DNR offers women’s Intro to Handgun Shooting class June 5 in Utica

DNR offers women’s Intro to Handgun Shooting class June 5 in Utica.

Take Time To Remember . . . and Be Thankful.

A Bald Eagle in Flight

Memorial Weekend is here.  Where does the time go I often wonder?  Lately, my life has been so full of distractions, I hardly noticed the holiday weekend approaching.  Some have been good distractions . . . some not so good.

Just this morning, I learned of a tragic accident involving a semi-truck roll over, just the other side of town.  The driver did not survive.  Makes my worries seem minor, compared to what sadness this family is facing.

Many people will be traveling on the road this weekend.  Memorial weekend is the herald of summer time, and an abundance of outdoor recreational opportunities in Michigan are open for business.   Those that are lucky enough to have the entire 3-days off from work, will head to cottages, lakes and campgrounds, for some much-needed rest and relaxation from the daily grind of everyday life, and to spend time with their families and friends.

I’m looking forward to a long weekend myself.  My niece is here from Oklahoma, and I’ll be meeting the newest addition to our family for the first time – a new great-nephew!  The rest of the weekend, I hope to squeeze in a little time in the woods with my video camera.  Maybe I’ll get a glimpse of those turkeys I’ve been watching for the past month and catch them on film.

If not, I’ll certainly have time to just sit, relax, and let go of all my worries, for a while at least.  At the same time, I’ll reflect on what Memorial Weekend is celebrated for, in the first place.  It’s more than just a long weekend off from work and extra time to do the things I love to do.  It’s a time to remember . . . and be thankful for the freedom, I often take for granted.  A time to say thank you to the men and women who have lost their lives to protect my freedom, and the ones who are currently serving in the military who continue that fight.

Enjoy your weekend, whatever your plans may be.   Travel safe, and take time to remember . . . and be thankful, for the real meaning of  this Memorial Weekend.

Happy Outdoors – Sue

Celebrate our freedom, and the lives of those who protect it, this Memorial Weekend.

Just for women: DNR offers Saginaw Bay walleye fishing June 2

Just for women: DNR offers Saginaw Bay walleye fishing June 2.

A Lovely Turkey Stew!

A wet and soggy bird becomes a lovely turkey stew!

Since taking this plump young jake out of the woods last Saturday morning, I’ve been eating wild turkey all week!  Yesterday I tried a new recipe from my favorite wild game cookbook,  ”Wild Game Simple”  authored by my friend, Captain Mike Gnatkowski, owner of gnatoutdoors.com.

I commented on my Facebook page about how excellent the stew was, and many people have asked for the recipe.  Here it is:

Wild Turkey Stew

4 cups wild turkey meat (chopped)

1 cup celery (chopped)

2 cups carrots (chopped)

2 cups white potatoes (chopped)

3 cups chicken stock

3 tablespoons parsley

1 tablespoon onion powder

2 teaspoons salt (I used Lawry’s seasoned salt)

2 teaspoons pepper

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup water

In a 6-quart crock pot, combine the turkey meat, celery, carrots, potatoes, chicken stock, parsley, onion powder, salt and pepper.  Simmer on low for a minimum of 5 hours.  When the potatoes are tender, mix the flour with the water and whip with a fork or whisk until the flour is completely dissolved in the water.  Slowly add the four mixture into the crock pot while stirring.  Let simmer for an additional hour.

I served my turkey stew over fresh hot biscuits, and it was absolutely wonderful!

That young jake made a very lovely turkey stew!

To order your own copy of “Wild Game Simple” visit Mike’s website:  www.gnatoutdoors.com

Happy Outdoors! – Sue

Simple recipes for Wild Game and Fish!

To Shoot . . . Or Not To Shoot . . .

This nice jake was a perfect shot opportunity that I couldn’t pass up!

