By Mac Arnold
RTWO Editor-In-Chief
In the previous blog post Saturday, Oct. 24, I said "it was time to get serious about deer hunting," and there is no doubt I'm focused and ready, but now I need dance partners.
Which leads me into the next aspect of this: When is this year's rut going to begin?
I've heard that everything is behind from the late spring, and I'm half tempted to go along with this theory. Of course, it is only Oct. 25.
There are two approaches for when the rut kicks off: the lunarist types and the scientists.
To get to the bottom of these two theories on what's up for this season, I will get some help from an article I came across online by Mark Kenyon titled "Wired to Hunt."
Kenyon cites the moon philosophies for his article from well-known lunarists Charles Alsheimer and Wayne Laroche, who believe the whitetail's breeding season is influenced by the phases of the moon.
This usually is what is used by such devices as my Garmin's "game finder." And I'll have to admit there are many coincidences of deer or turkey coming in right when it predicts "best" or "good" times during the day.
Laroche is a respected fish biologist and also an avid whitetail hunter who became interested in the moon influences on deer after seeing how it would drive grouper fish in the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico.
Alsheimer, also a big-time deer hunter and field editor at Deer and Deer Hunting, has been detailing the moon's impact on whitetails for articles in DDH and Outdoor Life magazines for many years.
They've researched this material for more than 20 years, so we at RTWO realize we are really simplifying their hypotheses for the sake of getting down to the actual rut predictions for a quickie blog post.
Since Laroche and Alsheimer ultimately pinpoint the rut launch from "the second full moon after the autumn equinox" and for this year that would make it today (Tuesday, Oct. 27).
This "rutting moon," as they call it, is much earlier than last year's one, on Nov. 6, which fell in a more preferable date that "syncs up well with other rutting factors and results in a synchronized and frenzied rut," according to Laroche and Alsheimer's predictions in Kenyon's article.
Furthermore, it was saying the "seeking" behavior of bucks should have started about Oct. 20 and ignited into full-blown "chasing" by today (Tuesday, Oct. 27) with the best time of the season coming between Oct. 25 to Nov. 3.
After this Nov. 3 date, the "tending" behavior, where a buck follows a doe closely until she comes into estrus, will continue until Nov. 10.
Not to be a fly in the ointment, but I haven't seen any chasing behavior from Oct. 20 and on, and I hunted a good four hours the morning of Saturday, Oct. 24. In fact I had a doe come in with a button buck in tow. You would think she would have ran him off by now if the rut was beginning in earnest.
And they didn't seem nervous or on the lookout for potential bucks in the area, which I know are there from last year's hunting and trail cam pictures taken only a week ago.
But believe me I'll welcome this supposed theory since I hope to be on point this morning.
Historically, the week before Halloween has been good to me, and I was reminded of that by a "post your memories" item on Facebook that showed a picture of me with a 6-pointer I took on Oct. 26 in 2009.
As far as the full-moon hunting goes, at least from what I've experienced, it's a dud. What I believe happens, especially if the moonbeams keep the night sky lit up, is the deer are even more active during the hours when us hunters can't get at them and are more likely to remain bedded down longer once it hits daylight.
Now, all of this is just bunk to the scientific theorists and organizations such as Quality Deer Management Association -- also quoted in Kenyon's article -- who say unequivocally that studies find the biggest influence on when the rut begins is based on the length of the day getting shorter from region to region and not by moon phases or other surmised things such as cooler temperatures.
In addition, these "pro-science" prognosticators say the prime breeding periods remain fairly consistent in these areas on a yearly basis.
So now that I have mulled over these theories for this posting, it's clear to me so far that maybe the lunarists are just looney and the scientific ones have the right plan, especially if I see Mr. Big Boy start grunting and stomping around the hunting grounds ... oh, somewhere around the week of Nov. 8 to Nov. 14.
Last year, after the same slow start, once I got into that week, that's when all of the buck sightings, shots and activity began for me in Monroe County, Michigan.
