Here is part two of yesterday's blog. I hope you enjoy it
Within ten minutes, two does emerged from the heavy, dark cedar-tag alder-spruce cover west of my spot (probably the same two I first saw). They hit the scent trail and moved away from me. This was great, because I now had real doe scent near the trail I laid, and the two does were not approaching me - they would probably have discovered me and spooked.
I sent out a few more notes on the call once the does were out of sight, and had barely put the device away when a deep, resonant grunt came out from the dark cover the does had exited from. Shortly, the eight-point stepped out from the cover, stopping exactly where the does previously stood and where the stick held the scent pad. While trying to sort out the scent signals, he stepped into a quartering away position with his head hidden behind a large poplar. I made a rather simple heart shot, bracing my .308 against the spruce trunk. He went just fifty yards before piling up on a nearby rise in the ground.
This particular strategy should work for just about any antlered deer in the Midwest from early November into early December since this is prime time for “pre-rut” and “main rut” hunting in a typical year. The average hunter could use a bow, shotgun, or rifle depending on the state hunted and local regulations.
Workers at the local DNR office aged my buck and three and one-half years. The antlers were not trophy sized, but it was one of several I have taken while "still-hunting" (slipping through the woods slowly and quietly while watching for opportunities), and using some potentially confusing scent signals. That kind of hunting makes each buck a trophy for me.
Copyright Ray Hansen, 2008
Friday, September 19, 2008
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
SCENT BOMB FOR BUCKS - Part 1
In this two part series, I will pass along details about how I had a successful hunt during Michigan's 2006 firearms season for deer. Think about how you will hunt this year and try to decide if this tactic could work for you.
By: Ray Hansen
On November 17, 2006 I killed an eight-point, two hundred pound whitetail buck by seeming to confuse the deer. I was hunting in the "old way". This means walking very slowly, watching carefully, taking advantage of opportunities, and creating the illusion that a doe was "rut-ready". This hunt took place in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, using tactics that anyone reading this article could have used with similar results. This part of Michigan has hundreds of thousands of acres of “semi-wilderness” open to public hunting, and using the strategy detailed here has provided me with successful hunts for many years. Similar tactics will work throughout the Midwest. I’m writing about it early enough for you to get any materials you’ll need, well before the season, if you feel this tactic may work for you.
This is what I did: After bowhunting for several days, I switched to a rifle when the firearms season opened on November 15. On the morning of the 17th, I was very slowly making my way through the woods when I spotted two does crossing my intended path about one hundred yards away. When they were out of sight, I laid a scent trail from where I was to where I first saw them. This was done by tying a felt pad soaked in two different commercially available scents to a six-foot stick and dragging it parallel to my trail while slowly walking. The pad itself was a twin-tailed white felt, packaged in a re-closable type clear plastic bag.
One scent was billed a "synthetic deer urine… that lasts for months, not hours.” The other was a “combination rut, food, territorial infringement” scent. None of this made any difference to me. All I wanted to do, was present enough “scent bomb” to confuse a buck long enough to stop him and give me a chance at a shot… and it worked!
Reaching the spot I last saw the does, I jammed the stick into the ground and picked a spruce thirty-five yards away, downwind. Sitting on a small folding stool I carry, and concealed behind the pine branches, I made several soft "doe bleats" on an adjustable tone deer call. After that, I sat back to wait.
Come back tomorrow for part two of this deer hunting strategy. This information may help you enjoy a better hunt this year.
Copyright Ray Hansen, 2008
By: Ray Hansen
On November 17, 2006 I killed an eight-point, two hundred pound whitetail buck by seeming to confuse the deer. I was hunting in the "old way". This means walking very slowly, watching carefully, taking advantage of opportunities, and creating the illusion that a doe was "rut-ready". This hunt took place in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, using tactics that anyone reading this article could have used with similar results. This part of Michigan has hundreds of thousands of acres of “semi-wilderness” open to public hunting, and using the strategy detailed here has provided me with successful hunts for many years. Similar tactics will work throughout the Midwest. I’m writing about it early enough for you to get any materials you’ll need, well before the season, if you feel this tactic may work for you.