When it comes to hunting the wild turkey, it helps to have a few skills tucked underneath your camo cap, along with your favorite turkey call in your vest.  But I’ve found that a good part of it is pure luck, good timing, and knowing when to take the shot, and when not to.  Because turkeys have such excellent vision (turkeys see 10x better than humans),  opportunities for a perfect shot don’t always happen.  More often than not,  you are facing one way, and you need to be facing the other.   You can’t move into position, for fear the turkeys will see you and vanish almost immediately.  I think that’s why I love turkey hunting so much.  It’s never the same and always a challenge.  It’s just plain fun.

Sometimes you only have a few seconds to decide whether to shoot . . . or not to shoot.  That’s exactly what happened to me this morning.

I like to hunt the late season in Michigan, which opened up on Monday, May 7.  I have more weekends to hunt, and usually the weather is warmer in May.   I was hunting a brand new area this year.  I met with the landowner, before season opened, and he took me on a little 4-wheeler tour of his property so I would know where my boundaries were.  Dennis is a bow hunter.  His property, other than where his house and yard is located, is completely food plotted for deer.  This would strictly be a field hunt.  No run n’ gun in this area, as the surrounding woods were off-limits.  Dennis assured me there were plenty of turkeys around.  I was grateful to have a place to hunt all to myself, and by the sounds of it, loaded with birds.  The trick was . . . I couldn’t go to them.  I would have to make them come to me.  A true test to my turkey calling skills.

Yesterday morning was my first opportunity to get out and I was in my spot by 5:30 a.m.  As soon as the first break of daylight appeared, I heard at least 3 gobblers on the roost.  Unfortunately, they were all the way down at the other end of the field.  Figuring out where the birds are roosted can be a guessing game.  Some turkey hunters like to “put the birds to bed” so they have some idea where they are the next morning.  Because my hunting space was very limited here, I decided to take my chances in the morning, rather than risk boogering the toms up the night before, and having them move away from where I could hunt.  Turkeys like to roost near water and food, so I use that to make an educated “guess” as to what area they may be spending the night in.  This time, however, I had guessed wrong.  It was too light to move through the field without being seen.  I spent all morning calling, played “mimic” with a hen for a while, and listened to the toms gobbling, each time further away and in the opposite direction from where I was.  I was kinda stuck there.  I couldn’t chase after them in the woods.   So I kept trying all of my various calls, hoping a tom would like one of them enough to wander back my way.  I enjoyed watching some deer come in, two of them bucks, took my usual turkey hunter’s nap in the woods, watched a woodchuck for a while and finally left at noon, knowing I still had plenty of other days yet to hunt.  I also left, knowing exactly where I would set up the following morning, and  I would have to get out there at least an extra 1/2 hour earlier, to make the long walk back to the corner of Dennis’s property.

Which I did this morning.  It was a long walk in the dark, but I made it to the “back 40″ in plenty of time to set up, relax, and wait for fly down.  I prefer not to use a blind, so it’s always a guess as to which way I should face when setting up.  In this case, I could only shoot toward the field, so I only had one choice.  Even with plenty of cover in front of me, I knew if I made the wrong move, my opportunity would be gone in the blink of an eye. I sat quietly waiting for that first gobble.  Not a peep.  Not a sound.  Could the birds be sleeping in this morning?  Not long after daybreak took over, I heard rumbling off in the distance, and it wasn’t the rumbling of a long beard.  I didn’t recall the weatherman predicting storms this morning, but judging by the looks of the sky, it wouldn’t be too long and I’d have to head all the way back to where I had just come from.   Typically thunder is a great locator call, although I don’t recommend staying outside in a storm.  Since I hadn’t seen lightning yet, I figured I could give it a little more time before I headed all the way back to my truck.  I continued to wait, but still no gobble.  Suddenly, I heard the loud flapping of their wings from the trees directly to my left, and two hens flew down right SMACK in front of me!  I was closer all right.  I think I may have set up in their bedroom!  One hen started yelping immediately and the two girls headed right up and over a little hill in the field in front of me.  Every turkey hunter loves live decoys!  My heart began to thud in my chest and I eked my gun up slowly, thinking a tom would be flying down somewhere in the neighborhood, and with those live decoys out front,  I’d better move now and be ready while I could.   A few seconds later, I heard the leaves rustling footprints behind me.  Sure enough, not 10 yards to my left, out came a jake.  He followed the girls, of course, right up over that same little hill.  I love to watch and hear jakes.  They are just so comical!  Trying so hard to grow up and look and act like the big boys.  They remind me of a bunch of teenage boys in a high school hallway, competing and showing off to see who can impress the girls the most and get their attention.

