Seek a Paradise, look about you

A few months ago Warren Riggen passed away. You may have read about him in the News Herald years back. He was retired in his 70s and still trapping at Point Moullie State Refuge. He was born in Arkansas, fought in WWII including Omaha beach and then came to Detroit for a job in the automotive industry.
In his free time Warren loved to trap and Point Moullie was a favorite stop. He trapped muskrat, mink and coon. He became a mink trapping expert and had even trained DNR CO's in the finer points of trapping mink. In his full life long journey you could say Warren found paradise at Point Moullie.
Now there are about a dozen other trappers still plying their trade in Warren's old classroom and they still catch many muskrat and mink. This helps keep the dykes safe and helping control the vegetation which helps the ducks in the fall migrations. At one time 13,000 muskrats were trapped in one year but those numbers are way down now. Still there a lot of opportunities for catches at Point Moullie. Now for a different opportunity.
The opportunity came with a $284,477 Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grant acquired by Ducks Unlimited in partnership with the DNR in 2011. The 66-acre Dusseau tract is being converted to 38 acres of productive emergent wetlands and 28 acres of high-quality lake plain prairie grassland over the next two years.
DNR biologist Joe Robison recognizes the critical role partnerships like this one play in accomplishing conservation goals that benefit native species. "We've seen a decline in hunting license sales in recent years, the proceeds of which go directly back to species management projects on our State Game Areas. Partners like Ducks Unlimited, with their wetland restoration expertise and aid in grant-seeking opportunities, make a big difference in what habitat improvement work we are able to do on our State Game Areas."
Whatever we can do to keep paradise alive.

Get Outdoors Downriver

Mickey Z

After talking to Redcan on Super Bowl Sunday about how he and his buddies almost blew up Riverview. This winter blast, has reminded me of an article written by the former outdoor writer for the News Herald, Mike Zelinski. Mike was quite the outdoorsman and a fluent talker which was a perfect combo for his News Herald position. Mike could come up with 2 articles at the mention of any outdoor pursuit. The article that the cold front reminded me of was late season goose hunting on the Detroit River. Emphasis on late here, this year the season lasted until January 29th. There was good weather this year and from the sounds of shooting the hunters had plenty of action. You have to be a die hard to hunt in the conditions Mike wrote about.
Holy cow, as you can see from the picture the boys are just south of Sugar Island. That's not just a hop skip and a jump from Gibraltar, where Mike lived, but a white knuckled boat ride. These waterfowlers are a little different. I've been in a boat late in February on the river and even if everything goes right and ice flows aren't encountered there's always that uneasy feeling about getting locked in ice. Mike wrote well about the whole experience especially about safety in the case anything bad may happen. From the set up of decoys to the blind set up or just dressing in the white camo and laying on the ice somehow Mike made it sound like anyone could do it.
On the day Mike reported on there must have been a warmer front move in because a heavy fog surrounded them and they could hear the birds flying but couldn't see them until they had committed and were very close. So add another chance for disaster, a 20 pound bird flying in fog coming in to your calling and just being able to see a landing spot seconds before landing. A slight miscalculation by the bird and you could become an episode on Mythbusters. Oh those wildfowlers, a little different and die hards just like Mickey.

Get Outdoors Downriver

Happy Super Bowl/ Start of 2012 fishing season on the Detroit River Day

Go Tom Brady. It's hard to pick from these 2 teams but Brady is a MI man so let's go with the Pats. Hopefully a close game with action on some squares is in your future. The super bowl comes every year at about the same time just like taxes. This year however is special because of the weather.

The first day of the 2012 fishing season in the Detroit River? From the reports I'm getting the fish are biting. Well biting as hard as they can in 37 degree water. But the fish are there and willing if you can find them and you can find them in your boat this year because of the weather we've had. It may still get cold for a while but ice formation should be held back allowing boat fishing in the river for the rest of winter.
Some parts of the river always freeze allowing icefishing, like Airport Bay on he south end of Grs Isle, but the big problem for river fishing by boat is the ice flows coming down from Lake St. Clair. I'm sure there'll be so ice coming down like Car fixer John found out last week heading over to Duffy's in Amherstburg, Canada. His group got thru the hole in the wall but couldn't get to Duffy's because of an ice flow dam.
So be carefull out there and call your local bait shop for reports, that's all the papers do. You can get all the numbers in my bait shop link. The other link is MI-sportsman.com, near the bottom, check this site for the river forum. GT Charters is catching perch on their outings and some reports from the river state they're catching walleyes. Hopefully a long season for walleye fishing in the river is in order following last spring's horibble waether and low catch rate.

Get Outdoors Downriver.

