nice buck fish. wonder what those small brow tines would look like in two years if he made it.

I haven't been out in the woods at all this year. Talked to Baby Brother this morning, he really wants me to go out with him Thanksgiving weekend, lots of doe tags to burn up. Might go try to drill me one but more than likely just gonna go enjoy some quality time with my brother.

Really haven't been in the mood for it. We put our UP camp for sale end of last year. Looked like it was sold before season, so we didn't bother doing anything up there, just to have the deal fall apart. Also lost my hound over the summer, funny how much we become attached to those goofy things. Walking in the woods without her just doesn't feel right.

Fish that's a dandy!!! We don't get them anything like that in Michigan.

As for the Air Force, BB is pretty much in the same position. He's got a couple of different positions he's waiting on, and if they call to say to go now, he's out the door (which my mom is none too thrilled about lol). How is your son liking the AF?

+1

Without the hatcheries, the Great Lakes Fishery would likely be in shambles. It's one of the parts of my fishing license I really don't mind them spending money on.

On another note, my big boat should be ready to fish next year. It's been a much bigger project than I could have ever imagined. Many hours and $,$$$ later, I might actually get it in the water in 2015



This past summer, I was covering for another person at work driving through a town a couple hours away when I found this:


My Grandparents bought this boat brand new in the early 90's. I couldn't tell you how many days I spent on the water with my grandparents on this boat. It takes 3 people to really run a Salmon boat right, and I was always the third. When I took my first "real" job in 2002, I couldn't take off and go fishing with them non-stop anymore. They sold the boat in '04. To find it 10 years later, with the names still on it was pretty amazing.

I'm always so busy in the fall, I never make it salmon fishing in Petoskey. I will do it in 2015

I think we're going to try to get a slip in Tawas at the City Docks. Great beach, can walk to bars/dinner. Close to Oscoda and the Ausable if I want to paddle. Puts me in a decent location to stay on the boat during the week too for work (new territory runs from Oscoda down to Bay city on the shorelines and then inland).

Don't really want to go further south and be in strictly Walleye territory. Nice mixed coolers being reported the last couple of years out of Tawas, Kings/Atlantics/Lakers/Browns/Walleye all there. Just not gonna kill them like they have been on the West Side as of late.

Saginaw Bay was incredible for Walleye this year, but I don't find them fun to catch. Three guys could limit out of Au Gres or Linwood in an hour or two. Great to eat, no challenge to catch.

yea walleyes are good to eat but not fun to catch. same with bass for me they fight for a few seconds and then its over. so i guess i am a trout man at heart.

i miss going up to petosky and finding the stones on the beach named for it. they must be getting rare as they are expensive in other areas of the country.

I had the same thought Ray. I can't say it would have kept me from shooting him though. I usually like to have time to take a good look at a deer before I shoot to make sure what I am really looking at and that I really want to pull the trigger. But this was such a quick thing that there was no chance. I just knew from seeing his right side and tines quickly that he was a shooter for me. All the rest was a bonus. It was maybe 4 or 5 seconds from the time I saw him jump up until I pulled the trigger. If I had waited any longer or been any slower he would have been long gone.

Thanks. I am very fortunate to live in a place where we still have decent hunting.

I actually have one son who was in AF, His wife still is until March and the youngest who is just out of Basic and in training. All are or are going to be Air Traffic Controllers. Oldest was ready to get out after his 6 years as is his wife. He liked it and was very glad with ATC being his job. It is even better now that he has been picked up by the FAA and working in Cali/Bay Area making a good living. The youngest.. He had a rough time in Basic. It was very evident that he actually missed us and home. He is OK so far at training but it is intense and he is the kind of person who is hard on himself if he is not perfect. He was worried because he got an 84 on his 2nd block test. 70 is passing. His older brother talked to him and explained that an 84 with ATC training test is very good and to relax. But he is still hard on himself. Over all I am sure he likes it but he will like it better when he knows where he will be based and gets there.

That is an awesome story about finding your Grandparents boat. So cool! One of the things I miss most from living in WI is being able to get out on Lake Michigan fishing.

