Cabelas Taxidermy pics

Here are a few pics of the taxidermy displays at the Michigan Cabelas...very impressive !!

Cabelas Taxidermy pics

Few more pics...

Its a girl !!!!

New Arrival....Born Jan 10 2009. 6 1/2 lbs, 42 1/2" long , 11:37am Dundee,Mi. She has to earn her name yet :) T/C Truimph 50 cal with Leopold Ultimate Slam muzzleloader scope. Shes a beauty !!

Spooners Duck hunt...

I decided to tag along with a few buddies on the late season duck hunt that Michigan offers. I haven't hunted ducks in a few years, due to my extreme and out of control passion for deer hunting, but I had a riot. I took my camcorder along an made a home video for the guys. It turned out pretty good. Here are a few stills from the movie. They ended up shooting a few birds, as well as missing a few birds :), but all had a good time.....

Myself, Hunter, Dan and my dad made a trip to Cabelas....The drive was a little hairy due to the weather, but it was worth it. Hunter was in awe of the taxidermy displays and was able to come home with a "toy" of his own...

Last chance Doe

Last chance doe.....Rick and I went out on Jan 1 2009 for a morning hunt. The last day for deer hunting in Michigan. On the way out of our spot, this young doe was spotted and Rick dropped her in her tracks (literally). He was excited and she will make for some good eating....

Buck of 10,000 Lifetimes !!!!

WOW....Iowa strikes again!!!! This is a picture of the MONSTER buck that was arrowed a couple weeks ago. This PIG has it all...Mass,length,stickers,kickers,width....etc.. It has potential of becoming the new Iowa record....That's one fortunate dude!!!! I cant even imagine!!! Congrats to the guy in the pic........

So I tried something a little more aggressive last night......I new that a group of does had been feeding in the beans along the corn field edge. With no trees in sight for a setup along the cornfield they were using, I made a make-shift blind in the standing corn. A strong south wind had me convinced to try this. Sure enough.....just before sunset a group of 6 deer walk into the beans and were browsing north right at me. I was able to get video footage as they approached and put the camera back on the tripod for the shot.....Reward: A nice size doe that didn't require much tracking at all......Talk about pumped up!!! Thanks again,Rick, for the help.

Friday, Sept 19. Day 2 of the early antlerless season in Mi. My buddy, Rick and I, headed out early to a 40 acre piece that he can hunt in Hamilton.....I was to film the hunt for our next home video.... We packed in the climbing tree stands and headed into the woods. With little preseason scouting here, we focused on a spot that just "felt right". The sun started to peak over at 7am to a still south east breeze. 8am brought a flock of hens and yearling turkeys to the wooded ravine landscape that we had become a part of....30 minutes later 2 deer were spotted in the distance. Over the next 15 minutes the does worked closer and closer. All the while I had my camcorder running. A perfectly executed "grunt"from Rick stopped the mature doe broadside in her tracks at 31 yards...... The Grim Reaper slammed through her chest, and put her down within 30 yards. It was one of the best days ever in the deer hunting woods, and I captured it all on tape.....Congrats Rick

Tribute to my Dad....

This is a special pic of my Dad from the early 90's. He was never really a hunter of sorts until my brothers and I pleaded for him to take us hunting. I vividly remember those early days of shooting "his" shotgun at any can, rabbit or squirrl that seemed to find its way into our sights. Also, those first few falls of chasing rabbits at my Grandpas, going out with "Uncle Elwin" and his beagles, and shooting lots and lots of cans, will be forever ingrained in my memory. This was just the beginning, as the majestic whitetail deer was soon are fall passion. I recall, being picked up in the 84' Buick Electra (wood grain sided of course) after school for my first whitetail gun hunt. Dad was armed with his book, and I with my new pump 12 gauge. Dad didn't hunt that first year......he was just there to support me, and sit in Gods presence. The seasons have come and gone....Dad started to take "his" gun that following year, and has managed to kill a few bucks. This pic is of his best buck to date, one that he killed on "his" Dads farm. Its an "old school" pic, with my Grandpas old truck and no camo...... Also, my Dad with "his" buck, "his" shotgun, and "his" smile. That was a good day in the deer woods!!! This year, my goal is to film him shoot a doe during the early firearm season that Michigan has. I have done the prep work of setting up the blind and cutting shooting lanes...... All I can do now is pray that we are successful when we go out together in 2 weeks. Thanks Dad for all your support and love. Although you might not get into all the latest garb and equipment, you DO realize that the most important part of hunting is the time spent afield with your kids and your Heavenly Father......... Here's to more good memories afield this fall........Love ya Dad, Bruce