This is what I did: After bowhunting for several days, I switched to a rifle when the firearms season opened on November 15. On the morning of the 17th, I was very slowly making my way through the woods when I spotted two does crossing my intended path about one hundred yards away. When they were out of sight, I laid a scent trail from where I was to where I first saw them. This was done by tying a felt pad soaked in two different commercially available scents to a six-foot stick and dragging it parallel to my trail while slowly walking. The pad itself was a twin-tailed white felt, packaged in a re-closable type clear plastic bag.
One scent was billed a "synthetic deer urine… that lasts for months, not hours.” The other was a “combination rut, food, territorial infringement” scent. None of this made any difference to me. All I wanted to do, was present enough “scent bomb” to confuse a buck long enough to stop him and give me a chance at a shot… and it worked!
Reaching the spot I last saw the does, I jammed the stick into the ground and picked a spruce thirty-five yards away, downwind. Sitting on a small folding stool I carry, and concealed behind the pine branches, I made several soft "doe bleats" on an adjustable tone deer call. After that, I sat back to wait.
Come back tomorrow for part two of this deer hunting strategy. This information may help you enjoy a better hunt this year.
Copyright Ray Hansen, 2008
SCENT BOMB FOR BUCKS - Part 1
In this two part series, I will pass along details about how I had a successful hunt during Michigan's 2006 firearms season for deer. Think about how you will hunt this year and try to decide if this tactic could work for you.
By: Ray Hansen
On November 17, 2006 I killed an eight-point, two hundred pound whitetail buck by seeming to confuse the deer. I was hunting in the "old way". This means walking very slowly, watching carefully, taking advantage of opportunities, and creating the illusion that a doe was "rut-ready". This hunt took place in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, using tactics that anyone reading this article could have used with similar results. This part of Michigan has hundreds of thousands of acres of “semi-wilderness” open to public hunting, and using the strategy detailed here has provided me with successful hunts for many years. Similar tactics will work throughout the Midwest. I’m writing about it early enough for you to get any materials you’ll need, well before the season, if you feel this tactic may work for you.
This is what I did: After bowhunting for several days, I switched to a rifle when the firearms season opened on November 15. On the morning of the 17th, I was very slowly making my way through the woods when I spotted two does crossing my intended path about one hundred yards away. When they were out of sight, I laid a scent trail from where I was to where I first saw them. This was done by tying a felt pad soaked in two different commercially available scents to a six-foot stick and dragging it parallel to my trail while slowly walking. The pad itself was a twin-tailed white felt, packaged in a re-closable type clear plastic bag.
One scent was billed a "synthetic deer urine… that lasts for months, not hours.” The other was a “combination rut, food, territorial infringement” scent. None of this made any difference to me. All I wanted to do, was present enough “scent bomb” to confuse a buck long enough to stop him and give me a chance at a shot… and it worked!
Reaching the spot I last saw the does, I jammed the stick into the ground and picked a spruce thirty-five yards away, downwind. Sitting on a small folding stool I carry, and concealed behind the pine branches, I made several soft "doe bleats" on an adjustable tone deer call. After that, I sat back to wait.
Come back tomorrow for part two of this deer hunting strategy. This information may help you enjoy a better hunt this year.
Copyright Ray Hansen, 2008
By: Ray Hansen
On November 17, 2006 I killed an eight-point, two hundred pound whitetail buck by seeming to confuse the deer. I was hunting in the "old way". This means walking very slowly, watching carefully, taking advantage of opportunities, and creating the illusion that a doe was "rut-ready". This hunt took place in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, using tactics that anyone reading this article could have used with similar results. This part of Michigan has hundreds of thousands of acres of “semi-wilderness” open to public hunting, and using the strategy detailed here has provided me with successful hunts for many years. Similar tactics will work throughout the Midwest. I’m writing about it early enough for you to get any materials you’ll need, well before the season, if you feel this tactic may work for you.
