MARCH 2017 $4.

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MASTER
WALLEYE
JIGGING
SMALL RIVER
STEELIES Steve Campbell...
16-point

MICRO-TUNED
MORE
ICE TROPHY
FISHING BUCKS
AND MORE
Butch Kulikowski...
18-point CWD!
Great Lakes Trolling Spoons 'Run & Gun' Turkey Hunting
Hunting Sheds and Scouting for '17 The Art of Fish Decoys
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WNW NEWS MARCH 2017 3
 Cover Bucks...By Tom Campbell
Butch Kulikowski
Two Crossbow Record Book 18-point

Bucks from Livingston County

is 15 6/8, outside is 19 6/8, right beam is 5 1/8 around
Butch Kulikowskis 18-point

C
het Butch Kulikowski Jr., (top-right photo) has been
hunting all his life because his dad, Chet Sr., started
taking him out with his buddies as soon as he was old
enough. They hunted when and whatever they could all
over southeast Michigan, northern Michigan, and the Upper
Peninsula. Butch loved it and now his life revolves around
it. He has been hunting big game for about 40 years now,
including whitetail in Michigan, elk and mule deer out west,
(Colorado, Montana, Utah, and Wyoming). Butch said, I have
at the base, 25 5/8 long and has 10 points, the left beam is
5 around at the base, 26 4/8 long and has 8 points, (a 10
x 8 )! The tip to tip dimension is -3/8 because they actually
overlap each other by that much. Once officially scored
Butchs buck will surely rank in the states top bucks!
Butch commented, Wow! Still hard to believe,
I feel very lucky.
Steven Campbells 16-point

seen and harvested some nice animals over the years but
nothing like the 18 point non-typical whitetail I got in Livings-
ton Co. Michigan on Dec. 20, 2016 with my Ten Point Titan
Extreme crossbow!
He first started seeing this buck on his Cuddeback trail
camera in December of 2015, he looked like an awesome 13
point, but he never saw him while hunting. Then the record
book buck disappeared and Butch didnt think he would ever
see him again. Luckily around the end of November 2016,
after hunting all of bow season and gun season and passing
up smaller bucks, he showed up on the trail camera again!
The big buck looked like a 15 or 16 point and is much bigger
and heavier.
Butch recalls, I hunted for him all through December, my
wife Cindy said I was obsessed, but she was still supportive.
I had a couple of close calls but for one reason or another
things just were not working out. Then at the end of the day
on Dec. 20, it was very cold and there was about 10 of
snow, the sun, the stars and the moon all lined up and I got a
chance when he tried sneaking by at about 30 yards from my
ground blind. I double lunged him with a G5 Havoc, 3 blade
mechanical broadhead, and it did a perfect job. After waiting
about 30 minutes, I went out and found my bolt and started
finding blood in the snow. He only went about 75 yards or so
and ran out of breath! When I found him I could not believe
my eyes, (my eyes were watering a lot), once I collected my-
self I realized he was actually an 18 point! Unbelievable! This
really is a gift from the gods!
The buck was nicknamed Walter and weighed 180
pounds dressed out. Butch had his trophy green scored by
Richard Wilt with CBM and as a non-typical 18 point, that
scored 222 2/8 green gross, 215 7/8 with typical deduc-
tions. Both G-2s are split and are 13 4/8 long, inside spread
S
teven Campbell, (right) grew
up hunting; small game, deer,
turkey, as Steve put it, any
reason to get outside. For the
last few decades Steve has taken plenty
of deer off a section of state land he
and his family hunts. This year Steves
hunting changed after the second week
of Oct. when friends told him about an
amazing buck that crossed the road in
front of their car. As stealth as possible
Steve carefully scouted the area where
the buck crossed and found massive
rubs, set his trail cams and setup two
different stands. Once Steve saw a
photo of the big buck he was commit-
ted to harvesting that buck or nothing!
Between work and home, Steve
dedicated three days of hunting a
week. Much like Butch Kulikowski (story
above), Steve became obsessed with
this buck. He knew it was running with
a 12, 10, 9 and two 8 points during the
hunting seasons, later in the season it
was always with the 10-point and Steve
was still passing on other bucks.
Steve said, The first time I had
the big buck on a trail cam in daylight
was the opening day of muzzleloading
CWD identified in two Mecosta County farmed deer
Chronic wasting disease was confirmed this week in two female
season and I would
have been there but my wife con-
vinced me my six-weeks of hunting
was interfering our home life, oh
boy. After the daytime photo I
was recommitted to taking this
buck. Despite my buddy breaking
my muzzleloader after he slipped
and fell on the ice my only choice
was to hunt with my crossbow. On
Dec. 11 at 5 p.m. in a snowstorm
hunting with my brother nearby,
the 10-pt. came in giving me a
bolt of buck fever, which was good
because one I saw the monster
buck standing 15 yards away look-
ing at me, I took the shot as calm
as could be.
The buck only went 60 yards Steve Campbell
and Steve got his brother who took 16-point
the lead trailing the buck, which
ended with his head completely
buried in the snow. Steves brother scored 193 4/8, with 39 inches of
though he shot a doe. Steve recalled, I mass, 21 inches in brow tines, main
reached down in the snow and grabbed beams over 25 and 26 inches, 18 inch
an antler and pulled his head up and inside spread. The weighed 160 with
it was instant celebration! It was really no fat reserves at all. Stevens buck
something else! will be officially scored at the Deer and
His record book 16-pt. buck green Turkey Expo in Lansing Feb. 17-19.
undergo a records audit, fence inspection and increased surveil-

SEASONS deer from a Mecosta County deer farm. CWD is a fatal neurological
disease that affects white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk and moose.
This is the second time the disease has been found in a farmed
Open All Year Pike and walleye season on Lower deer facility in Michigan. In 2008, a white-tailed deer from a Kent
Peninsula Great Lakes, Lake St. Clair & St. Clair & County deer farm tested positive.
Detroit Rivers
Chronic wasting disease is a serious disease affecting both
Open All Year Salmon and trout season on Great farmed and free-ranging deer, said MDARD State Veterinarian
Lakes, St. Marys River, Lake St. Clair & St. Clair &
Detroit Rivers James Averill, DVM. We are following the states CWD response
Open All Year Catch-and-immediate-release bass plan and taking the necessary steps to protect the health and well-
season on all Michigan waters open to fishing being of all of Michigans deer populations.
Now-March 15 Pike and walleye season on Lower Samples from the two deer were submitted for testing as a
Peninsula inland waters part of MDARDs mandatory CWD surveillance program. All farmed
Now-March 15 Pike and walleye season on Upper deer facilities licensed with the Michigan Department Natural
Peninsula Great Lakes, inland waters & St. Marys
River Resources must participate in this program.
Now-March 1 Squirrel - Fox and Gray (black Any discovery of chronic wasting disease in free-ranging or
phase included) season statewide farmed deer is disappointing, said Chad Stewart, DNR deer and
Now-March 31 Cottontail rabbit and snowshoe elk specialist. It will take significant time and effort through
hare season statewide immediate, targeted surveillance and mandatory checks during the
Now-Jan. 31 Raccoon hunting statewide upcoming deer seasons to understand the current situation. The
Now-March 1 Fox hunting season statewide (red Michigan DNR remains committed in our efforts to contain this dis-
and gray) ease and safeguard our valuable wildlife resource.
Now-March 31 Crow season MDARD and DNR are implementing the Michigan Surveillance
and Response Plan for Chronic Wasting Disease of Free-Ranging
MJC MJC and Privately Owned Cervids, and are taking the following steps:
ARCHERY ARCHERY Quarantine the affected farm.
MACOMB OAKLAND
Complete trace investigations to identify the potential sourc-
es of infection and possible areas of spread.
19744 15 Mile Rd 3001 Rochester Rd
Work with the producer to depopulate the facility.
Clinton Twp. 48035 Royal Oak, MI 48073 Test all deer from the affected herd for CWD.
586-791-4600 248-589-2480 Identify all other deer farms in a 15-mile radius, which will
4 MARCH 2017 WNW NEWS
lance testing.
Conduct targeted surveillance testing on free-ranging white-
tailed deer near the facility.
Have mandatory deer check for hunter-harvested deer in a
nine-township area.
In May 2015, CWD was found in a free-ranging deer in Ingham
County. Since then, the DNR has tested nearly 12,000 free-ranging
deer for CWD; nine deer have tested positive in Ingham and Clinton
counties.
CWD is transmitted directly from one animal to another and
indirectly through the environment. Infected animals may display
abnormal behavior, progressive weight loss and physical debilita-
tion. To date, there is no evidence that CWD presents any risk to
humans or other animals outside the deer family, either through
contact with an infected deer or from handling venison that came
from a CWD-infected deer. However, as a precaution, the U.S.
Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization rec-
ommend that infected animals not be consumed as food by either
humans or domestic animals.
More information about CWD including Michigans CWD sur-
veillance and response plan is available at www.michigan.gov/
cwd.
The DNR will host a town hall meeting for hunters and area
landowners on Wednesday, Feb. 22, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Morley
Stanwood High School Cafetorium, 4700 Northland Drive, Morley.
At the meeting, local DNR wildlife biologist Pete Kailing, DNR deer
management specialist Chad Stewart and DNR wildlife veterinarian
Kelly Straka will present information on CWD, its effects on deer and
deer populations, and the DNRs CWD response to date. Following
presentations, the panel will welcome questions.
WNW NEWS MARCH 2017 5

JIGGING LESSON
MOTOWN
EYES
Mark Martin...page 18
HUNTING
Six Run and Gun turkey
hunting techniques
Brian Miller page 14
HUNTING SHEDS
and scouting for 17 season
Kenny Darwin page 35
Rabbit Hunting with dogs and GPS
George Rowe page 40
Youth hunt carries tradition forward
MDNR page 58
Grasslands benefits
wildlife and residents
page 60
Invitation to hunt
Ohios late bow season
John Eberhart page 72
FISHING
Earning a Masters
Degree in Jigging
Mark Romanack page 12
Lured into fishing by the art of decoys
MDNR page 16
Scout trout and bass streams
during U.P.s spring high waters
Bill Ziegler page 20
Small River
STEELHEAD FISHING
Jim Bedford page 24
Secrets of the Ice Hunters
Micro-tuned panfishing
page 27
COVER PHOTO
Master Walleye Jigging
By Mark Romanack...page 12
Micro-Tuned Ice Fishing
By Pat Kalmerton...page 27
Trophy Bucks...page 4
6 MARCH 2017 WNW NEWS
Great Lakes Trolling Spoons
Mark Romanack page 32
Fly-fishing is easier than you think!
John Schmittroth page 42
West Side winter steelhead
John Bergsma page 44
Open water or ice-fishing?
Roger Beukema page 75
Successful fall fish stocking
MDNR page 84
FEATURE
HYPOTHERMIA
In the waning days of winter
Jonathan Schechter page 28
PREDATOR HUNTING By Tom Lounsbury...page 22
Dodging the rain in western New York
Tom Carney page 38 2017 Pure Michigan Hunt winners I strongly disagree with MAPR
Big Bone Lick
page 86 Richard P. Smith page 78
Darryl Quidort page 56
New safety product for family boating PERSPECTIVE GUNS/AMMO
Fred Davis page 62
So...Im a fly-fisherman? Black Powder Hunting...
Colonial days knife maker Randy Jorgensen page 36 Fresh venison for Fort Detroit
Betty Sodders page 70 Dennis Neely page 46
PART II
Michigan Meanders... Gun Chat...
COs on deer season patrol
Ice fishing, anyone? in District 3 and 4 The .35 Remington
Tom Huggler page 74 Jeff Pendergraff page 53 Lee Arten page 69
Sporting Collectibles: Thoughts on a mouse
Its still out there
Terry McBurney page 82
Sharon Kennedy page 61
TURKEY
Thoughts on deer management
Hope for an early spring DECOYING
OUTDOOR NEWS Ed Spinazzola page 64
The strangest thing you ever caught-
Does CWD drive whitetail
Nancy Hascall catches a bat..
population decline?
Ron St. Germain page 68
John Ozoga page 8
Life in the Fast Lane
Michigans CWD
Its ok...hit the brakes!
infected deer related?
Lane Walker page 79
Richard P. Smith page 10
U.P. outdoor icon needs our help
DNR seeks information
Richard P. Smith page 79
on wolf poaching
page 41
Creel clerks collecting
angler information
OPINIONS
page 41 Confusion on the legality of keeping
roadkill and other found deer Kenny Darwin...page 30
Introducing the Michigan
Outdoor Hall of Fame Jeff Pendergraff page 78
Mark Sak page 66
DEPARTMENTS . . .
Trophy Page. . . 76-77 Classifieds . . . . 87-88
Letters/Op-Ed . . 78-81 Real Estate . . . . 88-97
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P.O. Box 278, Imlay City, MI 48444
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WNW NEWS MARCH 2017 7

Does CWD drive whitetail population decline?
White-tailed deer populations are on the decline
nationwide. Although the reasons no doubt vary
regionally, some experts suggest that diseases
such as chronic wasting disease (CWD) are a
contributing factor -- at least in specific areas...
C
urrently, there is no
treatment for CWD,
and no sure way of
diagnosing it based on
appearance or observ-
able behavior in live
animals during early stages of
infection. And, there seems to be
little agreement among the experts
as how to control the disease. Or, for
that matter, if it can be controlled at
all.
As noted by University of Wyo-
ming researchers, led by David Ed-
munds, most CWD studies to date
have dealt with recently infected
deer populations. Few have inves-
tigated the long-term effects of the
disease where the problem
has persisted for lengthy
periods of time.
Available evidence
suggests that CWD can
cause population declines,
and possibly even localized
extinction, in some species.
However, this has not been
definitely proven.
Therefore,
although CWD By John Ozoga
may have relatively
minor effects on deer population
dynamics early in a disease epi-
demic, there is concern that it might
have serious negative effects on deer
population trends years or even de-
cades later once the disease becomes
well-established.
Basics
CWD is like no other deer
disease. It is relatively new, poorly
understood, and always fatal in
white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk,
and moose. To date, it has been
found in 21 U.S. states and two
Canadian provinces.
Technically, CWD is classi-
fied as a transmissible spongiform
encephalopathy (TSE); a slow
degenerative disease of the central
nervous system that literally eats
holes in the victims brains. In time,
animals that contract the disease be-
come emaciated, behave abnormally
and salivate profusely. Once these
symptoms appear, most animals die
within a couple of months.
Prions, which are mutant, self-
propagating versions of proteins
that occur normally in the body, are
8 MARCH 2017 WNW NEWS
the disease-causing agent. They are
essentially indestructible and can
lie dormant in the environment for
years and still be infective.
Available evidence suggests the
disease is most often spread be-
tween adult animal and adult animal
through contamination of feed and
water sources with infectious saliva,
urine or feces. Typically, bucks have
been found to have higher infection
rates than does and CWD-infection
rate increases in both sexes with
deer age.
The Latest
Given the dearth of well-studied
population-level effects of CWD,
the Wyoming investigators
view the entire issue as be-
ing worrisome.
Confounding the is-
sue, they say, is the temp-
tation of, and pressure on,
managers to react to newly
discovered diseases (such
as CWD) in ways that may
not he optimal.
Since CWD has
potential to cause
population de-
clines, or even localized extinctions
at high prevalence rates, Edmunds
and his coworkers conducted a
lengthy study (2003-2010) to de-
termine if such is actually the case
with white-tailed deer.
Their objective was to monitor
CWD-positive and CWD-negatives
whitetails in a high-prevalence
CWD area throughout their lifespan
using telemetry and global position-
ing system (GPS) collars.
Specifically, their goal was to
evaluate differences in such things
as behavior, reproduction, survival,
mortality factors, etc., and ulti-
mately determine if CWD had a
negative impact on deer population
performance. They theorized that
deer population dynamics might be
altered by CWD to the extent that
the population growth rate would
decline.
The study was conducted pri-
marily on one ranch and times more likely to die annually
surrounding areas near Glenrock,
Wyoming. Based on examination of
hunter-killed deer, about 33 percent
of the deer in the general area had
CWD.
Using live traps and helicop-
ter net-gunning, the investigators
captured 112 deer as fawns and 63
deer as adults. All deer were fitted
with tracking collars and recaptured
annually (which in itself must have
been a daunting task).
All animals handled during the
study period (January 2003-Febru-
ary 2010) were examined for CWD
using a tonsil biopsy technique
and general body condition. Blood
samples were used for pregnancy
testing in does and observational
data were used to determine fawn-
rearing success. A complete exami-
nation of all dead deer was made
to determine cause of death and all
were subjected to a thorough CWD
examination.
While this investigation con-
firmed certain findings from previ-
ous CWD studies, other findings
concerning aspects of behavior and
resultant effects on deer population
dynamics differ. Findings from the
Wyoming study also indicate that
changes in management are prob-
ably necessary in order stabilize
CWD-infected deer populations at
socially acceptable levels.
Population Effects
Overall CWD prevalence during
the study was 35.4 percent, being
higher in does (42 percent) than
bucks (28.8 percent). Of the 118
deer mortalities documented during
the study, hunter harvest was the
most common cause of death (46
deer) and, as expected, bucks were
more heavily harvested than does.
Mortality due to predation was rare.
This study left little doubt,
however, that CWD can account for
declining deer population trends.
The CWD-positive deer were 4.5
than CWD-negative deer. According
to the Wyoming researchers, It is
likely that CWD and hunter har-
vest, the main causes of mortality,
have produced young age structure
observed in this population.
In their view, provided there is
no immigration or genetic selection
for less CWD susceptible genotypes,
this population is not sustainable
with possible extinction in 48 years
at current levels of mortality and
fecundity.
The researchers note that their
findings are particularly concerning,
in that the study species was white-
tailed deer, which have a higher
lifetime reproductive potential than
other species that are susceptible to
the disease.
Sex/Age Effects
More bucks than does (76
percent versus 24 percent) occurred
in the annual hunter-harvest, which
probably explains why more fe-
males than males (71 percent versus
24 percent) died from CWD. That
is, females just simply lived longer
(137.2 days), compared to males
(107.4 days), after testing positive
for CWD.
The researchers also suggest
that the matriarchal social structure
of females may explain the higher
incidence of CWD in females. They
theorize the following:
Males were removed earlier
in disease progression and had less
time to spread disease directly to
susceptible bucks in their bachelor
herds throughout most of the year.
Meanwhile females progressed to
clinical CWD, presumably shed-
ding infectious prions into the
environment and transmitting prions
directly to susceptible females in
their familial groups early in infec-
tion and throughout most of the
yearprolonged prion shedding
by CWD-positive does within their
home range, including favored
bedding locations, accompanied by
communal grooming and shared
home ranges with females provided
opportunity for disease transmission
CWD and deer numbers page 10
MOR March 2017 full pg:Layout 1 2/7/2017 11:50 PM Page 1

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CWD and deer numbers:
from page 8
through time.
Clearly, these findings of higher
CWD incidence in does than bucks
contradict other studies that found
just the opposite sex differences.
The authors of this report also
suggest, This discrepancy may be
a function of the riparian habitat
concentrating white-tailed deer and and alteration of normal behavior,
thus environmental contamination
and allowing the proposed role of
does in the transmission of CWD in
our study system.
Most importantly, they raise
the following question: What
will happen when CWD becomes
more established in northern areas
where deer commonly migrate long
distances and concentrate at high
densities in preferred conifer winter-
ing areas?
In other words, they say,
perhaps our study population is an
indicator of things to come, where
initially bucks experience higher
incidence until a threshold is met
when does experience higher CWD
incidence.
Nonetheless, they acknowledge
Edmunds group emphasizes the
following:
Rather than thinking of CWD
as a strictly pre-clinical disease fol-
lowed by a short, obvious clinical
stage of disease, we believe CWD
infection should be envisioned as a
slow, progressive decline in health
which ends with the clinically rec-
ognizable disease. Given the rela-
tively short clinical stage of CWD
and the limited hunting season, it is
hard to believe CWD-positive deer
would be more susceptible to har-
vest if this slow alteration in health
and behavior - does not occur.
Reproduction
As with previous studies, the
Wyoming study found no significant
negative impact of CWD on doe
pregnancy rates or resultant annual
recruitment. This strongly sug-
gests that does participate in the rut
regardless of CWD infection-status.
Also, observations indicate that does
in the early stages of CWD develop-
ment give birth to fawns an can suc-
cessfully raise them to weaning age.
Nonetheless, given that CWD
infection tends to alter deer behav-
ior to the extent that infected deer
become abnormally vulnerable to
hunter-harvest, one must wonder if
diseased does exhibit certain mater-
nal care weaknesses that jeopardize
newborn fawn survival.
For example, there is good
evidence that malnourished does are
more likely to abandon their fawns
or do not protect them from preda-
tors. In fact, the Wyoming research-
ers propose that future research
concerning the impact of CWD
upon doe fawn-rearing success is
warranted.
Conclusions
Few areas have attained white-
tail CWD prevalence as high as
noted here, due to the relatively
short time the disease has been
present in most areas. However, this
study shows what can, and likely
will, happen in the future when
CWD becomes well-established;
deer populations with high CWD
prevalence and high deer hunting
mortality will likely be driven to
extinction in relatively few decades.
Also, one of the statistical mod-
els employed in this study suggests
removing additive hunting mortal-
ity in female deer will sustain the
population. Therefore, if the man-
agement objective is to maintain
deer population numbers in the face
of high CWD prevalence, then it
seems rather obvious that hunting
of does must be limited or stopped
altogether.
As noted by Edmunds and his
group, this study highlights and
stresses the importance of prevent-
ing CWD from becoming endemic
in a population, rather than attempt-
ing to manage it after the fact.
Therefore, as determined from
previous research, the best strategy
remains minimizing dispersal of
CWD infected deer to new areas --
a real challenge for managers, given
our current understanding (or lack
thereof) of what motivates long-
distance deer movements.n

Michigans CWD deer related?

bucks may always experience higher
incidence than females where deer
range widely and populations are

well dispersed.
Behavioral Shifts
From the hunters standpoint, I
find this study particularly interest-
ing because the findings suggest
that CWD-positive deer behave
differently than CWD-negative deer,
even in the early stages of disease
development when other physical
differences are indiscernible. For
example, CWD-positive whitetails
were over-represented in the annual
hunter harvest, logically because
they were behaviorally more vulner-
able to hunting.
Other investigators found that
CWD-positive mule deer were also
more vulnerable to hunter harvest,
as compared to disease-free individ-
uals. They suggested that behavioral
shifts, including movement patterns,
changes in breeding behavior during
harvest, decreased reaction time to
stimuli and changes in habitat type
used by diseased animals may have
made them more vulnerable to hunt-
ers.
There certainly is no evidence
that hunters purposely harvest ema-
ciated or sick animals. So, one must
wonder if these same diseased deer
also then become easier prey for
natural predators, even during the
very early stages of disease develop-
ment.
Conversely, studies conducted in
Wisconsin, found no such difference
in harvest susceptibility, possibly
because CWD prevalence was much
lower (6.3 percent) as compared
to that in the Wyoming study (33
percent).
10 MARCH 2017 WNW NEWS
T
he spread of CWD in deer
populations may be among By Richard P. Smith
animals that are related instead of between un-
related individuals. That appears to be the case
in Michigan. Eight out of nine free-ranging whitetails
that have had CWD in the state are related, according
to DNR deer specialist Chad Stewart. The ninth deer
might also be related to the others, but testing on that
one is not yet complete.
The relationships of the first 8 positive deer were
determined through genetic testing, Stewart wrote in
an email, and the relationships varied between direct
descendants (doe/fawn), sibling, or distant relative.
Some deer are related to only one deer, while other
deer are related to multiple deer.
Of important interest is that the three deer tested
from Clinton County are not related to one another,
but are related to deer in Ingham County (specifically
Meridian Township). This supports the theory that
the disease perhaps is radiating from that location as a
product of dispersal.
The fact that any disease is more likely to be spread
among whitetails that are related shouldnt come as a
surprise because social contact between deer that are
related is the closest for the longest period of time.
Does and their fawns repeatedly come in contact
with each others saliva through mutual grooming.
Its the same for siblings. Theres also the greatest risk
of contamination from urine and feces between these
animals.
Testing of deer with TB also confirmed that disease
was most likely to be transmitted to whitetails that were
related because of frequent nose-to-nose contact.
Among the first 8 wild deer that were confirmed
to have CWD in Michigan, five were found in Ingham
County and three in Clinton County. Those 8 deer in-
clude four of each sex. Two does and three bucks have
come from Ingham County. Two does and one buck
were shot in Clinton County.
The two does from Ingham County were five and
six years old and they each produced a number of
fawns, some of which also had CWD. The 6-year-old
doe was the mother of a 2-year-old
buck from Ingham that had CWD, for
instance. The 5-year-old doe was the mother of two
bucks in Ingham County that had CWD. One of the
bucks was 3 -years-old and the other was 6 months
old.
The pair of adult does from Ingham County that
were a year apart in age were also related, but its not
clear how they were related. The 2-year-old son of the
6-year-old doe was part of the extended family of the
5-year-old doe. Perhaps the adult does had the same
father or mother.
The three deer that were killed in Clinton County
that had CWD were also related to the pair of adult
does from Ingham County. A 2 1/2-year-old doe that
came out of Clinton was a half sibling to the 5-year-old
doe from Ingham, meaning they probably had the same
mother or father. The fact that the Clinton County 2
-year-old doe was also a half sibling to the 6-month-
old buck from Ingham County, which was the son of
the 5-year-old doe, would indicate they shared a father.
A 1 -year-old buck from Clinton was a half sibling
to the 3 -year-old buck from Ingham that was the son
of the 5-year-old Ingham County doe. The 1 -year old
buck from Clinton was also part of the extended family
of the 6-year-old doe from Ingham, so the buck was
probably the son of one of that does offspring.
A 1 -year-old doe from Clinton that had CWD
was found to be part of the extended family of the
6-month-old buck from Ingham County that was the
son of the 5-year-old Ingham County doe, so that older
doe also had to be related to the yearling doe from
Clinton County.
Stewart emailed me a table that shows how each
of the CWD positive deer are related, but the table
obviously doesnt have all of the relationships. It will be
interesting to see if the ninth CWD positive deer is re-
lated to one or more of the whitetails with the disease.
The adult does that have been found with CWD obvi-
ously had more fawns that have surfaced with the dis-
ease so far. Either there are more deer with the disease
remaining out there or some of them are resistant to it.
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WNW NEWS MARCH 2017 11
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 Earning a Masters Degree in...
Jigging
T
he Detroit Rivers
epic spring walleye
run comes but once
a year. Those anglers
who have experienced
the Detroit River
when its red hot can attest that
the bite is epic.
The walleye start tricking into
the river in March and by early April
the river is alive with fish and world
class jigging opportunities. By early
May most of the adult females have
spawned and returned to their sum-
mer haunts and by Memorial Day
the bite focuses almost exclusively
on aggressive males that linger in
the river.
Seemingly these smaller males
would rather forage in the
river than return to the big
pond. If you missed the
big fish run earlier in the
spring, this late May bite
is one more last chance to
fill the freezer.
Start to finish the
walleye run is only a little
over 60 days
which means
any way a wall- By Mark Romanack
eye enthusiast
slices it the wait between annual
spring river runs is about 300 days!!
This sobering fact is important
because it should focus anglers on
how important it is to hit the Detroit
River prepared for success.
A Mindset For Success
The spring walleye run on the
Detroit River attracts a literal army
of anglers, but not all of these fisher-
men are catching fish. When the
bite is snapping seemingly nets are
flying everywhere, but the reality is
most of the fish are being caught by
a minority of anglers who possess
collectively a critical skill set.
Jig fishing is a skill, not an art
as some might suggest. Becoming a
skillful jig fisherman doesnt happen
over-night, but it can happen for
anyone who is willing to put in the
time and pay attention to the impor-
tant details.
Boat Control
Successful river jig fishing starts
with boat control. The majority of
the fish taken from the Detroit River
every spring are caught using a pre-
sentation known as vertical jigging.
The idea of fishing a jig directly
below the boat is simple enough to
understand, but what a majority of
12 MARCH 2017 WNW NEWS
fishermen dont realize is that verti-
cal jigging is only possible when the
boat is under complete control.
Fishermen use all kinds of
means in controlling their boats,
but the only practical solution is to
use a bow mounted electric motor
for this chore. Both traditional cable
driven and modern wireless elec-
tric motors can be used for vertical
jigging. The difference is that cable
driven motors are foot controlled
and wireless motors can be con-
trolled with either a foot control or a
key fob.
The key fob option works great
for anglers who are only fishing
with one line. Those anglers who
wish to master vertical jigging with
two rods will need to also
master the use of the foot
control.
When vertical jig-
ging in flowing water, the
electric motor is used to
position the boat over-
top of the jig. In effect,
vertical jigging is about
getting the boat,
current and
jig to all move
downstream at
the same speed. Since as anglers we The authors son Jake has developed into a master jigger by
have no control over the current, we spending countless hours on the river and paying attention to every
must use the electric motor to match detail. Mark Romanack photos
up the boats drifting speed to the
current speed. Structure Rules these edges meander and the water
depth along the edge is constantly
Creating this delicate balance Once an angler understands the
changing. The river channel is well
takes a little practice, but anyone
can learn to control a boat in flowing
need to stay vertical and how to
control a boat with an electric motor defined near Mud Island, out in front
of the 80 inch steel mill and near
water and various wind conditions to accomplish this goal, the focus
the water intake on the west side of
using an electric motor. The struggle moves on to finding and staying on
Fighting Island.
to stay vertical is a constant battle fish. River walleye are seemingly
Wavy bottoms are places where
and requires 100 percent concentra- always on the move, forcing anglers
the current has scoured out depres-
tion, 100 percent of the time! to be doing the same thing.
sions in the bottom. Walleye lay
The best way to keep the boat The one thing that remains
moving at the same speed as the cur- constant is regardless of where geo- in these depressions to escape the
rent is to use periodic short bursts graphically in the river walleye are direct flow of the current. A good
example of a wavy bottom is the
of power from the electric motor. If found, these fish are always going
area out in front of Cobo Hall near
too much power is provided by the to be found on the bottom. Several
the middle of the river.
electric motor, a boat that is moving kinds of bottom structure routinely
Sea wall edges are also com-
at just the right speed will suddenly attract and hold walleye including
mon in the Detroit River and this
be moving either faster or slower flats, channel edges, wavy bottoms
structure type tends to concentrate
than the current. and sea wall edges.
In either case the fishing line Flats are the easiest structure to fish very close to the bank edge. The
area directly in front of Cobo Hall,
moves from the vertical or fish because the fish tend to spread
straight down orientation to angling out on the flat and the depth doesnt the area around the Post Office, the
area by the Coast Guard Station and
upstream or downstream. When the change significantly. The area down-
line begins to angle away from the stream of the Ambassador Bridge the area directly downstream of the
boat, contact with the bottom is lost. and also out in front of Wyandotte, Wyandotte public boat launch are
To compensate for the line angling downstream to Grassy Island are just a few of the sea wall edges that
and the jig lifting off bottom, the good examples of river flats. routinely hold fish.
angler simply uses the electric mo- Channel edges are like fish Rod/Reel/Line
tor to drive the boat, back over top highways but this form of structure Once an angler understands boat
of the jig. is the most difficult to fish because control and the river structure types
that routinely find fish, the focus of
vertical jigging switches to using
the proper rods, reels, fishing line
and leaders. The advent of fused and
super braid lines is perhaps the best
thing that ever happened to Detroit
River walleye jiggers.
Fused and super braid lines are
very thin in diameter and feature
near zero stretch. The thin diameter
helps in reducing friction and makes
it easier to stay vertical with lighter
jigs. Low stretch in fishing line
plays to sensitivity and makes it far
easier to detect subtle strikes.
Most of the anglers who use
fused lines are fishing with either
six or eight pound test. Anglers who
prefer super braids are normally
fishing 10 pound test.
Both fused and super braids
are excellent choices for vertical
jigging. The biggest difference
between these common line types
is that fused lines are flat in shape
and braids are round like monofila-
ment. Anglers argue about which
line type is best, but because super
braids are round they tend to lay on
a reel spool better and are more user
friendly to fish.
Its also true that fused lines
tend to suffer from abrasion issues
and need to be replaced more often
than super braids. A quality super
braid such as Maximas Braid 8 is
tightly wrapped, coated to make
it slide smoothly though the rod
guides and will last a jig fisherman
two or three seasons.
Because fused and super lines
have near zero stretch, the best rods
for fishing them tend to be high
modulus graphite spinning models
that feature a soft tip and fast action.
In most brands of rods a six or six/
six medium light action rod with a
fast or extra fast tip makes for excel-
lent jigging sticks.
The sensitive tip is critical
because it has to telegraph the strike
and also absorb the shock that oc-
curs when the hook is set. A rod that
is too stiff will literally tear the jig
right out of the fishs mouth.
The ideal spinning reels for
vertical jigging are smaller 25 or
30 size models with wide spools. A
wide spool reel collects line without
creating excessive memory or loops
in the line. This feature may seem
minor, but a wide spool reel allows
line to flow off the reel smoothly
when lowering the jig to bottom.
Because super lines are expen-
sive, most anglers load their reel
half full with monofilament and then
put a top dressing of about 75 yards
of fused or super braid line.
What comes next is a constant
debate among jig fishermen. Some
anglers tie their jig directly to the
fused or super braid line and others
feel it is important to add a 24 inch
leader of fluorocarbon line and tie
the jig to the fluorocarbon leader.
The debate rages on, but any-
The spring walleye run on the Detroit River is shor t, but the action can be oh so sweet. The author
uses the Detroit River as a handy excuse for spending quality time on the water with friends and family.
way it is sliced super braids and
fused lines are more visible in the
water than fluorocarbon line. A 24
inch leader of 10-12 pound test fluo-
rocarbon attached using a Double
Uni Knot gives anglers the best of
both worlds. Super sensitivity and
a nearly invisible jig to line combi-
nation make this option something
every jig fisherman should consider
seriously.
The Hook Set
The moment of truth comes in
vertical jigging when a fish bites.
The problem is vertical jigging
produces two distinctively differ-
ent bites that anglers must learn to
detect.
The first kind of strike is a
no-brainer to detect because it feels
like a distinctive tap or tick in the
line. This type of strike occurs when
the jig is resting on a taunt line and
the sensation of the bite is readily
transferred up the line, into the rod
tip and ultimately into the hand of
the fisherman.
Its the second type of bite that
most anglers struggle with. When a
strike occurs as the jig is falling in
the water on slack line, no distinc-
tive tick or tap can be felt. Instead
when the rod is lifted and the line
pulled tight again a sensation of
weight is felt.
When an inexperienced an-
gler feels this sensation of weight,
the first reaction is the jig must be
snagged. A second of hesitation is
all it takes and the fish spits out the
jig.
The key to being successful jig
fishermen is to condition oneself to
set the hook when anything feels
different. For some anglers this is
the most difficult part of vertical jig-
ging to master.
How the hook is set is the next
critical piece of the puzzle. Most
anglers who detect a strike tend to
drop the rod tip slightly then rare
back and let the fish have it. In verti-
cal jigging its critical to lift the rod
in a sweeping motion that works to
keep the line tight.
The sweep set never gives the
fish an opportunity to detect the
anglers presence and drop the bait.
The best jig fishermen develop a
sweep set that amounts to a light-
ning fast reaction time. This small,
but critically important detail is
what often separates a good jig fish-
erman from one whose skills are off
the charts.
Not All Jigs
Are Created Equal
Anglers on the Detroit River
tend to fish ball style jigs and most
buy them from basement build-
ers who use the cheapest possible
hooks. The ball shape of the jig is
okay for vertical jigging, but the
hook is the most important link
between the fish and fisherman.
Premium hooks that are razor
sharp make a huge difference in
how many of the fish that bite are
ultimately hooked and landed. The
best jig fishermen I have shared a
boat with are ardent about mak-
ing sure they are fishing jigs with
premium hooks. The instant a hook
point gets even a little dull it needs
to be sharpened to sticky sharp
status.
Stand-up style jigs are also an
advantage when vertical jigging. A
stand-up jig keeps the hook point
upright and off the bottom when
the jig makes contact with the bot-
tom. With ball heads and other jig
designs the instant the jig makes
contact with bottom, the hook rolls
over.
Stand-up jigs hook more of the
fish that bite because the hook is
always in the proper upright posi-
tion for a hook set. Also stand-up
jigs tend to snag a little less often
than ball jigs. Many anglers dont
feel its important to use stand-up
jigs and jigs with premium hooks,
but these tiny differences can and do
make a big impact on fishing suc-
cess.
Two Rod Jigging
The final step in becoming a
proficient vertical jigger is master-
ing the skill of fishing two rods
at the same time. Two rod jigging
puts twice the baits in the water and
equally increases an anglers likeli-
hood of success. The problem with
two rod jigging is not everyone
adapts easily to this multi-tasking
fishing technique.
The only way to master two rod
jigging is to fish with two rods and
push through the nagging desire
to put one rod down and just fish.
Obviously fishing two rods doubles
the chances of success, but it also
doubles the chances of snagging,
makes for more work keeping live
bait in the water and makes the boat
control process that much more
complicated.
The best way to describe two
rod jigging is that its a pain in the
back side to master, but once a per-
son gets proficient vertical jigging
with two rods, it feels strange to fish
with just one rod.
Every time I fish on the Ontario
side of the Detroit River where only
one line per angler is allowed by
law, it feels like my right arm has
been chopped off!
Summing It Up
Vertical jigging when practiced
with razor sharp skills amounts
to a fish harvesting system. Like
anything worthwhile, mastering
this popular presentation requires
considerable time on the water. Oh
well, I guess that means we will all
just have to fish a little more often.n
WNW NEWS MARCH 2017 13
 6
Sure-fire techniques for...
Run & Gun
TURKEY
HUNTING
By Brian Miller
E
very year spring rolls
around and hunters
flock to the green fields
dressed head to toe in
camouflage. They are
chasing the thrill of the
long beard who is thundering out
a heart pumping gobble. Watching
these wary birds work their way
into decoys is amazing. But what
happens when that plan goes south?
Those birds are hung up outside of
gun range and slowly slip away.
Youre left wondering what hap-
pened and heading home for an
early breakfast.
Thats the old school thinking
about turkey hunting. Sticking to
traditional ground blind hunting
drastically limits your reach to a
small radius. What if we could go to
the birds instead of always waiting
on them?
Im not much of a traditional
hunter so a run and gun tech-
nique comes natural. Or maybe its
because I quickly become impatient.
Either way, most of my strategies
have been built around getting dan-
gerously close before coaxing a bird
in the last few steps.
1
Cutting the Distance...Run
and Gun turkey hunting means
something different to ev-
eryone. Wandering aimlessly
through the woods or hustling,
giving off a few clucks is a low
percentage game. The likelihood of
a wary turkey spotting you is highly
likely. I prefer to spot the target
from afar then cut the distance to
something more reasonable. If a bird
can only be heard its important to
properly judge distance before mak-
ing a move. Too many times have
I miscalculated an assessment and
walked right into the birds. Busted!
This method of sneaking closer
is always a gamble. Cut the distance
too much and youll get busted. I
love hunting in hill country because
using the slight rolling hills helps
me stay concealed. Use whatever
terrain or tree lines available to hide
behind. Turkeys have the most in-
credible eyes so if you can see them
youre busted. And sometimes even
14 MARCH 2017 WNW NEWS
when you cant see them, youre
busted.
Another great way to target
birds is to drive to several locations,
visually looking or calling to get a
response. Once you hit a vocal bird,
its time to start cutting the distance.
This technique works remarkably
well on public land where there is
lots of ground to cover.
2
Pack Light...Packing light
is essential when youre on
the run. You really need to
grab your vest and a gun and
be on your way. Everything must
be stuffed into the right locations
so you can quickly setup in those
couple seconds before he comes
strutting over the hill. I really dont
have time to mess with unruly sets
and lost calls.
Setting up rapidly is an under-
statement when youre on the move.
Two years ago, my son and I tried
slipping in a little closer to the gob-
bling birds when I suddenly real-
ized the turkeys were on top of us.
I instantly dropped the decoy and
pushed us both against the closest
tree. I reached over and pulled up
his mask and told him to get ready.
He quickly put his gun up on his
knees and barreled down on the
sights. Within 60 seconds, we had a
couple long beards gobbling in our
face. At point blank range we both
pulled off the shooting and had two
birds flopping on the ground. Our
goal was to be lightweight, comfort-
able and adaptable which paid off
doubly!
3
Diaphragm Calls...I love
working birds into me with
a slate call; however a
diaphragm turkey call has
some big advantages during the final
approach. Anytime I am running and
gunning there is a diaphragm call
stuck in the corner of my mouth.
There have been several times when
I didnt have time to fumble around
finding a call. These calls allow a
hunter to have far less movement
during the last forty yards.
If youre not proficient with a
diaphragm make sure to practice
during the off season. Learning to
Matt and Brian Miller moved in deadly close to pull off this double.
control the airflow and tongue pres-
sure allows a hunter to be extremely
versatile with pitch and volume.
Being forced to use a diaphragm call
really helps me become a stronger
turkey caller. Diaphragm calls allow
a hunter to keep stealthy.
4
Scouting Necessities...
Calling in a turkey is much
easier when youre sitting
where he wants to go. Even
when youre a mobile turkey hunter
its important to understand turkey
movement. Getting boots on the
ground is essential. You need to
know the locations that birds are
moving, what the best time of day
is, and why they are heading there.
Then when you spot a bird its easier
to get into a location for an ambush.
Once youre set up, there is a forty
yard radius and you really need
to be faced in the right direction.
Without this knowledge, its easy to
be just out of range and things can
quickly fall apart.
5
Get Unstuck...Weve all
dealt with those hard to reach
birds strutting smack-dab in
the middle of that green field,
150 yards from anything. Trying to
cut those birds off can be problem-
atic if youre not sure of the destina-
tion. However pulling out a sneak
attack could be the perfect solution.
We all want a thick tree to break-
up our outline. Its even better if
there is a blow down or logs used to
hide behind. However in these wide
open situations sometime putting
on a death crawl to get dangerously
close is in order. Laying down in a
prong stance provides an extraordi-
narily low profile. Some sweet call-
ing would bring a turkey right into
range of your secret weapon. When
making a crazy move make sure to
be in camouflage from head to toe.
Dont be afraid to get unstuck from
the trees.
6
Mobile Regimen...Having
a mobile presence in the
woods means you have to
have a strict regimen. If you
plan on beating the eyes of an old
gobbler you need to know when to
move. Its common for birds to go
silent after hitting the ground so
have a plan on when its time for
you to move. Each location I hunt
has birds moving through areas at
different times of the day. Therefore
I have those decision made before
hunting. However Im not afraid to
break some rules if birds are not fol-
lowing the days script.
When youre on the move be
careful approaching the area to
prevent from spooking the birds.
Ill use my binoculars to glass the
property before approaching. Each
strutting zone needs to be carefully
approached. I really approach the
run and gun approach as sneaking
through the woods. During the mid-
day birds dont gobble as much, so
keep your eyes peeled. Know where
everything is in your vest and ap-
proach each area like there is a bird.
This will ensure youre ready for
anything being tossed your way.
Conclusion...
Many of the turkeys I have taken
in the last decade have come from
unconventional hunting techniques.
For me its not about how close I
can get to the roosting tree but how
stealthy I can be. Turkey hunting is
increasingly humbling and excit-
ing. The wariness of an old gobbler
along with beating his eyes and ears
is a big part of what makes turkey
hunting an incredibly rewarding
sport.n
WNW NEWS MARCH 2017 15
 Lured into fishing by the art of decoys
Prepared By MDNR
When most people see
a cedar fence post or an
old, broken cedar limb
on the ground, Dave
Kober sees a trout; or
a perch; or maybe,
a bluegill...
K
ober carves fish decoys.
Decoys have long
been used by ice fisher-
men to lure large fish
generally pike, but
also sturgeon and oth-
ers within range of the spearing
hole, though some hook-and-line
anglers use them as well. Primarily
turned out by home-shop artisans,
fish decoys were once manufactured
Dave Kober shows off a perch decoy outside his shop near Cadillac.
by major bait companies James
Heddons Sons Co. in Dowagiac
produced them decades ago but
the homemade models have become
highly collectable, unique examples
of American folk art that can fetch
six figures.
Kober, 78, has been carving
decoys since he was a young boy.
Its grandpas fault, said Ko-
ber. My grandfather was an ardent
hunter and fisherman and he liked to
carve decoys. He taught me every-
thing I know I guess. I started it as a
hobby.
That artsy thing kind of runs
in our family, he said. I have a
brother and sister who are commer-
cial artists, though I never pursued
anything artsy. When I was a kid
it was the furthest thing from my
mind. But I could always draw.
Thats where it starts. When
Kober begins, he sketches out his
design on a chunk of wood, cuts
out the rough form with a band saw.
Then he gets after it with a draw
plane and rasp. He finishes a decoy
16 MARCH 2017 WNW NEWS
with power tools and hand- paints it
with acrylics.
Kober works with white cedar,
most of which he scavenges from
nearby woodlots, though it isnt
unusual, he said, to come home and
find a cedar limb on his porch, left
there by one of his buddies.
I like the texture of it (cedar)
and the smell of it, he said. Its
pleasant to work with and it takes
paint well. I really like that old
worn cedar, like fence posts. If its
got flaws in it that just adds to the
character of the piece.
As his reputation grew, Kober
moved on from basic decoys to Collectors believe the late Oscar Peterson to be the Vincent van Gogh of
decorative decoys designed for fish decoys. This is a trout decoy from the 1930s.
display and though he still makes but they work. ables. But the Nelsons never went in
working decoys now that the cost Michigan has a long history of the decorative decoy direction.
is so high, theres not a lot of people fish decoy carvers. We emphasize decoys not
who want to put them in the water. Perhaps the best-known among replicas of fish, Nelson said.
But there are plenty of wood them was Oscar Peterson of Cadil- Theyve got to swim so you can
carvers who stay in the working lac, who died in 1951. Hes well- take them out and use them.
decoy end of the pool. known enough in the art world that Nelson said their decoys are
his wooden fish have been sold by made the traditional way whittled
Sothebys, and a single piece once from white pine with upholstery
fetched $18,000. tacks for eyes, fins made from scrap
Al Nelson, 72, who helps teach sheet metal and weighted with lead
a class on decoy carving at the so they perform properly in the wa-
Michigan Department of Natural ter. And Nelson said he still uses his
Resources Carl T. Johnson Hunt- own, or some made by his buddies,
ing and Fishing Center in Cadillac, in the spearing shack.
has been around decoy carving his We go out, not so much to
entire life. spear them, as to lure them in and
My older brothers started back watch them, he said. We want to
in 38, and weve been associated pass on the legacy of decoy carv-
with it since then, he said. When ing.
we grew up there were 16 of us in Anglers interested in ice fish-
the family we all speared and we ing decoys may want to check out
sat around and made decoys. I prob- some of the items that are part of
ably started when I was 10 years the collection at the Carl T. John-
old. son Center. There are a number of
The Nelsons were family friends them, including a display of Kobers
with Peterson, who allowed the boys process from a hunk of wood to
Fred and Jo Anne Campbell, a hus- to watch him work. Als late brother a finished decoy some of Oscar
band/wife team who live in Benzie Jim became a well-known carver Petersons and others as well.
County, have run BenzieJo Decoys and produced thousands of pieces, Get more information on fishing
out of their backyard shop since which are now considered collect- at www.michigan.gov/fishing.n
1997. All they produce are working
decoys.
Though I have to say that
probably 90 percent of our buyers
are collectors, Jo Anne Campbell
said.
The pair got into decoy making
when Fred saw some at a market,
remembered using them as a kid,
bought some, and was enthralled by
them.
I thought he was crazy for
buying them, Jo Anne said.
But when Fred decided he was
going to start carving them, Jo Anne
volunteered to do the painting.
BenzieJo Decoys begin at $50
for an 8-inch Red and White (their
best seller) and can go up to $145
for a 10-inch model.
Well never get rich on it, but
we have fun doing it and make a
little money on the side, she said. Al Nelson shows off some of the Jim Anderson of Cadillac car ves the
Theyre not anatomically correct, fish decoys he car ved. tail of a trout decoy in progress.
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WNW NEWS MARCH 2017 17
Jigging Lessons for
Motown Eyes
Tips and tricks for catching Detroit River walleyes
that you can use anywhere...By Mark Martin
M
arch is a frustrat-
ing month for avid
walleye anglers;
especially as its days
wane. While the first
half usually has ice
safe enough to fish upon, the latter
part will see deteriorating condi-
tions. Add to that, the closure in the
fishing season throughout many of
the states in the Midwest and nearby
Canada, to allow procreation to take
place without harassment for this
most sought-after species.
But theres one place where
the bite only gets better as March
slowly turns into April, and thats
on the Detroit River. Here, within
the flow that connects Lake St. Clair
and Lake Erie, the season for target-
ing walleyes is open throughout the
entire year. And did you realize the
Michigan Department of Natural
Resources (DNR) estimates nearly
nine million individuals of this
species swim into this fast-flowing
waterway to go through the rituals
of spawning? Thats an amazing
migration no matter what type of
fish you are talking about.
But neither the fishing nor catch-
ing comes easy here. The current is
quick and the wind can blow hard
from most any direction and push
you off course. Overall, its boat
control that is what separates the
anglers who land a limit from those
who come back to the dock empty
handed.
Luckily, the technique that takes
the most fish here, vertical jigging,
is a fairly easy poly to use. But
even then, there are little details that
make a big difference in how many
fish are landed. And its these same
tips and techniques that will help
you catch fish in rivers all year long,
no matter where it is youre fishing.
River Basics
River fishing is unique in its
own right. Unlike in natural lakes,
where 90 percent of the fish only
hold in 10 percent of the water, fish
in rivers can be spread out through-
out the entire system. It all depends
on the flow. Is the water rising due
to runoff from rain or snow, or, has
a drought got levels falling? Is it
muddy or clear? Cold or warm?
There so much riding on the waters
environment of the moment.
Overall, in the Detroit River,
waters are flowing fast and slightly
18 MARCH 2017 WNW NEWS
elevated due to the runoff of melt-
ing ice from Lakes Huron and St.
Clair, as well any precipitation than
may be falling this time of year.
Ultra-muddy water conditions can
be the death of a good bite. Lightly
stained water is more desirable. If
the waters too dirty downstream,
Ill motor upstream to find cleaner
conditions.
In most river systems, walleyes
will head right to the bank as the
water rises, and I am sure fish do
in the Detroit River, too. Pitching
jigs to the bank, or even up onto the
flooded grassy plains is a great ploy
in most waterways, but the river
banks on this river are industrial in
nature, thus tossing a jig in the shal-
lows means snags and lost tackle.
Overall, your best bet for finding
key areas to fish here is to use what
I use, and thats an SD card filled
with Navionics mapping to find
holes and runs very near shore. With
a Navionics card in the card-reader
of my Lowrance HDS-12 Gen3
sonar/chartplotter combo, I can see
where every hole, hump and bump
lies underwater. And that means I
am able to find more places than
ever to catch fish, even in waterways
I thought I knew. Navionics map-
ping has opened up my eyes to what
really lies below my boat, and has
helped me discover new spots.
Ready, Aim, Drop
Once I have found a place I want
to fish, I motor my Lund well above
the run and, with its nose pointed
upstream, deploy my bow-mounted
electric trolling motor and get its
prop spinning.
An electric trolling motor in the
bow is the most important piece of
equipment when it comes to boat
control. My foot is continuously on
the control pedal, endlessly turning
left, right, goosing the power up or
turning it down, all so I can keep
the boat moving down stream at the
exact same speed as the current.
And believe it or not, controlling
my boat is why I also spool up
very bright Berkley FireLine,
such as Flame Green or Crystal,
on my ABU Garcia reels. Using
such brightly-colored lines allows
me to see the angles they are
going into the water, which in
turn indicates to me whether I
need to speed up, slow down or turn.
What I am trying to achieve
The ver tical-jigging techniques used in the Detroit River can be
applied in any flowing waters that walleyes roam. Author photo
is a perfect vertical presentation.
The rods I use for vertical
jigging here needs to be slightly
heavier in power than what I would
use in a lake, and have a fast action.
This allows me to feel the moment
my jig taps bottom, so I can lift it up
and out of a snags way, and, allows
me to pull huge walleyes up and off
of bottom quickly. Fenwicks 6-foot
6-inch medium-action Elite Teck
Walleye spinning rod is the perfect
stick.
And that FireLine I use? I prefer
8- to 10-pound test, and I tie the
superline directly to the jig using a
Palomar knot. Trust me on this, the
fish will not care about the brightly-
colored line what so ever.
I prefer jigs that are heavy, too,
rather than going with my usual;
which is the lightest the wind and
waves will let me get away with.
Northlands 3/4-ounce SinkN Jig
will do the trick, and they come in a
variety of eye-catching colors.
Nip and Fall
It wasnt all that long ago, in the
early 2000s, that live minnows were
the only bait folks used in the De-
troit River. (Well, most anywhere,
for that matter.) But then came
softbaits like Berkley PowerBait and
GULP!
Now, its not to say that a lively
shiner fresh from my Frabill bait
container isnt going to catch fish,
but I will say that a PowerBait Pro
Jig Worm or GULP! Minnow will
take just as many fish and stays on
the hook longer.
And jigging these baits is as easy
as lowering the jig to bottom, and
the moment you feel the bottom, lift
the lure about one foot, then repeat.
Walleye bite extremely light; hits
may feel nothing more than like an
ultra-light tick, or just something
different from all the other ups and
downs you made with the bait.
Comfort Keepers
Some things anglers might
cheapen out on when buying can be
some of the most important items in
your boat.
Take rainwear, for example.
If theres one thing reliable about
the weather this time of year is its
unreliability. Totally waterproof
and warm jackets and bibs, like the
Typhoon by STORMR, are essential
for staying comfortable, which helps
one concentrate on catching fish. On
the other hand, the sun could pop
out from the clouds and be quite in-
tense. To ward off the first sunburn
of the season, use a high-quality
sunscreen, and wear first-rate sun-
glasses, such as the Costa Del Mar
glasses I wear.
Motown teachings
The Detroit River is a unique
fishery itself, but the lessons you
learn here will be priceless in any
river.
By far, boat control the crucial
link between landing a limit and go-
ing back to the dock empty handed.
Use a bow-mounted electric trolling
motor to you advantage. And use
heavier jigs when youre vertical
jigging, and dont overlook softbaits
as well lively live bait.
Mark Martin is a touring
walleye pro and instructor with the
Fishing Vacation/Schools on ice and
open water, who lives in Michigans
southwestern Lower Peninsula.
Check out his website at markmar-
tins.net for more information.n
 2017
SPR I NG
BOAT S H O W C H 9T H
THURSDAY MARRDAY MARCH 11TH
HROUGH SAT
T
U

