HuntWind™ Provides Hyper Accurate Real-Time Wind Data for your Hunts
Bothell, WA – At BaseMap, we understand that knowing wind direction is vital for a successful hunt. That’s why we’re excited to launch our latest feature, HuntWind™, just in time for fall hunting seasons. HuntWind™ provides hunters with hyper accurate data and information to help them make game-time decisions on exactly where to hunt.
“We always strive to build features that help our users hunt smarter and be more successful in their pursuits. HuntWind ™ was the brainchild of the BaseMap Whitetail Advisory Board that included Nick Mundt & T-Bone Turner from The Bone Collector, Ralph & Vicki Cianciarulo of Archer’s Choice, Brad Rucks of Deer & Deer Hunting, Laden Force of North American Whitetail and more”, says Jeff Balch, CEO of BaseMap. “HuntWind™ is definitely a game changer and will be an invaluable tool with our users.”
With HuntWind™, a BaseMap users places a marker for a tree stand or ground blind and they will be able to select the ideal wind direction for that location. Once the markers are in place, the app will display the hourly and 7-day wind details, including wind direction, speed, and gust speed. This hyper-accurate data will allow hunters to play the wind and change their plans at a moment’s notice. Read more
The early antlerless firearm season is open on private lands only in all mainland Lower Peninsula deer management units. See page 40 for open DMUs.
Valid licenses for the early and late antlerless firearm deer seasons include: a private-land antlerless deer license issued for the DMU upon which you are hunting, a Deer Management Assistance permit valid for that DMU, a deer or deer combination license (used for take of antlerless deer only during the early or late antlerless seasons), or a deer kill tag issued under the mentored youth license which must be used to harvest an antlerless deer during the antlerless only seasons.
Leftover antlerless licenses
All remaining antlerless deer licenses will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis until license quotas are met in each DMU. Current leftover license availability may be viewed at Michigan.gov/Deer.
DNR shares 2020 deer hunting preview, regional outlook
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has released its annual deer hunting preview just ahead of the 2020 seasons, opening with this weekend’s Liberty Hunt (Sept. 12-13) for youth and hunters with disabilities. Overall, conditions are looking excellent for the upcoming seasons, and hunters can expect conditions that meet or exceed 2019. Read more
COLUMBUS, GA — ? Hunt or fish in comfort, even in the coldest of conditions, with the help of the new G-Tech Heated Pouch in Realtree EDGE camo. Designed with precision, quality and care, the G-Tech Heated Pouch offers revolutionary portable hand warmth when temperatures dip, so you can stay out there longer, increasing your odds for success. For a limited time, you can buy one G-Tech Heated Pouch and get the second 50% off.
Using a lightweight, long-lasting battery, the patented G-Tech Heating Technology featured within the pouch heats your hands so you can create circulation that increases your entire core body temperature.
G-Tech’s Heating Technology, which is a flexible grip similar to a heated steering wheel, offers the fastest, hottest, most-concentrated heat directly to your hands. You can prevent the heat from escaping your hands by holding on to the Heated Handle Bar inside the pouch. The Therma-adjust button allows you to cycle through three different heat settings (high, medium and low). Read more
SALMON, Idaho (Sept. 8, 2020) — SneakyHunter Hikers Bootlamps – essentially, headlamps for your feet – eliminate many of the problems with conventional headlamps and hand-held flashlights. When wearing a headlamp, talking to your companions becomes an issue when you face them and inadvertently blind them by shining your light directly into their eyes, destroying their night vision for up to 45 minutes. Also, many hikers face depth perception issues when using a light source above the waist.
SneakyHunter Hiker Bootlamps are a unique invention, not a knockoff of a product already on the market, and are perfect for a myriad of outdoor activities by providing new solutions to common problems experienced with headlamps and flashlights. They stabilize your visual perception by keeping the light low to the ground. They place your lighting as far from your face as possible, offering more relief on your eyes. The lights operate using three AAA batteries and have three settings – white, for general hiking; red, for hiking with a soft light that will not spook animals; and green, which offers less eyestrain over time. You activate them by simply pushing the button on top – one click for white, two clicks for red, three clicks for green. The lid is rated as highly water resistant. They’re attached to your boot via an easy-to-use 18-inch long, 1-inch wide elastic cinch strap. The hook and loop strap is placed under your instep, and the two prongs on the front of the unit are slipped under your boot or shoelaces, resulting in a slip-proof attachment. The unit is made so that when it is mounted in the proper position, the light will shine where you’ll be walking. Read more
Charter Member Professional Outdoor Media Association
Attracting and holding wildlife requires a few basic ingredients: food, cover, and water. Fortunately, most Michigan deer hunters have little trouble locating habitat that produces at least one of these necessities, and therefore, whitetail deer. However, if one wants an edge, food plots can tip the scales. In the process of establishing these magnetic environments, things don’t always go as planned.