Now it's time to watch and wait, and just maybe bring down a beast.
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
Saturday, October 24, 2015
Lookie, lookie who's coming a callin'
By Mac Arnold
RTWO Editor-In-Chief
It is time to get serious about deer hunting, hence, the shaved head for this veteran woodsman.
But then again, when I look at the Jeep's temperature gauge, it's at nearly 70 degrees with gusty winds and rain in the forecast.
Yet, with it being Oct. 24 and the end of month slowly approaching, we of the timber, waves of corn and beans and pines, know Mr. Big Buck doesn't really care what it's like outside when it's time to find love and protect his territory from potential invading suitors.
He'll be there and so will I, hopefully at the same time.
Although I've been patrolling the nearby oak flats in Monroe Country, Mich., for just under two years, I do know of what has been out there antler-wise from the previous whitetail season.
A spike and button were left to walk another year and a big boy was not tagged because of my errant shot and failed go-around in November.
But I now have even more confirmation. This is the first time in a few years that I have employed a trail cam. I apologize that the pictures aren't the best because I put it up a ways on the tree to at least make it an effort for a thief to walk away with a free camera.
Yes, weather be damned, it's tough to sit back when you know what's out there.
At right, the smaller of the two bucks approached from the same direction but at a time when he can be legally shot.
RTWO Editor-In-Chief
It is time to get serious about deer hunting, hence, the shaved head for this veteran woodsman.
But then again, when I look at the Jeep's temperature gauge, it's at nearly 70 degrees with gusty winds and rain in the forecast.
 |
The bigger of the two bucks I have on my trail cam is at the
lower left of this picture.
|
Yet, with it being Oct. 24 and the end of month slowly approaching, we of the timber, waves of corn and beans and pines, know Mr. Big Buck doesn't really care what it's like outside when it's time to find love and protect his territory from potential invading suitors.
He'll be there and so will I, hopefully at the same time.
Although I've been patrolling the nearby oak flats in Monroe Country, Mich., for just under two years, I do know of what has been out there antler-wise from the previous whitetail season.
A spike and button were left to walk another year and a big boy was not tagged because of my errant shot and failed go-around in November.
But I now have even more confirmation. This is the first time in a few years that I have employed a trail cam. I apologize that the pictures aren't the best because I put it up a ways on the tree to at least make it an effort for a thief to walk away with a free camera.
Yes, weather be damned, it's tough to sit back when you know what's out there.
At right, the smaller of the two bucks approached from the same direction but at a time when he can be legally shot.
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
Bow season has commenced
By Mac Arnold
RTWO Editor-In-Chief
Another Michigan deer archery season is officially under way, and I've been out twice, once on the Oct. 1 opener and another time Oct. 4.
I suppose there was a primer in September that would count since I went out for one of the two early firearms days with the Parker Thunderhawk crossbow.
What has amazed me so far is there haven't been any snafus, which usually run rampant for me the first few times out, such as leaving the release in the Jeep or forgetting the pull rope. Well, maybe dropping the battery cap from the crossbow scope out of the tree Sept. 20 would count but I was able to find it once I touched down.
And I'm not baffled I haven't seen nary a deer ... OK, that might not be true. What did look like three deer scampering across the fallow field could have been coyotes. They were a ways off. Or were they just small?
Some veteran woodsmen would say get your eyes checked or pull out your binos. But the wind was fairly intense Oct. 1., clocking in about 15 mph, according to Accuweather, and made it tough to follow running targets.
But whatever they were, they were on the other end of the field from me and small enough that I was only mildly amped. Now, the coyote thoughts had me more pumped up because I need to trim that population. Plus I thought I heard pups earlier in the morning.
Nothing ever did swing past the stand, nor two days later on the birthday gig.
It's early.
The next two days planned are for evening watches. These prove to be more fruitful than morning this time of year, although I will have a special guest, John Paulin, for Thursday.