12289.indd 1 1/6/17 9:02 AM

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 Scout trout and smallmouth bass streams during
U.P.s spring high waters and find good fishing spots
By Bill Ziegler
I
f you like a little bit of adventure then
paddling Michigans less traveled streams
is a good way to find that. Another rea-
son to do this is to vastly improve your
knowledge of good fishing, trapping and
hunting spots and access to those.
I started conducting early spring canoe sur-
veys while working as a Management Fish Biolo-
gist for the DNR. I managed a very large area in
the Western Upper Peninsula and we could not
cover the vast miles of trout and smallmouth bass
streams with normal fish population electrofish-
ing surveys. Early in my DNR career I was also
struck by how often anglers and outdoorsman
would ask us questions about area streams and,
unless it was an extremely popular trout stream,
the DNR files had little information.
Of course I am also an avid trout and small-
mouth bass angler and found numerous good
fishing spots while conducting these surveys.
Since I already know more fishing spots than I
or my family have time to fish this was not my
motivation to conduct the surveys. The habitat
information was very valuable for the future fish
management.
I did get some sense of the rivers and streams
from driving around and walking into a few
spots. There were a number of streams where
stream crossing surveys gave a false impres-
sion of valuable habitat (rapids, riffles, springs
and pools) far from vehicle access. The U.P. has
fewer road crossings than downstate rivers and
many stream stretches are too remote to access
by anything other than canoe. I also found some
good areas through new satellite photos avail-
able online and some of our fall aerial surveys for
habitat assessment. Nothing gives you a better
sense of the overall stream habitat than an on the
ground survey float of the stream.
A good time to paddle streams that are not
normally known for canoe floats is at spring high
water. It is also a good time to float Michigan riv-
ers that do not have a strong summer base flow.
Most of these types of float trips require getting
Erich Ziegler along an upper section of the Brule River which borders Michigan and Wisconsin in
the U.P. Warm days in early spring are great days to conduct these spring canoe trout explorations.
20 MARCH 2017 WNW NEWS
typical paddle streams ahead of time. In my case
The author maneuvering the canoe through
the West Branch of the Sturgeon River riffles
in early spring provided valuable trout habitat
information. The spring run-off allows the avid
angler, trapper or hunter to travel down larger
streams and rivers that would normally be too
difficult to pass through. Author photos
out and pulling over or around down trees, log
jams, beaver dams, and low road crossings. I was
fortunate enough to have my son available to
float the streams making portages easier. As a re-
sult we floated the rivers on the weekends. When
my son went off to a distant college we had to
attempt these trips at his spring break which was
early in the season.
In Northern Michigan another concern is go-
ing too early in the season before the spring break
up because of ice in the channel. We attempted to
scout the streams as much as possible although
as mentioned above in Upper Michigan where
road access is very limited that leaves some level
of guess work to when the river ice has opened
up enough to proceed. On the Upper Brule River
(border with Wisconsin) we found out the hard
way the stream channel with current was open
but the lower pool areas were still blocked by ice.
It is a good idea to research your trip on non-
I looked at maps, air photos and talked to COs
or other DNR staff that might have first-hand
knowledge of the stream. In smaller towns you
can usually find out who in the area might have a
deer camp/cabin on the stream you want to float.
These cabin owners who fish, hunt, or trap often
have a good idea what you might be getting into
on that float if you can track down someone to
ask. Sometimes you can trade information with a
beaver trapper of what to expect on your trip for
return information on locations of active beaver
colonies. As a result when we observed a large
number of beaver chewed sticks (white when
fresh), maintained beaver dam or house we made
note of that for the future.
Another common mistake is trying to tackle
too long a stretch of stream to float. After many
mistakes with never ending float trips when I
was younger, I try to limit my exploration float
trips. If I dont know a lot about how passable the
stream section is I limit float trips to about eight
miles. In the spring or fall floats the days are
shorter and it is not fun to still have a long way to
go as it is getting dark on difficult trips.
There are map measuring software programs
that can help you measure the length of stream
you want to tackle between access points. You
can also use a county map book such as the
Michigan County Map Guide or Atlas and these
are available in many good book stores. Another
source would be a county plat book. The maps
that have the sections marked out give you an
approximate distance of a mile (one section). A
good rule of thumb to use if the stream is mean-
dering at all is double the number of sections the
stream stretch of interest crosses and use that as
youre more likely distance. In other words if the
steam crosses four sections count that as about
eight miles.
Some streams do not have enough flow to
float, even at high water. Many streams in North-
ern Michigan were used for transport of pine logs
during the white pine logging era. Any of those
former log transport streams should be navigable
with some extra effort on your part to get around
down trees and other barriers. I have found a
small stream passing through a dense cedar and
lowland confer swamp can be a problem.
There is an impassable to canoe stretch on
the Ford River in East Dickinson County (down-
stream of Ralph) where a braided river channel
goes under thousands of years of down cedars
that essentially takes the stream underground.
This Ford River stretch is fairly well known to
local outdoors enthusiasts. My son and I found
out the hard way there is also a similar stretch of
the Sturgeon River in central Dickinson County.
The braided stream channel goes underground
for about a mile in a cedar swamp. We just had
to drag the canoe for that mile until the stream
channel reappeared. This is why we dont tackle
long stretches of stream when we cant find out
much about the stream ahead of time from local
outdoors enthusiasts.
A hand held GPS has been a great asset to

Erich Ziegler ready to pull the canoe over a large active beaver dam in Iron Countys Hemlock River.
This beaver dam is of great interest to beaver trappers, waterfowl hunters and trout anglers.
have while floating a river to learn the key loca-
tions. Of course a USGS Topographic Quad-
rangle map, plat book and county map is also im-
portant to have. Key locations should be marked
on the GPS and or map as you go since at the end
of a challenging day much of the key locations
observed all run together in your mind.
It is a good idea to listen closely as you travel
down the stream. You can usually hear the water
noise from waterfalls, rapids, or small dams.
There is only one named waterfall in the Lower
Peninsula so the falls are more of an issue in U.P.
streams. We have found waterfalls that are not
marked on the maps on a couple of our steam
floats (i.e. Sturgeon River Dickinson County).
Even if falls or rapids are not marked on maps
you can often detect significant channel gradient
and possible rapids on USGS Topographic Quad
maps with significant elevations change and close
Everett Sandell (president of local Trout Unlimit-
ed Chapter) found that accompanying the author
on trout habitat scouting trips was a great way
to learn good access and fishing spots on local
SW UP streams. Everett moved to the area from
Marquette and sped up his learning cur ve on
finding new trout fishing stretches.
WABLER
1916 - 2017
A CANADIAN
CLASSIC WITH
WORLD WIDE
RECOGNITION
contour lines.
In areas of the state without much public
frontage on rivers you have to be more aware of
private land ownership. We encountered many
private stream crossings of the streams on our
exploration trips. If there is a barrier in a legally
navigable stream you are legally permitted to go
up on the bank to get around the barrier as long
as you go back in the water as soon as possible.
A good thing to wear on early spring break
up canoe trips is neoprene waders. One time our
canoe was swamped with snow on the ground
and we stayed adequately warm throughout the
day until we made it to our downstream vehicle.
A dry bag with dry clothes is a must as well. With
the popularity of kayaks some might be inclined
to do these exploration float trips with that wa-
tercraft. I would recommend using a canoe since HN
you can jump out and back in easily as you inevi- &
tably encounter barriers to stream travel. An ex-
ception might be the type of kayak that you sit on Silver & Gold
top (self-bailing) since that would make for easily Nu-wrinkle
getting in and out of the boat. Of course you want
to have a good PFD as water is deeper and faster
than normal and also cold. You should definitely
make someone else aware of your planned float
section, in case you encounter a major mishap. Genuine Silver,
A spring high water paddle trip on a small 24k Gold &
stream is a good time to be able to navigate those
waters. It is smart to avoid large rivers with lots Copper finishes
of rapids and very high water runoff at snow
melt. A good example is the U.P.s Michigamme
River where deep snow with high runoff from the
Peshekee River highlands raises the Michigamme
about six feet higher than normal. The Whitbeck
Rapids that is normally only about a class 2
rapids becomes dangerous with large hydraulic The original Williams
waves and dangerous rapids.
I dont want to scare you off with all these lure that started it all
examples of problem spots, just prepare you for over 100 years ago.
the unknown. A high water canoe trip on a trout
or smallmouth stream can provide ample good Multispecies
future fishing or trapping information. It can be Stabilising ridge
an adventure finding new stretches and holes to
fish. Occasionally the canoeists can also be sur- 7 sizes, 28 colours
prised by finding impressive rock outcrops, small
water falls, old logging dam remnants or other
natural scenic areas. These early spring high
water exploration trips have provided more of the
most rewarding canoe trips during my life time of /williamslures
canoeing. It also is a nice break to get out of the
house after a long winter.n www.williams.ca
WNW NEWS MARCH 2017 21
 PREDATOR
HUNTING
A
fast growing winter
pastime is hunting for
fox (both red and gray),
coyote and where legal
(refer to the MDNR
Hunting Guide), bob-
cat. This is referred
to today as predator hunting, but
being old school, I still tend to call
it varmint hunting, and what-
ever you wish to call it, Michigan
offers excellent opportuni-
ties. Near my home in the
Thumb, this means strictly
for fox and coyote because
the bobcat hunting zone
is further north. Whatever
method you use, predator
hunting is extremely chal-
lenging, and a great way
to enjoy the wintertime
outdoors.
One of the By Tom Lounsbury
oldest forms of
predator hunting is using hounds,
and this is a time-honored method
steeped in tradition which goes back
eons, with dogs and humans work-
ing constructively together. It is by
no means a slam-dunk affair and
a case in point is a hunt I was on
near Rogers City. The hounds were
pursuing a bobcat in a dense cedar
swamp and I was thrilled to the
core when I could hear the baying
of the hounds coming my way as
I intently watched the gaps in the
cover as the sound of the dogs came
ever closer. Pretty soon I spotted
the dogs passing through the gaps
as they went right on by me, and I
never did see that bobcat. There is
no question in my mind that it was
like trying to spot a wisp of smoke
whisking through the shadows. Such
happens, and I do thoroughly enjoy
22 MARCH 2017 WNW NEWS
listening to the hounds singing,
which is always a major part of this
atmosphere.
Using calls for luring preda-
tors into range is no doubt becom-
ing quite popular these days, and
electronic callers are clearly moving
into the forefront in this regard. The
electronic caller was pioneered by
Johnny Stewart back when using
old-style records and a portable
record player (with a big
funnel-like speaker) were
the norm. This would allow
recorded calling sequences
to be used and hands to be
free (for shooting pur-
poses) and was definitely
convenient for hunters not
wishing to deal with mouth
calls. Coyotes, they will often circle to the downwind side of the calling to
assess the situation before committing. MDNR photo
This in turn
would eventu- being used to freeze up and become downwind side of the calling to as-
ally lead to useless until it is thawed out (been sess the situation before committing.
more durable tape-cassette callers there, done that and the freeze up I can remember when some
later followed by the present digital can happen real sudden like). One hunters thought 15 minutes was
callers which are even more du- call I always have on hand is a rub- enough time to call before moving
rable, versatile and compact than
ber squeaker that simply requires on to another spot, but Ive found it
ever. A fact that I appreciate about
an electronic caller is that the very squeezing, and it has more range pays to stick to it a half hour at least
authentic calling sequence (of which than might be assumed, and truly and sometimes much more, a gut
there is a wide and amazing variety sounds like a rodent in trouble. It is feeling sort of thing. A major goal of
to select from) can be placed away often the first call I use before trying my predator hunting trips up north
from the hunter per a remote system, others. (in the bobcat zone), is to success-
which is certainly an asset when Whether using electronic or fully call in a bobcat, which seem
sharp-eyed predators are incoming mouth calls, it never hurts to use to take forever to respond, a fact
and homing in on the calling. a decoy that can add a little real- that I understand but thus far seem
For those wishing a true hands- ism and a visual focus point for an to never have enough patience to
on experience, mouth calls are still incoming predator. When Im using accomplish matters. I can remember
as popular as ever and I must admit a rabbit in distress call, I often have calling for over an hour, and when
they remain my favorite. A key a battery powered (and fuzzy) decoy I moved I discovered tracks in the
to remember is that during frigid that wobbles around on a stick, and snow of a bobcat that had finally de-
weather it pays to keep a spare it is an addition to the setup that cided to come in but I had spooked
mouth call or two tucked inside doesnt hurt. It also pays to remem- it.
your coat, because the moisture ber that in regards to foxes and When it comes to wintertime
from your breath can cause the call coyotes, they will often circle to the predator hunting/calling, I do ap-
preciate a fresh snowfall that lets
me know a predator making tracks
is possibly still in the near vicinity,
as this can up the odds, sometimes
anyway. I can remember after one
snowfall, spotting fresh coyote
tracks crossing the road and leading
into a local CRP grass field I had
permission to hunt. I circled on foot
along the outside of the tall grass to
the downwind side of the field and
sat down against an apple tree in the
fencerow, and began calling.
My assumption was that the
coyote would most likely come out
Zone during daylight hours.
Night vision systems and laser
sights may be used for nighttime
predator hunting as well.
When it comes to a calling
setup, avoid sky-lining yourself and
pick a location that breaks up your
outline (a large tree trunk nearly the
width of my shoulders works for
me whether Im sitting or standing).
Camouflage clothing that matches
the environment is invaluable and
when it comes to snow, Ive found
both solid white and snow-camo
work equally well. The same applies
to the locally made Luckys portable
ground blind (www.luckyshunting-
blinds.com) specifically designed
for predator hunting with its low
profile.
Something Im going to try this
winter is using more coyote vocal-
izations which might do the trick
during the fast approaching coyote
mating season. Another avenue is
to use a turkey decoy, and do some
yelping with a turkey call (Ive had
both coyotes and foxes stalk in on
my hen decoy while spring turkey
hunting so it is a natural sound
they clue in on). Something new
and different might be the thing to
employ with sometimes call-shy
coyotes. As can be the case, with
more hunters pursuing them these
days, some coyotes (and foxes too)
get a bit educated.
One thing is for certain, predator
hunting is a great way to spice up a
long winter. It is quite literally the
other season I look forward to each
winter.n

PLANT YOUR HABITAT

of the tall grass and into the open
field in front of me to scent mat-
ters downwind of my calling. I was
using a mouth call to make rabbit
in distress calls and was wailing
away when I got that strange feeling

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something was right behind me. I
slowly turned my head and looked
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coyote sitting quite calmly with its
head cocked over to the side in that
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them turning on for you too! The
coyote performed a sudden twirl and
disappeared back into the tall grass
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coyote hunting, and more recently) 906-635-1278 989-269-9549 x3 1035 East Michigan Ave.,
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989-224-3720 x3 517-676-2290 www.missaukeecd.org
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fire rifles (and buckshot too) have www.ioniacd.org
always been allowed for predator
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WNW NEWS MARCH 2017 23
Steelies
Small River
By Jim Bedford
C
reeks and small rivers have a spe-
cial place in my fishing heart. I love
fishing where my senses can tell me
where to cast without any help from
electronic gadgetry. Large steel-
head rivers attract large numbers of
fish and large numbers of anglers and are cer-
tainly fun to fish but I love the intimacy of small
streams and creeks. There are actually many
more miles of small streams containing steelhead
than there are big rivers, especially in the spring.
While there will be sanctuaries like logs jams
and other heavy cover you can usually reach
the holding water in a small river or creek. The
stream will never be too wide or too deep so that
you cant make a presentation to the holding
steelhead. An obvious additional reason I like
small rivers is that I much prefer to wade rather
than fish from a boat.
Probably the number one factor in having
success catching steelhead in a small river is
making sure you are stealthy. In general fish are
not very intelligent but they are innately wary.
This is especially true for the older, larger mem-
bers of stream resident species but remember that
steelhead have left the depths of a very large lake
or the ocean and now feel vulnerable in a much
smaller environment. A real key to catching a mi-
grating steelhead is not letting them know of your
presence. Once fish bust you they become much
harder to catch. This is especially true when you
are fishing with artificial lures and flies. We are
going to concentrate on being stealthy when wad-
ing small to mid-size streams.
Moving in an upstream direction is probably
the number one key to sneaking up on and catch-
ing more stream fish. Many anglers, especially
some fly anglers and those drifting live bait,
traditionally move downstream. Turning around
will instantly make you more successful. Because
of eyes on both sides of their heads, fish have a
wide range of vision. But they do have a blind
area directly behind them. Since they are almost
always facing into the current, you can best ap-
proach them by wading upstream.
Even though they are looking upstream in the
opposite direction, a quick movement by a large,
predatory angler behind them will still likely send
them scurrying for cover. So moving slowly and
keeping a low profile are also important. Wear-
ing clothing that blends in with the sky and bank
vegetation will also help keep you hidden.
Moving upstream also prevents the sand and
silt that you stir up when wading from betray-
ing your presence. Some bait anglers think that
sending some silt ahead of them as they wade
downstream helps make their drifting crawler
more effective when fishing for resident trout
but I have never seen that to be the case. Big
trout, especially browns, and steelhead will know
something is amiss when a cloud of silt rolls by.
The sounds you make when wading are also
24 MARCH 2017 WNW NEWS
The author, Jim Bedford, retired MDNR Fisheries Biologist with a dark male creek steelhead.
carried away by the current when you move each other. A wading staff can help your stabil-
upstream. But sounds do travel readily through ity and aid in avoiding missteps that might alert
water so it is important to wade as quietly as the fish. One made out of wood is better than a
possible. Making long slow strides is better than metal or metal tipped model because it will be
short splashy steps. Pay attention and try to not
to dislodge rocks or cause them to grind against Small river steelhead page 26
Gaining access to small streams
In Michigan we are fortunate in that almost sign the waiver in the presence of the landowner
all of our small steelhead rivers are considered and leave it with them.
public water and we can wade or float them when Finally, maps are a big help in getting the
gaining access from public access sites or public lay of the land for the small rivers and streams
road right of ways. This is not the case in many that you are interested in fishing. Many county
states and provinces where steelhead swim. map books color code federal and state lands
Often land is posted at bridges because the
landowner doesnt want strangers on his prop-
erty but could really care less about the stream
and the fish. By asking permission and getting
to know the landowner you can often gain ac-
cess to fish relatively lightly fished water. Ask if
the landowner would prefer if you released all
of your fish and then abide by his/her decision.
Conversely, if keeping fish is okay, offer to bring
the landowner a legally caught steelhead if a
fresh fish dinner is desired. And, go a step further
and ask how they want the fish, whole, filleted or
dressed.
Always show respect for the adjoining land
and leave no trace that you have fished there by
leaving no litter and getting in and out of the Joe Burcar admires a spring steelhead he
stream where you wont harm the bank. Really
caught on a minnow plug.
show you care by hauling out litter that someone
else has left behind. If the landowner still wont in addition to showing public access sites. On
let you fish, politely thank him for considering public lands and those in conservation easement
your request and try another location. Perhaps programs you can use the maps to pinpoint travel
you can then return the following season and try routes to the river and with a relatively small
again. amount of hiking, find yourself some fine fishing
Given our litigious society, probably many without competition. Somewhat larger small
landowners feel the need to protect themselves streams might also be navigable with personal
from liability claims from anglers that injure water craft and the maps will show you where
themselves on their property. No doubt that is you can launch and take out as well as give you
often the reason for the multitudes of no trespass- a feeling of the sinuosity of the stream. This
ing signs. A possible plan could be to try writing translates into the likely distance in stream miles
a waiver of liability form, perhaps with the help and how long the float might take. Of course, the
of an attorney friend, and then bring a copy with number of fish present and the amount of quality
you when you ask permission. If the liability holding water will also factor into the time equa-
concern happens to come up, you can offer to tion.
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WNW NEWS MARCH 2017 25
Small river steelhead:
from page 24
quieter when contacting the bottom. straight upstream. You just need to
The ripples in the water surface you take in line as it drifts back to you
send ahead when wading are also as opposed to the traditional letting
not likely to reach and alarm the fish line out as it drifts downstream from
upstream unless the current is very your position. A float will help you
slow. They will still be diminished make good presentations without
when moving against the current hanging up a lot. It is much better to
and slow strides will further negate position your offering a foot or so
them. above the substrate rather than snag-
One of the ironies of the cau- ging up all the time.
tious upstream approach is that Now lets look at some exam-
many lures and flies are best fished ples on how we can sneak upstream
across and down. My favorite river and make across or across and down
lures are weighted spinners and min- presentations. If a log goes across
now imitating plugs and their most the stream you can slowly and
effective presentation is a quartering quietly wade up to it along the edge
downstream cast and then allowing of the stream. Staying below the log,
it to sweep and hang in the likely extend your rod upstream and cast
fish holding water. The fly angler us- across and sweep the lure in front of
ing streamers wants to do likewise. the log. The log helps keep the fish
So how do we this? lying under it from seeing you from
Well, we still cautiously work this position but if you had been The author releases another small river steelhead.
our way upstream and plan ahead moving downstream, it would not
how we will cast to each fish hold- have helped. the holding water. will help you move well through
ing area or feeding station as we Utilize the cover that is hiding Looking upstream and antici- deeper, rockier sections. Paying
come to it. We can still cast spin- the fish as that also helps conceal pating the holding water and how attention to where you are wading
ners, spoons, plugs, and stream- you. This can be overhanging you will make your presentation is can also help you approach
ers upstream and retrieve them vegetation, an undercut bank, a important. To do this you must be the fish. Try to avoid areas with
downstream at a speed slightly large boulder, or a rock or clay able to read the water and see well. loose rocks and gravel that will
greater than the current so they will ledge. Turbidity, water depth, and Polarized sunglasses are an absolute shift and make noise when you
have action. Beads, eggs, jigs, and a broken or riffled surface can also must and they should be coupled walk on them. Often the best and
drift lures can also easily be fished help you sneak alongside or above with a hat that has a substantial bill easier path is the deeper route
or visor to keep the atmospheric because there will be less current
glare off the lenses. The glasses and, of course, you are less visible
should be 100% polarized and those to the fish when you are waist
Fishing Benzie County IS Catching! with amber tints are usually best deep in the water.
because they heighten contrast and A stealthy upstream approach
Fish on some of Michigans finest waters,
let through more light while still is a good one for all river species
2017 Fishing cutting the surface glare. in addition to steelhead. It is cer-
in Benzie County, Michigan! Benzie CounTournaments in
18th David Bih
ty, Michigan! Waders rather than hip boots tainly a great tactic for fishing low
Enjoy Lake Michigan from our port city of Frankfort or try your lm an Memorial
luck on one of our over 57 inland lakes, two rivers and several Battle of the
Betsie - June
- June 18 are your best choice, even if you and clear rivers for especially wary
streams. Our waters are rich with Coho Salmon, Steelhead, Uncle Sams
Shoot Out -
30-July 2
are fishing a stream that is mostly species like brown trout and large
Benzie Fishin July 4
Brown Trout, Bass, Pike, Walleye, Bluegill and Perch. Every g Frenzy - Au
gust 26-27 shallow, because they give you more smallmouth bass. And, for sure, it is
fishing enthusiast will find just what their fishing for. Crystal options when approaching your the key way to be successful when
Lake, Big & Little Platte Lakes, the Betsie and Platte Rivers and of
course, Lake Michigan are the most well-known, but you will also quarry. They allow you to stay in the fishing creeks and small streams.
discover hidden gems like Turtle Lake, Long Lake or Herring Lake stream in deeper water, which helps Making sure the fish dont know
that may just be the experience youre looking for. keep you out of sight. They also you are in the area will always be
Lodging choice abound and area sporting shops sell all your fishing allow you to kneel in shallow water a very important part of enticing a
needs and provide tips on the hot spots. Great local shopping if necessary to stay out of sight and strike from them. Be sneaky and
and dining options make for a well-rounded trip to Benzie County.
For more information, call our office or visit our website at get into the best position to cast. As improve your odds for hooking lots
800-882-5801 or www.visitbenzie.com mentioned earlier, a wading staff of big fish.n

Benzie County
Visitors Bureau
www.visitbenzie.com
800-882-5801
Northern Michigan Preserved
/benziecounty.cvb
Photos courtesy of Gold Coast Charter Service and Benzie County Visitors Bureau #PureBenzieMI

26 MARCH 2017 WNW NEWS

 Secrets Of The Ice Hunters:
Micro-tuned finesse presentations for shallow-water panfish
I do it for the challenge...
Frabill Pro, Captain Pat Kalmerton
T
he USCG-licensed
captain and guide, Pat
Kalmerton, was ex-
plaining why he travels
across the country to
ice fish. As owner of
the busy, all-outdoor, Wolf Pack
Adventures Guide Service Kalm-
erton doesnt lack ice time. Yet, on
his days off, he travels to new and
previously unexplored ice fisheries
as if provoked or dared.
To say the 36-year-old is bitten
by the outdoors bug is a supreme
understatement. When hes not on
the water or the ice, Kalmerton can
be found chasing bucks and turkeys
all over the Midwest, and ducks
and geese wherever they fly. So, its
probably no surprise hes on the ice
from freeze through thaw.
Decidedly burly and borderline
gruff in appearance, the highly ap-
proachable Kalmerton is, in fact, a
social teddy bear and angling savant
who makes new friends fast wher-
ever he goes. Ive learned ice fish-
ing tricks from different people in
all different scenarios, Kalmerton
explained. And theyve greatly im-
proved my own fishing experiences
and efficiency.
While Kalmerton has caught just
about every fish that swims beneath
the ice, its panfish that occupy the
lions share of his oversized man-
heart. I love the hole hopping as-
pect and the different ways they hit.
Its always a challenge; every day is
a different bite, he said.
Kalmerton has taken the game
of shallow-water panfish to new
levels through his tireless pursuit
of maximum finesse. His method
can be defined as micro-tuning, and
it comes from necessity. Shallow
water equals green weeds, which
equal microorganisms, Kalmerton
explained. Its an active feeding
scenario; fish are feeding because
theres lots of food flying around
bugs and plankton.
Kalmerton went on to explain
that, although shallow fish are often
feeding fish, they can still be quite
difficult to catch due to the lack
of depth and the diminutive na-
ture of what theyre feeding on. In
other words, effectively mimicking
plankton is no piece of cake. And
targeting the largest fish across heav-
ily fished waters creates additional
challenges.
An exacting tackle system,
fished with proven methods and
maximum mobility, provides the
basis for Kalmertons micro-tuning
methodology. Even when on a hot
bite, Kalmerton moves every 5-6
fish, breaking the most basic of an-
gling codes and leaving fish to find
more. His reason is simple: You
catch the big fish first. But theres
more to it than that.
Kalmerton went on to explain
that, in order to initially fool the
largest fish in the school, an unortho-
dox approach is required. Most
people lower their bait all the way to
the bottom on their first drop; thats
wrong. Its best to lower your bait
and hold it above the school of fish An exacting tackle system, fished with proven methods and maximum mo-
- say five feet down in eight feet of bility, provides the basis for Kalmer tons micro-tuning methodology. Even
when on a hot bite, Kalmer ton moves every 5-6 fish.
water. The biggest fish in the school
will often shoot up and get the bait. finesse fishing methods, Kalmerton proach thats led to thousands of
It makes sense, as larger fish are recommends his panfish clients stick plus-sized panfish coming to rest
naturally able to out-swim other to one basic rule: all fishing can be safely on the ice.
members of the school. done with the anglers elbow resting Were not marlin fishin!
In addition, Kalmerton insists on his or her knee. Such an approach Kalmerton belted out with trademark
that nothing else goes down the hole requires that all the drops, moves, volume and inflection. True that.
when fishing shallow no depth methods and hook sets be done with But we wonder if his micro-tuned
checkers, cameras nothing be- the wrist, guaranteeing conformance finesse panfish methods are any less
fore he drops a bait. He even resists to Kalmertons refined finesse ap- detailed.n
the use of sonar to avoid the fish
feeling a signal.
But Kalmertons finesse ap-
proach goes far beyond the rules of
what goes down the hole and when.
Perhaps the most intriguing of
his methods is one he calls walking
a jig. Here, Kalmerton baits a small,
dense jighead with a long, thin
plastic tail and crawls it across the
bottom to imitate a blood worm. In
Kalmertons walking game, inches
matter. So exact is this procedure,
Kalmerton distinguishes crawl-
ing distances in inches of bottom
covered, and demands no smaller
than an eight-inch diameter hole to
optimize the presentation.
Such a micro-managed approach
can only be accomplished with the
proper rod. Several years ago when
fishing Devils Lake, Kalmerton
recognized the perfect balance and
taper of an out-of-production 24
Frabill ice rod. Now a pro with the Opportunity is knockingsave on Kubotas versatile KX Series utility excavators today!
Frabill team, Kalmerton worked
with engineers to recreate that feel
through the same blank, but with a
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The rod action allows for moves
that simply cant be created with 3266 E Bristol Road
other rods. Kalmertons favorite is Burton, MIchigan 48529
810-744-2030
to palm the rod, and slowly lower
his bait while tapping the blank with
his index finger. A casual observer
would never see the bait move but *$0 down, 0% A.P.R. financing for up to 48 months on purchases of new Kubota KX Series equipment is available to qualified
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term at 0% A.P.R. requires 48 payments of $20.83 per $1,000 financed. 0% A.P.R. interest is available to customers if no dealer
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Reaching beyond the scope of
Inclusion of ineligible equipment may result in a higher blended A.P.R. 0% A.P.R. and low-rate financing may not be available with
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WNW NEWS MARCH 2017 27
 Outdoor Safety and First Aid...