My son is growing up fast.......We spent a couple of hours at the farm yesterday checking trail cameras and shooting the BB gun. Good memories!!!! Hopefully in a few years him and I can hunt at the family farm together.......Its such a special place for me to go to escape the everyday hustle, I hope its there for him to. As far as the cams go, I finally got pics of a solid buck. I hope I can tag him this year!!! (Now Ill find out who reads this blog.....Yes, Ill show you the pics, ...... if you kill him!!!!)

80 yard bullseye....Say What!!!

So I was bored last weekend and thought Id have a little fun!!

Woodie pics 08

Here are a few pics from my trail camera that I took this spring off the "loafing" platform I built.

Spring turkey.....

Yes!!!, April 23 2008 was the day the hammer dropped on a Big Ol' tom. My buddy, Rick, did a fantastic job of calling in a group of Toms with a hen. I had passed up 6 jakes earlier in the morning that were gobbling in front of me at only 5-10 yards!! Passing on those youngsters enabled me to hold out for this 10 1/2" bearded one. I had a great turkey season!!!!!

Bird Banding April 20 2008

This is my good friend Dave....he has been inspirational in my love for the outdoors. I have helped him band woods ducks for the last 15 years. Its quite rewarding to spend a spring morning in the woods helping to preserve our wildlife for future generations. Here are a few pics of one April morning.

Here are a few pics of a new hen decoy that I came across online. They are made by Dave Smith and look very realistic. These are only second to the real thing. Dave is known for his goose decoys, but is now venturing down the turkey road. He is just making hens at this time. I'm sold!!!! I'm always amazed at the talent of some of these guys. I know that a lot of Big O' Toms will be fooled by this one!!!

http://davesmithdecoys.com/shop/

Its almost turkey time!!! I hope to be this fortunate in the upcoming season....... only time will tell!! Season opener... April 21, I know what I'll be doing at sunrise..............

As the bird banding season begins here locally for wood ducks, I was reminded about the spirit of Jack Miner. I have a few of his books which are awe inspiring and told from the heart. He was a nature lover, conservationist, hunter, and most importantly, a man of God. Here are a few tidbits....


Jack Miner's Testimony

The Lord is my Guide and Teacher, I will not get lost:He makes my heart a receiving station for His wireless:He sits down beside me in the pathless woods and opens up his book of knowledge:He turns the leaves very slowly that my dimmed eyes may read His meaning.He makes the trees that I plant to grow, and flowers to arch my path with their fragrant beauty; gives me dominion over the fowls of the air and they honk and sing their way to and from my home.Yea, He has brought me up from a barefooted underprivileged boy to a man respected by millions of people, and I give Him all the credit and praise whenever, wherever and forever. Jack Miner


