Hunting with Mike

This is the second P&Y buck I took, a year after I shot the 10 pointer. The way I came about putting this one on the wall was quite different from any of the other deer I’ve taken with a bow. I was hunting a friends property who owned some farm land in Clinton Mi. The first day I scouted I found a great scrape, and put a tree stand up downwind. I decided to hunt it that evening, and this nice 9-pointer came into my grunt call. I was shooting a Kohana recurve, but wondered why, as this beautiful buck approached. I had yet to score with any recurve, and I began to think this was a dumb time to try and shoot number one! Anyway he gave me the broadside shot I wanted, and I instinctively put the aluminium shaft in his bloated neck. I didn’t get very good penetration, but did see blood immediately upon impact. The deer ran across an open field, and I watched him lay down in a thick fence row not far from a small thicket. I backed off, and figured I’d let him alone till morning, when I would come back and find a dead deer.

I put in a miserable night thinking about my weak attempt to put this “bad boy” down. I had a 1 hour drive to my friends place, and had made the decision to take my compound with me just in case. I waited till the first rays of sun were starting to show on the horizon, and then started my stalk through the little thicket. About half way through I scanned the fence row with my binoculars, and sure enough there he was! He was alert and facing away from me. I had to move at least 40 more yards before I could hope for a shot, and that was going to be very tricky. I did have one thing in my favor-a light rain was muffling the noise my stalk was making. Several times he looked my way, but I always kept a good sized tree between me and him. Just when I thought I couldn’t get any closer without spooking him; a farmer appeared on the gravel road walking his dog. They were about 200 yards from the bedded deer, and had no idea the buck was intently watching them. Because the deer was looking in the opposite direction I now made my final move. At 18 yards I drew back my bow and promptly sent a 125 thunderhead into his boiler room! He jumped up and ran about 30 yards before crashing to the ground.

As I checked the spot he had been laying there was a pretty good pool of blood, but upon inspecting the deer it looked like the wound had closed up. He may very well have survived his encounter with my recurve, but thanks to the unnamed farmer and his dog, he couldn’t survive my compounds double lung shot.

This deer grossed 129-1/2 as an 8-pointer, as I had to deduct for that ninth point. The picture shows my recurve, but I can only take credit for getting half the job done. This was a rutting whitetail who came into a grunt call around 5:00 in the evening.

My nephew Derek Ansel shot a 6-point last evening, and 20 minutes later shot a beautiful 10-pointer. He had his son Tristan in the stand with him, and is sending me some pictures. I went over this morning and took a measurement for him, and I have it at around 130 inches before deductions. He may very well of shot him a “book buck” while his son watched! I’ll be writing about this when I get the pictures.

Mike

This picture is the reason I’m looking so forward to the rut. I’ve been fortunate enough to have taken four “book” whitetails with my bow, and this picture shows my first one. Three of the four were taken during the rut, and the forth was in the dead of winter.

This buck was a almost perfect 10 pointer, with only 1-1/2 inches in deductions for a gross score of 132-1/2. He only had a 13 inch inside spread, but good mass and long tines helped in the scoring. I am not a trophy hunter! I just love to hunt-period! If those big necked, love sick, heavy racked, old bucks want to be foolish within 30 yards of me; well then I will gladly send a 2218 their way. My belief is that you have an 80% better chance of tagging a trophy buck, during the rut, than at any other time of the year. During the last few weeks of December if I haven’t put some deer in the freezer, as yet, I am strictly meat hunting. Those horns make great conversation pieces, but you can’t eat em!

Mike

Just got back from a few more days in Hillsdale. This is a picture (taken earlier in the year) of the little pond on our lease property. I hunt about 60 yards from the far end in a little 1/4 acre finger, that runs to the end of the pond. There are so many rubs around this pond I quit counting, and new scrapes have been showing up every day. My ground blind is in a very thick fence row, and every tree that has low hanging limbs, has a scrape under it. So why then am I not seeing any deer?

Sunday evening my son-in-law saw a distant doe, and I saw nothing. Of coarse when I exited my blind at 7:35 P.M. A couple “blew” me off. I’m using a new sent elimination system called “dead down wind” so I should not be having a scent problem. Maybe things will change in a week or so when the bucks start the rut. Like I said a few blogs ago; I’ve got plenty of time yet.

We picked up my son-in-laws processed 6-pointer at a place in Addison, and I have to say he made the best jerky I have ever tasted. He also had some bar-b-cued sausage sticks made that were also excellent. When I get my deer I know where I’m taking it! It is not always easy to find someone who does excellent wild game processing, so when you do you tell others. Incidentally the jerky had a teriyaki flavor which I really enjoyed. I don’t remember the name of the place, but it is right in Addison off of 127, and the guys name is Brad.

