safety
course and quickly began to develop my own passion
for the sport. After numerous hunting trips with my
older sister and being able to witness my sister’s first
deer, I could hardly wait for my turn. At 10, in our back
acreage, I shot my first buck — a seven-point. The moment
By Brooke Shippey
that my father and I were able to experience together
was to this day, and will always be, fresh in my mind.

32 | www.michiganoutofdoors.com

Winter 2018-19.indd 34 11/12/2018 9:09:05 AM

 Ever since then, the game
has never been the same for me.
I quickly learned how rare and
special it is to harvest a deer. I
learned hunting wasn't easy, but
rather quite complex; especially
when you bring nerves into the
game. I distinctly remember my
father uncontrollably shaking when
I shot my first deer and thinking
he was going to scare the deer off.
Now, I can completely relate, as
every time I see a deer it is almost
impossible to control my nerves
because I know these chances come
for a split second and sometimes
that's all you get. Of course, this
made the pursuit more worth the
effort. So, after my first deer, I was
out in the field every chance I had.
Every hunting experience I’ve had I
can proudly say has been successful
as I have seen at least one deer, one
rising sun, one setting sun or just
watched the forest come to life. Up
until this September, all the deer
I’ve seen I have passed.
I was waiting for a bigger buck,
as I have always believed in letting
smaller bucks grow. I patiently
waited because I knew my time
would come. When I was 13 years
old, and it had been three years of
not getting a deer, I became incred-
ibly impatient. I was blinded by
what the meaning of hunting was.
I was so caught up in the game of
comparison with my friends that
it became about who was going the scope on the body, I faced a diffi- Yes, I wanted a nice buck, but every
to get the biggest buck. That was cult decision. It was too dark for my hunt was about the experience
the motivation behind going out comfort as I barely could make out for me now. I liked embracing my
almost every night. I started to put the figure, and it was a tough angle surroundings, having long talks
hunting before anything else and to shoot at the eight point. I would with God, bonding with my dad and
cut corners on the key parts that have been taking a risk, and the absorbing the world around me. The
my father always taught me needed last thing I wanted to do was injure take was just a bonus.
to be perfect before going out on a a deer. I passed on what was the When 2018 arrived, I felt it
hunt. My father had a talk with me biggest buck I’d ever seen, and I was was going to be a great year. I was
and reminded me of the real reason devastated. My father was proud excited when I saw the signs of fall
we hunt: We hunt because we love that I passed on the buck as it was approaching. I knew the season was
the sport and the time spent in the the responsible thing to do and not right around the corner. I couldn’t
woods. It is easy to forget the real many people could have shown that wait to get out there, and the youth
reason behind why we harvest an self-control. I was greatly disap- hunt offered me an awesome oppor-
animal. pointed. Despite my disappoint- tunity to have an early chance to
This lesson I learned when ment, I never let it discourage me. get out there. When the youth hunt
I was 13 was needed, too, when I When I was 15 years old, it had came around, I was eager to hunt on
saw the biggest buck of my life — a been five years since I shot my last my uncle’s new property that he was
nice eight-point. My nerves started buck — the only deer of my hunting going to build on. We had no idea
racing and my mind filled with a career. I grew a lot in those five what it had to offer and no previous
million thoughts. As I began to put years. It wasn’t for the kill anymore. knowledge, as no one had hunted

Winter 2018/19 | Michigan Out-of-Doors 33

Winter 2018-19.indd 35 11/12/2018 9:09:06 AM

 on it before. We set out for my first
hunt of the season with open minds,
but we had no clue what to expect.
My dad and Uncle had scouted
the land and determined a good
spot we could sit to hunt. I had
always hunted from a tree stand or
a pop-up, so when my dad asked me
to bring blue and green lawn chairs,
I was quite uneasy. I continued to
trust my dad as we walked up to
where we were going to set up. It
was on a hill surrounded by thorn
bushes and tall grass. Not the ideal
hunting spot as we barely could get
the chairs to stand upright on the
hill, but I continued to do as I was
told. I always liked to have every odd
in my favor and have all angles to
get a decent shot at a deer.
Where we were sitting, there
was a pond in the back that funneled
to my left and my right. Since there
were bushes surrounding us, the
only shot I could get was right in
front, and the odds of that happening
were slim. My father insisted he
knew what he was talking about so
I put my faith in years wiser than
myself and tried to enjoy the hunt
as it was a beautiful day. After about
an hour of sitting, we saw nothing.
It was hard to enjoy the hunt when
mosquitoes were swarming us. It
was hard to stay still when they
were biting my neck and face. up, my dad was looking through the in the chest. I knew this chance was
Since we could only see one angle, binoculars. All my nerves swarmed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and
I stood up to get a better look at my in. As I sighted the scope on the I wasn't about to give that up. I didn’t
surroundings. In all the calmness 10-point, my father quickly stopped have time to think or to let my nerves
when the wind had died down, I me, and I redirected the scope to get the best of me. In all the chaos,
saw one cornstalk shake in the air. what was the biggest buck me or my I breathed out slowly aimed right on
I slowly sat down and nodded to my father had ever seen. It was 75 yards his chest and squeezed the trigger.
dad in the direction the deer was out, and we couldn’t see what the The sound of the explosion was
coming from. antlers looked like, but we knew it a relief to all my nerves. My father
It was 100 yards away, and it was huge. gave me the biggest bear hug, but
was a doe. The doe made its way Like my previous story, I passed I was not convinced I had aimed
towards the pond, and we soon real- on a buck because the stars did not correctly. It was a hard shot for
ized it wasn't a doe — it was a nice align and I did not feel comfortable me. Since I was shooting with my
six-point. I told myself I would let taking the shot. This time, there muzzleloader, smoke filled the air.
a seven or smaller grow, but it was was plenty of daylight, but it was I couldn’t see where my deer went
tough passing on a nice buck. I saw not standing broadside. Since it was with all the smoke, and when we
the six-point turn around a couple walking towards us, I couldn’t get could make out where the deer was,
of times, and I figured a bigger buck it to turn for a good shot. I almost there was no sign of the buck. My
could follow. So, in anticipation, I thought of taking the 10-point as dad reloaded the muzzleloader, and
waited, and a 10-point walked right it was broadside, but we heard the I was prepared to shoot again if the
out in front of us, exactly where my six-point blowing at us, and my dad deer stood up.
father anticipated. told me I had to make a decision When approaching the spot
As my father passed me the quickly. It was now or never. My dad where I shot the deer, it was still
shooting stick and I started to set whispered to me that I must take it nowhere to be seen. Quite frankly,

34 | www.michiganoutofdoors.com

Winter 2018-19.indd 36 11/12/2018 9:09:07 AM Mic

 seeing a wounded deer was some-
thing I never wanted to experience.
As we walked up the hill, I laid eyes
on a white belly and saw the monster
buck lying dead. The deer hadn’t
even moved a foot, and I had killed the
deer exactly as I wanted to. No words
can describe the feeling between my
father and I as we rejoiced in each
other’s arms. My dad counted the
rack and our jaws dropped as we
counted 18 points. I jumped in my
father's arms again as I couldn’t
control my emotions. I knelt beside
my deer and laid a hand on it to say a
quick prayer to thank the Lord for an
amazing deer, memory and hunt that
I would never forget.
As we got to work gutting the
deer, the realization of what just
happened barely started to sink
in. All my hard work, patience and
the most accomplished feelings, but a trophy buck off his land, but I’m
determination finally paid off. To to be able to experience it with my humbled by the fact that he is
this day, it has been one of my dad was truly unforgettable. more excited that I harvested this
greatest experiences. This hunt I must thank my uncle, Jeff, for majestic animal than if he’d shot it
surpassed all my dreams and expec- allowing me to hunt his land! I am himself. Thank you, uncle Jeff, for
tations. To be able to see all my hard amazed by the flack he has taken a memory I will cherish the rest of
work and dedication pay off is one of for allowing a 15-year-old to harvest my life.

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Winter 2018/19 | Michigan Out-of-Doors 35

Michigan
Winter Outdoors
2018-19.indd 37 ad.indd 1 10/29/18
11/12/2018 9:09:082:19
AM PM

by Morgan Warda
MUCC Cooperatives Coordinator
M
ichigan’s Liberty Hunt was
the weekend of September
22 and 23. Veterans with
disabilities, individuals with
disabilities and youth ages 16 and
under were able to hit the woods
for a firearm deer hunt on either
private or public lands. In many
ways, this weekend serves as a way
to introduce new hunters to the field.
David Yeomans of Eaton County
saw this as an opportunity to serve
military families and mentor the next
generation of hunters simultane-
ously after witnessing a similar event
in Kentucky.
The Michigan Military Youth
Hunt was designed as a camp to
take youth from a military family
hunting that wouldn’t get the chance
to go otherwise. The kids spent three
whole days learning about gun safety,
hunting practices, whitetail biology
and the fun of hunting camp tradition.
There were hits and misses, bonfire
stories and lots of high fives when
the deer started rolling in on trucks.
36 | www.michiganoutofdoors.com
Winter 2018-19.indd 38
2018 Michigan
Military Youth Hunt
Yeomans holds this program close to
his heart as he served in the National
Guard 119th Field Artillery Regiment
for six years after joining at 18. When
asked what values hunting can bring
to a person’s life, especially a child’s,
his answer was that it “builds char-
acter, respect for our habitat and wild
game, fellowship with other hunters
and self-pride.”
The kids arrived on Thursday
evening. In typical camp fashion, the
biggest decision of the night was who
was staying in which cabin and who
got the top bunk. After settling down
and unpacking, the kids enjoyed
dinner, fishing in the pond and
s’mores around the bonfire.
Friday included activities that
were meant to build confidence in the
field. For some, this would be their
first time shooting and the first time
in a deer blind. Stations were set up
for shooting sports that included
archery, BB guns and targets.
Another station focused on shot
placement which is easily one of the
most valued lessons to learn. Camp
attendees were held to a standard
that they would learn and understand
the importance of placing the most
ethical shot on a deer possible. Kids
were then set on a blood trail course
to learn how to track a deer patiently.
The final educational station was
deer biology where they watched a
short presentation on what deer eat,
different parts of their bodies, antler
growth and how to age a buck on the
hoof.
Youth hunters were also able to
meet two local conservation officers.
The officers talked to the campers
about their job, why it is important
to follow the rules and why the rules
exist. This talk helped kids under-
stand more about their state and
wildlife management. It also allowed
them to see that the officers were
just doing their part in conservation
and are not someone to fear in the
field. After a discussion on proper
tag placement, the officers wished
the camp good luck and would stop in
later that weekend to see some of the
successes.
To make all of this happen
safely and efficiently, the camp had
adult mentors that were paired with
each camper for hunting and were
11/12/2018 9:09:10 AM
 available throughout daily activities
to answer questions. Mentors are the
backbone of what makes this camp
enjoyable for the youth. Yeomans
said, “Excitement and passion is key
for a mentor. If you want your new
hunter to enjoy it, he or she has to see
you doing the same. We must keep the
fun in hunting.”
One of the camp’s mentors,
Patrick Fitzsimons, said “This
program is a must to ensure the heri-
tage of hunting. As a mentor, it was
a special time and an honor to be part
of this program. The kids were a lot
of fun and being there to see a first-
time hunter get his or her first deer
was something I will remember the
rest of my life. I can't wait until next
year!”
The camp’s reach doesn’t just stop
there. Richard Seehase of the Capital
Area QDMA Branch had participated
in Yeoman's camp and made it his
goal to duplicate it and engage his
fellow branch members. When people
ask Seehase why he is doing this, his
simple answer was, “it's our way of
giving back to those that have given
us so much in serving our country.
The last two years we have had kids
Winter 2018-19.indd 39
that lost a parent serving our country.
These kids are less likely to experi-
ence what we can offer with a single
parent home. Seeing these young
men and women interact with adults
and others is rewarding for me.”
Seehase also said that from his
experience with camp kids arrive
shy and apprehensive but leave as
friends. The outdoors has a unique
way of bringing people together.
About 20 kids participated in the
two camps this year, and 26 deer were
harvested. The kids made the deci-
sion to keep the meat for their fami-
lies or donate it to charity. Venison
went to both uses, and some kids that
harvested more than one deer were
able to keep meat and offer a donation.
Funding for this program comes from
generous sponsors and the QDMA
Branches that support each kid and
equips them with all the necessities
for going out into the woods. Both
camps would like to grow and support
even more hunters, so they will be
looking to expand their sponsor list
for 2019. Growing in camper numbers
also means there will be a need for
qualified adult mentors for the next
season.
Winter 2018/19 | Michigan Out-of-Doors 37
On a personal note, I had the
privilege of spending the entire
weekend with the kids and mentors.
Seeing the joy on successful faces and
hearing the words of encouragement
for those that came back empty-
handed was a humble reminder on
why we recruit and support new
hunters. Seeing children engage with
seasoned hunters and step outside
their comfort zone was motivating.
The heartfelt work that goes into
making this camp happen was almost
tangible to anyone that got to experi-
ence it. My hat is off to Yeomans and
Seehase for leading this mission, the
many mentors that dedicated their
time to military youth in Michigan
and to the other staff that made sure
the kids had nice meals waiting for
them when they returned from the
deer blind. You are all making a
difference.
If you are interested in following
along with this life-enriching expe-
rience in the upcoming years or
checking out more picture from the
camps, you can follow the Eaton
County QDMA Branch on Facebook.
11/12/2018 9:09:10 AM
 Youth Hunt Winners

Two Michigan youth were chosen to have their picture

featured in the magazine, receive a subscription and
also receive TRACKS magazine for their successful
harvests during Michigan's Liberty Hunt.

Mack Peterson, 8 years old,

Sophia Weaver, 7 years old, Montcalm County
Grand Traverse County Mack and his father, John, got to their stand at about
4:30 p.m. on September 22. They were there for an hour
Sophia and her dad, Ryan, went out around 4 p.m.
before they saw a four-point that came out about 30 yards
on Sunday, September 23.
away. John said, "Do you want to shoot that buck?" and
They weren’t there very long when a spike came in.
Mack said "No!..... I want to wait for something bigger!"
Sophia did not want to shoot the spike; she wanted it to
So they waited for another hour and a half. They
get bigger.
had deer around them for the rest of the night; it was an
Sophia and her dad had several more does come
awesome hunt!
through, and she passed on all of them. About a half
The weather was beautiful, and the deer were
hour before dark, a spike came in with a drop tine on
moving. They were enjoying sitting there together
one side, and she said that was her deer.
watching deer when all of the sudden John looked over
The deer was moving a lot so they couldn’t get a
and this buck had walked out in the field — he was about
real good shot. Sophia waited and took a favorable angle
200 yards away and not in a good place to shoot, so they
shot which hit the buck right behind the shoulder and
watched him for a good 40 minutes before Mack got a
dropped the deer right were she shot it.
shot at him.
Then the buck jumped up and ran into the brush.
The buck ended up about 30 yards away from them
Sophia and her dad gave it a few minutes. Sophia was
broadside but Mack couldn't get his gun lined up with
jumping with excitement and decided to go track it after
him and the buck went into the corn. Extremely disap-
enough time had passed. Ryan found good blood and
pointed, John reminded Mack that this was the first day
brought Sophia into the area so she could find it. After
of hunting and they had all year to shoot another deer.
about a 20-yard track, Sophia came up on her deer with
About 10 minutes went by and there was the buck
the biggest smile Ryan had ever seen. Bouncing with
again broadside at 30 yards. This time, Mack lined up
excitement, Sophia walked over and claimed her buck.
with him and squeezed the trigger of his .243. The deer
Sophia grew up in the deer blind her with her dad.
turned and ran about 40 yards and piled up. The only
Ryan was excited to see the joy he gets from hunting
problem was they couldn't see him pile up.
passed on to another generation. The day after their
They waited about 30 minutes before going to recover
hunt, Sophia was asking what other kinds of game she
the deer. Upon recovery, Mack was just silent and had a
could harvest. She now has her heart set on bird hunting.
huge grin on his face that lasted the whole rest of the
weekend.