Hypothermia
In the waning days of winter

T
he sun will set in one
more hour. The tem-
perature is hovering
in the low fifties. The
wind has shifted out
of the east. Its a two
mile trek back to the cabin. Your
light jacket repels the cold
misty drizzle that is begin-
ning to fall. You decide a
short cut through a swampy
area of cedar blowdowns
will cut the distance in half-
- and keep the jeans dry.
And then twenty minutes
later, as you climb through
slushy snow and over a
tangle of
slippery By Jonathan Schechter
cedar logs,
you lose your balance and slip
backwards. Before your back hits
the ground a boot snags between
logs. A muffled crack is followed by
excruciating pain. Your foot looks
crooked and your ankle feels like
its on fire. And then it dawns on
you that your buddies in the cabin
dont even know you wandered off.
Can you spell...
H-Y-P-O-T-H-E-R-M-I-A?
As daylight lengthens we love
exploring the woods of
Michigan. The scent of
cedar swamps is exquisite.
Woodpeckers pound on
forest giants. Great Horned
Owls hoot from lofty pines.
Creeks gurgle. Eastern
bluebirds flit above melt-
ing fields of snow. Turkeys
are restless, and so are we.
We feel
invigorated
and alive.
Its also an easy time to succumb to
hypothermia and die.
Magic Pill
Hypothermia can creep up
The lightweight Sur vive Outdoors Longer (SOL) Bivvy Bag is a good hypo-
thermia deterrent when bad things happen. Jonathan Schechter photo
silently and subtly on a sunny 50
degree day of outdoor adventure, or
shock in a terrifying second when
lake ice gives way under foot. Or
it can present in cruel stages when
an accident leaves a leg or ankle
broken, darkness descends, and you
begin to feel cold. The best pill to
prevent hypothermia is situational
awareness, swallowed with a heavy
dose of common sense.
Bad Things Happen
Its a heck of lot easier to
prevent hypothermia than to pull
someone else (or yourself) back
from the brink of hypothermia. But
just what is hypothermia? It is not a
disease, and it is not an ailment. We
can call it a condition. A Wilderness
Medical Society conference in the
Sonoran Desert of Arizona is where
I learned one of the most clearly
defined definition of hypothermia.
Hypothermia is the lowering of the
bodys core temperature to a level
where normal brain and muscle
functions are impaired. It does
not take much head scratching to re-
alize that when we pursue outdoor
passions we are exposed to condi-

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tions, events and accidents than can
quickly lead to hypothermia.
Wind, Wet and Cold
The greatest risk for hypother-
mia occurs when exposed to wind,
wet and cold at the same time.
Injury, illness and sleep deprivation
makes us more susceptible to hypo-
thermia. The temperature needs not
be in single digits, or even below
freezing. It can happen in spring
and even in summer. Hypothermia
occurs in forests, jungles, moun-
tains, valleys, and deserts.
Its really rather simple: If your
bodys heat loss exceeds the heat
generated, the heat content of your
body drops. And in the outdoors,
especially in the wet snow waning
days of winter that means trouble.
Once the internal temperature slips
to 96 F, brain function and judgment
has already slowed, motor skills
have diminished, and the body is
on full automatic alert struggling
to warm itself. Altered behavior
may lead one to forgo constructive
actions, such as shelter building.
Its the reach the summit or bust
mentality.
Medical professionals do not
agree on clear cut stages of hypo-
thermia, and they should not, for
they overlap, and ever human body
responds to environmental condi-
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tions differently. Ill abbreviate
and share four commonly
described stages or types of
hypothermia. It should be noted
that some wilderness medical
experts look at six or seven stages,
each stage set by the body temper-
ate of the victim with considerable
overlap and variations.
Mild Hypothermia
The victim feels cold but is
awake and talking and is able to an-
swer questions intelligently. Shiver-
ing may, or may not occur. Getting
into warm dry clothes and out of the
wind is often an easy remedy, but
may not be taken. Hunkering down
in wet clothes on cool day without
shelter sets the stage for rapid dete-
rioration, and in some cases death
before the next dawn.
Moderate Hypothermia
The victim may just want to be
left alone or becomes unexpectedly
argumentative. Confusion sets in.
Cognitive skills rapidly diminish.
Stumbling and mumbling may oc-
cur. Shivering may cease. Irrational
decision takes hold. Behavior is
heat loss is 25 times faster in water
abnormal. The victim may just curl
up in a fetal position. In some cases
the victim strips off all their clothing
and just starts to walk.
Severe Hypothermia
The victim may be motionless.
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Signs of life may be absent and
unconsciousness will occur. A
cardiac monitor may show sinus
bradycardiaa very slow heart
rhythm that might not be detected
by taking a pulse. Respirations
could be as slow as three breaths a
minute. This state has been called
a metabolic icebox where all
natural systems have slowed to
minimize consumption of sugar
and oxygen. Its the bodys last
ditch effort to save itself. It will
usually fail. Emergency medi-
cal responders with knowledge of
hypothermia know the phrase, You
are not dead until you are warmed
and dead. Sometimes, the victim
can be saved in a hospital, but this
is often the end game of getting wet
and cold while not being properly
equipped.
Immersion Hypothermia
Heat loss is rapid and extreme
when immersed in cold water. If
drowning or cardiac arrest does not
occur, a rapid rescue may lead to a
positive outcome. Tests show that
than in the air.
Staying Alive
Prevention of Hypothermia:
Always be prepared for windy,
cold and wet conditions. You
cant prepare for an ankle break.
Stay well hydrated. That
does not mean alcohol.
Snack often to fuel your
furnace.
Be attentive to your
companions and watch closely
if wet, cold windy conditions
increase.
Injury, illnesses and sleep
deprivation increase chances
of hypothermia.
Be watchful of changing
environmental conditions.
Never wear cotton. Wear
fabrics that stay warm
when wet.
Carry a day pack with
extra clothes, fire starters,
dry tinder, etc.
Carry an emergency shelter
or other bivouac gear
and KNOW how to use it!
Prepare your brain ahead of
time by with a basic Wilderness
First Aid course, and learn
how to prevent and treat
common outdoor emergencies,
including the creeping death of
the waning days of winter
hypothermia.
Jonathan Schechter is the nature
education writer for Oakland
County Government and a member
of the Wilderness Medical Society.
Email: oaknature@aol.comn
WNW NEWS MARCH 2017 29
 Setups that work...
TURKEY
DECOYING
By Kenny Darwin
The trick to decoying gobblers
can be very simple, yet
complex and requires you pay
attention to details and use
some savvy setup tricks if you
want to fill your wild turkey tag
F
orget those large spreads with multiple
decoys, you are not decoying geese.
Get rid of those old turkey decoys that
are ugly, have faded paint, lack feather
detail and have body positions like the
statues outside art museums. Real-
ism rules these days and modern decoys have
realistic body positions, amazing feather detail,
revolutionary no-flake paint and they are hard to
distinguish from live turkeys. One or two decoys
Heres a deadly setup with blind to hide human
outline and movement and full strut decoy com-
plete with custom painted head and wild turkey
tail, body and wing feathers. Place the decoy
where turkeys can see it for long distances. Set
it in close gun range and once gobblers come
running you can stop calling.
30 MARCH 2017 WNW NEWS
When gobblers attack a decoy the act comes at lightning speed and is difficult to capture
with still camera. Even though the decoy has been beaten to the ground this bird still kicks,
spurs and batters the ugly decoy with its wings. Kenny Darwin photos
can be the ticket to fool those wary, old, hunt shy
monster gobblers that spit at large decoy spreads
with fake jakes and upright hens.
The last few years Ive experimented with a
variety of decoys and setup spreads that guaran-
tee success. The results have been impressive and
Ive captured some interesting images on film.
Listen up if you want to learn shortcuts to turkey
decoying success.
Id roosted three big Michigan gobblers with-
out hens. Sweet deal and I was excited the next
morning when I set out decoys on a grassy knoll,
slipped back into the woods and waited for the
threesome to gobble. At first light they lit up the
forest with wake up calls which built into a loud
gobbling match sending sound vibrations through
the woods. I made a few hen wake up calls and
a few soft yelps and they went silent. I listened
and heard them fly down into the woods and the
distinct rustling of leaves as all three pranced to-
ward the setup. The lead bird had a trophy beard
maybe 12-inches long and spurs long enough to
whip a coyote. Just as he stepped into the clearing
he got cold feet, switched directions and waddled
away from the hen and fanned gobbler decoy.
The other two toms approached the gobbler from
the rear but when they got a close look at the
open body and metal stake they ran away too.
Oops! This setup went wrong and the only shot I
got was with my camera that captured an image
of the twin subordinates eyeballing my gobbler
decoy. While the decoys attracted the birds, once
they got a good look of the fake birds they did
not stay, acted spooked and eventually ran away.
So, what went wrong with my decoy setup?
I was using an Avian-X laydown hen which
has worked on several previous sets. It is de-
signed for the ultimate in turkey attraction, has
detailed feathers, life-like head and body position
that mimics a hot hen ready for breeding. In past
setups Ive had gobblers circle the hen decoy,
get all juiced up, mount the decoy and attempt
to breed it. Nope, it wasnt the hen that spooked
them. I was also using a Flextone Thunder Chick-
en half-body gobbler with cloth tail and it seems
when the wise birds took a peek at the unnatural
backside they got wise. Now, dont get me wrong
this decoy is outstanding when stalking hot gob-
blers but it failed my setup test and I moved on.
After trying several other gobbler decoys what I
discovered is realism is the key to success.
This fact was best described by my hunting
pal, Brandon Conner from Ionia, who can call
turkeys like a pro and he has settled on only using
one important decoy, Killer B by Primos. When I
described my experience he replied, If you want
gobblers to come running to your setup you need
a full body gobbler decoy. Get rid of the fake tail
and replace with real feathers from a wild bird
and to increase the realism glue on wings and
body feathers to make the decoy come alive.
Brandon has used this deadly strategy to limit out
on turkeys the last few years and he has guided
several hunters to instant success when the birds
get a peek of the fully fanned gobbler look-alike
and they come runnin.
So, I got several full body gobbler decoys,
replaced imitation tail feathers and my success
soared. Hey, Im so impressed with single full
body gobbler decoys that Im convinced you need
no others. Forget those whimpy looking jakes;
sell those hen decoys on eBay. Dont make the
mistake of spending hard earned cash on decoys
that lack realism and there is no need to buy jake
decoys, feeding decoys, hen decoys or gobbler
decoys with tail feathers down. Heres why.
There is a painting in the Chippewa History
Center of two braves hiding behind wild turkey
fans while hunting. It never dawned on me that
the secret to turkey hunting success has noth-
ing to do with calling, decoys, camouflage but
everything to do with a fanned tail. Hey, those
Chippewa braves understood it is the fully fanned
tail of an adult gobbler that brings other birds
running like no other tactic. If you use a gobbler
full body decoy with full fan you can fill your tag
with ease. Sure calling helps. I agree that being
hidden from view with camouflage or in a blind
is a must, but Ive had gobblers charge when I did
no calling and was dressed in a black photogra-
phers vest with blue jeans.
You got it baby, the whole trick to getting a
gobbler in your lap at lightning speed hinges on
a simple fanned tail, period. In the world of wild
turkeys the full fan is a common sight because
toms will fan year round to show dominance. But
come spring breeding a full fan means a hot hen
is near and love sick gobblers turn on the after-
burners and come running. A fully fanned tail
signals a green light to normally wary wild birds
that they have a green light to approach maybe
push out subordinate gobblers and perhaps steal a
hot receptive hen. But there is more than simply
staking out a decoy, heres why. Fully fanned
strutting tom decoys attract birds from far and
near.
If you want turkeys kissin close than I sug-
gest you cover decoys with real feathers. There
is no synthetic product, no rubber, and no fabric
that can fool the sharp eyes of an adult gobbler.
Real feathers are the deal, period. One reason
is because they have the exact color and hold
sunlight like only feathers can. Perhaps the big-
gest advantage of real feathers is they catch the
wind, cause stake decoys to move, making the
setup come to life. But Ive shot plenty of birds
on calm days with no wind and the realism of
real feathers was the draw. To sweeten the pie
get a cheap glue gun and attach wing feathers
colored black and white striped, wing guards that
are purple and more body feathers on the back
and sides. Dont overlook the most important
part of the decoy, its butt. Hunting success can be
increased if you make the butt look real by gluing
on those long anal feathers that wave in the wind.
The awesome beckoning power of real feathers
attached to a gobbler decoy will clinch the deal.
Get ready to fill your tag.
Savvy hunters save feathers from a kill to
decorate decoys. Family and friends can also
donate feathers and soon you can customize a
decoy and make it look 100% real. Dont make
the mistake of picking up road kill for feathers
because the DNR could write you a ticket for il-
legal possession of a wild turkey or turkey parts.
While the Primos Killer B is still my favorite
decoy Ive had excellent success with Avian-X
Strutter, Dave Smith Decoys Strutter, and Flam-
beau King Strut, but dont overlook the Carry
Lite BobN Tail with true to life body contours
and the new PeepN Tom.
One word of advice regarding turkey de-
coys. While they are sold throughout Michigan
with pull cords or pulley systems, the DNR Law
Division advises the use of pull cords is illegal.
According to the 2016 Michigan Fall Turkey
Digest Mechanical decoy means any device that
by design or construction uses motion as a visual
stimulus to attract wild turkeys. Motion derived
exclusively by power of the natural wind is legal.
The use or possession of electronic devices that
imitate wild turkey calls is illegal. So, through-
out Michigan, turkey decoys are sold with pull
cords and just about every hunter carries a smart
phone that has wild turkey calls. Sportsmen be-
ware!
The solution to decoying gobblers running is
to use a full strut decoy. Sure a lifelike breeding
pair works like dynamite and ignites a mature
toms instincts, making him jealous and very
aggressive. Nothing brings in those monster long
bears like a full strut decoy.
To sweeten the pie I take full strut decoys to
a higher level. To make decoys even more vis-
ible, life-like and attractive I hand paint the heads
using the brightest blue paint along with white
and extremely bright red. When enhance decoy
color with super bright paint schemes it ignites a
visual breeding reflex and incoming birds get all
While this setup attracted two dandy toms, note they are not aggressively displaying and
soon as they investigated the fake tail and open back gobbler decoy they hit the road. The
author suggests you avoid large decoy spreads, use modern full strut life-like decoys and
place decoys where they can be seen.
geeked up, sexually excited and the bright colors utes later the same angry gobbler came charging
take them to a higher level of aggression. Just the setup and once again beat the heck out of the
take a peek at store bought decoys and compare funky Jake until its bill was in the dirt. Kind of
the heads to my custom models and you can see interesting that adult healthy wild gobblers attack
a big difference. Well, this translates into birds decoys that appear like social outcasts.
charging the decoy, more gobblers running into So, if you seek a big gobbler at lightning
easy range and some get all pissed off and at- speed my recommendation is to use a full strut
tack the decoy. Ive got one Killer B with paint gobbler decoy. To bring them running I suggest
scratched and spurred off the forehead and busted you spend some time adding real full fan tail
up tail feathers from full frontal attacks made by feathers along with wing, body and anal feathers.
wild gobblers. The idea is to create a lifelike decoy that wild
But wait; enter the ugliest decoy on planet gobblers simply cannot resist. If you want to get
earth called Funky Lil Jake made by Flextone. the most out of your hunt and be fully entertained
For some strange unexplained reason big adult you might want to include a FunkyLil Jake de-
gobblers simply kick the crap out of this decoy coy for laughs.n
like no other. Ive never seen anything like it.
I first setup the ugly FunkyLil Jake to the
side of my most productive full strut gobbler
with beautiful huge real tail feathers, waving
body feathers, customized real feather wings and
custom painted head. Adult gobblers appeared
in the swampy bottomland headed toward my
seductive hen yelps. When they saw the big full
strut realistic decoy they came running but at the
last moment turned abruptly right and charged
the stupid looking Funky Jake. Thats when they
began to circle the skinny, weakling-looking de-
coy, making fighting growls and chirping insults.
They puffed up their feathers, heads turned bright
red as all hell broke loose and they attacked the
skinny decoy. Not once but several times they
spurred the decoy, hit it with their wings, jumped
on it and eventually pounded it to the ground.
They pecked the custom bright paint off the head,
bent the metal stake and even when the sickling
decoy was lying face down they still circled rant-
ing insults and delivering power spur punches.
Ive never witnessed such a violent attack by
turkeys.
After repainting and repairing the skinny
decoy I took it on several more outings and the
results were impressive. Wild birds were at-
tracted by my full strut decoy, but once they got
close they would switch directions toward the Author was happy to arrow a big gobbler
FunkyLil Jake, get eye to eye with the weak- that came running to his full strut custom
ling decoy and break into full attack mode. On gobbler decoy. If you are not a fantastic
one occasion I set the geek decoy close to my turkey caller or lack decoying skills you can
blind and after it got beat to the ground I got out, be guaranteed easy kills by using a full body
straightened the stake and set it back up. 40 min- decoy with custom modifications.
WNW NEWS MARCH 2017 31

Getting the most from...
Great Lakes Trolling Spoons
Trolling style spoons play a major role in the Great Lakes fishing scene.
For decades the trolling spoon was considered the go to lure of nearly
every salmon and trout fisherman on the big pond. Today, we have
a wealth of lure types to choose from and spoons have seemingly taken
J
a back seat in the proverbial lure popularity contest...
ust because the
spoon isnt neces-
sarily the go to
bait of the Great
Lakes anymore
doesnt mean these
fishing lures are antiquated.
The fact is, when used prop-
erly, trolling spoons con-
tinue to produce
good results day
in and day out.
By Mark Romanack
When conditions are right for spoon
trolling, these lures flat out dominate
in the number of fish they produce.
Why Has Spoon
Trolling Struggled?
Before we can address how to
get the most from trolling spoons,
its important to understand why
these lures have declined in produc-
tivity and popularity in recent years.
The answer boils down to water
clarity. Thanks to countless zebra
and quagga mussels that constantly
filter plankton from the water, all
five of the Great Lakes are experi-
encing clear or nearly clear water
clarity standards.
To the novice angler clear water
might equate to pure water and seem
like a good thing. Pure, uncontami-
32 MARCH 2017 WNW NEWS
nated water is a good thing,
but gin clear water supports
little in the way of micro-
scopic algae, zooplankton
and phytoplankton the
building blocks of the food
chain. Think of it this way,
without microscopic life in
the water, there can be no
larger forms of
life either.
Because the
overall biomass of plankton and also
key species of baitfish in the Great
Lakes has been steadily declining
for the past two decades, fishing has
understandably gotten tougher. With
less in the water to eat, one might
imagine that game fish like salmon,
trout, walleye, etc., would be raven-
ously hungry and easy to catch. The
truth is a declining forage base has
forced fisheries managers to reduce
stocking efforts on popular species
including king and coho salmon,
brown trout, lake trout and steel-
head.
Not only are fishermen faced
with fewer fish in the system, get-
ting these fish to bite artificial lures
like spoons have become even more
challenging. This is precisely why
many trout and salmon anglers have
put more emphasis on presentations
like cut-bait that look, smells
and tastes like food, compared to
traditional artificial hard baits like
spoons.
Bruised But Not Broken
The reputation of the trolling
spoon as a fish producer in the Great
Lakes may be bruised, but these
trolling lures certainly arent bro-
ken. With a little angler savvy and
trolling know how, spoons continue
to produce good results on all the
major species of trout, salmon and
also Lake Erie and Saginaw Bay
walleye.
Part of getting the most from
trolling spoons is understanding the
strengths and weaknesses of these
lures. One of the biggest strengths
of spoon as they relate to Great
Lakes fishing lures is these baits can
be fished at a wide range of trolling
speeds. Because spoons fish well at
many speeds, these lures mix well
with other popular trolling presenta-
tions including plugs, rotators and
cut-bait, trolling flies and many
other baits.
Spoons can also be fished read-
ily with all the primary presentations
including downriggers, diving plan-
Historically speaking the trolling spoon
has for years been the go to bait of
trout and salmon fishermen in the Great
Lakes. As the waters of the Great Lakes
continue to evolve and become clearer,
spoon trollers have had to make adjust-
ments to remain successful. This cisco
was taken on East Grand Traverse Bay
on a Jr. Streak spoon by Paige Kuiper of
McBain
ers, floating/diving planers, Tadpole
Divers, planer boards, sinking lines
and high lines. Also noteworthy,
spoons come in several different
sizes which allow anglers to match
the hatch and fish with spoons that
closely resemble available forage
species at key times of year. The
versatility of the trolling spoon is
why these lures continue to catch
fish even in the face of tougher fish-
ing conditions.
The weakness of spoons is that
like all artificial lures these baits
are somewhat mechanical in their
movement and attempt to imitate
live forage. In stained and off color
waters, artificial lures like spoons do
a much better job of replicating real
forage fish. As the water becomes
clearer, game fish have the luxury of
being able to more closely scrutinize
these lures and in effect identify
them as fake.
Fishing At Peak Times
One of the best ways to get the
most from trolling spoons is to em-
phasize the use of these lures during
prime fishing times. Most Great
Lakes fish species bite best in low
light conditions and this goes double
for trout and salmon. Concentrate
on fishing spoons early and late in
the day or on cloudy days when low
light levels make it harder for fish to
scrutinize baits.
During the brighter parts of the
day, spoons are naturally going to
decline in their productivity and
should be traded out for more natu-
ral looking and smelling presenta-
tions such as cut-bait.
Targeting Green Water
Its true that the Great Lakes are
much clearer on average today than
they were just a decade ago. Still
water clarity is relative because en-
vironmental conditions and weather
are influencing water clarity on day
to day basis. Savvy Great Lakes
trollers know this and spend consid-
erable time searching for pockets of
what they often refer to as green
water. Any water that is a little more
stained than the clear or blue water
surrounding it is going to concen-
trate bait and also game fish.
Often these pockets of green
water can be spotted by the trained
eye by simply putting on a qual-
ity pair of sun glasses to cut the
glare and watching diligently. River
mouths are prime areas to search for
green water that forms when clear
Trolling spoons page 34
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WNW NEWS MARCH 2017 33

Great Lakes Trolling Spoons:
from page 32
main lake waters mix with stained
river waters. Unfortunately these
pockets of stained water are prone to
moving as wind intensity and direc-
tion changes. The only way to stay
on top of the location of stained wa-
ter is to fish often or stay in contact
with those who spend a lot of time
on the water.
Using Scent Products
Because many artificial lures
(spoons included) are mechanical in
their action, it helps to douse these
baits in natural smelling fishing
scent products. The leader in this
category of fishing scents is the west
coast based Pro Cure company who
specializes in producing fishing
scents made by dehydrating and
grinding up actual forage species
including ciscoes, herring, alewives,
smelt, crayfish, shiners and many
others.
To help these natural scents to
stick to hard baits, Pro Cure mixes
in an odorless gel and stabilizing
agent to create a popular product
marketed as Super Gel. The
highly concentrated Super Gel has
Crooked Foot
a five year shelf life, sticks to hard
baits and gives off a natural scent
stream in the water for about 30-40
minutes before its time to reapply.
Other fishing scents tend to dis-
solve in water and quickly washes
away, making them next to use-
less. The Pro Cure Super Gel sticks
so well to lures it leaves behind a
greasy film that must be washed
away. Pro Cure recommends wash-
ing baits with a mild detergent soap
before and after applying their scent
products.
The initial wash is to remove
any foreign odors that might be on
your lures like gasoline, paint and
clear coat solvents, human odor,
suntan lotion, tobacco odor, insect
repellent, etc., says Steve Lynch
of Pro Cure. Fishing scents work
best when applied to clean and odor Spoon trolling is no longer just for targeting trout and salmon.
free lures. After using Super Gel the Walleye specific spoons sized to imitate the emerald shiner are red
baits will again need to be washed at hot when it comes to catching Saginaw Bay and Lake Erie walleye in
the end of the day to remove scent June, July and August. Mark Romanack photos
residue.
Pro Cure is available in a wealth commonly found in the Great Lakes. and Lake Erie continues to thrive
of natural forage scents. The best Some good choices include Gizzard because these shallow Great Lakes
advice is to stick with scents that Shad, Alewife, Smelt and Shiner. basins enjoy more fertile and stained
represent natural forage species Walleye Trolling water conditions than other Great
Lakes fisheries.
And Spoons Summing It Up
Hunt Club
Most of the time when Great
Lakes fishermen are talking about
For more than four decades
trolling spoons have dominated
spoons they are talking about that Great Lakes trolling scene. As
trout and salmon fishing. In recent the waters of the Great Lakes get

Attention
years Saginaw Bay and Lake
Erie have enjoyed an outstanding
spoon bite during June, July
and August.
cleaner and cleaner, the spoon bite
has suffered. Getting the most from
trolling spoons these days is about
recognizing the changes occurring

Hunters!
Smaller spoons that do a better
job of imitating the walleyes favor-
ite forage, the emerald shiner, are
required for the best results. Most of
Spring is the best time for dog the major spoon brands now pro-
breeding, basic training, and advanced duce walleye specific spoons, but
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Foots expert handlers help you with Michigan Stinger Scorpion spoons
your best hunting buddy! are two of the most popular.
Welcome to Crooked The spoon bite on Saginaw Bay
Foot,
in the Great Lakes and using these
lures when and how it makes the
most sense.
Targeting Great Lakes species
at peak times, using natural scent
products as an enticement and
seeking out the green rather than
blue water is the fast track to open
water trolling success when using
spoons.n

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34 MARCH 2017 WNW NEWS

 Hunting
Sheds
And Scouting For Next Season...
S
avvy Michigan buck
hunters are scouting for
shed antlers now, long
before spring green up.
They are not just hunting
for dropped antlers but
deer scouting. This is an ideal time to
locate a buck to hunt next fall. After
all, you only get one chance at a big
buck and any information is welcome
to help you score this fall.
Looking for sheds is an
ideal way to get exercise
and learn your hunting
grounds. By searching for
sign now you can develop
your hunting strategy for
next fall.
Shed hunting has be-
come a popular sport with
Michigan hunters, a popu-
lar pastime when winter
blues send sports-
By Kenny Darwin
men outdoors in
late-winter/early
spring. Savvy shed hunters take to the
fields anytime a winter thaw melts
deep snow. A winter rain that packs or
melts snow, then refreezes, provides
solid footing in the woods and antlers
stick out like a sore thumb. Finding
sheds gives much hope that the buck
will be around next fall.
By now most bucks have dropped
their antlers. Find the shed, or if you
are lucky both antlers and you have
discovered a bucks home territory.
Research from radio collared deer
shows the winter range of a buck
is much smaller than most hunters
would believe. During peak rut a buck
will wander several miles but come
winter they live in less than a mile
square. Many inner-city bucks spend
the winter months in subdivisions
filled with tasty plants and well-
stocked bird feeders. Some survive by
gobbling evergreens found in yards,
cemeteries and office complexes.
Country bucks tend to hole up near
food sources such as cornfields, un-
harvested beans or swamps that have
cedar trees.
Now is a prime time to go antler
scouting. Fishing is spotty and you
have no yard work. Forget later in the
spring because green up can quickly
hide the white antlers. The best time
to go is when the snow melts, ground
is bare and white antlers show up eas-
ily against brown leaves and dirt.
Sheds are proof that your buck
made it through hunting season and
most likely winter and he will be there
next fall with a much bigger rack.
This eliminates any questions about
poachers, car kills or other hunters
The best time to
scout for next
season is now. If
you are looking
that got your deer. While many shed for sheds this is
hunters cherish the bone, it is the a prime time to
memory of the find that kindles a high locate antlers.
level of confidence when on stand Every outing
next fall. should be a fact
Searching for sheds will help finding mission.
you pattern bucks for next falls buck
hunt. Your goal is to identify deer
travel routes, feeding and bedding ar-
eas and locate where bucks go to hide
from hunters. Walk every inch of your hunting and the ground is slightly frozen,
Mature bucks often ground; learn runways, travel corri- prior to spring green up. Sure, you
select the most remote, dors, hidden thickets, low areas where are searching for sheds but tracking
secluded hiding locations deer move and more. Every spot is snow can give you important
available, cedar swamps, different, some locations take years information about deer in any
marshes, thick brush, pine to fully cover and learning the habits given area. You can quickly identify
forests, tall grass even of wild deer and where antlers drop major runways, study tracks and
standing corn provide the is an ongoing project. Other spots are determine if any big bucks are
cover they cherish. Walk easy to scout, sheds stick out like a present. Snow will help you find
the perimeter of these ar- sore thumb and you quickly determine feeding locations, give an estimate
eas and look for big buck where to place stands for successful of deer numbers, help you see
tracks leading in or out of hunts. available habitat, determine hiding
bedding locations.
Make treks in March through locations and hopefully help you
Now, take the larg- early April when there is still snow find a big buck.n
est tracks you can
find and get into the bucks sanctuary.
This is tough work but unless you
walk the thick stuff you will not have
a full understanding where bucks go
come gun season. Often sheds are
found near bedding locations, fre-
quently under pine trees or near food
sources.
You can expect to locate old rubs,
scrapes and runways used last fall
during the rut. Try to identify bed-
ding areas, large tracks and droppings
made by your big boy. Scouting now
can give you valuable information
about breeding sites used during
the rut. Sure, Mr. Big gave you the
slip last fall but now you can travel
anywhere in the woods and not worry
about chasing the buck to other hunt-
ers. The trick is to find where bucks
congregate. Look for sheds near holes
in fences. To find hidden strongholds
you must scout where you did not
hunt. Identify travel routes and locate
ambush points where you can place a
stand this fall.
The best time to scout for next
season is now. If you are looking for
sheds this is a prime time to locate
antlers. Every outing should be a fact
finding mission, try to cover as much
Protect your property from deer or trespassers.
ground as possible. Sometimes it
takes several trips to crisscross thick Enough said. Call us today!
cover and find sheds. Look for antlers
where bucks go through thick brush,
small openings allow antlers to get
snagged on brush and dislodge an
antler. If you find one antler look for
the other in close proximity because
a buck feels lopsided after dropping
one tine and he will work to shake the 231.510.8122 www.BeemFence.com
other.
WNW NEWS MARCH 2017 35
 The author with a beautiful brown trout, caught on Idahos Snake
River while fly fishing for the first time.

So...Im a fly-fisherman?
Ahh...more accurately, I went fly-fishing
on the world famous Snake River in Idaho
o...Im a fly-fisherman? Ahh, bobbers and not strike indicators.

S more accurately, I went fly-

fishing.
Randy, give me a little
Oh, and for lures we used crickets
and aluminum boats on motionless
small inland lakes.
line mending, instructs But there I was,
my guide as he skillfully doing my best to roll cast,
maneuvered the float boat mend line, and load my
in the swift river current. rod properly. And all this
He was doing his best to on one of the worlds best
help me place a dry fly on dry fly fisheries. We were
the nose of a Yellowstone guests of the South Fork
cutthroat. A famous fish on Lodge, which sits on the
famous waters. Snake River about a 45
Fly-fishing is new to me Randy minute drive from Idaho
and in a way a shame for a Falls.
man like me, a man more Jorgensen Ill admit before
comfortable in a china shop the day was out, I caught
than a drift boat. many more cutthroats,
For an accomplished fly-fisher- brown trout and rainbows on spin-
man having the opportunity to wet cast gear than I did on my newly
a line in Idahos renowned Snake discovered fly-rod skills. My guide
River would surely be a bucket list frowned at me each time I reeled a
dream. For me, it was turning out
to be a water slapping, tangled-up
nightmare!
One more mend, the fish are
sluggish and we need to keep the
strike indicator on the very best
float, my guide, Lee Moore said on
this early November morning.
After more instruction I was able
to reasonably attempt to get a fly in
the relative vicinity of where I had
intended. At times my arms flayed
as if walking through a giant spider
web.
Like so many growing up in cen-
tral Michigan, a cane pole was how
we learned to fish. Simple, direct
and no wasted movements. As skills
improved we moved on to spin-cast
reels. For my fishing pals and I, a fly Godfather Keith Blackmere
rod was something that slipped out trying his best to impar t some
of your hand when casting. We used fly-fishing knowledge to a rookie.
36 MARCH 2017 WNW NEWS
fish boatside.
My God-
father Keith
Blackmere, on
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on the rivers
surface. Watching Keith Blackmere with a Yellowstone cutthroat
it done properly trout, which according to Idahos Fish and Game,
was enjoyable must be released back into the river.
and fun. He
presented the dry variety of wildlife, including a bald
fly to the surfacing fish perfectly. and a golden eagle. The river bottom
On one occasion a brown gobbled terrain of eastern Idaho is home to
the fly and the fight was on. The moose, mule deer, whitetail and elk.
feisty fish swirled and splashed in There is an interesting fisheries
the crystal clear water and a lengthy story in Idaho unfolding. The river
battle ensued. This time though, the is chuck full of fish, cutthroat trout,
fight ended in the favor of the trout. brown trout, mountain whitefish and
Our guide never stopped work- rainbow trout.
ing, never stopped trying to put us The Yellowstone cutthroat is the
on the next fish. He maneuvered his native fish, although the rainbow
drift boat from one side of the river trout is aggressively challenging and
to the other, pulling on one oar and changing the river. The result is the
pushing on the other. He knew the two fish interbreed and produce a
river like the back of his hand. hybrid known as a cutbow. The hy-
The water moved briskly over bridization is a serious threat to the
rapids and between large boulders. native cutthroat trout fishery. Poly Furniture and
The beauty of Snake River and the The population of the rainbow
canyon is unmatched. Before the is thriving and exploding, so much Campfire Supplies and Rings
six hour float was over we saw a so, Fish and Game has lifted the
rainbow limit. You can
catch all you want and
are encouraged to. The Relax In Style!
opposite is true for the
cutthroat, you must
throw them back.
Now, as you have
read, I dont pretend
to be an accomplished
fly-fisherman, you
understand that. But
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WNW NEWS MARCH 2017 37
Dodging the rain in western New York
C
hautauqua County is
so far away from the
rest of the State of New
York that three of its
sides border someplace
else. A brief drive to
the west or the south will land you
in Pennsylvania. Head too far north
and youll wind up in Lake Erie.
Chautauqua County is closer to
Detroit than it is to New York City.
With its lakes and natural
beauty and at a distance of
less than 150 miles from
Cleveland, this area histori-
cally appealed to Ohioans
for vacations and summer
places.
Even though it looks as
if it could be one of them,
By Tom Carney
Chautauqua Lake is
so far from the rest
of New Yorks fa-
mous Finger Lakes it might as well
be the pinky finger on the opposite
hand.
But this corner of the Empire
State is no slouch when it comes
to the vacation and recreational
possibilities it offers to visitors.
Chautauqua Lake is famous for its
freshwater fishing.
THUNDER HILLS
Featuring World Famous Hogan Hogs
Like Us On
Facebook
38 MARCH 2017 WNW NEWS
Lets say that your big day of
muskie fishing Chautauqua Lake
gets rained out, though. How can
you spend your down time around
Chautauqua County?
First and foremost, if your ac-
cess point is on the far east end of
the lake, you will be in Celeron, and
its must see attraction, Lucille
Ball Memorial Park. When Balls
hometown commissioned a statue to
honor her, it had no idea the
artist would deliver some- A well-worn companion for
thing so hideous it quickly generations of outdoor
became known as Scary recreationists, the Petersons
Lucy. But there she is, on Field Guide Series books
the south side of the park were the first of their kind.
right next to the parking lot, Tailfeather Communications,
complete with her bottle of LLC. photo
Vitameatavegamin. In Au-
country, where you might find some the brochure pop-up). Bring some
gust 2016, a much
more lifelike and cheese stores and bakery stands. A coins and your sense of humor, and
flattering statue of few miles up, Pope Rd. enters 241 you can while away the time watch-
Lucy was presented to the park. But from the east. If you take Pope up ing the woodworker demonstrate
Scary Lucy remains, so feel free to and around, about a half mile before his puzzles, each accompanied by
stop by and get creeped out. you come to Elm Creek Rd. youll your chorus of Hey, how did you
You might also drive to nearby see a farm and a shop where you do that?
Randolph, a few miles east in can find all sorts of hand-fashioned If you dont want to drive to
neighboring Cattaraugus County. wooden toys and home items (Loca- Randolph, or if you only have time
Once there, head north on State tion 121 on the Amish Trail Map, to visit a single attraction, head for
Highway 241, Conewango Rd. This www.amishtrail.com; scroll down the place that honors the man who
will put you in the middle of Amish to the Request, view, or download single-handedly changed the way
CALL FOR INFORMATION
248-249-4710 Or Visit Our Website
www.thunderhillsranch.com
so many of us enjoy the outdoors,
the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of
Natural History (RTPI).
Founded in 1984 in Petersons
hometown of Jamestown and just
a short drive from Scary Lucy, the
institution is charged with preserv-
ing Petersons lifetime body of work
and making it available to the world
for educational purposes.
The building itself is sweet,
cozy and comfortable, not so big
that your head is swimming after
ten minutes but big enough to give
one an overview of Petersons life
and work as well as a glimpse at the
works of other nature artists in the
exhibition room. According to the
design notes of the buildings archi-
tects, The building and its interior
were inspired by Petersons life and
culture, with the flavors of the Ad-
irondack Great Camp tradition and
the Arts and Crafts movement of
the 19th and early 20th centuries.
In a nod to Petersons Scandinavian
heritage, the lighting fixtures in the
main foyer, library and boardroom
have a rugged Viking helmet
design of hammered copper.
Peterson, as many of us know
from the battered companions we
carry afield with us, is the creator of
the Petersons Field Guide Series of
animal identification guidebooks.
While Peterson has informed us
with his work that same work trans-
formed him forever.
One needs to remember, said Dr.
Twan Leenders, president and CEO
of RTPI, that with his guides Peter-
son presented the world something
unique.
He is the creator of the modern
field guide, said Leenders. Previ-
ous to that people had to shoot the
birds and bring them in to scientists
in order to learn their identities.
Elliot Richardson, former U.S.
Attorney General, shed further light
on the guidebooks effect on Peter-
son.
In a profile of Peterson he wrote,
Published in 1934, the books me-
teoric success transformed Rogers
life and even, in a sense, took charge
of it. He found himself cast, not as a
naturalist, an educator, or an art-
ist, but as a unique amalgam of the
three.
And that amalgam serves as the
focal point of the work of the RTPI.
The institute provides people with
opportunities to engage in nature-
focused art, education and con-
servation projects helping them to
discover, establish and cement their
connections to the natural world.
In the upper level of the Institute
one room contains Petersons tools
of the trade: still and movie camer-
as, tripods, travel cases. He traveled
a lot, and the collection includes,
said Leenders, footage from places
probably no one else had been
before Peterson.
At the head of the staircase lead-
ing to the second level stands a glass
display case with some mounted
passenger pigeons someone gave
to Peterson. Looking them over,
Leenders said despite all the camera
equipment and thousands of expo-
sures Peterson made in his life, he
refused to paint from them.
He used some of these mounts
to paint the bird guides, said Leen-
ders. Peterson felt that by flatten-
ing out the image, a photograph or
slide could cause a painter to gauge
measurements wrong on the birds.
Peterson liked to have the birds in
hand.
A straight walk through the foy-
er to the display room opposite the
entry door brings people to a display
that puts them closer to the working
artist than one might imagine. This
is a room with many of Petersons
paintings. According to the RTPIs
Director of Exhibits and Collec-
tions, Jane Johnson, for the guide-
book illustration pages Petersons
preferred medium was graphite and
gouache on illustration board. On
display is the final such painting he
was working on when he died.
The board contains the images
of about a half-dozen birds, each
in various stages of completion
from top to bottom. One is roughly
sketched in in pencil. The next one
is a more detailed sketch. The next
one down has a few places painted
in. The next one has more, then
more. The bottom one is a complet-
ed portrait. So instead of painting
individual portraits of the birds and
then having the production depart-
ment fix several on a page for print-
ing, he painted a page of several
birds, no cutting and pasting needed.
No need to worry if you get
rained out of your outdoor activities:
Chautauqua County offers these and
lots more attractions to keep you
busy.
For information: Chautauqua
region: www.tourchautauqua.com,
866-908-4569; Peterson Institute:
rtpi.org, 716-665-2473.n

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WNW NEWS MARCH 2017 39

RABBIT HUNTING
with dogs and GPS
R
abbit hunters over the radio-based gear.
and other hound The tracking device is no
men have a larger than other hand-held
dandy tool to GPS devices. The track-
keep track of ing collar is simple and no
their dogs- a burden for the dog. The
GPS tracking unit. High- range is up to nine miles,
tech gadgets for tracking depending on the model.

By George Rowe
dogs have been
around for a
while but they
were radio transmitter devices and
not terribly accurate. The radio
technology has been in use for years
by dog trainers for tracking coyote,
lion and bear dogs while hunting
and also for tracking game animals
for research purposes.
I went out with some DNR
folks to locate a denned bear and
we found it easily after it was first
located from an airplane. At that
time, the system provided direction
only, although the proximity was
indicated by strength of signal.
The GPS tracking system for
dogs provides many advantages
The unit will
permit tracking
for up to 20 dogs,
again depending on model.
The unit will also provide a
wonderful array of information:
The direction of the dog(s)
from the unit.
The distance to the dog(s).
The current movement of the Jim Nystrom puts tracking collars on two eager beagles.
dog(s). ing the white rabbit or varying hare. and blocked.
All information superposed on These rabbits run a much larger cir- Another situation would be for
a map, if desired. cuit than cottontails and often take the proverbial March hare, the
A treed symbol if the dogs the dogs out of hearing. male that has left his normal home
are stationary, which would indeed With the GPS tool, the dogs are ground of a few acres to search for
be treed, in the case of a cat or bear, always visible and the track they females in the late winter breeding
or, if a rabbit, holed. For the rabbit are running will be retained on the season. This guy may be a half-mile
hunter, this tool is particularly useful screen, if desired, so that the path of or even a mile from his home terri-
in two situations, the first if hunt- a second circuit may be anticipated tory and, if you should jump him, he

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will head straight for home, taking
the dogs with him and immediately
out of hearing. This could mean
the end of the hunting day and lost
dogs. The GPS, however, will pick
up on that action right away and let
you know that the rabbit and the
dogs are now a half-mile east.
There is a training mode avail-
able with this equipment that
includes a shock collar and a beeper.
The beeper sounds on the collar to
alert the dog that the next event will
be the shock. In a very short time,
the rationale reads, the dog will
react to the beeper and avoid the
shock and run to his trainer. This
equipment isnt cheap, of course.
An entry level unit and collar will
be several hundred dollars. A unit
with all the bells and whistles will
be hundreds more. As with much
electronic gear, the price may
come down and improvements
with new features can be expected
regularly.
We had a chance to see the GPS
unit in action over a recent weekend,
hunting with Jim Nystrom of Char-
levoix. The dogs were eager to get
their tracking collars on, anticipat-
ing the hunt. They jumped a rabbit
before we could get all our gear to-
gether and we watched that first one
run before a gun was loaded. Unfor-
tunately, the recent warm weather,
with a thaw during the daytime and
freezing at night, had produced an
icy crust on the snow. The rabbits
could run over it easily without
sinking in and making a footprint.
These conditions made it difficult
for the dogs to find their scent. Over
two mornings of hunting we had six
or eight cottontails going and there
were a few quick shots but only one
dead rabbit. It was a real blast to see
the course of one or both dogs as
they worked the rabbit. At one point,
Jim had to scurry back to head off
the rabbit (and dogs) as they were
moving too close to a busy road.
While it was great fun to hunt
with this modern technology,
there is nothing in a GPS unit
that will threaten the real thrill
of hunting rabbits with beagles
that wonderful hound music. It is
still magic to hear the chopping
bark of Swede, the beagle and the
higher-pitched yodel of Finn, his
brother beagle.n
DNR seeks information on Iron County wolf poaching
MDNR conservation officers are seeking information on a wolf poaching incident in
Stambaugh Township, Iron County, located approximately 10 miles southwest of Iron
River.
Shortly after 2 p.m. Jan. 22, a passerby spotted a dead female wolf, weighing ap-
proximately 70 pounds, lying several feet off the side of East Brule Lake Road. The
passerby contacted local conservation officers, who immediately responded to the scene.
The cause of death appeared to be from a gunshot wound. The animal was likely
poached in the early morning hours of Jan. 22 and then moved to the roadside between
noon and 2 p.m. on the same date.
Anyone who has information that may assist us in finding the person or persons
responsible for the poaching of this wolf is asked to contact the DNR, said Sgt. Marc
Pomroy.
Persons with information regarding the incident, including vehicle activity in the im-
mediate area between noon and 2 p.m. Jan. 22, is asked to call Sgt. Pomroy at 906-228-
6561 or the 24-hour DNR Report All Poaching (RAP) line at 800-292-7800.
Details may be left anonymously, and callers may qualify for a monetary reward for
information leading to the arrest and conviction of the violator or violators.
DNR creel clerks collecting angler information
As the winter fishing season gets under way, the MDNR reminds anglers that DNR
staff again will be interviewing them about their fishing trips. The DNR appreciates
anglers cooperation in obtaining these critical data for fisheries management.
Fisheries Division creel clerks will ask anglers, through brief interviews, about how
long they fished, what species they targeted, what they caught, and where they live. In
a few instances, the clerks will ask to measure or weigh fish and take scale samples to
gather key biological information about anglers catches.
These efforts are part of the DNRs Statewide Angler Survey Program, a long-term
monitoring program designed to track recreational fisheries across Michigan waters of
the Great Lakes and selected inland waters. These data are vital to the management of
fisheries across the state and are used for determining management actions that include
developing appropriate regulations, addressing habitat improvements and identifying
fish stocking needs.
This winter, creel clerks will interview anglers fishing Saginaw Bay, the Les
Cheneaux Islands, Munising, Au Train, Marquette, Keweenaw Bay, Mullett Lake,
Wamplers Lake and Little Bay de Noc. Starting April 1 and continuing into the fall,
creel clerks will talk with anglers at a number of Great Lakes boating access sites,
fishing piers and shorelines across the entire coastline to obtain estimates on the spring,
summer and fall fisheries.
To see past creel results, visit Michigan.gov/fishing and click on Fishing in Michigan
in the left toolbar.
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WNW NEWS MARCH 2017 41
 Five simple steps to your first fish on a fly...

