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
Enjoy Paddling In Michigan’s Great Outdoors
The canoe has a very ancient and prestigious history with its origins dating back thousands of years, and its design has remained virtually unchanged. Variations of it can be found, with it having been used by primitive folks all over the world. The oldest canoe known thus far was a dugout discovered during an excavation in the Netherlands, which was dated to have been used sometime in 8200 – 7600 BC. The canoe gets its name from the word “kenu” (meaning dugout) of the Carib Indians of the Caribbean islands who used their handy … Read More
Frozen Waterfalls & Ice Caves
What comes to mind when you think of a winter getaway? Probably some place warm right? Maybe a beach somewhere just lying in the sun with a cold drink in your hand. I would have to guess that most people don’t think of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula as a winter destination. I mean unless you are into snowmobiling or skiing why would anyone want to go where it’s colder, right? Well, what if I told you that there are things to see and do in the U.P. during the winter months that you can’t see or … Read More
Wyoming Adventures Long Remembered
The late Bob Brislawn is known by the USDA as being the founder of the Spanish Mustang as an American horse breed. I can remember a large picture of him in Life magazine in January 1969, in which he was wearing his trademark large Stetson with a small American flag protruding up out of the hatband. The Life magazine article about wild mustangs featured a bit of Bob’s history and his dedicated efforts to save the Spanish mustang as a breed. He had worked for the U.S. Geological Survey during the early 20th Century as … Read More
Red Black Bear Killed In U.P.
By: Richard P. Smith. Ed Groom from Saline has always been lucky when it comes to hunting. One of the first turkeys he bagged was a smokey gray gobbler and he got a bull moose in Ontario with antlers that had a 58-inch spread. Then, on his first bear hunt ever in the UP during 2020, he shot a black bear with a red coat while hunting with guides Susie and Roy Little. Almost all bears in the state are black in color, but there is an occasional bruin that turns up on which the … Read More
The Quest For A Grand Slam Began Near Spring Training
By: C.J. VanWieren. Several months ago I received a text message from my dad asking me if I would be interested in a Florida turkey hunt. Without hesitation, I said I was absolutely in for a hunt. One, I have never hunted the Osceola turkey and would need that feather in my pursuit of the Grand Slam. More importantly than that, it was the last feather that my dad needed for his Grand Slam and I wanted to be a part of that moment. My dad had waited 27 years to complete his slam and … Read More
The Hunter, The Dreamer
By: Bob Morgan. There is movement. Rich bronze against a maze of greens The muscled neck swings gracefully upward and intelligent eyes search the difference. Nose raised to the air, a search for unfamiliar scents. A slight snort, sharp hooves paw the earth and the whitetail moves back into the maze of green, completely obscured. I, too, am obscured. From my stand high in a tall oak, I have watched the buck reveal himself, then once again hide. His wariness, his wiliness impress me. I did not move, I could not have been seen or … Read More
Are You Scouting For Success?
By: Gary Morgan. Much has been written about ‘scouting whitetail deer’ causing a pause before I chose to partake in ‘just one more’. Of course, my hunting friendships offering me that phrase have rarely caused me to decline…so I shall embark. My Peeps know where my home range is but for everyone else let’s focus on Michigan …particularly the upper peninsula. I’ll affectionately refer to this land mass as big timber…thus, Big Timber Whitetails. My journey for a different kind of hunt began in the late 90’s when family and work constraints had formed my…”my … Read More
Rare (Michigan) Bear Behavior
By: Richard P. Smith. After more than 50 years of bear hunting in the UP, I experienced something I’ve never seen before during the 2021 bear season. Before discussing that rare event, some background information is important. I drew a bear tag for the third hunt in the Baraga bear management unit, as did some friends from the Traverse City area who I usually hunt with out of Lac La Belle Lodge in Keweenaw County. The group included father and son Amos and Doug Esman along with father and sons Kent, Shamus and Seth … Read More