FALL HUNTING & FISHING
Supplement to the Pioneer & River Valley Shopper
2
Fall Hunting & Fishing
September 2020
Super Sunday this year is the deer opener By John Raffel
jraffel@pioneergroup.com
than in the past. We have found CWD in the deer herd locally.”
It’s expected to be a good fireBIG RAPIDS – Firearm season arm season depending on how will be starting on Sunday, Nov. many hunters are out. 15, which could make it a unique “Any weekend opener is good,” opener in 2020. DNR wildlife biologist Angie “That’s our classic firearm deer Greenway said. “Typically your opener,” DNR wildlife biologist Saturday opener is probably Pete Kailing said. “We should the best. The Sunday opener is be busy. What’s new this year is probably the same. I think you’re deer checks will be significantly going to see a lot pressure that different than last year. Hunters weekend and you’ll probably want to check the website and see some pressure the following stay tuned for the specifics. weekend. But after that…. “We’re going to have fewer “Firearm season has been places to check deer and due to dwindling fast, probably the last COVID, there may be other re10 years or more. Honestly, I see strictions on interacting with the more pressure during bow seapublic. We’re still working out son than I do during rifle season. the details what testing or head With families getting together testing for CWD will look like. they go out camping and camp Mecosta and Newaygo counties for a couple of weeks and it was we will collect a lot fewer heads all about the family camraderie
and parties and events. People don’t take the time to do that. We live in a fast food entitlement society. People want it now and don’t take the time to do that stuff.” Older hunters are obviously getting older. When it comes to bow hunting vs. rifle hunting, “I would say they’re probably staying about the same,” Tanner Havens of Frank Sporting Goods in Morley said. “I’ve had a couple of older gentlemen who have said they were going to step down from it. But there’s a number of youth stepping into it as well.” Firearm season starting on Sunday “is a great thing,” Havens said. “There are a lot of people who will have a lot of time off on Sunday. There’s a lot of deer that will be moving that day.”
The DNR is set to change its number of deer check stations this season. (Pioneer file photo)
“I’ve always been a big fan of having opening day traditional on the 15th, but whenever that winds up on the weekend, it provides for a lot more participation,” TV host Kyle Randall
of Paris said. “I think this year with the whole COVID thing you might see a little uptick in deer hunting despite efforts of the DNR to regulate people out of it.”
Size of deer population has bow hunters excited By John Raffel
“I would say (deer hunting) is actually going to be a little better than “Cool weather is good,” Kailing said. in years past,” he said. “They had the “The trick is finding where they’re mov“Mecosta County hunters shot a lot four or more on one side last year and BIG RAPIDS – The magical date for of does, antlerless deer. The population ing in that early October season.” I think the second year on that they’re bow hunters is Oct. 1 when another is on a slight uptick south of M-20 in Some observers indicated what going to see it. I know on my property season begins. Mecosta County.” happens in the last portions of the bow they’ve done it the last years. We’ll see On Oct,1, as the typical archery open- season may give an indication of what “it should be a great season,” wildlife big numbers of nice buck in the area er, persons can expect to see cars along to expect for the firearm campaign biologist Pete Kailing said. “We had a and still good quality does as well.” Nov. 15-30. mild winter. There’s a lot of deer on the the side of the road, Kailing said. TV host Kyle Randall of Paris agreed “The success rates are about the landscape. Antler potential and develWarm weather isn’t ideal for bow about bow season. same,” Kailing said. “A lot of archery “It looks tremendous,” he said. hunters are also firearm hunters. They “There’s as many or more deer than have a pretty good sense of what’s on the landscape. The thing I look for ever. We’ll have the youth season first disease issues affecting our deer. Deer the middle of September (Sept. 19) and Power Equipment Sales & Service numbers and the harvest is pretty prethat will give us more of an idea to be dictable. The peak is like after Hallowhonest with you. You only have to talk Chainsaws • Lawn Mowers • Power Washers een and October when the rut starts. the body shops and insurance agents Leaf Blowers • Trimmers • Generators to find out how many deer there are. “That’s when a lot of buck hunters and bow hunters get after it. Bucks are There’s plenty. Everyone should have a moving more in daylight hours chasing real good season. Specializing in Chainsaw Sharpening & Repair does. Car-deer accidents go up. As long “I know some of the agriculture is 2 Locations to Serve You as day-time temperatures don’t get too suffering because of a lack of rain and high, it will be a great hunt.” NEWAYGO • 8007 Mason Dr. • 231.652.5991 that might put a bit of a damper on it but not much, there’s a lot of deer out Tanner Havens of Frank’s Sporting HARDY DAM • 6245 E. 36th St. • 231.689.5607 Goods in Morley agrees. there.” jraffel@pioneergroup.com
opment looks pretty good. It should be pretty good.