Fly-fishing is easier than you think! basic casting motions that the videos
By John Schmittroth

I
demonstrate, and skip any demos of
special moves such as roll casting.
took up fly-fishing 20 years Such maneuvers wont be of use
ago and have had great fun until much later, if at all.
with it ever since. It all To use a golf comparison, most
started when my wife sat me fly-fishing is not PGA play but
down one day and said you more like miniature golf. Pro-level
need a hobby. This was true. technique is not required. In fact,
I was a busy worker bee in my mid- some of my most memorable fish
40s and readily admitted to leaving taken while fly-fishing could have
behind the pastimes of younger been caught in the same situation
days, which included spin fishing. I using an old school, Huck Finn type
said that I was always curious to try bamboo pole and string.
fly-fishing, but wary about the time Based on checking out a few
and cost to get started. videos with this background, can
A month or two later Christ- Once you can regularly land you see yourself having fun getting
mas came and to my surprise Santa your fly close to a target 20 feet into this? Casting will be covered
brought an inexpensive starter fly- away you are good to go fish- in more detail below, but first some
fishing kit. I began fooling around ing. Author photos notes on gear.
with the gear in spare moments and
gradually over time became firmly for easing into to the sport, based catch fish once on the water. 2) Fly Rod & Reel
hooked (in the good sense). Today, on my experience. As youll see,
I fly-fish all over Michigan nine this very satisfying pursuit is not 1) The Technique The next step is to get your
hands on a fly rig. If its in the bud-
months of the year, and elsewhere as complicated as generally be- Most fishing involves casting get, I suggest buying an all-in-one
around the country when I travel. lieved. This first part of the plan out some weight such as a lure or fly-fishing combo kit, which can be
Have you considered fly-fishing will get you started with gear sinker at the end of a fishing line. In had for under $100. This will help
but are unsure how to get into it? and technique. The second part fly-fishing, the weight being cast is ensure that you are starting with the
Here is a simple do-it-yourself plan next month will cover how to the LINE, since the lure is usually necessary gear, including an instruc-

IR2,000EAGunsRinMStockS
a small feather fly weighing next to tions booklet in most cases, for a

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nothing. So instead of more or less
tossing a rock or stick out onto the
water, you are more or less throwing
a lasso. The mechanics are necessar-
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reasonable price. Otherwise, you
could easily spend several hundred
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etc.) in a flyshop.
For examples of such kits,
search Google for Cabelas Wind
River Combo, LL Bean Angler Fly
Rod Outfits, or more generally,
beginner fly rod combo. A use-
ful if detailed guide to buying these
is at www.bigskyfishing.com/fly-
fishing-articles/fly-fishing-combos.
php (Big Sky Fishing Guide to Fly
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In terms of rod specs, generally
for Michigan fishing you will want
whats called 5 weight rod (4 or
6 weight also would work), around

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42 MARCH 2017 WNW NEWS
81/2 or 9 feet in length. The fly line,
if you need to get into choosing this,
should be the floating type (not
sinking) and match the weight
size of the rod.
Rather than buying a new com-
bo kit, you might get your hands
on a used fly rod outfit via a garage
sale, gift, or loan. In this case, you
will want to be sure you have the
necessary parts: 1) rod (no miss-
ing pieces), 2) reel (that cranks to
bring in line), 3) backing line (cheap
line that goes on reel first before fly
line), 4) fly line (what you are cast-
ing, thick and often bright in color),
and 5) leader (about 7 feet of simple
monofilament tied at end of the fly
line).
3) Practice Casting
Rod in hand, practice in an open
grassy area to begin with, not on
pavement or water. At the end of
the thick fly line you should have
the monofilament leader attached
(search how to tie on a fly leader
if needed). At the end of the leader,
tie on a piece of yarn to serve as a
fly, or clip off the hook if using an
actual fly.
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Choose your practice manual
to guide you. You may have a book-
let with your kit, or closely follow
one of the YouTube demos. I learned
using a simple hands of the clock
illustration such as that provided
here: www.discoverfishing.co.uk/
guides/ff_cast.jpg.
As a warm-up, pull out a dozen
feet of line in front of you on the
ground, step back a few feet, raise
the rod tip (following your
manual) to pick up slack,
and practice waving the line
continually back and forth above
your head, keeping the line in the Summer hopper season brings out big trout like this brown and is
air but without actually casting it. a good time for a new fly angler to get star ted on stream fishing.
When you are comfortable, begin
to increase the length of line while shop or Trout Unlimited chapter.) practice casting on water, aiming at
you are waving by peeling off an- Once you are connecting at 20 feet, a floating stick at various distances.
other foot or two from the reel move the target to 30 feet, then 40 This introduces another level of
as you wave. feet. When you can nail the longer challenge as you deal with wet line
Next place a Frisbee or similar distances, also continue to practice that is harder to pickup and will not
target 20 feet away. Begin casting at around 20 feet since many casts cast as smoothly.
through the entire process aiming at are close up.
the target. Continue with casts until Try the same drills (20, 30, 40, Next Month
you consistently drop the fly close etc.) under adverse conditions, such All of your preparation comes
to it. (Revisit your manual as as with a strong wind in your face, to life once you catch a fish. Next
needed if there are problems during also in crosswind. Then in brushy month in Steps 4 and 5, will cover
this, and if you are still uncomfort- areas with smaller casting lanes taking bluegills on a fly and stream
able, track down help at a local fly such as a path in the woods. Next, fishing for trout.n
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WNW NEWS MARCH 2017 43
West Side winter steelhead
Betsie River

T
Benzie County
he state of Michigan
produces some of the
most fantastic steelhead
fisheries in the world,
arguable of course,
but the Betsie River in
Northwest Michigan, offers some
of the best on that list. When you
take the naturalistic, non-motorized,
approach to the Betsie, thats when
youll start to appreciate all she
has to offer. It will take only a few
bends down the river to start to get
a small hint of
what this river
has to offer. The
tugs on your
line, combined
with the vast
amount of wild-
life youre sure
to have seen,

By John Bergsma
has without doubt sparked your
interest.
My single best piece of advice
for successful winter steelhead on
the Betsie, especially during these
random warm-ups and strange
weather patterns, is a run and gun
approach. Dont beat a hole think-
ing youll conquer a lone fish and
dont be afraid to loose hooks as you
encroach on the over-growth and
riverbank. Master your presenta-
tions, send them down for a few, and
then move on. If you find a particu-
larly active hole, work it, but dont
The authors best piece of advice for successful winter steelhead on
the Betsie, especially during these random warm-ups and strange
weather patterns, is a run and gun approach.
44 MARCH 2017 WNW NEWS
The fishing so far this season on the Pere Marquette River has been absolutely fantastic. Egg flies as
well as nymph rigs are producing lots of fish.
overlook the smallest ripple, make
that cast as well.
As the dirty water arrives, with
the runoff that will surely come
in the late spring and sometimes
late into the year with these warm
weather patterns weve seen, spawn
bags in oranges and reds run across
the bottom will help your action.
When the water is cold, the fish
will still be present. Minimize your
presentation by switching to a dime
size white bag. A small (1/16oz)
horizontal jig tipped with a large
wiggler (or a couple wax worms)
floated under a lightweight float
accompanied by a medium size split
half way to the rig, is another solid
option.
Most steelhead fishermen will
have their own baits, strategies and
ideas for the weather patterns and
water temp. My best advice for this
amazing river fishery is to be mobile
and diverse. Dont be afraid to try a
technique you may have overlooked
before. Thanks to Captain Dave at
Rommel Outdoors for his insights
on this amazing fishery and Ace in
the Hole fishing for the great photo!
Manistee River
Manistee/Cadillac Areas
Nate from Steelhead Hunter
Charters tells me that winter steel-
head fishing is one of the most
overlooked sports during the winter
months in northern Michigan. Cold
weather brings in steelhead from the
big lake, and as they make their way
up river to their eventual spawning
grounds, they give anglers who can
bare the elements a chance at a true
winter trophy. Whether its floating
bobbers or running plugs, theres
nothing more exciting than having
your float drop or to see a plug rod
bend over with the drag ripping line.
Spawn bags or beads are run un-
derneath a float, and can be run with
a variety of rod and reel combos.
The most popular nowadays for me
is either a simple bait caster with a
smooth drag and a 9 medium action
rod, or a center pin reel and rod.
Running an inline float above split
shot and a barrel swivel will give
you the most natural drift. Plugs are
used by anchoring at the top of the
run and allowing your lures back 40
or so. Let the current do the work
as your plugs wiggle, and the idea
is to lift/drop your anchor in order
to work the entire run from top to
bottom.
Knowing the holes and depths of
each location just comes with time.
Winter steelhead can be anywhere
from a 5 run to a 10 hole. Just
keep fishing until you can kind of
figure them out. As the water rises
in early spring due to run off and
rain, the fish will continue up their
journey up river where I will bottom
bounce beads with spinning gear
in a number of runs. This is gener-
ally nearing the end of the steelhead
season, hence why a lot of guides do
not want the river to flood. A slower,
gradual warm up will keep the water
more stable and keep our fish in the
lower parts of the river.
Dave from D-Loop charters says
that along with the fall to spring
steelhead fishing the inner part of
the Manistee river offers some of
the finest native brown trout fish-
ing anywhere. This truly being one
with nature. The presentations are
pure and the river system almost
seems surreal and undisturbed. This
is why we do what we do according
to Dave, its the whole experience of
being on these waters in Michigan
that makes the job so rewarding.
Customers know and appreciate the
experience as much as the fishing.

Pere Marquette
Ludington Area
The Pere Marquette is very
much like the Manistee. It runs
clean and clear through beauti-
ful Mason county. This Ludington
area gem is not only a sportsmans
paradise it is the closest to the metro
Grand Rapids area which makes it
an easy trip for many winter fishing
enthusiasts.
No secrets here, what works
everywhere works here! That kind
of makes it fun, you dont have to
relearn it all. The fishing so far this
season has been absolutely fantastic.
Egg flies as well as nymph rigs are
Cold weather brings in steelhead from the big lake, and as they make their way up river to their even-
producing lots of fish. Beads and tual spawning grounds, they give anglers who can bare the elements a chance at a true winter trophy.
floats are also producing well.
The bottom line here this season try Pere Marquette River Lodge. this has to be on it. Michigan winter Great Lakes Fishermans Digest
is that the moderate temps have They are great. Steelhead fishing is a must do be- television show and brings fishing
made for some of the best and most fore you die thing. Just my humble reports to the whole state! Posting
comfortable fishing in a long time. If Conclusion opinion. three times per week on his Face-
you are looking for a great outfitter If you have a bucket list then John Bergsma is the Host of the book page.n

with your host

n B e r g sm a
Joh
Visit our website and find out about . . .
Destinations Fishing Reports
Our Show Cooks Corner

WNW NEWS MARCH 2017 45

 Traditional Black Powder Hunting...By Dennis Neely
Fresh venison for Fort Detroit
C
owhide moccasins crept
north in the waning
darkness. At a young
leafless maple, a British
ranger from Captain
Hopkins Company at
Fort Detroit headed down the ridges
east slope. Pontiacs siege of the fort
ended two weeks before. The year
was 1763.
Theres a fallen tree off the one
island, Lt. Darrel Lang recalled,
and I always see deer there. It was
just getting light when I started
down the ridge. I was disappointed.
The deer were already off the fields
and coming up the ridge. I backed
off and went over the ridge to the
west side to the big oak that I like.
I hadnt been there long when
a small tree started moving. There
was a buck in the thicket, raking his
antlers on that tree. I saw some other
movements. He had a doe in there
and was keeping her within the con-
fines of the brush. I saw tines, then a
main beam, but never a whole deer.
Throughout the course of the
morning, deer came over the ridge
and crossed out to the river and the
heavy cover. They were young six
points and such, but none mature.
By about 10 oclock the deer came
to an end.
I got up and stretched my legs.
The fowler was leaning against the
tree. I sat back down. A while later
I spotted the buck; he was within
gun range. He came from the river
bottom up to the higher ground,
crossing west to east. I knew he was
a mature shooter buck, but I dont
ever count antler points.
Once I decide to take a deer,
I concentrate on making the shot,
nothing else. I had to reach up
There was no cover in front of me to speak of, Lt. Lang said when
he recounted the tale. At that big oak, deer usually come off the
ridge, around behind or pass well out in the valley, but few come as
close as that buck.
46 MARCH 2017 WNW NEWS
and grab the fowler. There was no
cover in front of me to speak of, so I
moved real slow.
His eyes caught my attention.
I saw it right away. They were wide
open, very spooky, like a horse that
is scared or running from some-
thing. He seemed calm, focused on
where he was going. He never broke
stride, hesitated or looked around.
He just kept moving steady and paid
no attention to my movements. It
was like the buck was in a trance.
I raised the fowler and put the
front sight on his shoulder. He was
twenty or so paces away when I
squeezed the trigger
Three basic elements make up
any traditional black powder hunt: a
healthy dose of documented history,
an arm that uses black powder as a
propellant and a fair-chase pursuit of
wild game. Michigans rich his-
torical heritage provides an infinite
number of possibilities for providing
fresh meat for the table in the man-
ner our forefathers once did.
Local history books, dusty old
journals and surviving museum
artifacts are a few of the many
resources that offer clues to under-
standing what it was really like to
live, hunt and survive in the vast ex-
panse of wilderness that would one
day become Michigan. Some rugged
individuals take the knowledge one As a seasoned 18th-century woodsman, Lt. Lang makes up his mind
step farther and attempt to re-live to take a whitetail, then concentrates on following through with a
events others only read about. clean humane shot. Wild River tree photos
Darrel Lang is one such person.
Tall and stately in appearance, Lt. lived through the French and Indian research. Hopkins was contracted in
Lang, as his fellow living historians War (1754 to 1763) will fill a person England to form a ranger unit and
call him, exudes an aura of confident with a unique perspective on out- ordered to Fort Detroit. He had little
mystery when encountered in the door life, and hunting in particular. time to gather recruits so many were
glade. Thirty-plus years of chasing When Im hunting in this area civilians who came from the English
the secrets surrounding the daily (southeastern Lower Michigan), Im colonies in America and brought
lives of the men and women who a ranger based out of Fort Detroit at what they had for clothing and arms.
the end of Pontiacs Rebellion in the Heavy cowhide moccasins, fash-
fall of 1763, Lang explained. Fort ioned after one excavated at Fort
Detroit was under siege in the sum- Ligonier in Pennsylvania, protected
mer of 63. Lt. Langs feet. Linen knee breeches
Captain Joseph Hopkins ar- with canvas, British-military-style
rived at the fort in the fall of 62, leggins covered his lower legs. On
but Major (Henry) Gladwin wanted that morning in November of 1763,
to send Hopkins and his men back, the ranger wore a linen, sleeveless
because he didnt have enough waistcoat over a common wool
provisions to feed the added troops. trade shirt. A longer, linen outer shirt
Hopkins sent all but 22 men back. added extra warmth and protection.
I portray one of the rangers who To comply with the intrusion of
stayed with Hopkins. modern game laws, Lt. Lang donned
Robert Rogers arrived in July an orange cape that covered his
of 63, but after the siege was over, shoulders.
the two companies led by Hopkins The gun is a British fowler,
and Rogers were disbanded. Al- Lang said, a style of smoothbore
though there is no documentation, I made in England that was on the
believe some of the rangers stayed fancy side. Builders over here
at the fort as scouts and hunters picked up on the style, but had to
for Gladwins British garrison, he use available parts. Their carving
added. wasnt as elaborate or as well-ex-
Lt. Langs outdoor clothing ecuted as that of the European gun
is civilian in nature, based on his makers.

My fowler is based off an orig-
inal built in this country in 1760. Its
a flintlock with an 11 gauge barrel
(.751-inch bore) thats 46 inches
long. I shoot a paper-patched .715
(-inch) round lead ball.
The rangers carried a paper
cartridge, which was a cylindrical,
rolled-paper tube with the measured
powder charge in one end and the
round ball in the other. I tear the end
of the paper and dump the powder
down the bore. I flip the cartridge
Lang glimpsed a white underbelly.
The buck lay dead against an old ce-
dar trees trunk. After a short prayer
of thanksgiving, the woodsman set
about dressing his deer. Thanks to
the skill and patience of Lt. Dar-
rel Lang, Hopkins Rangers would
soon partake of fresh venison at Fort
Detroit.
Give traditional black powder
hunting a try, be safe and may
God bless you.n
Muzzle Loading State Events
Michigan State Muzzle Loading Association State Shoots
Feb. 28-March 6 - NMLRA Western National Shoot
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INTERESTED IN SELLING
over and press the ball, which is still
in the paper tube, into the muzzle
and tamp the ball and paper in
place. That mushrooms the empty

YOUR STANDING TIMBER?

end firm over the ball. Ive found
the paper cartridge is the most accu-
rate load for my fowlerand it is a

load a ranger in Hopkins Company
would have used, Lang said.
The allure of Pontiacs Rebel-
lion and the siege of Fort Detroit,
the historical knowledge of Cap-
tain Joseph Hopkins ranger com-
pany, period-correct clothing and
a smooth-bored flintlock fowler
combine to create a unique hunting
memory. Many modern hunters find
the challenges of a traditional black
powder hunt hard to comprehend,
especially with a fine whitetail buck
walking unconcerned, twenty paces
distant
Kla-whoosh-BOOM! The
muzzles blast echoed up the ridge,
through the little valley and out
into the river bottom. A thick white
smoke cloud drifted over the brown
oak leaves.
After the shot, the buck
walked off, Lt. Lang said. He
didnt run, he just walked fast,
angled uphill and disappeared out
of sight. I heard him fall a couple
of times. I reloaded and waited a
while. I got up to check where he
stood when I shot. There was no
hair or blood, and I didnt see him
anywhere, so I got concerned. I
sat down and waited, knowing my
hunting companions would soon be
by to investigate the shot.
About an hour passed before
two 18th-century woodsmen stalked
along the lower trail that hugged
the north edge of a dense swamp. In
a whisper, Lt. Lang recounted the
tale, pointing the fowlers muzzle
to where the buck stood and then up
the hill to where he heard the first
crash.
The deers big hooves upturned
leaves, making his course evident.
The buck stepped over a downed
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oak limb, then twenty paces beyond
Lt. Lang discovered the first drop of
blood. As the three advanced up the
hill, the trail began to wander. In a
short distance, the leaves recorded
the first fall.
A few moccasin steps later, Lt.
Comins, Mi (989) 848-2100 or (989) 848-5946 Fax: (989) 848-7252
WNW NEWS MARCH 2017 47
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Woods-N-Water News
Michigans Premier Outdoor Publication
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48 MARCH 2017 WNW NEWS
 DOWNTOWN GRAND RAPIDS

ULTIMATE SPORT SHOW GRAND RAPIDS

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MARCH 16-19
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FREE K&E
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 Ultimate Fishing Boat Sale!
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Bennington ________ Lakeside Motor Sports/Nelsons Speed Shop ____800
Bentley Pontoon ____ Grand Valley Marine _____________________1211
Boston Whaler _____ Gull Lake Marine _________________________961
Carolina Skiff _______ Camp & Cruise _________________________1072
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Crest Pontoon ______ Lakeside Motor Sports/Nelsons Speed Shop ____800
Crownline _________ Lakeside Motor Sports/Nelsons Speed Shop ____800
Excel_____________ Freeway Sports Center ___________________2360
G-3 ______________ Lakeside Motor Sports/Nelsons Speed Shop ____800
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aluminum boats to choose Lowe ____________ Cabelas ______________________________2350
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Qwest____________ Lakeside Motor Sports/Nelsons Speed Shop ____800
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 REGISTER TO WIN!
Starcraft Fishing Boat with
Yamaha Outboard and
Yacht Club Trailer Mark Romanack Capt. Mike Pittiglio Chris Noffsinger
courtesy of BASS FISHING
WALLEYE FISHING MUSKIE FISHING

HOW TO PROCESS
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Big Buck Night-West Marianne Huskey Mark Martin

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Lumberjack Show!

Meet Jimmy Gretzinger

and Jenny Olsen from
Michigan Out-Of-Doors TV
 More Family Fun Features than ever!
The Annual
Grand Rapids
Open Turkey
Calling
Competition
Hosted by the Grand Valley
Chapter of the National Wild
Turkey Federation, the Saturday
evening event will feature some of Michigans top callers
as they compete for cash and prizes. Judges will include
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Operated by Northern
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Antique & States Best Taxidermy
Classic Fishing
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Bring in your old tackle for free appraisals. This is the
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your kids are invited Wood carvings of every kind will be on display and carvers
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FREE FLY CASTING INSTRUCTION! Meet Glen Blackwood of
the Great Lakes Fly Fishing Company and many other local
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to improve your time on the water!
to the taxidermy? The organization holds their annual
competition and convention at the Ultimate Sport Show
Archery Shooting Range each year. Fish, deer heads, small and large mammals are
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museums would love to have just a sample of this annual
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Special thanks to Woods-N-Water News

for producing this flyer.
Visit the Woods-N-Water News booth,
Michigans premier outdoor publication, March 16
March 17
Thursday
Friday
1 pm-9 pm
11 am-9 pm
DeVos Place
303 Monroe Ave, NW
Admission
Adults $10
Grand Rapids, MI Children 6-14 $4
at the Ultimate Sport Show and online at March 18
March 19
Saturday
Sunday
10 am-8 pm
10 am-5 pm

www.woods-n-waternews.com. Complete Show information,

seminar schedules, discount tickets and more at
1-800-387-7824 UltimateSportShow.com WNWN
 Part II...COs on deer season patrol
I
f you read Februarys edition
it covered the COs on patrol
during the Michigan 2016 deer
opener in the Upper Peninsular
covering Districts 1 and 2. This
edition covers Districts 3 and 4
primarily the northern part of the Lower
Peninsular. Lots of very interesting
cases!
DISTRICT 3
CO Chad Baldwin and CO Steve
Speigl were checking for shining
activity in Antrim Co. when they came
across a truck parked in the middle of a
seasonal road. When the COs pulled up
behind the truck, it recklessly sped off
for a short distance then erratically came
to a stop, nearly hitting some trees. The
COs checked on the driver and found
him to be highly intoxicated. The driver
was over twice the legal limit for driv-
ing. He was arrested and taken to the
Antrim Co. Jail.
While working a field near a busy in-
tersection in Antrim Co., CO Speigl and
CO Baldwin watched a truck approach
the intersection on the side having a stop
sign. The driver turned his headlights
off and sped through the intersection
without stopping. The COs stopped the
truck for the careless operation. When
questioned about the careless maneuver,
he said that he was just trying to catch
up to his buddy. Enforcement action was
taken.
CO Andrea Albert was checking
the deer that were hanging on a local
buck pole when she noticed a tag that
was purchased after hunting hours on
November 15th. The deer was shot
and hung on the pole on the 15th. An
interview with the hunter found he had
shot the 5-point buck and did not have
a buck tag so he went to the store and
bought one after the fact. The deer was
seized and the hunter was cited for the
violation.
CO Albert, CO Speigl and CO Scott
MacNeill were running the deer decoy
in a remote area of Antrim Co. A subject
drove by and quickly turned around and
came back to the decoy. The subject shot
two times from his vehicle at the decoy.
The subject was cited for the violations
and his rifle was seized. The COs noted
that six years ago the subjects adult son
had also shot at the decoy in the same
location.
On a vehicle stop, CO Albert found
two loaded rifles. The adult driver and
his 13 year old nephew had failed to
unload their guns before driving to town
and back for lunch. CO Albert explained
the safety issue with having a loaded
rifle in a vehicle and a ticket was issued.
While on patrol, CO Andrea Erratt
encountered an ORV operating during
the ORV quiet period of the firearm deer
season. In addition, the operator was not
wearing a helmet and was trespassing.
CO Erratt had stopped this individual in
the past and had given him warnings for
ORV violations. A ticket was issued this
time.
While on a stop for uncased firearms
in a motor vehicle, CO Erratt had a
vehicle pull up behind her. A check of
this vehicle revealed the operator also
By Jeff Pendergraff
had an uncased and loaded firearm in the
vehicle. A ticket was issued.
While checking a subject who was
hunting, it was learned by CO Erratt,
that he had already shot two deer for the
season. However, he still had a hunt-
ing license in his possession. Through
interviewing the subject, it was learned
he had tagged one of the other deer he
had shot with his wifes kill tag. He did
not want to use his, because he wanted
to keep hunting. A ticket was issued.
While working a deer decoy, CO
Erratt and CO Albert had an individual
stop and get out of his vehicle and shoot
the decoy. However, the subject was not
wearing hunter orange, nor did he have
permission to be hunting the private
property the decoy was placed on. Tick-
ets were issued.
While following up on an illegal
ground blind with illegal ORV activ-
ity to the blind, CO Duane Budreau
and Cpl. Brad Dohm encountered a
male subject hunting from the blind.
The subject adamantly denied that the
blind belonged to him. However, when
CO Budreau asked how he was able
to unlock the padlock that was locked
on the blind door, the subjects attitude
changed. A ticket was issued.
CO Budreau and Cpl. Dohm fol-
lowed up on an illegal ground blind
complaint received from a retired CO.
The COs checked the blind on opening
day and was able to make contact with
the owner. The blind was constructed of
building material and was lag bolted to
the trees. A ticket was issued.
While patrolling back roads, CO Bu-
dreau and Cpl. Dohm encountered two
vehicles slow-rolling down the road-
way. In both cases, the subjects were
contacted and uncased loaded firearms
were located in the vehicle. Tickets were
issued.
While patrolling northern Emmet
Co., CO Budreau encountered a slow-
rolling vehicle. Contact was made and it
was discovered that the operator had an
open beer in the vehicle. In interviewing
the subject, it was learned that he had
been out hunting. A check of the sub-
jects hunting site revealed an over-limit
of bait. Enforcement action was taken.
CO Nick Torsky received a complaint
in Otsego Co. in reference to an illegal
ORV trail on state land that went to a
large bait pile. The CO made contact
with the individual on the opening
morning of firearm deer season. Upon
contact, the hunter was not wearing
hunter orange and admitted to operating
an ORV, along with having excessive
bait. Enforcement action was taken.
CO Speigl and CO MacNeill re-
sponded to a complaint of a lost hunter
in the Fishermans Island State Park
area after dark. Search efforts between
multiple law enforcement agencies and
volunteers were coordinated with the
help of the Charlevoix Co. Sheriff De-
partments K9 Unit. After approximately
two hours of searching, the COs heard
two rifle shots that sounded to be within
a mile away, and soon made contact
with the lost hunter. He was exhausted
and cold, but local agencies assisted
COs to safely extract the hunter from the
woods and to medical care.
CO Speigl and CO MacNeill con-
ducted a deer decoy patrol during the
first weekend of firearm deer season.
Within only a few minutes after setting
up the decoy, COs observed an indi-
vidual stop his vehicle and load a rifle,
before taking two shots at the decoy.
The individual was not wearing any
hunter orange. Enforcement action was
taken.
CO Speigl, CO Albert, and CO
MacNeill conducted a deer decoy patrol.
COs observed dozens of vehicles pass
by, but after only a short time, three
separate vehicles stopped and took shots
at the decoy. Two of the shooters had
shot from the roadway, inside of their
vehicles and one was found to be using
a .44 magnum handgun. Contact was
made and enforcement action was taken.
While patrolling the Pigeon River
Country State Forest, CO Torsky con-
tacted a hunter that was located in an
illegal deer blind on state land. Upon
contact with the hunter, the CO also
determined he had not purchased a deer
license and was not wearing hunter
orange. Enforcement action was taken.
CO Torsky was dispatched to a dead
bull elk carcass located in Montmorency
Co. near the intersections of Johnsons
Crossing and Meridian Line roads. A
necropsy was completed on the animal
showing possible time of death early
to mid-September. Leads were devel-
oped and the investigation continues. If
anyone has information, please contact
the Gaylord Customer Service Center at
(989) 732-3541.
CO Eric Bottorff received a com-
plaint of trespass on the opening day of
firearm deer season. The reporting party
advised hearing a gunshot on their prop-
erty, then finding bloody drag marks that
went onto the adjacent property. The CO
arrived after following the drag marks
and made contact with the hunter. The
hunter admitted to trespassing and being
in possession of a spike buck, without a
valid tag attached. Enforcement action
was taken.
CO Tim Rosochacki assisted Tus-
carora Township Police in Cheboygan
Co. at the scene of a personal injury
accident. The operator was found to be
intoxicated when he lost control of his
moped causing himself injuries. Charges
are being sought through the Cheboygan
Co. Prosecutors Office.
CO Mark DePew finally made con-
tact with several individuals whom he
had been looking for over three years in
Otsego Co. The individuals had repeat-
edly been violating state land usage
rules during the firearm deer seasons.
The CO walked into the general location
the day before opening day finding the
individuals operating ORVs in a closed
area, open containers of alcohol on
an ORV, over-bait, along with illegal
hunting blinds. Enforcement action was
taken.
CO DePew, CO Nick Torsky, CO
Matt Theunick, and CO Tim Rosochacki
executed a search warrant on a camp in
Otsego Co. The COs were investigat-
ing a poached elk that was killed during
the firearm season in 2014. The COs
obtained evidence sought in the search
warrant along with additional investiga-
tive leads unrelated to the poached elk,
involving the illegal taking of deer. The
investigation continues.
While investigating a poached elk
case that occurred in 2015 in Otsego
Co., CO Mark DePew and CO Torsky
made contact with a vehicle that was
operating suspiciously on a state land
two-track. Upon contact with the opera-
tor, a loaded rifle was located in the pas-
senger front seat. The operator was also
smoking marijuana. Enforcement action
was taken.
CO DePew made a traffic stop for a
civil infraction in the City of Gaylord.
Upon contact with the operator, the
CO smelled a strong odor of marijuana
coming from inside the vehicle. A search
found marijuana and an open container
of alcohol. While checking the vehicle,
the CO noticed a small amount of blood
located on the bumper of the vehicle and
inquired as to who had shot a deer. The
operator confessed and added he did not
possess a valid tag for it. The deer was
eventually recovered, and warrants are
being sought for possession of a deer
without a valid tag, possession of mari-
juana, and open intoxicants in a motor
vehicle.
CO DePew was dispatched to over
six illegal dumping cases on state land.
All the dumping involved several deer
carcasses. The DNR reminds hunters
that processed deer must be disposed of
properly and cannot be dumped on state
lands.
CO Paul Fox received a complaint
about subjects placing permanent deer
feeding structures on state land. In addi-
tion, the subject was tilling ground with
a tractor and planting flood plots on state
land. The subject also placed more than
two gallons of bait near the structure.
Contact was made with the individual
and a citation was issued for operating a
motor vehicle in a closed area. Warnings
were given for destroying brush and
placing over-limit of bait.
CO Fox, CO Brad Bellville and CO
Kelly Ross checked a large hunting
camp in Montmorency Co. and discov-
ered several illegal bait piles. Contact
was made with the hunters and citations
were issued for hunting over-bait in a
closed area. During the investigation,
one subject was discovered to have an
outstanding warrant. As the subject
was arrested, the COs discovered drug
paraphernalia stuffed in a sock. A search
of the subjects vehicle yielded addi-
tional narcotics. In addition to the arrest
warrant, the subject was arrested and
charged with felony drug possession.
CO Fox contacted a hunter in an ille-
gal ground blind on state land in Presque
Isle Co. The blind had been left out for
years, several large trees had been cut
down to clear a shooting lane, the blind
did not have a name on it, excessive bait
was placed in the shooting lane, and
the hunter was not wearing the required
amount of orange. A citation and several
warnings were issued.
CO Fox and CO Jon Sklba were on
COs on patrol page 54
WNW NEWS MARCH 2017 53
Cos on deer patrol 2016: from page 53
patrol during the evening when they
observed a truck with two deer in the
bed. The truck failed to stop properly
for a stop sign and was operating on the
wrong side of the road. Upon investiga-
tion, it was discovered that one hunter
failed to validate the deer tag. In addi-
tion, a loaded rifle was discovered in the
vehicle. A citation was issued and the
firearm was seized.
CO Sklba contacted a subject
trespassing and target shooting during
the quiet period. The same subject was
warned for the same things, at the same
location, the previous fall almost a year
to the date. Enforcement action was
taken.
During opening day CO Sklba con-
tacted a subject hunting from an illegal
blind on state land in Presque Isle Co.
The same subject had a blind in the
same location four years prior and re-
moved it only after receiving a citation,
only to return it the following fall. After
contacting the subject, he was provided
a written reminder of the rules for stands
on state land.
CO Sklba responded to a roadkill bull
elk. The elk sustained life threatening
injuries and had to be euthanized. The
vehicle was a total loss but there were
no reported injuries. The elk was do-
nated to a local nonprofit organization.
CO Sklba and CO Bill Webster were
patrolling Green Township in Alpena
when they were sent to a farm where
the DNR pilots located large bait piles.
Through their investigation, the COs lo-
cated one untagged spike horn deer shot
on opening day, one 5-point that was
shot on the second day, and a very nice
10-point that was shot in September on
a disease control permit (DCP), but they
had failed to turn in the head for testing.
The COs seized the deer and issued cita-
tions for fail to tag, APR violation, DCP
violation and place bait in closed Co.
After observing a vehicle in a remote
location in Presque Isle Co. after hours,
CO Sklba went to locate the subjects on
foot. The CO was able to locate subjects
dragging a deer down a trail where they
were met by more subjects in another
vehicle. The CO watched the hunter
field dressing the deer from a distance.
When the CO approached, he noticed
the deer was a 6-point without brow
tines and the hunter failed to tag the
animal. Enforcement action was taken.
CO Webster, CO Adam LeClerc, and
CO Bellville were working a section
of state land in Wellington Township,
Alpena Co. The COs were addressing
illegal ground blinds that have been
permanently placed on state land for
years. CO Webster had done preseason
scouting of the blinds in the years past
and had them marked on GPS. The COs
split up and were able to contact hunters
in five of the seven blinds. The hunt-
ers were issued citations for baiting in
a closed Co., hunt out of illegal blinds,
and operate ORVs on state land. There
were numerous warnings for not wear-
ing hunter orange, cutting trees on state
land, making illegal trails on state land,
uncased firearms on ORVs, no hunting
license on person, and riding double on
ORVs.
CO LeClerc was working Alpena Co.
for the firearm deer season. CO LeClerc
54 MARCH 2017 WNW NEWS
issued eight citations for hunting over-
bait. The majority of the contacted
hunters knew it was wrong but each
commented that their neighbors do it, so
they have to.
CO LeClerc and CO Webster were
doing meat processor inspections in
Alpena Co. Numerous violations were
located and through investigation, two
deer have been seized due to antler point
restrictions. More follow-up contin-
ues on other issues located during the
inspections.
CO LeClerc was patrolling on a Qui-
etKat mountain bike on a large parcel of
private land in Alpena Co. The CO was
able to ride right up to the blinds and the
hunters didnt even know he arrived. CO
LeClerc was able to contact three hunt-
ers on the parcel of land and issue three
citations for hunting over bait.
CO Bill Webster was working a com-
plaint of illegal ORV trails on state land
in Alpena Co. The CO was able to locate
four hunters hunting off the illegal trails.
Each hunter was hunting over large bait
piles and failed to affix name to blinds.
When the CO contacted one of the hunt-
ers, the CO noticed the smell of burnt
marijuana. When the
CO asked if the hunter had been
smoking, he replied he was just smok-
ing as the CO pulled up. Enforcement
action was taken on the drug use and
possession. CO Webster finished up
the contacts with the rest of the hunt-
ing group and issued multiple citations
for hunting over bait, no hunter orange,
and one deer was seized for antler point
restrictions.
CO Bellville and CO Ross investi-
gated an elk that was shot and mortally
wounded in Montmorency Co. Evidence
recovered at the scene and canvassing
of the area led COs to a nearby camp.
The investigation led the COs downstate
to the Marlette and Imlay City area.
The COs were able to locate a suspect.
Through their investigation they have
arrested a 44 year old Marlette man in
connection with the illegal killing of a
cow elk on the second day of the firearm
deer season. The elk was apparently
mistaken for a deer. The elk was killed
in Montmorency Township, in the north-
western corner of Montmorency Co. The
COs were assisted by the Michigan State
Police, Sanilac Co. Sheriff Department,
and the Marlette Police Department.
CO Ross and CO Bellville responded
to a hunter who mistakenly shot a 6x6
bull elk on the opening day of firearm
deer season in Montmorency Co. The
hunter explained to the COs that it was
just starting to get light and he saw what
he thought was a very large whitetail
deer. The hunter told the COs he shot
the animal in the neck and it didnt go
down, so he shot it again in the neck
causing the animal to fall. The hunter,
who was accompanied by his son, went
over to see the deer. As they approached,
they realized they had not shot a white
tail deer, but an elk. The hunter immedi-
ately contacted the Report All Poaching
hotline and turned himself in. The COs
took possession of the elk and made
arrangements for it to be donated to a
non-profit organization to help the com-
munity. The hunter was issued a citation
and is responsible for paying restitution
for his mistake.
CO Bellville worked numerous hunt-
ing camps on private and state land in
Montmorency Co. CO Bellville issued
ten citations for hunting over bait in a
closed county.
DISTRICT 4
CO William Kinney assisted the
Haring Township Fire Department in
Wexford Co. on a wildfire investigation.
A three acre fire started because the sus-
pect was open burning trash in his front
yard on a high fire danger day. With
the lack of rain and the high winds, the
ashes started smaller fires which caused
the man to lose control and call 911.
After the fire was extinguished, CO Kin-
ney investigated the cause. It was found
that the suspect was remolding his house
and was burning unlawful household
materials. Enforcement action was taken
for environmental and burning laws that
were broken.
CO Sean Kehoe responded to two
hunter harassment complaints in the
first week of firearm deer season. One
involved an elderly woman walking
around the woods blowing a whistle
and the other involved a man stealing
a hunters bait. In both situations, the
hunters failed to put their ID on their
blind/stand and were in violation of the
baiting laws. These violations negated
the hunter harassment violation. Hunters
should be reminded that hunter harass-
ment cases can only be prosecuted if the
hunters are hunting legally.
In response to a complaint of over-
baiting and a tent blind without a name
on it, CO Rich Stowe made contact with
a hunter on opening day of the firearm
deer season. Enforcement action was
taken for the violations present.
CO William Haskin and CO Steve
Converse received a complaint that a
bear was taken out-of-season in Wexford
Co. They responded and questioned the
hunter. The hunter tried to hide evi-
dence and cover up his crime, but after
investigation the COs were able to find
enough to know a bear was at least shot.
CO Converse and CO Haskin went to
the hunters stand and located a blood
trail, which led to the finding of a dead
mature sow bear. Enforcement action
was taken.
CO Colton Gelinas interviewed two
suspects from a previous complaint. CO
Gelinas obtained a confession from both
suspects stating that one of the suspects
used the other suspects deer tag to tag
his deer that he shot. The suspect had
already shot a 6-point earlier in the year
and used his regular deer tag. That same
suspect shot a 5-point and used the other
suspects regular deer tag. Law enforce-
ment action was taken.
CO Gelinas received a tip in Leela-
nau Co. about a suspect that had shot an
8-point with his bow and did not have
a hunting license. CO Gelinas made
contact with the suspect who admitted
that he had shot an 8-point with his bow
and bought a license the next day. Law
enforcement action was taken.
CO Steve Converse responded to
complaint in Manistee Co. where a
vehicle driving down a roadway had
stopped and shot a deer from their car
on posted private property. Along with
the assistance of a Michigan State Police
Trooper, CO Converse was able to
locate the suspect as he was dragging a
deer from the private land to the road-
way. They made contact with the poach-
er who advised that he wanted to get his
kid a deer and said he hasnt had much
luck finding any deer this season. The
man decidedly loaded up his kid in the
car and proceeded to road hunt until
they found a buck. Unfortunately for the
man and his son, a hunter in an adjacent
parcel witnessed the incident and called
911. Unbeknown to the poacher, the
property that he shot deer on was owned
by a police officer who gladly pressed
trespassing charges. The deer was seized
and enforcement action was taken.
CO Josiah Killingbeck made contact
with a hunter on the opening day of
firearm deer season who was hunting
over approximately three truckloads
of sugar beets. The hunter said that he
had put that much out to keep the deer
coming in throughout the week when
he was downstate working. The hunter
was advised of the bait regulations and
enforcement action was taken.
CO Killingbeck received a call from
a subject in the Luther area of Lake
Co. advising he had observed a truck
driving on his property and witnessed
them shoot a deer from the window
of the truck. The hunter made contact
with the subject in the vehicle and was
able to identify both subjects and get
a license plate. The hunter remained
with the dead deer until CO Killingbeck
arrived on scene, but the poachers were
gone upon his arrival. CO Killingbeck
then made contact with the subjects
who were identified in the vehicle as the
shooters. The man who shot the deer
told CO Killingbeck that he knew better
than to hunt from his vehicle and said it
was a bad mistake on his part. CO Kill-
ingbeck determined that the subject had
been driving on a suspended license and
also had several warrants for his arrest.
The subject was arrested and lodged in
the Osceola Co. Jail.
Sgt. Carla Soper was heading to meet
CO Killingbeck in Lake Co. on open-
ing morning of firearm deer season.
As she approached their meeting spot,
she noticed a vehicle driving very slow
and swerving all over the roadway. The
driver then quickly pulled over to the
shoulder and Sgt. Soper made con-
tact with him and found a loaded and
uncased rifle in the passenger compart-
ment. Sgt. Soper relayed the information
to CO Killingbeck who was less than a
mile away and asked that he head her di-
rection. As CO Killingbeck was heading
to assist, an ORV pull out in front of him
with no ORV stickers and he made his
traffic stop directly next to Sgt. Soper.
CO Killingbeck discovered the driver of
the ORV also had a loaded and uncased
rifle, with the barrel pointed directly at
the driver. The subject told CO Kill-
ingbeck he was not aware that his gun
needed to be in a case or unloaded when
driving an ORV. Both the driver of the
passenger vehicle and the driver of the
ORV received citations for possessing
loaded and uncased firearms.
CO Killingbeck, CO Ryan Andrews
and Sgt. Soper walked onto private
property where numerous oversized bait
piles were previously located. The viola-
tions were addressed with three hunters
who were sitting in their stands that
were significantly over-baited. Each site
had over a truck load of sugar beets and
one hunter was not wearing any hunter
orange. Enforcement action was taken.
CO Killingbeck was at the Baldwin
Field Office when a hunter came in to
the deer check station with a doe that
had a restricted combo tag attached to it
that was not validated. CO Killingbeck
then observed an uncased gun laying
in the front seat of the hunters vehicle.
The gun was discovered to be loaded
and the subject did not even have a case
in his vehicle. It was determined the
hunter did not have any antlerless tags
and that the deer was taken without a li-
cense. The deer was seized and enforce-
ment action taken.
CO Kyle Publiski received a com-
plaint from an individual who had heard
two rifle shots and figured that there was
a deer killed prior to season. CO Pub-
liski responded to the suspect residence
and when he pulled up, no deer was
killed, but he did find a bobcat lying on
the bed of a truck with crossbow bolt
in its head. CO Publiski made contact
with the owner who advised he shot
the bobcat because it was eating all the
wild rabbits in the area. The hunter had
been deer hunting in his bow stand when
the bobcat came in range and he shot it
because he and his wife enjoy watch-
ing the rabbits. Enforcement action was
taken for taking a bobcat out-of-season
and without a license.
CO Publiski and CO Brian Brosky
walked into a complaint in Mason Co.
where several large baits were reported.
Upon making contact with two hunters
who were hunting with over 25 gallons
of bait, the COs discovered both had
antlerless deer tags in their wallets that
were not their tags. When the COs ques-
tioned as to why they were in possession
of tags that didnt belong to them, both
stated I dont know how that got my
wallet. The COs told the men that they
must have been visited by the tag fairy
while they were sleeping last night and
enforcement action was taken for the
over-bait.
CO Publiski and CO Brosky were
conducting processor inspections in
Mason Co. when a woman arrived and
began unloading a 6-point buck without
a tag attached. The COs questioned the
woman as to where her tag was and she
informed that it was in her purse. She
pulled it out for them and they looked at
the validated tag only to discover it had
been purchased ten minutes prior to her
bringing her deer in. The COs asked her
why she had taken a deer without a tag
and she advised she was so busy she
forgot to buy her license before she went
hunting. The 6-point buck was seized
and enforcement action was taken.
CO Publiski and CO Brosky respond-
ed to a trespass complaint in Mason Co.
Upon arrival, they saw two subjects on a
tree-line who were both hastily climb-
ing out of tree stands. The COs quickly
approached and were able to catch one
hunter who was running from them and
found that he was a convicted felon. The
second hunter who had fled the scene
with both firearms unfortunately left
his identification in his hunting pack in
his blind. The felon was lodged on the
trespass at the Mason Co. Jail and war-
rants are being sought for both men on
additional charges.
While on patrol in Lake Co., CO
Andrews and Sgt. Soper discovered
a vehicle with an occupant who was
parked along a trail during firearm deer
season. Sgt. Soper made contact with
the occupant who was smoking marijua-
na and also had a loaded rifle lying on
the passenger seat. Enforcement action
was taken.
While on patrol in Lake Co., CO
Andrews and Sgt. Soper stopped a
vehicle for passing in a no-passing zone.
As they approached, they noticed the
passenger clearly keeping his hands in
the air. As Sgt. Soper approached the
passenger side, the man told her that he
had a loaded pistol on his side, exclaim-
ing it was open carry. After advising
that open carry laws did not allow for
him to possess a loaded pistol in a motor
vehicle, enforcement action was taken.
CO Casey Varriale and Sgt. Mike
Bomay were on patrol when they wit-
nessed two hunters standing near their
trucks. While talking with the hunters,
CO Varriale and Sgt. Bomay discov-
ered that one of the hunters had killed
a deer. The hunter said he was waiting
for nightfall to bring the deer back to
the truck. When questioned further, the
hunter admitted to shooting a deer that
did not meet the antler point restric-
tion requirements for Osceola Co. CO
Varriale and Sgt. Bomay asked to see
the deer, and on the walk out to find the
deer, the hunter confessed to having
killed two deer. The deer was retrieved
from the hunting spot, and the other
deer was discovered in the hunters
truck. The hunter had taken two deer in
violation of the antler point restrictions
claiming to have made a mistake. Law
enforcement action was taken.
CO Varriale was on patrol on state
land in Osceola Co. when he witnessed
two men driving down a road with a
dead deer on the back. When stopped,
CO Varriale noticed the deer had not
been tagged and the passenger had a
loaded, uncased rifle in his hands. Law
enforcement action was taken.
CO Ben Shively was working an
area of high complaints of shining dur-
ing November. CO Shively conducted
stationary surveillance in the area and
was able to stop two vehicles within a
short period of time for shining during
November and cited both of them.
CO Shively and CO Troy VanGel-
deren were working a shots fired com-
plaint on school owned property when
they observed a crossbow hunter walk-
ing out to the road. CO VanGelderen
made contact with the hunter and no-
ticed the odor of an intoxicating bever-
age coming from his person. The hunter
was a licensed CPL holder and was in
possession of a concealed .45 caliber
handgun. The hunter was administered a
preliminary breath test that showed his
BAC was .071. CO VanGelderen seized
the handgun and issued a citation to the
hunter for possession of a CPL while
BAC between .02 and .08. As CO Van-
Gelderen was explaining the citation to
the hunter, a subject pulled up in a truck
to pick up the hunter. CO Shively made
contact with the driver and observed an
uncased crossbow behind the driver in
the cab of the truck. CO Shively issued
the driver a citation for transporting an
uncased crossbow.
CO Shively was patrolling along
federal land when he observed an ORV
exit federal land behind him from an
illegal trail. CO Shively observed that
the operator also did not have any eye
protection. CO Shively activated his
emergency lights and made contact with
the ORV operator as it pulled up behind
him. Upon contact with the operator,
he advised he had a CPL and it was in
his front pocket. As CO Shively spoke
with the operator he could smell alcohol
and marijuana. The operator admitted
to drinking three beers, some liquor, and
had a glass smoking pipe in his front
chest pocket. CO Shively removed the
.22 caliber handgun from the subjects
front pants pocket and removed the
glass pipe. CO Shively administered a
preliminary breath test to the subject
which resulted in a BAC of .072. CO
Shively cited the subject for possession
of a CPL while BAC between .02 and
.08 and operating an ORV in a closed
area. The handgun was seized and nu-
merous warnings were issued.
CO Mike Wells was on patrol shortly
after dark when he received information
of a subject whom had taken two deer
earlier that day without a license. CO
Wells went to the suspects residence
and knocked several times on the door
with no answer. CO Wells observed
someone moving around in the resi-
dence and continued to knock with no
response. A dispatcher contacted CO
Wells via radio advising that the owner
of the residence called advising his
children were at home with no parent
and would not answer the door. The
dispatcher advised that the parent whom
had called was working at a local busi-
ness at the time of the call. CO Wells
went to the business and made contact
with the suspect in the complaint. CO
Wells spoke with the subject and asked
him how many deer he had hanging at
his residence. The subject responded
that he had one deer at the residence.
Further interview revealed that the sub-
ject actually had three deer at the resi-
dence, all of which were antlerless deer
and all un-tagged. The subject advised
that he was told by the property owner
that he could harvest the deer under crop
damage permits, but never actually re-
ceived the permits. Citation was issued
to the subject for the over-limit of deer/
no license and all deer were seized.
CO Jeff Ginn responded to a com-
plaint where a hunter with a rifle was
hunting within a safety zone. The
landowner watched the suspect fire
three rounds while walking out to his
vehicle. CO Ginn located the hunter at
work and obtained a confession from the
hunter explaining he was irritated that
the landowner had posted the property,
so he took aim and shot three signs
while walking out. One of the signs was
directly in line with the complainants
residence. Enforcement action was
taken.
CO Ginn assisted the Michigan
State Police and Newaygo Co. Sheriff
Department on a fatal car accident. CO
Ginn assisted with traffic control and the
accident Investigation. It was later deter-
mined the victim was unable to stop for
a stop sign, possibly due to the snowy
weather conditions. The vehicle was
struck by another vehicle causing severe
injury to both drivers and one passenger.
CO Brian Lebel received a com-
plaint of a hunter that had harvested a
spike on opening morning and failed to
recover the deer after shooting it. CO
Lebel responded to the residence and
interviewed the hunter that had since
purchased a firearm deer license. The
hunter was hunting with a valid antler-
less license and claimed to have made a
mistake. CO Lebel checked the hunters
history in the retail sales system and it
was documented that this hunter dis-
played a pattern of purchasing antlerless
licenses prior to the November 15th
opener and regular or antlered deer li-
censes after the November 15th opener.
The hunter was issued a citation and the
deer was seized.
CO Ginn and CO Brian Lebel teamed
up in Hinton Township following up on
a trespass complaint from last week that
resulted in an untagged buck, no blaze
orange and three hunters trespassing.
One of the suspects that were trespass-
ing was also involved with taking the
SD card out of the property owners
trail camera. The SD card was recovered
and multiple citations were issued to the
group.
CO Brian Lebel received a RAP
complaint of a hunter that had harvested
two bucks and failed to tag either. The
suspect shot one with a crossbow and
one on the firearm opener. The suspect
only purchased a base license according
to the retail sales system. One buck was
a spike and the other was a 5-point buck
that did not meet the antler point restric-
tion for Osceola Co. Citations were
issued and the deer were seized.
CO VanGelderen received a com-
plaint from the Oceana Co. Sheriff De-
partment of two subjects shooting a deer
alongside the road and loading it into
a truck at 9:00 p.m. CO VanGelderen
responded to the area and began to inter-
view friends and family members of the
suspect. The suspect eventually called
the COs and asked to meet with them to
turn himself in. The suspect met with the
COs and brought the dead button buck
along. The suspect said that he did not
have any luck hunting, so he got excited
when he and his dad saw a deer standing
alongside the road. The deer was seized
and enforcement action was taken.
CO Angela Greenway received a
compliant of a subject that had har-
vested a 9-point buck and a doe with a
crossbow just before the firearm deer
season and never purchased a license.
CO Greenway was able to make contact
with the suspect at his house. While CO
Greenway was conducting an interview
with the suspect, his roommate was
attempting to hide the meat out the
back door of the house. After several
minutes of talking with the suspect, a
full confession was obtained, and the
meat was recovered. CO Greenway
issued two citations, seized the hunter
crossbow and meat from the two illegal
deer.n
WNW NEWS MARCH 2017 55
It deserved a better fate...
Big Bone Lick
N
early 300 years ago, in
1729, (or 1739 depend-
ing on which account
you read) the French
Canadian soldier, Cap-
tain Charles Lemoyne
de Longuel, descended the Ohio
River and discovered (was shown
by Native Americans) Big
Bone Lick as he was claim-
ing the land for France.
Salt licks were well known
to Native Americans and
early pioneers as good
hunting spots because of
heavy use by the deer,
elk, and buffalo that they
sought. Although there
By Darryl Quidort
were hundreds
of licks of vari-
ous sizes along
streams that flow into the Ohio
River, Big Bone Lick was extraor-
dinary because of the huge bones,
tusks, and teeth found there.
Early explorers began to visit the
lick when in the area. Many left no
record but some left personal diaries
which reveal their thoughts.
Mention code WW2017
to receive $500 OFF per ticket!
56 MARCH 2017 WNW NEWS
Indian Agent, Colonel George
Croghan, visited Big Bone in 1765
and wrote, Early in the morning
we went to the great lick, where
those bones are only found, about
four miles from the [Ohio] river,
on the south-east side. In our way
we passed through a fine timbered
clear wood; we came into
a large road which the
Buffaloes have beaten,
spacious enough for two
wagons to go abreast, and
leading straight into the
Lick. It appears that there
are vast quantities of these
bones lying five or six feet
under the ground, which
we discovered in
the bank, at the
edge of the Lick.
We found here two tusks above six
feet long; we carried one, with some
other bones, to our boats, and set
off.
A group of early surveyors
explored the area in 1773. We
went to see Big Bone, which is a
wonder to see the large bones that
Once described as about 200 yards long and as wide the salt
spring is now nearly dried up and overgrown with vegetation.
lie there, which have been of several
large creatures. The lick is about
200 yards long and as wide, and
the waters and mud are of a sulphur
smell. The ribs and vertebrae were
so numerous and of such enormous
size that the party occupied them-
selves by making seats and tent
poles of these gigantic fossils while
they were camped there.
Nicholas Cresswell wrote of
his visit in 1775, Where the bones
are found is a large muddy pond,
a little more than knee deep with
a Salt spring in it which I suppose
preserves the bones sound. Found
several bones of Prodigious size, I
take them to be Elephants, for we
found a part of a tusk, about two feet
long, Ivory to all appearance, but
by length of time had grown yellow
and soft. All of us stripped and went
into the pond to grapple for teeth
and found several. Joseph Passiers
found a Jaw tooth which he gave
me. It was judged by the company
to weigh about 10 pounds. I got
a shell of a Tusk of hard and good
ivory about eighteen inches long.
There is a great number of bones in
a Bank on the side of this pond of
an enormous size but decayed and
rotten. Ribs 9 inches broad, Thigh
bones 10 inches diameter. What sort
of animals these were is not clearly
known.
For years, every visitor to Big
Bone carried off a collection of the
fossils. Some remained in private
collections, others were sent to
Philadelphia, New Orleans, even
Paris and London. Many were sold
as curios and souvenirs. Scientists
and philosophers who viewed the
bones were puzzled. They didnt
resemble any known animal. Some
supposed the bones to be from giant
humans, others supposed a large
carnivorous animal that may have
preyed on humans. They needed to
examine more bones to form a com-
plete skeleton of the strange beast.
Due to the remoteness of the
area, difficulty of transportation,
and danger of Indian attack, many
shipments of the fossils were lost.
Indian Agent, Croghan, collected the
first large batch of fossils from Big
Bone but, all the specimens from
the Lick were lost a week later when
eighty Indians attacked Croghans
partyThe warriors killed five men
and injured several more, including
Croghan, who was tomahawked in
the head. The merchandise in the
boats was plundered, and the survi-
vors were taken prisoner.
General William Harrison made
a collection from Big Bone that
filled thirteen hogsheads, but
while being freighted upriver that
valuable cargo capsized and was
lost.
Thomas Jefferson had taken an
interest in the fossils and Meriweth-
er Lewis sent him a collection of
bones from the lick. Unfortunately,
they never reached Jefferson. A
boat accident at Natchez sent them
to the bottom of the Mississippi
River.
In 1803 and 1804, Dr. William
Goforth dug five tons of bones from
the site hoping to amass a complete
skeleton of an unknown animal
which he hoped to sell in order to
better my circumstances. Goforth
made a deal with a Mr. Thomas
Ash (also called Arvil) to sell the
bones and share the profit. Ash
turned down an offer of $7000 in
New Orleans and took the bones to
Europe where he sold them for an
undisclosed amount. Mr. Goforth
received nothing from the deal.
President, Thomas Jefferson,
was still anxious to learn more about
the big bones. Soon after Lewis and
Clark returned from their Journey
of Discovery to the Pacific Ocean
and back, President Jefferson sent
Clark to Big Bone to collect fossils.
The surface bones had long since
been cleaned out by other collectors
when, in 1807, Clark led ten men in
digging for three weeks at Big Bone.
Hundreds of bones were sent to Jef-
ferson, who had personally paid all
expenses of the dig. He laid them
out in the East Room of the White
house for scientists to examine.
For years, philosophers and
scholars from around the globe
studied the collections of fossils
from Big Bone Lick. Eventually,
after much discussion, they accepted
the idea that some of the bones
came from animal species that had
become extinct. This was an enor-
mous change of thinking because,
up until that time many, including
Thomas Jefferson, believed in the
concept that extinction contradicted
the Biblical religious belief that all
species had been perfectly created
by God and would continue to ex-
ist unchanged until the end of the
world. Paleontology, the study of
fossil remains from past ages, was
born at Big Bone Lick.
British scholar, Charles Darwin,
had been a student of both religion
and natural history at Cambridge
University. Though at first a believ-
er in creation of species, Darwin
became a believer in the evolution
of species. In 1859 he presented
his theory of natural selection in his
book, On the Origin of Species by
Means of Natural Selection. The
theory of evolution, and that animals
could become extinct by natural
selection, was met with skepticism,
even hostility, at first. However,
most scientists were eventually
taught to accept it.
The study, and discussion, of
the fossils from Big Bone continues
even today and the list of animal
orders, sub-orders, and species is
still being revised. The amount of
fossils found in a relatively small
area at Big Bone Lick is remark-
able. The greatest number of
American mastodon fossils in North
America have been collected at Big
Bone. Due to unrestricted digging
and undocumented removal, tens
of thousands of bones, tusks, and
teeth were removed. By digging as
deep as 25 feet, several collections
of fossils were weighed by the ton
and sold by the pound. Museums,
Lake Leelanau Narrows Resort
Great Northern Michigan Fishing
Reservations call: 231-994-2108
www.lakeleelanaunarrowsresort.com
Museum mock-up of how the animals
Universities, and many private col-
lections around the world hold more
Big Bone specimens than will ever
be accounted for.
At this time, eight species found
at Big Bone are considered extinct:
Helmeted musk-ox, Elk-moose,
Complex-toothed horse, American
mastodon, Columbian mammoth,
Jeffersons ground sloth, and Har-
lans ground sloth.
Sadly, Big Bone Lick was all but
forgotten for the next century. In
1936, John Lloyd, President of the
Big Bone Lick Association, wrote,
Today, lovers of natural history and
pristine conditions look with dismay
at the scene surrounding Big Bone
Lick where little if anything remains
to recall the fame that a century or
more ago was part and parcel of
the unusual locality. Except for a
few crumbling fragments, all of the
great bones have vanished and with
them the unique atmosphere of the
placeAs the years have passed
these unreplaceable antiquities have
gone to enrich distant museums
while the lick area has witnessed a
gradual impoverishmentBig Bone
Lick-neglected and despoiled as it
has been by one self-seeking genera-
tion after another-deserved, and still
deserves, a better fate.
may have become mired in the muddy brine before dying at Big Bone Lick.
The area is overgrown with trees
In 1960, Big Bone Lick was made and brush and seems deserted. Al-
a Kentucky State Park. I visited though the campground was full, I
there recently. Activity now centers walked the foot trail on two occa-
around a large swimming pool sur- sions and never saw another person.
rounded by shady, paved campsites To my eye nothing remains of the
parked full of modern fifth-wheel wonderful, historic Big Bone Lick.
campers and motorhomes. A side How sad that a place so important
road leads down to a small museum as to have actually changed the way
where a few fossils are exhibited. people view our world, both scien-
A foot trail leads down into the tifically and religiously, has been
valley of Big Bone Creek where a forgotten. I agree with John Lloyd,
few small, sulfurous smelling seeps Big Bone Lick deserved a better
continue to ooze from the ground. fate.n
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WNW NEWS MARCH 2017 57
 DNR, hunting groups work to preserve hunting legacy; kids have fun...Prepared By MDNR
Youth hunt carries tradition forward
F
or many decades, passing
on the skills and knowl-
edge of the hunting tradi-
tion from adults to youth
has been a meaningful and
vitally important part of our
heritage in Michigan.
Today, the practice continues,
often with the help and support of
hunters groups and the Michigan De-
partment of Natural Resources. One
fine example of seeing this process in
action was a recent youth hunt at the
Flat River State Game Area, which
encompasses over 11,000 acres in
Ionia and Montcalm counties.
The annual January youth hunt-
ing event started out five years ago as
a rabbit hunt, but its morphed into a
small game hunt. That proved to be a
significant change this year as weather
factors left rabbit hunters battling long
odds, while squirrel hunters conduct-
ed business as usual. Indeed, a lack
of snow following almost a week of
warm, rainy weather made it hard to
see rabbits in the thick underbrush at
the game area. But the bare trees were
perfect for squirrel hunters and the
youngsters attending the event who
chose to squirrel hunt.
The rabbit hunt, which was the
brainchild of the staff at Flat River,
seemed like a perfect fit for both the
habitat and the clientele.
We talked about what we could
do, kicked around different ideas,
and decided on this, explained DNR
wildlife biologist John Niewoonder.
We got a couple of sportsmens
groups involved and everybody
jumped on board. Theyre all about
kids and getting kids involved and
there have been a lot of things tried
like this, but this one has been very
successful we get a lot of kids and
this hunt seems to sustain itself.
Niewoonder said the event has
gotten bigger and better every year.
The only problem we seem to
have with it is the weather, he said.
Three years ago, the Michigan
Squirrel Dog Association contacted
Niewoonder and asked if theyd be
welcome.
Some of the kids who par ticipated in the youth hunt at Flat River State
Game Area near Belding, which is located nor theast of Grand Rapids.
58 WNW NEWS MARCH 2017
Were glad to have them,
Niewoonder said. They take out lots
of kids. Theyre super positive and
helpful. Theyre glad to be here and
were glad theyre here, too.
Youth hunters, parents and vol-
unteer guides gather at the Belding
Sportsmans Club, where breakfast is
served cooked by the club members
and hunting parties are put together
based on participants desires and
available volunteers.
A lot of times there are newbies
here maybe a dad and his kid who
dont really know what theyre doing
so we try to match them up with guys
who have good dogs and are experi-
enced, Niewoonder said. But a lot
of guys just want to go out with their
kids and walk around the woods.
Some guys are here every year.
Some just come once in a while. But
we get pretty good participation from
our volunteers.
New volunteers this year included
41-year-old truck driver Jeff Younts of
Holton and 67-year-old retiree Terry
Van Haitsma, who came together with
their squirrel dogs. The pair came to
the event just to take some kids out,
Younts said.
The two men were paired with
two youngsters, one who came with
his dad, the other who came with
mom, dad and other family, to dis-
cover the joys of small game hunting.
Keith Carlson, a real estate ap-
praiser from Rockford, brought his
12-year-old son, Blake.
Im not much of a hunter,
definitely not rabbits or squirrels,
Carlson said. But were an outdoor
family we do a lot of fishing and
camping and when Blake started to
show an interest in hunting I thought I
should support it.
Carlson covered the mixed pine
and hardwood ground and watched
his boy kill three squirrels.
Blake said it was fun. His dad
was even more effusive.
It was awesome, he said. I
wouldnt change a thing.
Bill Bird, a 72-year-old retiree,
has been volunteering since the hunt
started.
Ive got two beagles and if the
huntings good, its action-packed
and a lot of fun, especially for young
kids, Bird said. I just like seeing the
young kids out there getting their first
rabbit. A whole lot of these kids have
never hunted rabbits before and in my
generation thats how we started hunt-
ing small game.
We didnt have any deer, and
we transitioned into deer hunting.
Today, the kids start in the reverse of
that. There are not a lot of people who
small game hunt anymore and the
kids dont get a chance to get started
in something that I think is a whole
lot of fun.
Bird and his regular rabbit hunting
partner, Wally Ingvartsen, took sever-
al youngsters out. They ran a bunch of
rabbits that provided shooting oppor-
tunities four times, but only 13-year-
old Carson Wagner of Howard City
was able to connect. Wagner, who is
an experienced deer hunter, killed his
first rabbit.
Carsons father Randy, a 48-year-
old sales representative, said he saw
the hunt on the DNR website and
decided it was a good idea.
Were new to rabbit hunting, he that weve got to do.
said. Its the first time for us behind
dogs.
Wagner was one of only a handful
of youngsters who scored a rabbit.
The rabbit hunters with beagles
all seemed to get on rabbits, but the
scenting conditions werent great and
visibility was low because of the lack
of snow, Niewoonder said. There
were plenty of rabbits; several groups
had some shooting but just missed.
The hunt, which drew nearly 50
youngsters, is sponsored in part by
several area sportsmens clubs.
Steve Foster of Mid-Michigan
United Sportsmen Association
(MMUSA), said the consortium of
sporting/conservation groups has
been donating manpower, prizes and
Destiny Ery,
10, shows off
a squirrel she
took at the
Flat River State
Game Area.
lunch to the annual hunt and plans to
continue to do so in the future.
This has been a great event,
Foster said. We get a lot of repeats
but we keep getting new people, too,
from as far away as Kalamazoo. All
of our groups are very glad to be in-
volved in this. The stats are starting to
show thats there an increase in hunt-
ing and its youth and women who are
accounting for it.
The association donated a .22 rifle
for a door prize. So did the Montcalm
County Quality Deer Management
Association, which is an MMUSA
affiliate. The squirrel dog association
donated a shotgun/rifle combo. And
the local National Wild Turkey Fed-
eration chapter donated pocket knives
for all the youngsters.
John Byrne, a metal fabricator and
president (and lifelong member) of
the Belding Sportsmans Club, said
his crew intends to continue hosting
the annual event.
Its fun getting more youth out
there in the woods and making sure
we have a future for hunters, he said.
Its very important to get the youth
involved and the safety portion is
emphasized. Its one of those things
We have kids here who are too
young to be handling a firearm, but
its getting them ready for the next
few years when theyll be old enough
to start.
Byrne said the 75-year-old club
now has as many participants as it can
handle, but he likes what hes seen.
A lot of moms come out and go
with them (youth hunters) and thats
a very good thing, Byrne said. A lot
of kids dont have fathers and their
mothers have taken on a good role,
getting the kids away from iPads and
cellphones, and getting them in the
woods.
For more information on hunting,
visit the DNR website at www.michi-
gan.gov/hunting.n
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WNW NEWS MARCH 2017 59
 Grasslands benefits
wildlife and residents
What is a grassland? What
kinds of wildlife can be
found in grasslands and
why do they thrive in this
habitat type? Why should
we care about grasslands?
T
hese and many other
questions will be an-
swered as we explore
the great world of
grasslands and how
they benefit the people
of Michigan.
Many may not know that grass-
lands help to improve water and air
quality important for all of us in
Michigan and throughout the world.
They are also simply stunning to
view in mid-to-late summer, when
the prairie wildflowers are in full
bloom.
Grasslands can be found all
over the world, from the savannas
of Africa to the steppes of Russia
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to the plains and prairies of North
America. They are characterized
by you guessed it grass. Grasses
form most of the plant life, and nat-
ural grazing, wildfires and periodic
drought help to keep woody plants
from growing in grasslands. The soil
in grasslands is nutrient-rich from
the growth and decay of deep grass
roots.
Many creatures make their
homes in Michigans grasslands. A
variety of songbirds use the grasses
for nesting and feeding, including
red-winged blackbirds, savannah
sparrows, ring-necked pheasants
and eastern meadowlarks. Pollina-
tors like bees and butterflies love the
wildflowers that grow in grasslands,
and many mammals make their
homes in grasslands too. Badgers,
meadow voles, coyotes and white-
tailed deer rely on grasslands. Be-
lieve it or not, even American bison
once roamed Michigans southern
prairies.
Grasslands have become
(Lunch Provided)
Grasslands provide impor tant habitat for wildlife. MDNR photo
increasingly rare over the last 150 come from the MDNR this summer.
years due to the conversion of grass- To learn more, visit www.mi.gov/
lands to agricultural land. The rich pheasant.n
soil and lack of trees made prairies,
plains and other grasslands in North Prepared By MDNR
America prime lands for farming.
"WINTER
The conversion of grassland to
farmland led to a decrease in many
grassland wildlife and plant species.
Luckily, in our state, the Michi-
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 My, how things have changed...

