New Haven, MO – Browning Camping has updated the Shadow Series Pop-Up Ground Blinds with a new window curtain system for 2014. Designed for a wide range of window openings, it is sure to satisfy any hunter’s needs. The 4 models of blinds offered by Browning Camping (Powerhouse, Phantom X, Phantom, and Mirage) all now feature the Silent Track Window System.

“We wanted to keep the hunter’s viewpoint in mind and offer a user-friendly design that allows the ultimate window placement and customization,” said Zach Scheidegger, Browning Camping Product Manager. “We already offered some of the biggest windows on the market, allowing the hunter to have the best point of view without sacrificing the ability to stay hidden in the shadows. We have now combined those large windows with a curtain system that will be a huge benefit for all hunters in their different hunting situations.” Read more

By Glen Wunderlich

Growing up in the ‘50s, my brother and I learned the value of hard work, courtesy of my father.  There was never any backtalk or debate when it came to household chores.  We took turns washing dishes, taking out the trash and mowing the lawn and were rewarded with a weekly allowance for our efforts.  Oh, how happy we were when we received our very first raise from 10 to 15 cents per week.

I also recall the old reel mower that certainly would have qualified for today’s green movement.  It produced zero emissions into the atmosphere, had no cord or batteries.  The only sound was that of the grass clippings falling back to earth.  We trimmed, edged, raked, and swept each week – all with no more than boy power.  Not so curious was my father’s purchase of his very first motorized lawn mower – one week after I had left the homestead for good.

Decades later – in fact only a week ago – those early life lessons would mean one more deer hunting stand.  The coveted hideout sits nestled along Osborn Drain (a tributary of the Looking Glass River) and overlooks some of the most productive hunting ground we have.  The soil is so rich that it needs no special fertilizer or lime to yield turnips the size of volleyballs.

However, there was one glaring problem:  our motorized machines could not navigate the rain-saturated ground enroute to our paradise.  The overgrown weeds were 3 to 4 feet tall, after having their way all season long and had to be cut down to begin the process of planting.  It was then that those boyhood lessons from over a half century gone by came to mind.

I pulled the mowing scythe ( an agricultural hand tool for mowing grass or reaping crops) from the rafters of the garage to see if it was ready for the “green movement.”

Scythe

To minimize effort, the long, curved blade was honed to a razor’s edge with a sharpening stone.  A loose handle was tightened and I ventured with it to the remote location with my friend, Joe, who had volunteered to spray the area with a backpack sprayer.

Joe thought it might be fun to give it a whirl, so I watched intently as he overworked himself into submission without having cleared much more than a patch large enough to stand on.  The laughter was getting the best of me,  so I put my experience and muscle together and promptly took over.

The tool works best without swinging; rather it is rhythmically drawn with the keen edge parallel to the ground.   Within an hour, the heat and humidity had won, but not before the mission was accomplished.

Oh, how much finer will be the taste of the venison that will be yielded from that ground and the wisdom of my father.

The Department of Natural Resources will host the 19th annual Saginaw Bay Waterfowl Festival Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 2-3, at Bay City State Recreation Area. Festival activities focus on getting families outdoors to appreciate Michigan’s Waterfowl Legacy – wondrous waterfowl and the unique wetland habitat upon which they depend. The festival runs 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.  Read more

The Department of Natural Resources reminds hunters that fall turkey hunting applications are on sale until Friday, Aug. 1. The application fee is $5. Applications and licenses may be purchased at any authorized license agent or online at www.mdnr-elicense.com. Read more

 Partnership with private landowners will benefit sharp-tailed grouse hunters

In an effort to increase public access to sharp-tailed grouse hunting opportunities, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has expanded the state’s Hunting Access Program to the eastern Upper Peninsula and is seeking private landowners to join the partnership program.
The Hunting Access Program (HAP) was created by the DNR in 1977 to encourage private landowners to allow public hunting access on their land under specific terms in exchange for a financial incentive. Until this year, HAP was primarily focused on southern Michigan, where public hunting lands are limited. “We chose to expand HAP to the eastern Upper Peninsula to help hunters gain access to productive sharp-tailed grouse hunting lands, which are mostly found on private land,” said wildlife biologist David Jentoft.
Sharp-tailed grouse hunting has been allowed in portions of eastern Chippewa and Mackinac counties since 2010 and is the only area of the state with an open sharp-tailed grouse season.
“Sharp-tailed grouse numbers in the eastern U.P. have benefited from the presence of critical grassland habitat, but since most of that habitat is privately owned, hunters — especially those from the Lower Peninsula or out-of-state who don’t have local connections — can have a hard time gaining access,” Jentoft said. “Expanding HAP will provide greater opportunities for hunters, while also offering an incentive to eligible landowners who choose to participate.”
HAP-enrolled lands in the eastern U.P. will be open from Oct. 10-31 for sharp-tailed grouse hunting only, or from Sept. 15 to Nov. 10 for small game hunting (which includes sharp-tailed grouse). Participating landowners will select which timeframe they prefer to enroll in and the land will be designated accordingly in the HAP digest. Eastern U.P. HAP lands will not be open for hunting deer or other big game species.
The DNR is partnering with the Chippewa/Luce/Mackinac Conservation District to implement HAP in the eastern U.P. Landowners who own 40 acres or more in the sharp-tailed grouse hunting zone are eligible to apply for the program; applications are currently being accepted.
For more information or if interested in applying, contact the Chippewa/Luce/Mackinac Conservation District at 906-635-1278, or the Sault Ste. Marie DNR Field Office at 906-635-6161, extension 56171.
Full details on the HAP program, including the HAP digest and maps of currently enrolled lands, are available at www.michigan.gov/hap. To learn more about sharp-tailed grouse hunting in Michigan, visit www.michigan.gov/hunting.