My Return to Michigan (Thus Far)

[yooper_fisher]

As some of you know from my fishing reports, I headed back to Michigan on Nov. 9 in order to hunt the whitetail opener. It was an eventful trip with the last leg of my flight being cancelled due to an early season snow storm. Since all flights into Marquette, MI were booked up for the next 3 days and not wanting to risk it 3 strangers and myself opted to rent a car and brave the 8 hour drive. It was a fun and interesting experience, driving a mini van with a young man that was going home for semester break from college in North Carolina, a very pleasant middle aged woman from NY City visiting a friend, and a 60 year old gentleman from Hawaii (originally from MI, then Alaska) also going back for deer season.

Upon arriving in Marquette I spent a few days with friends from from college (a husband and wife that have an amazing place in the country). It was great to spend time with them as I consider them my best friends and the 2000 mile separation makes it hard to keep in touch.

On Sunday the 13th my dad came to pick me up on the way to deer camp. I was a bit worried, since last time I had him get my gear together he remembered everything except my ammo. This time he remembered everything, and then some. We went out to lunch with my friends, I said my goodbye's, and off to camp we went so we'd be there a couple days before the opener. We arrived at camp a couple hours later, in order to have plenty of time to unpack, eat dinner, and sip on some of my uncle's home brew beer before bed.

At this time I feel like I should describe camp a little. The camp is located in Menominee County in the southern U.P. of MI. Our camp sits in the middle of a 40ac field (about 10 ac of it are in red pine plantation) that my grandfather built in the late 60's or early 70's (not sure of the exact date) that we've improved upon over the years in order to keep it standing. The camp consists of two main rooms, the largest being a combo kitchen/dining/living room, and the other a bedroom with 2 sets of bunks. We have no electricity or running water, and cell phone reception is minimal, the way it should be. The hunting area consists of two 80ac parcels. The 40 the camp sits on and one across the road and another 80 my dad picked up about 15 years ago that's a 40 to the west. We generally have 4-6 people hunting the 160ac and the deer density is a bit high, running anywhere from 35-60 deer/ac.

Opening Day; Nov. 15, 2011: The day finds me at my usual blind. I hear a deer walking behind me a half hour after shooting light but was unable to locate it. No worries, this blind doesn't get good until about 2 hours after shooting light begins. Right on cue, at 9 am I see a deer behind me. It was hard seeing it through the brush, and I couldn't have shot if I wanted to, but it was acting like a buck, but a small one. 30 min later I hear footsteps and see a deer walking down our road, 30 yards from my blind. It's a small buck, a 3pt (eastern measurement, total points). Not a deer I'd normally take on the opener, but seeing as how this is the first year I had to purchase a non-resident license, I didn't want that fee going to waste. Down he went.

I was the only one to see a buck that morning, and very few deer were seen overall. That evening my dad missed a large 8pt, and shot the next legal buck that came out, a small spike. He later kept seeing multiple larger bucks, but had no buck tag left. The only other buck I saw was a sub-legal spike, so I'm glad I shot the 3.

We also had many crop damage tags, but didn't want to fill them too soon due to the unusually warm weather. The next deer shot weren't until the 19th, when I harvested two mature does and my 14yr old cousin got his very first deer. A nice buck with 4 points on one side, and a broke off antler on the other. Since his father (my uncle) is very allergic to deer he asked me to do the field dressing. I was SOOO happy to help and I think I was almost as excited as his father.

We broke camp on the 22nd with mixed results. It was a slow year as far as seeing deer goes for me, but my dad saw more deer than he'd seen in years. I saw a total of 18 deer, shooting 1 buck and 5 does (trying to fill those crop damage tags), but my dad saw 53 deer, shooting 1 buck and 2 does. The one guy at camp that usually has the best luck only saw a total of 3 deer this year, I guess we all get those years sometimes.

My deer season is now done, but I just got done planning a couple days of duck hunting here. It's the last few days of season, and I'm not even sure there are any puddle ducks still around as it's always hit or miss this time of year, but I'm excited to get out hunting. I hope to get a couple green heads in my usual spots. I also think I'll have time to get a couple days of grouse hunting in when the season re-opens on Dec. 1 before I fly back to WA on the 4th.

Sorry for no pics, but the deer didn't seem to warrant them. Hopefully I get a few ducks and grouse that are photo worthy and I'll post them. Next step, figure out where to hunt in Western WA.

[kzoo]

I never went hunting at all at Michigan. But heard lots of stories. Lots of coworkers were really excited once November 15th was around the corner. It's a huge tradition! It's cool you get to go back.

[ResQ]

As they say. Pics or it never happened Congrats. Any cleanly shot deer is a trophy! Your uncle is allergic to deer? So does he sneeze like a dog allergy? Wouldnt that be a perk as you would always know when a deer is close? lol. All kidding aside. Well done!

[Rosann G]

Congrats on your many deer. Sounds like you are having a good time with all your relatives carrying on your family hunting traditions. Glad you got to go home.

[The Quadfather]

Yooper, I don't know thing one about hunting. I have been known to take out a couple of rats with a pellet gun in the back yard.... but never really went beyond that. I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed reading your thread on the Mich. trip. It sounds like something that I would look forward to ALL YEAR back here a million miles from your home turf.
That hunting camp sounds like a time well spent with your dad/uncle, nephews, etc. Good dutch oven cooking, story telling and dad's home brew drinking.
Thanks for sharing.

[yooper_fisher]

I'm glad you guys enjoyed reading my story. Kzoo, if you ever make it back to MI for deer season and are invited out to "camp" I'd say go for it! Even if you're not hunting, the comradery is what makes it worth while.

Unfortunately, the last days of duck season weren't that successful for me, but not for lack of opportunity. I hunted the last 3 days of season, saw well over 200 ducks, shot a little over a box of shells, and managed to bag one mallard.

The three days of grouse hunting I was able to get in were a bit better, with 3 grouse and 2 rabbits bagged. I didn't see too many grouse, but should have had a couple more in my opinion. I guess that's what happens when you don't shoot your shotgun for a year.