Thoughts on a mouse
R
emember when a mouse
was something you
caught in a trap and
didnt want to touch?
When I was a kid,
checking Moms mouse
trap line was my least favorite
chore. I didnt mind dust mopping.
On Saturday mornings, I could
listen to the hit parade on the radio
and sing along to the weeks top
twenty recordings. I could pretend
it took an hour to dust the upstairs,
but I dreaded one of my afternoon
chores. Checking Moms traps was
anathema to me, especially when
the mouses beady black eyes stared
into mine.
Moms favorite place to set traps
was the pantry. Our pantry wasnt
just a closet with shelves like you
might find in todays modern homes.
It was a small room with a pie safe,
a wooden table, and plenty of stor-
age boxes nailed to the south wall.
The pie safe held our spices, canned
goods, cookie sheets, extra dishes,
pots, and frying pans. I dont recall
a pie ever being placed in there be-
By Sharon Kennedy line and found
them with his
paws. When he
gets bored, he
eats them. didnt care that it was dead. It didnt
In todays society, having a
rodent in the house seems to be a
common occurrence. Some folks
buy mice and rats as pets for their
children, a phenomenon beyond my
understanding. Years ago house-
wives were embarrassed if they saw
a furry gray thing scurry across the
room. This was especially true if
company had stopped by for morn-
ing coffee. No one wanted to admit
a mouse was on the loose in their
kitchen, and heaven forbid if some-
thing was heard running through the
rafters. Now kids proudly display
their collection of rodents and some
parents let them wander at will
throughout the entire house.
Its the same with lice. People
were horrified if their kid came
home scratching his head, but in our
shiny new century, lice seem to be
accepted as a normal part of grade
school. This amazes me. When and
why did we get complacent about
Moms trap
a mouse, I
have stayed in the first place.
belong in the house so it got what
it deserved. It wasnt the lifeless
rodent I couldnt stand, it was the
idea of touching a furry dead thing. I
could swat a fly or squish a mos-
quito and think nothing of it, but
no way would I remove a mouse
from a trap. Likewise, Dad and my
siblings wouldnt go near the thing,
but it didnt bother Mom. She was
our hero.
Im still squeamish about mice.
Last year, I set a trap in one of the
cold air ducts in my trailer and a
mouse wondered in from the winter
weather. I heard the trap snap, but it
didnt finish off the vagrant. For two
hours I listened to it flop around.
Finally I called a friend and asked
for help. When she arrived, I was
ready. I had a pair of rusty kitchen
tongs and a pail of water waiting.
My friend grabbed the trap with
the tongs, deposited it in the water,
and waited a few seconds. Then
she removed the drowned mouse
and threw it outside where it should
In conclusion, whether youre
a mouse or a human, its an awful
thing to get caught in a trap. Some-
times theres just no way out. You
flop around, trying your best to wig-
gle free. You toss this way and that,
but youre out of luck. Its the water
pail for you unless youre lucky
enough to have someone come to
your rescue. Then life is good and a
trap is just a harmless piece of wood
with a spring and hammer, and a
mouse is merely a tool you push
around to navigate the Internet.
With all the words available, its
amazing mouse is the best techies
could find to describe the little black
thing I maneuver with my right
hand every time I use my Dell. Id
be lost without my mouse, words I
never dreamed would tumble from
my mouth. My, how things have
changed!n

TROPHY SPECIALISTS
cause a pie never lasted long enough things as repulsive as mice and lice?
to be stored anywhere. My reaction to these pests borders

Our old farmhouse was typi-
cal of most. There were lots of
places where unwelcome mice could
squeeze through and look for winter
lodging warmer than the outside
sheds. What Ive come to real-
ize over the years is that we were
luckier than many folks. Rarely did
a rodent venture near the pantry and
never did one enter our living room.
One of my lady friends is always
finding a dead mouse in her shoe,
underneath her bed, or nibbling
some delicacy on her kitchen coun-
ter. Her cat gets his daily exercise
and entertainment by chasing mice,
pouncing on them, and slapping
on phobic, but thats how I was
raised. Rodents were not allowed in
the house, and lice were a scourge
forbidden near our heads.
Throughout grade school,
I recall only one louse episode
in our school. The infected kids
stayed home until all signs of nits
were kerosened out of their heads.
I remember feeling sorry for the
kids. Mom explained it wasnt their
fault, and we shouldnt mention it to
anyone. People were easily humili-
ated in those days. An outbreak of
lice was unthinkable. Today its as
natural as a recess break.
Well anyway, when I checked
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WNW NEWS MARCH 2017 61
New safety product
Many states
have begun to
require a pan-
oramic mirror

for family boating

be used when
towing. The
most practical

M
y latest report from
Take Me Fishing
released by The Rec-
reational Boating &
Fishing Foundation
(RBFF) announced
that their message about fishing has
gathered a record 64% increase in
awareness. All indications, across
many fields; boating, fishing, family
outdoor activates point to a
greater appreciation of on-
the-water activities. One
point made was that of over
47 million men, women and
children, already engaged
in outdoor activities, were
open to trying new things.
Many new styles of
boats have
been produced
to meet the By Capt. Fred Davis
increased in-
terest in fishing and boating. Deck
and pontoon boats have gained in
popularity in recent years. A major
reason for the increase is, not only
are they easy to operate, they serve
as a platform with a larger capacity
per length ratio. This provides more
room for skiing, tubing, or wake
boarding.
As these water activities have
increased, so have accidents with
them. Boating safety advocates,
federal and state law enforcement
agencies have determined a need
to safeguard those involved. Not
only the boaters towing but other
boaters they encounter. Some state
recreational boating laws
require; Operators of ves-
sels towing someone on
aquaplaning devices must
have a person on board to
act as an observer or have
and use a wide-angled,
rearview mirror.
It is not unusual to
see a vessel
with multiple
persons in tow.
The operator
cannot look behind and an observer
cannot keep all of the persons in
view. Many states have begun to
require a panoramic mirror be used
when towing. The most practical
solution is a wide-angle mirror that
allows a rear view from port to star-
board without having to turn around.
Persons being towed will be in full
view at all times.
I was made aware of such a
mirror that has recently been made
available and had the opportunity
to examine it. The Made in the
USA UCX-17 PRO, (PTMEdge.
com) is a fully adjustable universal
mirror. It features the ABS 6X14
100 HDVR-100 panoramic mirror.
Most styles easily mount as a clamp
on but the PXR 200 offers a bolt on
mount. The mirrors can be fixed to
any console and the ball-and-socket
joints on both ends allow infinite
adjustments. The assembly is ma-
chined from aerospace-grade billet
aluminum, electro-polished and
anodized with a premium finish that
will provide years of maintenance
free use.
solution is a
wide-angle
mirror that
allows a rear
view from por t
to starboard
without having
to turn around.
When used on a center console
vessel, the mirror provides a broad
vison aft. It can be mounted above
the drivers eye level and adjusted to
a preferred height for multiple users
plus it mounts at any angle. When
using a cover for your boat, the mir-
ror folds forward or aft to fit under it
so there is no need to remove it.
Families are increasingly filling
the waterways with their active
lifestyle, a website titled Seeker
list seven; Waterski jumping where
jumpers fly more than 200 horizon-
tal feet in the air, wake boarding and
wake surfing, wake skating, Sky ski-
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demonstrations of the action.n

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WNW NEWS MARCH 2017 63
 My Thoughts on Deer Management...
Hope for an Early Spring
T
hink back a bit. Last
years winter, (2015-
2016) was exception-
ally mild and short
with acorns aplenty
throughout Michigan.
This years spring was
moist but otherwise gener-
ally normal. The high soil
moisture picture set back
seeding dates for much of
Michigan. We normally
seed our field corn to help
carry deer through the win-
ter, (20 acres) in early May.
We were held
By Ed Spinazzola
back to May 20.
Our target date
for the first phase
of seeding, (12 acres) at the firearm
sites, a blend of RR field corn, RR
soybeans and RR sugar beets is mid-
May. The last day in the fields to
get this done was June 2. Our target
date for the first phase of seeding
my 9 acres bow sites, a blend of
RR field corn, RR soybeans, RR
sugar beets is the first half of July.
That was accomplished but now
64 MARCH 2017 WNW NEWS
we didnt have rain for the last two
weeks and it stayed that way until
the second week of August. Total
rainfall for July on our lands in mid-
Michigan was inch and it was a
warm summer.
We are in a mixed land
use area of approximately
50% woods and 50%
agriculture, which is ideal.
It didnt rain in the woods
either. Deer now left the
woods and made good
use of our field corn and
firearm sites. Around 50%
of these fields,
about 15 acres,
were destroyed by
late August with
the rest in extreme stress. We tilled
and replanted 10 of these acres with
a blend of soybeans and brassica in
mid-August, it was a big help.
Walking alongside and in the
woods it was obvious to note the
much reduced natural spring and
summer forage present, which
answers the question, Why are
so many deer destroying our food
A few winters ago the author obser ved plenty of deer on his food
plots...this January he saw two fawns?
plots? Dont they know that field
corn is for them for the coming
winter? If there is little to eat in the
woods, you have to expect that.
Factors Affecting
Deer Health!
As noted last year we had a
bumper acorn crop, which is a key
to deer winter carry over success.
Add a short and mild winter, which
we had and you can bet on fine
doe health and fawning success,
improved spring buck weight and
increased antler sizes. The fawns
munching on our fields early spring
were in great shape. We had a little
winter carry over field corn still
present in early March. Acorns are
important for deer and other wild
life. This year through most of
Michigan the crop was small or not
present. The dry summer hastened
the maturity of acorns, which caused
an early drop. By the end of Sep-
tember we could not find a single
nut.
The fawns started to join their
mothers in the food plots in early
July. This is a bit early but it gave
me time to evaluate their condition.
It was the largest fawn crop I ever
experienced. At least three sets of
triplets with many more fawns than
does and all of them and their moth-
ers if fine shape. Bucks observed
were above average in antler size for
their ages. My thought then was, the
Michigan deer hunters will experi-
ence an improved buck kill, at least
in body and antler development in
2016. This wasnt the best year but
it was nice to observe the fine health
and productivity of the local deer.
The best year we observed for deer
health and antler development was
2000.
We covered this in a previous
article but it works as good informa-
tion. I joined the 18,000 acre Mid-
Forest Lodge Hunt Club in Roscom-
mon County in 1974. We had three
years in a row of great acorns from
1979-1981. I had difficulty keeping
my balance walking in the woods.
With 400 memberships we averaged
125 bucks taken yearly. In 1981
after two years of super acorn crops
and average winters we took 331
bucks. In 2007 after two years of
severe winters and little acorns the
take was 59 bucks.
Deer Health/Productivity
is in Your Hands!
The above harvest data indi-
cates that we just need to accept
Mother Natures whims and live
with it. The truth is a long way off.
Your destiny of having a stable and
consistent good hunting experience
is possible. Its called land and deer
management. The deer management
is nothing more than getting them
more natural in their sex ratio and
age structure. Its called quality deer
management, (QDM). Where ever
the concept is followed positive
results are experienced. The more
natural the deer are due to true
QDM management practices the
greater the hunting experience. We
are not talking larger deer herds,
we are talking balanced deer herds
in tune with their habitat or more
accurate, Habitat in tune with the
deer number.
The goal in land management
or deer habitat management is to
achieve a stable year round source
of forage, cover and water for deer.
Deer are primarily woodsy animals
for they are browsers not grazers
like cattle. Cattle can live very well
on grass alone, deer cannot. If all
they ate was grass they would all
die. Cattle can create all the miner-
als, enzymes and fatty acids they
need from grass alone. Deer may
have four stomachs, but not the abil-
ity to create all the nutrients needed
for survival. The deers normal diet
consists of over 600 plant types,
(much of it being woody small
stems, buds and leaves) and it is this
variety of forage that is necessary in
their habitat for a healthy deer herd,
which equals increased herd produc-
tivity.
Deer habitat management starts
with a clear cut or shelter cut that
is continuous. Continuous means
there is a clear cut or shelter cut in
a designated area every few years,
(5-7), with the first clear cut be-
ing recut 30-35 years later. If you
had a five year space between clear
cuts you would divide the area into
six separate segments for a 30 year
cycle. If you had a seven year space
between clear cuts you would divide
the area into five separate segments
for a 35 year recut of the first clear
cut. You now have continuous deer
cover, bedding and forage year
round forever.
A shelter cut is a clear cut but
now you are leaving 6-8 mast
trees per acre. These mast trees are
preferably oak trees. If you have
none or few, plant five red oak and
three white oak per acre. You would
need to protect these young saplings
from mice, rabbits and deer. Plant
no more than eight mast trees per
acre for a 75 feet average spacing
between trees. The result is a dense
growth of brush, saplings and forbs.
Adding food plots and water holes
just improves the picture.
The above program could be a
major input along with other proven
land management practices that
effect year round forage, bedding
and cover for wildlife. For more
information on the value of prac-
ticing QDM note the results of an
experimental 12 county antler point
restriction program in northwest
lower- Michigan. Last fall was the
fourth year of the experimental man-
datory antler restriction program.
The MDNR is keeping records
of sex ratio kill and changing age
structure of the harvested bucks.
All 12 Counties showed signifi-
cant improvements in lowering the
kill of 1-1/2 year old bucks, from
77% of the total buck- kill prior to
the program dropping down to as
low as 6% of the total buck- kill
in Kalkaska County. In this same
county the buck kill of 3 1/2 and
older bucks taken went from 11%
prior to the program to as high as
55% the fourth year. The average of
the 12 counties being 66% prior to
the program and less than 25% the
fourth year of the program for the
taking of 1 year olds.
This buck kill data is more than
significant for the antler restrictions
used should protect around 55% of
all the 1 1/2 year old bucks not 75%
as the final average kill data shows.
This means that the Michigan deer
hunters in these 12 counties are seri-
ous in protecting 1 year old bucks.
The ultimate goal is to protect 90%
of all 1 year old bucks. When this
is accomplished you do not need
to be concerned if the right young
bucks are taken. You have advanced
at least 30% of the 2 year olds and
at this point everything takes care
of itself. In other words the deer
herd is now natural at least in their
sex ratio. The older bucks now take
charge, with the best of them doing
the bulk of the breeding. The 1 in early August and again with a Early Spring
year olds also can breed and some broadcasting of grain lightly in I will be at the Deer and Turkey
do but most are now subdued as early September. I saw a total of Spectacular at the Lansing Center
they should be for their own good. two fawns digging through the ice on February 17-19, 2017 and at the
1 year old bucks are still young and snow and nothing more. There Novi Showplace for Outdoorama
teenagers and need to grow more was nothing left of any forage on February 23-26. Tony LaPratt,
bone and flesh. The rut affects them absolutely nothing! There is little Owner of Tony LaPratts Land
more negatively than the mature left in the woods from last years Management will join us at Out-
bucks. sparse woodsy growth. This must doorama! For more information
be the same story throughout Lower check our web sites www.tonysulm.
Hope for an Early Spring! Michigan. If so, and the winter takes com or www.deerattraction.com or
Somehow I got carried away, a wrong turnlets, Hope For an call 586-784-8090.n
lets finish the first segment. We are
now experiencing a mild winter,
great but as noted there is not much
for deer to eat if my experience is
common and from asking others
their experience we may need help
from Mother Nature. We had no FAST & EFFECTIVE
LAND
problem seeing deer during daylight
even though our food plots were
hurt big time. Thanks to the seed-
ing of nine acres in July for the bow
sites and the replanting of 10 acres
CLEARING
of choice forage we had good stuff
through out the bow season. David
Crudder of St. Clair Shores and a U
of M senior took his first buck, a six
pointer with his compound bow. My
son Steven took a fine eight point
the bow opener. A youth hunter, Ben
Gofitz took a big ten pointer during
the youth hunt after he missed a big-
ger eight pointer 20 seconds earlier.
Ben of Gladwin shot at the eight
pointer opening day youth hunt with
his .243 rifle and missed cleanly.
The buck ran off to the woods
nearby, he came back 20 seconds
later looking a bit smaller. Ben shot,
the buck dropped and some how
grew two more points.
My daughter Diane took a doe
second day with a great bow shot.
Another youth, 10 year-old Cole
Dienes of Oakland County took his
first deer, a doe. My grandson Joe
took a doe and a five point buck
during Thanksgiving weekend.
Poor Joe had no meat in his freezer. COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL
Joe saw two fawns 150 yards away
munching in a combination corn, RESIDENTIAL
soybeans and sugar beet plot along
with their mom. Joe shot his second
doe of the day. Bens buck grew
two points as Joes doe grew five
points. I shot at and missed a huge
eight pointer at 180 yards second
day of the firearm. I know what I
did, jerked the trigger. I did take a
doe. Plenty of deer were seen and
taken but nothing during the muzzle
season. No bucks seen and hardly
anything left in the many food plots
except two 1 acre plots that had
decent sugar beets left, deer seen
there but no bucks.
I returned January 16, 2017 to
take pictures of deer in those sugar
beet fields to use for my presenta-
tions. They were seeded with field
corn, soybeans and sugar beets in www.lakeeffectps.com 616.312.7811
May, then broadcast with a bras-
sica blend at two pounds per acre
WNW NEWS MARCH 2017 65
Michigan Outdoor Writers Association...