Still . . . no gobble, not a single sound.  Eerily quiet, and all the while, thunder rumbling off to the west.  I had absolutely no idea where those toms were.

And the whole time, one hen is out there just yelping it up while the jake is trying really hard to impress her, hoping to seduce her with his adolescent voice!

I continued to sit still and wait.  With that much action going on, calling wasn’t necessary.  Soon enough, the hens came back over the hill, coming toward me, and not one, but 5 jakes appeared!  Where the heck did they come from?  Just about the same time, I heard one gobble, off to my right, but very far away.

The two hens proceeded to go past me, to my left, no more than 10 yards away, right back into the woods.  Four of the jakes followed, but one hung behind.  He puffed up and strutted and did his “look at me” sideshow for a few minutes, and the whole time I had my eye on him, I knew the other birds were directly to my left.

Should I shoot him?  Should I take a jake this early in the season?  Should I take the chance of being busted by moving my shotgun up to my shoulder?  If I’m busted, it’s all over, and then maybe I won’t feel so bad having to leave so early (seems like I just got all the way back here!) because of the storm, that is most definitely on its way over my head soon.   What the heck!  Go for it!  If I’m busted, I can always come back tomorrow.  With the four jakes still off to my left shoulder, I slowly eased my shotgun up into my shoulder and at the same time, lowered my head to the stock . . . and pointed my barrel right at the jake out front.  So far so good.  No putting, no birds suddenly running away.  I realized my movement had not been detected and I had . . .  a perfect shot.  Should I take it?  If I do, I’ve filled my tag, and my hunt is over.  I’ll have to wait another whole year for the next season.  But I won’t have to keep getting up at 4:00 a.m. if I shoot him.  It is a really long rough walk back here.  My legs are sore and my back is starting to ache from sitting on the ground.  But I know there are a few toms back here.  I heard them yesterday.  Maybe I should wait and shoot a nice big long beard, and let this jake grow up instead.  It is a perfect shot though . . .  he’s right there . . . right in front of me, only 25 yards or so.    I haven’t had a shot for the last two years.  Last year I never even saw a bird.  What if I don’t get another chance?  I can always enjoy the remainder of the season with a video camera, right?

It’s a perfect shot, a perfect opportunity.  Should I shoot him?

The answer was yes.  He was a beautiful jake.  It was a perfect shot.  It was a perfect morning of turkey hunting.  I  barely made it back to my truck before the storm hit.  Both of us got soaked, hence the wet bird image.  It’s been raining off and on all day.  I have his feathers I’ll make into a wreath, and  lovely, tender turkey meat in my refrigerator ready for one of my favorite recipes tomorrow.

A week ago, I was hunting with a friend.  I had called a nice tom in for her.  He was with two hens, straight out front strutting, at about 23 yards.  I sat quietly, waiting for the blast of her shotgun.  It didn’t happen.  She didn’t shoot.  She said it just didn’t feel right.  One thing that I really stress to new turkey hunters, is that you are the one with the firearm.  Only you can pull the trigger.  It is your decision, and no one else can make that decision for you.  Once you shoot, you can’t take it back, so make sure it feels right.  Make sure it’s a perfect shot.

I made the decision to shoot today.  I couldn’t pass up that perfect shot.  I’m glad I didn’t.

And . . .  I can sleep in tomorrow. 