Mike

Awhile back I said I was going to give a report on my hay-bale blind, and I must now admit it was an utter failure. I ended up stacking bales (two high) around my pop-up blind for warmth, concealment, and scent elimination. I may of accomplished all those goals, but the negatives ain’t worth it! Those hay bales have attracted every creepy crawler (spiders) in the forest. Seeing how I have arachnophobia, getting into my little dungeon full of wolf spiders just isn’t going to get it. I bought a can of spider spray, but they seem to thirst for more!

This morning after the hunt I moved one of the bales, and low and behold there was a nest of snakes keeping warm under it. Two slithered away into a hole in the bales, but I grabbed the third one, only to have it pee all over my hand. I am not afraid of snakes, but I still don’t want them taking up residence in my blind.

I only got a glimpse (at dark) of two deer, but my friends, the dogs, were doing their thing around my blind. I know they were chasing deer on one occasion as I could hear their pursuit through the whole area. I am going to call the local police agency, and see if there is anything I can do about it.

The picture at the top is out my blind window when the farmer was harvesting his corn. I have yet to have a “good” weather day to hunt. The scraping activity is picking up though, and I would think the pre-rut is just around the corner. No monster 8-pointer yet, but I have a long season ahead of me.

Mike

I’m on my way over to Hillsdale to see if I can outsmart one of those bucks in the next couple days. The weather has finally made the change we all been looking for, so that should help.

The 8-point buck in the picture had nine lives (well maybe only three.) I missed him clean twice with my bow, but he made the mistake of coming around opening evening of gun season. For a 1-1/2 year old deer thats not a bad set of horns. I’ve got two 6-pointers around my stand, but also a huge 8-point, which I’m going to try and be patient on! Crop damage in my area is unbelievable, and you can see why farmers need the deer herd thinned out.

Maybe some of you readers can answer a question? One of my neighbors keeps letting his Collie and German Shepard out, while I’m hunting. I’ve talked to him to no avail, and his dogs run the deer on my lease, and are always leaving their scent around the area. Any suggestions?

Mike

Brothers Randy and Darryl at Lake LeVasseur near Marquette. This used to be one of our favorite pike fishing lakes, until the earthen dam gave way, and drained it dry. In the old days we could catch a nice mess of eaten size pike, and then use the fish scraps for bear bait. We would take a canoe with us and in the afternoon, when we weren’t hunting, we’d be fishing.

Well its been about 15 years since that dam gave way, and the Army Corps of Engineers and the D.N.R. have brought this lake back better than it ever was. It is actually much bigger than it used to be, and we are told the pike have made a huge comeback. Not only has the fishing improved, but the duck and goose hunting are also looking up. We didn’t have the time, or the canoe, to give it a try this year, but we’ll sure throw some daredevils next year.

Just a side note: I talked to Darryl today, and he said Dick Baldwin says several bear have been visiting our old bait pile! I think Darryl is going to head back up and give it another shot. I’d like to tag along, but there is a big 8-pointer hanging around my stand and I want “him” bad! Besides that my funds are not unlimited, so I have to stay close to home-in case I run out of gas.

Mike

This is my grandson Quinn Russo. He looks like a Ninja warrior ready for battle. I took this picture while we were on the Sept. youth hunt. This is actually his dad’s ground blind, and there is also a nice 20 foot tree stand just down the tree line.  It’s a good thing he didn’t see any deer cause that little 20 gauge was dead on, and Quinn was cocked and primed to bring one down.

Tony (Quinn’s dad) took a nice 6-pointer from that tree stand on Wednesday evening. He was by himself, but reported that he saw another 6-point and a huge 8-point. He thought he had made a good hit, but waited till morning to look, and found it not far from where the shot was made. Because of the warm weather he took it into Addison to have it processed, and didn’t even get any pictures of his deer. It was probably a road kill! Just kidding-Congratulations Tony!

I have been busier than I want to be, but I don’t like hunting in the “heat”either. Looks like a cool-down is headed our way for next week, so will try and get out a couple of those days. I just heard brother Darryl got a buck, but I haven’t had that confirmed yet, so will wait till I hear the details. Come on cool weather we need your help!

Mike

This is a blog I don’t particularly like writing, cause what I’m about to share should of never happened to two seasoned hunters. The reason it is important that I write about it is this: if it could happen to us it can happen to you! Hunting season is upon us, and all over our country men and women will be tromping around in unfamiliar turf (the wilderness.) Let me say now that the quickest way to get yourself in trouble is to be overconfident about your ability NOT to get LOST! Thats right-I said lost! Between my brother and myself we have over 90 plus years experience in the great outdoors, but when you break the basic rules, trouble is just around the next unfamiliar clump of trees.