Quads and the Double Bull Blind with crossbows are being rolled out. This type of hunt -- albeit is loaded with fun -- usually isn't programmed for stealth and is geared more toward camaraderie, which I could use plenty of right now anyway. In other words, I'm not expecting to see much.
But first, let's see what today's hunt brings along with more ... you guessed it: northeast winds.
Oh, snap.
RTWO Editor-In-Chief
Another Michigan deer archery season is officially under way, and I've been out twice, once on the Oct. 1 opener and another time Oct. 4.
 |
RTWO photo by Mac Arnold
I may look comfortable but I'm not.
Northeast winds above 15 mph have
prevailed so far this early season and
have kept it brisk in the stand.
|
I suppose there was a primer in September that would count since I went out for one of the two early firearms days with the Parker Thunderhawk crossbow.
What has amazed me so far is there haven't been any snafus, which usually run rampant for me the first few times out, such as leaving the release in the Jeep or forgetting the pull rope. Well, maybe dropping the battery cap from the crossbow scope out of the tree Sept. 20 would count but I was able to find it once I touched down.
And I'm not baffled I haven't seen nary a deer ... OK, that might not be true. What did look like three deer scampering across the fallow field could have been coyotes. They were a ways off. Or were they just small?
Some veteran woodsmen would say get your eyes checked or pull out your binos. But the wind was fairly intense Oct. 1., clocking in about 15 mph, according to Accuweather, and made it tough to follow running targets.
But whatever they were, they were on the other end of the field from me and small enough that I was only mildly amped. Now, the coyote thoughts had me more pumped up because I need to trim that population. Plus I thought I heard pups earlier in the morning.
Nothing ever did swing past the stand, nor two days later on the birthday gig.
It's early.
The next two days planned are for evening watches. These prove to be more fruitful than morning this time of year, although I will have a special guest, John Paulin, for Thursday.
Quads and the Double Bull Blind with crossbows are being rolled out. This type of hunt -- albeit is loaded with fun -- usually isn't programmed for stealth and is geared more toward camaraderie, which I could use plenty of right now anyway. In other words, I'm not expecting to see much.
But first, let's see what today's hunt brings along with more ... you guessed it: northeast winds.
Oh, snap.
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
'It's all happening now'
By Mac Arnold
RTWO Editor-In-Chief
If you hang around me long enough this time of year in September, you will probably hear me utter at least a couple of times, "it's all happening now."
Indeed, it is.
The leaves are beginning to turn. Fields are hazy yellow with golden rod, spotted throughout by maroon sumac and sheet-white Queen Anne's lace, bordered with alternating wild gray skies and then bright baby blue ones.
Late summer's morning chill sets in before temperatures rise up into the 70s that by midday create a Michigan pendulum of switching between turning on the heat and then the air-conditioning in the Jeep.
Speeding along with the swirling winds come flocks of geese and occasionally one falls to Earth from a well-placed blast by this hunter. Although as of late, I am back in a shooting slump. Or is it just the amazing perseverance of geese?
On Sept. 1, with the liftoff of the first flock from the pond, my second shot rang true and christened a hopefully long partnership in the woods and on the water with my Labrador, mighty Augustus. Or should that be, a mighty pain, since he hasn't yet steadied himself during our grassy sits tucked along the pond's rim?
Next up though is fall turkey, and I have much redemption here after boloing my only opportunity in spring.
And after that, I will take Augustus to the sacred lands of woodcock and grouse flushes in Gladwin County where my beloved springer Henry ran point.
From there, more geese tries and finally the glorious deer archery opener Oct. 1 will be upon us and its 90 days of insanity.
Yes, it is all happening now.
"Really?" she said, with a hint of incredulity.
"Well, for this season," I retorted in an amazing recovery of my mental stability.
"Yeah, I knew it," she huffed in a deep breath.
This conversation came after I had just showed her a picture of a real nice 10-pointer in a friend's hay field from last month. He recently had said I could hunt for the buck this fall.
