Featuring over 2000 acres of very diverse woodland habitat, including cedar-shrouded swamps and rolling terrain cloaked in a mix of dense conifers and hardwoods, the Legends Ranch near Bitley, Michigan, is the brainchild of a worldwide hunter, Arthur Gutierrez Sr, who wished to create a well-managed whitetail hunting paradise in 1998. The property is surrounded by high-fence to assist in developing and maintaining great genetics in very large-antlered whitetail bucks, and the Legends Ranch has become well known for its outstanding trophies. Due to the very spacious and mixed-habitat terrain, this is not a typical … Read More
Dramatic and very timely changes are in place for Michigan’s 2026 Firearms Deer season
During the early 20th century, deer hunting had been put on hold in southern Michigan for quite a while to allow whitetail deer numbers, which had previously been decimated, to rebound back. Its first deer season occurred in 1948, and because state officials believed too many hunters would be crammed together on the smaller state game areas found in southern Michigan, it was determined to establish what would become known as the “shotgun zone” for what they thought were safety reasons. The first couple of seasons allowed only buckshot to be used, but eventually shotgun … Read More
Big change is coming to Michigan Deer season
It’s all-over social media pages, it’s flooding YouTube and it sounds like it’s coming whether you like it or not. When I began hunting as a child, I remember the days when you had to put into a draw or lottery system just to obtain one antlerless deer permit. For many years, that was necessary to allow the Michigan deer herd to grow. Back then, a hunter was allowed to purchase an archery deer tag which was good for an antlered deer or an antlerless deer, then that same hunter was allowed to purchase a … Read More
The feathered harbingers of spring
In my opinion the robin gets too much credit for being the harbinger of spring. Sure, most robins migrate each fall from Michigan to warmer places for the winter, but a few do remain behind in brushy creek and river bottoms and make an occasional appearance like a single bird or two here and there to confuse folks as to whether we are in for an early spring. I saw a couple robins on my farm a couple months ago feeding on small crabapples in our yard, back when the sugar maple sap began flowing … Read More
THE ICE STORM OF ‘25 -ONE YEAR LATER-
The historic ice storm of ‘25 is behind us, but what are the lingering effects one year later? The effects are still a visible spectacle in many areas. What seemed less evident during the flourishing summer months when the deciduous trees were full with their yearly display of leaves would prove to be a ruse. As these leaves dropped in their usual fashion, having served as a masquerade of sorts, especially once winter was in full swing, the ugly truth was exposed as the inner ruins of the forests stood before us. Once spring arrives, … Read More
THE LONG WINTER AND NATURE’S CONSEQUENCES
As residents of Michigan, we are no strangers to what winter weather entails. Some years are more difficult than others. It seems that weather can be rather cyclic in nature. Remember the blizzard of 1978? Those who were there sure do. Record snow and high winds throughout the state caused consecutive snow days, remembered fondly by those who were school age at the time. I remember me and my brother being tasked with going to town, 7 miles one way, to pick up groceries for our family on our Alouette snowmobile, something we was more … Read More
Backpack into the Ontario “bush” for Lake & Brooke Trout
Matt and I would become lifelong friends after the two of us made our way into the Ontario wilderness for several days of hiking, camping, and fishing. We shouldered our packs, aluminum canoe, and walked from the truck to the trailhead marker, which was nothing more than a small weathered wooden box & sign mounted on a post. If you didn’t know where to look you’d never see it. We signed in with the date we were going in and our expected date of return. I had been hearing about this adventure from Matt for … Read More
Predator Hunting At Night
The coyote is an amazingly adaptable and very prolific wild critter which has expanded its range across North America and has recently even ventured beyond the Panama Canal into South America. It is now found in states where coyotes have never been documented before, and can be found in every county of Michigan, even in suburban and urban areas. I first began seeing coyotes in the Thumb area during the 1980’s, and their population has been steadily increasing statewide. One of the things which is assisting the coyote in the Lower Peninsula especially, is an … Read More
WGD Podcasts 2.0!
About ten years ago I decided to take Wild Game Dynasty on a journey to explore the world of Podcasting. The beginnings were certainly exploratory…at least from a technical point of view. I have been blessed to converse with so many interesting and knowledgeable people as a result of this adventure. With nearly 250 episodes from such a variety of hunting, fishing & outdoor enthusiasts…much was learned and new friendships were established. Over the past year, I have taken what might be described as a bit of a sabbatical from podcasting. After much thought, I’ve … Read More
A missing dog found while anticipating opening day
Going into a countdown for the November 15 opening day of Michigan’s Firearms Deer season is a tradition of mine, and I was in that mode with only 4 days to go on Tuesday evening. I was in the process of tossing hay to my horses in the pasture with my female GSP shorthair, Zelda, at my side. I’m assuming she spotted a rabbit in our nearby orchard and gave chase while I was looking the other way. All I knew when I turned around, she was gone. What I call my “rabbitat” borders the … Read More