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September 2020
Fall Hunting & Fishing
3
Long-time hunter hoping for another successful season By John Raffel
It’s been many years since I bow hunted,” he said. “But I started out as a bow hunter. I pretty much have stayed with the rifle.”
jraffel@pioneergroup.com
BIG RAPIDS – Jim Jacobs is in his mid 70s and is looking to have another fun hunting season.
Jacobs shot an 8-pointer in 2004. “Last year I saw a lot of deer, bucks, but all small ones,” Jacobs said.
The Big Rapids resident had success in 2018. He was hunting at Scharps’ deer camp in Osceola County when he bagged an 8-point buck with 16-inch rack. He was using a 30.30 Marlin Garfield. He’s got his plans made for the 2020 season. “I’ve been working at camp and getting it cleaned up. You know how the mice take it over during the winter,” Jacobs said. “I have to clean out Jim Jacobs had a successful buck hunt in the 2018 season. (Pioneer file photo) my blind and get ready for the guys to come up. It’s still too early for up some of the area so he can see a and I want to get ready.” scouting. I know one of the fellows little more and a little farther. comes up from Utah, and wants to “We’re always thinking about it cut some shooting lanes and clean Jacobs only rifle hunts.
This year, “I don’t know how the oaks are doing,” Jacobs said. “That’s one of the first things I check. I like to know if they’re coming into feed and where they’re going from and what they’re coming through. I want to get into a new area of camp. If I find the bedding area I’ll look for their ins and outs.” Jacobs only deer hunts. “When I was a young boy, I would pheasant hunt with my dad,” he said. “There aren’t that many anymore.”
Stanwood hunter hoping for another big buck By John Raffel
jraffel@pioneergroup.com
STANWOOD – Stanwood’s Bob Parker had opening day success for firearm season last year, and wouldn’t mind duplicating this in 2019. On opening day last season, Parker bagged an 8-point buck with 16-inch rack span while hunting in the Stanwood area. He said it was the 23rd deer of his lifetime. But Parker isn’t quite sure what to expect for 2020. “Last year I shot that buck opening morning but we didn’t see hardly anything after that,” Parker said. While some individuals are saying they’ve seen bucks, Parker said he’d like to see more. He usually hunts around the Stan-
wood area. He’s strictly a rifle hunter. He’s been hunting 46 years. The biggest buck he shot was the 8-pointer last year. “I shot him with the 30.06 and he dropped right down,” Parker said. Prior to shooting the buck, “he came out right away,” Parker said. “We had the view cams out but never saw him on it.” The opening day is on a Sunday. “I think that makes it a little better,” Parker said. “That means more hunters out in the woods.” Parker basically sticks with bow-rifle deer hunting and loves it. “I just like the sport,” he said. “It’s a legal holiday for me. I take a day off no matter what.”
Bob Parker, of Stanwood shot this 8-pointer on Nov. 15, 2019, in the Stanwood area. (Pioneer photo file)
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Fall Hunting & Fishing
September 2020
Barryton sportsman test his skills in bow and firearm hunting By John Raffel
BARRYTON — Barryton’s Tyler Martin has had enormous success bow hunting in past seasons in the area.
Martin has bagged a 13-pointer with a rifle in the same area in a previous year.
He wouldn’t mind enjoying similar success during the 2020 bow season.
Martin, like other deer hunters, would prefer cooler weather when it comes to the season.
jraffel@pioneergroup.com
But when it comes to archery vs. firearm season, “I prefer to bow hunt,” Martin said. “You get up closer and more personal.”