The day I ever take my biggest whitetail buck, spring gobbler, smallmouth bass or whatever and say that's it or I "peaked," then just put me out to pasture. I had someone supposedly joke this comment to me the other day. I mean what pompous hogwash.
I'm always trying to outdo myself, and if I were to take the state record in a hunting or fishing category while at it, then that would just be an extra-sweet icing on top.
Believe me I'm not trying to bluster here. Just saying how I keep it fun every year (as if I really have to anyway).
It's why I always have an annual Top Hunts of the year listing at the end of every December or early January.
There's never any peaking here, only the next best one down the line.
RTWO Editor-In-Chief
If you hang around me long enough this time of year in September, you will probably hear me utter at least a couple of times, "it's all happening now."
Indeed, it is.
The leaves are beginning to turn. Fields are hazy yellow with golden rod, spotted throughout by maroon sumac and sheet-white Queen Anne's lace, bordered with alternating wild gray skies and then bright baby blue ones.
Late summer's morning chill sets in before temperatures rise up into the 70s that by midday create a Michigan pendulum of switching between turning on the heat and then the air-conditioning in the Jeep.
Speeding along with the swirling winds come flocks of geese and occasionally one falls to Earth from a well-placed blast by this hunter. Although as of late, I am back in a shooting slump. Or is it just the amazing perseverance of geese?
On Sept. 1, with the liftoff of the first flock from the pond, my second shot rang true and christened a hopefully long partnership in the woods and on the water with my Labrador, mighty Augustus. Or should that be, a mighty pain, since he hasn't yet steadied himself during our grassy sits tucked along the pond's rim?
Next up though is fall turkey, and I have much redemption here after boloing my only opportunity in spring.
And after that, I will take Augustus to the sacred lands of woodcock and grouse flushes in Gladwin County where my beloved springer Henry ran point.
From there, more geese tries and finally the glorious deer archery opener Oct. 1 will be upon us and its 90 days of insanity.
Yes, it is all happening now.
***
"Boy, if I bagged that one I'd retire," I nonchalantly told the wife while we were sitting around sipping our java fixes in the living room the other day."Really?" she said, with a hint of incredulity.
"Well, for this season," I retorted in an amazing recovery of my mental stability.
"Yeah, I knew it," she huffed in a deep breath.
This conversation came after I had just showed her a picture of a real nice 10-pointer in a friend's hay field from last month. He recently had said I could hunt for the buck this fall.
The day I ever take my biggest whitetail buck, spring gobbler, smallmouth bass or whatever and say that's it or I "peaked," then just put me out to pasture. I had someone supposedly joke this comment to me the other day. I mean what pompous hogwash.
I'm always trying to outdo myself, and if I were to take the state record in a hunting or fishing category while at it, then that would just be an extra-sweet icing on top.
Believe me I'm not trying to bluster here. Just saying how I keep it fun every year (as if I really have to anyway).
It's why I always have an annual Top Hunts of the year listing at the end of every December or early January.
There's never any peaking here, only the next best one down the line.
Friday, August 21, 2015
A little caution can go a long way
By Mac Arnold
RTWO Editor-In-Chief
As the hunting seasons creep closer and closer while the month of August wanes and sought-after tags reveal what hunts will be reality, I stumbled (for real) across a few items for the note board:
-- With it being summer, I'm fairly busy, and it's not often I get confined to the indoors and have a chance to watch the rundown of shows on the Outdoor Channel.
But with an upcoming ... (ahem) procedure, I was stuck to staying close to the bathroom while the appropriate elixirs were working their magic at cleaning out my pipes. Oh, so much fun.
Yet while watching these TV personalities, as I will call them not experts despite their accomplishments dwarfing anything I've yet to do, they confirmed a couple of Mac truthisms.
One of the first I heard was from the old Buckmaster himself, Jackie Bushman, who was talking with the Primos' boys -- Chris Ashley and Kevin Meachem -- that when it comes to hunting mornings on the full-moon "I just sleep in."
