Anyone who has ever owned a dog can appreciate the immense sense of loyalty a canine friend provides. This bond may be intensified when dog and man spend countless hours together in the great outdoors. Perhaps there’s no better example of this than upland bird hunting, when this finely tuned duo work in tandem to tag team their winged prey. This story is about Joe, a beloved German Short-hair Pointer (GSP). His owner, Barb, cared for him, or more likely spoiled him, and graciously allowed her husband, John, to be his hunting buddy. She said, … Read More
Humility and Kindness; Pass It On
Sometimes the sport of hunting becomes a “dog eat dog” world filled with pride and selfishness. Most hunters who have been at it long enough have stories to share about their frustrations related to this. They may even have to admit their own shortcomings on occasion as the pressure to succeed or “show off” builds. I’d like to propose another approach based on my experiences that takes a detour from the negative aspects that oftentimes taint this amazing sport. Let’s start with a story about farmers in years past who when tilling their fields, would … Read More
Whenever hunter-pressured whitetails go nocturnal, nothing beats an old-fashioned deer drive.
At high noon a few December muzzleloader deer seasons ago, I was on a deer drive with friends and acting as a stander at a likely location on the corner of a briar-infested woodlot bordering a hayfield. According to all the fresh tracks there were plenty of deer seeking refuge in the thick and snarly cover, and I was anticipating plenty of action, which can be the case with a well-organized deer drive. Deer drives don’t have to involve a lot of hunters, especially when everyone knows the lay of the land. In this instance, … Read More
Pursuing wild ringnecks in the long grass
Native only to Asia, the pheasant can be found in many parts of the world today, primarily due to the fact it is an outstanding upland gamebird. It belongs to the Order Galliformes, the same as as chickens and peacocks, a couple of reasons rooster pheasants are not only colorful, but a delight to eat as well. The first official release of pheasants in Michigan occurred in 1917, which were already hybrids from game farms involving Chinese ringneck and Mongolian blood. Subsequent private releases from hunting clubs as well as escapees from game preserves would … Read More
Reflections in The December Woods
There’s just nothing like deer hunting with snow on the ground. For those of us in Michigan, that seems to be a rare occurrence these days and your best chance of getting to hunt in some snow (while there is still no guarantee) is during the month of December. Well, my friends, if you are hunting in December and are still looking for a big buck, that means you’re either pulling your archery equipment back out of the closet or you’re grabbing the old muzzleloader. Well, at least it used to. In recent years in … Read More
Tuscola County’s monster “Seney Buck”
The late Mack Seney of Reese had his share of memories, with a couple of them relating to being very lucky. The first relates to a day in 1944 as an infantryman with 35th Infantry Division in France during World War II. The German forces were being pushed back so fast that American soldiers had to hitch rides on any sort of vehicle they could, including on top of tanks, to maintain the front line. Mack was in the back of a truck when it screeched to a stop and everyone was bailing out and … Read More
Paradise Restored
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
An Unforgettable Archery Season
Folks, I don’t know about you but, I have always appreciated when hunting shows or writers include failures among their stories. I have always felt that those tales of failure make the stories and those telling them more real, and it makes me remember that mishaps can and will happen to all of us at one time or another. Thus is the case for this year’s archery deer season, well at least in my case. The season was not without a victory in the woods, but it came at a cost. My 2024 archery season … Read More
A Coastie turned Huntress
By: Nicole Foguth. It was October 1, opening day of bow season in the Keweenaw Peninsula. Unseasonably hot, I sat in my tree stand, bow in hand, batting away the gnats that were flying around my face. I had never dealt with bugs before while hunting, and let me tell you, I was annoyed. I should state now that I didn’t grow up hunting. Born and raised in small-town Colorado, mucking horse stalls and playing with chickens was what I knew. I had shot a gun a few times, but only every few years when … Read More
It’s Always An Adventure In Michigan’s U.P.
By: Ryan Foguth. Being born and raised in Michigan, I grew up hunting, fishing and trapping and was blessed with my dad building a cabin in the eastern Upper Peninsula In 1999. I spent large chunks of my childhood at that cabin, hunting and trapping until I joined the Coast Guard in 2011. When I met my wife Nicole, who was also active duty Coast Guard, while stationed at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, she had never hunted before. With it being one of my life’s greatest passions, she didn’t have much of a … Read More