This is what I did: After bowhunting for several days, I switched to a rifle when the firearms season opened on November 15. On the morning of the 17th, I was very slowly making my way through the woods when I spotted two does crossing my intended path about one hundred yards away. When they were out of sight, I laid a scent trail from where I was to where I first saw them. This was done by tying a felt pad soaked in two different commercially available scents to a six-foot stick and dragging it parallel to my trail while slowly walking. The pad itself was a twin-tailed white felt, packaged in a re-closable type clear plastic bag.
One scent was billed a "synthetic deer urine… that lasts for months, not hours.” The other was a “combination rut, food, territorial infringement” scent. None of this made any difference to me. All I wanted to do, was present enough “scent bomb” to confuse a buck long enough to stop him and give me a chance at a shot… and it worked!
Reaching the spot I last saw the does, I jammed the stick into the ground and picked a spruce thirty-five yards away, downwind. Sitting on a small folding stool I carry, and concealed behind the pine branches, I made several soft "doe bleats" on an adjustable tone deer call. After that, I sat back to wait.
Come back tomorrow for part two of this deer hunting strategy. This information may help you enjoy a better hunt this year.
Copyright Ray Hansen, 2008
Some boaters begin preparing their watercraft for storage this month, while others may continue boating for several months. In either case, read the following tips from the Boat Owners of the United States Foundation. I'll bet some of their recommendations will surprise you.
BOATU.S. RECOMMENDS LEAVING YOUR BOAT'S GAS TANK FULL THIS WINTER.
The Problem with Ethanol Fuel: Phase Separation
ALEXANDRIA, VA, Sept. 9, 2008 -- Ethanol-laden gasoline, dubbed "E-10" for its 10% ethanol content, is now commonplace at marina fuel docks across the country. However, as winter approaches and boaters lay up their vessels for the season, Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatU.S.) has some recommendations to ensure that spring commissioning will go smoothly. That's because E-10 can phase separate, or form two separate solutions in the gas tank - water and fuel - over a long winter storage period. Once this happens, the engine may not run and internal damage can occur.
BoatU.S. has these recommendations for storing boats fueled with E-10 this winter: · Top Off: For boats with built-in gas tanks, stop at the fuel dock and top off the tank before you haul out, leaving it nearly full with just a little room for expansion. A tank that is almost full limits the flow of air into and out of the vent, which reduces the chance of fluctuating temperatures adding condensation (water) to the fuel, inviting phase separation.
Anglers who fish over the winter should also top off their boat's gasoline tanks between outings to prevent condensation. Draining built-in fuel tanks of E-10 gas, while completely eliminating any chances of phase separation, is not practical and potentially dangerous.· Freshening doesn't work: Midwest marina owners, who have dealt with E-10 for many years, report that phase separation typically occurs when boats are stored with tanks only one-quarter to one-half full, which cannot be remedied by adding fresh gasoline in the spring. Once E-10 phase separates, the water will remain at the bottom of the tank. ·
Additive issues: With any fuel that sits in a tank for a long time, it's important to add a stabilizer. But stabilizers do not prevent phase separation. Once it occurs, additives and water separators can't help. The only remedy is to have the gas and ethanol/water professionally removed from the tank.· Fiberglass tanks beware: Ethanol is known to chemically react with many fiberglass fuel tanks, which can cause them to deteriorate and potentially fail. Unfortunately, unless your boat's manufacturer can confirm that your fiberglass tank was built to withstand ethanol, your only remedy may be to replace the tank with a non-reactive material such as aluminum. ·
Let it breathe: While ethanol does attract moisture, never try to plug up a fuel tank vent to prevent moist air from entering a tank. Without room to expand, the additional pressure could rupture fuel system components.· Portable gas tanks: Any un-mixed gas (without 2-cycle oil) remaining in portable tanks may be carefully poured into your automobile gas tank. However, if you do have to store gas over the winter in a portable tank, keep the tank out of the sun and in a well-ventilated area away from ignition sources, keeping in mind that gasoline fumes are heavier than air.