From what I've experienced despite what all the game finders always say is slow action.
Instead on the show, they went out midday and had pretty good movement.
-- Then next up on the "Crush" host Lee Lakosky mentioned the "October lull" while wondering where a few nice bucks were that he had pictured from his trail cam. (And it's crazy these days the technology on these things nowadays. Images on the camera at the tree. Right to the computer or phone? Video? It's unbelievable.)
I've noticed this same phenomena here in Michigan after the initial action once the season opens Oct. 1. By midmonth it's like, "Where they go?" And he said it doesn't pick up and "get good again until Oct. 26 or 28."
That last week in October has been decent to me as well. In fact, I often take days off to accommodate this promising time.
-- And lastly, I will wrap it up by offering a safety conscious tip based on what happened to me Thursday afternoon while putting up my own trail camera. Which I should have probably put off a day or two since I've had to fast for a day and a half. I was somewhat off-kilter. But that's not how I roll.
I figured since I have a few trespassers, or travelers because up to now the woods I hunt has only been somewhat posted, I would get this cam in the air and angled down. Just so if it does look tempting, the scoundrel will have to work for his ill-gotten prize.
Well, I had the tree steps in place, and I reached for the first step from on top of the quad.
Guess what? Yep, that seemingly sturdy limb came off like it was attached by scotch tape. Down I went but luckily my ninja catlike skills allowed me to land feet first.
The lesson here is to not be in too much of a hurry -- which is the story of my life -- and test branches for firmness BEFORE attempting to use them while climbing trees.
RTWO Editor-In-Chief
As the hunting seasons creep closer and closer while the month of August wanes and sought-after tags reveal what hunts will be reality, I stumbled (for real) across a few items for the note board:
-- With it being summer, I'm fairly busy, and it's not often I get confined to the indoors and have a chance to watch the rundown of shows on the Outdoor Channel.
But with an upcoming ... (ahem) procedure, I was stuck to staying close to the bathroom while the appropriate elixirs were working their magic at cleaning out my pipes. Oh, so much fun.
Yet while watching these TV personalities, as I will call them not experts despite their accomplishments dwarfing anything I've yet to do, they confirmed a couple of Mac truthisms.
One of the first I heard was from the old Buckmaster himself, Jackie Bushman, who was talking with the Primos' boys -- Chris Ashley and Kevin Meachem -- that when it comes to hunting mornings on the full-moon "I just sleep in."
From what I've experienced despite what all the game finders always say is slow action.
Instead on the show, they went out midday and had pretty good movement.
-- Then next up on the "Crush" host Lee Lakosky mentioned the "October lull" while wondering where a few nice bucks were that he had pictured from his trail cam. (And it's crazy these days the technology on these things nowadays. Images on the camera at the tree. Right to the computer or phone? Video? It's unbelievable.)
I've noticed this same phenomena here in Michigan after the initial action once the season opens Oct. 1. By midmonth it's like, "Where they go?" And he said it doesn't pick up and "get good again until Oct. 26 or 28."
 |
RTWO photo by Mac Arnold
Augustus helped me post signs in the
woods. He loves the four-wheeler.
|
-- And lastly, I will wrap it up by offering a safety conscious tip based on what happened to me Thursday afternoon while putting up my own trail camera. Which I should have probably put off a day or two since I've had to fast for a day and a half. I was somewhat off-kilter. But that's not how I roll.
I figured since I have a few trespassers, or travelers because up to now the woods I hunt has only been somewhat posted, I would get this cam in the air and angled down. Just so if it does look tempting, the scoundrel will have to work for his ill-gotten prize.
Well, I had the tree steps in place, and I reached for the first step from on top of the quad.
Guess what? Yep, that seemingly sturdy limb came off like it was attached by scotch tape. Down I went but luckily my ninja catlike skills allowed me to land feet first.