Happy Outdoors- Sue

Walleye Cheeks!

photo courtesy of gnatoutdoors.com

Last summer, I was invited by my friend Captain Mike Gnatkowski, owner of gnatoutdoors.com and author of “Wild Game Simple” cookbook, to join him for a day of walleye fishing on Saginaw Bay out of Linwood, Michigan.  Mike is a Charter Boat Captain, now enjoying retirement, writing and guiding in the Colorado area.  He was in Michigan to visit his family, and knowing I’d never been walleye fishing, he asked if I’d like to join him.  Since my business is all about Outdoor Beginnings, I’m all about beginning anything!

We hooked up early in the morning at the Linwood Beach Marina and Campground, where Mike introduced me to Captain Jeff Godi, with the Michigan-X.  We soon left the docks to what looked like a beautiful sunny day with calm seas, and a good day of fishing.  It didn’t take too long before we had netted the first walleye of the day!  I have been salmon fishing many times on the Great Lakes of Michigan, but I had never experienced catching a walleye.  Tons of fun to catch, but the best part, in my opinion, is eating them!  Walleye is delicious!  We caught several more fish that morning and headed back to shore about 1:00 p.m.  While Captain Jeff cleaned our fish, I mentioned that I really liked walleye cheeks.  Captain Jeff was quite impressed that a girl who had never been walleye fishing, knew about walleye cheeks.  He was all too happy to accommodate his customer’s request and made sure I took some home.  If you’ve ever caught walleye, you know what I’m talking about when I mention walleye cheeks.  They are the “cream of the crop” when it comes to eating walleye.  I left for home that afternoon with a gallon size zip lock full of freshly caught walleye, and some cheeks as well.  The following day, I pulled out one of my favorite cookbooks, “Wild Game Simple” and opted for page 66 – Baked Walleye (see featured recipe).  All I can say is marvelous!  Add a salad, wild rice, fresh broccoli, along with a chilled glass of my favorite Michigan white wine, and you are in for an excellent meal.

I really enjoyed walleye fishing, and most of all eating it.  Which made me think I should probably share this experience and make it into a Beyond BOW Outdoor Adventure!  Here are the details:

Saturday, June 2, 2012

 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Hosted by Captain Jeff Godi – The Michigan-X

Captain Tim Bristol – Fishheads Charters

and Captain Dick Donavon -Adventure One

Linwood Beach Marina & Campground

Cost $125

This 1/2 day walleye fishing trip takes place on Saginaw Bay – limit 5 walleye per angler.  Come with a valid fishing license and bring a cooler along to take your fish home with you.  Fish cleaning included!  Lunch is included and will be prepared by the guys for us at the marina after fishing.

This Beyond BOW Outdoor Adventure is limited to 12 women.   This one will fill up faster than you can say “walleye cheeks”  so don’t delay!  Register today by visiting www.michigan.gov/bow

Happy Outdoors-Sue

Keifer the fishing labrador!

Captain Mike knows how to catch dinner . . . and cook it too!

Be sure to check out the featured recipe of the month from the cookbook “Wild Game Simple”

To order, just click on the cookbook image!

Technology and Turkey Talk!

What does technology have in common with turkey hunting you say?

Last evening, while catching up on some work, my internet shut down.  After doing all of the typical fixes, unplugging for 10 seconds, removing the battery from the modem, etc., it became clear I had a problem I wasn’t able to fix.  I made the toll-free call to my cable company and they set me up for a visit from a technician the following day.

So I stayed in from turkey hunting this morning, to make certain  I would not miss the technician.  Since I couldn’t access the internet in order to work or blog, I returned some phone calls and worked on a pile of laundry while waiting for the tech.  As promised, he rang the doorbell promptly between noon and 2:00 p.m.  As soon as he walked in the door, he immediately spied my fully mounted turkey in the corner of my living room, and expressed his admiration.   I suggested he do a turn around, and take a look at the wall above my couch, where 3 turkey capes are also on display.  ”Are you a turkey hunter” I asked, and he eagerly replied “yes!  I’ve been deer hunting since I was a kid, but only started turkey hunting 3 years ago.”