Introducing the Michigan

Outdoor Hall of Fame
W
e sometimes for- to work towards a way we could
get where our in- develop a Michigan Outdoor Hall
spiration comes of Fame. The trek officially started
from, although I three years ago. I brought it up at
never forget my a Michigan Outdoor Writers As-
first sociation (MOWA) board
inspiration in the outdoor meeting. Folks around that
world came from a fella table just kind of blinked
named Mort Neff. I was and nodded. It seemed like
around five-years-old and a long hike in an endless
I remember running in to woods to get to an outdoor Michigan legend Fred Bear. Michigan is blessed with so many out-
watch his show on our old hall of fame then, but my
black and white television. belief was we needed to
door icons its only fitting to have a hall of fame to honor them.
That show always took me honor those that inspired us
unteer in an outdoor organization. rules may change, but we wanted a
By Mark Sak
to a place I wanted to do what we do in the
to be. Later when I outdoors today. Im very pleased to announce that formal process to take place to make
had a chance to hunt We need to con- the Michigan Outdoor Hall of Fame that happen.
and fish there was no questioning tinue to inspire the new generations is coming to reality. The Michigan Outdoor Hall
if I liked it or not, I already knew I to take that chance to learn how to The Michigan Outdoor Hall of of Fame will be hosted online on
would because of Mort Neff. guide, or sell a photograph to an Fame will be run by the Michigan MOWAs website, and we are very
It is for that reason I decided outdoor magazine, or become a vol- Outdoor Writers Association. This close to closing the deal to have
choice was overall the most logical a physical location for the hall of

WERE MOVING
as these writers have covered all of
the legends in Michigans outdoor
world for years. The plan is to start
the hall out with five iconic induct-
ees that have had at least regional
or statewide impact on Michigans
FROM HILL RD TO MILLER RD outdoor legacy.
After the first five outdoor icons
are inducted in June of 2017, we
will open the nomination process
LARGER SHOWROOM
fame at the Carl T. Johnson Hunt
and Fish Center in Cadillac Michi-
gan. Our initial plan is to hang a
plaque in honor of the inductee with
some pictures and a summation of
the inductees lifetime achievements
in the outdoors. We hope visitors
stopping by the Carl T. Johnson
will be able to appreciate those that
inspired us in the outdoors. The plan

to the general public. Nominees for is to grow the hall at a slow pace to
BETTER SELECTION

the Michigan Outdoor Hall of Fame
will be voted on by the Hall of Fame
committee for seven years. The
committee rules are still being final-
ized, but we are looking at including
a DNR representative, a member
of MOWA, and two other mem-
bers of distinction selected by the
chairperson. After the initial seven
ACCESSORIES year period if the nominee is not
inducted, they can be re-nominated
one additional time for an additional
seven years. If they are not voted in
4164 MILLER RD.
during the second nomination period
they will no longer be eligible.
FLINT, MI 48507 There will be a maximum number of
five inductees per year.
(Formerly Powerhouse Gym) The MOWA President will be
the committee chairperson and
1.866.820.2119 select members of the induction
committee. There is a new MOWA
PRESENT THIS COUPON AT President every two years so this
OUR NEW MILLER RD LOCATION
will create a new base of members
make sure that the true legends get
inducted. If the Carl T. Johnson does
not work out, we will host the hall
of fame on our website until we do
find a suitable location.
There are many great outdoor
people in the state of Michigan and
we want this to be the best of the
best. From the moment this pro-
posal passed the MOWA Board,
(unanimously I may add), I could
see folks were quite excited within
our group. Many states around the
country hold elaborate ceremonies
to induct nominees. Its hard to tell
where this could lead for Michigan.
I do know several of our corporate
partners in MOWA; Toyota and
Eppinger are extremely excited as
well and are willing to support the
endeavor financially.
Id like to thank Mort Neff for
inspiring me. I think we will find

10
on the selection committee quite of-
% OFF
VALID IN STORE ONLY
ten. The rules can only be changed
by a vote of the Michigan Outdoor
him in the Michigan Outdoor Hall
of Fame at some point. Look for
more information coming out soon
MARCH 1 - APRIL 31, 2017
Woods-N-Water News Writers Association Board of Di- regarding the hall at MIOWA.net.
rectors so it is not out of the ques-
**Some Exclusions Apply**
I hope it will inspire you and your
tion that nomination or eligibility family.n
66 MARCH 2017 WNW NEWS
 MY NEW ULTIMATE BUCK ZONING SYSTEM
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passes only 52 acres, with only 23 acres of those woods. In the
spring of 2014 we found 44 sheds, in 2015 - 46 sheds, thats 90 I will be speaking at
sheds in just two years! In 2016 I had 22 different bucks come the following shows . . .
under my stand on the same day! There is no other system that MICHIANA Outdoors Show
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WNW NEWS MARCH 2017 67
 Dear Fish Diary...The strangest thing you ever caught while fishing?
Nancy Hascall catches a bat
L
ast month I launched my
search for readers to write
me about the strangest
thing theyve ever caught
while fishing. As the sto-
ries come in, Im sifting
through them and getting
some pretty good laughs.
I got this idea after I read about a
fisherman in Miami, Florida, catch-
ing a kilo of cocaine off the coast of
Miami. If youve had an odd catch, I
certainly want to hear about it.
Nancy Hascall, of Otsego, might
be one of the few people who can
say they caught a bat hook and line.
Not a floating baseball bat, a fly-
ing mammal. When Nancy wrote
her story to me, I couldnt decide
whether it was Hemingway, Mel-
ville or Hitchcock writing to me.
I can hardly read most of
the emails I receive, but Nancy?
WOW this gal is not only a fish-
o-holic, shes very descriptive. I
barely had to write this column, I
just sat back and copy and pasted
her exact words as she described her
event.
(Nancy) We were racing dusk,
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68 MARCH 2017 WNW NEWS
following a twisting tribu-
tary in the Yellowstone Riv-
er Basin and searching for
an access point. We were
eager to fish but totally
discouraged by the uninter-
rupted NO TRESPASSING
signs that dotted the pri-
vately owned land abutting
the bank. The
By Ron St. Germain
perfect water
remained just
out of legal reach, taunting us with
glimmering winks.
Finally, a teeny corner of public
land presented itself at a precari-
ous guardrail, offering us the single
opportunity to reach the crystal
medium...if we were desperate...
and we were, as the sun was sinking
fast. But that meant scaling a crazy
steep slope of scree punctuated by
scraggly pine trees. The tire-worn
pull-out and foot skids down the
slope--evidence that we werent the
first with fishing fever-- encour-
aged us, though, so we stepped over
the guardrail and slid on down.
It required some tricky maneu-
vering to negotiate the loose rocks
especially with a fly rod in
one hand--but the perfect
stretch of water--a churning
chute followed by a deep
void of stillness--looked
like trout nirvana.
Can you see the
Hemingway tones here, like
the Old man and the Sea
transforming
into The crazy
woman and the
raging river? Glimmering winks,
crystal medium, steep slope of scree
punctuated by scraggly pine trees,
tire-worn pull-out and foot skids
down the slope, a churning chute
followed by a deep void of still-
nesslooked like trout nirvana.
Be honest, how many of you
know what scree is? I lived in
Colorado and I still had to look it
up. Scree - a mass of small loose
stones that form or cover a slope on
a mountain. A slope covered with
small loose stones. Dang, shes
good.
She goes on(Nancy) Impa-
tiently, I stepped onto a flat-ish gran-
ite boulder at the rivers edge and
cast into the boiling froth...and was
immediately rewarded with a lively
12 cutthroat that had bulleted to my
hook in an explosion of fin, jaw and
slapping tail. I had summoned him
from the depths with a #14 Griffiths
Gnat tied by my husband, Allan, that
afternoon.
After releasing that lithe beauty,
I blew my fly dry and prepared to
have a go at the still, dark deep-
ness four feet downstream from
the liquid fury, where submerged
boulders loomed like aquatic ghosts.
I back-cast, careful to avoid a low
branch, and let that tuft of deer hair
drift through the dusk to meet the
surface.
She didnt step onto any rock, it
was granite. It wasnt just any trout,
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it was a lithe beauty. She didnt
cast just anywhere, she cast into the
boiling froth. The fish didnt bite,
it bulleted to her hook in an explo-
sion of fin, jaw and slapping tail
notice she is intelligent enough not
to include scales because shes talk-
ing trout?
She didnt just catch the trout,
she summoned him from the depths,
specifically with a #14 Griffiths
Gnat. She didnt just cast, she back-
cast a tuft of deer hair through the
dusk. And by the way, lithe means
pliant, pliant means supple, supple
means limber and limber means
flexible. Her second cast wasnt
back into the river, it was into the
still, dark, deepness four feet down-
stream from the liquid fury, where
submerged boulders loomed like
aquatic ghosts.
Can you see the Melville tones
here? At any time reading her story,
Im truly expecting her to catch
Moby Dick, or have some savage
attack happen from this bat that
sticks in her crawl as she makes it
her life mission to seek this bat out
and destroy it.
Lets be a bit more simplistic
and realistic about this. In Yooper
terms its this simple. Well I
ignored da no tresspassin sign, dang
near kilt myself on dem loose, wet
rocks, flipped dat der fly in da drink,
caught a one footer and life was
good eh.
This is why a regular novel is
like 1000-pages and a Yooper novel
is only about six pages.
Now for the Hitchcock part.
(Nancy) Instantly, another strike...
but this time, from ABOVE! A bat
had swooped down to claim its prize
and was now laboring desperately
to carry it off! I tugged on my end,
sending the bat--still connected to
my line--into the drink. The bat
feebly flopped at the surface until I
Held at the
Eagles Hall
301 Detroit St.
JACKSON,
MICHIGAN
 Gun Chat...
The .35 Remington
By Lee Arten

I
hadn't thought much about the .35 Remington for a while. Then I
ran across an ad for a rifle in the caliber. Other ads I've seen have
been for lever actions, most often Marlin 336s. There have been some
for Savage and Remington pump rifles in .35. Remington Model
8 and 81 autoloaders (semiautos) are quite often found in .35 as well.
The ad that caught my interest was for a rifle I haven't seen in years, a
bolt-action in .35. I have a list of guns I'd like to buy. A bolt action in .35
Remington might be able to bump one down a ways.
According to the NRA Firearms Fact Book (Third Edition) the .35
Remington was developed in 1908. I've also read that it was invented in
1906. Remington was the developer and the cartridge was originally for
a semiautomatic rifle. The rifle was later named the Model 8 and an im-
proved version was called the Model 81. Like several other Remingtons,
Nancy Hascall, of Otsego? Hemingway, Melville or Hitchcock? Either way, the rifle was originally designed by John Moses Browning.
Nancy touches on all the great novel writers as she describes catching a I've handled, but not fired, several Model 81s in .35 Remington over
bat hook and line. Something few people have probably ever done, and if
the years. The .35 I've had the most experience with belongs to my broth-
they did it, they sure probably wouldnt describe it like this. er, Jon. He bought a Marlin 336 lever rifle in the 1980s because the .30-06
brought the little guy to shore with air and took off like a bat outa ya he was hunting with seemed too heavy to carry. We both liked to be on
a few quick pulls on my line. Once know what, buzzin all around n the move while hunting then. And were also able to hunt from dawn to
grounded, the bat dropped the fly, stuff. Den it went in da drink like a the end of shooting hours. Jon liked the .35 Remington better than a .30-
caught his breath, shook off, then beaver and I pulled da little fella up 30 although, even then, a .30-30 would have been easier to find.
took off, totally embarrassed. on dem rocks. It shook off da water My brother's Marlin was made in New Haven, Connecticut. It doesn't
Nancy isnt just your average like a wet bear, spit out da fly, give have the safety on the side of the receiver that current Marlin's have. It
fisher-gal, she was smart enough to me an evil look, den flew away. Ya, sports a gold-plated, (or gold colored) trigger and stocks that appear to
realize that both the trout and the I cant imagine if my wife woulda be walnut. The stock has a black plastic buttplate and the pistol grip has
bat were males. She was observant caught dat bat, shed a dropped da a black cap with white spacers. The front sight has a gold, or brass, bead.
enough to realize that the bat she rod and jumped in da drink scream- The rear is a buckhorn open sight. I prefer peep sights on a lever gun, but
had caught was embarrassed. in er fool head off eh. Ya ever seen the sights on the .35 worked OK when I shot it. The Marlin ejects to the
She did not scream or panic like a ting like dat before eh? right and the solid-top receiver is drilled and tapped for a scope.
many would have being face to face Ive never seen anything like I borrowed the Marlin a few times and used it to shoot water-filled
with a hooked bat. She was fully it either, now send me your story coffee cans. It did fine as a high-powered plinker. The other .35 I've shot
prepared to release the bat by hand about the strangest thing youve was a pistol. Years ago, at a range outside Negaunee, I fired one round
if she needed to, which means she ever caught and dont make me get of .35 Remington from a Thompson Center Contender. One round was
understands that the bat can proceed out the dictionary to understand it. enough, although the guy who owned the pistol didn't mind the recoil
nearly as much as I did. He was still shooting the pistol when I packed up
to devour a thousand mosquitoes an Funny fish stories wanted: and left the range.
hour, or a #14 Griffiths Gnat every Strangest thing youve ever caught
20-minutes. Her flamboyant descrip- Jon hunted with his .35 for a few years. He shot a doe in the neck with
Send a short description of your it, and told me it went, right down. He's lived in Florida, Georgia and
tive writing did kind of take a dive best or worst fishing day, or worst
with her last paragraph and I was some islands in the Pacific since then. There's isn't a lot of hunting on the
fishing-related adventure to me. islands, and the rifle hasn't been shot much, if at all, since he moved.
somewhat disappointed, because she You dont have to write the entire
referred to the river in Yooper terms The .35 throws a 200 grain bullet at just over 2,000 feet per second as a
story, just a brief outline of what
as the drink. But shes learning, standard load. That weight of bullet generates 1762 FPS at the muzzle and
happened. If it has some humor to it
and soon you just might see her Ill be getting in touch with you and just over 1,100 fps at 100 yards.
name in this magazine as the writer well work on the completed story Other available options are 150 and 220 grain bullets. Manufacturers
of the story, not just the bat lady together. used to offer loads with 180 grain bullets but they seem to have disap-
who writes like Hemingway. Contact - Woods-N-Water News peared. Handloaders can also use handgun bullets made for the .357
To end the story in common columnist Ron St. Germain by Magnum. A friend bought a Marlin in .35 Remington for his son and
Yooper terms, just in case youre calling (517) 626-2814, e-mailing made plinking loads with a magnum pistol powder and 158 grain jack-
scratching your head: Yer not gonna DaPhotoDude@aol.com. Visit the eted .357 bullets. Milk jugs full of water really came apart when shot
believe what happened next eh. Ya, authors Facebook page www.Face- with those loads. The rifle isn't in his family any longer. My friend says he
a dang bat grabbed dat fly from da book.com/BearwaveBooksn sometimes wishes it was.
The .35 has a reputation as a stopper, and a good woods cartridge.
The tables show enough drop that stretching shots with a .35 could be a
problem. I think it would be best used inside 150 yards. Most of my shots
at deer have been taken at 100 yards, or less. Some were at 30 or 40 yards.
At those ranges a .35 Remington would work fine. In my years of deer
hunting I've taken one shot with that I might have had to pass with a .35.
That was just a bit past 200 yards.
I looked on the Net for .35 Remington ammo. Remington, Win-
chester, Federal, Hornady and Buffalo Bore all produce it. Brass is also
Grand Rapids, MI 616-538-5000 available for reloaders. Since Hornady .35 Remington was cheapest, if I
Kalamazoo, MI 269-381-9490 South Bend, IN 574-282-2900 was getting a .35 Remington rifle, I'd probably buy a few boxes of that,
shoot it up, and then start reloading. Dies and bullets are also available
New, Surplus, and Recycled Auto Parts for the .35.
Bullets I found included Remington 200 grain round nose and pointed
Remanufactured Engines and Transmissions soft points (PSP). The round nose bullets would be safe loaded into tu-
New, Recycled, and Rebuilt Driveline Components bular magazines and so would work best in a lever gun. The PSPs would
work fine in a bolt-action. I've used .25 and .30 caliber Remington PSPs
Quality Parts Guaranteed successfully for years, I'd probably buy some of those.
A bolt-action in .35 Remington intrigues me. I just might be talking
www.wellerauto.com myself into buying one.
WNW NEWS MARCH 2017 69
 Colonial days Knife maker
M
y first question to Scott
Summerville was, What
prompted you to become a
forger of knives?
His reply; I started
making knives when I
first became interested in
reenacting close to 25 years
ago. It is the process that
drives me and not a love of
knives per se. My family
and I attended an event as
tourists looking
to start in the
hobby. We were By Betty Sodders
especially interested in the French
and Indian War era and needed to
outfit ourselves with the accoutre-
ments of the era. I talked to a very
informative and helpful knife maker
and said to myself, I think I could
do that.
I was acquainted with a couple
of hobby blacksmiths and they were
helpful in setting me up with an an-
vil and a forge. I have always been
a do it yourself person and had no
doubt that I would be able to master
this. I worked for Marathon Pipeline
Company as a mechanical special-
ist which involved working with
various steels as well as various heat
treatments for the steel. Making one
knife only gave the urge to make
more. Because I was new to the re-
enacting hobby, I did research on the
shape, construction, etc. of knives
of the era and continued to produce
knives. And because there are only
so many knives that one man needs
(though some would disagree with
this) I began to sell them.
I am now retired from Mara-
thon. I pretty much work full time
on my knives. It is a hobby and not
an occupation. I take a lot of plea-
sure in doing and it is very fulfilling
to have people admire my work
and want to spend their hard earned
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70 MARCH 2017 WNW NEWS
money on it. I am proud of my work
and guarantee it for life.
Sometimes the customer will
have something definite
in mind, sometimes they
just have a vague idea of
what they want and we will
design the item together.
A lot of times it is just an
impulse purchase for the
customer. They will see a
knife on the table that sim-
ply calls out their
name.
Reenac-
tors who portray hunters obviously
want hunting knives, however the
hobby contains people who portray
any occupation of the 18th century
from rat catchers to surgeons. And I
have created edge instruments for a
good portion of these occupations.
A few of the more obscure items I
have produced, include; flrearms for
bloodletting, leather tools for the
shoemaker at Williamsburg, 18th
century surgeon tools, meat cleav-
ers and other cooking knives, quill
knives. I also specialize in l8th cen-
tury folding knives, which are rarely
made by other makers because of
the time and difficulty involved.
I asked Scott Summerville to
describe his hunting knives and
his answer was surprising; I dont
make one particular knife that can
be described as a hunting knife. In
that era, people did not have a lot
of material goods and one tool or
knife served many functions. A good
part of the time the customer has an
idea of what he wants in a hunting
knife and if I dont have something
that fills the bill we work together to
design one. Most of my customers
are very knowledgeable about the
knives of the era and I can create
one that looks right.
I may use deer antler mate-
Scott in 17th century period
attire, as worn at reenactments
in a role as Blade-Smith and
wife Linda in one of her period
dresses she has sewn, posing as
a Lady of wealth.
rial on many of my hunting knives.
I employ the main section of the
antler attached to the head with the
burr intact. The burr forms a natural
finial for the handle. I also use bone,
horn, various types of wood such as
curly maple, persimmon and osage
orange. I get most of the wood off
my land.
I also sell to Colonial Williams-
burg. They purchase my knives to
sell in their shops. Also, recently, I
began supplying hand forged 18th
century razors to James Townsend
& Sons, a catalog company which
supplies reenactors. My work is also metal parts - lock plate, butt plate
portrayed in several museums.
My wife Linda and I, attend
and trigger guard. I really enjoy
hunting with a gun that I made
two reenactments a year: The trade myself and have taken many a nice
fair at Fort de Chartres, a restored buck with it.
French fort 75 miles south of St. I heard you are an active hunter
Louis on the Illinois side of the Mis- recently returned from hunting
sissippi River in April and Martins moose in Newfoundland. Can you
Station, a recreated fort in Virginia tell us a little about that trip?
near the Cumberland Gap. Also, as
a member, I go to the CLA Show
This was my fifth trip to New-
foundland. I had previously taken
(Contemporary Longrifle Associa-
tion Show) in Lexington, Kentucky
three moose; this was my fourth and
the largest, holding a 42 spread.
in August. Ive booked another hunt with Port-
Due to my abject love of this land Creek Outfitters for 2018.
particular period history, I made a I asked Summerville who he
flintlock rifle. It was not made from portrays at Rendezvous. I portray
a kit but from scratch, a barrel and a a longhunter and bladesmith. I wear
curly maple plank. I even forged the a walnut dyed linen hunting shirt,
knee britches, leggings, moccasins
and a tricorn hat. Depending on the
weather I might wear a waistcoat
with tie-in sleeves over this.
My wife, Linda, on the other
hand, claims she is a lady of qual-
ity who married beneath her station
for love. She is in the hobby for the
clothes. She has a lot of them and
they are most elaborate. She makes
all our clothes and also makes and
sells walnut dyed hunting shirts.
Our discussion turned to Linda;
Scott said to tell you about our
cabin: When we started reenact-
ing, we found that we really didnt
have enough room for both 18th
and (then) 20th century lifestyles.
We attended only juried events and
everything we took had to be period
correct; furniture, cookware, dishes,
etc. I am not exactly a minimalist so
we soon had a rather large accumu-
lation of stuff. We decided it would
be fun to have a log cabin to put it
in. We were talking to an acquain-
tance at an event and mentioned
we were looking for a log cabin.
He happened to know of a man in
Missouri who bought old cabins
and then took them down and sold
them. Long story short; we bought
one from him. He dismantled it, put
metal numbered tags on the ends of
the logs, and took lots of pictures.
We hired a semi to haul the logs. We
had help from a couple of friends
setting the logs back up, then after
that Scott and I did the rest of the
work.
The first summer we set the
logs and roofed it. Next year we put
in the chinking. Third summer we
built the fireplace. We had intended
to hire that job out, but we wanted
a bake oven in it and local stone
masons were clueless about that.
Furthermore, the cost of having a
regular fireplace built was complete-
ly out of our budget. So Scott felt
he could figure it out and it works
beautifully.
It turns out there was a little
room left over in the cabin after we
put in the stuff so I had a wonder-
ful time looking for more stuff.
Scott, of course, forged all the
hardware such as hinges and door
latches and fireplace crane. He also
made cooking implements for me;
turners, trivets, poker, ladles and
so forth. I wove blankets for the
bed. Actually, we have way more
stuff than poor people living on the
frontier would have had, but we are
doing it for fun, not a grade, so I
dont worry about that.
In talking with Scott, I asked
if he had ties to northern Michigan
and he commented; I have about 80
knives from the 1700s. They are all
in various stages of disrepair from
being buried 250 years. The knives
are French and were found on pri-
vate property near old Fort Mich-
ilmackinac. I got them from a man
in northern Indiana who had friends
living in that area of Michigan. I
also have fish hooks, gun parts, axes
(with part of the wood handle still
intact) and pipes. The knives consist
of mostly cheap trade knives fixed
blade and folding but I have some
that are folding with bolster front
and rear with decorated bone scales.
I have lots of parts but these give me
clue to the original construction. I
like it when people ask if the knives
I make are historically correct. I can
prove it without a doubt! ibility and remove the brittleness.
I love old stuff. I like to take an
original piece that is in bad shape,
study it, then recreate to what it was
like before the rust. I have pictures
of one that I did to prove my point.
Next, Scott Summerville de-
tailed information regarding his
forge and blacksmith shop; My
forge is located in a blacksmith shop
that my wife and I built. It holds a
brick floor and short brick sidewall.
The walls are made from lumber
we salvaged from her grandfathers
barn.
Above; wearing his walnut dyed
hunting shir t, Summer ville shows
off one of his hand-fashioned
knives. Right; Scott holding a
longrifle he made from scratch,
not a kit, with a nice buck he
took.
I asked Summervillle if he could
describe in laymans terms, how to
make a knife? Forge heated high-
carbon steel to shape on an anvil
with a hammer. Then it is annealed
(heat treating the steel so that it can
be filed). Next it is filed by hand
which brings the knife to shape and
the edges are beveled so they can
be sharpened. Then provisions are
made for the handle installation
(this varies depending on the type
of handle). Next the blade surface
is smoothed to remove file marks.
Now, back to the forge for heat grees with no cracking or breakage.
Scott, how are your hand-forged,
treating for hardening. The steel is
brought up to about 1800 degrees, hand-polished, hand-sharpened,
then quenched in oil. The next step hand-designed knives priced? First
is tempering to give the knife flex- of all, I am not trying to make a liv-
ing of this. I do it for the enjoyment.
Then handles are applied and filed That said, a basic knife is generally
to fit. The handle is finished depend- priced $150-$175 including hand-
ing on the material. A leather sheath sewn leather sheath.
is hand sewn to fit the knife. Then My final question for Summer-
it is sharpened to razor. The entire ville, Do you feel as though you
process requires about three hours. are A good man with a knife?
Some tests Ive performed His answer, If you are talking
to verify the quality of my knives about fighting, I would prefer a gun.
involved driving a knife through a As far as knowing how to make,
bolt with a hammer. The bolt was care for, and use...a knife...Yes!
cut cleanly with little damage to the For more information: Scott
blade. I also put a knife blade in a Summerville, 8655 Garret Road,
vice sticking a piece of pipe over the Alma, IL 62807, woodland-
handle and flexing the knife 90 de- warrior1750 or 618-547-7142.n

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 With both of my Michigans tags punched, I decided to go... By John Eberhart
Invitation to Ohios late bow season
L
ast year on the saddlehu-
nter.com hunting talk forum
(interactive talk forum
dedicated to hunters that use
harnesses instead of conven-
tional tree stands) I frequent-
ly exchanged hunting infor-
mation with a fellow hunter Mike
Maustellar from Columbus Ohio.
In early October of this year Mike
called and offered an open invite to
bowhunt whenever I had the time to
come down. With the current Ohio
State/U of Michigan football rivalry
going on and being from Michigan I
was tentative about crossing the state
line and leaving my Michigan plated
vehicle parked unattended.
On my first trip to Kansas in
2004 with Bryan Schupbach a pissed
of resident that didnt like out of
state hunters coming down and
taking their bucks, flattened all four
tires on both Bryans truck and my
mini-van while they were parked
overnight at a motel. However, I
really wasnt that concerned about it
happening in Ohio.
Mike doesnt own or lease
any property but his good friend
Donovan Kuhn (614-354-5317) is
a buyer/developer for Countrytyme
Land out of Lancaster Ohio. Coun-
trytyme Land is a hunting/recre-
ational land company that buys mid
to large size parcels of land through-
out the state and develops them by:
improving access, installing trail
systems, manicuring, building cabins
on occasion, and basically making
them turn-key ready for hunters or
recreational users to start playing on
day one. They sell lands anywhere
from 5 to 500 acres in size with most
of their smaller splits backing up to
public hunting areas.
While properties within close
proximity of Donovans residency
are being surveyed, developed or
being sold Donovan and his friend
Mike has the opportunity to hunt
them. As most deer hunters are
aware its difficult in a short pe-
riod of time to learn the subtle deer
movement habits on a piece of prop-
erty such as; where they bed, where
they prefer to feed during daylight,
where their comfortable transition-
ing through during daylight hours,
and how the properties bordering
hunting pressure affects deer move-
ments.
Depending on the property
Donovan has sometimes had to deal
with trespassers as the locals assume
the properties arent being hunted
and know the property owner or
developer doesnt reside nearby.
The 243 acre parcel of property
72 MARCH 2017 WNW NEWS
Mike and Donovan invited me to
hunt is about six miles northwest
of the tiny town of Kimbolton Ohio
and the only time I could foresee a
lag in my work schedule and an op-
portunity to bowhunt was in Decem-
ber right between Ohios main gun
season and their two day weekend
gun season on December 17-18.
Since I write about bowhunt-
ing pressured deer and with my
home state of Michigan statistically
being the most heavily pressured
state in the country when it comes
to licensed bowhunters per abso-
lute square mile of land mass, Ive
remained committed to hunt Michi-
gan until gun season or both of my
Michigan buck tags are punched
with bow kills. I had also drawn a
tag for Kansas and had solid plans
of going there to bowhunt during
Michigans gun season.
Mike and Donovan hunted the
property during bow and the first
gun season and also had several trail
cameras out and sent me several pic-
tures of a drop tine buck and a clean
10 point along with a few Google
Earth aerial photos to entice me to
make the trip down.
During November they saw the
10 point they called crab-claw on
four occasions and Mike saw the
drop tine buck twice. They named
the 10 point crab-claw because
his short G-4s were so close to the
end of the main beams that they
resembled crab-claws. During an
evening hunt Mike saw the drop tine
buck under another of his stands
The author har vested
this monster buck on a
DIY bowhunt in Ohio.
and on yet another evening hunt
Mike grunted him to within 75 yards
before he caught sight of a doe and
went after her.
The bordering properties also
get bow and gun hunted and neither
Mike nor Donovan knew what bucks
in the area might have been taken.
Mikes enticement worked and
on Dec. 9 I checked into a flea bag
Motel in Cambridge Ohio with a
kitchenette. Mike invited me to stay
at his place but it was more than an
hour away and Donovan was ever
further. They also both had to work,
so I would be on my own.
I slept in the first morning and
arrived at the property at around
9:30 am and was blown away at the
sheer beauty not only of the prop-
erty, but also of the surrounding
area. Sometimes words simply cant
explain natures beauty, and this was
one of those times. Ive had the great
fortune to bowhunt in several other
states and other than bowhunting for
elk in Colorado Ive never seen such
gorgeous landscape.
The property itself has three
ponds, two tillable crop fields that
hadnt been planted (in weeds) with
perimeter timber, several dense
briar packed small stands of timber
as bedding areas, and to top it off a
large river as its eastern border with
timber, brush and briars running
along both banks. The aerial maps
didnt show elevations and that alone
was a sin because the property was
nicely tucked in a valley surrounded
by high and very steep rolling hills
littered with patches of timber and
gold colored weed fields.
With all the foliage down and no
snow I cautiously scouted the prop-
erty making every attempt not to
molest any possible areas it seemed
deer may be bedded in. Its very
difficult to adequately scout a new
property for a short term hunt be-
cause it typically takes some hunting
time to figure out deer movement
nuances. Make it mid-December,
shortly after gun season, frozen
ground with crunchy leaves, and
without snow to show current move-
ments, and its even more difficult.
There was one hillside briar
packed stand of timber at the very
back of the property that Donovan
was certain the drop tine buck was
bedding in during the early bow sea-
son and even now it was well suited
for daytime mature buck movements
because it offered dense security
cover from the valley to over the
hill. However it couldnt be accessed
for a hunt without either spooking
deer feeding in the valley with a
prior to daybreak morning entry or
with an after dark exit. During late
season spooking deer with either
can cause a change in any potential
daytime mature buck movements.
That stand of timber had signifi-
cant late season hunting downfalls,
but stubbornly I had to check it out
and spooked four deer while doing
so. Within it I prepared a location
at an inactive primary scrape area
surrounded by at least 20 rubs and
it would have been an awesome rut
phase location.
On two occasions Mike had seen
crab claw coming out of a long strip
of tall white pines that bordered
the very end of the larger weed
field and then turned and ran a little
ways along the river. While I badly
wanted to hunt the hillside timber
scrape/bedding area, due to its sig-
nificant downfalls, I knew better and
figured my best percentage odds of a
daytime visit by a mature buck was
in those pines.
A few advantages the pines
offered were; they were within 80
yards of the properties entry and
parking spot, due to the landscape
they offered both an entry and exit
strategy that would not spook deer,
they offered overly sufficient front
and background concealment cover,
and they would buffer the cold wind.
Being able to just see deer with-
out receiving an opportunity due to
being silhouetted and getting picked
is not only a waste of time, it is
frustrating when its windy and the
temperatures are in the teens and the
pines would give a solution to both
of those issues.
The stand of pines run along the
field and river for about 250 yards
but are only five rows deep and at
the corner where they turn and run
along the river the ground drops
off into a valley of brush and briars
where deer bed. As with most ma-
ture white pines, the bottom 8 to 10
foot of branches on all of them were
dead and due to the lack of foliage
on the brush in the valley below, the
pines offered no entry movement
concealment from the deer bedded in
the valley for anyone walking along
the field edge.
While walking the edge of the
pines prior to setting up a location,
I spooked at least three deer from
the valley as I had no option but to
search for a tree and make the noise
and commotion of setting it up.
After preparing a pine and plac-
ing a motion camera, I sat down to
eat a couple sandwiches and noticed
a doe and her fawns browsing their
way down a hillside through one of
those gold colored weed fields that
dropped into the valley. Looking at
my watch it was 3:15 and those deer
were my signal that it was time to
leave the property.
I drove up a bordering hillside
road and parked for the evening at a
location where I could glass nearly
the entire valley below for deer
movements. Its common during and
after gun season for mature bucks to
take on more nocturnal movements
and of the nine deer I saw, none
had large enough antlers for me to
identify with my 8 power glasses. I
forgot to bring my spotting scope.
There was no way of accessing
the timber tree in the morning with-
out spooking deer and since the pine
was on a field edge, the likelihood
of spooking deer while ascending it
on morning hunts was also high so
I decided to pass on morning hunts
which made for a few long boring
days.
For some reason the primary
scrape area within the timber just
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sucked me in even though at this
time of year and where it was, I
knew it was a mistake to hunt there.
On the first evening however I did
and other than spooking two deer
with my entry, saw nothing but
seemingly uncoordinated turkeys
flying up to their nighttime roosts.
As great a location as that would
have been during the early bow
season, it was immediately taken out
of the mix leaving only the pine and
I hate having only one option.
From where I parked there was a
long and deep ravine that passed by
the west end of the pines and contin-
ued along the weed field another 40
yards making it a perfect entry route
for an evening hunt. So as not to
spook deer with my entries I would
walk the ravine to its end, cross the
field edge fence, and walk across
the field until even with the pine and
then turn and go directly to it. From
the valley the deer bed in, they cant
see over the crest of the field edge
and with the pine being on the field
edge, I could enter undetected.
That night there was a snow-
storm that dropped a couple inches
and coated the tops of the pine
branches and there was no doubt that
my Scent Lok Vortex suit in Vertigo
camo pattern would help to make me
invisible.
On the first hunt in the pine it
was extremely windy and I saw a
doe and three fawns and about a 16
inch wide 6-point. In order not to
spook deer with my exit I waited
until well after dark to get down and
then exited over the hill and through
the very bedding area valley the deer
had come in from.
The next evening I was back in
the pine and by the time I strategi-
cally placed four Grabber body
warmers, zipped up my exterior
jacket and was ready to hunt it was
3 pm. It began snowing around noon
and was still coming down pretty
good and accumulating fast and the
temperature was in the mid 20s and
dropping. The fresh snow just added
to the beauty of this hunting experi-
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The authors trail cam caught his trophy
on film just before he was arrowed.
ence.
It wasnt long before the same
doe and three fawns entered the field
from the valley below and began
feeding out into the field and with
half an hour, due to the heavy snow-
fall, they faded out of sight.
At around 5:30 a big buck came
out farther down the pines and
began walking the edge of the field
in my direction. He was sniffing the
ground as he went and at one point
scent marked and worked a licking
branch and made a fresh scrape in
the snow below it.
When he got close he started to
slightly veer away from the pines
and into the field and at a distance
of 14 yards and moving, while at
full draw with my 55 pound draw
Mathews bow I made a vocal doe
matt sound to stop him. He turned
around and stood quartering towards
me and I took the shot. I watched
as he leaped high in the air, landed
in full stride and headed back in the
direction he came from.
The hit looked perfect and he
ran about 60 yards before disappear-
ing back into the pines. Because it
was still snowing rather hard and I
was sure of the arrow placement, I
undressed a few under-layers and
packed them into my backpack, got
down and unscrewed the motion
camera from the tree and immedi-
ately trailed him. The arrow had
completely passed through and was
stuck in the ground and covered in
blood. The surrounding snow at the
shot sight was spotted with blood
and even though light was dimming,
I could easily make out lots of red
dots in the snow for some distance
in the direction he ran.
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At a normal stride I walked the
blood trail and not 30 yards beyond
the pines and into the valley I could
see him all sprawled out. I dressed
him out and left, leaving a lower
clothing layer I had been wearing
over his body to ward off coyotes
and by the way, the G5 head passed
through both lungs.
After getting back to the Motel
I checked the motion pictures
Donovan and Mike had sent and
this 10 point wasnt crab claw or
obviously the drop tine buck. He
was a buck that resided in the
surrounding area and must have
recently taken up residency in the
valley either due to surrounding
gun pressure or the amount of does
that were now feeding in the weed
fields.
Upon inspecting the SD card
from my camera I had an awesome
picture of the 10 point just before I
let that Maxima Red arrow loose.
I cant begin to express how
gratifying it was to take that mature
buck after gun season with a bow,
it was like spreading icing on top
of what was already a very good
season.
John Eberhart is an accom-
plished bowhunter that specializes
in heavily pressured areas with 30
bucks listed in CBMs record book
from 19 different properties in 10
different counties. John produced a
3 volume instructional DVD series
titled Bowhunting Pressured White-
tails and co-authored the books,
Bowhunting Pressured Whitetails,
Precision Bowhunting, and Bow-
hunting Whitetails the Eberhart
Way. They are available at: www.
deer-john.netn
61,995
** plus freight, prep and sales tax.
WNW NEWS MARCH 2017 73
 Michigan Meanders...By Tom Huggler

Ice fishing, anyone?

S
o far this mild winter the
only ice fishing Ive done
is in the home freezer for
more cubes to freshen a
cocktail. For some reason
I am not missing this
sport. Is it because ice fishing is for
the insane? Is it due to misadventures
long ago?
Like the time I sliced open a fro-
zen finger on a tuna fish can and grew
alarmed at how quickly the snow
turned red near our spudded holes on
Burroughs Lake. The incident oc-
curred when I was a kid growing up
in Genesee County. Luckily a neigh-
bor let me use her house phone after
telling someone else on the party line
there was an emergency (like I said,
this happened long ago). Dad played
the role of cavalry that day, rescuing
me with a quick trip to the doctor for
some stitches.
It was my father who introduced
me to ice fishing one bitterly cold day
on Saginaw Bay. He drove the old
Dodge pickup somewhere out there
between Baffin Island and the Bering
Strait, I fanciedonto the pack-ice
world of polar bears and Eskimos.
I was sure Id never see shore and a
McDonalds again.
The bay was making ice as
they say, but it sounded more like a
war with .22-caliber rifles to me. We
stopped where the ice was a foot thick
and spudding a hole was a tedious
chore that warmed me for the only
time that day. I ran out of interest, pa-
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tience and hot cocoa at about the same
time, somewhere between 15 and 30
minutes.
A howling wind stung us with
snow pellets that smarted like wind-
driven sand. Did I say it was
c-o-l-d cold? In school we had been
reading a long James Thomson poem
on winter and now I thought of the
nameless wretch who tried to find his
way home in a raging snowstorm:
On every nerve the deadly winter seizes,
Shuts up sense, and oer his inmost vitals
Creeping cold lays him along the snows
A stiffened corpse, stretch out and bleaching
In the northern blast.
Brrrrr! Finally that doleful day
ended. Of course, we had caught no
fish. Drifting snow had snuffed out
our tire tracks, and for a tense moment
or two Dad was unsure just where
shore was. An hour later, safe on land,
my flicker of interest in ice fishing
vaporized into the Arctic air.
Or so I thought. The hope for a
bucket of fat yellow perch and the
chance to spear a 20-pound northern
pike propelled me from the couch and
weekend college basketball on TV
and onto the ice. No doubt other influ-
ences were also at play.
Think about it: Why psychologists
study laboratory rats when they could
till the more fertile ground of the ice
angler is a mystery to me. After all,
here is modern man at his primeval
best, testing the outer limits of sur-
vival, tribalism, conquest. If Robert
Frost had been chopping ice instead
of mending walls, he might have seen
his old-stone savage armed with a
five-gallon pail and a lance with chis-
eled end.
Why do some men chance the
pane-clear thin ice of early season
on Muscamoot Bay? Why risk a free
trip to Canada on the rotted pack of
late March? How come at 15 below
will a Houghton Lake ice man try to
pass the wispy end of two-pound test
through the eye of a No. 12 Aberdeen
hook soldered to a BB-sized teardrop?
Does he like the masochistic ache of
bare fingers stiff with cold?
Surely ice fishing must dredge up
our latent wills to test personal bound-
aries, indeed, to survive.
And what of those invisible
boundaries that vary with each ice
angler? To one, the limit is 15 feet;
to another 12 feet; and yet to another,
10. The challenge to each intruder
is to determine these Maginot lines
with exactness. Of course, that is only
when fish are being caught. Other-
wise, no one cares. And it is impos-
sible for someone to long hide the fact
that he is catching fish. The hunkering
shape, the barbless hook, the blur of
yellow as another perch flies into the
open bucket (doubling as a seat) are
all attempts at secrecy. But fish that
bang tails against a plastic bucket give
out the secret all too soon. And spies
do carry binoculars.
The intrusion begins as an attack
from the rear. First one, then two,
then a few more of the dark-clothed
interlopersall unseen by the intent
angler. Soon, a phalanx of 10 or more
inches forward, dropping their larvae-
tipped hooks into abandoned holes
and quietly drilling new ones with
hand augers.
Suddenly, the parka is whipped
offmuch like an NHL highsticker
who throws his helmet down and
rushes into battleand mittens are
flung to the ice and the challenge is
answered with a Back off, you beg-
gars!
A frontal or side attack is usu-
ally safer because the offense can
then watch for subtle signs that the
boundary is near. These signs vary:
the fish-cold stare, the barely audible
grunt, the angry wave of a hand, inci-
sors hanging over the lower lip. The
successful ones to steer clear of are
the veterans, easily identified by their
ragged Air Force flight pants with
zippers everywhere. Parka hoods are
fringed in fur, and the men wear thick
mittens that reach to elbows. They
wear bulbous Mickey Mouse boots
not the black Taiwan-made type but
the white, air-filled ones that used to
be made in the USA.
These are the hard-core guys
with brown streaks of tobacco juice
around their fishing holes. They carry
waxworms in old Copenhagen tins,
and they pinch depth finders onto
coat collars. Tools of their sport are
four or five ice rods, a dented Stanley
thermos containing black coffee, and
a plastic five-gallon pail with no lid.
They move only to change fishing
spots.
I like to think that I used to be one
of these wise old veterans. But not
during this winter of lousy ice. Excuse
me, but I have to refill the ice-cube
trays.n

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 Finicky Weather...

Open water or ice-fishing?

T
alk about finicky caught fish, really big fish, Stan- baits He fishes the PK Flutter bait
weather. Two weeks ton said with excitement building and PK spoons almost exclusively.
ago people were giv- in his voice. Our biggest was 12 Sometimes a Rapala Slab Rap
ing serious thought to pounds. We caught several ten works when they are really finicky,
getting summer clothes pounders too, he said. he said.
out, raking the yard and The walleye out of Huron, Ohio If this is your first ice-fishing
getting the garden ready. Some fish- preferred a trolling bite. Rapala outing, dress warm. If you have
ing guides were putting ice-fishing Husky Jerks and Smithwick P-10s snowmobile clothes wear them.
equipment back on the shelf were the best equipment to Youll be glad you did for the ride
for the season, opting for use for the most action. out and back. And dont forget to
open water action. Reports Fast forward a couple bring a helmet along for the ride out
began coming in about of weeks and conditions and back in. Its required by law.
ramps open but slippery. have changed. Thumb ice Stanton supplies all bait, lures,
Its no wonder that winter has tightened back up, es- rods and heated Otter Pro Lodge,
covers were being stowed pecially on the east side of insulated shanties. Youll be fish-
and put away, maybe for the bay. While ice condi- ing in a couple of minutes out of a One of Brandon Stantons
the season. Could this be tions may have improved, heated shack. clients with a nice walleye.
the earliest open water fish- fishing is challenging. I probably average 75% of
ing to date? Running two people who have never ice fished. I I toured their manufacturing
I dont
know whether
By Roger Beukema charters daily,
Stanton has a
show them how to hook their bait,
jig and other fishing techniques.
facility. Otter uses rubber b-bs that
are heated then roto molded into
to get the boat out, Elkton guide good handle when the bite it on. They learn what to look for on one piece for the tub. Because of
Brandon Stanton said. Stantons I like to be set up and ready to the sonar when fish start to come the way they are built, tubs dont
home waters are generally those go by 6 a.m. for the morning char- in Stanton said. When their day become brittle. There is nothing
around Michigans thumb area. ters, he said. Once it begins to get is done, they can take what they better that holds up for what I do,
We had good ice then it got light those fish scatter. learned here and fish other lakes Stanton said.
warm and windy and she broke up, Afternoon trips are similar. You using the same techniques and catch With colder weather predicted,
he said. Ive got to have my clients can see the bottom in 17-feet of fish. I enjoy guide trips teaching cli- more and more anglers are hitting
safety in mind so I wont be on the water at 6p.m. Walleyes may come ents the ins and outs of ice-fishing. the hard water. For fishing condi-
ice, at least for now. in, in a group but are very finicky. Im in my shanty fishing and they tions, or to book a trip visit team-
But Stanton found himself The bite is soft so we give them are in a separate shanty nearby so I gunsmokesortfishing.com or look
between a rock and a larger rock. He some line before setting the hook. If had better have shown them what to them up on Facebook. Call Stanton
knew ramps and water were open in one fish in a school moves out, the do to be successful. at (989-963-0215.)
Huron, Ohio. And he was confident rest of the school goes too, he said. Because of the constant use and Email the author at dutch-
that given a week or so, Saginaw Wait around for dark then the bite sometimes rugged ice shanties are beuk12@gmail.com and view his
Bay would be fishable. will improve. subject to, Stanton prefers Otter ice blog at opoutdoornotes.blogspot.
I didnt know what to do. Ive PK lures are Stantons go to shacks for durability. com.n
got people calling to charter every
day, he said. In the end the boat
came out of storage. Church Tackle Co. ALL MADE
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WNW NEWS MARCH 2017 75
 Parker

TROPHY PAGE
Brown, 13
took this fine
buck on the
morning
of Nov. 19.
That eve-
ning he also
took a spike
while hunt-
ing with his
grandpa
Robert
Gibson.

Ashley
Keeley of
Brown
City took
her first
buck, this
3-pt.

Ryan Honicke took this
beautiful 186 pound QDM
buck hunting Kalkaska Co.
opening day.
At the age of 85: Bill Kal-
meta is still hunting and
took this dandy 6-pt. the
afternoon of opening day
with a 45 yard shot!
Nevada Kennedy took this beautiful 10-
pt. hunting Midland Co. After experienc-
ing a gun misfire, she said, I made a
good shot, with my dad by my side, the
Lions got a win, what a wonderful way
to end Thanksgiving!

Twelve- Garner Akin, 12 harvested this nice

year-old tall 8-pt. buck opening day Nov. 15
Elizabeth hunting with his legendary Uncle
David, as his dad and his sister
Wilkins watched it all happen from another
took this blind nearby.
beauti-
ful 8-pt. Richard
during Wilson
the gun of Imlay
City took
season. this nice
buck ear-
ly Nov.
with his
Savannah Beachy, 13 crossbow
Tyler Palma took this trophy along with her dad in Mont-
9-pt. hunting Nov. 17. and her first buck. calm Co.

IN MEMORY OF TIM COUGHLIN

The Coughlin Family has been sharing their deer hunting trophy photos
from the Shepherd, Mt. Pleasant and Blanchard areas for many years.
This past season Tim Coughlin (left) lost his 18 month battle with cancer,
although he did hunt opening day of gun season until the pain was too
much. After being hospitalized for nearly three weeks Tim passed away
Dec. 10. Top row Lt-rt: Wife Jean Coughlin took a 4-pt. from Tims blind,
daughter Trixie Onstott took a 6-pt. from her dads blind. Son-in-law
Steve Onstott took two bucks Nov. 15 a 4-pt. and a 7-pt. Grandson Cooper Onstott took a
7 pt. during the youth hunt and a spike Nov. 9 from a blind built by Grandpa Tim. Brother-
in-law Jim Pifer an 8-pt. crossbow and an 8-pt. rifle. Nephew Cody Pifer took his 7-pt. Nov.
12. Nephew Keegan Pifer took a 4-pt. during muzzleloader season. Bottom row: Great
nephew Brady Pifer took a big 8-pt. during the youth hunt and another on Nov. 18! Great
niece Kylie Pifer took a late season doe. Great nephew Luke Pifer took a gun season doe.
76 MARCH 2017 WNW NEWS


TROPHY PAGE

Pete Miller of Fowlerville took

this trophy 13-point the last
day of muzzleloader season.

Sierra
Richard-
son, from
Helen Josephson 15 of Larry Ross Sr. took this huge Byron,
Clarkston, took this nice 8-pt. trophy book 10-pt. Dec. 17 dur- caught
during the youth hunt in Nate Schmidt took this dandy ing the muzzleloader season in this 28 lb.
Osceola Co. The antler restric- 11-pt. with his bow on Nov. Lapeer Co. Flathead
tions are paying dividends. 12 in Shiawassee Co. Catfish
in the
Shiawas-
see River
in May
of 2016
with a jig
and 8 lb
test.

At five-years-old, Gracie Mel-
lott of Grand Blanc took her
first deer with her crossbow
hunting with her dad, Seth on
Oct. 1 in Montmorency Co.
Claira Mae Campbell, 4 shows
off dads only squirrel of the
day hunting Allegan Co. Not
much in the freezer, but time
well spent in the woods.
Jacob Maki of
Manistique took
Ryann Milostan of Menomi- this dandy 11-pt in
nee first time hunting with
Schoolcraft Co. on
her dad Allan and she helped Dec. 4, with his 50
him drag one out. Allan loves cal. muzzleloader.
huntin with his girls.