The lesson here is to not be in too much of a hurry -- which is the story of my life -- and test branches for firmness BEFORE attempting to use them while climbing trees.
Sunday, August 16, 2015
More reality and nice bass, finally
By Mac Arnold
RTWO Editor-In-Chief
A third deer in the "target" area in the middle of Michigan tested positive for chronic wasting disease, according to a Aug. 6 news release from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
Strangely as I get more into the thought of the upcoming hunting seasons, bad news just turns me back around.
OK, maybe not that much, because seeing the honkers starting to flock up by the pond behind the Monroe County house, along with having a full-on credentialed black Labrador old enough to step up has me practically walking on air.
Yes, the early bird seasons should be good, to include the fall turkey season in an area I really didn't expect to pull a tag. It'll just be another option for a place to walk around with my sidekick Augustus. The more time he gets in the woods, the better he'll get.
For those of you who didn't draw a turkey tag but still would like one, the leftovers are available today for unsuccessful applicants and then Monday, Aug. 24, all hunters can buy licenses until the quotas are met.
And believe me there are always plenty to go around in Unit YY, upwards of 40,000 each of the last three years.
There are those hunters who thrive mainly on the whitetail, but if there is a collapse of the season because of CWD -- which probably won't be the case -- yet if it did, I would still have a good time.
I like to diversify my challenges in autumn's golden backdrop and mix several game bird seasons in with the king that is the quest for a large antlered deer.
But most regular readers of this site know this and can count on getting excerpts from following all of these different travels.
RTWO Editor-In-Chief
A third deer in the "target" area in the middle of Michigan tested positive for chronic wasting disease, according to a Aug. 6 news release from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
Strangely as I get more into the thought of the upcoming hunting seasons, bad news just turns me back around.
OK, maybe not that much, because seeing the honkers starting to flock up by the pond behind the Monroe County house, along with having a full-on credentialed black Labrador old enough to step up has me practically walking on air.
Yes, the early bird seasons should be good, to include the fall turkey season in an area I really didn't expect to pull a tag. It'll just be another option for a place to walk around with my sidekick Augustus. The more time he gets in the woods, the better he'll get.
For those of you who didn't draw a turkey tag but still would like one, the leftovers are available today for unsuccessful applicants and then Monday, Aug. 24, all hunters can buy licenses until the quotas are met.
And believe me there are always plenty to go around in Unit YY, upwards of 40,000 each of the last three years.
There are those hunters who thrive mainly on the whitetail, but if there is a collapse of the season because of CWD -- which probably won't be the case -- yet if it did, I would still have a good time.
I like to diversify my challenges in autumn's golden backdrop and mix several game bird seasons in with the king that is the quest for a large antlered deer.
But most regular readers of this site know this and can count on getting excerpts from following all of these different travels.
***
Those endeavors include the river challenges and bass conquests, as well, which up to Tuesday, July 28, hadn't proved eventful.
Oh, sure I hauled in a few dinks from the backyard pond ... and then there was epic canoe dumping in the River Raisin with Bill Brisebois on July 11, but no fatboys. I was wondering if I had lost my bass finesse.
So with the river still running high I thought I could find another way around the swift currents to get at those majestic smallies I know the Raisin holds.
 |
RTWO photo by Mac Arnold
No surprise: Chartreuse with pepper flake Senkos
were the hot bait on River Raisin in midsummer.
|
I wouldn't say I outsmarted the river because as the hero of the 1972 film "Deliverance" Lewis Medlock was quoted as saying, "you don't beat this river; you don't beat it."
OK, that was a different river.
OK, that was a different river.
But maybe just maybe I stole some glory back from it for a moment on that humid midmorning at the end of July.
On a hunch I paddled out to the rocky wall at the other end of the river where it widens before going out into a harbor of Lake Erie and slammed an 18-incher smallmouth on a buzz bait.