It was three years ago when Martin, “There’s less and less people getting then 26 years old, shot an 11-point buck into hunting but there still are some with 22-inch rack span while hunting who are hunting,” Martin said. in the Barryton area. He got interested in hunting through He has his schedule set this season a friend. He also hunts waterfowl and for bow and rifle hunting. geese. Martin will again be hunting in the “There’s a lot of turkeys around Barryton area. and the geese seem to be in the area,” As impressive as the bucks he shot Martin said. “I enjoy deer hunting but in 2017, Martin recalls it was not the goose hunting would have to be one of biggest one he’s ever shot. my favorites.”
Tyler Martin (center) accepts a first-place prize in the Pioneer's Big Buck contest in 2017 from John Miedema (right) of Rogers' Jewelers
Small game hunting set to open on Sept. 15 By John Raffel
“I think squirrel season will definitely be pretty productive,” Tanner Havens, of Frank’s Sporting Goods in Morley said. “There seems to be an abundant number around the bird feeders.”
jraffel@pioneergroup.com
BIG RAPIDS – Another small game hunting season is set to start on Sept. 15 in the area. “We had a great hatch year for both turkey and grouse this spring,” DNR wildlife biologist Pete Kailing said. “That’s a good indicator. We haven’t had a good hatch in two or three years. I think bird hunters will be happy with that, grouse and woodcock.
“As long as the weather cooperates, TV host Kyle Randall of Paris said, “the rabbits are on the upswing. The grouse are starting to come on the upswing. The small game season is always dependent on the weather and can people get out. As far as the number of animals out there there seems to be plenty.”
“Squirrels and rabbits are small game but people don’t get too excited about that until later in the fall. But indications are it should be a good fall small game population.” DNR conservation officer Angie Greenway predicts it’s going to be a good small game season. “We’re going to see an uptick in people walking the woods,” she said. “We’re hoping to see parents get their kids out there. The weather is nice. On Sept. 15, the leaves are still on the
Sept. 15 is when area sportsman Jeff Greene of Rodney starts focusing on his two bird dogs and puts his boat away. DNR wildlife biologist Pete Kailing is anxious to see how small game hunting will turn out. (Pioneer file photo)
trees but the weather is nicer. I’ve seen an increase in small game hunting the last few years.
“I hope the weather brings people out. There’s tons of small game out there.”
"I don't take them out unless it cools off a bit," he said. "I have flushed some woodcock. Pete Kailing told me he's seen several birds and ruffed grouse this year. That's a good sign. I usually don't have a good feel on that until the season comes."
September 2020
Fall Hunting & Fishing
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Chase sportsman especially likes goose hunting By John Raffel jraffel@pioneergroup.com CHASE – Howie Lodholtz is an active member of the Reed City Sportsman Club and one thing is very certain: He loves his goose hunting. The season opened on Tuesday, Sept. 1 “You have to find out where they’re
feeding night now,” Lodholtz said. “With this warm weather, they don’t have to feed. It’s hit and miss. They’ll miss a field one day and then be gone for a week. We’re scouting every day trying to find a field.” Lodholtz especially enjoys calling in the birds. “With deer hunting you’re in your blind,” he said. “With goose hunting, you have to call them and you have to be still.”
Lodholtz has been goose hunting for a lot of years and admits the more you hunt, hopefully the smarter you get. “But the geese are getting smarter too,” he smiled. “But sometimes they’re dumb.” Lodholtz indicated deer hunting is getting more popular. “It’s a fun sport and you can take some hunters with you and be in the blind,” Lodholtz said.