I showed him into my home office where he went right to the business of diagnosing my internet disconnect.  As he was plugging in all sorts of “dohickies” which I’m assuming assist him with making the repairs needed, we began to talk turkeys, swapping stories and trading tricks of the turkey hunting trade.  I learned that he is still learning about turkey hunting, is married and has 4 young children at home, he lives in the country, he is an ethical hunter, he loves to take his kids out fishing every chance he gets, and his youngest daughter sits on their front porch and practices calling to the turkeys he keeps seeing across the road in the evening.  He is also a member of several conservation groups, including the National Wild Turkey Federation and Pheasants Forever.

I also learned that his wife is interested in hunting, and he plans to start teaching her how.  Since I always have “Becoming an Outdoors-Woman” brochures handy for such opportunities, I offered him one, along with my business card, and explained what I do for a living.

An hour or so later, my internet and phone were up and running again, I may have recruited a new customer for the BOW program, and possibly recruited another volunteer instructor for the BOW program, to teach women about bow hunting for deer.

All that in just one hour.  All because my internet and phone disconnected, and I just happened to have a fully mounted turkey in my living room.

Happy Outdoors – Sue

Mentoring Moments Made To Last!

It’s turkey hunting time in Michigan!  The time I look forward to each year like a kid waiting for Christmas morning!

I like to start the turkey season out by volunteering to mentor a young hunter for the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) Flat River Chapter Youth Turkey Hunt in Michigan.

I was excited I would be hunting with Jenna again.  You remember Jenna.  I blogged and bragged about her last spring (see archives-Paying It Forward) when she shot the huge tom pictured here, while sitting right next to me.   This monster bird weighed in at nearly 25 pounds, sported a 10 1/2″ beard and wore 1 1/16″ spurs, if memory serves me right.  A whopper of a longbeard!  I know turkey hunters who have been hunting for many years (including myself!) who have yet to take a bird this size down.

Jenna is not brand new to turkey hunting.  She has taken two turkeys now, both displayed as capes on her parent’s living room wall.  She is 13 years old.  As her mentor, I felt it was important to offer her a little more challenge this year.  So I gave her some homework prior to hunting day.  I had given Jenna a mouth call and one of those little push/pull box calls last year so she could practice.    I suggested she go to the NWTF website: http://nwtf.org and there she will find audio of real turkey talk which she can practice along with.  Jenna called me a few days before the hunt to tell me she had been practicing.

I arrived at Jenna’s house Saturday morning well before sunrise..  She was ready to roll.  We were hunting the same land as last year, so I was already familiar with the layout and where the birds were likely to be.  I also learned that the landowner was pleased to have us back.  He had told Jenna’s mom earlier, that one morning the week before, he was working in his home office and suddenly heard a big “thump” up against the side of his house.  He went outside to investigate, and came upon a tom stumbling around in his back yard in a seemingly drunken stupor.  What a silly bird!

Jenna and I decided to go right on back to the area where she had shot her bird last year.  Our good luck spot!  Back behind the barn, there are some nice tall grassy spots, with water nearby and plenty of pines and hardwoods.  A perfect turkey hangout.  So we quietly headed in that direction.  We set up along one side of a small ridge and sat down up against a nice wide tree.  Jenna was to my left and a big pile of old lumber to my right.  We had a nice clear area out in front for shooting, yet enough cover around to blend in with.   It was unusually cold for Michigan this time of year and the weather man had predicted rain and possibly snow.  We were both bundled up in our deer season camo to stay warm.  We got comfortable and waited for fly down time.  Soon the songbirds started their early morning choir practice and sure enough, not long after, we heard a few gobbles.  One off to my right and behind, the other directly behind and not far away.  This is what turkey hunters love to hear first thing in the morning!  It still makes the little hairs on the back of my neck tickle, every year.   I started with a few soft yelps with my favorite slate call and got a nice gobble response right away.   A few minutes later, I played a little soft purring with a cluck here and there.  He must have liked it, because he gobbled back again and again, and each time, he sounded closer.  He was headed our way.  Jenna was ready without my saying a word.  She knew what to do next.