Terry Gross-
bauer, took
this 215 lb.
trophy 8-pt.
Nov. 17 hunt-
ing Lapeer Patrick Sposato harvested
Co. this big bear in Alcona Co.
John S. Majewski of Saginaw had the best deer season ever. He took an
during the October bow
8-pt. with his crossbow Oct. 15, an 8-pt. with his muzzlerloader Nov. 17 only season.
and a late season doe. John credits his retirement for his success.

(Left) Alaina
Dokter took
this doe in the
youth hunt in Ten-
Oceana Co.
and year-old
Jillian Dokter Nathan
took her first
buck this 7-pt. Wrobel
the day after took his
Thanksgiving. first deer
Her sisters
had a great on Dec.
celebration 31.
with her. Elijah Reinbold, 7 of Bay
All in all a Jonah Yakes with City with first deer taken in
blessed year! his first rabbit! Otsego Co.
WNW NEWS MARCH 2017 77
 Letters, My Thoughts, My Views, My Opinions...
Confusion on the legality of keeping roadkill and other found deer
T
he hunting community
has often had mislead-
ing or incorrect infor-
mation on Michigans
hunting laws. Cer-
tainly over the years I
could write a book on what hunters
thought was correct but wasnt. At
times some folks would still believe
what they had heard from Cousin
Louie, rather than believe what I or
another Conservation Officer would
tell them. Or at least they still had
some doubt.
Tom Campbell, Woods-N-Water
New managing editor was contacted
by Rick Casey from Paw Paw about
the legality of several issues related
to keeping roadkill deer, remov-
ing antlers from dead deer, tagging
found dead deer, and a few others.
He has received conflicting informa-
tion and was hoping someone would
write an article explaining the cor-
rect answers to his questions.
Thats where I come in. Please
keep in mind, these are my opin-
ions! I did have these answers re-
viewed by a command officer from
the Law Enforcement Division and
he didnt have any issue with them.
Ricks first question; can a guest
hunter or a landowner pick-up and
I strongly disagree with MAPRs
Dear Woods-N-Water News:
I strongly disagree with the
article written by Michael Veine
that was published in the December
issue of Woods-N-Water News in
support of expanding areas with
mandatory antler point restrictions
(MAPR) in Michigan. Most impor-
tantly, MAPR are not necessary to
produce deer herds with plenty of
older-age bucks and theres ample
evidence to support that. During
the late 1980s through 1995, excep-
tional buck hunting was available in
the UP both in terms of quantity and
quality when spikes or better were
legal for hunters to shoot. Some
of the biggest-antlered and oldest
bucks on record for the UP were
taken by hunters during those years.
No less than four Boone &
Crockett bucks were bagged in
the UP during 1987, the biggest of
which was a 12-point typical tagged
by Louis Roy in Baraga County
that netted 184 7/8. Booners were
also shot in the region during 1988,
1989, 1990 and three during 1991.
One of the booners shot during 1991
was an 18-point nontypical netting
210 2/8, killed by Bill Smith, Jr. in
78 MARCH 2017 WNW NEWS
legally keep a
rack off a dead By Jeff Pendergraff will vary from
case to case. If
buck that was
found on private property (before,
during or after the hunting season)?
This is the most difficult ques-
tion to answer of all of Ricks ques-
tions. Let me began with saying
you can keep shed antlers of a deer
or elk at any time. Rest of Ricks
question will be as clear as mud.
The issue here is how did the
buck died? Has it been dead for a
long time or just a short period of
time? Was it poached or was it shot
legally by another hunter and not
recovered? The law said you cant
tag a deer you didnt legally kill nor
can you possess a dead deer that was
illegally killed.
You most likely dont have the
answer to these questions, your best
bet is to contact your local Con-
servation Officer and explain your
situation and see what the officer
thinks about your situation. The last
thing you want to be doing is have a
deer under these circumstances and
run into a Conservation Officer and
then try explaining what happened.
I realize that doesnt really answer
this question, put there is no clear
answer because the circumstances
Marquette County that was between
8 and 10 years old.
The reason buck hunting was
so good during those years without
MAPR is many hunters voluntarily
passed up young bucks. Voluntary
is definitely better than manda-
tory because each and every hunter
has the opportunity to choose for
themselves which buck they want
to shoot. Freedom of choice is what
this country is based on, not one
group of people dictating to another
what they have to do.
Its also important to note that
Mr. Veine came to some inaccu-
rate conclusions when he credited
MAPR for his excellent buck hunt-
ing success in an area of the UP
where those regulations were being
tried on an experimental basis. A
string of mild winters between 2001
and 2005 were responsible for his
success on UP bucks, not MAPR.
When mild winters coincide with
MAPR, the regulations are often
falsely credited for producing good
hunting when winter survival of
whitetails is responsible.
Even with the mild winters dur-
ing the MAPR experiment in the UP,
you dont know
how to contact your local CO, call
the Report All Poaching Hotline at
1-800-292-7800. This dispatch cen-
ter is open 24 hours a day and 365
days a year.
Rick continued with; if so, do
you have a legal obligation to report
the dead deer to the DNR?
This question was pretty much
answeredso I emphasis if there
are ever a question about any situa-
tion like this you should contact the
DNR. Call the Report All Poaching
Hot line (RAP) at 1-800-292-7800
they can help you with your ques-
tion and if need be put you in con-
tact with a Conservation Officer.
Next, does the rack from a dead
buck legally belong to the property
owner, the guest or the DNR when
found on private property.
We go back to the first ques-
tionif it was a shed antler then the
founder is the keeper. If there is a
dispute between the property owner
and guest then it would become a
civil issue not a criminal issue.
Another concern Rick had; I
realize you need a permit to keep a
deer when its hit and killed by a car.
the previous 5 years when spikes or
better were legal yielded more 4
and 5 -year-old bucks for hunters
than MAPR did. The reason for that
is when spikes or better are legal,
it takes pressure off of older age
bucks, which are usually the tough-
est for hunters to get. Hunters who
are happy with spikes and forks fill
their tags or get discouraged and
quit hunting. MAPR focuses all
hunting effort on rack bucks, often
reducing how long those bucks live.
Another reason regulations that
allow hunters to shoot spikes or
better produce more older-age class
bucks for hunters is some bucks up
to 5 years old have less than 3
points on one antler. Based on 10
years of data from UP DNR check
stations, 10% of 5-year-old bucks
had a maximum of 4-point antlers.
Check station data from the northern
LP showed the same thing. As many
as 20% of 2-year-old bucks had a
maximum of 4-point antlers in the
UP and an even higher percentage of
2-year-olds in the northern LP had
less than 3 points on an antler.
MAPR also prevent hunters
from filling tags with bucks that
Is the permit given to the owner of
the car or can it be given to anyone
in the area who wants the deer?
Prior to mid- 2014 if a driver of
an automobile hit a deer or bear they
could keep the animal once they
received a roadkill permit issued by
a Police Officer. If the driver didnt
want the animal the Police Officer
could issue a roadkill permit to any-
one who wanted the animal.
Since 2014 roadkill permits are
no longer issued, now a salvage
Dead deer questions page 80
have antlers that are large enough,
but on which hunters are unable
to count points before they are
gone. Ive interviewed a number
of hunters who have killed Boone
& Crockett bucks after only being
able to see one or two antler points
where spikes or better were legal.
If MAPR had been in effect, they
would have been forced to hold their
fire and may have missed out on the
biggest bucks of their lives.
MAPR favor hunters who hunt
from blinds or treestands and are
a major disadvantage for stillhunt-
ers, snow trackers and those who
participate in drives. But even when
stand hunting in thick cover, it can
be difficult to count antler points on
bucks that may only be visible for a
matter of seconds.
Due to disease concerns, ex-
panding MAPR is a terrible idea.
Its been proven over and over that
older-age bucks are more prone to
disease. The prevalence of TB in
the northeast Lower Peninsula re-
cently increased to the highest levels
theyve been at for years and regula-
Disagree with MAPRs page 80
 My Thoughts, My Views, My Opinions...
times, I would roll my eyes. I can
still rattle off word for word some
of the phrases my dad used when
reminding us about our gun barrels
or how to carry our arrows.
If anyone in our family would
have something happen to them,
or get hurt while afield I knew it
wouldnt be due a lack of education.
But as much as you can be pre-
pared, accidents happen. They hap-
pen every day, they can even happen
in the woods.
Two weeks before gun season,
my dad went out to work on his deer
blind. On the way out, he had to
cross an old farm fence.
A fence he had crossed hundreds
As soon as I heard his voice I
knew something was wrong, when
he told me he hadnt hunting I knew
something was seriously wrong.
His speech was starting to slur,
his voice quivered.
I pleaded with him to go to the
emergency room, but his stubborn,
old Navy attitude kicked in. He
wanted to wait until the afternoon.
Thankfully after several more phone
calls, he finally agreed to go see the
doctor.
By this time, the redness from
the cut had moved up past his elbow
and his entire arm was on fire. One
look and the doctor immediately
sent him to the emergency room

Its okhit the brakes!

of times over the past 30-years. where he was admitted. The E.R.
While bending down and mov- doctor hoped that he would be ad-

O
ing between the fences, his left wrist mitted for a couple days, the antibi-
was cut. Nothing major or deep otic would stop the infection and he
By Lane Walker lifelong memories with
ften the ourselves and to make but enough to bleed a little bit. He would be home by the weekend.
speed went out worked on his blind and But that didnt happen.
of life is friends and family. returned home. Once he was home, After two days, he was trans-
so fast, so chaotic, it Its a passion, a lifestyle. he cleaned the cut out with peroxide ported to Covenant in Saginaw, to
takes certain events But life threatening? Fellow and put anti-bacterial ointment on the Infectious Disease Unit.
to force us to stop outdoorsman and women pass away the wound. What followed were some
and pump the brakes. from hunting related accidents every Fast forward two weeks, it was tough days. The hospital staff was
Hunting has always produced year. opening day of gun season. One of fabulous but the infection was ugly
highs and lows, excitement and And while one fatality is too the most anticipated hunting days and aggressive. He was poked and
grief, anguish and glee, pretty much many, most hunters have never had of the year. During the day, he prodded, had scans to make sure
the whole gamut of emotions for the to see the grief side of hunting. noticed a little redness around the the infection wasnt traveling to his
Walker Family. But it happens and this past cut but the excitement of opening organs and brain.
My daughter shooting her first hunting season our family had to day dulled the pain enough to be an And lots of pain.
deer excitement! hit the brakes, step back and slow afterthought. After eight long days, he finally
Miscalculating the yardage down. The next morning was different. came home with a pic-line and had a
and shooting an arrow over a giant The sad thing is, it all started My dad hunts every day during deer nurse assigned to help care for him.
10-point anguish. with a little scratch. season, every day with no exception. But the doctor thought he was doing
But grief, its really hard to Ever since I was old enough I had to work so I called him around well and the infection was gone.
imagine how grief could be associ- to carry a gun or bow, my dad has 9:00 a.m. to see if he had seen any It seemed like all his drama was
ated with hunting without involving stressed safety. Gun safety, weapon deer. over, he was ready for one thing, he
a hunting accident or the death of a safety, tree stand safety, there seems Hey Bud, I actually didnt was ready to get back in the woods
hunting partner. to be no end to all the different ways make it out. I dont feel right, he
We hunt, to laugh, to challenge hunters need to stay safe. Often said. O.K. hit the brakes page 81

U.P. outdoor icon needs our help

F
or more than 30 years, Buck LeVas- healed on their own before and he figured the Fortunately, LeVasseur was able to recover
seur brought the outdoors into the same thing would happen. Instead, it got worse. from his brush with death and is on the mend
homes of thousands of UP residents The toe ended up getting infected and the infec- now, but medical bills not covered by insurance
who became dedicated fans, by way of tion spread into his leg. are piling up. So Colin started a gofundme ac-
his weekly television program Dis- Bacteria from the infection got into his count to seek help in paying those bills.
covering. After so many years blood stream. It got so bad that he I didnt know what to do, Colin said.
of being in the public eye, LeVasseur didnt know what was going on. He My dad didnt want me to tell anybody what
became a UP outdoor icon. wasnt able to think straight because was going on, but we have limited funds to pay
Medical issues forced Buck to the infection was so bad. the extra bills. I did some research and decided
retire several years ago. He now needs After we finally admitted him to to start the gofundme account. They take a per-
the help of those he entertained with the hospital, the doctors had to ampu- centage of the money that is collected, but most
his quality productions for so many tate his left leg above the knee, Colin of it goes for what it is intended for.
years due to a new set of health issues. continued. They put him on major an- There is a direct link to the Buck LeVasseur
During the last months of 2016, LeVas- tibiotics after he lost the leg. Then his gofundme account on the following website:
seur lost part of his left leg and almost liver and kidneys shut down, so they www906outdoors.com. Brian Whitens from
lost his life. had to put him on dialysis. Hermansville, who took over production of
Since Buck retired from out- By Richard P. Smith So much fluid eventually Discovering when Buck retired, maintains that
door television production, hes filled his stomach that it was website. Brian devoted a segment on a recent
been spending winters in Arizona with family pressing against his diaphragm and my dad had episode of Discovering to Bucks current situ-
members, including son Colin. a hard time breathing. They had to tap into his ation.
My dad arrived in Arizona on November stomach to take out the fluid. He was on life The fund had reached a balance of almost
2 last year, Colin said. He had a problem with support for 2 weeks. There were a couple of $3,000 after 16 days. Colin is hoping to raise
a toe on his left foot and he kept putting off times when we thought we were going to lose
dealing with it. Previous injuries to that toe had him. U.P. icon needs our help page 81
WNW NEWS MARCH 2017 79
 Letters, My Thoughts, My Views, My Opinions...
Dead deer questions: from page 78
permit is. If the driver wants to keep
the animal they can. If the animal is
found on the side of the road anyone
can claim the animal. The only re-
quirement is that anyone who picks
up the animal must obtain a salvage
permit by reporting it to the Report
All Poaching Hotline.
Ricks next concern; Its deer. But, let me say this. It doesnt
common to see the heads or antlers
My deer hunting suggestions
Dear Woods-N-Water News:
I suggest we eliminated the youth
hunt or at least make it an antlerless
season only hunt. Its disheartening
to know that you have a nice buck
in your area, and then see its picture
in the local paper that it we shot in
the youth hunt. I believe its much
easier to hunt in September when
the bucks are still in their bachelor
groups. Im certain if you want your
child to learn to be a good hunter,
starting them of with harvesting
does would be the ideal thing to do.
The second thing that Id like
the state/DNR to do would be
require bucks to have 3 or 4 antler
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80 MARCH 2017 WNW NEWS
removed off deer lying along the
roadway (hit by vehicles). Is that
legal or do the person(s) responsible
require a permit to take the any por-
tion of the deer?
This answer goes back to the
previous question. A salvage permit
is required to take any part of the
leave a good image in the minds
points on one side for three or four
year period allowing smaller bucks
to mature.
I have shot a few large bucks in
the past, but sure would like to see
more of the larger bucks, and let me
decide just which one to shoot. I
believe that Clare County had such a
thing done in their county. Then de-
cided to change back to the old way.
I believe that this has helped Clare
County despite returning to the old
laws they are still shooting some
trophy bucks in their county.
Sincerely
Keith Seltz
Gladwin, MI
Goats $325 & Up
Fallow Bucks
$900
of non-hunters to see deer on the tions by Rick Casey and the answers
side of roadways with their antlers will help you in the future.
or heads removed and just a body There another question that
lying there. If youre so inclined to has come up over the years and
remove the antlers, take the entire probably should be mentioned in
deer. You must know someone who the article. Are you allowed to go
can use the venison or removed the on private property to track your
deer from the roadway so the non- wounded deer?
hunting public cant see it. The answer is no. You need
Rick asked, When searching permission from the landowner to
for shed antlers in the spring on go on their property to track your
private property with permission or deer. If they say no, then its no.
on state land can you keep them or But, the property owner cant keep
do they belong to the state? the deer either. You cant tag a deer
You find them you keep them. you didnt legally kill.
If you can be there legally, then you Most important thing you
can keep them. should take from this article, if
Can a taxidermist legally there is a doubt in your mind, call
mount a pick-up rack with another the Report All Poaching Hotline
cape (as long as that cape was le- and get the correct answer. Every
gally taken and tagged)? situation is different and has
Yes, as long as everything is different variables.
legal with the antlers you picked-up. Author is Jeff Pendergraff, a
Thanks Rick these were excel- retired Captain from the Law En-
lent questions! I hope these ques- forcement Division of the DNR.n
Disagree with MAPRs: from page 78
tions requiring hunters there who negatives. MAPR encourages herd
purchase combination deer licenses growth, which can and has resulted
in higher winter deer losses and
to pass up young bucks are probably
partly to blame. damage to winter habitat. Severe
And MAPR are counter to winters kill bucks that hunters are
Michigans Deer Management Plan, forced to pass up, which is wasteful
which was recently approved by the and constitutes terrible management.
Natural Resources Commission. The MAPR were put in place in 12
mission of the plan is: to maintain a counties in the northwest LP start-
healthy white-tailed deer population, ing in 2013 under the guise the buck
using sound scientific management, harvest would return to pre-MAPR
maximizing recreational opportu- levels after a year of reduced buck
nities while minimizing negative
impacts on ecosystems and other
harvest and hunter numbers would
increase. After three years under
wildlife species and without creating MAPR, buck harvests remain below
undue hardship to private interests. 2012 levels and hunter numbers
MAPR does not maximize recre-
ational opportunity. It minimizes it.
There are examples where MAPR
have declined in those counties, too.
I prefer freedom of choice over
being forced to follow the lead of
have resulted in an increase of car/ dictators. I hope most other hunters
deer collisions and crop damage agree. After all, voluntary APR is
from deer rather than the opposite.
In fact, there are no biological
benefits to the deer population from
better for deer and deer hunting!
Sincerely,
Richard P. Smith
MAPR and there are a number of Marquette, MI
Dermestid Beetles at work!
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j.ohmer@yahoo.com
My Thoughts, My Views, My Opinions...
Great fishing trips on Lake Superior
U.P. icon needs our help: from page 79 and inland lakes for Salmon, Trout,
Pike and Smallmouth Bass

give more. Best of everything as

Left; Buck LeVasseur with successful hunter.
$20,000.
One of the people making a
donation on the secure site wrote,
Just wanted to recognize Buck
for all that he accomplished and
shared in his years on Discover-
ing. He is a living legend. Thanks
Buck, for bringing the greatness of
the UP and her people to our living
rooms over the years. Wish I could
you go forth to another segment in
your life.
Another wrote, We love you
Buck! Stay strong, stay positive
and know so many are pulling for
you. Stop grumbling.I can hear
you.
Anyone wishing to send cards,
letters and donations directly to
LeVasseur can send them to Buck
at 10401 N. Cave Creek Rd., Lot
171, Phoenix, AZ 85020.
Meanwhile Buck is going
through rehabilitation sessions.
Hes been using a training
prosthesis to learn how to walk
with an artificial leg. He told me
that is much more difficult to
learn how to use a prosthesis
without a knee.n

O.K. Hit the brakes: from page 79

and try to salvage what was left of with Dad was even more special,
gun season. even gratifying.
This year hunting season was One little scratch, one accident
much different, Dad missed more can cause a lot of problems. But
hunting days then he had the past thankfully, all of us are looking for-
ten years combined. After five nor- ward to some euchre and deer camp
mal days, he felt great and even was next year.n
able to remove his pic line.
Then on the sixth day, he woke
up and noticed redness near his cut
again.
This time he went right into the
doctors and they readmitted him
back to the hospital. He spent the
next four days having surgeries to 3415 South Portage
remove the now encapsulated infec- Jackson, MI 49201
tion. He grew tired of being poked (517) 740-6833
and prodded, but in the end he was WWW.JACKSONGAMEBIRDS.COM
thankful.
He was thankful that the infec-
tion didnt spread.
He was thankful that he was able
to go back home for Thanksgiving.
He was thankful that he will be
back in the woods next year.
It was a time for all of us to
pump the brakes of life and reflect Manufacturer of Fine Northern Hardwoods
on a lot of things. Going hunting Firewood
Buyers of by the Semi-Load
Standing Timber
Buyers of Standing Timber
SFI Trained Loggers and Forest Consultants
SFI Trained Loggers and Forest Consultants
Wildlife and
Wildlife andTimberland Improvements
Timberland Improvements
Select Cutting;
Select Clear
cutting; Clear cutting
cutting
Mechanized logging and handcutting
Mechanized logging and handcutting
Contact
Contact one
one of our buyers
of our buyerstoday
today
brad@billsbylumber.com or jim@billsbylumber.com
brad@billsbylumber.com
(616) 634-1522 or or (989)
jim@billsbylumber.com
544-9342
2725 Larch Rd. Harrison, MI 48625
(616) 634-1522 or (989) 544-9342
2725 Larch Rd.
www.billsbylumber.com

FIREWOOD BY T H E
Harrison, MI 48625
www.billsbylumber.com

SEMI-LOAD
WNW NEWS MARCH 2017 81

Top: Pfluegers Dexter hard rubber fly reel
was made in the early 1900s and sold for
about $1 retail. Bottom: A typical Pflueger
reel foot showing the reels 80 yard capac-
ity. Author photos
Top: The J. A. Coxe No. 15 nickel silver casting reel was made for just three years, 1939
through 1941 and retailed for $17.50. Bottom left: The reel foot showed the model and
the year it was made. In this case, Model No. 15 and 1941. One of the first ads for the
new Coxe freshwater casting reels from the April 1939 issue of Field and Stream.
82 MARCH 2017 WNW NEWS
Sporting Collectibles:
Its still out there
A
number of years ago I received a
telephone call from a gentleman from
Fenton, Michigan who wanted help
identifying a number of fishing reels
he had recently purchased at a local
auction. The auction in-
cluded stock from a local sporting goods
store that had closed its doors after many
years in business. One of the items of-
fered was a box lot of about sixty fishing
reels found in the stores reel repair area.
I told him that we could identify most
of them over the telephone since most
reels have the manufacturers name and
model number imprinted on
the head plate. Sometimes
the reels line capacity was By Terry McBurney
imprinted on the reel foot,
and in the case of Shakespeare reels there was
either a date or a date code engraved somewhere
on the reel.
I made a telephone appointment for later in
the week, because I knew that going through
sixty-some fishing reels would be a two cup of
coffee conversation.
As I expected, most of the reels were easy
to identify and included Shakespeare reels from
Kalamazoo that were made during the late 1930s,
as well as post-WWII models. There were also
Pflueger reels manufactured in Akron, Ohio;
Bronson and Coxe reels made in Bronson, J.C.
Higgins reels sold by Sears; and South Bend reels
that were contract reels made for them by Shake-
speare. Almost all were common casting reels or
automatic fly reels, except for the six reels I could
not identify.
I drove to Fenton that weekend to take a look
at the reels and double check my identification
and especially to see the six reels that I had asked
him to set aside. Two of the reels were what are
called raised pillar reels and made in the early
1900s. Unfortunately, most raised pillar reels
originally sold for very little and have small col-
lector interest. That left four reels one was a
hard rubber fly reel with no identifying
marks. The next was a rare J.A. Coxe
No. 15 casting reel that still ran smooth-
ly. The third reel was a Shakespeare
Marhoff casting reel dated 1912, and
the last reel was an extraordinary brass
#3 Kentucky reel made by B.C. Milam
in Frankfort, Kentucky. I had hit the
mother lode amazingly four of sixty
reels were rare to very rare
fishing reels.
The hard rubber fly reel
measured 2 -inches across
the side plate and was marked 80 on the bot-
tom of the reel foot meaning that it would hold
80 yards of silk line. The reel foots shape was
clearly from a Pflueger reel, so I started digging
through early Pflueger catalogs. The reel was an
early one and was first introduced in 1904-1905.
Pflueger called it the #104 Dexter, which was
made in five sizes - 25 yards, 40 yards, 60 yards,
80 yards and 100 yards, and wholesaled for $.16
to $.67 based on the size.
The reel was made from black hard rubber
with nickel-plated brass parts, had a permanent
clicker and a half-handle. The rubber side plates
were not reinforced, which created a problem
since hard rubber was brittle and easily broken.
Later Pflueger hard rubber fly reels came bound
with either nickel-plated brass or German silver
bands, which took care of this issue. The Dexter
fly reel is very rare for several reasons. Pflueger
sold other small inexpensive reels that competed
with it. I believe that the main reason for its scar-
city was that many of them did not survive the
hard use that anglers put them through the reels
broke and were thrown away.
The second reel was a J. A. Coxe No. 15 cast-
ing reel that was made in Bronson during 1939,
the first year that Coxe freshwater casting reels
were introduced. Joe Coxe, an ardent salt water
fisherman, gained his reputation building ad-
vanced big game reels in Los Angeles, California.
The Bronson Reel Company, whose forte was
freshwater casting reels and not larger saltwater
reels, purchased the Coxe Company during the
early 1930s to fill this gap in their lineup. They
moved everything to Bronson and started produc-
ing quality Coxe saltwater reels under Joe Coxes
supervision during 1936. Bronson also had Coxe
design his own line of freshwater casting reels,
the No. 25 free spool reel made of Bakelite and
nickel silver (retail $25), the medium priced No.
10 chromium-plated brass reel (retail $12.50),
and the No. 15 nickel silver casting reel (retail
$17.50). All three reels featured Coxe take-apart
cross-bolt construction, which during the intro-
ductory year proved to be difficult to take apart.
It was said that you needed three hands to do it.
The cross-bolt system was redesigned and
improved, and the style numbers were changed
by adding the letter C to designate the modi-
fication. The improved No. 15C casting reel
was made only during 1940 and 1941 and then
dropped because of Bronsons shift to wartime
production. The company did not resume making
this reel after the war making both the No. 15 and
the No. 15C very rare reels indeed.
A special note on J. A. Coxe reels the name
was written in cursive script and not block letters,
so people sometimes misinterpret the name as
Jaleoxe. The next time you are out searching
for J.A. Coxe reels, remember to also look for
Jaleoxe reels.
The third rare reel that came out of the box
lot was a William Shakespeare Jr. Company (W.
S. Jr. Co.) Marhoff Patent Level Winding Reel
Model 1912, which translates to the year, 1912
and not the model number which was actually
1946. The Marhoff reel is historically impor-
tant because of its level wind mechanism. Before
level wind mechanisms were added to casting
reels, the angler had to physically guide his fish-
ing line back onto the reel as he retrieved the line.
This was done with his left-hand if he was right-
handed. The angler would make his cast with his
right-hand and then shift the reel and rod to his
left-hand and then guide the line back onto the
reel with the line running between his thumb and
forefinger. This had to be done or the retrieved
line would bunch up unevenly. Eventually, this
became second nature for the experienced angler.
A second advantage to guiding the line back onto
the reel between his thumb and forefinger was
that the angler could detect soft strikes more eas-
ily.
Level wind devices had been around since the
late 19th century. Some of them worked poorly
and some worked better but still there were chal-
lenges. The Marhoff level wind patents were cer-
tainly the breakthrough patents for a level wind
system. His level wind system worked well and
would lay the line evenly upon the spool of the
reel. An early Shakespeare catalog proclaimed:
simple, practical and efficient mechani-
cal means to lay the line evenly on the spool
no line troubles, no back-lashing, no spool to
watch, no precarious gripping of the rod above
the reel seat while retrieving the line and playing
the catch. The Marhoff level wind became the
industry standard for many years to come.
The Marhoff Patent Level Winding Reel
refers to William Marhoff who was born on
October 24, 1869 the sixth of seven sons born
to Henry & Mary Marhoff in Buchanan, a small
community about seventy-five miles southwest
of Kalamazoo. The family moved to a farm in
Kalamazoo County in 1880, which bordered a
stretch of the Kalamazoo River well known for
its smallmouth bass fishing. The 1899 Kalamazoo
city directory shows Walter working as a machin-
ist at the Kalamazoo Shutter Company, maker
of behind-the-lens camera shutters, as well as
the first Shakespeare bait casting reels. Marhoff
briefly left the Kalamazoo Shutter Company but
soon rejoined the new Shakespeare Reel Works
as plant superintendent, developing a close
friendship with William Shakespeare Jr. Almost
immediately, Marhoff and Shakespeare were
patenting an array of new fishing reel designs for
the company.
In the summer of 1906 Marhoff left Shake-
speare again, this time to found The Marhoff
Reel Company. He received patent #833842 on
October 23, 1906 for an improved level wind
device and patent #853311 on May 14, 1907
for an improved clicker, frame and level wind.
He started manufacturing Marhoff level wind
reels sometime late in 1906, and the best guess is
that the company produced about one thousand
of them before he sold his company to Wil-
liam Shakespeare Jr. early in 1908 due to failing
health. Walter Marhoff rejoined Shakespeare until
his sudden death at home on Sunday, October 25,
1908. He died of tuberculosis one day after his
thirty-ninth birthday.
William Shakespeare Jr. introduced the
Marhoff Patent Level Winding Reel in the 1909
Shakespeare catalog paying tribute to Marhoff
for his friendship and his innovations by featur-
ing the reel in the catalog. The reels copy stated: Top: This early Shakespeare Marhoff Level
unquestionably the finest level-winding reel at Winding Reel, first cataloged by Shake-
the price, which is possible to produce. speare in 1909, was made in 1912. Middle:
The fourth reel was a B. C. Milam #3 brass Its level wind system became the industrys
Kentucky reel with the serial number 6694. It standard for years to come. Bottom: One of
was made in Frankfort, Kentucky most likely the early Marhoff Reel Company ads ran in
between 1883 when the company started using the May 1907 issue of Shields magazine.
serial numbers and 1896 when the companys
mark on the reel was changed with the addition

ITS SPORT SHOW TIME AGAIN....

of The Frankfort Kentucky Reel in an arch
above the B.C. Milam mark. Milam reels were
handmade, smooth running multiplying reels with
a gear ratio of slightly less than 4 to 1 and offered
Outdoorama, Feb. 23-26 during this period in ten different sizes from the
smallest #00 model (1 -inch diameter) to the
Suburban Collection Showcase- Novi largest #12 reel (4 -inch diameter). The #3 size
was the most popular and primarily used for bass
Ultimate Sport Show, March 16 - 19 fishing. Milam reels were made in brass and in
German silver (nickel silver), an alloy made from
Devos Place, Grand Rapids copper, nickel and zinc that does not contain
any silver! The word, silver, only refers to the
metals color, which can be polished to a high
Dick VanRaalte and I will again be setting up our antique displays at both the Outdoorama in shine and is reserved for the very best reels made.
Novi and the Ultimate Sport Show in Grand Rapids. I will be exhibiting my Made in Michi- I would like to acknowledge two excellent
gan fishing tackle collection and offering free appraisals on old tackle brought into the show. sources that I used for this article:
Dick VanRaalte, from Starboard Marine Restorations in Grand Haven, Michigan, will be Eric Jeskas excellent article The Worlds
exhibiting a display of vintage outboard motors. Dick will also be answering your questions Best Reel The Marhoff Story printed in the
and offering free appraisals. Bring in your fathers or grandfathers tackle box, old rods and November 2016 issue of ORCAs magazine, The
reels, or a vintage outboard motor. We will be happy to answer your questions, as well as offer
FREE appraisals. We are also interested in buying old sporting collectibles for our collections. Sporting Collectibles next page
Please stop by and enjoy our displays. We will see you there.
WNW NEWS MARCH 2017 83

Sporting Collectibles:
from page 83
Left: This valuable brass B.C. Milam Kentucky reel was made about
1890. Right: The reel was handmade by John Milam while his father,
B. C. Milam, ran the jewelry side of their business. Author photos
Reel News.
Fishing Reel Makers of
Kentucky by Steven K. Vernon and
Frank M. Stewart, III, published in
1992.
Feel free to contact the author at
Whats In Your
Ol d Tac k l e B ox ??
? ?
??
Terry
McBurney,
Woods-n-
Water News
staff writer and
fishing tackle
historian, will
be setting up his
antique fishing
tackle displays at
the Outdoorama
in Novi and the
Ultimate Sports
Show in Grand Rapids.
With a lifetime of
experience in the fishing
industry and author of
many magazine articles
on antique tackle, he will
be answering questions
and offering free
appraisals at each show.
COME IN AND MEET THE EXPERTS
Novi Outdoorama Grand Rapids Ultimate Sports Show
Booth 5150
February 23-26, 2017
Suburban Collection Showcase
Novi, Michigan
84 MARCH 2017 WNW NEWS
Successful fall
fish stocking
The MDNR announced totals from its fall fish stocking efforts. The
DNRs Fisheries Division stocked 10 different species totaling more than
300,000 fish that weighed nearly 8 tons. Fish were stocked at 99 locations
throughout the state.
It was another outstanding fall fish stocking season that will provide
enhanced opportunities throughout Michigan, said DNR Fish Pro-
duction Manager Ed Eisch. When added to our successful spring and
summer stocking efforts, that brings the total for 2016 to more than 34
million fish put into Michigans waters.
The number and type of fish stocked vary by hatchery, as each facil-
itys ability to rear fish differs because of water supplies and temperature.
In Michigan, there are six state and three cooperative hatcheries that
work together to produce the species, strain and size of fish needed by
fisheries managers. These fish then must be delivered at specific times
and locations for stocking to ensure their success. Most fish in Michigan
are stocked in the spring.
Fall fish stocking in 2016 consisted of 10 species including brook
trout, brown trout, lake trout, rainbow trout, steelhead, Atlantic salmon,
lake sturgeon, channel catfish, walleye and muskellunge.
Harrietta State Fish Hatchery (west of Cadillac) stocked five loca-
tions with 24,650 fall fingerling wild rose strain brown trout that weighed
1,445 pounds.
Marquette State Fish Hatchery (near Marquette) stocked 33,818 fall
fingerling and adult brook and lake trout that weighed a combined 3,999
antiquefishing@ comcast.net with pounds. These fish were stocked at a total of 53 locations.
your questions. Photographs are im- Oden State Fish Hatchery (near Petoskey) stocked 86,752 fall fin-
portant, so please send them. They gerling rainbow trout that weighed 1,329 pounds and seven Black Lake
help me with identification and give strain lake sturgeon weighing 1 pound. Oden stocked three locations
me an idea of the condition of the with these fish.
item.n Platte River State Fish Hatchery (west of Traverse City) stocked
41,976 fall fingerling Atlantic salmon weighing 2,560 pounds. These
salmon were stocked in Torch Lake (Antrim County) at two locations.
Thompson State Fish Hatchery (near Manistique) stocked 71,128
fall fingerling steelhead that weighed 847 pounds. Thompson stocked two
locations.
Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery (west of Kalamazoo) stocked three
species of fall fingerlings in 2016. These included 7,000 yearling channel
catfish weighing 1,543 pounds at five locations. These fish were part of a
cooperative agreement with Ohio. Wolf Lake also stocked 23,445 Great
Lake and 1,110 Northern strain muskellunge fall fingerlings that weighed
2,963 pounds and were stocked at 14 sites. Lastly, the hatchery provided
Joining him 14,423 Muskegon strain fall fingerling walleye that weighed 901 pounds
will be Dick
VanRaalte and were stocked at 15 sites.
of Starboard In general, fish are reared in Michigans state fish hatcheries anywhere
Marine from one month to one and a half years before they are stocked.
Restorations, For more information, visit Michigan.gov/hatcheries. To find out if
Grand Haven,
Michigan who will any fish were stocked in a favorite fishing spot, visit the DNRs fish stock-
exhibit part of his ing database at Michigandnr.com/fishstock/. Check out this short video
collection of vintage of staff from the Lake Erie Management Unit pulling fish from a walleye
outboard motors. rearing pond this past fall for stocking: https://youtu.be/-HspMj6H15M
With over 20 years of
experience restoring
old outboards, as well
as wood and fiberglass
boats, VanRaalte will also Hot Shot Outfitters
be answering questions
and offering free Ray Hoody
appraisals. They are also
interested in buying old
sporting collectibles for 4 Birds $
85 per gun
their collections.
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 Readers Choice Trail Cam Contest
Visit our website (www.woods-n-waternews.com) to vote for your favorite trail cam photo each
month. The photo with the most votes will receive a Woods-N-Water News mock Cover
from pagefeaturing
??
their photo. Once we have twelve monthly winners from our website, well ask you to choose the
Grand Prize winner which will get a new Stealth Cam.
Send your photos to: wnw@pageone-inc.com (please submit in jpeg format)
www.woods-n-waternews.com

Michael D. Ford of Dexter, has an old log home in Tennessee

and his trail camera was set up to catch intruders.

Mike Dyer, of Eagle, captured this outstanding trail cam photo of a coy-
ote jumping through a hole in a fencerow behind his home.

Rick Harris of Jackson County got this trail cam photo of five
bucks and of course one raccoon.

Kraig Staples caught this survivor from the season near

Doubling up this month on our trail cam page is Mike Dyer, this time Millersburg. Kraig comments, He might be a nice one next
with a rather special white-nosed whitetail. year if the coyotes dont get him.
WNW NEWS MARCH 2017 85
 2017 Pure Michigan Hunt winners
T
he MDNR announced the Im thrilled for the opportunity. tion purchased helps fund wildlife habitat 12-gauge shotgun Michigan Ducks
three winners of the eighth Farris expressed it similarly when he restoration and management in Michigan. Unlimited
annual Pure Michigan Hunt. said, Ive been hunting for over 30 years, Each winner receives elk, bear, spring Annual subscription, camouflage hat,
Michele Ketchum of Sparta mostly small game and waterfowl. I de- and fall turkey, and antlerless deer licenses current copies of publication and Outdoor
(Kent County), Richard Farris cided to apply for the Pure Michigan Hunt to be used in 2017. In addition along Print of the Year Michigan Outdoor
of Almont (Lapeer County) this year, now I cant believe I have chance with three hunting companions the win- News
and Jerry Peak of Crystal (Montcalm at a Michigan elk and black bear. ners will get first pick opening morning of Under Armour pop-up blind Ameri-
County) each won a pocketful of licenses Peak said initially he ignored the call the waterfowl season at any of Michigans step of Clio
and more than $4,000 worth of hunting from Russ Mason, DNR Wildlife Division premier managed waterfowl hunt areas. Terminator II crossbow Darton Ar-
gear. chief. I didnt answer the call because I Ketchum, Farris and Peak each also won a chery of Hale
I didnt believe it was real. Ive been didnt know the number. I let it be for a package of gear donated by Michigan busi- Go-Pro outdoor camera St. Clair Flats
applying for the Pure Michigan Hunt for few days and then eventually called him nesses and organizations.: Waterfowlers, Inc.
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game and deer hunter since I was young, it really caught my attention. long rifle Dick Williams Gun Shop of Williamsburg
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Custom waterfowl mount The Trophy
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Traps, DVDs, calls and more Michi-
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$100 Cabelas gift card Saginaw Field
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86 MARCH 2017 WNW NEWS
 Woods-N-WaterNews Classified Section
MISC.
A TEMPUR-PEDIC
M E M O RY FOAM
MATTRESS SET. Clean. Never
used. As seen on TV. Cost $1700.
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AN AMISH LOG
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AMISH LOG BEDS, ANY
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..............................................
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..............................................
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FOR SALE
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..............................................
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beaches. Long season. Quiet and
peaceful. COHO BEND - 231-723-
7321 www.cohobend.com. R/R-3-
8 $31.00 $31.25 $31.50 $31.75 $32.00 $32.25
..............................................
TRAILS END RESORT
on Big Manistique Lake, Curtis,
MI. Hunting, fishing, sightsee-
ing. 2 bedroom modern house-
keeping cabins. Boats, motors
and pontoon rentals. 906-586-
3515. RR-3-3
HUNTING LEASE
WANT TO LEASE: Our
hunting club members are high-
ly educated responsive profes-
sionals looking for 80 acres
plus hunting lease in southern
Michigan. Call Jim 734-788-
6668. HL-2-2
PROPERTY WONT SELL?
Responsible family will consider
any size acreage or location, with or
without cabin or outbuilding, may be
interested in purchase at end of
lease. Call Jay at 248-396-8322.
HL-1-3
..............................................
GOOD HUNTING/FISH-
ING! 200+ gated acres avail-
able for yearly lease. Boat
docks with power and boat
ramp. mile canal with 2
dredged channels to the
Saginaw Bay, casino within 1
mile. Perfect for hunt clubs!
References needed. Email
DJRMVP@gmail.com by
appointment only. HL-1-4
WANT TO LEASE
LOOKING FOR A HUNTING
LEASE within 1.5 hours from
Detroit MI. 40 to 100 acres. Willing
to pay $25.00 per acre. Ethical
hunter with No DNR violation. Will
not make any modification to your
land and will respect all of your
rules. will take off any tree stands
off after lease is complete.
September 1st to December 31st.
Please call Mike Hamie 313 205
2000. WL-3-2
..............................................
REAL ESTATE
LAKE FRONTAGE 35
acres with 860 ft. frontage on
Round Lake in Fountain,
Michigan. 575 acre lake with
sand bottom, good fishing,
hunting and trapping. Many
high and dry building locations.
Splits available. Many mature
oak, spruce and fir growing on
H-10-
property. Excellent investment
property. Reduced to
$499,000.00 Call 616-402-
5790. RE-3-2
160 ACRES MIDLAND
COUNTY. Hunting land, 32 x 32
log cabin and pond. Maple Syrup
shack, cement block garage and
screened outbuilding. Randy Minto
810-449-1286. rminto@c21metro-
brokers.com RE-3-1
..............................................
19.24 ACRES, Rolling Mature
Hardwoods. Build your Home in
Front the & Hunt the Back 90%
Wooded - 660 x 1310, paved road.
between Lapeer and Imlay City At-
tica Twp Lapeer County $129,900.
JustLandSales.com for pictures or
call me Tom Kinzer - 586-419-6716.
RE-3-1
..............................................
REAL ESTATE REAL ESTATE REAL ESTATE
THIS PROPERTY HAS IT NEW-55 ACRES, A Hunt- 139 MATURE WOODS,
ALL! A farm home, a pole barn. ing Lodge for your buddies,and a Pine River Flows thru the Center,
65 acres of tillable land, 19 acres of built in 2005- 2400 sq ft Home for 3 Acre Pond, Rolling, Big Oaks,
woods in Calhoun County. Call Jim the wife., 70% Wooded new pole Maples 90% Wooded, West of Pt.
at Faust Real Estate, LLC 517-902- barn, 3000 of River Frontage on the Huron, Wales Township. Dead end
6655. RE-3-1 Black River. just west of Carsonville. road. St Clair County $278,000.
.............................................. Bridgehampton Twp. Sanilac Coun- JustLandSales.com for pictures or
15.68 ACRES, Pine-filled Front, ty. $479,900 JustLandSales.com call me Tom Kinzer - 586-419-6716.
Sits High, Over-looking a duck and for pictures or call me Tom Kinzer RE-3-1
goose haven. 50% Wooded 518 - 586-419-6716. RE-3-1 ..............................................
x 1332 Goodland Twp Lapeer ..............................................
More Classifieds
County, north of Imlay City. $54,500 HUNTERS PARADISE IN
JustLandSales.com for pictures or ONAWAY - 2 bdrm/1 bath house -
call me Tom Kinzer - 586-419-6716. walkout basement -10 fenced acres
RE-3-1
..............................................
- 2 story barn - spectacular sunsets.
Call Sherri -989-858-6622. RE-3-1 Next Page
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Use one of these useful classified categories...
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(7) (8) (9) (10) (11) (12)
(13) (14) (15) (16) (17) (18)
(19) (20) $30.00 $30.25 $30.50 $30.75
$32.50 $32.75 $33.00 $33.25 $33.50 $33.75
$34.00 $34.25 $34.50 $34.75 $35.00 $35.25
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WNW NEWS MARCH 2017 87
 Woods-N-WaterNews Classified Section
DOGS DOGS DOGS

GUNDOG TRAINING AT GERMAN SHORTHAIR CHESAPEAKE FE-

ITS BEST! by Paul
Rheaume. Over 30 years
experience with pointing and
flushing breeds. All inclusive 4
week class that is customized
to meet your dog's needs.
Excellent for young dogs start-
ing out, for experienced dogs
tuning up, or for dogs with
issues. $600. Find us on
Facebook or online http://gun-
dogtraining.webs.com.
Rheaume's Kennel. (989) 864-
8606. D-11-6
email: wnw@pageone-inc.com website: www.woods-n-waternews.com
POINTER PUPS: Males
and females available. Excel-
lent hunting dogs and superb
family pets. Close working
dogs with strong point and
retrieve instincts. Reasonably
priced for the sporting family.
Money back guarantee. Eulen-
hof Kennels, Gladwin, MI.
http://www.eulenhof.com
989-426-4884 D-2-2
Classifieds work!
MALE 18 months old, obe-
dience trained, collar condi-
tioned, steady to shot, top
pedegree $1,200. Call Tom at
(810) 724-0254
Monday-Friday 9am-5pm
St. Clair Chesapeakes 810-
650-4711. D-3-1
Subscribe
Today!
or try our website
woods-n-waternews.com
(810) 724-0254

