By: Tom Lounsbury. Trapshooting was first developed as a competitive sport during the 18th Century, using flintlock fowling pieces (the forerunners of today’s shotguns) firing shot. This would be done using live pigeons, with the birds being placed in a wooden box, called a “trap”, on the ground out in front of the shooter. Upon the shooter saying “pull”, a cord attached to the box was used to release the pigeon. Several traps were spread out in different spots, and the shooter had no idea which trap was going to release the pigeon. The typical … Read More
Youthful Fun Times Spent In The Rabbitat
By: Tom Lounsbury. When it comes to weather, March can be quite a fickle month. One day you will think spring is coming early, and the next day winter is back, and with a vengeance. That is what was on my mind when the date of March 12 was set for a rabbit hunt on my farm, entailing youth hunters. Just like the month of March, cottontail rabbits can be real fickle, too, according to the weather. One day they are out and about, and suddenly they have literally gone to ground, and can remain … Read More
The Annual Spring Malady Known As ‘Wild Turkey Fever’
By: Tom Lounsbury. When April arrives I automatically develop a case of “wild turkey fever”, an annual spring malady that has been afflicting me for over 50 years. I find myself habitually sorting out turkey hunting gear, practicing with various turkey calls (when I do this indoors it eventually nets a rather blunt complaint from my wife, Ginny, who says some turkey lingo, such as hen purrs, are as annoying as fingernails scratching on a chalkboard) and patterning my turkey shotguns, of which I have a few favorites, at my backyard shooting range. To assure … Read More
A spring black bear hunting season in Michigan would be a great alternative
By: Tom Lounsbury. The black bear is a very adaptable critter and can be found in a wide variety of habitats. Its range goes from Canada, south to northern Mexico, and is found throughout the United Sates, with the only exception being Hawaii, which has no bears. Michigan has a steadily growing number of black bears with over 11,000 in the Upper Peninsula and around 3,000 in the northern Lower Peninsula, where the range is steadily creeping south. A black bear was recently captured in Grand Rapids and taken back up north and released. Typically, … Read More
Michigan’s Deer Seasons Are Fast Approaching
By: Tom Lounsbury. As I write this, August has arrived, which means summer is winding down and fall will soon be easing in. For many Michigan hunters, this is the time to start preparing for the various deer seasons, and there is no question that the whitetail deer has become our state’s most popular big game animal (actually, this is a fact almost nationwide). The “Liberty Hunt”, which will take place September 11th and 12th this year, is a favorite time of mine to look forward to, as I truly enjoy taking a kid deer … Read More
Happy Memories While Hunting “Heartbreak Hill”.
By: Tom Lounsbury. In the spring of 2015, I had achieved 7 points per applying for a fall Michigan black bear tag, and I thought it best to contact a professional guide/outfitter in the event I got lucky on the draw. I needed to know what bear management unit to apply for, and I also knew a guide/outfitter would be the best way to go per hunting black bears over bait, because knowledge of specific area bears as well as an ongoing baiting program would up the odds towards success. After some research, I contacted … Read More
Marine enforcement, and search and rescue on Tip of the Thumb waters
By: Tom Lounsbury. With Memorial weekend fast approaching, and not to mention a whole bunch of folks tired of being literally cooped up during the past year due to the pandemic restrictions, the various Huron County ports found on Lake Huron and Saginaw Bay will most likely be a bit busy soon with a lot of boaters. Without question, the Marine Division of the Huron County Sheriff’s Office will be ready, waiting and ever watchful, especially in the event of any emergencies, which it is well equipped and prepared for. Huron County Sheriff Kelly Hanson … Read More
It is that time of year to begin harvesting the sweet bounty of the woodlands
By: Tom Lounsbury. Foreward : By: Rebecca Morgan: “It’s a spring thing” Cool, wet, muddy, but with anticipation of nicer days ahead…. That’s the nostalgia I’d feel every year as we’d approach sap season. My dad tapped trees for many years with the help of family and friends, bringing people together during a time of year when winter is getting old and summer can’t seem to come soon enough. Gradually, my brother Craig took the reins of the operation, keeping our families well supplied with this delectable treat. Our family might be described as bonafide … Read More
The “Vampire Buck” – A rare & very unique trophy
By: Tom Lounsbury. Ken Martin of Cass City truly enjoys hunting local Thumb whitetails, something he has been doing since he was a kid. Having taken his share of deer over the years, he isn’t a trophy hunter, but like many deer hunters, he always has his eye out for the “big one”. Little did he know when he went to his hunting blind on the second morning of the 2020 Michigan Firearms deer Season, he would soon encounter a dandy buck, and actually a real trophy too, in more ways than one. Daylight was … Read More
Handgun Hunting Memories
By: Tom Lounsbury. Certain memories stick with you, no matter how many years pass by. It was in the winter of 1974 I thought I’d buy myself a Christmas present and travelled to Williams Gunsight in Davison. My goal was to purchase a .44 Magnum Ruger Super Blackhawk revolver, which was referred to as the “New Model”, since Ruger had upgraded all the Blackhawk models in 1973 to have a transfer bar system which allowed revolvers to be safely carried fully loaded. For safety reasons the “Old Model” required an empty chamber to be under … Read More