38 | www.michiganoutofdoors.com

Winter 2018-19.indd 40 11/12/2018 9:09:11 AM

 Winter
Fall 2018
2018 | Michigan
| Michigan 57 57
Out-of-Doors
Out-of-Doors

Winter 2018-19.indd 41 11/12/2018 9:09:11 AM

 You can’t eat the antlers
Despite wars, the
Great Depression
and infidelity, or
perhaps because
of them, doughnuts
became an important
part of deer season for
one family of hunters.
I
studied the deer through the
scope of my rifle. The buck was
big; I had no doubt. As he slowly
meandered toward the brush, I
centered my crosshairs on his vitals.
I would have time to either squeeze
off a shot or take another bite of my
doughnut. I put down my rifle and
reached for the doughnut.
Well, that never happened. But
fried cakes, aka doughnuts, are an
important part of deer season, at
least for those in my family.
When I was a kid, deer season
always began in the kitchen with
my grandmother. Her fried cakes
were the best deer stand food known
to man.
It may be worthwhile to tell a little
40 | www.michiganoutofdoors.com
Winter 2018-19.indd 42
(but you can eat the holes)
a b o u t
my maternal
grandmother, Dessa Elnora Kinney
Markham. She was born in 1896, a
mere 20 years after the Battle of
the Little Bighorn. Her father was
born in 1869, a scant 10 years after
Billy the Kid was born, maybe.
Her mother was born in 1877. That
was the year Sitting Bull led his
band of Lakota into Canada to get
away from Colonel Nelson Miles. It
was also the year that Chief Crazy
Horse surrendered to U.S. troops in
Nebraska. For all I know, Grandma
knew people who went west on the
Oregon Trail. Had she been born in
the northwest, she almost certainly
would have.
By Andy Duffy
I’m just mentioning the dates to
emphasize that my grandma learned
to do things in traditional ways. She
was one generation removed from
living in the most exciting time in
U.S. history.
Grandma was 33 and the
mother of two when the stock
market crashed. There’s a lot I don’t
know about Grandma’s adult life.
I learned early that some memo-
ries were still too painful to talk
about. I know that Grandma and
Grandpa lost their home, though.
Later, Grandma lost her husband.
As I understand it, he left her for
another woman. Husbandless and
homeless, she spent all her adult
years I knew anything about living
11/12/2018 9:09:12 AM
 with various relatives. She seemed cut out five or six doughnuts with are more in tune with the seasons
to have a sequence. She would the doughnut cutter, lay them on than their urban counterparts are.
visit her sisters. She would visit a her arm, and limp from the table to In the country, we trace the seasons
couple of cousins. She would visit the kettle of hot lard on the stove. with a series of little gradations.
her son. Come the first part of There, she would carefully put In the spring, we work up our
November, though, she was always the doughnuts in the hot grease – gardens and plant radishes and
at our home to help my mother with getting splattered by the stuff was peas. Then the first of the morels
Thanksgiving preparations – and, no fun – and tend them till they come, and we plant the root crops.
of course, to make doughnuts for were done. When the cakes were When the morels are about done,
deer season. done on the bottom side, she would we begin fishing for trout. We bring
Historians tell us that they can turn them with a fork. When they in the rhubarb. We plant corn and
trace the origins of our modern were cooked all the way through, beans. We look for bedding blue-
doughnuts back to the oil cakes she would remove them from the gills. We begin fishing for bass. A
Dutch settlers cooked in New grease, sit them on their sides to little later, the tomato, pepper and
Amsterdam. The doughnuts were cool in an old-style oven pan we had, squash plants go in. Then, in quick
like ours today, but they lacked the cut out some more doughnuts and succession, the berries come: straw-
hole in the middle. repeat the process. berries, cherries, raspberries, and
Even the words doughnut and Grandma would put most of blackberries. Peas are swollen in
fried cake are old. Way back in 1809, the material cut from the middle of their pods, and gardeners cream
Washington Irving described the the cakes back with the rest of the them with tiny potatoes taken
“dough-nuts,” often called fried dough to make more doughnuts. prematurely from the ground. The
cakes, that were fried in hog’s fat Some of the hole material, she combination is delicious. Apples
and were seldom found at that time would cook. Today, people call them swell on the limbs of the trees. We
except in homes of the Dutch. (As doughnut holes. We always called begin taking corn from our gardens.
far as anyone knows, the first time them “middles.” Little in life tastes September comes, and we start
the alternative spelling “donut” better than a hot doughnut middle making applesauce. We also begin
appeared in print was in 1900. Use and a glass of cold milk. hunting grouse, squirrels and then
that spelling, though, and old news- This sentiment may have its woodcock. Nights begin getting
papermen will look askance at you. skeptics, but I think country folk cold. Raccoon season opens.
The Associated Press Stylebook
makes it clear that the preferred
spelling is “doughnut.”)
The hole may have appeared in
1847. The Mexican-American war
was raging then. Hanson Gregory
didn’t see any war action, though.
He was a 16-year-old kid on a lime-
hauling ship somewhere. According
to him, he was the person who first
decided that doughnuts would be
better with a hole in the middle.
He said that when he got back from
his voyage, he showed his mother
his technique for getting the dough
cooked all the way through. She
began cooking them that way, and
doughnuts with holes in the middle
soon became popular.
Whatever the history behind
them, my grandmother’s doughnuts
had holes. Each fall, I would sit and
watch her as she worked. She would
mix all the ingredients together –
the sugar, eggs, flour, nutmeg and
ginger – and then roll out the dough.
She was still in her 60s then,
but she was already crippled up
some from arthritis and hobbled
rather than walked. So, she would

Winter 2018/19 | Michigan Out-of-Doors 41

Winter 2018-19.indd 43 11/12/2018 9:09:13 AM


When I was a kid, I didn’t
understand all the minor nuances
of the changing seasons. I knew,
though, that people wore brown
to hunt small game. They wore
red plaid wool to hunt deer. I also
understood that when Grandma
made an appearance at our house,
deer season was about to begin, and
Thanksgiving Day would closely
follow.
My dad, unlike me, knew every-
thing. He was born in Flint. The
depression chased his family from
the city. My grandpa found employ-
ment on a series of farms. So,
while Dad was growing up, he dug
potatoes, drove teams of horses and
learned about farm life. I remember
how amazed I was when as a five-
year-old kid my dad and my great
uncle harnessed a team of horses
and plowed up a garden spot.
Dad served in the Navy through
almost all of World War II. He grad-
uated from high school in 1941. At
some point before the war started, he
42 | www.michiganoutofdoors.com
Winter 2018-19.indd 44
tried to enlist in the Navy. Because
he needed dental work and had a
bad knee from a football injury, the
Navy wouldn’t take him. Then came
Dec. 7, and the government had a
use for him after all. During the war,
Dad worked on a net tender main-
taining nets at the mouth of Frisco
Bay and on a destroyer out in the
South Pacific. What he didn’t learn
in his youth, he learned in the Navy.
Dad fell in love with mom the
first time he laid eyes on her. It was
her first day of high school. With
her long, red hair in braids, she
must have cut quite the figure as
she climbed aboard Dad’s school
bus. “There,” dad told himself, “is
the girl I’m going to marry.” I know
now that Mom wouldn’t have been
there that morning if it hadn’t been
for her dad’s infidelity.
Things certainly didn’t go as my
dad had planned. He only saw Mom
once or twice during the war. After
the war, he found employment at an
automobile factory an hour away
from my mother. He was restless,
though. After he nearly lost a finger
to a punch press, he re-enlisted in
the Navy. That is how he became a
veteran of both World War II and
the Korean conflict. He and Mom
didn’t get married until 1950, and he
finally took his second discharge in
1952.
Most of the deer dad shot
he must have taken between his
enlistments. He always had lots
of deer hunting stories to tell. He
had a few racks hanging in the old
shed out beyond the house. He had
a Band-Aid box filled with the old,
metal deer tags and bullets he’d
recovered from deer he’d shot. I
don’t remember him bringing home
any deer, though, until the mid ’60s.
There may have been a good
reason, however, for his deerless
seasons. He was still in the Navy
during the 1952 deer season. That
was the year Michigan let hunters
take a deer of either sex during
the last three days of the season.
The herd was devastated. For years
after that, a lot of hunters had
trouble finding deer. The dough-
nuts, though, were a constant. Dad
would take them to the woods with
him, and he would grab a couple
more when he arrived home. When
I was old enough to begin hunting,
Grandma’s fried cakes always
accompanied me to the woods.
I have my grandma’s old recipe.
Before we got married, my wife went
through my mom’s files and copied
down all my favorite recipes. The
recipe box she presented to me later
was the greatest gift a bride-to-be
could ever give a guy. Of course, she
included the doughnut recipe.
I don’t know if today’s genera-
tion would love Grandma’s dough-
nuts as much as I do. For one thing,
the recipe calls for two tablespoons
of melted lard. A person can substi-
tute shortening. Still, I wonder
how many people would wrinkle
their noses just from the thought
of using genuine animal fat in their
doughnuts.
The recipe also calls for the
doughnuts to be cooked in hot
grease. The hot grease, of course, is
lard. Although Grandma sometimes
11/12/2018 9:09:13 AM
 used shortening, she and mom
agreed that lard made the best
doughnuts and pie crusts.
Plus, the doughnuts’ texture is
slightly different from the texture
of the cake doughnuts we find in
bakeries today. Made from grand-
ma’s recipe, doughnuts are a little
denser. They may be a little
tougher, too, like the tough old
woodsmen and plainsmen
who carved farms out of the
wilderness and the soldiers
and sailors who were on
the seas and the battle-
fields during this coun-
try’s wars. Nothing,
though, tastes better to me
than a mid-morning doughnut when
I’m out in the woods waiting for a
deer to come by. And nothing tastes
better when, back in the house, I sit
down in a warm kitchen at a table
covered with a red-checked table-
cloth to eat a hot doughnut fresh
from the kettle.
Here is my grandma’s
doughnut recipe:
Fried Cakes
2 c. sugar
2 eggs } mix good
1 t. nutmeg
¼ t. ginger
1 t. vanilla
2 T. melted lard
Dissolve 1 t. soda in 2 c.
buttermilk or sour milk.
2 t. baking powder sifted
with 7 or 8 c. flour.
Hot grease – 7 or 8
If the recipe seems a little
cryptic, it probably didn’t to those
of my grandmother’s generation. I
suppose people then, used to making
things at home, understood how to
do things the recipe maker didn’t
bother explaining – things such
as mixing ingredients together.
The creator of this recipe assumes
people will know how to do tasks
that may be foreign to members of
Winter 2018-19.indd 45
today’s
generation.
This might help:
Don’t obsess over
mixing sequences. I just try to get
everything mixed together well.
The lard business?
Cooks who can’t find lard or
don’t want to mix it in the doughnut
dough can substitute their favorite
brand of shortening.
When I was a kid, an old-fash-
ioned slaughterhouse stood on the
outskirts of town. Mom would go
there to buy her freshly-rendered
lard. The slaughterhouse closed
years ago, so that source of cooking
grease is gone. I recently checked
with two slaughterhouses that
remain in the area, and neither
business renders lard. I can’t find
anything now like the substance I
remember. Nowadays, the product
labeled lard has been hydrogenated
to extend shelf life. If a person
knows of a source for real, old-fash-
ioned lard, he should get some to
use at least once.
There is no need to use sour
milk or buttermilk to make dough-
nuts. My dad used to tell me that
it’s never necessary to use sour
milk in recipes. He said it was often
called for just because using it for
baking beat throwing it out. I have
wondered if the acid in the milk was
responsible for some helpful chem-
ical reaction. I’ve looked for infor-
mation supporting that, though, and
can’t find anything. And when I use
Winter 2018/19 | Michigan Out-of-Doors 43
sweet
milk, it
works just as
well as sour milk does.
If a person wants to, though, he
can always sour milk with a little
vinegar.
Once the doughnut dough is all
mixed up, dump it out on a floured
pastry sheet. My grandma would
dump hers right out on our old
“oilcloth”–covered dining room
table. Then sift a liberal amount of
flour on top of the dough to keep
it from sticking to the rolling pin.
When I made up the batch of dough-
nuts pictured here, I didn’t have
enough flour left to sprinkle on top
of the dough. Before rolling it out,
I went to town and got more flour.
The step is that important.
Roll out the dough until it is
about the thickness of a doughnut
cutter. Then cut out the doughnuts.
If you don’t have a doughnut cutter,
buy one. I just found one online that
sells for $1.99. Cook the doughnut
holes or knead them back in with
the rest of the dough.
The doughnuts are deep fried
just as a person would fry shrimp.
When the grease is hot, carefully
put in a few doughnuts. Cook them
until they look done. It’s not compli-
cated. They should be turned once
11/12/2018 9:09:14 AM
 during the cooking operation. I
think Grandma always turned hers
with a fork, but I prefer using tongs.
The “7 or 8” at the end of the
recipe is an electric stove setting,
not a cooking time. Because I’m
certain Grandma’s fried cake recipe
was around before the advent of
electric stoves, I’m equally certain
the “7 or 8” was an edit added to the
original recipe.
After the doughnuts are cooked,
put them on a paper towel to cool.
The towel will absorb any traces of
hot oil on the doughnuts. Then, if
you want to, while the doughnuts
are still warm, roll some of them
in granulated sugar. Roll some
doughnut holes in cinnamon sugar.
If you must, roll some doughnuts
in powdered sugar. I don’t advise it,
though.
Make a batch of doughnuts after
the weather cools in the fall and
have one with a glass of cider. Don’t
make them too early, though, or
they’ll be gone by the beginning of
the firearms deer season. A person
really needs a few to take to the
woods on opening day.

44 | www.michiganoutofdoors.com

Winter 2018-19.indd 46 11/12/2018 9:09:16 AM

 CALL THE
HOTLINE

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

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

This project was funded by the Michigan Invasive Species

Grant Program (www.michigan.gov/invasives).

Winter 2018-19.indd 47 11/12/2018 9:09:17 AM

 Deerly
Departed
Hunting benefits Michigan in many ways, but fewer sportsmen are hitting the woods
D
epictions of deer hunters
in popular culture mostly
fall into one of two stereo-
types: slapstick or blood-
thirsty. But you know better than
that, even if your friends, neighbors
and coworkers don’t. You know that
deer hunting is an immensely chal-
lenging, deeply satisfying pastime
that requires years of practice and
experience, as well as a benefit to all
Michigan wildlife and a vital part of
the state’s conservation efforts.
Wait, you did know that, right?
“Fees built into hunting and
fishing licenses are key to Michigan’s
wildlife management funding, but in
conversations, we’ve found that not
all hunters know how much they’re
helping,” said Matt Pedigo, chair
of the Michigan Wildlife Council.
“Most people – including hunters –
assume that habitat restoration and
endangered species management is
paid for by tax dollars, but it isn’t.
In fact, about half of all wildlife
conservation dollars come directly
46 | www.michiganoutofdoors.com
Winter 2018-19.indd 48
from deer hunting. The important
role that deer hunters play can’t be
overstated.”
The Michigan Wildlife Council
is dedicated to increasing public
understanding of the important
role wildlife management plays in
conservation of the state’s natural
resources. It also works to increase
appreciation for hunters and
hunting among the general public.
That work includes sharing the
benefits of hunting, such as how the
state’s strict hunting guidelines keep
species like deer in equilibrium with
their habitats – the deer culled by
hunters keeps deer from becoming
overpopulated, presenting a threat
to motorists and farmers. And
because natural resource manage-
ment in Michigan is primarily
funded through hunting and fishing
license dollars, it ensures the state’s
wildlife will be here for future
generations. But hunting is good for
more than just the wildlife.
“Many Michigan cities rely on
fishing and hunting dollars to stimu- MIC
late the economy,” said Marc Miller,
regional initiatives deputy at the Crea
Michigan Department of Natural
Resources. “Hunting is a preserva- Legi
tion of our natural heritage, and the Cou
economic benefits of the enjoyment
of those resources – the wages paid,
trem
the jobs created, the businesses of h
sustained – is just a byproduct of to th
that. But in terms of what it means
to the communities that it helps, you wild
can’t put a price on that.”
According to the DNR, about Fund
700,000 hunters are expected to buy
licenses this year, about 60 percent
licen
of whom will exclusively hunt deer. seek
Additionally: amo
Hunting contributes $2.3 billion
to the Michigan economy every year. and
Hunting supports more than vide
34,400 jobs in Michigan.
Hunting and fishing license
Lear
sales bring in over $62 million
every year for wildlife and natural Her
resource conservation efforts;
hunting licenses alone account for
11/12/2018 9:09:18 AM
 two-thirds of that amount.
However, every year there are
fewer hunters heading out to their
blinds, and therefore fewer people
supporting the state’s rural restau-
rants, surplus stores, gas stations
and sporting goods emporiums.
For all deer seasons statewide last
year, there were 574,127 hunters,
down from 585,994 hunters in 2016, a
decrease of about 2 percent.
“That may not sound like much,
but it’s statistically significant,”
said Ashley Autenrieth, DNR deer
program biologist. “And this isn't
just an issue in Michigan, but
nationwide. As a result, a lot of
work is being done to determine
why fewer people are going hunting
every year, but it seems like the
main culprit is lack of time. Over
the last 15 years, we’ve seen a steady
decrease in hunters, and I don't see
that stopping.”
As you know, deer hunting is
an exceedingly equipment-depen-
dent, time-intensive activity. And
even though we live in an age of
wireless hotspots that let you access
the web from just about anywhere
in the woods and apps that can do
anything from providing GPS to
giving accurate, up-to-the-minute
weather models – must-haves for
any avid hunter – for some reason,
we as a society are carving out less
and less free time for ourselves.
But hunting, of course, is more
than just a hobby. For thousands of
hunters in Michigan, it’s a way of
life. It’s the foundation upon which
family traditions are built, and a
respect for – and closeness with – the
outdoors becomes ingrained from
an early age. Lifelong friendships
and marriages are strengthened
(and maybe tested) in weeklong
forays into Michigan woods in
search of those elusive whitetails.
The venison provided from deer
hunts also helps get many Michigan
families through the winter,
providing a good source of lean,
organic protein.
Although the recent survey
showed a decrease in hunters,
there also was an upward trend.
Statewide, there was an increase
in deer harvested by 10 percent last
year, with an estimated harvest
in 2016 of 341,288. In 2017, the esti-
mated harvest was 376,365. And even
though the public may eat up those
aforementioned hunting stereo-
types, the biggest differentiator of
public perception of deer hunting is
the hunters themselves.
“People who don’t hunt draw
their opinions from those hunters,”
Autenrieth said. “Deer hunters
shouldn’t rely on the media to tell
their story. Being a good example
and sharing positive, respectful
stories of hunting trips can go a long
way toward showing deer hunting
in a positive light. And that could
potentially get more people back
into the sport.”