PAGES 88 - 97
PINE LAKE PROPERTY - PRICE REDUCED!! REAL ESTATE AUCTION
110 Acres * Birch Run Twp. * Saginaw County
$80,000.00 DON'T MISS THIS ONE! SALE SITE: Birch Run Knights of Columbus Hall. 11105 Dixie Highway, Birch Run, Mi.
1 mile north of M-83 on Dixie Highway

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 6:00 PM

110 Acres Vacant Land Section #13 * Birch Run Twp.
110 Acres Vacant Land Large wooded area with big Saginaw County
46.2 FSA tillable acres hardwoods on the property. Directions to the Property:
Not rented for 2017 Creek crosses property. 3 miles east of Birch Run on
Good productive soils Very nice looking piece of M-83 to Block Rd. Turn north
throughout property. 1 miles to the property
Feel free to walk/inspect the
Farm has random tile with property at your convenience
good outlet access. Bloom Family, Owners
See www.PavlikLLC.com for all maps, aerials, and information

Parcels C & D on survey are 11.81 wooded acres on a private spring fed lake in www.PavlikLLC.com

Mecosta County. This is a hunter's and fisherman's paradise complete with 705
feet of lake frontage. The Southwest corner of the property is 80 feet above lake
level and gently slopes downward to an expanding vista of lake frontage. All
lake front property surrounding this lake is owned by five individual owners.
There is privacy galore! But, if you prefer more action, Chippewa Lake, an all OGEMAW COUNTY GLADWIN COUNTY ROSCOMMON COUNTY
sports lake, is only one mile away. There is a well on the property (condition Lots 4 & 8 Partridge Lane River Oaks Point 402 Reindeer
Lot 4 is 3.9 acres & Lot 8 is 2.3 Build your dream home on this 4BR/2BA home with Houghton Lake
unknown). Motivated seller! SEV is over $65,000.00 This land would make an acres. Enjoy lakefront living large waterfront lot on Smallwood water access! Huge yard, big rooms,
on this quiet, peaceful lake in Lake. This beautiful all sports lake new carpet & paint welcomes you
excellent hunter's retreat, fisherman's camp or a campground. It has to be seen Southern Ogemaw County. This lot has over 663ft of water frontage, into this home. This home features
60 acre lake has fantastic views dock, well & electric already in! water access, docking on Houghton
to be appreciated. and great fishing! Just minutes Located on a privately secluded cul- Lake with large pavilion and play
For more information call from West Branch. Priced at
$32,900 each lot
de-sac with great fishing, boating
or just relaxing. $149,900
area for the family. Great home
priced to sell! $119,900
734-325-3103 or 989-463-2975 Contact Kyle Kigar
209 W. Cedar Ave.,
Thomas B. Camp Alma, MI 48801 Gladwin, Michigan 48624
(989) 429-1730 KIGAR
88 MARCH 2017 WNW NEWS
 HUNTING LAND FOR SALE

BRANDON CROPSEY CHUCK KEEFER JAKE EHLINGER SHAD WOODRUFF SHAWN KELLEY TONY HANSEN
Broker, Land Specialist Agent, Land Specialist Agent, Land Specialist Agent, Land Specialist Agent, Land Specialist Agent, Land Specialist
Michigan Central Michigan Southeast Michigan West Central Michigan Southeast Michigan Central Michigan
(269) 816-3010 (989) 600-4112 (517) 937-2118 (989) 330-4032 (586) 292-1812 (269) 420-9510

CONTACT AN AGENT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT BUYING AND

SELLING HUNTING, FARMLAND AND TIMBERLAND

whitetailpr operties.com
Whitetail Properties Real Estate, LLC | dba Whitetail Properties | In the State of Nebraska DBA Whitetail Trophy Properties Real Estate LLC. | Dan Perez, Broker - LIC in IL, IA, KS, KY,
MO, NE, OK | Jeff Evans, Broker - LIC in AR, CO, GA, IL, MN, TN, WI | John Boyken, Broker - LIC in IN | Kirk Gilbert, Broker - LIC in OH | Johnny Ball, Broker - LIC in AR | Bob Powers,
Broker - LIC in TN | Brandon Cropsey, Broker - LIC in MI | Chris Wakefield, Broker - LIC in TN | Sybil Stewart, Broker - LIC in AL, MS, LA | Joey Bellington, Broker - LIC in TX

MI_WNW_ad_9.83x13.indd 1
WNW NEWS 1/27/17
MARCH11:01 89
2017AM
 231-652-7000
- or -
231-250-8200

WE NEED LISTINGS 40+ ACRES AND LARGER

783+/- ACRES, 359+/- ACRES,
TUSCOLA &
IOSCO GENESEE
COUNTY COUNTIES

1 Mile Frontage Tawas

30 Acre Private Lake, 3,400
sq ft Custom Lodge,
$
1,950,000
Lake, Kunze River 70x70 Pole Barn, 60x120
Crosses Property, 5 Pole Barn, 2 Rental
Bedroom Log Lodge, 3 $
Miles from East Tawas 1,250,000 Houses, 26 Ladder Stands,
5 Elevated Box Blinds

Antrim County, 52+/- Acres Barry County, 80 Acres Calhoun County, 67+/- Acres
Alcona County, 240 Acres, Alpena County, 316+/- Acres, Good Trails Rolling Hardwoods, Pole Barn 5 Bedroom, 6 Bath Custom Home, Branch County, 43+/- Acres, Big Bucks, Calhoun Co, 61 Acres 300 ft. All Sports Prairie Lake,
House, Barns, Pond, Stream, Food Plots Lodge sleeps 10, Professionally Managed Forest with Living Quarters, Excellent Hunting 3,000 ft. on Dake Lake Cold Creek Crosses Property, Nice Woods 2,500 ft. St. Joseph River, Excellent Hunting 1/2 Tillable, 1/2 Wooded
$499,000 $439,000 $129,000 $1,650,000 $136,500 $139,900 $275,000

L D L D
SO SO

Missaukee County, 80 Acres Newaygo County, 5+/- Acres

Calhoun County, 70+/- Acres Calhoun Co, 86+/- Acres Jackson County, 54+/- Acres, 2,000 ft Kalkaska County, 40 Acres, Cabin, Barn, Mason County, 35+/- Acres, Farm Land Pond, Professionally Managed 557 ft White River Frontage, 1/2
House, Pole Barn, Pond, River, Elevated Blind 750 ft. Frontage on Prairie Lake,
Big Buck Hunting, Outbuildings Grand River Frontage, Trail System Trout Pond, Excellent Hunting on 2 Sides, Heavy Bedding Cover Forest, Food Plots Open, 1/2 Wooded
$289,000 $349,000 $179,900 $115,000 $52,500 $129,500 $41,000

LD
O
S

Newaygo County, 36+/- Acres Newaygo County, 40 Acres Newaygo Co, 80 Acres Newaygo County, 80 Acres Newaygo County, 80 Acres Newaygo County, 80 Acres Newaygo Co, 99 Acres,
Farm Land, M-37 Frontage, 1000s of Heavily Wooded, Excellent Close to Federal Land, Pole Barn, Rolling Hardwoods, Great Rustic Cabin, Pond, Nice 4,600 ft. White River Frontage, Planted Pines, Great Cover,
acres Public Land 1/2 mile Away Hunting, Building Sites Great Hunting Hunting, 2 Bedroom Mobile Woods, Good Trail System Great Hunting and Fishing County Road Frontage
$50,400 $60,000 $140,000 $150,000 $129,000 $189,000 $198,000

I NG LD
END SO
P

Newaygo County, 125 Acres, Three Newaygo County, 160 Acres Oceana County, 100+/- Acres Osceola Co, 54+/- Acres Osceola County, 167 Acres Presque Isle County, 47+/- Presque Isle County, 80 Ac
spring fed lakes, Excellent Deer, Frontage on 9 Mile Rd & Cottonwood Rd, Remote Property, Nice Forest, 650 ft. Frontage Nice Cabin, Good Trail Acres, 2 Bedroom House, Pole Presque Isle Co, 63+/- Ac Creek Frontage, 24x24 Garage,
Turkey and Waterfowl hunting Adjacent to National Forest Good Deer Population All Sports Grass Lake System, Excellent Hunting Barn, Excellent Hunting Carp Creek, Food Plots, Hunting Blinds Excellent Hunting
$375,000 $400,000 $150,000 $225,000 $399,000 $99,000 $69,300 $90,000

www. WildLifeRealty.com
90 MARCH 2017 WNW NEWS
 Recreational Property Leaders
List and Buy with the Experts
www.TrophyClassRealEstate.com
877-843-0910
160 Acres, Small Lake,
Ponds & Cottage
Property is wooded
with established blinds,
versatile terrain, rolling
hills, creek beds, 2-tracks
and approx. 55 acres of
quality AG land.
MONTCALM COUNTY
#16014410
$550,000
33 Acre Estate with
Stunning Home &
Amenities
5200sf contemporary open
floor plan, guest house,
sauna, stables, pastures,
pool & tennis court. Hunt,
trail ride & snowmobile in
the stately woods! Beautiful
Gull Lake one street away.
KALAMAZOO
COUNTY
#16060391
$1,295,000
40 Acres North Branch of
White River!
Deer (they like the river),
grouse, turkey, mushrooms!
Fish for browns, rainbows
& steelhead. Nice mobile &
Garage.
OCEANA COUNTY
#16034042
$164,900
Great 40 acre hunting camp
Off the grid with generator, LP
systems, well and septic, 2
wood burning stoves. Sleeps 14
and adjoins state land for plenty
of hunting, grouse, deer and
bear. Shed workshop. Near ATV
snow trails and Fox river.
SCHOOLCRAFT COUNTY
#1818121
$89,500
GRAND HAVEN
233 WASHINGTON, SUITE 202
GRAND HAVEN, MI 49417
(877) 843-0910
5 Beautiful Acres, Pond,
Creek, Inviting Home
Spacious home abuts
state/fed land, Mud Creek
frontage, oversized 2 car
garage, additional outbuilding
with many possibilities. Hunt
from home and enjoy the
areas amenities!
OSCEOLA COUNTY
#16038226
$375,000
40 Acres Wooded with
Charming Residence
Great hunting grounds with
good history for deer, birds
and small game, food plots,
3 bed/2 bath home, 20x30
bldg with heat and water.
Farmland boarders property.
GLADWIN COUNTY
#16042353
$239,900
Pristine 80 of Lake Michigan
frontage with Log Home!
The views are incredible
and the 3 bed/2 bath home
is cozy and inviting. Nestled
on private wooded lot!
ALLEGAN COUNTY
#16051578
$775,000
80 Untouched
Recreational Acres
Rustic cabin in Big Island
Wilderness Area. Bear Sign!
Cabin has water, LP gas
lights, wood stove.
UP DELTA COUNTY
#1807316
$169,000
160 Acres with impeccable
log style home!
2100sf, 3 bed/3 bath built with
unmatched quality. Hunters
dream property! Hardwoods,
cedar swamp & creek, ridges,
trails, blinds, adjoins public
land, pole building.
IOSCO COUNTY
#1822401
$499,900
TRAVERSE CITY
4249 US 31 S
TRAVERSE CITY, MI 49685
(231) 233-3575
WNW NEWS MARCH 2017 91
 Diane JJ John Matthew
Ives Earl Miller Farkas
(989) 306-0372 (989) 350-1711 (989) 217-0745 (248) 884-8616
NORTH FORK RANCH Michigan Hotel For Sale. Exceptional Opportunity
Executive Home Retreat with 2700-Ft Grass Airstrip on 400-Acres Historic hotel in downtown Sault Saint
PRIVATE AIRSTRIP of Pristine Rolling Woodland with Food Plots, Trout Stream and Marie overlooks the famous Soo
Ponds. Built with Full 16 Logs shipped from Montana, Perfect Locks. The Ojibway Ramada Plaza
for Entertaining. Motel Style Guest House with 3-Units Sleeps 6. has 71 rooms, spacious suites w/
Bunk House sleeps 9 with Bathroom and Kitchenette. Airplane
Hangar and Outbuilding next to the Airstrip. Garage across from spa tubs, award-winning Freighters
Main Home has Huge Commercial Kitchen that is Heated with Restaurant and Captains Pub. Indoor
Central Air. Corral is Fenced for Horses. pool, sauna & gym. Busy tourist area.
$2,700,000 400 ACRES $8,500,000
Manitou Shores Resort DETROIT HUNT & FISH CLUB SOUTH BRANCH, MI 2 PRIVATE LAKES
Experience Breathtaking Sunrises and Sunsets, Huge Lodge Accommodates about 20-People with Large
Northern Lights, Great Lakes Freighters, Beautiful Kitchen and Caretakers Quarters. Lakes are Exclusive to this
Beaches, and wildlife from one of the Modern Cedar Log Property and have never had Gas Operated Motors on them.
Cabins and housekeeping units that sit on Lake Hurons The first Lake is about 20-Acres and about 90-Feet Deep with
shore on Manitou Beach. Year-round Outdoor Paradise Pike, Bass, Crappie. Lots of Wildlife including Deer and Bear
with unlimited woods and water recreation adventures: on the Property. The Second Lake is Shallower and excellent
lighthouses, boating, hiking and biking trails, mushroom Waterfowl Hunting. Miles of Trials Throughout this Property
hunting, fishing charters, shipwreck diving and more. give easy access.

$1,200,000 12 ACRES LAKE HURON $1,140,000 760 ACRES

SOLD! SOLD!

CLEAR LAKE ATLANTA, MI
Spectacular Views, All-Sports Premier Clear Lake with 200-Ft of Frontage and
185-Ft of Stone Sea Wall. Paved Road borders Clear Lake State Campground
and 1000s of Acres of State Land. Excellent Rental History. Caribbean-Like
Water, Sand. Most of Shore Line State-owned, minimal homes on the Water.
$329,900
GARLAND GOLF RESORT LEWISTON
On the 4th Tee of the Fountains Course, a Championship course. With 3-BD,
3 BATH, this log home offers seasonal or year-round amenities. Located
just south of Lewiston, home to East and West Twin Lakes, both All Sports
Lakes and a marina. The association will soon be gated for extra security.
$279,000
ORGANIC DAIRY FARM
Former Organic Dairy Farm Certified Organic Mineral
Rights Included. Creek runs through excellent hunting
property. Several outbuildings. Milking Equipment
Available.
$400,000
CROOKED RIVER 5 ACRES
Beautiful 2 BD home on Crooked River. Secluded yet near town. 5 wooded
acres w/ 1-room guest cabin. Tastefully decorated with unique wooden spiral
stairs to large loft area w/ half bath. Amazing view from 4-season sunporch.
Generator hook-up, 220 amp service to big garage. Plenty of storage.
$159,000

12412 STATE ST., ATLANTA, MICHIGAN 49709 (866) 637-8851

9326 S. M-37 | P.O. Box 843

Baldwin, MI 49304
www.cbnwr.com
231-745-4646

11+ Acres, 25 Acres, 2+ Acres, 4+ Acres, 9 Acres,

3 Bed 2 Bath, 1 Bed 1 Bath 2 Mobile Homes 2 Bed 2 Bath 2 Bed 2 Bath
MLS 16046586 $79,900 MLS 16057584 $69,900 MLS 00000000 $25,000 MLS 16040198 $39,900 MLS 16044803 $46,900

1+ Acres, 10 Acres, 6.5 Acres, 10 Acres, 5 Acres,

3 Bed 1 Bath 2 Bed 2 Bed 1 Bath 3 Bed 1 1/2 Bath 2 Bed 1 Bath
MLS 16042664 $49,000 MLS 16028581 $45,000 MLS 16043976 $65,000 MLS 16021240 $129,900 MLS 17001818 $38,900

VACANT ACREAGE - LOW DOWN LAND CONTRACT TERMS

Parcel 2- Affordable 5 Acre parcel, level- liberally wooded with a mix of hard Parcel 4- Wooded 7 Acre parcel. Just a hop skip and a jump away from the
and soft wood. Excellent for hunting and outdoor pursuits, close to State Manistee National Forest. Excellent for wildlife viewing, camping, building, and
Land & right in the heart of ORV country. Additional acreage available. more! MLS 17003144 $23,900
Taxes based on a larger parcel. MLS 16056905 $17,900
Parcel A- Nicely wooded 20 acre parcel with Federal Land to the North
Parcel B- 5+ Acre parcel level, with a mix of hard and soft wood. Enjoy superior and the East. Easy access to trails. MLS 17003554 $46,900
hunting opportunities on property across the street from Federal Land. Additional
acreage available. Taxes have not yet been assessed. MLS 16058075 $17,900 Parcel D Wooded 20 acres with Federal Land close by. Wonderful spot
for up North play. Easy access to trails and endless hours of recreational
Excellent small parcel for camping or building. Adjacent to State land, yet still activities. MLS 17003558 $44,900
quite accessible. Wooded and fairly level. MLS 17003092 $6,900
Parcel E Federal Land borders this nicely wooded 20 acre parcel to the
Parcel 2- 2+ Acre parcel close to the Manistee National Forest. Utilize for North. An excellent getaway to experience all northern Michigan has to
camping, building or other pursuits. MLS 17003139 $10,900 offer. MLS 17003559 $44,900

Parcel 3- Wooded 2+ Acre parcel for camping, building, hunting or other Parcel F Excellently located 20 acre parcel with Federal Land bordering two
recreational use. Close to the Manistee National Forest. MLS 17003142 $10,900 sides. Small 24x32 unfinished hunting cabin. MLS 17003561 $48,900

92 MARCH 2017 WNW NEWS

 108 ACRES GENESEE COUNTY RANDY MINTO 79 ACRES
Always Working Hard for You!

REALTOR
SHIAWASSEE RIVER SHIAWASSEE LAKE Direct: LAPEER COUNTY
Unlimited Outdoor Fun. Great Building site with
Great Development possibilities.
810.449.1286 Amazing Home Over 5,200 sq ft of Living Space
& Outdoor Entertainment. Gorgeous property,
- OR -
Lake & Riverfront. Office:
8 ponds. Very Private and Secluded.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzDqDMo9cHc www.youtube.com/watch?v=fn16uM6g7aE
*DV 810.653.4500
$775,000 $1,265,000 *DV
SPECIALIZING IN UNIQUE, LUXURY AND LARGE RECREATIONAL PROPERTIES
DEER & NATURE LOVERS DREAM PROPERTIES
*
D 128 ACRES GENESEE COUNTY *
D
V V

LAPEER COUNTY 5 ACRES LAPEER COUNTY 78 ACRES

Newly Renovated, 41 tillable acres, 3 ponds, 65% Wooded. Awesome 2,238 sq ft Ranch Home with Finished
Great Development & Commercial Possibilities. A Rare Gem!
Great Country Farm House, 2,600 sq ft home, Large Pole Barn.
Walkout Basement. 32 x 56 Pole Barn.
$599,900 Amazing kitchen and Jacuzzi house. $229,000
$584,500
* LICENSED DEER RANCH *
D
V
D
V
PRIME HUNTING! DV* AMAZING PRICE ALCONA COUNTY

$1,350,000
34 ACRES 80-100 DEER
GENESEE COUNTY 20-25 TROPHY BUCKS
PINE RIVER 156 ACRES
Licensed Deer Ranch in Davison. 6-car garage, pond, 5 blinds, 4-BR on Pine River. Bear, Deer, lots of Wildlife. Apple
3 lg feeders, Lg polebarn. 4BD, 3BA, walkout & up basement. Orchard. Fish and Canoe the River. New Roof, New Price!
$849,000 $299,000
*
D 257 ACRES ST. CLAIR COUNTY
SANILAC COUNTY 80 ACRES
V
ALPENA COUNTY
PREVIOUSLY
AMAZING 840 ACRES
PHEASANT
200 TILLABLE ACRES 4 Cabins and 2 hunting camps, 2 pole barns, Duck Marsh, Trout
PRESERVE pond, 05 Tractor w/equip., 1 ATV, stocked toolshed, 11 heated
Great farming, income producing, Pheasant Preserve blinds/feeders/food plots, miles of trail systems on Wolf River
Possibilities, over 1/2 mile on Belle River, multiple and Widner River. 5-mile private entrance. Hardwoods, pines and Deer Hunters Dream Property, Private, 2-streams.
Outbuildings, 2 Ponds. 150 acres of cedar swamp. Fantastic wildlife; Trophy Whitetail Large Elevation changes.
$1,250,000 Deer, Black Bear, Bobcat, Coyote, and Wild Turkeys abound.
$275,000
*
D GENESEE COUNTY GENESEE COUNTY GENESEE
V 25 ACRES 26 ACRES COUNTY

30 ACRES LAPEER COUNTY

7.5 ACRES
Amazing Barn Home, over 2,000 sq ft. Walkout basement.
Awesome loft rec room. Nicely renovated Second home, 1,116
15 Acres zoned Commercial.
Great building site, walkout.
Great Building Site, 4 splits
available. Zoned Ag. Paved
$259,900
sq ft. is a rental, $850/mo income potential. Wooded. Road, Corner Lot. Beautiful updated Ranch Home, Finished Basement, Pole Barn
$369,900 $239,000 $119,900 & Creek Views of Sugar Bush Golf Course. Davison Schools

*
D OSCODA MECOSTA COUNTY MIDLAND COUNTY
V COUNTY
3900 sq. ft. Amazing
log interior with knotty
32 ACRES 160 ACRES 120 ACRES CLARE COUNTY
pine, custom built. Abuts Rustic 2-story Hunting Cabin w/
500+ acres Federal land Rustic Log Home, Organic fireplace, well, septic, on Hunters Prime Hunting & Nature Lovers Dream Property. 90%
(land locked).
20 ACRES Farm, 11 tillable acres. and Nature Lovers Dream property. wooded, hardwoods, pines & cedars. Nice hunting cabin
$279,000 $99,800 $289,900 built 2001. 2BD & 1BA. 5 Deer Blinds. $299,900

* LAPEER COUNTY
D 86 ACRES
*
D LAKE OGEMAW MARINA
*
D 72 ACRES
V V V

LAPEER COUNTY
OGEMAW COUNTY
Gorgeous Updated Home, Ponds, Waterfalls.
Fantastic Development Opportunity. 30-2 Acre lots Own your own Marina! Located on a 600-acre Private All-Sports Barn with 6/stalls. Truly a Deer Hunters, Nature
approx. currently zoned agriculture. Lake. 16 Boat Slips, Turn-key operation. 225 ft of Lake Frontage.
Avalon Pontoon Dealer.
& HORSE LOVERS Dream Property.
$550,000 $650,000 $895,000

DRONE
*DV VIDEO GO TO: MIDREAMPROPERTIES.com
OR CALL 810-449-1286
WNW NEWS MARCH 2017 93
 Offices Serving Lower & TARGET REAL ESTATE SPECIALIZES IN
WATERFRONT HOMES AND HUNTING PARCELS

Upper Michigan
WE REPRESENT BUYERS AND SELLERS
OSCODA AU GRES
Bringing people and places together since 1945
VISIT OUR WEBSITE TODAY!
statewiderealestate.net
227 of sandy frontage on Cedar Lake in St. 150 of Lake Huron frontage. Rare wooded building
Houghton Georges Point Subdivision. Build your dream home lot is 380 deep and priced below SEV. Natural gas
on this .74 acre lot surrounded by upscale homes. and city water are available at the street.
MLS 1826558 $124,000 MLS 1746047 $250,000
Marquette
Newberry GREENBUSH-$15,900, Fantastic natural setting with 115 of frontage on 1075 acre Cedar Lake. Nice building
Curtis
site on a well wooded lot. Pine, cedar, and birch cover most of the lot. Located just north of Oscoda with the AuSable
Iron Mountain Manistique
River and thousands of acres of State and National forest just minutes from this building site. MLS#1815681
Gladstone TAWAS CITY-$19,900, Several building lots totaling .91 acres. Natural gas, electric, city water and sewer are
Escanaba Onaway available. Just a short distance from town, Tawas Bay and all products and services offered in the area. The lots are
Powers Hawks well wooded and front on both North River Street and Jefferson. MLS#1823999
Menominee Hillman EAST TAWAS-$24,900, Wooded building lot in area of newer homes. The 155x371(1.33 acre) lot includes a
Alpena
Marinette
Atlanta cleared site. Natural gas and city water available. MLS#1810535
Mio Harrisville EAST TAWAS-$29,900, Nice 10 acre parcel close to downtown East Tawas. Rolling terrain w/Oak, Red, and
White Pine. Potential for a pond in front of a possible building site! MSL#1813608
GREENBUSH-$54,900, 45 acres of hunting land off the beaten path. This rolling parcel is heavily wooded with
hardwoods and evergreens. Call today. MLS#1799569
Skidway Lake
WHITTEMORE-$195,000, 120 acre hunting parcel. Diverse terrain with red oak, white oak, and red pine.
Numerous areas for food plots. Deer, turkey, partridge and other game are plentiful. MLS#1778247
NATIONAL CITY- NEW PRICE - $249,000, 80 acre Ponchos Sand Creek Longhorn Ranch now available.
Almont Working farm with 5 bdrm/1 bath home, barns, outbuildings, pastures and approx. 10 acres of woods. MLS#1819844

Linden MORE PARCELS ARE AVAILABLE . . .

CALL TODAY FOR MORE DETAILS
Howell 866-496-4400
TARGET REAL
ESTATE COMPANY
701 W. Bay Street, East Tawas, MI 48730
Office (989)362-4400 Cell (989)370-2152
info@TargetRealEstate.com
Contact Your Nearest State Wide Real www.TargetRealEstate.com

Estate Office To Buy or Sell In Michigan

ALPENA HILLMAN MARQUETTE
1100 W. Chisholm, 49707 14938 State Street, P.O. Box 98, 49746 856 W. Washington, 49855
email: alpswre@speednetllc.com email: statewidehillman@yahoo.com email: sw@statewiderealestate.org
989-356-2142 Fax: 989-356-2144 989-742-4523 800-228-7856 906-228-9312 Fax: 906-228-8069
Fax: 989-742-3931
MENOMINEE
ALMONT 3631 10th Street, 49858
844 Van Dyke Road HOUGHTON
lafrancesharon@yahoo.com email: statewideone@newbc.rr.com
500 Shelden Ave., 49931 906-863-9905
810-798-8591 Fax: 810-798-8079 email: dick@statewideofhoughton.com
906-482-6955 800-676-6323 Fax: 906-863-7935
Fax: 906-482-7699
CURTIS/NEWBERRY MIO
Main Street, P.O. Box 305, 49820 102 West 8th St., P.O. Box 395, 48647
email: swcurtis@sbcglobal.net email: info@statewidemio.com
906-586-9606 Fax: 906-586-9607 HOWELL/LINDEN 989-826-3292
1285 S. Michigan Ave., Howell, MI 48843
email: statewid@earthlink.net Fax: 989-826-2108
ESCANABA 517-546-9060 800-531-4449
2209 Ludington Street, 49829 Fax: 517-546-9148 ONAWAY
email: escanaba@statewiderealestate.net M-33 & M-68,
906-786-1308 800-900-0777 P.O. Box 478, 49765
Fax: 906-786-1388 IRON MOUNTAIN
231 East A. St. email: bigdan@frontier.com
Iron Mountain, MI 49807 989-733-6522
GLADSTONE 906-828-2525 Fax: 989-733-2427
1401 Delta Ave., Fax: 906-828-2727
Gladstone, MI 49837 email: steve@multistatewide.com
906-825-9000 POWERS
email: judy@statewiderealestate.net W3776 US2 & 41, 49874
MANISTIQUE 906-497-4190
10 N. State Highway M-149 Fax: 906-497-5328
HARRISVILLE
430 S. US-23, 48740 Cooks, MI 49817 holly@statewiderealestate.net
email: sold@anjstatewide.com 906-644-2304
989-724-5711 800-655-5735 email: dekeysermary@yahoo.com
Fax: 989-724-6833 SKIDWAY LAKE
2228 Greenwood Rd.,
HAWKS MARINETTE, WISCONSIN Prescott, 48756
8383 Hwy. 451, 49743 1460 Marinette Ave., 54143 email: atlas@m33access.com
email: rita8383@yahoo.com email: statewidemarinette@yahoo.com 989-873-3601
989-734-4846 715-735-9964 Fax: 715-732-1107 Fax: 989-873-6914

94 MARCH 2017 WNW NEWS

 WEST BRANCH HALE WEST BRANCH
R S ALE R S ALE
M-33/M-55 OFFICE F O OFFICE F O LOOP OFFICE
1953 S. M-33 3160 North M-65 2575 S. I-75 Business Loop,
West Branch, MI 48661 Hale, MI48739 West Branch, MI 48661
10 miles north of I-75 exit 202 Gateway to Huron National Forest 1 mile north of I-75 Exit 212

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

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

HOMES/CABINS ON ACREAGE!!!
1827203 1820337 1825811 1805656 1824115
SMALL LAKEFRONT!! OVER AN SECLUDED LARGE
CABIN!! HUNT
ACRE!! POND!!
CABIN!!
5.1 ACRES with quaint one bedroom cabin in 2.78 ACRES with 165 feet of frontage on all sport Great year round has 3-bdrm, 2 full bath, open 2-bdrm nestled on 18 WOODED ACRES Spacious 3-bdrm on 3 WOODED ACRES! Has large
need of TLC. Would make an excellent getaway Johnson Lake! 3-bdrm mobile home w/additions, floor plan, kitchen island and pantry, deck, covered ADJACENT TO STATE LAND!! Range, refrigerator, garage, pellet stove, lots of storage, lower level w/
and has a creek running thru. In nice recreational sunroom, wood stove, kitchen pantry, bookcases, porch area, two car garage, beautiful views and in propane lights and gravity tank. Perfect spot to call family room and bar area, nice kitchen with appliances
area, wooded and on convenient paved road! located in four season recreational area!! 2015 new windows and roof were installed!! your weekend getaway or hunting cabin!! and pantry & newer roof. Needs some TLC!
$20,000 $44,900 $57,900 $64,900 $84,500
1817508 1799930 1827185 1818044 1810533

SPACIOUS BEAUTIFUL 21+ STUNNING ALL

YEAR- VIEWS!! SPORTS
ACRES!! RIVERFRONT!!
LAKE!!
ROUND!!
Nice 2-story home on 4.67 WOODED ACRES! A great mix of mature trees & 13 ACRES Perfect rural location for your 3-bdrm home with Spacious 4-bdrm with large pole barn on 1.88 3-bdrm w/detached garage on channel leading to
Fantastic views, appliances incl washer & dryer, surrounds 3-bdrm, 2 full bath home! Great hunting bright kitchen, side and front decks, nice landscaping MOSTLY WOODED ACRES! Well-maintained, Elbow Lake! Has bright kitchen w/island and pantry,
a bath on each floor & garage. On paved road, or watching wildlife, large deck, covered front & barn-style garage. Ultimate location for year round move-in ready, mostly furnished, FP, appliances, master suite, wrap-around deck, beautiful views, boat
near State lands & a generator is included!! porch, oversized garage, 3 sheds & much more!! residence or hunter;s dream property!! patio, deck, steps to River and much more!! dock and an ACRE OF LAND!!
$89,900 $116,000 $142,900 $162,000 $162,500
1826749 1826379 1824110 1816928 1798150

30 TRAILS CUSTOM 70+ ACRES!! BEAUTIFUL

GORGEOUS
ACRES!!
Over 3000 square feet, 4-bdrms, full walkout
basement, mostly finished, family room, deck,
porch, lots of wildlife to enjoy, heavily wooded w/
nice views, garage and your own pond!!
$174,900
THRU-OUT!!
80 GORGEOUS ACRES excellent for hunting
or nature walking! 3-bdrm, full basement, suite,
circular drive, open floor plan, garage, wood stove,
large windows, beautiful views & so much more!!
$219,900
BUILT!!
Stunning 3-bdrm, 2.5 ba home, with garage.
Ceramic counter tops, bamboo flooring, gas FP,
493 of water frontage on Rifle River, 5.86 ACRES,
deck, gazebo and many other great amenities!!
$225,000
Fantastic hunting property with tons of wildlife in the
area!! Nice 3-bdrm ranch-style home that is move-in
ready with appliances and mostly furnished! Great
year round residence w/garage for storage!!
$249,900
CAPE COD!!
Custom built 3-bdrm w/1170 feet of frontage
on beautiful AU GRES RIVER plus frontage on
Nester Creek!! Tons of great amenities, some
newer appliances, AC, views, deck & much more!!
$285,000

VACANT WATERFRONT
1790612 1784325 1807839 1821838 1824102
GREAT
OVER A LITTLE ELBOW LAKE!!
FISHING!!
FOREST
BASS LAKE!!
HALF ACRE!! LAKE!!

Beautiful wooded property on all sports LAKE
OGEMAW. On paved road with gentle slope to
water and potential building site for your new dream
home or weekend vacation home!! LC terms!!
$89,900
This property, totaling 7 lots, has SHARED
WATERFRONT access to lake. Well and septic have
already been installed, conditions unknown. Also
short walk to LOON LAKE!! Survey on file at office!!
$22,000
Beautiful partly wooded lot with 85 feet of nice water
frontage on 41 acre ALL SPORTS lake. Potential
site where you can build your dream Up North
home or weekend cabin with nice lake views!!
$25,900
Large lot with approximately 75 feet of water frontage
on CHANNEL LAKE. Desirable gentle slope to water
and potential building site for your home. Youc can
also boat from here to LAKE GEORGE!!
$34,900
Gorgeous lakefront lot in super nice subdivision
with many great amenities!! On paved road w/elec
at road and potential site for building your dream
waterfront home or Up North getaway cabin!!
$43,000

VACANT ACREAGE
1818920 1819515 1821383 1822267 1819170
VIEW OF 94 110 ACRES! 9+ ACRES!! 10+ ACRES!!
LOON LAKE!! ACRES!!

Fantastic hunting parcel of 45 WOODED
ACRES! A great variety of mature trees and lots
of wildlife with trails thru-out, a cleared 2 acre
spot for food plots or building & 4 hunting blinds!!
$119,900
1824120
A perfect spot to call your hunt camp with elec at
road and an abundance of mature trees and wildlife.
Possible land contract terms, survey on file, and you
can walk to HARDWOOD LAKE from property!!
$149,900
1824632
Excellent hunting property that also BORDERS
STATE LAND ON 3 SIDES!! The ultimate place to
call your hunt camp, mostly wooded, with a creek
running thru plus many trails and wildlife galore!!
$209,900
1797343
This parcel is just over 9 ACRES and mostly cleared
and previously farmed. Located in great area and
potential site for your new home or vacation cabin
with lots of potential for growing your own food!!
$27,000
1790214
This property is just over 10 ACRES and in partly
wooded. Could be a great place for your new home,
weekend/vacation getaway or hunt cabin! Great
area, priced to sell and numerous farms in vicinity!!
$28,000
1791955

BEAUTIFUL 22.8 ACRES!! 5 ACRES!! OVER 7 MATURE

SETTING!! ACRES!! TREES!!

13.6 ACRES in gorgeous rural setting for your new
home or cabin. Just a short distance to town for
shopping and restaurants and not too far from acres
of State land for trails and year round fun!!
$30,000
Beautiful wooded property conveniently located on
paved road with electric available. Great site to
build your dream home or hunting cabin with lots
of mature trees and a variety of wildlife in area!!
$39,900
This property is located on paved road in country
setting with lots of elbow room yet not far from easy
commutes to lakes, streams and State lands and
is in perfect recreational area for year round fun!!
$16,500
Excellent spot for hunting with some low lands,
some open areas for food plots and mostly wooded
for great wildlife cover. Property is on convenient
paved road and there is a 24x24 GARAGE!!
$23,900
Great hunting parcel with 10 WOODED ACRES
with trails, some lowlands and an abundance of
a variety of great wildlife in the area. On county
maintained road for added convenience!!
$26,500

FOR MORE LISTINGS

VISIT OUR WEBSITE: WWW.CAHANES.COM
WNW NEWS MARCH 2017 95
 3 Bdrm, 1 bth home. 240 Acres. Built 2005. 3 Bdrm, 2.5 bth home. 39 As, pond, 10 Mile 2/3 Bdrm, 2 bth home-camp. 120 Acres. 26
1200 Sq. Ft., fireplace, gar, sauna, trails. Rock. Creek, pole bldg. LaBranche. Acre lake with fish. Great home too! Daggett.
$399,000 1090655 $185,000 1091946 $229,000 1095255

THOUSANDS OF 2 Bdrm camp. 80 Acres. 32x64 Bldg. Garage,

well, septic, and electric. Wilson.
2 Bdrm camp. 40 Acres. 24x30 Pole bldg.
Built 2000. Adjoins State land. Rock.
2 Bdrm, 1 bth camp. 18 Acres.
2 Car gar with deer blinds. Ensign.
ACRES AVAILABLE $179,000 1096747 $99,000 1096936 $55,900 1097355
FROM $5200 TO $526,200.
Escanaba
2209 Ludington Street
(906) 786-1308 1 Bdrm, 1 bth cottage. Escanaba River. 10
3 Bdrm camp. 80 Acres. Pond. 2 Bdrm, 1 bth home. 40 Acres, 2 barns, 1/3 Acres. Great frontage. 1100 Sq. Ft. Fireplace.
Trails adjacent to public land. Cornell. pasture, fenced, 2/3 wooded. Rapid River. Elec heat. Power. Cornell.
Powers $109,000 1097817 $124,900 1098267 $79,000 1098513
W3776 US 2 & 41
(906) 497-4190

Gladstone
1401 Delta Ave.
(906) 825-9000
1 Bdrm, 1 bth cottage. Maywood Shores.
2 Bdrm, 1 bth camp. 120 Acres. Well, septic, Point well, septic, mature trees, 100 Ft. Cozy 1 bdrm camp on 4.2 acres. Electricity.
power. Private. Good hunting. Osier. Stonington. Outbldgs. Furnishings included. Stonington
$109,000 1098771 $74,900 1098958 $41,000 1099277

.
Heritage Exclusive Marketing Agents for Northeast
House Michigan Properties
RealtyPC Located in the Heart of the Huron National Forest, on the
Personalized Service is the Difference
Shores of Lake Huron and the banks of the AuSable River

334 acres in Doctors Club 217 Acre Paradise 4979 Cody Rd, Glenie
area, prime hunting property 1400 sf 3 br 2 ba with Pine 2 br, 1.5 ba Mobile with
awaits you. A portion of land River flowing through the Covered deck and addition,
is a cattail swamp with Robb property. Enjoy sitting on detached garage and 2+
Creek. There is 2 beat up the deck watching all the acres to enjoy peacefully.
cabins on property with different wildlife Close to federal land and the
electric and flowing well. REDUCED $349,000 AuSable. Reduced $26,500
This would be a great group For More Information Text For More Information Text
investment. $499,500 R155061 to 52187 R174391 to 52187

6396 N F-41, Spruce 80 acres Fruchey Ranch Black River frontage

3 br, 1.5 ba, ranch with full Rd, Curran 3 br, 1.5 ba, 1232 sf Deck
unfinished basement. Move Perfect for your next hunting with steps to water, Canoe,
in ready home, nice setting destination or would make Kayak, fish or float to the big
on large lot. Fireplaces in an excellent location to start lake Includes appliances, 2
living room and in den. that next adventure of your car garage, privacy fence.
ONLY $82,500 life. $120,000 This unique riverfront home
For More Information Text For More Information Text is only $87,500
R155070 to 52187 R174399 to 52187 For More Information Text
R155065 to 52187

201 Fourth St, Harrisville 5071 Pine St, Glennie 4635 E Clark Rd,
Ranch style home with large 2 br 1.5 ba on Vaughn Lake Harrisville
decks, pond, family room, Perfect for that Home away 3 br 2 ba Chalet with 6+
open concept kitchen, from Home destination or acres and full finished walk-
dining, living room and that new home youve been out basement. Move in
attached 2 car garage that is looking for. Includes the ready with appliances
finished. Walk to town and dock and pontoon boat to included. Must see to fully
harbor. $117,750 enjoy the water. $159,000 appreciate all this home and
For More Information Text For More Information Text area has to offer. Newly
R167434 to 52187 R174400 to 52187 listed at $199,000

115 E Trask Lake Rd, S Poor Farm, Greenbush Poor Farm Rd, Greenbush
Lincoln Perfect location for your next This 37 acres is perfect for
2011 Cabin on just over 10 hunting trip or would make a just that. Make this your next
acres in need of finishing great site for that next home hunting camp or build your
work. Enjoy all that Northern and still be able to hunt with new home and still have
Michigan has to offer within 36+ acres available for only plenty of room to recreate.
minutes of your front door. $45,000 $49,900
$69,000 For More Information Text More Information Text
For More Information Text R155060 to 52187 R155060 to 52187
R171003 to 52187

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

96 MARCH 2017 WNW NEWS
B
IG RIVER
PROPERTIES
95 Acres in SW Hillsdale County
GET NOTICED!
h a
Wit Ad!
LIST YOUR PROPERTY

TODAY!
NORTHERN PARADISE ON SAUBLE LAKE #1 7888 W 6 MILE ROAD
IRONS Pristine setting for this 3 bedroom log sided cabin on 21+/- heav-

Real Estate
ily wooded acres with frontage on both Sauble Lake #1 and Quick Lake.
Cabin features a stone fireplace, knotty pine interior, some hardwood floors
and central air. Breathtaking views of the lake from the open concept kitch-
en/dining area. Kitchen features German stone countertops. Living room
opens to a porch room/den on the lakeside offering more stunning views. 40 acres in CRP until 10/18, 50 acres wooded.
Power at the lake, 1 car garage and the cabin is wired for a back-up gen- 3BDR/2 full bath-manufactured home with new
erator. In addition across the road is a section of land with frontage on Quick furnace/water heater, fireplace, and detached
Lake which is a small fishing type lake. A true Northern Michigan Retreat!- garage. Excellent hunting with food plots, tower
$259,900 (MIL)
blinds, trails, and trail cams pics upon request.
2 40 ACRE PARCELS OFF FOREST SERVICE ROAD 8436 IRONS Plenty of walnut, maple and oak trees.
Located near Freesoil Road and Elk Highway on Forest Road 8436 Sits this
Prime hunting property that is a family owned 80 acre parcel Sellers have Contact Mike 586-344-8488.
taken many nice deer from this location as well as turkey and grouse. Bears,
coyotes, fox, and wolf have been spotted here as well. There is a small creek
Address if 10580 Grover Road in Reading, MI.
Too much to list.
Call: (810) 724-0254
that is flowing in the spring and early summer. There are numerous driving /
ATV trails that will extend to every section of the property and several
A must see to appreciate the property. or email our team at WnW@pageone-inc.com
meadows to be used as food plots. The entire property is posted and gated
and bordered by National Forest on all sides. Sale includes all Mineral Rights
Owned by them. Make this another family Hunting destination or Joint
Venture. $145,000 (JAM)
HUNTERS CHECK THIS ONE OUT - 15+/- ACRES-BORDERS FEDERAL
LAND 7776 E. SAUBLE ROAD FOUNTAIN 15+/- acre parcel of land is
heavily wooded and an ideal secluded hunting location. Gated entrance to
this clean, comfortable cabin with knotty pine interior, an open floor plan,
and a well and septic. The cabin runs off solar panels for electricity and is set
up for year around use with a woodstove and a back-up propane wall fur-
nace. A nice cedar deck off the living room and fire pit in the yard. Prime
location 2/10 of a mile from the Big Sable River. Located on a seasonal
county maintained road! $65,500 (GAR) REDUCED!!
CABIN ON 12+/- ACRES 4075 E JOST DRIVE IRONS This 2 bedroom
1 bath cabin is situated on 12 nicely wooded acres of land. The cabin does
needs some TLC but the potential is there to make it a great spot to visit on
the weekend. There is a wood burning floor furnace and a propane wall unit
for heating. The attached 1 car garage comes in handy for storage and a place
to put all the up north toys. Great recreational area near all the ORV and
snowmobile trails. Comes furnished as is! $70,000 (COO)

Hunters Call for our Acreage Parcels

5963 W. 10-1/2 Mile Rd. Irons, Michigan
231-266-8288 877-88-NORTH
www.BigRiverVentures.com Info@BigRiverVentures.com

Near

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WNW NEWS MARCH 2017 97

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98 MARCH 2017 WNW NEWS
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