Jack-o-lanterns and whitetail deer have something in common because Halloween is the key timeframe when the whitetail rut in Michigan starts warming up. It is a time when using various deer vocalizations, as well as rattling, can pay dividends for hunters. I’ve been using deer vocalizations and rattling for quite some time, and knowing what call to use, and when, was a trial-and-error learning process. Calling in whitetails remains to be my favorite deer hunting technique, and today there are even how-to DVD’s available along with a wide array of deer calls, and with something … Read More
“The Chamber Flashbacks” – Holly Holy
By now, if you’ve been following our Chamber of Flashbacks, you might wonder how it is that Ross has made it this far? This final Ross feature is a tribute to his lovely wife, Holly. We consider her to be practically a saint for all she’s endured, thus our title track, Holly Holy. (Neil Diamond fan here.) Throughout his career and even in retirement, Ross marches to the beat of his own drum. This means that he fills his time how he chooses and is very much an individual thinker. Sometimes with “genius,” it’s difficult … Read More
A Bear Hunt To Remember
I will miss the call of the Raven and the sound its wings made as it took flight. I will miss the hoot of the owl, and the feeling that I felt as I wondered what might be lurking in the woods around me as I waited patiently for a Michigan Black bear to appear. My friend Andy drew a first-hunt bear tag for Michigan’s Red Oak unit in 2023, and he harvested a bear the last night of his hunt with Gary Morgan and Wild Game Dynasty that year. As for me, well I … Read More
“The Chamber of Flashbacks” – The Kid In The Candy Shop
Preparing baits for bear camp creates a sweet, sticky mess. Bears crave sweets and when they’re in the mode to beef up in preparation for hibernation, what better place than the well prepared cookie bait or bait pile. Procuring bait for bear season begins long before the hunt. Outfitters build relationships with businesses, such as bakeries and restaurants, arranging to have them save their day old or expired goods to use as bait. Setting this stuff aside may be inconvenient for them, as it takes up space. So the outfitter is tasked with timely pick … Read More
A Glimpse Of Bear Camp
For the first time in my life, I went hunting. Unless you count the time in Florida when I rode around on a 4 wheeler in pursuit of wild boar for maybe an hour, then yes, this is a first. (BTW, we did not see a boar.) Who would choose bear hunting for their maiden voyage, you ask? Only the wife of Gary Morgan. https://youtube.com/shorts/Ep-LKGtQEWA Apparently for several years, Gary would submit for preference points for bear hunting on my behalf. Initially unknown to me, he had hopes that I would at some point express … Read More
Liberty hunt memories – deer camp jokes and paybacks
Ever since the Liberty hunt came into being, I’ve made a point of taking a kid out hunting during it, and I have some fine memories in doing so. It was 8 years ago when 13-year-old Dale Skinner of Akron took a Hunter’s Safety class I was helping with. He was seeking to get a hunting certificate, but having recently lost his father, he had no one to take him hunting, and yep, folks, I gave him an invite. Whenever the occasion occurs, my wife Ginny and I call our home “deer camp”, and during … Read More
While You Were Sleeping
Did you ever stop to think about what goes on in the great outdoors at night? Thanks to trail cams, we have at least a hint of a notion. This is especially true of nocturnal creatures, or as the 1972 debut record album by the rock band, Edgar Winter Group title says… They Only Come Out At Night! So fine dining is definitely a moonlight activity for these creatures. My dad had plenty of stories to share about his efforts to protect his garden during the night hours. Living on the edge of the woods … Read More
Take a kid hunting – it is very important to the future of hunting
My wife Ginny and I always look forward to Michigan’s special Liberty Hunt, when our home literally becomes “deer camp”, which entails a festive atmosphere and taking kids out deer hunting. The recruitment of young hunters into hunting is very important regarding the future of hunting, especially in today’s high-tech society where kids can be easily drawn to multiple interests other than the outdoors. This is why I strongly supported lowering the age to allow kids to go hunting, and then finally having a certain age requirement being dropped entirely was a definite no-brainer for … Read More
Fine memories of handgun hunting adventures with “Lorraine”
Cover Pic: Author and his 1987 Thumb 8-point buck he shot with “Lorraine” on the first opening morning handguns were allowed for deer hunting in Michigan’s Shotgun Zone. In 1974 I travelled to Williams Gunsight in Davison with the goal of purchasing a .44 Magnum Ruger Super Blackhawk revolver, having the intention of using it for big game handgun hunting adventures. I had already enjoyed hunting rabbits and squirrels with a Colt .22 single-action revolver and was hoping to take a step up for bigger game animals, such as deer and black bear. I soon found … Read More
Preseason readiness for fast approaching deer hunting adventures
When my wife Ginny and I put most of our farm into grassland programs, our focus was providing proper habitat for wild pheasants, and in so doing it worked to the benefit of all wildlife, including deer, wild turkeys, songbirds, and even butterflies and other insects. Our ground entails a mixture of warm season prairie grasses and wildflowers, with evergreen windbreaks all around the outer perimeters, and it didn’t take long for us to realize the very adaptable local whitetails absolutely love prairie grass fields which are tall enough for absolute concealment. Yep, folks, if … Read More