When it comes to turkey or goose hunting, Howie Lodholtz almost always has success. (Courtesy photo)
Strong bear population should make for successful hunts By John Raffel
jraffel@pioneergroup.com
BIG RAPIDS – Are there enough bear licenses in the area? TV host Kyle Randall doesn’t think so. Most of Mecosta and Osceola counties are in the Gladwin United with a sliver of territory west of U.S. 131 in the Baldwin unit. All of Lake and Newaygo counties are in the Baldwin unit. The dates are Sept. 13–21. “There’s bears everywhere,” Randall, an area resident said. “It depends on whether or not you pull a permit. To be honest with you, I think the Department of Natural Resources ought to sit down and look at their permit system. The number and frequency of bears and complaints of damaged bird feeders and gardens and trash cans we get...I’m not the DNR, I run a television show and we hear about them. There’s bears everywhere and those who have permits should be able to be choosy and have a good season.” The first day of the Baldwin and Gladwin season (Sept. 13) is for bait-only hunting. The last two days of
the Baldwin and Gladwin firearm season (Sept. 20-21) are for bear hunting with dogs only. “The Baldwin unit is full of bears. There’s 260 licenses for the Baldwin unit and 110 for Gladwin,” DNR wildlife biologist Pete Kailing said. “Our bear population in northwest Michigan including Mecosta and Newaygo counties is growing. It’s around 50 percent success rate in the Baldwin unit which is quite good. The heat affects bear movement. They’ll lay low if it’s too hot.” “I’m hoping to see a lot of hunters,” Angie Greenway, DNR conservation officer said. “We don’t see a lot of hunting pressure in Mecosta County. It’s not that we don’t have the bears. The bears are here. There’s a lot of resources out there. It’s a lot of private property and a matter of having someone let you hunt their private property. “Part of Mecosta is in the Baldwin and Gladwin unit. If you draw a Baldwin tag, there’s still better opportunities up north in that Lake-Wexford area. You see the hunters going up there instead of hunting here in Mecosta County.”
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Fall Hunting & Fishing
Waterfowl hunters set for strong season By John Raffel
“It’s really big the opening weekend, then it kind of flutters out,” Greenway said. “You’ll still see the Haymarshes and some of BIG RAPIDS – Waterfowl hunting remains popular in the area and the other areas get hit fairly well. DNR wildlife biologist Pete Kailing There’s a great unknown resource for waterfowl. There’s lots of water is expecting another good season. “The drought did dry up some of and lots of areas where people can go out and hunt. the puddles and potholes that act “I anticipate really good wateras area for wood ducks in particfowl season.” ular,” Kailing said. “On the bigger water bodies like Chippewa Lake So goes Kyle Randall of Paris, TV and the Haymarsh system it should outdoors host. be pretty good hunting. Local “It’s going to be feast or famine,” production may be affected by this he said. “At a lot of the farmfields heat. We don’t know yet. a lot of geese hunters would utilize “By the time the migratory tend to get plowed down early ducks show up on our landscape in because farmers can get on them. October, it should be pretty good. Those areas where you have access There’s a lot of geese. The early to deeper water and fields haven’t goose season should be a hit. It been plowed under I suspect will starts Sept. 1.” be tremendous. I also think there are some places that traditionally DNR conservation officer Angie would have been good but now will Greenway likes the season prospects. be too dry.”
September 2020
Trapping opportunities are plentiful in area
jraffel@pioneergroup.com
By John Raffel
jraffel@pioneergroup.com
BIG RAPIDS – Trapping season should be a good one this season according to DNR wildlife biologist Pete Kailing said. There’s usually considered to be plenty of beavers, muskrats and others in the area. “Trapping activity, there’s a handful of trappers out there and they do it because they love it,” DNR conservation officer Angie Greenway said. “Trapping is a very physical time consuming money-consuming activity. Is one of those things that’s aging out. My partner and
I gave out probably more nuisance beaver permits this spring than I have in my 20 years collectively. And it’s because people aren’t trapping beavers out there. There’s not the money in it. “We try to encourage people to get trappers out there during trapping season. The season was lengthened. It will be longer this next year. I talk about that at schools with kids as trapping is a management resource for these type of animals.” “I think the younger people of the state of Michigan ought to have a mandatory trapping course in every school,” TV outdoors host
Greenway
Kyle Randall of Paris said. “I really do. You can learn so much running a basic trapline about the out of doors as it applies to everything. It ought to be something young people do just to learn something about the outdoors.”
