No one makes a Grand Entrance quite like Ross Chambers. Gary and Ross were to meet up to pregame for bear hunting season, with much preparation to be done. His first trip to East Lake was a memorable one as around midnight he turned off East Lake Road with his red Ford Ranger pickup, which Ross affectionately referred to as his DeRanger, and proceeded to go down the boat ramp directly into East Lake with a Sploosh! In his defense, it was dark out and with no artificial light, it does get a lot darker … 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
The Chamber of Flashbacks – coming soon!
If you’ve ever been to a WGD hunting camp, you may be familiar with the name Ross Chambers, affectionately known as Palley. Though a highly skilled guide, Ross is also known for providing comedic relief in camp from time to time. The cost of admission to his show? It will cost you a highball! But perhaps most entertaining is the legend of Ross himself, as he and his antics become the stuff of lore! Countless stories have been shared over the years, so many in fact, that we’ve decided to feature a weekly column 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
The beautiful jewel of the Straits which takes you back in time
There is no question that when you step off a ferry boat onto Mackinac Island, you are taking a literal step back into time, very similar to the late 19th Century. This is because motor vehicles have been banned (with the exception of emergency vehicles such as fire and ambulance, and on rare occasions, the Michigan State Police can be seen driving around in a vintage 1930’s patrol car). Commerce here depends solely upon horses, and tourists have a choice of walking, using bicycles or riding in carriages pulled by horses. Everything goes at a … Read More
Ticks – an unseen and often unnoticed menace ready and waiting in Michigan’s great outdoors.
While growing up on a Thumb area farm and enjoying local outdoor pastimes such as fishing, hunting and camping whenever possible, I don’t remember ever seeing a tick. However, that has all changed in recent years, and last year was one of the worst in my memory. This is in relation to my kennel of hunting dogs which entails two mountain curs, a redbone coonhound and a German shorthair pointer. I consider all my dogs to be versatile hunting dogs and use them for just about everything which primarily include hunting for squirrels, rabbits and … Read More
Anticipating when the wonderful birds of spring finally arrive in Michigan
The robin seems to get all the glory of being the key harbinger of spring in Michigan, and in some ways that is true. However, not all robins migrate south in the fall, with some of them wintering through, where habitat will allow, such as river bottoms. I often hear folks believing we are going to have an early spring when they have sighted robins in January and February, but I am sure they have had an occasional sighting of winter holdouts. I put more faith in seeing male redwing blackbirds, which normally show up … Read More
I Wonder As I Wander
Sounds like a Christmas Carol, right? That’s not what I’m going for here. Afterall, we just celebrated The Resurrection. It will be a few months before we celebrate His birth again. Let’s enjoy this season and the wonders it entails, such as… Can the pursuit of Morel Mushrooms in Michigan inspire one to answer some of life’s thought-provoking questions? I’d like to think that indeed it can. While I enjoy a few mushrooms in various foods, the real draw is the challenge of the hunt and the feeling of satisfaction when success is finally achieved. … Read More
There’s More To Be Said
As the legendary musician, Dave Matthews says…. “So much to say, so much to say, so much to SAY!” So does Gary Morgan have a lot to say, or at least his blog, newsletter, and podcast do. These voices have come from many sources over the years, from outdoor writers, some who are members of the Michigan Outdoor Writers Association (MOWA), to some who just enjoy writing as a hobby or happen to have a natural gift or interest in related topics. Of course, there are many with the gift of gab or have a … Read More
Kayaking in an Abandoned Mine
Have you ever paddled a kayak in an abandoned, underground mine? Well folks, this year on our spring break trip to Kentucky, we did exactly that. We have been paddling for almost ten years now, ever since my wife surprised me on my fortieth birthday with a guided adventure paddling the Pictured Rocks along Michigan’s shorelines on Lake Superior. After that trip, we came home and went kayaking crazy. We bought ourselves a used Old Town Loon tandem as well as a couple of cheap Sun Dolphins for the kids. Over the next several years we … Read More