Recent BoatU.S. Foundation tests of portable jerry jugs confirmed that over time, gasoline can evaporate through the walls of some plastic containers.· The good news: Next spring when you start the boating season you will already have a tank full of last year's gas, likely saving yourself some money on a fill up.BoatU.S.
Boat Owners Association of The United States - is the nation's leading advocate for recreational boaters providing its 650,000 members with a wide array of consumer services. For membership information visit http://www.BoatUS.com or call 800-395-2628.
BOATU.S. RECOMMENDS LEAVING YOUR BOAT'S GAS TANK FULL THIS WINTER.
The Problem with Ethanol Fuel: Phase Separation
ALEXANDRIA, VA, Sept. 9, 2008 -- Ethanol-laden gasoline, dubbed "E-10" for its 10% ethanol content, is now commonplace at marina fuel docks across the country. However, as winter approaches and boaters lay up their vessels for the season, Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatU.S.) has some recommendations to ensure that spring commissioning will go smoothly. That's because E-10 can phase separate, or form two separate solutions in the gas tank - water and fuel - over a long winter storage period. Once this happens, the engine may not run and internal damage can occur.
BoatU.S. has these recommendations for storing boats fueled with E-10 this winter: · Top Off: For boats with built-in gas tanks, stop at the fuel dock and top off the tank before you haul out, leaving it nearly full with just a little room for expansion. A tank that is almost full limits the flow of air into and out of the vent, which reduces the chance of fluctuating temperatures adding condensation (water) to the fuel, inviting phase separation.
Anglers who fish over the winter should also top off their boat's gasoline tanks between outings to prevent condensation. Draining built-in fuel tanks of E-10 gas, while completely eliminating any chances of phase separation, is not practical and potentially dangerous.· Freshening doesn't work: Midwest marina owners, who have dealt with E-10 for many years, report that phase separation typically occurs when boats are stored with tanks only one-quarter to one-half full, which cannot be remedied by adding fresh gasoline in the spring. Once E-10 phase separates, the water will remain at the bottom of the tank. ·
Additive issues: With any fuel that sits in a tank for a long time, it's important to add a stabilizer. But stabilizers do not prevent phase separation. Once it occurs, additives and water separators can't help. The only remedy is to have the gas and ethanol/water professionally removed from the tank.· Fiberglass tanks beware: Ethanol is known to chemically react with many fiberglass fuel tanks, which can cause them to deteriorate and potentially fail. Unfortunately, unless your boat's manufacturer can confirm that your fiberglass tank was built to withstand ethanol, your only remedy may be to replace the tank with a non-reactive material such as aluminum. ·
Let it breathe: While ethanol does attract moisture, never try to plug up a fuel tank vent to prevent moist air from entering a tank. Without room to expand, the additional pressure could rupture fuel system components.· Portable gas tanks: Any un-mixed gas (without 2-cycle oil) remaining in portable tanks may be carefully poured into your automobile gas tank. However, if you do have to store gas over the winter in a portable tank, keep the tank out of the sun and in a well-ventilated area away from ignition sources, keeping in mind that gasoline fumes are heavier than air.
Recent BoatU.S. Foundation tests of portable jerry jugs confirmed that over time, gasoline can evaporate through the walls of some plastic containers.· The good news: Next spring when you start the boating season you will already have a tank full of last year's gas, likely saving yourself some money on a fill up.BoatU.S.
Boat Owners Association of The United States - is the nation's leading advocate for recreational boaters providing its 650,000 members with a wide array of consumer services. For membership information visit http://www.BoatUS.com or call 800-395-2628.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
FALL FAVORITES ON THE GREAT LAKES - PART 2
This is part two of the drift fishing tactic I began describing yesterday. It can produce some nice surprises at this time of year on the Great Lakes and other large bodies of water.
BOOST THE ODDS - RUN MORE RODS
While drift fishing, you are looking for actively feeding fish, so running more rods covers more water, increasing the odds for finding some action. Most anglers like to hold one rod in hand while setting out a second in a holder.
With two anglers in the boat, one should fish from the stern with a drift rod set straight out the back while the other angler works from the bow with a rod set to provide the widest range of coverage.
