By: Jeff Horn. The elusive one that causes the hunter to miss their shots, and say ugly words. The Historian and Geographer Herodotus called Egypt “Gift of the Nile”. Perhaps if old Herodotus had ever hunted grouse in the U. P. of Michigan he would have dubbed Michigan and the great lakes region “the gift of the grouse”. In a Grouse season so dry, that even the grouse packed water, I found myself ready to call the DNR and ask, where have all the grouse gone? My hunting party didn’t find the grouse in the … Read More
2023 Turkey Season; More Great Memories With Dad
By: Keith Kinyon. I have hunted and fished with my dad since I was 12 years old. Some of my very best memories are experiences afield and on the water with my dad there to share the moment. This year, with my dad approaching his 84th birthday in a month, we were able to share a turkey hunt that unfolded quickly and had all the components of an exciting hunt. This story started back in December when I had a group of 14 Toms and Jakes that made their way through my property every day. … Read More
Nighttime Serenading For Predators – especially coyotes
By: Tom Loundsbury. Predator hunting has become quite popular, with the main star of the event these days being the coyote, an amazingly adaptable (and very prolific) critter which has expanded its range across North America (beginning in the 20th Century) 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 … Read More
A Bear Hunt That Sparked A Friendship
By: Bob Weller. Going on a bear hunt was one of those, “I want to do that someday” ideas. Well this past fall “someday” arrived. Conversations about going on a bear hunt started to take place between me and a friend of mine named Joe shortly after he acquired some property in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. I mentioned to Joe that my friend Andy and I had talked about going bear hunting for years but it just hadn’t happened yet. Joe had said that he thought all of us could go in together and have a … Read More
The History Of Deer Hunting In Michigan
By: Tom Lounsbury. Humankind certainly has a way of changing the face of the world, especially in the name of progress, and Michigan is a prime example. When Europeans first made their appearance in the Great Lakes State, the southern Lower Peninsula featured more open areas, including prairies and bogs, which was ideal habitat for whitetail deer and elk. The northern Lower Peninsula and Upper Peninsula entailed a very dense, unending old growth forest which allowed very little sunlight to penetrate through. This was an ideal habitat for woodland caribou and moose, and detrimental to … Read More
My 50th Year Anniversary!
By: Jim Kushner. Nov. 15 2023 marked the 50th year that I have been in deer camp(s) throughout the State. Based on that I decided to hunt this season with the same gun I used back then. It is a Marlin model 336 in .35 Remington, it still has the same Weaver 4x scope that came with the gun the Christmas I received it. That was a great Christmas gift but it sure was difficult having to wait almost a year before I could actually use it. Well, “carrying” it may be a better description. … Read More
The Bedded Buck
By: Robert Weller. I was having a busy October. Busier than I had wanted it to be that’s for sure. I had intended on taking every weekend off in October and November so that I could get some quality time in the woods, especially during the early archery season here in Michigan. I think I made it out a total of five or six times to sit in the tree stand the entire month of October. To say I was getting frustrated with how my 2023 archery deer season was going would be an understatement. The … Read More
Southern Michigan’s Straight-Wall Cartridge Revolution
By: Tom Lounsbury. In June 2014, Michigan’s Natural Resource Commission (NRC) changed what was once known as the “Shotgun Zone” into the “Limited Firearms Zone”, which would allow centerfire rifles chambered for straight-wall rounds .35 caliber or larger, with a minimum case length of 1.16 inches and a maximum case length of 1.80 inches. This law relates to case length only and not overall cartridge length. The law is designed to allow deer hunters in southern Michigan more diversity in firearm selection, as well as better accuracy and to also offer lighter weight rifles featuring … Read More
A Muzzleloader Season “Double”
By: Bob Weller. With muzzleloader season right around the corner, I am reminded of one of my favorite hunting success stories. Many years ago, I had spent a month of Sundays late August into early September driving over to my buddies place with a trailer, loaded with a garden tractor towing a small wagon full of tools and a generator. We were building my first box blind and we were building it on site in a small section of hardwoods on my friend Andy’s Uncle’s property. Andy and I had been hunting together for several … Read More
The Luck Of The Draw – Sometimes It Does Really Happen!
By: Tom Lounsbury. When it comes to raffles, I have never had much luck and whenever I purchase a ticket, I automatically assume I’m helping a good cause, and that is the end of that. As they say, if you don’t at least try, you will never win anything. My name did get drawn for a 12 ga Remington Express shotgun at a Ducks Unlimited Banquet, but that was back in 1986, and nothing occurred from then on, after purchasing countless raffle tickets. Maybe the 2020 Michigan Elk Lottery was a turning point. Call it … Read More