Where Did Your Love Of Deer Hunting Come From?

Jim KushnerFriends of ELO

It was a long time ago but as a little kid I remember my Dad coming home from deer camp dressed in a pair of red & black wool pants, a black leather belt with a Marbles knife and a short section of rope on it. It was always a big deal to touch his week long beard, being a career firefighter this was the only time Dad was not clean shaven. Deer camp was an old camper trailer hauled to a section of State land with the family station wagon. Dad and his brothers … Read More

Roosters And A Good Cup Of Coffee (w/Video)

Tom LounsburyFriends of ELO

Forty some years ago I remember waiting at the front window for my Dad to pull into the driveway, for I knew we were going pheasant hunting until dark.  As soon as the ’68 Tempest drove in I could see my Dad making eye contact with me.   He knew I had all my chores done and all that was left was getting ‘Dusty’, our setter, into the trunk of the car.  With a slip knot leaving a small vent, we’d take off.  As usual, I’d watch my Dad move the column shifter around as we … Read More

Michigan Pheasant Phacts

Tom LounsburyFriends of ELO

Opening morning last year dawned into a beautiful sunrise and as my group of hunters and dogs spread out in the tall prairie grass, shotguns began popping away in some distant fields, flooding me with some very fond memories. Pheasant season in the Thumb had finally arrived, and it is a very special timeframe for me. I can remember October 20th as being a date when all the local schools in the Thumb closed, because the vast majority of residents as well as countless visiting hunters would be out for the pheasant hunting opener that … Read More

Bow hunting at a fever pitch.

Wild Game DynastyFriends of ELO

By:  Tom Lounsbury. When August arrives I can feel an annual bout of bow season fever coming on, because with summer winding down, I know the Michigan archery deer season which opens October 1 isn’t all that far away (and the older I get, the faster time seems to fly). It is the key preseason time frame to get all of my archery equipment checked over and start doing some dedicated shooting practice. I’ve been avidly bowhunting local whitetails for quite some time now, mostly with traditional archery tackle involving recurve bows and longbows, and … Read More

Deer Calling – “Marlene” Strikes Again.

Tom LounsburyFriends of ELO

By:  Tom Lounsbury. I enjoy watching old black and white movies and one of my favorite actresses was the late Marlene Dietrich, who was born in Germany in 1904. She starred in quite a few U.S. movies during the 1930’s and usually had an opportunity to sing with her unique voice that offered a deep and sultry nature to it. With Marlene in mind, I try to imitate her inflection when I duplicate a doe call, and when it comes to calling deer, inflection I have found after over 30 years of deer calling, means … Read More

Deer season with E.L.O.

Wild Game DynastyFriends of ELO

Those few days in November are truly a special time of year!  Over the last 27 years, I have had the privilege of making the trip with my Dad ( his 63rd trip), my son ( his 12th trip) and for the first time this year my future son in law.  Every year is special and provides memories that will last a lifetime. We desired a change for the upcoming season and after a few conversations with Gary Morgan, we decided to book with East Lake Outfitters.  And we had a fantastic trip! There was … Read More

Deer season was marked by three milestone events

Bruce TerBeekBucks n Bears, Friends of ELO, Youth Hunts

This season marked my 60th consecutive season hunting Michigan whitetails.  When i was twelve my dad convinced my mother that I was old enough to join him and my uncle in their annual hunting trip.  was I excited!  camping in a tent and sleeping on a bed of straw covered with a canvas tarp.  My first rifle!  Dad had single shot 16 ga. shot gun with an interchangeable .30-30 rifle barrel.  I wanted a lever action Winchester like his but dad insisted that the single shot was a better choice for me.  Dad stressed marksmanship.  … Read More