Gary with his harvested 8 point buck
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 didn’t take long for Greg and Gary to become friends with so much in common.
Why was this offer such a privilege and delight? Let’s rewind to Greg’s skill set and passion, which is the creation or restoration of wildlife habitat, especially that of the Whitetail. Greg is a logger, which is where many observations have taken place over the years. He has had the opportunity to work with various types of excavation or earth moving equipment, for which he has honed valuable skills that benefit him greatly in his wildlife landscaping endeavors. Greg’s keen eye for detail and desire to optimize the Whitetail environment, along with access to the proper equipment, which is no small feat with the extent to which his artistry has evolved, has resulted in Whitetail paradise. Of course, this also creates somewhat of a utopia for hunters so blessed with adaptable land and means. Thus, the services of GMK Logging are creating a lot of buzz in the Michigan Whitetail world as word gets out about his numerous restorations and the resulting wildlife paradise. In case you’re wondering, GMK stands for “Get More Kills,” which is definitely one purpose of his work. Cause and effect come into play here, as this habitat also promotes optimal health by providing natural food, fresh water, and safety for these deer who dwell among carefully constructed berms. The idea here is quality vs quantity, yet these environmental factors will inevitably increase herd numbers, as health optimizes procreation.
How did that work out for Gary Morgan? What started as a “friend of a friend” relationship became a friendship with many shared hunting stories and conversations about deer habitat, for which Greg is an expert. This led to “friends with benefits,” with Gary being the recipient of an offer for a deer hunt in paradise.
A view from the berm blind earlier in the fall season
On the day of the hunt, Gary left from Atlanta by 3:45 a.m. for a 5:45 arrival to a little piece of paradise in Bentley, Michigan. He and Greg hiked on a leaf free trail making for a silent journey to their destination. Their eyes gradually adjusted making a flashlight unnecessary, maintaining their desired level of stealth.
“Hidden” blind across food plot amongst the corn. Designed for longer range harvests
They were sitting in the blind, built into a berm, by 6 a.m. Daylight was to break in just under an hour, gradually illuminating deer that were already there, as though these hunters were expected and welcomed.
At 9 a.m. an 8 point buck entered from the right crossing in and through 3 adjoining food plots, hungry for some action, but not of the culinary variety. Gary arrowed the deer, but before he could even exit the blind, another larger buck entered the scene. Gary had 2 tags but decided to forego on the greed and be happy with the one he got.
We just had venison chili and it was amazing!
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