Fishermen anticipate another solid season for fall fishing By John Raffel
jraffel@pioneergroup.com
BIG RAPIDS – Fall fishing is usually a very fun time for fishermen. Just ask Tanner Havens of Frank’s Sporting Goods in Morley. “Definitely steelhead is going to be picking up here,” Havens said. “Salmon will definitely be picking up into October. More up north, they’re typically coming in a little bit earlier. The steelhead will be shortly behind them. That will be good fishing all winter as well. “Even though it’s hunting season, there’s still a lot of guys who like to chase the fish around and still get numbers of walleye and panfish too while coming into ice season
as well.” TV host Kyle Randall of Paris likes the prospects as well. “It’s going to be dependent on whether or we get some rain,” Randall said. “It has the potential to be very good. But right now, most of the water levels are down quite low. Quite frankly, the water temperatures are up quite high. If we get a little bit of regular rain, it will turn round quite quickly." “On Saginaw Bay the walleye have moved out. I know they’re doing some of the salmon and lake trout in Lake Michigan but they’ve had to go out a ways. Rivers and the local lakes, they’re all really warm. Many of them are quite low.” Others say in Mecosta
County, the Martiny Chain of Lakes and Chippewa Lake are among the many area spots for bluegills and other species. It stays good up until the second week of October, then things die out a little bit. For Osceola County, Rose Lake has usually been popular for crappies and panfish. Jeff Greene, of Rodney, a former DNR biologist, is an avid fall fisherman. "The bluegills tend to be harder to catch in the fall," he said. "I did pretty good this summer on Hillview. The last two times I went to Hillview, they seemed to go a little bit smaller and weren't quite as aggressive. My bluegill catch has fallen off a bit. I still get all I want to eat."
Angllers are looking for the fall season to be extremely successful
September 2020
Fall Hunting & Fishing
7
Local TV outdoors host nearing his 27th year of being on the air “But I have to admit taking young people hunting or fishing is a personal enjoyment of mine. I truly enjoy it.”
By John Raffel
jraffel@pioneergroup.com
BIG RAPIDS – Kyle Randall loves to hunt and fish and loves telling two million viewers to his TV Wilderness Journal program all about it.
Randall owns, produces and markets the program. “I never set out to do television,” he said. “It was (intended) to be a one-time thing. I was never smart enough to get away from it.”
He and his wife live in the Paris area. He’s been doing the weekly Wilderness Journal television program for 26 years. “We’ll be starting our 27th year in January, believe it or not,” Randall said. “We’re on 52 weeks a year. It’s a little over two million viewers on 27 broadcast stations throughout public television. All the shows are taped throughout North America and occasionally in African and occasionally Mexico. But mostly Canada and the United States catch 90 percent of it. It’s all video and in the field.” It’s a half-hour program each week. Randall narrates the program about
How many more years?
Kyle Randall, of Paris, is host of TV's Wilderness Journal. (Pioneer file photo)
his hunting and fishing experiences.
son that would hunt and fish throughout north America would encounter.”
“It’s basically my travels in the out-ofRandall said his personal favorite doors, sometimes on my own and often times with family, friends and members,” includes archery and big game hunting, he said. “It’s a depiction of what any per- deer and elk.
“That’s up to the Good Lord,” Randall said. “As long as I’m able and I enjoy it, I’ll keep going. It’s always going to change and it’s always going to be different. You can’t predict what will happen. This year, we totally had to alter our schedule. The downside of that is we couldn’t get into Canada and places we normally do. The upside is that we were able to feature a lot more opportunities in Michigan and the surrounding area. I definitely will keep doing it.”