MICHIGAN WILDLIFE COUNCIL

Created in 2013 by the Michigan

Legislature, the Michigan Wildlife
Council aims to highlight the
tremendous value and importance
of hunting, fishing and trapping

THANK YOU
to the conservation of Michigan’s
wildlife, waters and public lands.

Funded via $1 from every base

license sold in Michigan, the council
seeks to build understanding
among the state’s non-hunting
and non-fishing residents through
videos, news and much more.
Learn more at
HereForMiOutdoors.org
HUNTERS AND ANGLERS
for your vital role in protecting Michigan’s wild places for the
use and enjoyment of future generations. Your licenses provide
nearly $62 million a year to conserve wildlife, public lands and
waters. Conservation and management of our diverse wildlife
populations and the habitats in which they thrive is possible
only because of you.

HereForMiOutdoors.org

Winter 2018-19.indd 49 11/12/2018 9:09:19 AM

 A Bear
of a
Lifetime
by Chris Lamphere

E
ight years of prepara-
tion led Ken Koch to this
moment: standing in the
middle of a swamp with
only a 30-06 separating him from
a nearly 500-pound black bear 10
yards away.
A team of Plott and English bear
hounds had cornered the bear in an
overgrowth of tree roots and brush
north of Lake City in Missaukee
County.
Koch, a resident of Wexford
County, had been monitoring the
bear’s movements for a month using
a trail camera over a bait pile.
During the previous eight years,
Koch had been collecting points to
eventually win a bear license in the
state lottery.
This year was his lucky year.
Koch knew the bear was big
from the trail camera footage and recalled an occasion when he was it previously had been able to shake
was excited for the opening of the transporting his dogs in the back of the dogs’ pursuit during training
season. his truck near Kalkaska. season.
The day before the season The dogs were enclosed in the Keith used his horn to turn the
started, however, Koch said the bear truck bed and couldn’t see anything bear back around in the swamp,
uncharacteristically changed its outside. and Kelly and Koch were able to
travel pattern and showed up on a Kelly said a bear crossed in front get within 177 yards of the animal,
different trail camera. of them on the road and the scent at which point they had to trek the
Koch, along with friends Kelly alone triggered barking fits in the remaining distance on foot.
and Keith Whitehead, began a dogs that lasted for several miles. Kelly said he could hear the
search of the area for evidence of After Kelly and Koch found the dogs had cornered the bear, but he
the bear's whereabouts. paw print on the two-track, the dogs couldn’t see anything due to the
Kelly said during the search quickly picked up the bear’s scent thick overgrowth in the swamp.
they found a nice paw print on a and chased the animal about a mile “I told Ken to be prepared,
sandy two-track road. into the swamp. they are probably fighting on the
From there, Kelly and Keith As they tracked the dog's move- ground,” Kelly said. “I knew this
released their hounds — a moment ment through the use of GPS, Keith was going to be a big bear.”
Kelly said they “live for.” positioned his truck between the In order to approach the
To give you an idea of how crazy bear and the Manistee River, where bear without alarming it to their
these dogs are about bear, Kelly

48 | www.michiganoutofdoors.com

Winter 2018-19.indd 50 11/12/2018 9:09:20 AM

 putting a slug directly through the
animal’s massive skull and killing it
instantly.
The killing shot was fired around
9 a.m., but it took seven men until 3
p.m. to drag it out of the swamp.
The bear weighed in at 482
pounds.
DNR seasonal wildlife assistants
Greta Simpson and Abby Schafer
took tooth and rib samples to deter-
mine the bear’s age and diet but
Koch said he hasn’t yet seen results
of these tests.
Koch said he hopes to make the
bear into a half-mount with the rear
hide stretched over an engraving in
the shape of Michigan.
It’s not big enough to break any
Michigan records, but Koch said the
bear might be eligible to be entered
into the Pope and Young record
book.

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“It either heard us or smelled
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The bear clawed and snapped
at the dogs, and even made a few
puncture marks in one of the dog’s
necks, although none suffered
serious injuries in the melee.
Knowing they didn’t have long
until the bear made a break for it, Shop Local!
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Winter | MICHIGAN
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| Michigan 47
Out-of-Doors 49

Winter 2018-19.indd 51 MOODquarter.indd 1 7/10/2018

11/12/20183:45:58 PM
9:09:20 AM
 Plugging AlonG
T
he kind of winter steelhead
fishing on which I cut my
teeth was a stationary, deli-
cate pursuit.
We’d pull on waders, step into a
spot whose reputation was endorsed
by the muddy footpaths leading to it
and begin the metronomic motion:
casting, adjusting line, watching
and feeling for the slightest pause,
the daintiest tug, the skimpiest
clue that a lake-grown rainbow had
intercepted our spawn bag, single
egg, wiggler or fly.
Not struck. Not even bit. Just
intercepted it. Only then would
we lift the rod to issue the fish a
wake-up call.
I often laugh now at that mental
image while I’m wrestling to remove
from its holder a graphite rod so
loaded with energy, so bowed from
the savage attack of a steelhead,
that the arced stick seems stuck in
the tube. Meanwhile, a thoroughly
ticked-off, purple-cheeked beast
thrashes its flanks on the surface
of a winter river a couple of dozen
50 | www.michiganoutofdoors.com
Winter 2018-19.indd 52
yards downstream – before I ever
feel it.
I almost never ‘bottom-bounce’
for steelhead anymore. If I’m
fishing a bait such as a spawn bag
or wiggler, or even a jig, it’s almost
certainly bobber-suspended and
tended by a center-pin rod and reel.
If I’m out for the maximum
relaxation shattered by the
maximum excitement, I’m pulling
plugs.
The method, more formally
called back-trolling, was, like the
fish itself, imported from the Pacific
Northwest. Anglers there long ago
found that steelhead, like their close
cousins, Chinook salmon, are more
than willing to assault a wobbling,
diving, crankbait of a plug. They
called it Hot-Shotting, after the
brand of plugs that seemed tailor-
made for it — although other lures
proved just as lethal.
Lures would be let out a rather
short distance from the up-swept,
flat-bottomed driftboat (mine’s a
squared-bow version called a river
By Steve Griffin
pram), 25 to maybe 50 feet below
the boat and all the lines the same
length. Level-wind reels make
distance matching easiest, counting
passes back and forth across the
arbor; reels with counters, of
course, make it easier yet.
Rods are set in holders or held
by anglers. An oarsman holds the
drifter nearly stationary atop the
flowing waters, and then the boat
slowly works down through holding
water while the oarsman guides
it back and forth to scour all the
likely holds and haunts, sketching a
slow-motion zigzag across the river.
When strikes come, they arrive
savagely, and a fire drill sometimes
evolves as the crew works to hold
steady, move or anchor the boat,
clear other lines out of the way and
bring together the fish-busy, steel-
head-battler, a netter and a net.
The fish finally aboard, it seems
natural then (and still does) to
ponder while recovering from the
action: Did the steelhead see the
plug as a meal or a menace? You’d
11/12/2018 9:09:22 AM
 have to ask a fish to be sure, but it
seems to me the answer might be "I often laugh now at that mental image while I’m wrestling
different at different times.
Some strikes do come as you to remove from its holder a graphite rod so loaded with
work your boat and its offerings
down through shallow spots, where energy, so bowed from the savage attack of a steelhead, that
smaller creatures might offer
dinner to a fish that’s otherwise the arced stick seems stuck in the tube."
pretty much ceased feeding. But boats include Hot’n’Tots, Wee Warts, upstream to try (usually futilely) to
more often, the assault comes at the Wiggle Warts, Brad’s Wigglers, wrestle free a stuck plug. Beware
bottom of a deep hole, especially as River Rockers, and MagLips. (I’ve the skin-cutting ability of tight
winter deepens and fish settle in had takers on less likely — or at least monofilament or, especially, super
where they find slackened currents less known for pulling — offerings, lines. I like 12-pound test mono.
and the security of being relatively too, such as Bombers, Reef Runners Some go heavier.
unseen. and Shad Raps.) 6) Experiment with hooks; some
The best depths are between 2) Take the time to tune baits report the same number of hook-ups
your shortest and tallest fishing to make sure they track correctly. with a lower incidence of loss by
companions’ heights (don’t dip them If not, you’re not only wasting that removing both hooks on a standard
to test!), four to perhaps seven feet lure’s time, you’re inviting tangles plug and replacing only the bottom
deep, and slow-walk-speed currents with the others. one, sometimes with a larger treble
are ideal. 3) There are individual stars or even a single hook.
Into such winter haunts you let among clusters of lures of the same 7) Check lines more often than
your boat and baits slip down slowly make, brand, color and size. Cherish you think you should. It only takes
and carefully, letting the diving, them. But use them. (If you feel like a short strand of grass or a piece
sometimes rattling, plugs — a wall retiring one, put it on the wall – of leaf to kill your lure’s action and
of them, thanks to the matched line don’t take it in the boat. Otherwise, waste your efforts.
lengths — push the fish downstream it’s likely the first lost.) 8) Swap jobs. Rowing fights off
until, the bottom rising again, 4) Don’t be afraid to lose lures. the chills, while sitting in a drift
they’ve just had enough and smash The bottom’s a hungry beast — but, boat’s bow — unless warmed by a
the pesky, little intruder. that’s where most of the fish are. heater — does not. But here’s the
That’s when you’re as far as 5) Spool up with a line tough real reason: a drift boat’s sharp
possible from the delicate, bottom- enough to win a fight, but remember chines dig in and make the boat
bounding brand of steelhead I that greedy river bottom. You either difficult to maneuver if it’s not level.
described at the outset. want to be able to break the line A shift on the oars will make your
As in all fishing methods, there on a fouled plug or have a knife boat mate much
are variations. One can lower the handy to free it; it’s absolutely no
anchor and then raise it briefly to fun to row back
lower the lures a few feet at a time.
I’ve watched anglers split the differ-
ence, anchoring a conventional
boat and letting the lures
descend by releasing a few
feet of line at a time.
But in the main, we’re
talking about a specialized
kind of boat slowly moving down-
stream trailing a wall of wobbling
plugs. And here are some tips:
1) Pack a variety of
lures so you can match
your offering to
the location, water
conditions and fish
preferences. Each
style of plug dives and
wobbles differently,
and you want one that
works near the bottom.
Standards on Michigan drift

Fall 2018 | Michigan Out-of-Doors 51

Winter 2018-19.indd 53 11/12/2018 9:09:24 AM

 more conscious of staying centered
up front when you’re rowing.
9) Work out your own landing
strategy. In my boat, we gener-
ally drop anchor, clear lines and
battle it out — but, it gets dicey at
the end when the fish tends to lay
inert and the river current tries to
keep it downstream and just out of
net range. A friend guides his boat
into shallow, still water, sometimes
getting out in waders to close the
deal. Develop your own specialty,
but keep options open.
Speaking of nets, a year or so ago
the DNR changed the rules. There
once was a restriction on how long
the handles could be on landing nets
carried and used on trout streams,
which included many of our best
steelhead waters. That was to avoid
the illegal netting of salmon and
other fish. But that activity (like
salmon numbers themselves) has
fallen. It’s all two or three anglers
can do, to be honest, to achieve and
maintain boat position, clear the
other rods, and wage a winter battle
"This is the time of year, after all,
for plug-pulling, when the maddest
of river salmon/steelhead mayhem
has passed, a big chunk of fall
hunting is in the rear-view mirror
or soon will be and big, snow-lined
rivers beckon."
52 | www.michiganoutofdoors.com
Winter 2018-19.indd 54
with a steelhead — let alone bring
that fish aboard with a short-han-
dled net. Bravo to the move letting
us use boat-size nets for boat-sized
fish and reduce the risk of falling
overboard.
Just because you’re fishing from
a drift boat, car-topper or jet sled
set up for plug-pulling, that doesn’t
mean your game is limited to that
approach.
When we fished with charter
captain Tony Wolte in his 20-foot
jet sled on the Kalamazoo River
one fall, he coached several of
us to tend spawn-bag-baited,
center-pin rods on one side of the
boat, while he placed a couple of
plug rods in holders on the other
side. Sometimes, we’d lift a rod and
launch a bobber-delivered fight, but
just as often one of the plug lines
drew a strike, untended.
Now, we’ve taken to packing
center pin or spinning float rods,
pausing to do some drift fishing
when depth or current flow isn’t
conducive for plugs. It’s a good way
to get full value from your river
miles, but it hasn’t yet got us to
put away those Hot Shots or their
colleagues.
This is the time of year, after
all, for plug-pulling, when the
maddest of river salmon/steelhead
mayhem has passed, a big chunk
of fall hunting is in the rear-view
mirror or soon will be and big,
snow-lined rivers — the Kalamazoo,
Grand, Muskegon, Manistee, Pere
Marquette, AuSable and a dozen
more — beckon. It's the perfect
time to grab a buddy or two, share
a boat and cultivate company while
wobbling plugs stir cold-water trout
into hot action.
A few seasons ago, I noticed how
a box of plugs resembled a package
of Christmas tree lights and other
holiday ornaments — a reminder
to treat myself to a gift, a river
outing on which solitude might well
be shattered by a fish's strike so
powerful it can seem impossible to
remove the rod from its holder.
11/12/2018 9:09:25 AM
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Winter 2018-19.indd 55 11/12/2018 9:09:25 AM

 Wild
Goose Chase
By Blake Sherburne

Af·ter Work
/column/
A tribute to those who work
9-5 everyday. Your outdoor
pursuits are precious — we
hope this helps you cherish
them.

