Turkey Deadline

The last day to apply for a turkey permit is fast approaching, feb. 1st. Go to
http://www.mdnr-elicense.com/?source=govdelivery
to fill out your application to draw a permit. If you're new to the application process or have never hunted turkey but would like to go to MDNR turkey page http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-153-10371_14724-207047--,00.html. Here you'll find much info regarding turkey hunting. Definately check out the turkey units map http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-153-10363_10958_10969_12072-268065--,00.html with units K, E and F offering the best opportunities for the amount of state land and a good supply of turkey. The Hunt Numbers and License Quotas page
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10363_10958_10969_12072-30342--,00.html shows how many permits are available for each unit per hunt period. It may sound confusing but it really isn't once you know where you will hunt and when. Turkey hunting is more enjoyable for me because of the interaction you get from calling to the birds. Deer hunting is just a wait and see for most hunters but turkey will usually let you know when they're in the area, unlike the hot blonde I wrote about from this spring. So don't wait any longer, take the plunge and apply for a permit.

Get Outdoors Downriver.

Changes to Michigan's DNR Master Angler Program Announced for 2013

Not that many of us will have to worry about this but the MDNR has adjusted the minimun weight and length needed for several species, including: Atlantic salmon, brook trout, brown trout, bullhead, channel catfish, Chinook salmon, coho salmon, crappie, freshwater drum, muskellunge, rainbow trout, rock bass and smallmouth bass.

"The last five years have proven that catching certain species of fish of larger size in Michigan has become more of an everyday occurrence," said DNR fisheries biologist Tom Goniea. "Updating the Master Angler criteria ensures that recognition goes to those who catch fish that truly are notable."


In addition to the minimum entry criteria, multiple changes were made to the submission procedures for both "Catch-and-Immediate-Release" and "Catch-and-Keep" categories. Also, black and white photos will no longer be accepted; all photos must be in color.

All changes are highlighted in yellow on the new 2013 Master Angler entry application, available online at www.michigan.gov/masterangler, at any of the DNR's Operations Service Centers, or by calling 517-373-1280.

Get Outdoors Downriver.

Help Ol' Jenny Greenteeth

I've heard it been told...

In the depths of Lake Erie lives a sea witch! All the sailors down through the generations can attest to her being there. She lives close by Presque Isle. Her skin is a pale green, she has yellow eyes that shine in the darkness like a cat, she has very long and thin arms that can wrap around any sailor stopping his escape, her teeth are green and sharp enough to pull the skin right off a tough old sailor, her nails are just as sharp and with just one pierce you will fall into a deep sleep. Some call the sea witch the Storm Hag while others call her Jenny Greenteeth.

This Storm Hag can call upon a storm at any time, which will toss sailors to and fro until she can grab them, and pull them under to live with her forever. She has been known to wait until the storm resides just below the surface of the water when the dangers of the storm have passed and the sailors believe all is clear. She will then rise from the waters spitting lightening and wind so strong that the ship will disappear.

As the legend goes, she does give one warning. She sings a soft quiet song that only a few have lived to recite. The song the Sea Witch will sing before she strikes is this one:

"Come into the water, love,
Dance beneath the waves,
Where dwell the bones of sailor-lads
Inside my saffron cave."

Well Jenny, we need your powers to help us. Please replenish the water!

For if you don't we won't be able to get to your saffron caves.

Or even dance beneath your waves.

I hope Heikki Lunta will cause great snowfall in the UP this year to help raise water levels. 



I have no idea what this is doing to ice fishing on the Great Lakes but it can't be good. We really need some water.

Get Outdoors Downriver, if you can find a launch.

Santa Comes Thru

Stella got her wish. A new bow and arrow kit under the tree. She brought it over to my house on Christmas and I got the one eared deer target out of the garage to shoot at. The first shot was a little high but the second one hit the target.

The bow set up caused the fletching to hit the arrow rest which is just the grip. So the arrows were not coming out straight but it didn't matter to her. Shot after shot hit the backstop or the deer and I was getting cold but Stella kept shooting.



Finally her arms got tired and we came in with an agreement to go to the range soon. In a couple of days we were at Gander Mountain shooting at their big bales. Dawg gave us some help with the bow's set up but there isn't a lot you can easily do with this bow. We will have to go to the drawing board for sure. Just before fatigue set in Stella got a bullseye!

It's amazing how well she can shoot with the poorly set up bow and no sights. Hopefully that will change soon and then we'll find out just how good she can be.

Get Outdoors Downriver.

Keep your Freinds Close and Your Enemies Even Closer and Your GPS Even Closier

As reported in the Digital Journal http://digitaljournal.com/article/340770

You could be one of many that may have a bad relationship breakup, or two, or three. When a relationship ends, it is usually customary to return things that belong to your former significant other and vice-versa. If you do not, a breakup could turn from bad or to even worse depending on what you think is at stake. You could have something value that belonged to that significant other or vice-versa and it could be sold off for some money. Ask yourself this question: What is the worst thing or things you can lose after the relationship?

In the case of one man in New Zealand, the breakup with a jilted girlfriend cost him his passion for fishing. The man, after the breakup, refused to give the ex-girlfriend back her favorite suitcase which was deemed valuable. In what could be seen as an act of revenge or “cause and effect,” the woman who went by Angela Potter decided to sell off something valuable of his. However, the thing of value is neither physical nor tangible; but, this thing is valuable enough if you are passionate about the outdoor activity/sport of fishing. If you love fishing enough, what Potter auctioned off would be something you may be tempted to pay a good amount of money for.

This is an example of how valuable information can be. In response to the ex-boyfriend not returning Potter's suitcase, she responded by using an online auction site. She auctioned off her ex-boyfriend's secret fishing spots. Surprisingly, Potter's auction received a lot of views. At the end, Potter received $3K for auctioning off the GPS coordinates of the ex-boyfriend's secret fishing spot. One should understand the meaning of “secret fishing spot” and why it's called a secret in the first place. As the ex-boyfriend left with Potter's prized luggage, she in return auctioned off his secret fishing spot.

Ouch, now that was way over the top. Beware a woman scorned... How much could a piece of luggage cost? Surely not as much as the mapquest to fishing nihrvana. A lot of people refuse to use their gps to find a fishing spot, the whip and Lindberg flash are two. If you do use waypoints to find a secret spot just think how much time and effort went in to finding that exact spot. Now multiply the prevailing wage, before right to work ofcourse, by the time it took and add the price of gas used to find said spot and you get an idea of what could be lost. A pricey piece of luggage might cost $300, she got $3000, depending on the spots auctioned off he could have spent $300,000 in a lifetime of fishing to find them. All's fair in love and war but just remember if you throw a piece of bread on the water it could come back a thousand fold...

Get Outdoors Downriver.

Turty Point Buck

Yes as the old UP song goes a thirty point buck was harvested, although with a gun not a car. This king of deer was taken in Shiawassee County by Bryan Kendrick with a muzzleloader on November 30th, the last day of the regular firearms season.

32 official points and a crown of antler. There's a reason these heavily horned deer usually don't get taken and the blame normally goes to the hunter. Some other hunters that managed to overcome Murphy's law this year include:

Paul Hickey a hardworking business owner from Wyandotte, when not in the woods.

Rick Malechuk and Son-in-Law Tom near Empire Mi. Where they also spotted this deer.

Maybe not the king but I'm sure he could swing those clubs around to dominate the local herd. Speaking of the local herd here's a buck from the area(Wyandotte).

Get Outdoors Downriver.