Author's note: Today was the first day of the bow hunting season for deer here in Michigan. I was out in the woods, and this is how my hunt went.
Before moving here to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, I rarely had an opportunity to hunt deer on the opening day of the bow season. Most years, I took a week away from wherever I was living and working, and drove here to hunt. Being here permanently has changed things in many pleasant ways. Today was one of these nice advantages.
I drove to Duane Deno’s house well before sunrise, to haul him and his hunting gear out to an area where we placed tree stands well before the season started. He and I have known each other for about fifty years and have spent a lot of time chasing deer together.
Light rain fell during the drive, but skies cleared (temporarily) when we reached the woods. His stand is named the “Pocket Stand” because it overlooks a very small open pocket surrounded by heavy woods. My stand is called “Birch Hill” because it is a very small rise of higher ground surrounded by low ground, marsh, and swamp. The rise holds some very scenic live birches, along with maple, spruce, and cedar.
Dead birch trees lay scattered across the rise as well, like so many deceased soldiers on a battlefield. Trails cross the spot, some of which look like cow paths from many years of use by deer. A bear stays around the spot, occasionally raiding old, wild apple trees and breaking their branches to get at the fruit. We only get to see this animal as photos on the trail camera we sometimes set there. As with most bruins, this one is secretive and mostly roams at night.
We had to cut our stay somewhat short today because the wind kicked up so hard that it swayed the trees we hunted from. The strong gusts would not have knocked us out of the stands, but it made aiming very hard with all the movement it created. By noon we walked back to the truck. This was the first day, and we’ll have plenty of other opportunities.
We both could have taken deer shortly after getting settled in. By 8:45 a.m. I had seen four different does pass by. Three stayed about fifteen minutes within range of my bow as they browsed on some plants that grow only on Birch Hill and a few other spots in the area. These plants have leaves that look like maple, but I’m not sure what kind of vegetation it is. About one to two feet tall and quite leafy, it sprouts on sunny openings. The stem is tough and I can hear deer pulling them out by the mouthful even when I can’t see the animals themselves.
Duane had a doe near his stand as well, but it stayed one and one-half hours, forcing him to stay quite still so it would not get spooked and run off. In a way, the doe acted as a live decoy. Duane hoped a buck would happen by, but it was not to be. We usually take a doe apiece to help keep the herd in balance, then concentrate on finding bucks later in October or early November. They are much more active at those times.
So our opening day was a success even though we did not fill a tag. Being out there before sunrise and watching the woods come alive around you is an experience I guess I’ll never tire of. I’ll have plenty more to write about as the season progresses. Keep watching this blogsite for additional reports.
Copyright Ray Hansen, 2008
Showing posts with label maple. Show all posts
Showing posts with label maple. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Friday, September 12, 2008
RIVER WALK - PART 4
This is the final installment of the blog about our hike along the Escanaba River. I hope you enjoy it.
By: Ray Hansen
CONSISTENT WATER SOURCES
The artesian wells do not seem to be affected by drought. When other sources run low, they continue to flow. I remember the drought of 1976. We owned an eighty-acre tract east of here on the Stonington Peninsula, about 35 miles away. On that piece of land, we found a big spring that held water when most other sources dried to dust. Deer from miles around visited that spring and wore “cow paths” into the earth leading to the water.
BEARS PARADISE
I recall taking a long, straight cedar pole and using it to try to see how deep the spring was, but the pole went straight down and found no resistance. Its outflow was not too large – probably four feet across – and it must have been connected to an open water source somewhere because I could see small fish in it at times. A cranberry bog was situated farther east, that had open water visible out toward its middle. The ground around the open water was composed entirely of spongy, intertwined bog plant roots. Approaching the water was impossible because you would simply sink through the roots and become mired in them. Deer especially, were unsuited for trying to move through the spot since their legs are too thin. Bears though, liked the sour berries and simply flopped in and wallowed along to get to them.
