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."
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....
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.
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........
Here's a couple of buddies from fall of 2006, Gary and Rick.....The top buck is a very typical 8 point with a 19" spread. Very nice buck for the area he hunts....buck of a lifetime. Gary arrowed that deer the last week of October one day ahead of us arriving at the cabin. There is was sitting by the window, waiting for us to show up. We walk in and he's just a grin'n......Then we notice that giant hanging in the back yard....Wow!!! Ricks buck came from the same area on opening day of gun season. I was hunting at our farm around home, and at dark, I see a truck drive on the property. Gary and Rick get out and said he killed a nice doe that morning and were dropping it off at the processors. I ramble on about my day, and finally ask to see the "doe". Punks, they got me......Big solid 8 pointer.....Way to go..... You have to remember that were we all hunt is heavily pressured, and most deer don't make it past 1.5 years. Lots of spikes, forks and basket 6 pts are killed every year. Only a few deer make it to maturity, and they are even harder to hunt. There may only be one or two days a year they are kill able. Most are totally nocturnal, and seldom move during daylight. Proper scent control, hunting the wind, keeping the pressure off, being quiet, are just a few of many areas that need to be addressed to kill a big boy. They are not STUPID!!!
October 1 2006....Opening day of Michigan's archery season. I hunted with my brother Dan at our family farm. It was a Sunday I will never forget. The sun was out. It was 55 degrees with a 5mph SSW wind. I debated were to hang that night pacing on the ridge top. Finally I settled in 22 ft up in a 10" tree on the west side of the farm. I had soybeans up the hill to the north, and thick river bottoms that went for miles to the south and west. I knew they were hitting the bean field hard this time of year......7:15pm a basket 6 pt came through the thicket within 5 yards to the west of me.....I let him go up the hill to the beans. Wow, first buck of the year!!! 7:40 pm another deer from the thicket....Big Buck!! He came to the base of my tree and looked up at me!!!!! I remained calm, drew, and shot straight down between his shoulder blades...After a 1 hr wait we started to track with our flashlights. We stopped at the ridgetop and said a prayer. It was on....Dan and and I found him after 10 minutes. Amen, thank you Lord.......10 points with kickers!!!! A very exciting day in the woods!!!!