On a hunch I paddled out to the rocky wall at the other end of the river where it widens before going out into a harbor of Lake Erie and slammed an 18-incher smallmouth on a buzz bait.
Man did it feel good to hoist that baby.
Finally. But I wasn't done. Oh no. Soon there was another one about 16 inches and a nice largemouth to go with them.
And then as fast as it turned on in that half-hour window it was over. The Seaguar flurocarbon line that I was told by the Cabela's salesman was top notch started blowing up on the reel. In fact, not only repeatedly going into bird's nest city but also snapping off lures during casts. (Trust me, never again. Went back to Cabela's and picked up my long-trusted monofilament, Stren, in clear 10-pound test.)
The silver and white-tasseled buzzes worked their magic until they sunk to the depths of the mighty Raisin.
But at least I lifted my bassing confidence.
I'm not done just yet. I can see at least one, if not two, more bass gigs before I stow the canoe for winter. Especially in September when the leaves are changing. What a great time to be on the water.
UPDATE: Last night, Scott Watson, an old Little League and high school alum, joined me in an impromptu bass fishing gig at the pond.
The evening action was good yet I'm still in the process of getting the rigs set up again after putting three poles in the drink in July.
We both lost nice fish.
Scott said he saw the one that came off my line, and stuck a dagger in me by saying it "was a real monster."
I know it was because the fish used the preferred Houdini tactic of big bass everywhere by jumping out of the water and shaking off the lure.
This resulted in a skunked night.
I blame the new pole I was using -- a Berkeley -- which likely would be fine other than its medium action specification seems more "medium" than most.
The fish really bent the rod down and allowed it too much give, which will result in bass-fishing failure.
That's right, failure, I said.
But it was a fun time having dinner with our wives beforehand and then watching a fight on TV with dessert after the fishing.
Oh the ones that got away will haunt you if you let them.
***
UPDATE: Last night, Scott Watson, an old Little League and high school alum, joined me in an impromptu bass fishing gig at the pond.
The evening action was good yet I'm still in the process of getting the rigs set up again after putting three poles in the drink in July.
We both lost nice fish.
Scott said he saw the one that came off my line, and stuck a dagger in me by saying it "was a real monster."
I know it was because the fish used the preferred Houdini tactic of big bass everywhere by jumping out of the water and shaking off the lure.
This resulted in a skunked night.
I blame the new pole I was using -- a Berkeley -- which likely would be fine other than its medium action specification seems more "medium" than most.
The fish really bent the rod down and allowed it too much give, which will result in bass-fishing failure.
That's right, failure, I said.
But it was a fun time having dinner with our wives beforehand and then watching a fight on TV with dessert after the fishing.
Oh the ones that got away will haunt you if you let them.
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
CWD becoming a reality
By Mac Arnold
RTWO Editor-In-Chief
Reading in a DNR news release that there was another confirmed case of chronic wasting disease in a free-ranging deer in central Michigan was rather upsetting.
Seems it's a reality the Great Lake State's deer herd will truly be taking a hit.
According to the Department of Natural Resources release, in the Core CWD Area, consisting of Clinton, Ingham, Shiawassee counties, there will be "an unlimited antlerless deer license quota and the deer license or deer combo licenses may be used to harvest antlerless or any antlered deer during firearm and muzzleloading seasons."
Come Sept. 15, with the onset of early doe firearms season, let the slaughter begin.
Trust me, it's gonna be on. Although many hunters will feel as I do and check themselves with how many they take.
Another thing that wigs me out is where the release goes on with "to date, there is no evidence that chronic wasting disease presents any risk to noncervids, including humans, either through contract with an infected animal or from handling contaminated venison. However, as a precaution, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization recommend that infected animals not be consumed as food by either humans or domestic animals."
So for me, the real tame ones will have a free pass. Unless that is, the rack is nice.
(That is one of the signs, is an infected deer will act odd, disoriented and even let a person approach them.)