54 | www.michiganoutofdoors.com

Winter 2018-19.indd 56 11/12/2018 9:09:26 AM

 K
enny and I launched
our rented canoe at the
M-28 bridge over the Fox
River in Seney at about 10
o’clock Saturday morning, the first
of September. The float from there
to Germfask on M-77 after the Fox
joins the Manistique River was a
float fishing trip that we had talked
about for several years, originally
planning on taking our raft to make
life more comfortable and make
fishing easier and more effective. We
were dissuaded from this idea by the
kind folks at Northland Outfitters in
Germfask. The river was too tight in
the “spreads,” they said, and too full
of blow-downs everywhere else. We
chose Labor Day weekend because
of the three-day weekend. Ken had
Monday off, and I am self-employed
and was able to skip a day, should
the fishing prove to be so good that
the short, sixteen-mile float turn
into a full two-day or two-and-a-half
day affair.
I have fished the Fox since I was
in my early teens. I have written
about it before on these pages. Dad
was and is a lover of Hemingway,
and so I knew of the Fox even
though Hemingway kind of tried to
hide that he fished there and that
it fished so well by titling his story
about it “The Big Two Hearted.” He
mentions getting off the train at the
railroad bridge in Seney and hiking
up the river from there, so it does
not take much sleuthing to figure
out which river he was actually
writing about and fishing.
Dad and I had always fished
the Fox upstream from Seney, just
as Nick Adams does in the story.
It proved to be our best wild goose
chase, and we went on more than
a few. Some years, the river fished
well, exceptionally well, and some
years, we swore there was not a fish
in the stream. My fishing buddy,
Kenny, fished it with us a few times
back then, too, and he and I have
fished it together several times in
recent years. To call him a fishing
buddy is to sell our relationship a
little short. We are 37 now and have
been friends since preschool. I don’t
really remember not being friends
with Kenny.
Winter 2018-19.indd 57
In recent years, we have
started to stare downstream from
Hemingway’s railroad bridge in
Seney, wondering what monster
brookies that stretch might hold.
The river parallels M-77 pretty
consistently, but access in that
stretch proved to be very difficult.
That is how we settled on the float
idea. It took us a year to find a
weekend to go, and then that Labor
Day weekend proved rainy so we
canceled our trip, finally finding the
timing and the correct weather this
year. I knew this couple year delay
only gave the already giant Brook
Trout of my dreams a couple more
years to grow to wall-hanger status.
If there is one thing I am good at, it
is getting my hopes up.
The friendly canoe-van jockey
who dropped us off was a recent UP
transplant. He had not been living
in the Upper Peninsula for very
long and so he did not have a lot of
information about the condition of
the river or the quality of the trout
fishing. He did tell us, however, that
we would have to portage at least
six times. We were prepared for
this through what little information
our pre-trip, internet scouting had
gained us. The river below Seney
proved to be quite tight, and it was
not long before we arrived at our
first portage. The river split and
Fall 2018 | Michigan Out-of-Doors 55
Winter 2018/19 | Michigan Out-of-Doors 55
the channel that was big enough to
float a canoe and two big guys with
enough gear and beer to last for
our planned two to three days was
completely bridged by a big white
pine log that looked to have been
there since Nick Adams jumped off
the train. There was a well-worn
path around the log on river right,
and Kenny and I did not even have
to unload the canoe to drag around
it through the head-high grass. In
just a few minutes, we were back in
the river, our confidence bolstered
by successfully navigating our first
obstacle.
This was also the beginning,
apparently, of what the owner of
the canoe livery had called “the
spreads.” The Fox channelized
repeatedly and we often had to grab
onto some bank-side brush while
we decided which channel to take.
The decisions were usually pretty
obvious, and even though we had to
fight over several just submerged
logs in water that were too deep to
make it easy to leave the canoe, we
were soon out of the spreads and
ready to start throwing gear for the
giant brookies of my daydreams.
The canoeing proved to be too
tough for Kenny, in the front seat,
to get many casts out when we were
moving. We had expected this for
the first part of the float, as we knew
11/12/2018 9:09:28 AM
 "When we got in the truck at Germfask on Sunday, we estimated
that we had spent nearly half of the 16-mile float walking the
canoe over and around obstacles."
it was tight, so the plan was to stop
occasionally and make a few casts in
likely looking spots. This decision
was made easier by a sweeper tree
on the outside of one of the tight
curves that we had been navigating.
We did not flip the canoe, thankfully,
but we did ship enough water that
it was necessary to stop, dig out all
our gear and empty the water out of
the bottom of our conveyance.
At this first stop, after our gear
had been piled on the bank and our
canoe emptied out, I caught the first
Brookie of our trip. A giant it was
not, but it came quickly and struck
eagerly, promising of great things to
come.
We got back on the river, hoping
it would open up some and get easier
so Kenny could make some casts
from the front of the canoe. This
did not happen. In fact, it would
not happen until the Fox merged
with the Manistique and slowed and
56 | www.michiganoutofdoors.com
Winter 2018-19.indd 58
widened.
We stopped again, at lunchtime,
to make some sandwiches and
empty some more water out of our
canoe. We were still dry but had
shipped a little more water. A few
casts brought another strike from
another small brookie. I lost this
one, and it would prove to be the last
strike we would get on this float trip.
The six portages promised by
our new UP resident turned into
more than a dozen. The outside of
every corner was full of blow-downs
and driftwood. Anyone who knows
anything about canoeing knows
how difficult this can be. We had to
hug the inside of every corner, drag
our canoe over dead-falls, beach
and walk consistently. We were
bruised and scratched, but still
dry. Our gear was packed away in
waterproof bags so it was also dry,
and the river stayed fairly wadeable
so at no point did it feel dangerous.
Snags were navigated by a quick hop
out of the canoe and fancy foot- and
drag-work. We found a great place
to camp at about five o’clock, plenty
of time left to gather firewood and
pair some wonderful brats bought
in Kingsley, Michigan with a bottle
of gin and some tonic water Kenny
had smuggled along on the trip.
More gin followed the brats,
Kenny and I pawing ice out of a bag
reserved for just such an occasion
with dirty hands, telling ourselves
that the gin would take care of
anything that the ice transferred
from our hands to our drinks. We
were dry at a wonderful campsite
with good libations. Even though we
were virtually fishless, it was tough
to complain. Even the Giant Water
Bug that dropped out of the sky and
landed on Kenny’s chest, looking as
if it was ready to start eating, could
not dampen our spirits that night.
We knew that the canoeing would
11/12/2018 9:09:28 AM

improve along with the fishing in
the morning.
That would prove to be wishful
thinking. When we got in the
truck at Germfask on Sunday, we
estimated that we had spent nearly
half of the 16-mile float walking the
canoe over and around obstacles. I
had navigated the canoe through
more than one hole that proved to
be too deep for Kenny to wade while
he spent several hundred yards
bushwhacking the ever-present tag
Winter 2018-19.indd 59
alders. When we finished and were
settled in my truck, we smelled more
like we had been hauling Christmas
trees for two days than canoeing a
scenic Upper Peninsula river. The
guy who had delivered us to Seney
met us at the ramp at the canoe
livery. He had told Kenny that we
were the first guys he had deliv-
ered to that put-in all year. It was
no surprise, as it turned out, that
his information was a bit lacking.
Dreams of throwing terrestrial
WinterWinter
2018/192018 | Michigan
patterns to eager Brook Trout had
been so thwarted that our fly rods
had never even made it out of the
rod tube.
Getting off the river on Sunday
proved beneficial in a couple ways:
First, Kenny’s parents were still at
their cabin in Epoufette so we could
stop in after just a short drive to
wash off the stink. Also, by leaving
the Upper Peninsula Sunday, we
avoided the bridge shut down and
resulting traffic snarl caused by the
annual Labor Day Mackinac Bridge
Walk. We hit the cruise and were
home in Mesick by dark — sore and
tired and bruised with our curiosity
completely sated. Now, we are
already dreaming about next Labor
Day. We have chosen the upper
Escanaba for our next excursion.
We have sworn off canoes, maybe
forever, hoping for a stretch that will
float our raft with visions of browns
and oversized brookies dancing in
our heads. My hopes are already
climbing.
| Michigan Out-of-Doors5757
Out-of-Doors
11/12/2018 9:09:30 AM
 Drilling Holes
into Winter
By Calvin McShane

Winter 2018-19.indd 60 11/12/2018 9:09:30 AM

 W
e sat on 5-gallon buckets, and contour are easy to find — so patience and old war stories told on
endlessly lifting our rods much so it continuously begs the 5-gallon buckets.
up and down, jigging question “where to now?” I don’t Where do I fish on Lake
for whitefish we hoped liked the like to sit still, at least when I am Superior? Wherever there is safe
rhythmic movement of boiled fishing. I am always sure to get my ice. What kind of water are we
salmon eggs in 60 feet of water. My fair share of winter lounging in, fishing? Sometimes deep, other
fishing partner, who was in his 60s whether with a good book in front of times shallow. Sometimes we move
and had fished our current location the wood stove or covered in potato frantically to find active fish, and
for more years than I was alive, chip crumbs snoring on the couch, other times we bunker up in one
was chatting about his fondness so when I’m out on the ice I’m antsy. spot, shoveling piles of snow around
for arctic regions and his desire to It is always when I am stacking up the ice house for added insulation,
see Lake Baikal before he died. As half-cocked, nonsensical fishing dead set on making the best of
he said, “You know the whitefish theories when, overwhelmed with what we can right where we are.
fishing must be excellent, it’s not anxiousness, I step outside the ice The program is usually to target
like they’ve ever seen a damn jig in house to stretch my legs. There I am whitefish and splake during the
their life.” I was thinking about how reminded again of Lake Superior’s day with jigging spoons tipped with
badly my fingers and toes hurt, as dominance, thinking “where did we boiled steelhead eggs. Once dark
well as that I had zero affection for park? Where the hell is the shore- sets in, we switch over to eelpout.
anything cold at the moment. His line? Which way is north?” Back to Never heard of eelpout? What about
disposition proved to be the ticket
that day. The evidence was his
assorted harvest of splake, white-
fish and yellow perch compared to
my meager haul of a few splake that
my friend deemed easy to catch.
Our conversations that day took
place about 1000 yards off the shores
of Lake Superior on one of the few
windswept, exposed patches of ice in
the area. The air temperature was a
bit above 0 degrees and the wind was
blowing so hard its direction was
meaningless. Midwinter ice fishing
is definitely something I want to
be doing; but at the same time, it is
the last thing I want to be doing. I
ice fish for a couple valid reasons:
fresh whitefish, good company and
the fact that there is nothing else
better to do. The fishing can be good
— well I should say good enough,
with an emphasis on patience and
a penchant for sitting in one spot
for long periods of time. When the
action dies down for over an hour I
am usually on the brink of a mental
breakdown. But the death-defying
act of getting set up is enough deter-
rent to stick out the lulls in hopes
for a good nighttime burbot bite.
The scene is quite grim on
the bays and river mouths of the
Big Lake. Daylight is short, and
whether you watch the sunrise or
sunset, you’re going to spend some
time in darkness, with only the
faded orange industrial lights of far
off towns glimmering in the back-
ground. The water is vast. Depth

Winter 2018/19 | Michigan Out-of-Doors 59

Winter 2018-19.indd 61 11/12/2018 9:09:30 AM

 burbot? Lingcod? Lawyers? If not,
that's okay, I didn’t want you to
know about them anyway.
In the cover of darkness, we
wait for the burbot to move to
shallower water to feed, inter-
cepting them with big intrusive
glow spoons tipped with cut bait.
Aggressively pounding bottom and
making as much noise and racket
along the bottom is your best bet.
For appearing to be a generally laid
back fish, they sure don’t like a lot of
ruckus interrupting their nighttime
swim about. And if you’ve never
eaten a burbot, don’t bother. They
taste like all the other fish keen
anglers horde to themselves. And
lastly, under the guidance of fish-
ermen better than I, I have caught a
few cohos under the ice from time to
time. When I did, I was set up near a
river mouth and focused on the top
half of the water column with an
assortment of jigs and spoons. You
have my word, as a fisherman who
prides himself on a shallow under-
standing of honesty and keeps a
secret like his life depends on it, that
this is really all I know.
I think ice fishing is too often
60 | www.michiganoutofdoors.com
Winter 2018-19.indd 62
thought of as a beer drinking
venture — just another excuse for
a bunch of people to get together
and goof around. I won’t say that
this isn’t some portion of what’s
involved, but ice fishing is hardly an
activity meant for those looking to
blow off some steam, especially here
in God’s country. Ice fishing is for
the grizzled. It draws in unshaven
men dressed in hand-me-down wool
that have been carved out of blocks
of ice. For every 10 fishermen sitting
on a boat, under warm sunlight,
beer in hand, half-assedly watching
their bobber, there is one fisherman
pulling a sled full of gear into a
headwind through knee deep snow.
I am lucky enough to have met some
great people who make ice fishing
their expertise and their time-tested
lessons on location, technique
and persistence are sadly glossed
over in an age where numbers and
popularity have more to say in the
outdoor community.
Even though ice fishing is far
from my expertise, it is among the
many outdoor activities wherein
my interest exceeds my execution.
My younger cohorts usually have
Vexilars, depth finders and enough
hi-tech gear that their final setup
rivals the tech room at Google.
The sophistication is beyond me,
and it doesn’t take long for them
to tell me to stop asking questions
and that I really do not need to
know everything. To escape feeling
totally stupid, I prefer to wiggle my
way into the shanties of the older
gentleman whose techniques are
less refined. Their tactics, much
more simple, lean on tradition and
endurance over technology — plus,
their setups are usually way more
comfortable, with years of trial and
error behind their woodstove and
shanty rigs.
Part of the allure of Lake
Superior ice fishing is doing some-
thing most deem as crazy and
dangerous. Onlookers will say, “You
do all of that for those little fish?”
Meanwhile, those who take to
the hard water eagerly admit we
have done a lot more for far less.
We are the guys whose hands are
empty more often than our pails
are full. We seek the arduous task
of conquering ice and snow and it
inches toward cause for concern for
11/12/2018 9:09:31 AM
 loved ones. It is not fun heading out
and getting set up. During the trip,
it can be boring and unfruitful. And
finally, packing off the lake is more
of a mad dash against frostbite than
anything else. But oddly enough
hours later, sitting in a truck with
the heat cranked all the way up and
the feeling in your toes just starting
to come back, you look around at
your buds and say, “Man, that was
a lot of fun.”
Ice and snow offer no reprieve
for survival, their unending vicious
north winds make the simple task
of breathing a calculated measure.
Think braving the jungle is tough?
Come try Lake Superior’s south
shore come February and you’ll
see an unforgiving landscape that
doesn’t care if you make it or not.
Once conquered, shanties set up and
heater blaring, its the satisfaction
of conquering something bigger
than you that sets in. Punching a
Winter 2018-19.indd 63
few holes and jigging up whitefish is
just an excuse to test our toughness
as humans and escape the doldrums
of winter for a little while. All we
ask is that our loved ones look past
the reddened, frostbitten cheeks
and have the deep fryer heating up
when we come home.
I wouldn’t say I love to ice fish,
but at certain times of the year, it’s
really the only fishing to be had so
I make due. Many times, I am just
the guy tagging along annoyingly
suggesting changes in tacts without
any forethinking or knowledge
on the subject matter. My excite-
ment for ice fishing comes from
my obsession for the magnitude of
Lake Superior and the contrast of
perpetual openness to the heavily
forested landscape of the inner UP.
Endless expanses of white
stretch for what seems to be the ends
of the earth. The ice beneath my feet,
fed by a steady diet of unsharpened
Winter 2018/19 | Michigan Out-of-Doors 61
auger blades, provides a rooftop to
the unknown black abyss, a riveting
dichotomy to the air above. Probing
the depths in 8-inch cylinders, we
pimple snow drifts and ice sheets,
patterning an otherwise patternless
world. I’ve never been to Siberia,
but I imagine it can look a lot like
the south shore mid-winter. The
reasons for braving such horrid
conditions are reasons anchored in
relativity: Relative to the warmth
and comfort of the woodstove. But
ultimately, relative to the boredom
and anxiousness of cabin fever, ice
fishing the big lake is a damn good
excuse to get together with friends,
catch a few fish for the pan, tell old
stories and run back home to the
warmth of the woodstove.
11/12/2018 9:09:31 AM

