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(Provided by MDNR)
Michigan Leads the Nation in Woodcock HuntingSpring means many things to many people - morel mushrooms, trout fishing, turkey hunting or viewing migrating birds overhead. The American woodcock is one of those migrating, part-time Michigan residents that split time between the southeastern United States and Michigan.
For decades, Michigan has helped gather information on woodcock populations, which spend time in numerous states and provinces from Canada to the Gulf, said Michigan DNR upland game bird specialist Al Stewart. The state leads the nation in woodcock hunters and birds harvested.
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By Bill Wiesner
The Infamous ‘Ground Shrinkage’ of Black Bears
When estimating size and weight, black bears are the most misjudged big game animal in the woods. Bears simply look much bigger than they are, especially to hunters who have not seen several of them under the self-imposed stress condition of viewing one at close range with the intention of putting a tag on that bear. Therefore, the huge bear before the shot frequently becomes a much smaller bear when the hunter walks up to it. Sometimes the difference is so great the pre-shot giant looks like a post-shot sack of potatoes.
That can put a damper on your spring, or fall, bear hunting success.
Contrary to popular belief, all bears are not 500 pounds. As a matter of fact, a 500-pound bear is exceptional. Hair up to four inches long, often standing erect when the bear approaches the bait, adds considerably to the visible circumference of the animal. That, plus a bit of fear and general unfamiliarity with the animal, create large weight and size misjudgments.
Over the years I have taken many first-time bear hunters to the north woods. Until that time, the only bear they had ever seen was at a zoo or in a picture. Not only did they tell me they wanted a 500-pound (or better) bear, when they shot a 200-pound bear they thought they had killed a 500-pounder.
In an Ontario camp one year, a father and his two sons were on their first bear hunt. I took a decent 200-pounder the first night out and after that contented myself fishing and visiting with the outfitter and his family. About six o’clock on the third evening an RCMP officer pulled into the lodge’s driveway. One of the sons was so excited he had started to walk back to camp. The officer had picked him up on the highway.
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(Provided by Fair Oaks)
Fair Oaks, Ind. Fair Oaks Farms is offering hunters ñ both avid and novice - the opportunity to participate in an exciting two-day pheasant hunt and gaming dinner in November.
The event will take place Nov. 3-4 at the Fair Oaks Farms campus in Newton County, Ind., with the hunts occurring at Iroquois River Outfitters in Brook, Ind. and Crack of Dawn Hunt Club in Wheatfield, Ind.
Interested participants can register for the Thursday hunt plus the gaming dinner, the Friday hunt only or the gaming dinner only by visiting www.fairoakspheasanthunt.com. Thursdayís activities include a shooting demonstration by the Gould Brothers, America's top exhibition shooting team, as well as a gaming dinner expertly prepared by the chefs at The Farmhouse Restaurant, featuring guest speaker Max Armstrong.
All proceeds from the Pheasant Hunt Fundraiser will be used to maintain the Pork Education Center at Fair Oaks Farms, which educates consumers about safe and modern farming practices, as well as the health and nutrition benefits of pork products.
For more information, visit www.fairoakspheasanthunt.com or contact Nicki Gladstone at 219-322-7190 or nicki@choosehappyday.com.
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(Provided by MDNR)
Michigan Offers Abundant Opportunities for Small Game Hunting This FallWith seasons for several small game species set to begin later this week, the Michigan DNR offers a glimpse into some of the small game hunting opportunities Michigan has to offer.
A base license, which allows hunters to hunt small game, can be purchased online at E-License or anywhere licenses are sold.
Rabbits
Season: Cottontail rabbits and varying (or snowshoe) hare can be hunted from Sept. 15 to March 31, 2017, statewide. The daily bag limit is five in combination with a possession limit of 10.
Outlook: Cottontail populations are good throughout their range over much of the state. Concentrate on thick cover, such as briar patches and brush piles, often near agricultural fields. Snowshoe hare populations are down from historic levels. Look for early-successional forests (such as aspen stands) and low-lying conifer swamps with blow-downs and brush piles in the northern two-thirds of the state.
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(Provided by MDNR)
Looking for a new hunting adventure? Make a GEMS stop this fall!The Michigan DNR encourages hunters to try upland bird hunting at one, or several, GEMS (Grouse Enhanced Management Sites) - which offer a chance to explore a new type of hunt or a new location. Each of the 17 GEMS has miles of hunter walking trails, developed from old logging roads, that wind through thousands of acres of great habitat.
"Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula have some of the best grouse and woodcock habitat," said DNR upland bird biologist Al Stewart. "In Michigan, we have 10 million acres of public hunting land ñ the size of Massachusetts and New Jersey combined."