After a quiet winter, at least in respect to wildlife, there’s a lot of buzz going on in the outdoors, and I don’t mean the bees or gossip. As I go for my almost daily walks, I never cease to hear or see something that fills me with wonder. I often hear what I refer to as the percussion section, with a well-played drumroll from an unseen partridge, let’s call him Danny from the Partridge Family (Okay, I’m dating myself here.) This soft drumroll also reminds me of the days when I could hear the … Read More
Autumn Olive – The Great Invasion
The ground my wife Ginny and I started with in 1976 to build our home, was a bare corn stubble field. Entailing 10 acres located at the back of my parents’ farm, a top priority was to establish wildlife covers wherever possible. Because the ground had been treated with herbicide, grass would not get a good start for another 3 years, but it could grow trees and shrubs in good form due to less competition from weeds. Evergreens were at the top of the list, as well as a highly recommended, berry-producing shrub called autumn … Read More
Gearing Up For Spring Gobblers
There is no other atmosphere which can compare to spring turkey hunting in our beautiful state, and Michigan offers an abundant bounty of opportunities. It ranks as being one of the top turkey hunting states in the nation, something I truly appreciate, and sure do enjoy! The fact that spring turkey licenses can now be purchased over the counter certainly works for me. A real nice offering for southern Michigan turkey hunters is the ZZ Unit which runs for the entire April 20 – May 31 season this year on private lands only and is … Read More
Howdah pistols – the forerunner of today’s hunting handguns
During the 1790’s, British officers and other gentlemen associated with the East India Company in India were introduced to big game hunting from the backs of elephants, riding in a basket-like platform known as a “howdah”. A key animal hunted was the tiger, which is a tad bigger than lions, and tigers are very fast and agile, and were well known for jumping and clawing their way up an elephant to reach a hunter riding in the howdah. Having something weighing around 600 pounds which is equipped with meat grinding sharp teeth and claws, can … Read More
A Winter-Wonderland Travel To Yellowstone – “Experience the Magic”
A thumbnail sketch of the wonders of Yellowstone through the eyes of our dear WGD’s friends, Bruce & Nancy Ter Beek…worldly travelers-extraordinaire…”Thanks for sharing!” My wife and I spent ten days exploring our first national park. Yellowstone National Park was created in 1872. The Department of the Army managed the 2.2 million acre reserve for over 40 years until the National Park Service was created. This was my 10th trip to this spectacular place, but my first winter experience. Yellowstone never disappoints. From May through September the park is crowded with over two million visitors. … Read More
All That and a Bag of Chips!
You don’t have to hunt to enjoy the great outdoors. Being newly retired and living further north has provided me with ample opportunity to enjoy what’s all around me. I have a newfound understanding of why many hunters are so passionate about the hunt. I’ve learned that it’s not just about the hunt, but everything in between, as in truth, how many hunting adventures actually result in meat? The meat is great, God put it there for us. But it seems that hunting is so much more. I hope you enjoy a non-hunter’s interpretation of … Read More
The ever-unique atmosphere of spring turkey hunting
Spring of 2023 was a very lucky timeframe for me. I had purchased a raffle ticket from the Cass City Gun Club, for a turkey shotgun. I’ve been none too lucky when it comes to raffles and look at purchasing tickets as generally supporting a good cause and have no expectations of winning anything. However, my ticket was drawn for a Winchester SXP Longbeard 20 ga shotgun, which has turkey hunting written all over it. Being able to use this specialized shotgun a couple weeks later to bag my largest gobbler ever in over 50 … Read More
I Got Hooked On Canadian Walleye Fishing
When I met my wife, we would get together and play cards with her parents and once in a while. As time went on and we got married, that tradition continued. My father in law, Robert and I share an interest in the outdoors so the conversation over those card games eventually turned to hunting or fishing. I’m more of a deer hunter than a fisherman but fishing has been something that I have enjoyed since I was a small boy when my grandfather used to take me. Robert loves to fish and has been … Read More
Nessmuk was a man of the wilderness
George Washington Sears was born in 1821 in Massachusetts and was the eldest of 10 children. While still a child, Sears had to work in a factory, and due to that experience, he enjoyed reading Charles Dickens novels, and grew to not care much for the urban experience. Somewhere along the line he was befriended by a Native American named Nessmuk who tutored him about the outdoors. At age twelve, he went to work for commercial fishermen on Cape Cod, and in 1841 signed up for a three-year whaling voyage to the South Pacific. When … Read More