While we were bear hunting a few week ago, we decided to go to an area of state land where we have hunted many times in the past. Our baits around camp were not being “hit”, so we thought maybe we should check out one of our old state land spots. It is a 15 mile drive from camp, with most of that being on two-tracks full of ruts, mud, and water. When we reached the little overgrown path that led to our secret spot, we surmised that no one had been down “our” trail. We parked the truck, and began our walk, in hopes of finding the area we had taken a bear from three years ago. This particular trail comes to a dead-end, and just before we got there I told Darryl that I was going into the woods to see if I could find the old baiting area. Darryl stayed on the trail while I “stumbled” through the swamp! I probably wasn’t more than 80 yards off the trail, and kept talking to Darryl, just to make sure I didn’t get out of ear-shot. I was about ready to give up on finding the old stand when Darryl appeared beside me. He figured the two of us could cover more ground, and we were only a “stones throw” away from the trail anyway. Well after about 20 minutes of futile searching we decided it was time to go back to the truck. I told my brother to follow me, and he said “No way your going in the wrong direction!” He promptly told me we needed to go in the exact opposite direction I was headed, and I begged to differ with him. Well he let me range out about 100 yards, and when I came across nothing even remotely familiar I headed back to where I had left him. It was his turn, and he came up with the same results. We stared at one another in disbelief that neither one of us had a clue which direction our little trail was! We stumbled around for another 20 minutes, and it was starting to dawn on us that we were lost in one of the biggest swamps in the area. We both had on t-shirts that were ringing wet with perspiration, we had no compass, had told no one where we were going, no food, no water, no cell phone, no provisions except for a book of matches. On top of that I am a type II diabetic, and my blood sugar was getting very low. I had not had breakfast and needed a shot of sugar to pump me up! My brother climbed a tree and from his perch guided me while I walked a radius from the tree. I came back exhausted and sent Darryl out in the opposite direction. He was beginning to stray off course, and I hollered at him to veer to his left. During this time I said a little pray asking God to help get us out of this mess. Almost immediately Darryl yells that he thinks he has found a tree that looks familiar. He beckons me to come his way which I reluctantly do, but low and behold its our old bear baiting area. Darryl had only been in this spot one time in his life, and it was at night. I knew where we were at now, and within a few minutes had us on the trail again. We both breathed a sigh of relief and thanked God for helping these two “dummies” out of the woods. As you read this you can pick out many errors that we made. Please don’t make the same ones yourselves. I am an old boyscout, and the scout motto is “Be Prepared.” I (we) weren’t prepared at all, and it almost cost us a night in the mesquitoe infested swamp. Don’t be little “girly men” like we were- be prepared!

Mike

This is a picture looking out the front door of the Baldwin’s camp. That’s a saw mill in the background, and the equipment they use to bring the logs into the camp, and then put them on the saw table. Right now Dicks second son Greg is building a new log home on 20 acres of riverfront property. The chocholay river is a beautiful stream that is quite popular among the locals of Marquette. Most all the interior and exterior logs will come off their own property, prepared at this little saw mill. Gary Baldwin has a camp on 16 mile lake in Munising. This lovely “camp” has at least 13 different species of wood adorning the floors, ceilings, and walls, all logged off there own land. It is gorgeous!

Last week was a peak week for the fall colors. The hills surrounding the camp gave us quite a display of Gods creative handiwork. We saw reds, crimsons, yellows, oranges, shades of brown, and of course greens as the hills displayed their glory. I didn’t really get a picture that did the scenery justice. If you get a chance this fall-do take a drive up north and take in the colors. You’ll be glad you did.

Don’t you think there is a bit of irony that as these leaves are dying they display their beauty as never before?

Mike

It was one week ago today that I caught this little 10 inch “brookie” in the stream running by the Baldwin’s camp. We had caught a few the day before, and with the ones we caught on Wednesday had enough for a meal. You can’t beat fresh, backwoods, cold stream brook trout, frying in a cast iron skillet, while submerged in butter, and doused with lemon. We had whole canned potatoes, green beans, and corn to go along with the fish. We had some excellent meals while dining out, but nothing to compare with brother Darryl’s fish fry.

Just upstream from where this picture was taken is a beaver dam stretching the width of the creek. The pool behind the dam held a couple 24-26 inch fish that were to spooked to catch. We are not sure what they were, but one of the Baldwin’s thought they were Salmon. We also saw several 12-14 inch brookies in this pool, but it was just to small and overgrown to do any serious casting. I lost my best spinner trying to entice them, so that just about put an end to my day fishing.

While we were walking upstream, in this tangle of a swamp, we found several piles of fresh bear scat. It would be a real hump getting bait back in there, but we’ll keep it in mind for next year.

Mike