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
Enjoying The Journey
As the saying goes, “it’s not the destination, but the journey that is most remembered”. If this is true I hope to be constantly heading in that direction. It is notoriously where all the fun is…where expectations are held high. The Land Of Superior has offered that to a lot of folks – including those that live there, eh? As I headed towards one of my hunting spots one morning I was quickly reminded of one simple reason for enjoying the journey. It was early November and cold, but very picturesque. No need for ear … Read More
The Best Days Are “Ahead Of Us”
The phrase “take a hike” has a connotation that can offend some people. Well, not in this part of the world! That phrase, this time of year, can imply lacing up some boots, applying layers and topping your other extremities with warm gloves and the famous Stormy Kromer. Many people find the best place to “take a hike” on an established trail. Those trails can be old logging roads…commonly referred as two-tracks, or a less traveled side road…a trail that offers the pristine beauty of Nature without the noise pollution of a motorized vehicle. Well, … Read More
Increase In Bear Licenses Essential
By: Richard P. Smith. Even though there are now more black bears in parts of the UP than whitetail deer and that lopsided situation could worsen if bear license quotas are not increased significantly, the DNR does not plan on recommending any change in the number of bear licenses issued during 2016 because bear regulations are on a 2-year cycle. In other words, bear license quotas are supposed to remain the same as in 2015. The only way to change that mindset is for concerned bear and deer hunters who want to see the fledgling … Read More