LONG, LIGHT ACTION RODS IN THE HOLDERS
By running a long rod in the nine foot range from the holders, you “automatically” cover a wider range and because these long rods have a lighter tip action, they give you a little extra time to hook light-biting fish.
CONTROL YOUR DRIFT
Anytime you set up a drift-fishing pass, you should put your electric trolling motor in the water and have it ready to use. Gusts of wind, or a breeze that does not quite propel you on the desired path, can be corrected quickly and quietly with the electric motor.
BE READY TO MARK GOOD SPOTS
Once in a while you’ll be drifting along when two rods “go off” simultaneously – often when passing over an active school of perch or white bass. This is the time to circle back upwind of the spot (toss in a floating marker to stay in touch with the strike zone) and slip an anchor overboard. You should have it on a seventy-five to one-hundred foot rope so you can let the breeze slide you back toward the marked spot.
HAVE A “BACKUP” PRESENTATION READY
I like to stay slightly back from the floating marker, and cast small jigs using ultra-lite action spinning gear toward the spot I believe fish are holding in. Another great choice – especially in waters over ten feet deep - is to work a small spoon baited with a piece of minnow meat or a short section of nightcrawler. Run a “Swedish Pimple” spoon in bright colors vertically just above the fish. Tip it with a minnow tail. You know how well these spoons work through the ice. They are just as deadly in open water.
MOVE WHEN THE BITE SLOWS
You know how hard it can be to pry a stubborn fisherman off a spot he catches fish in. He just doesn’t want to move, and repeatedly returns to the same spot. In my experience certain structures like long drop-offs hold fall fish fairly consistently, but where fish are found along these drop-offs or weed edges can change by the hour. For this reason, you need to start another drift fishing pass when the action slows in one area.
Have your gear ready, and fish confidently. You’ll run into another school of biters if you just keep looking.
Copyright Ray Hansen, 2008
BOOST THE ODDS - RUN MORE RODS
While drift fishing, you are looking for actively feeding fish, so running more rods covers more water, increasing the odds for finding some action. Most anglers like to hold one rod in hand while setting out a second in a holder.
With two anglers in the boat, one should fish from the stern with a drift rod set straight out the back while the other angler works from the bow with a rod set to provide the widest range of coverage.
LONG, LIGHT ACTION RODS IN THE HOLDERS
By running a long rod in the nine foot range from the holders, you “automatically” cover a wider range and because these long rods have a lighter tip action, they give you a little extra time to hook light-biting fish.
CONTROL YOUR DRIFT
Anytime you set up a drift-fishing pass, you should put your electric trolling motor in the water and have it ready to use. Gusts of wind, or a breeze that does not quite propel you on the desired path, can be corrected quickly and quietly with the electric motor.
BE READY TO MARK GOOD SPOTS
Once in a while you’ll be drifting along when two rods “go off” simultaneously – often when passing over an active school of perch or white bass. This is the time to circle back upwind of the spot (toss in a floating marker to stay in touch with the strike zone) and slip an anchor overboard. You should have it on a seventy-five to one-hundred foot rope so you can let the breeze slide you back toward the marked spot.
HAVE A “BACKUP” PRESENTATION READY
I like to stay slightly back from the floating marker, and cast small jigs using ultra-lite action spinning gear toward the spot I believe fish are holding in. Another great choice – especially in waters over ten feet deep - is to work a small spoon baited with a piece of minnow meat or a short section of nightcrawler. Run a “Swedish Pimple” spoon in bright colors vertically just above the fish. Tip it with a minnow tail. You know how well these spoons work through the ice. They are just as deadly in open water.
MOVE WHEN THE BITE SLOWS
You know how hard it can be to pry a stubborn fisherman off a spot he catches fish in. He just doesn’t want to move, and repeatedly returns to the same spot. In my experience certain structures like long drop-offs hold fall fish fairly consistently, but where fish are found along these drop-offs or weed edges can change by the hour. For this reason, you need to start another drift fishing pass when the action slows in one area.