Weather conditions will dictate the success of ice fishing By John Raffel
Chain of Lakes and Chippewa Lake are popular for bluegills and other species. The Haymarsh Lake, plus Townline, BIG RAPIDS – Ice fishing is usually a Hillview and Burgess are also popular. Rose Lake remains strong in Osceola mix bag in the area. County. Anglers contend the best times for The ice fishing season last year "was ice fishing is during first ice and last below average," angler Jeff Greene, ice. of Rodney, said. "Two years ago (was “The first ice is definitely usually poor). Last year was a little better but pretty good everywhere, usually toward still below average. I'm waiting for a the end of the season, but late ice is good year." Ice fishing is likely to start strong this season. (File photo) usually pretty good,” Tanner Havens Greene likes East Bay at Chippewa of Frank’s Sporting Goods in Morley Lake for ice fishing along with Hillview, said. “The late ice the last two winters Cranberry and Lake Mecosta. have been kind of short for us a little "This is going to be a good year for bit. But as far as the season overall, it’s red oak acorns," Greene said. "Some ice been kind of really productive the last fishermen, like myself, like to gather few years.” up red oak acorns in mid September, TV host Kyle Randall of Paris agrees. put them in a five-gallon pail with some sand in the bottom and provide a win“It hasn’t been too bad when there’s ter supply of ice fishing bait." been safe ice,” he said. “Most people we talk to say the issue of getting on Active ice fisherman Owen Seay of the water and staying out there is the Big Rapids said he enjoys Chippewa hardest part of fishing. They’ve done Lake in the winter along with the Hayquite well on some walleye in the river marsh, especially for panfish. through the ice. So if we get stable ice it Popular ice fishing spots in Lake should be just as good.” County include Wolf, Big Bass, Big Star In Mecosta County, the Martiny and Idlewild Lakes. jraffel@pioneergroup.com
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Fall Hunting & Fishing
September 2020
Salmon run a major fall event By John Raffel
to turn to salmon fishing.
jraffel@pioneergroup.com
BALDWIN — The salmon run. Those three words are magical to the ears of a Pere Marquette fisherman in the Lake County area. The run dominates the fall season in the Baldwin area. Doug Loomis, of Ed’s Sport in Baldwin, noted by mid-August, attention starts
“The river hasn’t gotten a real big push yet,” a spokesman at Pere Marquette River Lodge said in late August. “Usually they start showing up now. It goes from mid-tolate October, starting in the first of September. Anglers come from all over the state, country and world.” The size and the beauty of the salmon is especially a major draw for anglers. “Fishing is going pret-
ty good,” a spokesman at Baldwin Bait & Tackle said. “There’s not much salmon right now. I hear there’s salmon coming. They’re in Pere Marquette Lake. A lot of people are jigging for them out there. They’re pushing up into the river system. There’s no way of knowing where they are. “It’s dependent on storms and weather. If we can get a couple of storms you’ll see more salmon pushing into the river.”
Doug Loomis, of Ed's Sports Shop in Baldwin provides a forecast on the salmon run. (File photo)
Long-time area ice fisherman eager to test his skills for another season By John Raffel
jraffel@pioneergroup.com
BIG RAPIDS – Jerry Mondrella has
been ice fishing for a lot of years.
visitor to area lakes.
The long-time Big Rapids resident prefers this over open water fishing. During the winter time, he is a frequent
Mondrella is simply hoping, however, the 2019-20 season will be better than it was in 2020.
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Ice season around this area “usually starts in December, if we’re lucky, or the first of January,” Mondrella said. “It was pretty slow last year. Lots of places where we had fished before you couldn’t get a bite in the same place in some lakes. “I don’t go very far fishing, but tried
a few other lakes and couldn’t get anything. It was kind of slow. Townline Lake is a local lake too. Places I went to last year, I couldn’t hardly get a bite. Other people there, too, could hardly catch any pan fish. Townline Lake, I went out there two or three times and caught a couple each time. But I couldn’t get any to amount to anything.” Mondrella, is in his early 80s, and started ice fishing when his dad took him in 1948, which is 72 years ago.
