Paradise Restored

Rebecca MorganBucks n Bears, Hunting Stories & Adventures

As an outfitter and guide, Gary Morgan rarely gets the opportunity to hunt.  It’s been about 10 years since his last Great Whitetail quest.  Living vicariously through the adventures of his clients and friends, that is enough.  However, when a surprise invite came to him for a deer hunt in what some may describe as a modern day garden of eden for Michigan Whitetail, how could he refuse? The invitation was extended by Greg Compeau, who was once a “friend of a friend,” that friend being Rodd Little, a Michigan renowned master turkey hunter.  It … Read More

From Forest to Table – It’s All Good

Rebecca MorganGame Species Profiles, Wild Game Recipes

Few things bring people together more than food.  The table is where conversations start and relationships begin.  In families, this simple pastime is too often bypassed as a result of crazy, busy lives with little relief in sight.  Yet this act of bonding is actually biblical, as frequently demonstrated by none other than Jesus!  And how about the spirit of celebration He ignited through His first miracle! So we’ve established, food brings us together.  How might that conversation be heightened when there’s a story behind the food, as in the challenge and victory of the … Read More

The Fish Dimension

Rebecca MorganFishing, Friends of ELO, Wild Game Recipes

You’ve heard of the 5th Dimension, which has been defined an extra dimension of space. It has also been defined as a state of being where you are ready to do things for others, working toward the higher good.  (Thank you, fish!) If you’re old enough, you may even have heard of the vocal group from the 60’s by the same name.   What I’d like to propose to you is the “Fish Dimension,” many spaces occupied by fish that challenge humans on various levels, with the outcome being an occasional meal beyond what could be … Read More

They’ve Arrived!

Rebecca MorganConservation & Wildlife Management, Fishing, Friends of ELO

Oh blessed event… Though 2 weeks post dates, our little snappers have arrived.  It was Saturday morning, September 14, 109 days after Mrs. T so gracefully deposited her eggs deeply into the sand before returning to the creek, leaving her latchkey offspring behind.  This task was completed 2 days after Memorial Day. If you read the previous article, The Legend of Mrs. T, then you learned about this yearly happening that I was privileged to witness for the first time. The odds are against them, but somehow, a few survive to carry on their legacy.  … Read More

A Night’s Tail

Rebecca MorganFriends of ELO

Only in backwoods living would such a story be told.  Most would not admit it happened in their home.  However, in the interest of full disclosure and finding the humor in something disgusting, this story follows. So I admit, we sometimes have a mouse problem since our move to the woods of Atlanta.  We had set two traps in the kitchen. Recently, upon awakening at about 4:50 a.m. for nature’s call, as I entered the kitchen for a drink of water, I noticed that one of the traps had migrated to the left by 3 … Read More

Tag Team Fishing Scheme

Rebecca MorganFishing

Outnumbered and ambushed!  That’s the story of one less fish in our stream.  And man (or woman) was not the predator on this day. My husband and I were relaxing after dinner one evening when we were startled by the abrupt and furious sounds of what we initially thought was a herd of deer running down the stream of our creek.  We were surprised to discover a flock of adolescent Common Merganser Ducks out to prove their fishing prowess and perhaps sow their wild oats a bit. Seven to eight of these waterfowl frantically swam … Read More

Quarting Berries – A Summer Pastime

Rebecca MorganFriends of ELO

Wild berry picking has become a tradition for some in our family.  This began with my dad as far back as I can remember.  Oftentimes these berries were picked in Atlanta, my dad’s old stomping grounds, as a 1948 graduate of Atlanta High School.  He knew where to find them, whether wild blueberries or blackberries.  Over time the landscape has changed and some of these patches have migrated.  But who doesn’t love a good treasure hunt?  And fresh berries are most certainly a treasure!  Between the many pies, and homemade wine, my dad’s pursuit of … Read More

The Legend of “Mrs. T” lives on – Snappers with a purpose!

Rebecca MorganConservation & Wildlife Management

The original Mrs. T was so named many years ago due to her scrunched-up facial resemblance to Mr. T and his ever-present scowl.  If you recall, Mr. T starred in the 1980’s action series, The A Team.  Thus, we are many generations removed, yet her legend lives on through her progeny. Memorial Day Weekend fell a few days early this year, and as such, the annual journey of snapping turtles to attempt the continuation of their species took place a few days after, on May 28 and 29.  And so I was blessed to observe … Read More

The Third Time is The Charm

Rebecca MorganHunting Stories & Adventures, Spring Fling

“At last, the skies above are blue” …. And he’s not blue anymore.  Hmmm, of whom could I be speaking?  Well of one who finally landed his dream turkey, of course.  What started out as a hunting opportunity soon escalated into somewhat of an obsession.  This is his story through his wife’s eyes… The time it takes to shoot a turkey is brief, but when you consider the time involved with getting to that point, there’s much more to be said. This story takes place in Montmorency County, in what is known as big timber … Read More