WWD Day

Not a World War or a new Wrestling organization but a day to celebrate. Ground hog's day and Lucy's birthday are now sharing February 2nd with the World Wetlands Day. Not to associate wetlands with ground hogs or any other mammal, especially in the everglades where the populations of mammals have decreased by 90% because of the introduction of snakes like the Burmese python. Documented cases of 75 pound deer and 6 foot long aligators are some of their larger prey.
Since its inception in 1997, World Wetlands Day has been observed worldwide each year on February 2nd in recognition of the date the international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands was signed at the Ramsar Convention in 1971. The Ramsar Convention maintains a list of wetlands across the globe that have been deemed worthy of international importance; a list totaling nearly 2,000 sites.
In many ways, the commemoration of such a monumental event is an appropriate thing to do here in Michigan, a state that, in many ways, is defined by its environment and natural resources. The designation of Humbug Marsh, a unit of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, as Michigan’s only “Wetland of International Importance” in 2010 makes the decision to commemorate the holiday locally even more fitting.
The 3rd Annual celebration of World Wetlands Day will take place on Thursday, February 2nd at Gibraltar Carlson High School from 8:30am to 3:00pm. The event will feature a Wetlands Exposition that will showcase over 20 displays dedicated to wetland conservation from a number of environmental organizations. In addition, students and visitors will be treated to a World Wetlands Day program, slated to begin at 12:30pm, which will include an appearance by U.S. National Ramsar Committee Chairperson, Suzanne Pittenger-Slear. In addition, Monroe Power Plant Manager Brian Rice will speak on behalf of DTE Energy, Kathy Klein will speak in representation of Waste Management, and special guest, Humbug Marsha, will make her public debut and share wetland adventures with program participants. A short celebration for the Refuge’s 10th birthday with the National Wildlife Refuge System mascot Puddles the Blue Goose will follow. The World Wetlands Day event will be open to the public from 12:30pm – 3:00pm

Puddles

The World Wetlands Day Celebration is sponsored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, International Wildlife Refuge Alliance, Gibraltar Carlson High School, DTE Energy, Waste Management, and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. This event is subject to cancellation in the event of inclement weather. If necessary, the alternate weather date is Feb. 9. Please contact Gibralter Carlson HS Principal Bill Stevenson for event status at 734.379.7100.

Digi what?

A good friend of mine is an avid birder. He is so involved he's considered an expert by many. Jerry Jourdan. His web site info is in my links page, or go to http://jerryjourdan.blogspot.com/. He's a photography expert both for work and for pleasure. His passion for bird photography has caused him to pursue the art of digiscoping, or photographing birds through a spotting scope using a point & shoot camera, and an adaptor to connect the camera to the scope. This new technology has enabled him and other birders to get involved in a previously expensive pursuit. The cost of cameras, lenses, film (old style) and assorted other equipment used for taking pictures of birds, even common ones, is very prohibitive for many people to consider for a hobby. One could easily spend $10K to $20K for camera equipment, and still have to call in the bird, or get lucky to get close enough then wait for a perfect shot. Sometimes this can be more torture than hobby.

Digiscoping allows Jerry to get much higher magnification images, is much less costly and gives more range so as not to alarm the bird. With any new endeavor there are many problems to deal with but the birders are finding out how to do this and sharing their info. His other blog is devoted just on this topic: "the how's and why's of digiscoping" - http://jerryjourdan2.blogspot.com/. Check out his sites and you may catch the bug yourself, I know I have. I just bought an adapter from Cabela's to get me started and maybe I'll be able to get pics like this...

From 2011-12-31

Just like Jerry.

Get Outdoors Downriver

Hot Time at Snow Daze

With Daisy hot footing it with the dulcimers at Lake Erie Metro Park it was a perfect ending to the day.

Dulcimer Daisey

The dog sledding was a hit, thank you Hiekkie Lunta, and if you'd like to try it contact Becky at trailboss29@yahoo.com. During times like these you may get a ride on a go cart behind the dogs but if there's enough snow a sled will be in order.
Mike the wood carver was there carving fish decoy bodies. He does a lot of other carving and the signs were very nice. He's in Taylor and you can call him at 734-442-4134
Mary Spun a Little Lamb was there showing how to spin yarn and make rope all from her pet rabbit. Yeah it was a little hairy but the rug she made was from recycled t-shirts. Contact her at meslonie@hotmail.com, 734-243-2852
Jerry did his yearly ice carving.

;

Snow snakes were thrown.
The Huron River Fishing Association was there tying flies and teaching others to do so.
The Ford Astronomers were there as well as Dan Hovater the flint knapping expert.
Along with the displays from the nature center they also had crafts which were over the top. Making a snow snake pillow, painting a chickadee face and dressing up a muskrat. A very busy day.

