What happened ... where we're at now

By Mac Arnold
Editor-In-Chief

So much time has gone on since my last post has been logged.

So many things have changed but I'm still here.

RTWO photo by Bill Brisebois

One of the better fish caught during our bass
challenge in July on the River Raisin. 

And yet blink, it's now the middle of the early goose season in Michigan with one already knocked down and cut up for the table.

Plus the small game and fall turkey seasons are now in full swing as of this Sept. 16 date that I write and detail what has gone on in my professional life and hunting and fishing adventures.

I will hold close to the vest on the professional life part because of agents of doom that still haunt my life and would love to hurt me, but will fully tell all of what's gone on in my triumphs in the Michigan killing fields and its magnificent bass waters.

Some of which I will have to play catch up as I get back to writing on this blog.

The latest success was a folly much like any "Rockin' The Wild Outdoors With Mac" follower would appreciate and laugh along with me at the silliness of it all.

For one, this goose rose up from the dead in our blind after I successfully brought it down Sept. 3. After much drama of hissing and clomping of its bill it was tamed. The best part of this harvest was how after three years, Augustus the bred-for-waterfowl-backwaters black Lab also rose up.

First with the initial take down, because it was mostly a wing shot. And as many bird hunters can attest, catching up with a bird such as a wounded goose by mere mortal man can be quite trying through the thick bog grasses. Enter the four-legged partner and that effort is cut in half.

Thinking after that episode it was at last dispatched, up it sprung a half hour later, stunning both of us as it tried another vain attempt at evasion but the black Lab was on his best duty.

As a doggie parent and a hunting commander, I was quite pleased.

***

With regard to the spring turkey season and summer bass action, both were decent.

RTWO Photo by Mac Arnold

As you can see from the final product, this 

bird wasn't bad but he wasn't the big boy.

I was left at summer's end still looking for that elusive monster smallie but one the better ones was caught during a friendly challenge with longtime childhood chum Bill Brisebois, who was able to click off a nice picture for me. It came off the favorite angling waters of the River Raisin in mid-July. The surprising part was the time of day it was -- midafternoon at about 2:30 p.m. (usually my least favorite time on the water). There may be another gig for fall, and I promise I will do a better a job of recording how the day ends up.

Spring turkey this May was another amazing experience at Dairy Farmer Dave's in the Thumb. For the second straight spring I was able to bag a long beard, but as is usually the case with the Gobbler Man, the giant of the bunch was the last to appear and it was not the one taken. I did have to act a bit hasty being the first shot with the H&R 20 gauge missed its mark and the bachelor brood was alerted to impending danger. This meant I had to make do with the dummy in front of me who was still very nice indeed with a 9 1/2-inch beard. But his pal that stepped out after the bird was dropped had my jaw hangin'.

As we know from previous birds shot at Dave's, the beards and poundage can go much bigger. It would be nice to make it out for fall turkey but with the new occupation now added into the mix it'll be tougher to take on all the prey. In fact, I thought I might be lucky to only get out once or twice for goose season. So far though it seems that isn't necessarily the case. Plus I have a client calling for goose breasts ... go figure. 

***

So what's on the horizon for fall here at RTWO? Next up toward the end of this month there could quite possibly be an Upper Peninsula bear hunt accompanied with some bird hunting since Augustus will be tagging along for the trip. 

Another part of the trip could include some baaaaaaaaaaaaaass fishing if I can rent a canoe or a boat on Manistique Lake, which I have heard has some awesome bass action.

Of course after this it'll all be King Deer Hunting once Oct. 1 hits and the archery season begins full throttle.

Look for follows at RTWO, I promise to post more vigilantly and let you in on the action. Promise.

***

Here are a couple of videos from the summer bass fishing outing with Bill. You can observe the candor of two old dudes who have been friends since they were 7.