Ice-Fishing School
E
nglish? No. Math? Not quite.
History? Forget it. Life
science and biology, on the
other hand — where I could
get touchy-feely with beakers, open
flame and dissecting critters, as well
spend time in the field looking for
life in peculiar places — were classes
I conquered. In short, school never
came easy for me unless there were
a lot of hands-on lessons during the
classes I was taking.
Perhaps it’s the similar
pro-activeness of Mark Martin’s
Ice-Fishing Vacation/Schools why I
have attended so many of the events
over the past two decades. Oh, sure,
I’m there as media to capture photos
and create stories, but the bonus is
the knowledge I’ve gained when it
comes to catching a multitude of fish
species through a hole in the ice, as
well understanding the nuances of
sonar and GPS better, all the while
staying safe and warm while on a
frozen facade. And it’s been worth
every trip.
62 | www.michiganoutofdoors.com
Winter 2018-19.indd 64
The Real
Lessons of
Thus, I can see why the schools
have become so popular.
Recently, I was chatting with
Martin and asked how the idea of
getting himself surrounded by a
staff of other like-minded profes-
sional anglers came to be. Why teach
a handful of students the basics and
beyond when it comes to catching
fish while ice fishing, as well why he
goes through so much work for very
little compensation? The answers
were deeper in meaning than I
expected.
In the beginning
First, understand who Mark
Martin is.
In the late 1980s, he was working
three full-time gigs: an employee at
a steel manufacturing plant, fishing
as a walleye tournament pro (using
all his vacation time to travel and
fish the derbies), as well guiding for
walleye on Muskegon Lake at night
all near his hometown of Muskegon,
By David Rose
Michigan — where he still resides
today.
After winning In-Fisherman’s
Professional Walleye Trail’s (PWT)
first-ever Championship in 1990,
he knew if he was going to make a
career out of fishing he’d have to
jump headfirst into the scene. He did
so by quitting the steel mill, slowed
up on guiding and started fishing
three different tournament trails.
Soon, however, he started focusing
solely on the PWT’s East and West
divisions exclusively. And it was
during that time he also started
teaching others to fish.
“But the idea of creating a fishing
school was not my doing,” Martin
said. “Not too long before my perma-
nent move into professional fishing,
I had teamed up with my mentor,
walleye-fishing legend Gary Roach
(aka: Mr. Walleye), helping him out
with events that he would put on for
outdoor TV and radio folks, as well
writers and photographers. And we
11/12/2018 9:09:32 AM
 were working with Al Lindner and those ‘ah-ha!’ moments, which they’ll it’s not just increased overnights in
other folks at In-Fisherman at the remember forever, and which the hotels and cabins and more people
same time. The first year was 1988, odds will then be in their favor when sitting down in a restaurant, but the
I do believe, and by 1991, I started it comes to catching fish on their community working together, real-
working alongside Gary full-time, home waters,” Bentley continued. izing it’s the healthy environment
not just helping out.” The same holds true for Martin, of the waterways they’re located by
Skip a few years into the future too. But it’s not just giving back the that are creating a good economy.
and it was the information that was knowledge he and his pro staffers It’s a win-win situation all the way
being passed on by the outdoor media have to others, however; it’s the around.”
that had folks contacting them, as addition of knowing he’s creating “Both fishing and hunting are
well Martin, asking how they could better fisheries by exposing some of becoming less popular sports, and
join in on the events. That’s when the larger bodies of water that can schools like the Ice-Fishing Vacation/
he knew it was time to involve the handle the fishing pressure. School help spark interest, whether
public. And over time, what is now “When lakes become fishing it’s the students coming to fish the
known as the “Ice-Fishing Vacation/ destinations, the fishery may not school or others who heard the event
School” was underway. Since, up to only improve because of increased was coming to town,” Martin said.
three events per ice-fishing season stocking and the like, but the commu- “Fishing is enriching to me, I want to
have taken place all over the frozen nities surrounding them become help the sport continue to be what it
waterways throughout Michigan. stronger, to boot,” Martin said. “And can be. I want to know that this Mark
But it’s not just Martin who does all
the teaching; he’s assembled more
than a dozen pro staffers who work
with students one-on-one during
each school.
Pat Bentley, of Bear Lake,
Michigan, is one such Ice-Fishing
Vacation/School pro staffer. He actu-
ally started out as a student when the
school was being held on the Lower
Peninsula’s Lake Cadillac and Lake
Mitchell.
“I wanted to learn to catch more
fish on the lakes near my home; so
I signed up to absorb all I could,”
Bentley said. “And that’s exactly
what happened… I learned a ton,
which put the odds in my favor, and
wouldn’t you know it, I understood
what I needed to do and started
catching more fish from those days
on.”
But Martin realized Bentley
knew more about fishing than the
average Joe and was a perfect candi-
date for becoming pro staff because
of his personality and ability to work
with and teach others. The following
year, Bentley started officially
mentoring others during the schools.
“I do it for a few different
reasons. First, it’s fun! I’ve become
close friends with the other pro staff
and media people, even some of the
students, and we even fish together
when we’re not teaching at the
schools,” Bentley said.
“But the real reason is helping
out others who might have been like
me; someone who just needs to find

Winter 2018/19 | Michigan Out-of-Doors 63

Winter 2018-19.indd 65 11/12/2018 9:09:32 AM

 the ice.
As I write this, three ice-fishing
schools are scheduled for 2019,
with the state’s largest inland lake,
Houghton Lake, starting the streak
January 6 through 9 with a multi-spe-
cies event. The second school will be
held on Lake Huron’s ever-popular
Saginaw Bay for walleyes and perch,
with the occasional whitefish, lake
trout and northern pike; the official
date is yet to be determined. The
last school is leaning towards a new
location, in which the many species
of Mullet Lake may be the target.
Information on cost, equipment
needed and the exact dates and
locations can be found at fishingva-
cationschool.com and Martin’s
personal website at markmartins.
net.

made his mark in fishing by creating

a passion for it.”
One other thing Martin said
is it’s the knowledge of everyone,
students included, at each and every
school that creates a great learning
experience. He acquires something
new at every one. His staff picks up
something new at every one. And, of
course, the students, as well.
“Because fishing is becoming less
popular, it gets harder and harder
for people to find other like-minded
people to fish with,” Martin adds.
“So many students have become
good friends after attending and fish
together for years after their on-ice
experience. The school is also a great
place to make new friends that last a
lifetime.”

No need for a No. 2 pencil

Mark Martin’s Ice-Fishing
Vacation/Schools consists of four
days, with the first being a seminar
day put on by all the instructors for
students and the public alike. Days
two and three are full days on the ice,
with Martin and pro staffers circu-
lating around to the students. The
day ends with everyone sharing the
happenings of their day after a full,
hot meal. Day four is a half day on

64 | www.michiganoutofdoors.com

Winter 2018-19.indd 66 11/12/2018 9:09:34 AM

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Winter 2018/19 | Michigan Out-of-Doors 65

Winter 2018-19.indd 67 11/12/2018 9:09:36 AM

 River to Table:
An Act of
Respect
I
like to think of myself as a
pretty good woodsman — the
type of person whose relation-
ship with the out of doors moves
beyond just fishing and hunting.
A woodsman is someone with not
only knowledge of the forest, but
the wisdom to respect it. Caring for
all things beyond fish and game, a
woodsman is someone who knows
nothing exists independently. I have
been adamant in my idea the term
‘nature’ only serves as a linguistic
distinction, and all things human
beings do can be understood as
natural. On the other hand, I do
recognize there are places that are
relatively unaffected by the human
form. I also recognize these wild
places need to be protected, which
means they not only be set aside but,
when interacting with them, our
behavior managed. When it comes
to hunting, the primary behavior
managed is the taking of game —
when, how and how much. Fishing
is managed similarly; however,
66 | www.michiganoutofdoors.com
Winter 2018-19.indd 68
in fishing there happens to be the
opportunity to release fish — a fact
that makes ethics in angling a pecu-
liar idea.
I have fished all around the state
for nearly every species Michigan
has to offer, and over the span of
my life, my fishing ethics have
By Calvin McShane
changed. In my youth, I under-
stood fishing to mean not only the
catching of fish but the killing and
eventual eating of them. I grew up
valuing certain species over others.
Walleye and perch were prized fish,
while sheepshead were a nuisance.
Obviously, these ideas came from
understanding fish solely in terms
of food. I grew older and my fishing
adventures led me to trout, salmon
and steelhead. I was eventually
persuaded to put these species on a
pedestal and proceeded to become
one of those elitist, know-it-alls, who
criticized anyone who didn’t prac-
tice the holiest of customs — catch
and release. I can remember often
taking an unreasonable amount of
time to handle and revive a steel-
head, when not moments later I
would aggressively and carelessly
unhook a redhorse sucker, surely
endangering an otherwise innocent
fish. Ultimately buying only the
highest-end craft beer and flash-
iest of fishing wear began to take a
11/12/2018 9:09:38 AM
 serious toll on my wallet, and I was
forced to again reimagine how it
was I thought about fish — thinking
deeply about the value of all fish,
not just some fish.
As a hunter, I find it a grave
sin to waste meat. My hunting life
is partly meaningless if not for the
wild game it provides seeing I regu-
larly choose my rod and reel over
my rifle. I am inclined to think the
act of killing and consuming game
leads to a respect unknown by those
who choose not to partake in such
actions, and I am certain when it
comes to wildlife, we as people hold
some creatures more valuable than
others. We hunt grouse, but the idea
of hunting a bluejay just doesn’t
jive with the modern-day American.
The thing about hunting is its true
significance comes from its finite-
ness. I suppose this is why hunters
place such an importance on eating
what they kill. Yet, many of these
same hunters, my past self included,
don’t bat an eye on catching and
releasing countless trout — quickly
forgetting the respect gained in the
acts of killing and consuming.
In the spectrum of food
consumption, hunters and anglers
sit at an interesting position. We
care for fish and wildlife in a way
that means we not only want them
on the landscape, but we also want
to interact with them. However,
choosing not to passively watch fish
and game from afar does not mean
we are to carelessly abuse resources
with no regard for their value
outside of our desires — that is to
say fish and wildlife have a value
beyond what we bestow upon them
due the simple fact that whether
or not we can interact with them,
we still desire their existence. The
answer to this problem in the fishing
community is the practice of catch
and release, specifically species we
as fisherman have deemed worth-
while. I worry about the latter part
of this idea mainly because it takes
the practice of catch and release
fishing and partly divorces it from
its function as a choice in a specific
instance. Instead, it becomes a prin-
ciple to govern all circumstances,
where we wipe our hands clean,
Winter 2018-19.indd 69
"I am inclined to think the act of killing and consuming game
leads to a respect unknown by those who choose not to partake
in such actions, and I am certain when it comes to wildlife, we as
people hold some creatures more valuable than others."
claim righteousness and act like we and fishing; however, this does not
have completely ridden ourselves of mean our work as outdoorsmen and
any culpability when it comes to the women ends when we take off our
health of a fishery. boots. An outdoors person who does
I don’t believe you can appre- not continuously contemplate their
ciate the warmth of a fire fully if ethics is an person without any
you’ve never struggled to build one. I ethics at all. As anglers, when we’ve
then assume there is serious knowl- wrangled a fish to shore, there is
edge to be gained in getting your a choice to be made: to kill or not
hands dirty and communicating to kill. Both choices must be done
with landscapes through hunting with the utmost reverence informed
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11/12/2018 9:09:39 AM
 by serious reflection. In my own
experience, I have come to realize
the significance in having a hand in
the food I consume; an idea I think
lends itself to anglers in a way that
being a strictly catch-and-release
angler cannot.
As I say a lot in my writing, I
don’t like the act of fishing to be
solely about me. The consumption
of fish, albeit can be an ego booster,
is a communal action meant to
deconstruct selfishness. Talking,
eating, gathering — it is what we do
as humans. And the value we place
on species, locations and ethics
hardly has to do with what the fish
wants and deals mostly with what
we want. Fish don’t have desires.
They don’t make decisions to be
invasive, native, stocked or wild.
They don’t have preferences on
what sorts of things fool them into
eating. I am sure if they did have
Winter 2018-19.indd 70
desires, being hooked in the mouth
and dragged out of the water would
not be amongst them. The releasing
of a fish and the almighty self-righ-
teous feeling it gives an angler is as
egotistical as it is ethical.
I am not advocating for the
abandonment of catch and release
fishing; however, I am advocating
for the understanding that killing
and consuming fish is a part of
the sport. We as anglers should
neither abuse the resource nor
aimlessly designate the value of
certain species. We should neither
kill fish for the macho sensibility
nor should we let fish go for reasons
entirely caught up with our egos. It
is about the responsibility to involve
ourselves with a resource mindfully
and holistically. The health of a
fishery should inform anglers on
their harvesting practices. Whether
an angler releases or keeps a fish
should be a decision done so with
not only the individual fish or meal
in mind, but the fishery as a whole.
For centuries, humans ate
exclusively what they hunted, fished
and grew. Over time, we eventually
became severely divorced from the
violence and seriousness of food
acquisition. Hunters and anglers, in
an attempt to bridge that gap, have
discovered the communal tradition
of eating fish and game. I have this
theory the nostalgia brought upon
by traditions such as these don’t
elicit new emotions, but rather bring
us to sentiments held deep inside all
human beings. The camaraderie
shared within the ritual of eating
foods our hands had a part in brings
us together with those around as
well as those who became before us
in a sacred collapsing of time.
Those who abuse the resource
through over-harvest or blindly
11/12/2018 9:09:41 AM
 "I suppose this is why hunters place such an importance on eating what they kill. Yet, many of
these same hunters, my past selfincluded, don’t bat an eye on catching and releasing countless
trout — quickly forgetting the respect gained in the acts of killing and consuming."
practice catch and release both When I do kill a fish, I handle a sportsman or woman. The sights
operate under the idea that we are it properly. I am sure to use it to its and sounds of cooking fish live
rulers of our domain. I do not think full extent and share its bounty with with me as much as the fish itself.
we sit above our landscapes, but those around me. I think fondly to Like all existence, a fish’s life can be
rather stand at eye level with them, my next beer-battered whitefish, meaningful in life and death. As I
and I think now is the time to recon- bluegill tacos and broiled, ruby-red take from the earth, I must have the
nect with our world in an entirely rainbow trout — I look forward foreknowledge to give back. I give
different manner — as anglers, to the collapsing of time of both back in time, money, reflection and,
in its simplest form. Sometimes, I man and resource. Even when I am ultimately, respect — respect for the
keep fish; other times, I let fish go. alone, fresh off a tiny brook trout memories, lessons and life spent out
In either instance, I do so in respect stream with a few keepers in my of doors.
because regardless of what I do, my creel, I feel totally fulfilled. Onions
actions have an unavoidable effect from the garden, blueberries from
on the resource. In both harvest the fields and brook trout from the
and release, I do so with the foun- stream on my plate remind me that
dation that the fish are there for I am enjoying a meal that soothes
more than my entertainment and my palate and puts me in the inti-
consumption. mate arena of what it means to be

Winter 2018/19 | Michigan Out-of-Doors 69

Winter 2018-19.indd 71 11/12/2018 9:09:42 AM

 Michigan
Trappers
I
magine standing in the
outdoors, as it is hot and sticky
during early September, when
all of a sudden a northern gust
of cool, autumn air sweeps through
and gives your spirit a much-needed,
fresh breath. Trapping seasons are
quickly approaching and fishing
season is winding down. For it
might be said that you have a passion
for only one outdoor sport; but for
many of us, the Michigan outdoors
is our way of life, and without it,
we would lose who we are at heart.
Michigan outdoorsmen and women
should never stop seeking their
driving force for obstacles that may
arise — for it is what we choose to do
with them that truly defines us.
For the next generation, tech-
nology is outweighing nature. If
things don’t come easy or with quick
money, the next generation is less
likely to seek the outdoor way of
life. Generations back, teens would
go trapping to earn some gas money:
a job of sorts. The teens today don’t
want to trap because it requires
work and “there isn’t money in it.”
Let’s play devil’s advocate
and think about how Michigan
outdoorsmen and women pay to fish
and pay to hunt without complaint.
No matter the costs involved, the
70 | www.michiganoutofdoors.com
Winter 2018-19.indd 72
return is usually the same, either
meat in the freezer or a bragging
right. The hunters and anglers are
not giving up their passion because
they are not capitalizing financially.
They still do what they choose to do,
within their means, because they
love it.
What is missing when it comes
to trapping? The answer that you
are more often to hear than not
is that the fur prices are not what
they used to be. It takes a little more
effort to gain a larger profit, but
there is a return if you know where
to find it. Unfortunately, it must be
said that the trapping tradition is
failing to be passed down. Traps can
be retired, left hanging, unused and
untouched, on barn walls for years,
even generations and still be better
than new. They will still catch fur
with little to no effort. Some furs
require a little bit more care, but it’s
time to take down those old traps
and set your line.
There is a greater service
that trappers and hunters provide,
though. It’s in the realm of
conservation. When animals are
not harvested for the use of fur
or because the fur values are low,
populations are allowed to multiply
without hindrance. Maintaining
By Missi Martineau
wildlife populations helps to lessen
the chances of a disease outbreak
and unwanted human interactions.
Look at the raccoon, for instance.
A sow can have up to eight kits per
year. That is a huge population
increase, and rabies and distemper
could potentially run rampant.
While some would argue that is
just nature taking its course, it’s
important to realize that all of
those animals would go completely
to waste due to a disease that
could have been minimalized with
adequate population control.
While it’s possible to wipe
out a small area with over-hunting
or trapping, there will always be
transients that repopulate that same
area over a period of time. That is
why it is important for hunters and
trappers to stay educated and keep
working together. Even skunks and
opossums have their place in the fur
market, they just have a reputation
that follows them that they cannot
shake. So, if we work together,
maintaining healthy furbearer
populations and frequenting the
local fur sales, we will have done
what we can do to make sure that
the trapping tradition gains ground
and stays healthy for the genera-
tions that follow.
11/12/2018 9:09:42 AM
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Winter 2018/19 | Michigan Out-of-Doors 71

Winter 2018-19.indd 73 11/12/2018 9:09:43 AM

 For their Service
13th Annual Tails-A-Waggin' Veterans Hunt

E
ven before the first drop of coffee falls to the pot, the
low rumble of the side-by-sides begin to break the
still of the chilly, dark morning. It's Friday morning,
and in just a couple short hours, veterans from all over
the state and from all walks of life will be ready to hit
the fields at Tails-A-Waggin' Acres in Marion for the 13th
annual veterans pheasant hunt.

www.veteranshunt.org By Dave Veldman

Much of the work, though, started long before this early, wake-up call. The team of volunteers
that put the boots on the ground have been hard at work for months preparing for the big
dance. Leading up to the opening ceremonies, details ranging from taking registrations down
to making sure the yard is meticulously manicured have been taken care of by people who are
personally invested in this annual tribute to our nation's heroes. We are proud to boast that there
were more than 200 men and women giving their time in and out of the field to pull this event
together. When the first hunter steps into the field, they are shown honor by the prideful work of
many hands.

