It happened one morning as Ross volunteered to cook bacon during hunting camp. He seemed confident enough in the kitchen, so no one questioned his methods. What should have been the alluring smell of bacon tantalizing the taste buds quickly went from a momentary beacon of bacon to a dangerous grease fire! The lesson to be learned here is this… A cookie sheet with no sides is NOT the kitchen implement of choice to be used for frying bacon in a propane oven. In other words, grease and flame are a dangerous combo. The … Read More
Live Streaming for Nature’s Screen Time
Enjoying the great outdoors far outweighs time spent watching TV. When choosing between the fishing tube or the boob tube, it’s no contest for those with an appreciation for all that nature has to offer. No concern over obscenity, whether audible or visual, other than the rare expletive that may be expressed by some frustrated fishermen. For the most part, it’s meditative and a place to express gratitude for our creator, as well as provide for your family, if you’re lucky. I’ve recently enjoyed a couple of what I would call productive outings in my … Read More
Liberty hunt memories – deer camp jokes and paybacks
Ever since the Liberty hunt came into being, I’ve made a point of taking a kid out hunting during it, and I have some fine memories in doing so. It was 8 years ago when 13-year-old Dale Skinner of Akron took a Hunter’s Safety class I was helping with. He was seeking to get a hunting certificate, but having recently lost his father, he had no one to take him hunting, and yep, folks, I gave him an invite. Whenever the occasion occurs, my wife Ginny and I call our home “deer camp”, and during … Read More
The Chamber of Flashbacks – “$h*t Happens”
This sweet release is necessary in removing waste from the body, which is essential for health maintenance! And if you’re into the great outdoors, it helps with wildlife identification. This time of year, sightings of the bear variety provide much reassurance to an outfitter. It certainly put some zippity in Gary’s doo-dah. We thought our captured photograph was the perfect emoji for bear sign. And take a look at the blackberry filled dung. Brings almost as much delight as seeing a freshly baked blackberry pie! How do we bring Ross into this story as our … Read More
A lucky lady and her dandy Michigan bull elk
Due to the odds, drawing a Michigan elk tag is a matter of pure luck. It only took me 36 years (of faithfully applying each year) to finally draw a tag in 2020. Up until then, I had always applied for “bull only”, but getting a bit long in the tooth caused me to apply for “any elk”, and I drew an antlerless-only license, and I was mighty glad and excited to receive it in the mail. I had the early elk season which is divided into three 4-day periods in August, September and October, … Read More
The Chamber of Flashbacks – “Watch Your Step!”
Who knew that baiting bears in Michigan’s upper peninsula was such a perilous endeavor? It’s not just the abundant wolf population that poses a threat in the wild. Trivia question: Is there quicksand in Michigan? Just ask Ross. To paraphrase, he said, “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up,” but with much more color, of course. Sometimes a short cut could cut your life short. As Ross quickly sunk to his armpits in mud, panic ensued. Gary frantically searched for a stick with which to rescue him while making a wisecrack about it being too … Read More
Nothing can beat fall fishing in Michigan
The origin of the name “Michigan” is derived from the Native American (Chippewa) word, meicigama, which means “great water”. Known as the Great Lakes state, Michigan offers wonderful fishing opportunities the year round, and for more fish species than anywhere else in this country. Although a lot of folks place a main focus on hunting, anglers in the know, realize that fall fishing can be very productive, as well as extremely entertaining. According to Jason Gostiaux, a MDNR Fisheries Biologist for the Southern Lake Huron Management Unit, the fall season offers Michigan anglers the advantage … Read More
The Chamber of Flashbacks – Sploosh!
No one makes a Grand Entrance quite like Ross Chambers. Gary and Ross were to meet up to pregame for bear hunting season, with much preparation to be done. His first trip to East Lake was a memorable one as around midnight he turned off East Lake Road with his red Ford Ranger pickup, which Ross affectionately referred to as his DeRanger, and proceeded to go down the boat ramp directly into East Lake with a Sploosh! In his defense, it was dark out and with no artificial light, it does get a lot darker … Read More
While You Were Sleeping
Did you ever stop to think about what goes on in the great outdoors at night? Thanks to trail cams, we have at least a hint of a notion. This is especially true of nocturnal creatures, or as the 1972 debut record album by the rock band, Edgar Winter Group title says… They Only Come Out At Night! So fine dining is definitely a moonlight activity for these creatures. My dad had plenty of stories to share about his efforts to protect his garden during the night hours. Living on the edge of the woods … Read More
Take a kid hunting – it is very important to the future of hunting
My wife Ginny and I always look forward to Michigan’s special Liberty Hunt, when our home literally becomes “deer camp”, which entails a festive atmosphere and taking kids out deer hunting. The recruitment of young hunters into hunting is very important regarding the future of hunting, especially in today’s high-tech society where kids can be easily drawn to multiple interests other than the outdoors. This is why I strongly supported lowering the age to allow kids to go hunting, and then finally having a certain age requirement being dropped entirely was a definite no-brainer for … Read More