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989-352-6886 Big Rapids' Jerry Mondrella checks his ice fishing records from the past few seasons. (Pioneer photo/John Raffel)
September 2020
Fall Hunting & Fishing
9
Big Rapids sportsman big fan of goose and deer hunting By John Raffel
jraffel@pioneergroup.com
BIG RAPIDS – Terry Getts never met a hunting activity he didn’t like. When it comes to hunting and fishing, Getts practically likes it all. In September, October and November, Getts will be very busy with his hunting friends. “In September, we do a lot of goose hunting,” he said. “Plus some fishing.” When it comes to goose hunting, Getts likes to hunt around local farms. “There’s a few geese around,” he said. “I don’t think there’s as many as there was last year. I’ve been seeing a few at the farm fields we have.” In geese hunting, “you can sit with your friends in a blind and talk and joke around,” Getts said. “It’s quite relaxing. When the geese come in there, it’s fun to watch. The comradery is good. When they get
close, you have to be still and keep your face covered. It’s enjoyable being out there early in the morning.” Also in September, Getts enjoys doing some crappie fishing. “If it’s a warm fall, they’re feeding pretty good,” Getts said. “We usually do good in some Septembers fishing and some years we don’t. They’re usually nice spec fish in September.” Archery season is among Getts’ loves and that’s why he adores the opener in October for deer. “We spend a lot of times in the woods,” he said. “The first part of October, we still goose hunt. Later on, when the bucks start getting more ready, we determine where they’re going to be. We spend a lot of time in the woods in October for deer. That first week of November is usually a pretty good time to catch those bucks when they’re chasing those does around.
Terry Getts loves his fishing, but is also an active hunter. (Courtesy photo)
“A lot of times, those bigger bucks, they make a mistake and a lot of times they end up in the freezer.”
Last year, “I passed up some of the smaller bucks,” Getts said. “I was waiting for a big one. When a big one came out, I missed him. That was quite
an ordeal there. I missed him completely. I had seen him before scouting. It was Thanksgiving morning."
Buck pole at Hinton Township attracts more than 100 individuals. By John Raffel
jraffel@pioneergroup.com
LAKEVIEW – It’s usually a huge event on Nov. 16 at the Hinton Township Hall near Lakeview. It promises to be the same again this year. Harold Wolf is president with the Southern Mecosta Whitetail Management Association, which again is having its buck pole. It’s always on Nov. 16. It starts at noon. Successful buck hunters are invited to hang their bucks on the pole. “It’s for anybody who is affiliated with our co-op,” he said. “We cover five different townships in southern Mecosta County and they have over
700 members and over 15,000 acres that are involved. This will be our 12th year.” The main focus of the association is whitetail deer management, and letting the smaller bucks mature into trophy bucks. The numbers on the buck pole are usually very impressive. “I think our worse year was with nine bucks,” Wolf said. “Last year, we had 22 or 23. We usually have a hundred to 200 people there. We always have a free lunch and some door prizes. If people don’t bring a deer in, they just show up to see the deer that are brought in. “It’s a big day. We have a lot of fun with it.”
The buck pole at Hinton Township Hall will be on display on Nov. 16. (Pioneer file photo)
10
Fall Hunting & Fishing
September 2020
Big Rapids' Terry Getts is among the area's most avid turkey hunters. (Pioneer photo/John Raffel)
Turkey hunters also enjoy fall season By John Raffel
jraffel@pioneergroup.com
BIG RAPIDS – A well kept secret in the fall seems to be the turkey hunting season. It gets a lot of numbers in the spring but not quite as many in the fall. The season goes Sept. 15 to Nov. 14 in the fall. Mecosta, Oceana and Newaygo counties are open to hunting while Osceola and Lake are closed. Those three open counties are in Area HA. There’s a quota of 1,700 private-land only licenses. Plenty of birds are still around, DNR wildlife biologist Pete Kailing indicated. “People might grab a fall turkey
tag and shoot one incidentally when they’re bow hunting,” DNR conservation officer Angie Greenway said. “I don’t see it as a huge event here.” But it could be a good season. “There’s plenty of birds for that,” TV host Kyle Randall of Paris said. “The fall season doesn’t get as much interest as it should. I go and I enjoy it. There’s a stretch in the end of September around the full moon when the turkeys will gobble and strut and act like they do in the springtime. They’re a lot of fun to hunt. “I think people are more focused on deer and they do overlook an opportunity. In many areas of the state, you can get a turkey license over the counter. It’s definitely an undersubscribed hunting opportunity.”