Jack Miner: Original Sayings
"Get all the education you can; then add the learning."
"If a man has a backbone between his shoulders, and not a wishbone, there is nothing that will do him more good than the criticism of some retired failure."
"Forgive and forget; but always remember."
"If it were not for the Builders of America, the Pulldowns would soon be out of employment."
"Birds are wild because they have to be. We are wild because we prefer to be."
"My friends can count their money; but I can't count my friends."
"Science can put 10,000 horsepower in a motor; but, science cannot put the love of God in a man's heart."
"You can do all you can for the other fellow, but it is a failure, unless he, himself is willing to get up in the morning."
"No intelligent man can live in the great outdoors without being compelled to believe that there is an overruling power."
"Unselfishness is opposite to human nature."
"The more you encourage a loafer, the more loaves he will want to loaf on."
"There is too much churchianity and not enough Christianity."
"Any man who isn't big enough to change his mind has nothing to change."
"If my christianity isn't any stronger than my politics and causes me to vote for the switch end of nothing, then I have no christianity. All I have is politics."
"Don't put your tongue in high until you get your brain started."
"Let sunshine and cheer banish sadness and fear and everlasting life start right here."
"Success is a journey; not a destination."
"The real home of love is the heart, but the brain is apparently given the power to educate the heart to either love or hate. But any man who does not love those who first love him, has neither heart or brains."
"Never take advice from a failure, but watch a success so you don't have to do much experimenting."
"A swift kick at the right time and place gives a barefooted boy a good lift in the end."

Diver ducks on Lake Michigan

Here are a few of the hundreds of diver duck pics that I took in Feb. on Lake Michigan. My son, Hunter, and I spent a couple of hours photographing some of the local birds that visit this time of year. The channel stays open from ice and provides a safe haven off the big lake for the birds. We get a lot of bluebills (scuap), goldeneyes, bufflehead, and mergansers. I have pics of canvasbacks, scoters, and redheads as well.

This is one of my favorite pics I have come across online......Talk about a bowhunters dream!!!

Bro's does 2007

October 11 2007........I was set up on a ridge top with 100 acres of corn to the south and a creek and gully to the north. I new the deer were coming out of a thicket to the west and hitting a soybean field east of me. Just before last light, 2 yearling deer passed right under my stand. A few moments later and nice mature doe was heading on the same path. I arrowed her at 5 yards. She mule kicked and headed south into the corn, crashing all the way. My buddy Rick and my younger bro, Dan came out to help me. The hit looked great, as there was a spray job 4 corn rows wide. We found her about 60 yards away. Perfect heart shot.....A nice mature doe to get out of the herd. Doe management is very important in deer hunting. Not only does it keep the population in check, but also keeps the herd ratio in check. Michigan has a very skewed buck to doe ratio that is not healthy. An over-abundance of does, and the harvest of mainly young bucks can have a large impact on the herd in a bad way. This is evident in our Michigan herd vs Iowa or Illinois. We have the genetics and food to grow big bucks, however most hunters are trigger happy killing young bucks, yet passing a nice doe. Our thought process must change if we are to establish a healthier deer herd.

October 20 2007.....My younger bro, Dan, was perched 22 feet up in a tree with corn to the north and river bottoms to the south. Corn was now the food source of choice, as most of the beans were now picked. It was a perfect night for hunting. He arrowed this big doe at 15 yards. My son ,Hunter, and I were called to help him track her. We found her within 60 yards, my 6 year old son leading the way!! What a fun and exciting time for all of us!!!!

Here are a few of the many hundreds and hundreds of deer pics that I have for 2007. This was the first year that I put the camera out in the summer for velvet pics. I got a few good ones for the area that we hunt. Its amazing to watch the stages of the antler growing process. I only have one camera out most of the year, but I wish I had 25!!!! As usually, Hunter and I are taking scent precautions with the rubber boots and scent eliminator spray. If you start spooking these bucks now, you may push them to a new area and never get a chance to hunt them. You are invading their bedrooms, and they won't tolerate it. By trying to minimize your disturbance in their area, you have a much better chance at them later. The preparation starts in the summer, not October 1........

These are 2 trail camera pics that I got form behind my house in July of 07'. I never would of guessed that we had a pair of gray fox back there. I was very surprised......especially because they are day pics....Cool!!!!!