by: Tom Lounsbury Listening to 20 beagles howling at various places in the surrounding woods, accompanied by a crescendo of (shotgun) shots here and there on a brisk winter morning is certainly a very unique sound that was quite frankly, music to my ears. I was observing a recent rabbit hunt for disabled veterans through a program called “Operation Injured Soldier” (OIS) on 400 acres of excellent wildlife habitat owned by Dr. Richard Horsch of Mayville. Personally, I’ve been on a lot of rabbit hunts with beagles in my day (which is quite a few … Read More
Visiting Rome During Turkey Season
Michigan’s spring turkey season begins in the later part of April and runs through the end of May. With that generous length of time, weather can provide an inch of snow on the opener, to perfect morel mushroom picking halfway through and the need to crank up the air conditioner as the seasons draws to a close. When in Rome… Better yet, when hunting in Michigan…As a guide for spring turkey hunting, I find it resembles hanging around with a new ‘best friend’…waking up a couple hours before daybreak, eating breakfast and discussing strategy over … Read More
Burning the Candle Of Desire – at both ends!
If I thought substituting “she loves me, she loves me not” with “go hunting, go hunting not” would give me another opportunity to go hunting I would’ve use that method back in the day. My wife and I were at the front end of raising a family, working as much as we could and juggling a schedule to squeeze more time out of the day and into our relationship. Challenges were among us as they are today but in a much different context. One thing for certain, my love of the outdoors had not changed … Read More
A bird in the hand on Heartbreak Hill. (w/3 part podcast)
By: Tom Lounsbury. I’ve hunted with licensed and insured outfitters in Canada and in other states, but never in Michigan. Then I recently heard of East Lake Outfitters (WildGameDynasty.com) based in Michigan and I contacted owner Gary Morgan to discuss his operation and find out what is offered. It is a relatively new venture that began in 2011 and is named after East Lake in the Upper Peninsula, where Gary has his bear camp that is located less than an hour drive north of the “Big Mac” Bridge. The regularly baited sites are located in … Read More
Remembering A ‘Last Chance Tom’
By: Michigan Out-Of-Doors Jordan Brown. It doesn’t matter how many hunting seasons I endure, it seems like every year I learn or relearn a valuable lesson. The lesson for the 2014 spring turkey season was pretty simple but one that’s easy to forget, never give up. With the end of season looming, my fiancé, Angela, and I decided to hit the woods for one last evening hunt; hoping to fill her tag before the sun set. The odds were certainly not in our favor on this particular hunt, with above average temperatures and rain in … Read More
The Sweet Flavor Of Spring
I always look forward to my annual spring pilgrimage to the Battel sugarbush located just a few miles northeast of Cass City (on Ritter Road – a couple miles west of M-53), to stock up on freshly made maple syrup, a very sweet flavor of spring I always yearn for. This usually occurs not long after the first day of spring, because the typical timeframe for gathering sap from tapped maple trees in the Thumb runs from March 1 to April 1. (I thoroughly enjoy the annual Battel Maple Syrup Open House the third … Read More
Ode to the Dependable Remington 870
The Remington Model 870 pump-action shotgun first hit the market in 1950, and quickly became a favorite of American hunters (several million have been manufactured and sold). I can remember pump 870’s being in the hands of quite a few visiting pheasant hunters on our farm when I was a kid. I handled and shot an 870 for the first time about 40 years ago. I had stopped to visit a friend, and he and his brothers were just getting ready to do a pigeon harvest at a neighbors barn. This entailed flushing the birds … Read More
Freshwater, no sharks!
It all began with a phone call from a fella in Florida’s swamp land. He identified himself as Chad, bearing that distinct southern accent that told me: “this guy ain’t from these parts”. He wanted to know if this was Wild Game Dynasty from Michigan. I quickly learned he was inquiring on a guided deer hunt that his girlfriend found while searching online. She apparently found a posting of a fundraising campaign in Michigan. This fundraiser was put on by a local charity in my home town raising funds for youth activities, which Wild Game … Read More
“Our Friend Maggie” (w/podcast)
Each year mid-winter brings a batch of new excitement. For me, it’s the time for some tweener stuff. My fall hunts for clients are behind me, but the turkey hunts are calling off in the distance. So, with that in mind, I reconnect with cross country skiing and most anything with my family…especially, my wife. Well, when I was invited to spend a day bobcat and coyote hunting not far from home I couldn’t hold back. I don’t think my wife had the same response…but, it was only ‘a day’, eh. Besides, it was time … Read More