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Big Rapids' Paul Cole shows the rewards of one of his hunts in recent years. (Pioneer file photo)
Bow hunter continues to adore the sport By John Raffel
jraffel@pioneergroup.com
BIG RAPIDS – Oct. 1 is easily Paul Cole’s favorite day of the year. The Big Rapids area resident adores bow hunting and very rarely goes through a season without getting a buck. Cole will be 69 later this year and still has all the energy in the world to enjoy a successful bow season buck hunt. Two years ago while hunting in the Haymarsh area, he shot an 8-pointer with 18 1/4-inch rack span. “I do like four points (on one side) rule,” Cole said. “I’ve been scouting out by Haymarsh. They look good. It’s awfully dry. I feel sorry for the guys that put their food plots in already. I don’t put mine in until the first part of September. They may have to do it all over again because of no moisture. “The deer are loving the apple trees right now. It must be the moisture in
their mouth from the apple and pair trees. They’re looking for water, too.” Cole indicates his most memorable moment was 2012. “It was a quick deal, I didn’t have too much time to think,” he said. “I got home from work and went to my stand, and here he came. You always have to be ready. Sometimes they’re moving. When I got mine, he was coming across. He was so hungry and he was going to a soybean field. “I couldn’t even get him to stop. So I had to catch him on a quick walk. It’s a competition of you vs. a deer. That’s what I love about bow hunting, you have to get close. Rifle hunting is too easy.” Cole has had success rifle hunting in the past. “It’s a lot harder and a lot more people out there,” he said. “You have to get lucky. It’s what else you see out there with all the different animals. That’s what makes bow hunting so much fun.”
September 2020
Fall Hunting & Fishing
11
79-year-old bow hunter optimistic over this season By John Raffel
jraffel@pioneergroup.com
BIG RAPIDS – Big Rapids’ Don Morris is an avid bow hunter at age 79, and won’t soon forget a very successful hunt he enjoyed on Oct. 18 nearly two years ago during the bow season. Morris was hunting in the early morning hours that day north of Big Rapids with his bow when he shot an 8-point buck with 17 1/4-inch rack span. It’s the biggest one he’s ever shot “I got three deer last year but I didn’t shoot any of them,” he said. “Someone shot a doe and donated it to me. A friend of another friend of mine said a friend of his called him and wanted to get rid of a couple of deer his grandson shot. So I got those. There were no apples last year so hunting wasn’t very
good out there.” Morris is strictly a bow hunter. The first year he hunted was in 1967. He got three deer in the first five years with recurve bows, before compound bows came out. “I like the challenge,” he said. “I don’t put in food plots. I do have stands on a couple of apple trees, 20 yards from apple trees. This year I checked the two stands and they’re loaded. I’m optimistic about this year. “Some friends I know of don’t start bow hunting until late October. If weather is halfway cool, I’ll go out. I don’t like to go out in the real warm weather.” Morris said fishing is looking very promising. He fishes the Haymarsh and has been getting crappies and bluegills.
Liberty hunt in mid-September By The Michigan DNR LANSING -- The 2020 Liberty firearm deer hunt will take place on private or public lands in Michigan open to firearm deer hunting, for two days, Sept 12-13. Veterans with disabilities and individuals with disabilities who qualify, along with youth ages 16 and younger, may participate in this hunt. For qualified persons with disabilities, valid licenses include a deer or deer combo license. During this two-day hunt, a deer or deer combo license may be used for an antlered or antlerless deer. Antler Point Restrictions do not apply. A Deer Management Assistance (DMA) permit may also be used to take one antlerless deer only, if issued for the area/land
upon which hunting. The bag limit for this season is one deer. All hunters participating in this season must wear hunter orange. To qualify an individual must fit one of the following criteria: --Be a veteran who has been determined to have 100-percent disability, or is rated as individually unemployable by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. --Have been issued a permit, by the DNR, to hunt from a standing vehicle. --Have been issued a permit by the DNR to hunt using a laser-sighting device. --Be blind as defined by MCL 393.351. --Be deaf as defined by section 2 of 72 PA 1978, MCL 408.202.
Don Morris, 79, of Big Rapids, shows his buck from the 2020 season. (Pioneer file photo)
“Once in awhile, I get a small pike,”
been doing well on the panfish.”
Morris said, “which I don’t keep. I’ve
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Fall Hunting & Fishing
September 2020
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