Have your gear ready, and fish confidently. You’ll run into another school of biters if you just keep looking.
Copyright Ray Hansen, 2008
Monday, September 15, 2008
FALL FAVORITES ON THE GREAT LAKES - PART 1
Author's note: I have written about drift fishing in previous blogs, because this is one of my favorite ways to work the Great Lakes in the fall season. This blog details a variation of drift fishing rigs that has worked well for me. Watch for part two of this blog tomorrow.
By: Ray Hansen
Surprises. In a word, that is what makes fall fishing on the Great Lakes so much fun. You may wish for walleyes, plan for pike, or want some white bass, but you never know for sure what you might catch. In this article I’ll pass along some strategies and locations that can produce just about anything that swims in these waters. Try them and you’ll get some new stories this autumn.
START WITH CURRENT INFORMATION
I’m going to recommend a few tactics that require live bait in this article, and the place you stop to get this bait is also a good place to ask about places to use it at the current time. Local baitshops have given me plenty of great tips over the years.
USE A WIND-POWERED DRIFT
One of the most productive ways I’ve found for covering water in search of active fish is to drift with the wind along some structure that extends in the direction (or close to the direction) you will naturally drift in.
On the Great Lakes, the land points with deep weed edges nearby, long drop-offs running parallel to shore, and the flats up on the shallow sides of these drop-offs are proven spots for this approach.
SET UP A PROVEN DRIFT RIG
I like to rig a seven-foot spinning rod with eight pound test monofilament, pass my line through a one-quarter ounce egg sinker, and tie on a barrel swivel as a stopper. To the remaining free end of the swivel, I tie a four-foot leader of six-pound test monofilament. On this leader, I slide two bright orange plastic beads up the line, before tying on a size two, four, or six chartreuse colored hook. This is the basic drift rig. Use smaller hooks for panfish, and larger hooks for gamefish. Rig up for what you want to catch.
HAVE A BAIT SELECTION READY
It’s tough to beat a lively two to three inch minnow for all-around fall success, but you cannot ignore the potential “crawler bite” at this time of year. I like one third to one-half a medium sized crawler threaded on the hook. You will find the water is never too cold for this common bait to work its magic.
Stay tuned for part two of this blog tomorrow!
Copyright Ray Hansen, 2008
By: Ray Hansen
Surprises. In a word, that is what makes fall fishing on the Great Lakes so much fun. You may wish for walleyes, plan for pike, or want some white bass, but you never know for sure what you might catch. In this article I’ll pass along some strategies and locations that can produce just about anything that swims in these waters. Try them and you’ll get some new stories this autumn.
START WITH CURRENT INFORMATION
I’m going to recommend a few tactics that require live bait in this article, and the place you stop to get this bait is also a good place to ask about places to use it at the current time. Local baitshops have given me plenty of great tips over the years.
USE A WIND-POWERED DRIFT
One of the most productive ways I’ve found for covering water in search of active fish is to drift with the wind along some structure that extends in the direction (or close to the direction) you will naturally drift in.
On the Great Lakes, the land points with deep weed edges nearby, long drop-offs running parallel to shore, and the flats up on the shallow sides of these drop-offs are proven spots for this approach.
SET UP A PROVEN DRIFT RIG
I like to rig a seven-foot spinning rod with eight pound test monofilament, pass my line through a one-quarter ounce egg sinker, and tie on a barrel swivel as a stopper. To the remaining free end of the swivel, I tie a four-foot leader of six-pound test monofilament. On this leader, I slide two bright orange plastic beads up the line, before tying on a size two, four, or six chartreuse colored hook. This is the basic drift rig. Use smaller hooks for panfish, and larger hooks for gamefish. Rig up for what you want to catch.
HAVE A BAIT SELECTION READY
It’s tough to beat a lively two to three inch minnow for all-around fall success, but you cannot ignore the potential “crawler bite” at this time of year. I like one third to one-half a medium sized crawler threaded on the hook. You will find the water is never too cold for this common bait to work its magic.
Stay tuned for part two of this blog tomorrow!
Copyright Ray Hansen, 2008
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