We waited . . . and waited . . . and waited some more . . .

Like a bad date, he didn’t show up.  I started calling again and sure enough, got a response, but he had moved away this time.  So I called a few more times, and he gobbled a few more times.  Each time he sounded closer.  He was coming in again.  Not long after, Jenna spotted a hen!  We both froze.  After the hen went out of sight, I purred a little and he gobbled even closer!  This was it!  He was on his way!  Jenna got her gun up slowly and was ready.  I could see her trembling next to me in anticipation.  We waited . . . and waited . . . and waited some more . . .

Then I made the biggest mistake every turkey hunter has probably made, more than once.   I got impatient.  I just had to move closer to that lumber pile so I could stretch my neck up and look up over that little ridge, to see if he was there.  I didn’t notice the vine hanging from the tree next to me and when I moved and put my knee down near the tree,  I suddenly heard a very loud SNAP.  I don’t think wild turkeys are particularly smart, but they are very keen.  They see 10x better than humans and they hear pretty good too.   Anything out of sorts will spook them.  If that bird was back there, I may have just sent him off in the opposite direction.  I’ll never know.

Jenna and I hunted all morning.  I encouraged her to try some calling on her own.  She sounded great on the box call!  I remember a time when I didn’t think I was a good enough caller to go turkey hunting.  For that matter, I’m not sure my calling is all that great yet.  But I have learned by experience, that more often than not, even if you mess up, there might be a tom close by who thinks you have the most beautiful voice in the forest.  As NWTF Pro Mike Kennedy put it at orientation Friday night, “don’t be afraid to make a mistake.”   If a bird is hot, he won’t care how bad you sound!  Sometimes your mistake may be the sound that brings him in to you!

After lunch, Jenna wanted to go back out.  Instead of sitting, she wanted to try a little run n’ gun style hunting.  I had a feeling those birds had moved over to the next door neighbors, although we did see another hen come through the pine tree area that afternoon.  As we moved around, she picked out good places to set up and we found a nice little strutting zone area for her to come back to with her step-dad that following week.  We put in a full day and by 6:30 p.m., I was beat.  I suggested we call it a good day of hunting and silently wished I was 13 again.

We walked back to the driveway where my truck was parked, put away our gear and sat down in the soft grass, for a drink and a snack.   We talked about our experience that day.  I confessed to her, my mistake of getting impatient and moving and snapping the twig, instead of being still and waiting.  I also explained that I may have actually over-called that bird in the morning and spooked him.  Because the toms expect the hens to come toward them, if you call too much, and the tom does not eventually see a hen, he may head off the other way.  As I say, turkeys aren’t real smart, but they have very keen instincts, and somehow they know when something just isn’t right.

I must admit, I was feeling a little twinge of disappointment that I wasn’t able to call in a bird for Jenna to shoot that day.  I was hoping for a repeat of last year.  I kept questioning in my mind if I should have set up on the other side of the ridge.  Maybe I should have put a decoy out.  I kept mulling it over like a guy whose favorite football team had just lost the Super Bowl.  But I tried not to show it.  A good mentor should set a good example.

And then Jenna said something to me out of the blue, that made me realize why I enjoy mentoring, why I have fun hunting with her, and why I love turkey hunting so much in the first place.

She simply said,  ”well, you don’t get a bird every time.”

And that was that.  I smiled all the way home.

You are so right Jenna.  I am so proud of the huntress you have become.  There is always next year, and I hope I can hunt with you every year, for many years to come.

Happy Outdoors-Sue

For more information about the NWTF Flat River Youth Hunt – visit the “Flat River Youth Hunt” Facebook page.  For more information  regarding the new Michigan mentored youth hunting rules and regulations, visit the MDNR website:  www.michigan.gov/dnr

A Big Thank You to Warren Conley, Mike Kennedy, and all of the great NWTF Flat River Chapter folks who volunteer to help organize this youth hunt every year!  Thank you to the guides for taking time to teach and for sharing your passion for wild turkey conservation with a youngster each year.  Thank you to the land owners for your willingness to share your natural resources and give permission for these kids to experience the thrill of turkey hunting.  Together – You All Make It Happen!