Winter 2018-19.indd 74 11/12/2018 9:09:45 AM

 Over the course of four days, more than 300 military, fire, police and first responders were
treated to not only a free pheasant hunt, but the camaraderie and support that can only be
found in a community of fellow veterans. One of the key goals is to ensure that every hunter
feels welcome and a part of something bigger than just their time in the field hunting pheasant.
The team of people that work behind the scenes are integral to making it all come together.

Winter 2018/19 | Michigan Out-of-Doors 73

Winter 2018-19.indd 75 11/12/2018 9:09:47 AM

 As the sun is still contemplating its illumination of the horizon, the flight pen is a flutter with birds
being arranged for six fields of hunters. A single work light guides the setting up of tables,
chairs and the registration station. Work commences with little orchestration as everyone
understands their roll. This year, in particular, the pressure is on as the anticipation of the CH-47
Chinook helicopter’s arrival for the opening ceremonies fuels the frenzy.

Figures draped in orange begin to populate the dimly lit barnyard. As the fields are being set,
and final preparations are being made for the flag raising ceremony, a welcoming atmosphere
begins to take shape. Field guides begin to filter in with their four-legged friends in expectancy
of a rewarding day in the field. This isn’t a customer-client type situation, though. These men
and women, some of whom served our country themselves, are here to serve. They are here
because they understand the need for a simple, escaping time like this: time to connect, yet time
away from the normal. It's a mental interruption among unknown friends.

Winter 2018-19.indd 76 11/12/2018 9:09:49 AM

 The distant 'thwaps' of the impending chinook are
greeted by a crowd of joyful eagerness…and a few
phones trained on the sky. As the chopper approaches,
an honor guard of four marches forth with solidarity.
The stars and stripes are held high and in the center. The
symbol for which every hero here has stood in defense
of now slowly raises into the morning sky. A single
voice initiates the singing of the National Anthem. Men
and women join chorus, some in salute, others hand
over heart as Ol’ Glory unfurls in the gentile morning
breeze. It is the moments like this that make the efforts
of each volunteer pause in reverence to the real reason
they are here — service. Service to one other. Service to
those who have served our nation.

The first hunters of the weekend begin their approaches to the fields. Some charge forth,
while others still plagued by injuries of wars past, find themselves assisted by caddies and
aided by track-driven chairs. All head to the field to be treated to a day of honor and, most
importantly, fun. It’s the simple smile on the face of a vet after harvesting his first pheasant in
decades that affirms every ounce of energy put into this great event.

Winter 2018-19.indd 77 11/12/2018 9:09:50 AM

 Finding a
bit of Heaven
in a Michigan
Winter By Andy Duffy
E veryone should have such a
Shangri-La.
It didn’t look like much.
Never, in fact, has a Shangri-La
looked more prosaic.
It was a regenerating clear-cut
that probably covered a mere 20
acres or so. Its edges were scraggly
and uneven. Through Michigan’s
gray winters, the place had a mono-
chromatic aura. The thick stuff
springing up where the old-growth
forest had been logged off was a mix
of aspen and red maple. There, gray
skies morphed into gray tree trunks
and nearly gray snow. The place was
an incubator for seasonal affective
disorder.
Even apart from its aesthetics,
the place had a sketchy pedi-
gree. Hares and aspen seem to go
together just as grouse and aspen
do. However, I’ve never found many
hares in young stands of red maple.
In my Shangri-La, though, maples Whether on public land or private (but usually on the little piece of paradise in
outnumbered the aspen. A freshman the state forest), hare hunting offered the author a time of pleasant diversion that
forestry student at a second-rate helped him through dreary Michigan winters.
academy could have drawn up better
hare habitat using cheap artists’ more hares. But I didn’t need larger. cruel when people keep dogs who
charcoal, a water-stained sketch pad The pint-sized piece of paradise long to hunt and deny them the
and a rickety easel. served me just fine. opportunity. I know how much I
The little plot of scrubby saplings The clear cut stood on state would like to be locked up in a cell
sat among mature timber, woods property not far from my home. I with no opportunity to hunt. So, I got
worthless for hares. Featuring the could drive to it in 20 minutes. The my beagle to the woods when I had
same pastel shades as the nearby trip included probably 10 minutes the chance. Emulating John Denver
young forest, even the older forest of slow driving on the forest roads. and his fiddle-playing proclivities,
was depressing. Somehow, though, I spent two magical winters hunting I hunted when I could and worked
a handful of hares had discovered the tract. when I should. Oftentimes, though,
the little bit of paradise sitting in I had a wife and young children I my hunting was confined to a couple
the large timber and decided to call dearly loved spending time with and of Sunday afternoon hours whose
it home. a job that kept me busy too many shredded edges were torn from the
Other nearby regenerating cuts hours. I also had a beagle. I wanted fabric of a busy life. Church would
were larger and perhaps held many to be fair to her. I find it pathetically be over, Sunday dinner behind us

76 | www.michiganoutofdoors.com

Winter 2018-19.indd 78 11/12/2018 9:09:51 AM

 and the dishes done.
By January, Christmas would
be but a memory. The Lions’ season
would be, too, but winter, long
and cold, would be just beginning.
The kids and I would watch a few
minutes of whatever playoff game
was on, though, before I decided I’d
had enough of domesticity. Then
I would grab the dog and a .22 and
head for the woods. I had an old,
beat-up Nissan that got me to my
grove. There, I would turn my dog
loose and wait.
Rosie was my beagle. I never
should have had her. I was as
poor as a church mouse. At least I
thought I was, and even Rosie’s dog
food seemed like an extravagance at
times. But I was crazy for beagles.
So was a friend of mine. Both of
us, as I recall, were between dogs
when Rosie entered my life. My
friend wanted to get a pup out of
a line of Kentucky beagles he was
familiar with. He talked several
friends into anteing up $60 each
for him to go buy a female pup. He
would later get the girl bred and
repay with a pup those who contrib-
uted to his purchase.
I wasn’t ready to cough up the
$60 yet when a pup was ready for my
friend in Kentucky. Christmas was
coming, and I had other things in
mind for the cash. As Robert Service
wrote, though, a promise made is a
debt unpaid. I wrote out the check.
My friend’s dog was a good one,
too. He got her bred, and a litter
of pups arrived. Details elude me,
but I wasn’t ready for a pup from
that litter, either. I kept assuring
my friend that I would wait for the
next litter for my reimbursement.
He wouldn’t hear of that, though.
A little beagle soon resided at my
house.
We called her Rosie. It wasn’t a
name I would have picked. What’s
in a name, though? A beagle by
"By January, Christmas would be but a memory. The Lions’ season
would be, too, but winter, long and cold, would be just beginning.
The kids and I would watch a few minutes of whatever playoff game
was on, though, before I decided I’d had enough of domesticity."
Winter 2018-19.indd 79
Even with young children in their home, the author's wife, Mandy, occasionally
accompanied him on his wintertime jaunts. Although Mandy preferred a shotgun,
Duffy used his .22 with the understanding that many hares would live to be run
another day.
any name would be as sweet. I had
a hunting dog; someone else in
the family had the satisfaction of
choosing a name.
And just as her mama was, Rosie
turned out to be a pretty good dog.
Oh, not at first.
I would hunt her solo, of course. I
was satisfied with her performance.
I knew she wasn’t a great dog, but I
thought she was pretty good.
When I would hunt her with
other dogs, her deficiencies glared.
She was slow. She puttered on a
track. Perhaps my friends’ dogs
intimidated her, but she wouldn’t
pack up. Long after a rabbit and the
other dogs had gone by a hunter,
Rosie would come along pecking
away at the cold track.
I was slow to witness any great
improvement in her performance.
After a few years, though, I couldn’t
beg off Saturday hunts with my
friends. The day of the week I tried
to set aside for family activities often
Winter 2018/19 | Michigan Out-of-Doors 77
found me in the woods. My pal who
collected the funds to purchase her
mama told me that hunts just went
better when Rosie was along.
She didn’t have a better nose
than some of the other dogs in our
collective pack. One of the dogs
was the greatest beagle I’ve ever
seen. But Rosie seemed to have a
sixth sense where rabbits were
concerned. She could often unravel
a trail when the other dogs were
stymied. She helped hold our pack
together.
My friends didn’t hunt hares
often. We had access to a pine plan-
tation with lots of cottontails. So
on Saturday’s, I hunted cottontails
with them. They didn’t hunt
on Sundays. Less pure than they,
I would. That was one difference
between my Baptist background
and their strict Methodism. So, on
Sunday afternoons, I would head to
my scanty plot of ground where the
hares ran.
Ah, yes, that scanty plot of
ground.
I’m not a William Wordsworth
fanatic or anything. Some of the
words he wrote, though, just reso-
nate with me. “The world is too
much with us,” wrote Wordsworth.
I agreed.
11/12/2018 9:09:52 AM

The author didn’t take many hares from his Shangri-La. Each one a person takes
is one fewer for his dog to run, and the place couldn’t take a lot of pressure. Each
hare, though, was a treasure.
The poet, of course, when he
wrote those words, was tormented
by the direction the French
Revolution had taken. Because of
the way the industrial revolution
had distanced people from nature,
he mourned it, too. Trapped in a job
I felt ill suited for and unhappy with
so many aspects of my life, I felt an
affinity for Wordsworth’s words.
And I fretted at the narrow room
78 | www.michiganoutofdoors.com
Winter 2018-19.indd 80
I thought I was living in at the time.
I wasn’t content with such a cell.
Neither my job nor my life allowed
me any time for being pensive in the
manner of Wordsworth’s hypothet-
ical students. Besides, I was bored
with pensiveness. What I needed in
my life was some time away from
the constant pressure of my job.
I’m pretty certain I wasn’t suffering
from clinical depression, but life
often seemed as bleak and dark as
the wintertime woods.
The scanty plot of ground that
was my hare woods, though, was my
refuge. Other hunters apparently
hadn’t stumbled across it. Or, if
they had, they must have bypassed
it for the larger tracts of hare-
holding cover in the vast wildness
that comprises that particular state
forest. I seldom saw another person
there. Neither did I see any evidence
that others had visited while I was
absent from it. And, of course, hares
were always there.
I knew that on such a small
parcel, hunters could easily take all
the hares. I was much more inter-
ested in having hares to run than
hares for food. That was one reason
why I chose a .22 for my weapon. I
was sure to limit my kill.
So, Sunday afternoons through
January, February and into March
found me at my Shangri-La. I would
drive Rosie into the forest and turn
her loose. She would find a trail
and begin to bay. I would stand and
wait for a hare to come by. A rough,
stress-filled work week would be
coming up, but there in the woods, I
would find brief solace.
It is difficult to explain to anyone
who has never hunted rabbits with
a beagle exactly how hunts go. That
is partly because, no doubt, no two
hunts are alike. It is also because
of a person’s preconceived notions.
Most non-hunters probably envi-
sion a beagle sight-chasing a rabbit
around in circles. Or, at a minimum,
they probably think a dog gets on
a rabbit trail and is constantly not
far behind the rabbit while driving
it along.
Instead, a hunt is often full
of checks and pauses. A check is
rabbit-hunting lingo for those times
when the dog or dogs have lost a
track and they’re casting around
trying to find it. Dogs often lose
tracks for any number of reasons.
Sometimes a rabbit might run
across a surface that has poor scent-
holding qualities. A rabbit might
double back on its trail. They some-
times travel through tiny culverts
or swim across ponds.
Hare hunting adds an additional
11/12/2018 9:09:53 AM
 twist that cottontail hunting doesn’t
have. Hares are nearly invisible
with snow on the ground. In fact, I
well remember the time one worked
its way by me and I was unable to
get off a shot.
I had a scoped .22 along that
afternoon. I saw the rabbit coming
when it was still 50 yards off. I shoul-
dered my rifle and tried to find it in
my reticle. The rabbit had stopped,
and I couldn’t see it. The creatures
blend in with their surroundings
that well. I lowered my gun. As if on
cue, the rabbit hopped toward me.
Every time it stopped, it just disap-
peared. When it moved, I didn’t have
my rifle up. Eventually, it was gone.
But that’s the way hunting with
dogs often goes. Non-hunters who
have this conception of rabbits (or
hares) running along with a dog
right behind them really have no
idea of how things normally work.
Those who think hunting is
about getting meat to eat are as
wrong as those who think fishing
is. We can live easily on vegetarian
diets. There are more efficient ways
to get wild game and fish than
by using the methods we use for
sport hunting or angling. Instead,
hunting and fishing are ways to get
us back to nature – and, of course,
a way to soothe away the cares that
infest our souls. So, I would listen
to Rosie’s baying. I would take aim
if a hare came by. But mostly, I was
just bathing my body in the healing
balms of solitude and nature to
prepare me for the week ahead.
As the weeks passed, the days
grew longer. The snow would
recede. Sometimes a March expedi-
tion would turn sunny. With winter
drawing to a close, my depression A scanty plot of ground was enough to help the author make it through a couple of
would lessen. I would look forward dreary winters. Everyone should have such a place of refuge.
to spring and more outdoor activi-
ties. My mood would brighten with nights are long and the weather is with my old .22 waiting for a hare to
the weather. My little bit of paradise cold, my mind travels back to my come hopping by. Once again, I’m
got me through a dreary time. little piece of heaven. Then I hop in finding solace in that scanty plot
After a couple of seasons, an old truck and head for the forest of ground. And with each passing
though, my Shangri-La was gone. with a tri-colored beagle named reverie brings us that much closer
The saplings became young trees. Rosie in tow. We leap from the to spring.
Surviving hares moved to greener vehicle together, she with a glossy
pastures. Then, Rosie passed away. coat free of gray and I with a lighter
Time was the serpent that slithered step than I’ve had for many a year
into my garden and destroyed it all. now. Before long, Rosie is hot on a
Each winter, though, when the trail. I stand at the edge of the cover

Winter 2018/19 | Michigan Out-of-Doors 79

Winter 2018-19.indd 81 11/12/2018 9:09:54 AM

 Adopt-A-Game Area:
Pheasants
By Ben Beaman Pheasants Forever MI Coordinating
Wildlife Biologist