The DNR Wildlife Disease Lab is asking hunters to report a deer exhibiting these signs at (517) 336-5030 or complete and submit the online observation report on the DNR website.
RTWO Editor-In-Chief
Reading in a DNR news release that there was another confirmed case of chronic wasting disease in a free-ranging deer in central Michigan was rather upsetting.
Seems it's a reality the Great Lake State's deer herd will truly be taking a hit.
According to the Department of Natural Resources release, in the Core CWD Area, consisting of Clinton, Ingham, Shiawassee counties, there will be "an unlimited antlerless deer license quota and the deer license or deer combo licenses may be used to harvest antlerless or any antlered deer during firearm and muzzleloading seasons."
Come Sept. 15, with the onset of early doe firearms season, let the slaughter begin.
Trust me, it's gonna be on. Although many hunters will feel as I do and check themselves with how many they take.
Another thing that wigs me out is where the release goes on with "to date, there is no evidence that chronic wasting disease presents any risk to noncervids, including humans, either through contract with an infected animal or from handling contaminated venison. However, as a precaution, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization recommend that infected animals not be consumed as food by either humans or domestic animals."
So for me, the real tame ones will have a free pass. Unless that is, the rack is nice.
(That is one of the signs, is an infected deer will act odd, disoriented and even let a person approach them.)
The DNR Wildlife Disease Lab is asking hunters to report a deer exhibiting these signs at (517) 336-5030 or complete and submit the online observation report on the DNR website.
***
Continuing on with the deer theme, the other night I had a dream a nice buck ran out in front of me. (For all those comedians, I was on the ground, not in the Jeep, which I already hit one in back in 2011.)
I really hope so, I'm way overdue for a nice score. This dream though, as the wife would say, could be explained merely by me seeing a nice-sized deer swim about 30 yards from the canoe while I was getting skunked bass fishing at Sterling State Park on Friday, July 24. By far, that was the highlight of the outing.
With the bass fishing this summer being such a bust, either with no big ones hoisted or by getting dumped in the raging River Raisin while canoeing, my enthusiasm for deer season seems to be gaining despite it being only July.
Usually, I'm more than patient for fall to come, because after fall is winter and I'm in no hurry for blinding squalls and icy roads on my rides back and forth to work, among other woes that Old Man Winter brings.
I've put in for the usual tags, even the old standby, the Shiawassee State Game area. In addition, I plan on trying for a leftover tag in the Port Huron State Game area, which used to be my backyard.
There was some fishing fun Saturday, July 25, with a planned charter gig aboard "Passin' Time" out of the Toledo Beach Marina. A death in the family kept Capt. Ron Levitan Jr. from running the boat but his fill-in, C.J. along with first mate Paul, performed admirably in face of tough conditions. While the chop rolled on Lake Erie, the fish were more than happy to accommodate us and fill up our cooler. But about 5 p.m., the lake started going flat and so did the bite.
We did get a haul of 20 wallies but seeing how much fun a couple of friends of mine from my Little League days -- T.J. Prisciandaro and Scott Watson and their ladies had along with my wife, Stacie -- was more than worth it.
Now it's time for me to reel in some big bass into the canoe myself.
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Photo by T.J. Prisciandaro
A double-netter of wallies with old school pal Scott Watson (Reds hat). |
There was some fishing fun Saturday, July 25, with a planned charter gig aboard "Passin' Time" out of the Toledo Beach Marina. A death in the family kept Capt. Ron Levitan Jr. from running the boat but his fill-in, C.J. along with first mate Paul, performed admirably in face of tough conditions. While the chop rolled on Lake Erie, the fish were more than happy to accommodate us and fill up our cooler. But about 5 p.m., the lake started going flat and so did the bite.
We did get a haul of 20 wallies but seeing how much fun a couple of friends of mine from my Little League days -- T.J. Prisciandaro and Scott Watson and their ladies had along with my wife, Stacie -- was more than worth it.
Now it's time for me to reel in some big bass into the canoe myself.
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