Author: Rodd Little. Anyone who hunts or fishes has years where everything he does falls right into place, while other years it seems like no matter what you do nothing goes right. In 50 years of hunting I have never had a year like 2023. It started during the spring turkey season with my 9 year old grandson Connor. I took Connor on my property in northern Bay County on opening day of the 2023 turkey season to a portable (tent) blind in a Grandpa Ray’s clover plot I had frost seeded in March. I … Read More
Becoming High on the Hog
One of the most widespread mammals in the world is “Sus scrofa”, the pig, also known as swine or hog. Its presence has been known in the “New World” since Columbus introduced them to the Caribbean islands during his second voyage in 1493. Hernando de Soto introduced them to what would become the continental United States in 1539, and during his 3-year expedition through what is now 14 states, pigs brought along as a steady food source, would often escape, and quickly adapted to the wild, and became what is known as “feral”. Wherever they … Read More
Enjoying The Outdoors The Air Rifle Way
The first air guns/rifles appear in history during the 1580’s. They were mainly used by wealthy sportsmen for hunting, but due to their unique functioning characteristics, were sometimes used in warfare. Napoleon, for example, didn’t much appreciate opposing special snipers armed with air rifles which caused morale issues in the French ranks. The fact there was no telltale smoke or loud report caused the French to wonder at first if some “magic” was entailed during a time of flintlock muskets as being the primary arm. Lewis and Clark took a Girardoni air rifle on their … Read More
The Sweet Bounty of the Woodlands
One of my fondest memories as a teenager was working for a neighbor in his woods gathering sap to make maple syrup. This began first with “tapping” maple trees using a hand-drill and hammering in metal spigots (aka taps) on which we hung special metal buckets which had lids to keep out moisture and debris. Some trees on the smaller side only required one tap, while bigger ones could handle more. There was a lot of snow that particular winter, and we had to do some serious wading during our first attempts to reach the … Read More
Bottoms Up!
This story started with its title, or more accurately, an observation that led to its title. The snow filled and chilling past week has kept Michiganders inside, for the most part. The most outdoor activity I’ve engaged in is bringing more wood into our cabin home to keep us toasty and cozy. So was I ever surprised when I glanced out between the steep snowbank lined creek to see 5 Mallard duck couples. And to my delight, it was Valentine’s Day! Of course, my husband was in the U.P. with Bobcat hunters. With my … Read More
Spousal Date Redefined
About this time of year, it seems winter begins to wear out its welcome. Though I’ve enjoyed the beauty of the snow, especially during a recent snowshoeing adventure, the activity of wildlife slows. The birds who’ve been left behind, namely Chickadees, Nuthatches, Pileated Woodpeckers and Sap Suckers, provide the majority of wildlife sightings. We see the Bald Eagle near the creek looking for a defenseless victim, likely an unsuspecting Mallard Duck. Deer come and go as their dietary needs arise. After that, any other wildlife viewing is likely by way of trail cam. With … Read More
Shortcuts – Friend or Folly
We’ve all taken shortcuts at one time or another. Many live by the shortcut. Some, if we were to admit, have fallen by the shortcut. In a world where we want everything stat, patience is not only a virtue but a rarity. We live in an instant society where most of the time we can get answers in a moment with a google search, or alexa inquiry. Let’s face it, we don’t like to wait. But when it comes to nature, this may not be the best way to glean success, at least in the … Read More
Sometimes Lessons Need To Be Relearned
Well folks I don’t know about you but we had a decent deer season for 2024. A total of 6 deer were taken off the property we hunt this year and every one of them by yours truly. Not for lack of effort by my son or the landowner (Steve) and his daughter, but I just seemed to be the one blessed with the most opportunities. The old saying goes, I’d rather be lucky than good any day. Not to discount the skill and knowledge that are needed to successfully hunt a mature whitetail, but … Read More
Diehard – A Battle of Wills
The following article is about an extraordinary hunt as told by our nephew, Derek. Derek Harrison experienced the hunt of a lifetime on opening weekend of gun season 2024. It all started on the second day of the hunt, November 16 on his father-in-law’s property in Hillsdale county. It was a fluke of a site, as a few weeks earlier he’d set up his hunting spot in the dark. Heading out on the morning of the hunt, and running late, Derek reflects on saying to his brother-in-law, Kenny, “I know there are big deer, we … Read More
Humility and Kindness; Pass It On
Sometimes the sport of hunting becomes a “dog eat dog” world filled with pride and selfishness. Most hunters who have been at it long enough have stories to share about their frustrations related to this. They may even have to admit their own shortcomings on occasion as the pressure to succeed or “show off” builds. I’d like to propose another approach based on my experiences that takes a detour from the negative aspects that oftentimes taint this amazing sport. Let’s start with a story about farmers in years past who when tilling their fields, would … Read More