Winter 2018-19.indd 82 11/12/2018 9:09:54 AM

 I
t’s no secret that grasslands are
one of the fastest disappearing
ecosystems on the planet,
and Michigan has been no
exception to this rule. Historically,
Southern Michigan was dominated
by a patchwork of tallgrass prairie,
oak savanna and woodlands. Called
the “Prairie/Hardwood Transition”,
this habitat mosaic was maintained
by periodic wildfires and deliberate
burns set by Native Americans. It
may be hard to believe now, but
this landscape once supported such
iconic grassland species as Plains
Bison, Greater Prairie Chickens,
and others that are exclusively
associated with the American Great
Plains today.
After settlement of this region
by Europeans, the productive soils
and relative lack of trees made
grasslands prime candidates for
conversion to agriculture. As
more and more native prairie
fell to the plow, the bison and
other species dependent on large
expanses of grass disappeared from
Winter 2018-19.indd 83
the region. But the small family
farms that replaced these major
grassland complexes, along with
the still-abundant remnant grass-
lands, provided an opportunity for
a different community of species
to thrive. Many species found this
new, more varied landscape to be
ideal habitat, including Bobwhite
Quail, Cottontail Rabbits and, later,
Ring-necked Pheasants.
Pheasants first arrived in
Michigan in 1895, following
successful establishment of the
species in other parts of the U.S.
Originally from China, pheasants
thrived in the diverse landscape of
early 1900s Michigan. They fared so
well that Michigan hosted its first
pheasant season in 1925, and by
the middle part of the 20th century,
Michigan pheasant hunters were
routinely harvesting over 1 million
pheasants a year.
But things began to change for
pheasants, and their grassland/
farmland wildlife compatriots, in
the last quarter of the 20th century.
Winter 2018/19 | Michigan Out-of-Doors 81
Increasing domestic and interna-
tional demand for grain spurred
changes to agriculture that would
dramatically change the landscape
in a relatively short period of time.
Crop rotations grew less and less
diverse, agricultural technology
improved at an astounding rate and
idled fields became a thing of the
past. The treeless nature of grass-
lands that made them easy targets
for conversion during Michigan’s
settlement once again spelled doom
for most of Michigan’s remaining
prairies. Together with suppres-
sion of wildfires on the landscape,
this quick conversion to intensive
agriculture led to the mostly dichot-
omous landscape of row crops and
mature woodlands that covers most
of Southern Michigan today.
Despite this extensive habitat
loss, pheasants have hung on in
Michigan, albeit in much lower
numbers, where pockets of suit-
able habitat still exist. Isolated
grasslands provided through
Federal Farm Bill Programs, like
11/12/2018 9:09:54 AM
 the Conservation Reserve Program
(CRP), still support healthy and
huntable populations of pheas-
ants for those who have access
to them. And many state-owned
properties (State Game Areas, State
Wildlife Areas, and State Parks)
that prioritize establishment and
maintenance of native grasslands
support healthy populations as well.
However, because the abundance
and quality of these grasslands is
determined largely by funding (CRP
acreage caps, DNR budgets, etc.)
they are far from protected. In fact,
grasslands and grassland wildlife
probably face more threats today
than they ever have. Habitat loss is
still occurring, and indirect threats
like deer diseases require time and
money to address; time and money
that may have otherwise been spent
on habitat.
But it’s not all doom and
gloom. New opportunities exist to
combat these trends in the state of
Michigan. This past summer, the
U.S. Department of Agriculture
accepted Michigan’s proposal to
enroll 40,000 new acres of CRP
SAFE (State Acres for Wildlife
Enhancement) on private land in
the Southern Lower Peninsula.
82 | www.michiganoutofdoors.com
Winter 2018-19.indd 84
40,000 acres!! That’s a lot of new
habitat, and all of it will be specifi-
cally designed to address the habitat
needs of pheasants and monarch
butterflies.
Another new opportunity in
Michigan – the Adopt-A-Game
Area Program – is intended to help
accelerate establishment of grass-
lands on public land. A partnership
between Pheasants Forever, the MI
DNR, and the Hal and Jean Glassen
Memorial Foundation, this program
is an opportunity for the public –
individuals, clubs, corporations,
foundations, etc. – to help re-estab-
lish native grasslands on select State
Game Areas throughout Southern
Michigan. Pheasants Forever will
use funds generated through the
program to restore, improve, and
maintain productive grasslands on
these public properties for species
like pheasants.
Adopt-A-Game Area Program
Sponsors can earn Gold (over
$25,000), Silver (over $5,000) or
Bronze (over $500) sponsorship
levels with their tax-deductible
donations and will receive their
name or logo on a kiosk sign at
the property they sponsored.
Additionally, sponsors will be
recognized on Michigan Pheasants
Forever’s website and Facebook
page, the MI DNR website, in the
Pheasants Forever Magazine and in
an annual press release.
Grasslands established through
this program will improve water
and air quality in Michigan, and
will support a vast array of wildlife
species, including pheasants, white-
tailed deer, wild turkey, cottontail
rabbit, grassland nesting songbirds,
monarch butterflies, and other
native pollinators. Additionally,
because all habitat work will take
place on lands open to public
recreation, Michigan residents will
benefit from improved opportuni-
ties for wildlife viewing, hunting,
and other wildlife-based outdoor
recreation.
For more information on the
Adopt-A-Game Area Program,
and a complete list of properties
eligible for sponsorship, visit www.
michiganpheasantsforever.org, or
contact Ben Beaman at bbeaman@
pheasantsforever.org.
11/12/2018 9:09:55 AM
 CALL THE
HOTLINE

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

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

This project was funded by the Michigan Invasive Species

Grant Program (www.michigan.gov/invasives).

Winter 2018-19.indd 85 11/12/2018 9:09:56 AM


A
wintery outing with new
snowshoes at Otsego Lake
State Park just south of
Gaylordled my son, Max,
and I to begin a top 10 list of reasons
why we like snowshoeing during our
ride home. For whatever reason, the
list was not completed and was set
aside with the arrival of spring and
melting snow.
Recently, while chatting with
my cousin, Eric, about our favorite
outdoor activities, I mentioned that
I really enjoy snowshoeing but don’t
get out to do so nearly enough —
mainly due to the perennial lack
of snow in Southeastern Michigan.
Eric had never snowshoed, so I
mentioned a few of the reasons
from our unfinished list. After the
conversation, I resolved to modify
our list of reasons why we like the
sport into a top 10 list of reasons to
give snowshoeing a try.
84 | www.michiganoutofdoors.com
Winter 2018-19.indd 86
Why
Snowshoe?
#10 Low cost of entry
Unlike some outdoor ventures,
snowshoeing is relatively inexpen-
sive. Getting started in the sport
does not require a huge investment
because the necessary unique gear
is minimal and secondary equip-
ment comes from what you probably
already own — good winter boots, a
parka, thermals, and head and hand
protection.
When it comes to snowshoes
themselves, like starting other
pursuits, you have some options:
borrow/rent, buy used or buy new.
If you are not sure you’ll stay
with the sport, consider renting
snowshoes from a nature center,
state park or outfitter; or, better yet,
borrow some from a friend. Rentals
usually run in the range of $5 to 20
per day.
If buying used gear is your
preference, a recent online search
By Greg Marten
turned up decent aluminum frame
used snowshoes for as little as $40
for an adult pair and only $10 for
child size. The size you will need
generally depends upon the total
weight you will carry. The style or
shape depends upon your purpose.
I tried snowshoeing the first time
at a gear demo day near Traverse
City many years back, before online
auction sites even existed; I knew
that buying snowshoes was in my
future. I soon purchased new alumi-
num-framed, recreational ‘shoes
with some type of plastic decking
and buckle bindings. The options
available today for snowshoes and
buying are much more extensive.
#9 Traditional meets
modern
Snowshoeing has ancient
beginnings and is practiced in some
11/12/2018 9:09:57 AM
 form by most cold climate cultures.
You get to choose from traditional
wooden ‘shoes laced with rawhide to
high tech models made of space-age
materials. Both work!
Worth noting is Michigan’s
own Iverson Snowshoe Company
in Wetmore just southeast of
Munising. The company has had a
number of owners over the years,
but has been in the business of
handcrafting traditional wooden
snowshoes for over 60 years. You can
find current owners Bob and Linda
Graves’ shop on M-28 about 7 miles
west of the original Shingleton
location that was founded in 1954 by
Clarence Iverson. According to the
Iverson website, they “handcraft 17
Winter 2018-19.indd 87
models of snowshoes in different
sizes, and all are available laced with
traditional rawhide or neoprene.”
Customers can choose from four
binding options.
#8 Locations abound
It would be beyond the scope of
this article to list even a fraction of
the possible places to snowshoe in
Michigan, and the spectrum ranges
from rolling farm fields or woodlots
drifted over with snow to true back-
country wilderness areas requiring
orienteering and survival skills.
An Internet search will quickly
yield many leads for every region of
Winter 2018/19 | Michigan Out-of-Doors 85
the state, and a state recreation pass-
port gets you into all of Michigan’s
state parks and state recreation
areas. State and national forests are
all over the northern two-thirds of
our state. Every county has its own
parks, nature centers, trails and
public byways. For many, finding
new places and planning outings is
part of the fun. The main factors
are to know your own abilities and
interests, make a plan and get out
there on some snowshoes.
#7 Get back to your roots
Lots of Michiganders, myself
included, were introduced to
hunting by pursuing cottontail
rabbits and snowshoe hares. As
a BB gun-toting youngster, my
dad took me into the cedar forests
of Presque Isle County with our
blue tick beagle Daisy. One of my
sharpest memories is of freezing
toes in thin, green, rubber boots.
Many boots leaked, and kids wore
empty bread bags as liners over our
socks! Our hunts ended when the
snow got too deep to traverse easily,
but if we had snowshoes and I had
better boots, our seasons would
have been longer.
Try a new twist - strap on some
snowshoes and return to your
rabbit hunting roots. Last winter,
outdoorsman Tom Lounsbury
noted in the Midland Daily News
that smaller snowshoes are, “handy
for real brushy areas while rabbit
hunting.”
#6 Expand your range
Snowshoes can help you find
places that are difficult, if not
impossible, to reach during other
seasons due to water, wetlands or
mud. Use this strategy employed
for generations by trappers and take
yourself to habitats that are rarely
seen by others.
Don Johnson, Wisconsin
author of Grouse & Woodcock: A
Gunner’s Guide, wrote about using
snowshoes after freeze up to hunt
hardwood islands surrounded by
swamps, therefore reaching birds
11/12/2018 9:09:58 AM
 that had were not exposed to early
season hunting pressure.
#5 Expand your number of
hunting days
There is still lots of good
hunting to be done after the regular
firearm deer season concludes, and
snowshoeing allows you to float over
thick snow, accessing prime habi-
tats and increasing your number of
days afield.
The later ruffed grouse season
ends January 1, and although
Southern Michigan is often
snow-challenged, partridge hunters
in the northern lower peninsula
and U.P. can keep hunting on snow-
shoes. Not many hunters forget the
startled thrill of a ruff rocketing out
of its snowbank roost. More dead-
of-winter snowshoe hunting options
include pursuing game such as
squirrel, coyote and late, antlerless
deer.
#4 Track
Finding animal tracks in the
snow is one of the rewards of
‘shoeing, but identifying tracks
takes additional knowledge and
skill. For those new to the game,
a book like Animal Tracks of the
Great Lakes by Chris Stall is inex-
pensive and small enough to take
along on outings.
Trappers use tracks to learn the
habits of some fur-bearing animals
Winter 2018-19.indd 88
and use that information when
setting their lines. Stalking prey
by following rabbit, deer or coyote
tracks is an option for those hunting
on snowshoes.
#3 Retrace
Making your own tracks is a
fact and benefit of snowshoeing; it's
hard to get lost because unless you
are out in blizzard conditions, you
can always turn around and follow
your tracks back to your starting
spot. Most snowshoeing newbies
probably won’t begin the sport by
heading into the deep wilderness,
but when in the backcountry, carry
a compass and map (as well as other
emergency equipment) and know
how to use them.
#2 Exercise
Depending upon how you move,
snowshoeing can really get your
heart pounding. It is great exercise,
from cardio work to legs, that can
seem to burn in sub-zero tempera-
tures. Some snowshoers also like to
use trekking poles which can assist
with balance and steep climbs.
#1 Serenity now
As venerable author Gene
Hill told us many years ago in his
essay, A Listening Walk, “My father
especially liked the sound of snow
falling. He used to say, ‘listen…,’
and I couldn’t hear anything but the
softness. It took me years to under-
stand what he heard in the sounds
of snow and rain...”
When visiting Grand Marais on
the south shore of Lake Superior,
I snowshoe back into the forest,
over a frozen swamp and to a place
I named the Cathedral of Trees.
It feels like an outdoor great room
with evergreen walls cloaked in
white, opening up to steel sky often
dropping snow, yet shielding me
from wind. A log becomes a bench
for private contemplation.
Hushed snow-covered forests
and icy streams cast the environ-
ment in a unique and special aura.
Snowshoeing attracts
many
Young and old, the wide spec-
trum of physical abilities, leisure
walkers to racers to hunters and
trappers, those seeking solitude and
those wanting companionship —
indeed, snowshoeing attracts them
all.
No matter the level or type of
snowshoeing, or the reasons for
doing so, there are some things that
most all snowshoers share: We love
of getting outdoors, and we enjoy
the natural world in winter. This
season, take your own listening
walk across the cold and whitened
landscape on a pair of snowshoes.
11/12/2018 9:09:58 AM
 inchester Ammunition offers multiple shotshells loaded with high-grade
steel shot in both the AA® and Super X® lines. No matter your game, steel
shot shotshells by Winchester produce
clean breaks and clean kills.

Winchester - The American Legend™

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Winter 2018-19.indd 89 11/12/2018 9:09:58 AM

 Green Broke
My first foray into bird dogs and upland hunting
O
ur hunting dogs start as
an investment — much
like a mutual fund in its
infancy. We spend some-
times thousands of dollars on them,
spend exponentially more on food,
care and vet bills, and we never
even blink an eye because we are
optimistic the juice will be worth
the squeeze.
In return, for most of us, our
dogs become an integral part of
our outdoor pursuits. Whether
they help us find birds, retrieve our
ducks, run bear or harvest rabbits,
any serious hunting dog owner has
an investment in their dog upon
which they expect a return.
That return stretches far beyond
the field and woods, though. They
become an emotional investment, a
part of our family, part of our kids’
lives and without them, we aren’t
quite sure what life would be like.
88 | www.michiganoutofdoors.com
Winter 2018-19.indd 90
Like any smart investor, we
must protect that investment to
reap the return. I remember reading
a news article in the Cedar Springs
Post in 2013 about a dog that had
went through a car’s windshield on
impact. The owner allowed the pet
to roam freely throughout the car.
I was heartbroken, and that shaped
how I transport and care for my
dogs today.
Recently, I was provided a
Dakota 283 G3 Framed Door Kennel
to put through the ringer. Before
using a Dakota 283 kennel, I was
using the cheapest crates I could
find, often breaking the nuts that
held them together or cracking the
plastic when I moved them from my
house to my truck bed.
The Dakota 283 is rock solid
and made in the United States. Its
rotomolded, one-piece construc-
tion makes it able to withstand the
By Nick Green
constant beating that hunting dogs
and owners place on our equipment.
Each kennel has larger-than-
normal vent holes, small drain holes
in the corners, a molded carrying
handle that is part of the one-piece
construction and a door that is able
to be locked. These are some of the
luxury amenities that make this
kennel a joy to use.
However, the most important
factor is the construction of Dakota
283 kennels. I swear they are bullet-
proof, well pellet proof — literally. I
have thrown mine around, tossed it
in the truck bed, dropped it from my
tailgate on cement and I am unable
to find a flaw in the kennel. I can
rest assured that no matter what
happens when I am transporting
my dogs, they have the best possible
probability of survival because of
Dakota 283 kennels.
Being able to lock the kennel
11/12/2018 9:10:00 AM
 MOOD10
is another important factor that I
never had on my cheap kennels.

Enter and
Hunters are generally good people;
but, I can feel more comfortable
when I am two miles from my truck
knowing that whatever dog isn’t
running at the time is locked away
receive a 10 percent discount
and safe.
Back to your investment, on your Dakota 283 products
though. Some might balk at the
$350-500 price tag on the kennel. To
me, that is ludicrous. Think about
how much that puppy cost, how
much its first year of vet bills were
and how much you spend on food.
The price of the kennel is a drop in
the bucket compared to the amount
of money you’ve invested into your
four-legged, best friend.
What would you do if your
hunting buddy came up injured
after an accident or, worse, died?
The kennel’s cost doesn’t seem like
that much in comparison.
You simply aren’t going to find a
kennel like a Dakota 283. They are
made in the U.S.A., ship for free, can
be used as modular system and are
the protection of your investment.
Mine will be with me in the coverts
and at the marshes from now on,
and I will be at ease knowing my
dogs are safe, contained and able to
hunt another day.