Michigan’s U.P. BOW Discovery Weekend Is Ready For You!

If you haven’t yet attended a MI DNR Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) Discovery Weekend, you don’t know what you are missing!  Why not make it a priority on your own “must do” list this year!  Whether you are brand new, or want to improve your outdoor skills, the BOW Discovery weekends offer something for every woman!

Sharon Pitz, our U.P. BOW Coordinator and her committee, are hosting their 15th annual summer program June 1-3 at Big Bay Health Camp, located about thirty miles north of Marquette.  Big Bay Health Camp is set right upon the beautiful and breathtaking Lake Superior shores.  The accommodations are comfortable with nice rooms, flush toilets and hot showers!  The meals are home-cooked and the food is delicious!

Activities to choose from this year will include kayaking, canoeing, fishing, mountain biking, fly tying, geocaching, rock climbing, shooting sports, boating and birding.   Volunteer BOW instructors provide basic and advanced instruction that is uniquely tailored to each participant’s individual ability and is offered in a non-competitive atmosphere.  Each woman is encouraged to learn at her own pace with an emphasis on fun, camaraderie and sharing in the success of one another.

The $175 registration fee includes 2 nights of lodging and all meals, as well as most equipment and supplies for the classes.  Big Bay Health Camp is a universally accessible dorm-style facility with numerous amenities, including a pool, sauna, tennis courts, hiking and biking trails and easy access to Lake Superior.

Special evening programs will include birding hikes and group bonfires.

Class information and registration materials are available online at www.michigan.gov/bow or by clicking on the BOW logo on the left-hand margin here.  The registration deadline is May 10!  Early registration is encouraged as this is a very popular weekend and it fills up fast!

A limited number of BOW scholarships are available for those who qualify.  For more information about the BOW scholarship program, please contact Sharon Pitz directly at pitzs@michigan.gov or by phone at (906) 228-6561.

Why not pack up your car with family members and/or friends and share the ride!  This BOW event is well worth the drive!  You won’t regret it!

Say Ya to da U.P., eh! and register today!

Happy Outdoors! – Sue

Is Michigan Becoming A “Pay-to-Play” State?

This blog is not intended to be a place for me to vent or air my own opinions on outdoor issues.  It is meant to attract attention to the MI DNR Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) program and share information from other like-minded wildlife and nature loving, conservation and outdoor enthusiasts, groups and organizations who like to share their knowledge, and inspire other people to get involved in the great outdoors.  I hope it entertains just a little too.

But something was brought to my attention today that just rubbed me the wrong way, and its been distracting me all afternoon.   I feel compelled to speak up about it.  This isn’t the first time the subject of “pay-to-play” has come up and it bugged me the first time someone approached me about it, as much as it did today.

We hear a lot of discussion these days about recruiting new hunters into our ranks as sportsmen and women.  It’s no secret that participation numbers are dwindling, not just in Michigan, but in many states across America.  Small game hunting especially, has lost participation in Michigan.  Kids aren’t going out squirrel and rabbit hunting after school like they used to.  Wildlife agencies and non-profits are working together to promote hunting activities, especially among youngsters.  Youth hunts  and mentoring programs are sprouting up everywhere as well as programs similar to BOW, which introduces women not only to hunting and shooting, but fishing, birdwatching and kayaking among other outdoor things.  The idea is to provide an introduction, and teach people of all ages, how to do this stuff, in hopes that it will become a life-long activity for them.  They might even pass it along to others too.