To minimize the use of herbicides is a worthy goal for many reasons; to do so takes work. Herbicides, such as glyphosate, have the ability to cut time afield, as opposed to tilling repeatedly from spring to planting time in August for fall food plots. Applying only one spray before planting would mean I’d have to count on my 72 year-old Ford 8n tractor to do its part.
The work began in early spring before the weeds were able to fight back. The old tractor has a weak battery that should have been replaced long ago, but my innate cheapness coaxes it to cooperate with the assistance of a trickle charger. Two of the tires need a shot of air. Check, check.
Out to the field where the 6-foot disk harrow would chop, cut, and pummel the weeds into oblivion – at least for a little while. The process would be repeated numerous times through spring and summer before the weeds gained an upper hand. Along the way, fertilizer and lime were broadcast
1956 Allis Chalmers IB with rigged spreader
and allowed to break down well in advance of planting time.
Unfortunately, my ATV is temporarily out of commission, so I called on another old tractor to step up. My 1956 Allis Chalmers IB is an industrial tractor, not typically suited for field use, but I’d have to give it a go to keep on schedule. After all, it’s the only machine I have that can power the electric motor of the spreader with its 12-volt configuration. With a bit of redneck engineering, it worked as planned – not counting the soft soil where the turf tires almost failed to plod through.
To seed the first part of August means a certain amount of management is in order to pull it off.
A look at turnip seed inside the hand spreader
One last disk operation in July followed by some finer grooming with drag implements made to “fit” the field were successful.
Then, it was time to wait for the weeds to germinate, so they could be zapped with the glyphosate. The idea was to get the field as “clean” as possible. Again, the old Allis was rigged with a sprayer sitting atop a carrier attached to the receiver. To make the sprayer fan out properly, it had to be at the correct height. Success was gained again and the job was complete on August 1st.
Once the spray was dry, I became the motor for a broadcast seed spreader strapped onto my shoulders and walked the plots and cranked the handle. Then, before the pending rain washed out our plans, my pal, Joe, pulled an 8-foot cultipacker behind the old Ford and pushed the seed into the soil.
The timing couldn’t have been better, as Mother Nature pitched in with the missing ingredient: rain. Although we’ve had some hot and dry weather since, enough of the precious liquid from above has made this attempt at farming a success, as evidenced by the healthy brassicas. Believe it or not, the seed had begun germinating in less than 48 hours and nothing will stop it now – except those nibbling deer. But, that’s the whole idea.
Brassica foliage trimmed by deer. Plants less than one month old.
If you harvested an otter during the 2019 trapping season you can now schedule an appointment at a DNR furbearer registration station to bring your otter in to be sealed.
2019 otters must be registered by Oct. 2, 2020.Read more
By Rachel Coale
Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Difference between a great day in the forest and a scary one comes down to planning
Ron Swanson, a fictional character from the quirky TV comedy “Parks and Rec,” is known for his firm ideas about enjoying the outdoors: “There is no such thing as bad weather, only inadequate clothing and means of transportation.”
We’re inclined to agree with the spirit of his statement, although we don’t recommend hitting the trail in stormy weather.
Preparing for everything from a bee sting to a bear sighting is the best way to have an enjoyable adventure, especially if you’re heading into the wilder side of Michigan’s public lands – state forests.
State forests are rugged areas with few amenities, smaller crowds than other outdoor attractions and more to explore. How much more? Michigan’s state forests, at 3.85 million acres, have more than six times the space of our state parks and game areas combined.
State forests are mostly located in the Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula – “knuckles north” on your trusty Michigan mitten hand-map.
For some, these areas are a peaceful place to connect with nature, while for others, they offer a thrilling challenge to hike, mountain bike or horseback ride.
Here’s the lowdown on preparing for some of the hazards you might face on a state forest adventure. The list includes all-around tips for newbies who are just getting started and reminders for veteran outdoor enthusiasts to restock their kits. Read more
Muzzy Pheasant Farm
1210 N. Durand Road
Corunna, MI 48817
The Flint River Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation presents this event, which includes a safety orientation, clay bird shooting, a mentored pheasant hunt, and bird cleaning and preparation.
The cost is $50 and includes two birds released per person, lunch and an orange hat. Register online at NWTF.org/Events.
Contact Steve Sharp at 517-930-0947 for more information.
Although this is an outdoor program and proper social distancing of at least 6 feet is required, participants still are encouraged to wear face coverings as an added precaution.