COPPER COUNTRY HIGHWAY
Archaeologists have determined that this river (the Escanaba River) was one of the major routes leading from Lake Michigan northwest to the Copper Country area on the Keweenaw Peninsula. Many ancient people travelled there to gather copper because it is one of the very few places in the world where this metal could be literally picked up on the surface or mined from shallow excavations, in a form pure enough to use without any refining. Technology has now advanced enough to determine where raw metals originated, and Upper Peninsula copper has been found over a wide part of the country, partly due to trading between tribes, but also from groups traveling to the area seasonally to gather it. Many ancient shallow pit mines were found on Isle Royal in Lake Superior, and have been extensively studied and documented over they years. Some date back many thousands of years.
EAGLE VISITS
On our hike, we watched one of the resident eagles pass by several times. The big bird would not fly directly above us, but he has a series of trees he stops in along the course of the river. They are usually pines, and each has a sort of flat top that lets the majestic bird survey the surroundings from an unobstructed point. These trees are also close to the water’s edge so he can watch for fish. The other fish-eaters that visit are ospreys and kingfishers. All are a real treat to watch as they forage along the waterway and occasionally dive-bomb fish. So far, the osprey has captured the largest fish that I witnessed. It looked like a twelve to fourteen inch brown trout through binoculars.
So our river walks will continue through this fall. Starting October first, I’ll be bowhunting for deer, and this will take up some of my time. The trees along the river have started changing color. Kate and I will enjoy some excellent photo opportunities when the maples, poplar, beech, ironwood, cottonwood, and ash compete to see which can display the most vivid colors.
Copyright Ray Hansen, 2008
By: Ray Hansen
CONSISTENT WATER SOURCES
The artesian wells do not seem to be affected by drought. When other sources run low, they continue to flow. I remember the drought of 1976. We owned an eighty-acre tract east of here on the Stonington Peninsula, about 35 miles away. On that piece of land, we found a big spring that held water when most other sources dried to dust. Deer from miles around visited that spring and wore “cow paths” into the earth leading to the water.
BEARS PARADISE
I recall taking a long, straight cedar pole and using it to try to see how deep the spring was, but the pole went straight down and found no resistance. Its outflow was not too large – probably four feet across – and it must have been connected to an open water source somewhere because I could see small fish in it at times. A cranberry bog was situated farther east, that had open water visible out toward its middle. The ground around the open water was composed entirely of spongy, intertwined bog plant roots. Approaching the water was impossible because you would simply sink through the roots and become mired in them. Deer especially, were unsuited for trying to move through the spot since their legs are too thin. Bears though, liked the sour berries and simply flopped in and wallowed along to get to them.
COPPER COUNTRY HIGHWAY
Archaeologists have determined that this river (the Escanaba River) was one of the major routes leading from Lake Michigan northwest to the Copper Country area on the Keweenaw Peninsula. Many ancient people travelled there to gather copper because it is one of the very few places in the world where this metal could be literally picked up on the surface or mined from shallow excavations, in a form pure enough to use without any refining. Technology has now advanced enough to determine where raw metals originated, and Upper Peninsula copper has been found over a wide part of the country, partly due to trading between tribes, but also from groups traveling to the area seasonally to gather it. Many ancient shallow pit mines were found on Isle Royal in Lake Superior, and have been extensively studied and documented over they years. Some date back many thousands of years.
EAGLE VISITS
On our hike, we watched one of the resident eagles pass by several times. The big bird would not fly directly above us, but he has a series of trees he stops in along the course of the river. They are usually pines, and each has a sort of flat top that lets the majestic bird survey the surroundings from an unobstructed point. These trees are also close to the water’s edge so he can watch for fish. The other fish-eaters that visit are ospreys and kingfishers. All are a real treat to watch as they forage along the waterway and occasionally dive-bomb fish. So far, the osprey has captured the largest fish that I witnessed. It looked like a twelve to fourteen inch brown trout through binoculars.
So our river walks will continue through this fall. Starting October first, I’ll be bowhunting for deer, and this will take up some of my time. The trees along the river have started changing color. Kate and I will enjoy some excellent photo opportunities when the maples, poplar, beech, ironwood, cottonwood, and ash compete to see which can display the most vivid colors.
Copyright Ray Hansen, 2008
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