There are many theories as to why we are losing participation in hunting, and over the years, many studies have been conducted.  One of the last studies I read, reported that adult women cite lack of time as being the top reason they don’t participate.  Men too.  Kids have a lot more activities available to compete with their interest and time these days.   The poor economy certainly hasn’t helped, as more people have fewer dollars to spend on leisure and recreation activities.  I know some die-hard deer hunters that didn’t go up north last season, because of the cost of gasoline.  Generation X and Y are moving near cities and into the suburbs for work and school, leaving hunting behind in the agricultural and rural communities they grew up in.  While at the same time, some say the anti-hunting movement has changed attitudes toward hunting.  City folks wanting to get out of the fast lane, build in the country and won’t allow anyone to hunt “their” animals.

While I agree that all of these reasons are probably contributing somewhat, to the decrease in hunting license sales, I still believe the biggest reason most people don’t hunt, who want to hunt, is because they can’t find a great place to go hunting to begin with.  One that’s reasonably convenient, close to home, has wildlife aplenty, and doesn’t have a lot of other hunting pressure.  I live in the suburbs, in an apartment.  I know how hard it is to find these spots.  I used to have one, about 10 minutes away from my door.   I’ve since found a few new spots, but nothing quite like that one.  They are tough to find.

Either I find a place and hunting is not allowed, or I find a place, and someone wants to charge me to hunt there.  It’s no wonder some people get discouraged and just walk away from hunting all together.

If you’ve been following my blog, you already know I like turkey hunting more than anything else.  Because I enjoy it so much, I like to talk about it to other people.   This past weekend, BOW hosted another pheasant hunt.  A mom, along with her 14 year old son, were there.  They came to the pheasant hunt last month too.  While we were eating lunch, the subject of turkey hunting came up and as usual, I got carried away with my enthusiasm for it.   Since turkey season opener is right around the corner, I just can’t help bringing it up and encouraging others to give it a try!

This same mom that was at the pheasant hunt Saturday, contacted me last evening with an email message.  Seems she found a place to hunt turkeys, and wondered if I would be interested in going with her.

She tells me it is a “leasing” opportunity.  The landowner is charging $100 per person – up to 3 people.  It will go fast so she was hoping to make a decision quickly.

Granted, the area she is talking about is heavily people populated, and I’m sure places to hunt are few and far between as opposed to more agricultural areas in Michigan, but $100 per person?  For one wild turkey?  Does the $100 fee cover the entire season or only one day?  Are their restrictions as to what days she can hunt and what time?  Are their birds there?  Will the landowner allow her to do some scouting before she pays him?  Or does she simply take his word that there are turkeys there?

I’m not keen on these “pay-to-play” hunts.    I understand nothing illegal is being proposed here, and in many states, I’m told this is a perfectly acceptable practice and even necessary, due to lack of public land.

I just think it’s such a darn shame, that this landowner is looking at this mom, and her 14 year old son, who want to hunt turkeys for the first time, as an opportunity to make a little cash on the side.

It just doesn’t seem right somehow, that someone can make $100 off a wild animal that doesn’t belong to him.

Michigan is blessed to have tons of public areas open to hunting.  We now have a lot of turkeys, thanks to the great work of the MI DNR and the National Wild Turkey Federation, over the years.  There are many private landowners who will allow turkey hunting on their land. It’s not always easy to find them, and you may have to knock on some doors and spend a little time at it, but if you are persistent enough, eventually you will find a landowner or farmer, who is more than happy to allow a hunter or two to step onto their property – especially turkey hunters – and won’t charge you a dime.

It just burns me up that this woman, and her son, wants to try turkey hunting, and someone wants her to pay for it.  Here in my home state.  In Michigan.  Where hunting used to be a way of life, even to those who didn’t participate in it.

I have to wonder how often this kind of transaction goes on?  Is this what it’s coming to?  Is Michigan becoming a “Pay-to-Play” hunting state?  Am I going to have to pay for a place to hunt in the future?  Will I be able to afford it?

What do you think?  Have you ever had to pay for a place to hunt?   Are there any advantages, other than a guaranteed place to hunt?

Am I being unreasonable and unrealistic?  I’d like to hear your opinion.

Happy Outdoors! – Sue