Duck Hunting 2005 (incomplete)

Duck Hunting

Sept 30-Oct 3 2005

This was by far, my most successful hunting trip to date. We again made the trip to the Hudak Cabin. This year (because of some changes made by the DNR) the season has changed and this weekend was the season opener.

Very out of the ordinary, I arrived much earlier than Ed did. I was at the cabin by 2pm and spent some time visiting with John and Jan. After some visiting, Jan left, and John and I went to do some grocery shopping. By the time we finished, and got the groceries put away, I decided to go do some grouse / squirrel hunting.

I walked along the trail at the top of the ridge along the lake. It was a nice walk * quiet and peaceful. At the turn around (at the end of the trail) I decided to sit down against some trees and hopefully hear some squirrels. I nodded off for several minutes, and was awoken by a shrill sound of some sort of animal. I sat still for another (about) 15 minutes waiting to see what was making the noise. It was moving from one area to another. I then noticed a very large dark colored bird flying around. I noticed a very bright red crest on its head and black and white banding on its face. It was a larger bird. I later found out (with the help of John) that what I was seeing was a pileated woodpecker.

After enjoying the woodpecker for a while, it finally got tired of entertaining me, and flew away. I then started walking back towards the cabin. When I got about three-quarters of the way back, I started hearing some squirrels off to the south of me. I started up the main road through the woods and broke off onto the trail to (what I believe is) Deer Stand #1. The squirrel kept chattering away at me from a little farther away. I'd move a few feet closer and the squirrel would chatter at me again, but from what sounded like a little further away. I was now just about at the stand when the squirrel made it's way to the front side of the tree. I took my shot, and bagged the squirrel. This was (to me) a sign of things to come, and felt good about how the rest of the weekend was going to go. I retrieved my squirrel and headed back to the cabin.

Ed was about 30 minutes away by the time I arrived, and when he arrived we unpacked him, had dinner, and caught up.

Didn't hunt first morning * too busy * chopped wood and worked all day. Jim arrived * Drove the Thompson Trail in the afternoon * saw nothing.

Sunday morning woke at 0500 * heard boats in the water, and saw people already in field. Saw lots of ducks, I downed a ringneck with one shot - we shot six, crippled one * landed in bay * rowed out to it * shot * landed in other bay * rowed to it, and lost it. Hoped for 7 but came in with 6. For sure 1 of 6 was mine, but I suspect at least one more (grin).

Jim heckled other hunters by accident.

Pulled in dock and lift. Went grouse hunting on ridge. Jake flushed out a grouse. Had bead on it in the tree * looked odd to me * more tall and thin * looked partridge like * I suspected sharptail grouse * Later found out prob ruffled grouse per John.

Monday morning * no one out * we had the lake to ourselves. Ed got a couple more ringnecks, and right infront of me (from out of nowhere) popped a Drake Wooduck. I put a bead on it just as it jumped up and started flying away. 1 shot dropped the duck. It was a beautiful bird, and Ed Recommended mounting it.

Bird total for Ed and I for the two mornings * 9

After eating we went and walked the ridge one more time. (Looking for that grouse)

Rest of day spent getting Jim's docks in. Went to Reed's sporting goods (bought pen I am writing this down with), and picked up some nice steaks for dinner.

Deer Hunting 2004

Please forgive me for the hiatus of several years that appears in this book. It is inexcusable, and my lesson has been learned. As you have read in the introduction of this book, something happened to me during my deer-hunting trip in the fall of 2004. I was always planning on documenting it, but due to time restraints (and a lost book), I never got around to writing. It is now just under a year later (September of 2005), and hunting season is fast approaching. I have spent some time looking for a suitable journal to keep my records in. I hope you enjoy what I found!~

We have been hunting on my Uncle Greg's cabin ever since our first trip there. I will try to tell my story, but having been about a year, some of the small details have been forgotten, or become fuzzy. Please forgive me. This story represents my best recollection of the events of that weekend.

November 2004

My father-in-law Joe, and I were hunting at Uncle Greg's cabin again this year. This year was not (as I recall) uncomfortably cold. It was a crowded year for hunting. There were at least two other hunters East of Uncle Greg's and we had to be more careful than usual when out in the field.

The morning in question was quiet. I was sitting on the ground near "Oakwood", the tree fort that Bob and I built when we were kids. I spent most of that morning on the top of the south side of the ravine, hunting north. I thought Joe was north east of me on the opposite side of the ravine (which I later discovered was not true). I had been hearing "rustling" off to my right (east) near the slew, but could not tell if it was wildlife, Joe, or another hunter.

As the morning drew on, I was able to determine that it was, in fact, another hunter. It was not long after, that I began hearing some additional rustling coming from the northwest. Convinced it was squirrels, I sat back, closed my eyes, and tried to use my hearing to hone in on the source of the sound. Several minutes went by and I began to notice a white animal, about the size of a dog, thru the trees. I watched as the dog zigzagged its way thru the woods moving in my general direction. This dog appeared to come from the road, and was (after several minutes) still meandering towards me. After several minutes the dog started getting bigger. I was convinced it was a husky that may belong to one of the other hunters in the woods.

I was not sure how this dog would react to me if or when it reached me. I had to weigh my options. Hopefully the dog would be friendly, but if it was going to attack me, I decided I would be willing to defend myself. I was, after all, armed. As the white dog continued to come closer, I noticed it was not alone. There was another brown dog with the white one, and they were both still heading towards me. The closer they got, the less I could believe my eyes. When they arrived at the bottom of the ravine I was finally convinced that what I was seeing was actually what I was seeing. In front of me was two does. One of the does was a full albino! It was completely white. Later it was close enough that I could even see that it's eyes and nose were pinkish.

I was not sure what to do in this situation. My heart beat faster and harder than usual. By now the deer was within 15 yards of me, and at the bottom of the ravine. I put the bead of my site on the brown deer (not knowing about the legality of shooting an albino), but I was so intrigued by the site of this albino that I became almost hypnotized to its presence. Joe was down the ravine from me, and the deer were beginning to climb the north side of the ravine and head towards where Joe was hunting. The albino deer, and my hoping that Joe would get a deer (he has not taken one yet * since we started deer hunting together so many years back) kept me from shooting the brown doe. I then lowered my gun and watched the deer as they crossed my line of site and went off towards where Joe was sitting. I could have kicked myself for not having a camcorder, or a camera with me in the field. (Lesson learned)

I sat and listened to the deer as they left my field of vision. I was hoping that I would here Joe take the brown doe. After several minutes, I could no longer hear the deer, and it was not long after, that I heard the report of a gun. I stayed where I was for several more minutes hoping to hear Joe call out for me to help him. When he never called I started heading towards his direction. It was then that I discovered he had been on my side of the ravine the whole time and that it he was not the hunter who had taken the deer. I stopped and talked to Joe for a few minutes and then went back to where I was sitting. Quite some time later where the ravine drops down (where the two deer originally came from) I saw two hunters pulling the brown doe out through the woods.

Once again, this hunting trip, I found myself intrigued by the awesome beauty of what God had put before me. The captivating beauty of it overpowered any need in me to take these deer. I sometimes wonder if what I am doing in the woods is really "hunting". I am not interested in giving up "hunting" if it means giving up the time I spend in the woods, sitting, relaxing, and enjoying the beauty of all that is around me. I know that if the right circumstance comes up, I would take a deer. I have, after all, taken one in the past. Ultimately, I believe there is a time and place for hunting, and for "hunting". I feel lucky enough to have discovered the difference between the two. My wish for you (reader) and for all hunters is that you are fortunate enough to experience and enjoy both versions of hunting as I have.