When there is a need to track and/or retrieve a big game animal in camp we usually find an entourage of helpers hoping to tag along. I remember one such time a hunter-client had made a nice shot on a black bear in Michigan’s UP. He returned to camp from hunting earlier than expected. He parked his Jeep a little cock-eyed and had a bounce in his step as he walked to the front porch. It was the first time I hadn’t seen him wearing his Stormy Kromer…whoa! I shouted to my fellow guide … Read More
“That Can’t Be The Bear I Shot!..?”
“Ground Shrinkage” is a term that black bear hunters become all too familiar with because bears often look bigger than they really are, especially to hunters who have seen few, if any, bears in the wild. It’s common for bear hunters, even those with plenty of experience under their belts, to shoot bears that they think are big only to find out they are smaller than they thought when they recover the bruin they shot. Is there a way to avoid ground shrinkage when bear hunting? There are no guarantees, but one of the best … Read More
When In Rome, 2.0 (w/Video)
Like most people, I like to think I know what I’m doing. I’ve learned to trust my own instincts in most areas of life, and hunting is a situation in which going with my gut has served me pretty well. I’m not one to throw around terms like “expert” or “guru,” but I consider myself to be relatively knowledgeable on the topic of hunting. After all, you’ve got to have a fair amount of confidence and know-how to guide hunts. That being said, I’ve learned a thing or two about my own limitations, and what … Read More
Visiting Rome During Turkey Season
Michigan’s spring turkey season begins in the later part of April and runs through the end of May. With that generous length of time, weather can provide an inch of snow on the opener, to perfect morel mushroom picking halfway through and the need to crank up the air conditioner as the seasons draws to a close. When in Rome… Better yet, when hunting in Michigan…As a guide for spring turkey hunting, I find it resembles hanging around with a new ‘best friend’…waking up a couple hours before daybreak, eating breakfast and discussing strategy over … Read More
Burning the Candle Of Desire – at both ends!
If I thought substituting “she loves me, she loves me not” with “go hunting, go hunting not” would give me another opportunity to go hunting I would’ve use that method back in the day. My wife and I were at the front end of raising a family, working as much as we could and juggling a schedule to squeeze more time out of the day and into our relationship. Challenges were among us as they are today but in a much different context. One thing for certain, my love of the outdoors had not changed … Read More
Remembering A ‘Last Chance Tom’
By: Michigan Out-Of-Doors Jordan Brown. It doesn’t matter how many hunting seasons I endure, it seems like every year I learn or relearn a valuable lesson. The lesson for the 2014 spring turkey season was pretty simple but one that’s easy to forget, never give up. With the end of season looming, my fiancé, Angela, and I decided to hit the woods for one last evening hunt; hoping to fill her tag before the sun set. The odds were certainly not in our favor on this particular hunt, with above average temperatures and rain in … Read More
Freshwater, no sharks!
It all began with a phone call from a fella in Florida’s swamp land. He identified himself as Chad, bearing that distinct southern accent that told me: “this guy ain’t from these parts”. He wanted to know if this was Wild Game Dynasty from Michigan. I quickly learned he was inquiring on a guided deer hunt that his girlfriend found while searching online. She apparently found a posting of a fundraising campaign in Michigan. This fundraiser was put on by a local charity in my home town raising funds for youth activities, which Wild Game … Read More
“Our Friend Maggie” (w/podcast)
Each year mid-winter brings a batch of new excitement. For me, it’s the time for some tweener stuff. My fall hunts for clients are behind me, but the turkey hunts are calling off in the distance. So, with that in mind, I reconnect with cross country skiing and most anything with my family…especially, my wife. Well, when I was invited to spend a day bobcat and coyote hunting not far from home I couldn’t hold back. I don’t think my wife had the same response…but, it was only ‘a day’, eh. Besides, it was time … Read More