Poachers

The hot topic this past week has been the discovery of a deer floating in the Clinton River, minhus it's head. About all that was left besides the carcass was an arrow, no doubt used to shoot the animal.
The fact that this happened on or near private property and a nature preserve in Oakland County is bad enough. That it happened at all is uncounsciale. "It's a sin," my late grandmother Minnie Frank would have no doubt said.
DNR officials aren't aware of any large scale poaching going on in the nearby area. But like good lawenforcement people, if they were and had an ivestigation on-going, they probably wouldn't be talking about it until persons responsible had been taken into custody.
You wonder what kind of people do these things. I still think it has a lot to dfo with how we are raising kids today. There is a lot of lack of respect in today's world. In this case it translates to having respect enough to buy a license, hunt in season, and properly take care of the game you take.
Like the saying goes, "It's what you do in the woods, filed, or on the water, when no one is watching."
Just how responsible are you when you hunt? Do you obey the rules or stretch them a little hoping to obatin an advantage?
If you do violate, remember you must answer yourself. And if you have a youngster along what kind of lesson are they getting through your illegal behavior.
See, like most things in life, these things just continue to be handed down. Be sure what you are handing down are a respect for the resource.

Bow huntint

Driving down the road the other day, it was getting on toward evening when I noticed a garage door open.
As I got nearer, I could see a nice deer hanging. That brings back a lot of memories and what fall means to many of us that hunt.
Having said that, I havne't set foot in the woods yet. And it looks like I might get shut out at least for the early bow season.
Just too much to do work wise and honey-do. But they say we should all take some time and smell the roses. I preach that from time to time, and should follow my own directions.
Heaven knows, I've been the recipient of those warnings to slow down some, live and enjoy life.
But here I go still at a good clip trying to get all I can cram into one single day or minutes of it.
Next week, it all goes well, I'll head to Muskego for a night walleye bite with walleye pro Mark Martin.
He cut his teeth on fishing the night for these fish. Working in a maching shop on the west side of Michigan, he was unknown until he started putting fish in the live well, after perfecting his method.
\The rest as they say is history. Today he fishes the AIM pro circuit, hosts a couple of schools, is a gifted seminar speaker and has authored a couple of books.
Imagine, trading in night fishing to become a successful fisherman-one that makes a living out of it. Pretty good stuff!

Thanks

This weeks column deals with MSU's fishing club and it's recent Beg Ten Fishing Classic on Lake St. Clair which they won. This is their second Championship win.
Ohio State was supposed to compete and hold the Tournament but dropped out. That left coach Frank Lepera in a lurch trying to host the tournament on short notice.
He called and asked if I could get something into the paper requestiong boaters volunteer to take anglers out on the practice day and tournament day.
Lepera says the response to his cry for help was fantastic. That many of you boaters called to say ou would help. That's what this all about, helping each other. Outdoors people seem to pretty good at it.
Just don't aske them for a good fishing or hunting spot. Just kidding about that. But it's true. No one will reveal secret honey holes or deer runs.
Sometimes putting our own lives on the back burner momentarily to reach out and help others can be a very satisfying thing.
I would suspect that is so in this case. Again thanks to all of you who continue to read and to respond.

Fall activities

Just because your friends are heading for the shooting range to zero in deer rifles doesn't mean the fishing season is closed.
Quite to the contrary. Some of the best and most productive fishing awaits you this time of year. Fish are busy putting on the feed bag and are actively feeding.
Because many people are getting ready for deer camp, local and Great Lakes go begging for action.
A lot of boats have been put away. So have those PWC's that seem to be everywhere once the weather warms.
With hardly any boat traffic, fewer anglers to compete with, and fish on the feed, it's a great time to live in Michigan.
Besides, you can still get an afternoon hunt in following a morning on the water. Last weekend I joined several kayak anglers for an outing on the Grand River upstream from Grand Haven.
The wind did blow cold but with proper dress we all stayed warm and more importantly dry.
During the two days we fished, we saw perhps three other boats and those were duck hunters. You could say we had the Grand just about to ourselves.
While salmon and steelies were selective several large cat fish were caught and released. Instead of trolling, I threw a spinnerbait around trees and logs, a little closer in than the others were trolling.
After several bumps, I changed to a crank along with some other baits. The time on the water was a blast. The air was clean and fresh, fall colors were out, and the bug dope wasn't needed.
Keep that rod handy. There is still plenty of fishing left.

Seasons and controversy

Besides all of the activites we have available to us in the fall, there invariably are controverseries.
This year is no exception. How many deer should a hunter be allowed to take? Each year it seems we hear different numbers.
People say they have 12 in the freezer and still have two tags. Others (like me) are struggling to get one tag- a doe-filled. If you have a farm or access to one, depending on where it's located, it seems there is a never ending supply of tags.
Then there is the equipment used to hunt with. This year you are either in the camp supporting cross bows or the one that opposes it.
Yes, it probably opens hunting up to more people. But so did compounds. How many accidents will there be with misfires-those accidentally touched off by an itchiy finger-or when the bow is being loaded or cocked?
That remains to be seen. Be assured that we will come out of this season a lot more wiser as to how to handle the newest hunting implement on the market.
Then there are those of us who hunt hard and never see a deer including baldies or racks. (Put me in there too!) But the DNR and others claim deer populations continue to be at an all-time high making it necessary to thin the herd out.
Besides private property I'd like to know where these deer are being seen. I'll be there to take a stand and try my luck once I know where to set up.
Be safe in the woods. Good luck!