*Courtesy of Dakota 283

Dakota 283
Kennels has
recently released
their Dine and
Dash — "Designed
with hunters in
mind, this unit
holds up to 2.5
gallons of water
and half a gallon
(~8 cups) of dry
food, all at once."
Winter 2018/19 | Michigan Out-of-Doors 89

Winter 2018-19.indd 91 11/12/2018 9:10:01 AM

 The CAMPFIRe
Growing a Pumpkin Army
By Shaun McKeon
MUCC Education Director
The gate at Cedar Lake closed around Halloween.
At camp, snow quietly blankets the white pine forest
and the echo of kids’ laughter has not been heard since
August. The 2018 season was my sixth year in charge
of what’s happening down at camp, and I am happy to
inform you we had a very successful season. We had
more than 370 campers join us for a week this summer.
Our 22 staff members were dedicated to providing a safe
and exciting camp experience. The campers were eager
to learn about conservation and build their outdoor
skills.
One of the things we are most proud of and makes
the Michigan Out-of-doors Youth Camp so special is the
90 | www.michiganoutofdoors.com
Winter 2018-19.indd 92
opportunity for our youth to take the Michigan Hunter
Education course. If the campers join us already in
possession of their orange certification card, they are
excused from taking the class and focus on lessons of
Leave No Trace and Invasive Species. However, if they
do not have their card, we feel it is our responsibility to
get them in the course and lay the groundwork for them
to be safe and ethical hunters in the future.
Over the last six camp seasons, we have successfully
graduated nearly 1200 students. That is a small army of
9- to 16-year-old kids. By completing the course, these
campers have earned the opportunity to head into the
woods during the fall and winter. This season, we had
215 campers take part in the course and 200 of them
successfully passed the course to become certified. To
become hunter safety certified, the student must show
proficiency in the classroom as well as take part in field
11/12/2018 9:10:03 AM
 a great chance not only to learn new things but also to
pick up tips and pointers that will help them become
successful out in the field.
Along with the in-class and field instruction, the
campers are given time during their busy camp sched-
ules to study and review for the test as well. The final
and most nerve-wracking section of the program is
the final day. Thursday, after lunch, is test day for the
campers. There are usually many nervous kids as they
enter the lodge to take the test. They know there are
50 multiple-choice questions waiting for them, and
they have to pass by getting at least 40 of the questions
correct. The state recognizes a score of 80 percent as
passing for the test.
This year, under the instruction of Range Officers
Noah O’ Reilly and Taylor Rifenbark, we had a fantastic
success rate. As I mentioned, only 15 of 215 campers did
not pass the course, giving the 2018 campers a pass rate
of 93 percent. Something important to note about the
results is that our kids did not just squeak by passing
the test narrowly. They rocked the test with an average
score for the summer of 94 percent. If this was school,
our average was an “A.”
I would like to thank the range officers and the
summer staff for their dedication to the campers and
their passion for sharing their outdoor knowledge.
With their new Hunter Safety cards and an unmatched
enthusiasm for the outdoors, I am looking forward to
hearing stories as the camper’s return next year about
all of the adventures they had this fall in the pursuit of
their first game animals.

activities. We also spend a week with the camper so

we are able to get to know them, and their behavior at
camp and on the range is a determining factor of pass/
fail for the course.
The class portion of the course takes place in the
lodge and includes basic firearm safety, being an ethical
and responsible hunter and wildlife identification.
Mixed in with the classroom sessions are hands-on
learning opportunities for the campers to gain expe-
rience. Campers spend time learning about first aid
and wilderness survival, tree stand safety and proper
techniques for transporting firearms.
By far the most anticipated portion of the class is
the range time the campers receive. Each participant
gets to spend roughly six hours on the range allowing
them to become familiar with archery, small-bore rifles
and, in some cases, shotgunning. We teach hands-on
live fire instruction designed to teach the core princi-
ples of safe and responsible firearms use. Many people
outside the conservation community are not sure about
kids with guns; but at camp, we are proud of the way
we teach youth to respect the tools they are given. Our
trained and state-certified range officers/hunter safety
instructors provide individual instruction to campers.
The camp counselors also have many years of target
shooting experience between them giving the campers

Winter 2018/19 | Michigan Out-of-Doors 91

Winter 2018-19.indd 93 11/12/2018 9:10:05 AM

 Conservation Through Education

Year in Review
By Shaun McKeon

A
s this hits your mailbox, winter is beginning to
settle in and things are slowing down a bit here at
headquarters. With the upcoming new year and
a calendar already filling up for 2019, it seems like a good
time to reflect on the year that is winding down.
As many of you know, this year the MUCC Education
Department has been more active than it has in nearly
a decade. With several programs operating under my
direction, you can imagine it was a busy 2018 for me.
With a direct role in all of these programs, I put in more
hours and participated in more projects then I have at
any other time during my tenure. If I can brag a little bit,
I would like to say the staff who work with me and that
are responsible for these programs got some awesome
stuff accomplished this year.
TRACKS magazine successfully underwent its
40th anniversary transition, and we have three issues
already published for the 41st year. Nick Green and I
are the TRACKS team and Nick has had an immediate
impact on the editing side of the magazines. With a keen
eye for my typos and a strong grasp of magazine layout,

92 | www.michiganoutofdoors.com

Winter 2018-19.indd 94 11/12/2018 9:10:07 AM

 he has been extremely organized and helpful. TRACKS
continues to be 16 pages of science-based content
focusing on Great Lakes region animals. With a high
circulation of more than 21,000 and the expansion of
specific Minnesota-focused issues, TRACKS is poised to
have a great 2019.
The largest and most familiar piece of the Education
Department is the Michigan Out-of-Doors Youth Camp.
We had 370 kids attend camp this year. Two Hundred
of them became newly-certified having passed hunter
safety, and we had a fantastic group of campers and
staff at Cedar Lake this year. Our campers spent their
summer learning about the role conservation plays in
our state — while also building skills in archery, target
shooting, kayaking and even wilderness survival.
A third program area within the Education
Department and an exciting project to be working
on is our On the Ground and On the Ground Junior
programs. Hunter Salisbury, who is the face of this
program, has been doing volunteer habitat improve-
ment projects around the state since she came on board
in May. During 2018, we completed more than 20 volun-
teer habitat restoration projects. Eight of these projects
were through OTG Jr., which is in its second year.
Adding the field-trip-based side to the program has
helped us increase the number of volunteer hours by
50 percent, and that results in more habitat improved.
After completing the two-year grant cycle for the OTG
Jr. Program, we conducted 14 field trip events and
covered areas across the state from the Thumb region
also bring a new MUCC Camp Director to Cedar Lake,
to Traverse City, with several stops in between. We
and I am excited to see where the new year will take our
have plans to conduct as many as 25 volunteer projects
team.
during the 2018/2019 fiscal year. So, please keep an eye
Please contact me if you are an educator or teacher
out for a project in a state game area near you.
and you think you have a class that would be interested
Early in 2018, MUCC combined its Gourmet Gone
in participating in an OTG Jr. program or if you would
Wild Program and absorbed the Michigan Learn to
like to learn more about subscribing to TRACKS or the
Hunt Program to complete a two-year grant cycle. Both
Michigan Out-of-Doors Youth Camp. I can be reached at
of these programs are designed to introduce nontradi-
smckeon@mucc.org.
tional audiences to the idea of hunting and to help shape
Big things are already on the calendar for 2019 at
a positive perception of hunting and fishing. Gourmet
MUCC as we continue to grow and expand. With educa-
Gone Wild does this by hosting wild game meals. We
tion being at the core of our mission, we will continue
collaborate with organizations around the state and
to educate youth and adults about the importance of
serve fresh, healthy, wild game to people who have
Michigan’s forests, waters and wildlife.
never experienced it before. Typical dishes may include
elk sliders, blueberry-crusted perch, pheasant wontons
and even teriyaki bear. We conducted 12 events around
the state this year.
Learn to Hunt is exactly what it sounds like.
Collaborating with the National Wild Turkey
Federation, the DNR and Pheasants Forever, we have
been creating opportunities to introduce new hunters
to the field. The program is mentor-based and designed
to help people begin to feel comfortable in the hunting
world. We have hosted and helped with learn to hunt
deer, turkey and pheasant programs. We have also
collaborated with our partners to conduct learn to wing
shoot events and hosted adult hunter safety programs.
It has been a wild year at MUCC with several new
faces joining the staff throughout the year. 2019 will

Winter 2018/19 | Michigan Out-of-Doors 93

Winter 2018-19.indd 95 11/12/2018 9:10:08 AM

 Throwback: Light House Lakers
There aren’t many times that
I have gone fishing with the indis-
putable confidence I would catch
trout – big ones. But that is the way
I felt last August when Francis and
Glenn Beauchamp, Don Ombrello
and I pulled out of the marina on
Marquette.
I knew all of us were going to
catch lake trout and mine were
going to be caught on a medium
action spinning rod with a 15-pound
test line and a spoon, without using
a downrigger or weight on the line.
It sounds far out, I’ll admit, but that
is exactly what happened.
Mu lure had been in the water
for perhaps 15 minutes when a fish
latched onto it and I hauled back
on my first laker, a six-pounder. I
landed one other laker, lost another
at the boat and missed a couple of
others; so it was no accident.
Success that day probably was
more a function of where we
were rather than
w h a t
Winter 2018-19.indd 96
we were using. Our lines didn’t
touch the water until we were more
than 40 miles out in Lake Superior,
beyond sight of the main land. We
were fishing at Stannard Rock, an
unmanned lighthouse marking a
shoal in Lake Superior.
The place doesn’t look very
impressive. The only rock that is
visible barely breaks the lake’s
surface. It wouldn’t take very large
waves to hide it.
The lighthouse has an inter-
esting history. Five years (1877 to
1882) were required to build the
isolated structure that rises 102 feet
out of Lake Superior. The subsur-
face rock around the lighthouse
was expanded with concrete to give
the light some protection from the
violent seas that often rage
in that part of the
big lake,
By Richard P. Smith
according to Frank Nelson of
Marquette, a former Coast Guard
Auxiliary member. Prior to expan-
sion of the rock, constant breakage
of the light was a problem.
The waters around Stannard
Rock are a lake trout fisherman’s
dream come true. Stories of limit
catches from boats that make it out
there are numerous. Some bragging
size fish are taken, too.
The tales I heard about the fabu-
lous lake trout fishing at Stannard
Rock all had a common element
– success. Typical comments were,
“My arms got tired from cranking
in fish.” “Almost as soon as
you get you line in
the water,
a
11/12/2018 9:10:10 AM
 fish strikes.” “They’ll take
anything.”
Or, “Those fish must be in the
shallows all summer long. In July
and August, fish can be seen near
the surface. You can even watch
them fight over your lure.” “It
doesn’t make any difference if you
miss a strike; another laker will
grab the lure.”
Needless to say, when I get an
invitation to join the Beauchamps
on their bout for a trip to Stannards,
I jumped at the chance. They were
as anxious to make the trip as I was
because they had never been there,
either. Glenn ant his father, Francis,
are part owners of a combination
camera and book store in Marquette.
Because of the time and distance
involved in a trip to Stannard,
plus the changeable nature of
Lake Superior, we waited for
a favorable weather forecast
before attempting to run. The
Beauchamp’ 31-foot, Ma’s Mink
is very seaworthy but we didn’t
want to take any chances of
running into rough seas. High
waves would detract from the
enjoyment of the cruise.
Early on an August
afternoon, Glenn called me.
“Can you be ready to leave
in an hour, if we go,?” he
asked, a touch of excite-
ment in is voice.
“You bet,” I As we approached the reef,
answered.
“Okay, I’ll call you
back.”
A short time later,
the phone rang again
and Glenn said,
“We’ll meet you at
the marina in 45
minutes.”
Ombrello,
who also is a
Marquette
resident, made
our group a
foursome.
Conditions
were perfect
as we loaded
gear and
extra gas
on the boat.
Winter 2018-19.indd 97
We had a total of 100 gallons of fuel.
The sky was clear, the lake was calm
and temperatures were in the 70s.
Ideally, a trip to Stannard should
be made with two boats in case one
has problems. The Beauchamps had
checked their boat over thoroughly,
however, to make sure everything
was in running order. Their boat
was equipped with a radio, in the
event something went wrong. The
local Coast Guard was also notified
about our plans.
Ombrello had been out to
Stannard Rock earlier in the week
with another group of fisherman.
They limited out in a couple of hours.
That trip had been made in the early
morning hours. Our fishing would
be done in the evening.
Ombrello said being at Stannard
was like being in a fisherman’s
fantasyland.
“You hear about guys traveling
long distances to catch lake trout,
like to Great Bear Lake, and we
have the same type of fishing just
over 40 miles from Marquette,” he
remarked.
Lack of landmarks make a reli-
able compass a must for traveling
to and from Stannard. It took about
two hours to reach the rock on a
10 to 15-degree heading. One other
boat was there when we reached it,
but the fisherman left shortly after
we started fishing.
Glenn switched the graph recorder
on. It read 400 feet of water, but as
we moved closer to the light, depth
gradually decreased until we had
a reading of 20 feet. Oddly enough,
once we got close to the rock,
swarms of tiny insects landed all
over the boat.
I had the only spinning equip-
ment on board. The others had
forgotten theirs in the rush to
get going. They were stuck using
conventional deep water rods with
reels that carried wire line.
I figured there was no rush to
get my line in the water and so I
sat back to watch the action. The
recorder marked the first fish in 25
feet of water shortly after a couple
lines with Herring Dodgers and
flies had been lowered over the side.
Winter 2018/19 | Michigan Out-of-Doors 95
Seconds later, Glenn got a strike on
his rod and pulled in a six-pounder
laker.
Nothing to it. The fishing was
just like everybody said it was.
Or was it? We trolled back and
forth through the same area several
times without another strike.
A few more fish were marked
on the recorder, but not as many
as expected. Puzzled, we started
trolling in a circular pattern around
the lighthouse. About that time, I
was wondering if maybe my part-
ners’ lines were running to deep. To
find out, Ombrello raised his lure
10 feet below the surface, and I cast
out a red and white Dardevle on my
spinning rod.
Just after I got my line out,
Ombrello picked up a fish, a five-
pound coho landed, a laker grabbed
my spoon.
From then on, we had fish on
almost constantly. Obviously, we
had been fishing too deep for them.
Because the trout were so close to
the surface, they were not showing
up on the fish finder.
At one point, Glenn and I
hooked fish seconds apart. I played
mine slow and easy so Glenn could
be netted first. When is laker was
brought aboard, however, his hook
got tangled in the net. You might
know something like that would
happen on a doubleheader. My fish
was floundering on the surface by
the time the hook was freed. Just
as Ombrello swung the landing net
down to scoop up the tired laker, the
hook pulled out.
By the time we had quit, 12
lakers and the one salmon had been
boated. Just over three apiece. No
more than three lines were in the
water at a time, and we had our
hands full.
The trout averages about five
pounds. The biggest went 11. No fin
clips, indicating hatchery fish, and
no lamprey scars were noted on our
catch.
This original article has
been shortened to fit space
requirements.
11/12/2018 9:10:11 AM
 One Last Cast
Nick Green, Editor

Spreading my limited knowledge on certain outdoor

pursuits is a goal that I set for myself this past year.
And I succeeded.
In 2018, I was able to get several people their first
ducks, someone their first fish and teach numerous
people about some of my favorite hunting and angling
endeavors.
Quickly, these hunts or trips with amateurs became
less about the guns and rods and more about the expe-
rience. I really didn't care if I took a duck, grouse or
woodcock or if I landed a steelhead; it was about making
sure that these people felt at least a small piece of what
drives me to hunt and fish.
Some of these students had countless more wing-
shooting experiences than me but had never taken a
duck. Others had never tied a hook onto a line. Being
able to take someone from square one to the endgame
or from square ten to improvement of their craft was an
experience I am thankful for.
Andy Duffy was one such "student." The man has
shot more grouse and woodcock and worked over more
dogs than I will in 10 years. But, he had never duck
hunted. I was set to change that in 2018. Left: The view from a duck blind on the second day of the
Duffy showed up at my home at 3 a.m. on the duck south zone duck season. Above: Duffy displays his first
opener for the south zone — a feat that had him leaving duck — a beautiful, drake mallard — that he took hunting
his house at 1 a.m. I'm betting he didn't sleep that night. with Green and McKeon on a private pond in Northwest
Unfortunately, we were unable to get Duffy a duck Michigan.
despite ample opportunities. The next weekend, Shaun duck hunted again, I had shown him an experience that
McKeon and I took Duffy to a private pond I have he likely wouldn't have otherwise known.
permission to hunt in Northwest Michigan. I do suspect, though, that I will be seeing more of
After a frustrating morning of missed opportu- Duffy sitting in the blind next to me. Talks of what
nities, the three of us were able to connect a volley to shotgun he could find suitable for duck hunting came
three decoying mallards — one of which was Duffy's up on several occasions and he was very inquisitive
first duck; a beautiful, full-plumage, drake mallard. about calling, what to do in certain scenarios and how
Seeing Duffy's face light up was more important to things in the waterfowling world work.
me than any duck I have harvested. Even if Duffy never It isn't always the point of creating a new hunter
or angler, though. More of the point is sharing the
experience, helping someone understand why we hunt
and sharing with them the table fare that our outdoor
pursuits produce.
As hunters and anglers, we have a responsibility
to be ambassadors of our craft. We don't always need
to change people's minds on hunting or fishing, but we
need to present ourselves in the best possible light.
In order to share our love of the outdoors with the
next generation, we need to be creative with how we
engage them, bring them into our world and ask them
to align with us on certain issues. I hope you will take it
upon yourself to get someone outside in 2019 to partake
in an outdoor activity that you love. Teach them to love
something you love, and our outdoor community will
thank you for it later.

96 | www.michiganoutofdoors.com

Winter 2018-19.indd 98 11/12/2018 9:10:12 AM

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