I love walleye no matter what. Mainly because they are just so damn good eating. But I will admit that after doing some fishing for trout on Canyon Ferry that I am obsessed with that as well. Fun Fun Fun Fun Fun!!!

Petoskey stones are getting pretty tough to find anymore. You can spend hours combing the beach, and find a couple, but nothing like you used to be able to.

Never heard of these. Pretty cool.

It's a pretty big mad dash when the snow melts on the beach, and the ice heads out. People go nuts over the things.

Anyone here do any beekeeping? Have a lady friend with a couple hives. Toying with funding an apiary and having her run it for me.

ill tell what little i know. but first find out if anyone that goes by the hives are allergic to bee stings. that is major.
then if you do this, plant clover and buckwheat nearby{just broadcast and rake in and can get a crop} as you want easy to plant things and good honey and best to keep your bees close by.
try to buy bees locally
fence it if you have bears in your area close by or one day all your work is gone.

read and utube so you understand the bee and honey relationship..

if you have the space it will be fun and you can actually make some money with it.

My 9 year old daughter just passed her hunter's safety exam.

They grow up SO quickly!

Congrats! Lots of small game hunting in your near future.

I've been working on the Mrs. to let me get a pair of Red Bones ever since we lost our Beagle. She's been pretty anti-getting another dog all along. Until this weekend. The Girl Scouts had a function at the local animal shelter, where my daughter found and fell in love with a 2 year old Bluetick named Bix.

I know it's cliche, but ever since reading "Where the Red Fern Grows" my daughter has wanted a Coonhound. I remember feeling the same way when I read the book at her age. That's when my parents bought me my first Beagle. I've had and hunted Beagles ever since, with my mom buying our last one for my daughter shortly after she turned 1. There's something magical about a hound dog that I can't really explain.

Unfortunately Bix was spoken for, and we didn't end up with him. But that was all it took. I spent yesterday working the phones, calling on pups throughout the Midwest, and looking at pictures. Finally found our pup yesterday afternoon. She'll be ready to be picked up in about a month, and we can't wait. I think my wife, Mrs. IDontWantAnotherDog, is the most excited out of all of us.



Of course my boy is both excited and pissed. He desperately wants a "boy dog". So...I told the Mrs. the only fair way to do this is to get a pair. Now I'm trying to find another one

Actually much harder than what I thought it would be to find a one I liked. Not a huge fan of buying dogs off of what I consider "for profit" kennels. Would much rather buy a pup off someone passionate about their animals. The guy that I'm buying the above dog off of really impressed me. You could tell he had a solid relationship with his hounds, and that means a lot IMO.

Awesome dog.

I've always loved beagles. I'd have 1 now if I had time to work with him.

A friend of mine has 4 Bluetick's and swears they're the best hunting dogs ever.

This is our first trip with a **** dog. My wife fell in love with the bluetick, so that's what I went with. Should be fun experience thats for sure.

lol Co on is blocked out on here

Blame racist politards

I figured that out when i tried osting about my beautiful mainecoon cat. RIP

Bluetick #1 Maysie has been here since Saturday. Out of her litter of 5 pups, I guarantee she's the only one that gets to sleep on a couch and live inside. Spoiled rotten already.

Very impressed with the guy we got her off of. Had the mom and dad to this one, plus a 6 month old pup that he was working with. The mom and dad both knew over 25 commands. Was blown away by the intelligence level.

Also found a male pup from a good old boy down in Ohio. Picking him up on our way home from Spring Break. My son is ecstatic that he finally gets his "boy dog" Duke.

Nice.

It can be kind of hard to train a house dog to retrieve birds though.

Hogwash.

Yeah, that's one of the oldest myths in the book. IME with hounds, house dogs tend to have much better manners and are easier to handle in the woods. They, for the most part, develop better socialization skills.

That doesn't mean that you can't have an outside hound that handles great. Just that the dog that's inside and around people, typically taking orders/commands, is more used to working together on a daily basis.

If I do not get out fishing this weekend I am going to be really really pissed at myself.