Get Outdoors Downriver

Elk on Hoof

A local hunter recently bagged the elk of a lifetime. It wasn't a record breaker but it was collected in Michigan and that usually means one and done. Especially since his dad has already been drawn for an elk a few years back what are the odds of that? The way Ron hunted was also unique in that he was guided on horseback to find the prey.
You may have seen Ron on his hunt on the Michigan Out of Doors TV show a few weeks back. That show has gotten a lot better this year, I've really enjoyed their content. The show was more about the outfitter and the fact he took out 3 hunters on his horses to find elk. Find elk they did but connecting had some problems. Even Ron had a problem racking shells for a follow up shot. His first shot was true however and he collected a nice cow right next to an access road. The elk was on a knoll and when a truck backed up to it the cow almost slid into the bed by itself.
So it was a great hunt all around and one that may not be offered again. It seems that the MDNR wants to charge Vern a lot more for a guide license and make sure he carries many hundreds of thousands of dollars in insurance in order to keep such license. There aren't enough hunting opportunities or hunters to help pay these fees so like many other unique things to do hunting elk by horse may pass by us like a ship in the night.
Vern Bishop, Ray Andres and Ron

Get Outdoors Downriver.

Snow/No Snow Daze

Hiekki Lunta

This was to be a big weekend at Lake Erie Metropark but old man winter isn't cooperating. A lot of the activities are geared toward winter temperatures having been here for a while. The main casualty has been the ice fishing demo, no ice no demo. I was really looking forward to that, Bill from Bottom Line really likes to cater to the kids and enjoys it more than the kids when they catch fish.
All other activities are still a go and should be lots of fun. The weekend is geared to traditional and non-traditional winter activities, including snowsnake and atlatl throwing, Tundra swan watching, flintknapping and fly tying. Short programs will be held both days on winter animals, tundra swans, ice age animals and winter bird feeding. The Ford Amateur Astronomy Club will present an indoor winter starwatching program at 4 p.m. Saturday, followed by observing the sky through powerful telescopes from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. A bonfire will help keep everyone warm between stargazing sessions.
Jerry is busy carving his ice sculpture so you'll want to see that and to help the dogs run more comfortably we'll need more snow so I want everyone to join me in evoking Heikki Lunta, the Finnish snow god, to let it snow. Heikki Lunta, Heikki Lunta, Heikki Lunta, Lunta, Lunta, Heikki Lunta, Heikki Lunta, Heikki Lunta, Lunta, Lunta, repeat refrain for as long as you can stand it. Hopefully this will bring snow for the weekend.

Get Outdoors Downriver

Good Omen?

Ross Robertson caught this huge walleye in the glow of the city lights of Cleveland. It's late for lake trolling, although they're still doing it up in Saginaw Bay, and the bigger fish are usually found over by the Huron River in North Central Ohio. With the muddy water the cleaner water is farther east and that's where Ross was hunting them.
It'll only be about 60 days until we start catching hogs in the river. Maybe another like John Kinkead's from last year. We can only hope...
Get Outdoors Downriver.

Ultimate Fishing - Last Call

The UFS is going strong and today is the last day to attend. We got there about 1 pm and stayed for 3 hours and didn't even look at half the exhibits. With the Auto Show going on at the same time it's hard to believe how many people were there. A resolve as to how fishing and the outdoors are to Michigainians. It was very family oriented with many activities for kids including a mini zoo. There was also some live entertainment involving WRIF and some trout.

Fly Tying

Kids Casting

Simulated fishing

Trout Pond

It'll take me a week or two to go thru all the hand out info I picked up but one stood out because I didn't know a place like this even existed in Michigan. It's Brookhaven Lake near Clare, A new concept that allows you to fish for giant brook trout and the once prolific grayling. Yes, grayling, the fish that's been eradicated from the state since the big corporation loggers wiped them out. I've always wanted to catch one of these fish, a kind of bucketlist thing. Since the paddle fish is checked off the grayling may now be in my sight. In the pamphlet they allude to the fact a trip to places that hold grayling can cost $2K or more. They're offering a chance to fish for their young population of fish for a days charter fishing cost. Guaranteed to catch fish but not to keep. Check them out at http://www.brookhaven-lake.com/
As far as entertainment there was the fish bobbing contest sponsored by WRIF as well as all of the many fishing seminars. With the football games fast approaching the seminars were out of our picture but we did catch the bobbing.
Someone did grab a nice sized trout between their teeth and haul it out of the tub to win a musky charter on Lake St. Clair. From using teeth to catching teeth the circle becomes closed.

Get Outdoors Downriver