Dave Richey Outdoors

Hunting pre-rut bucks

2012-01-31T20:12:00.000-05:00

Bone-white antlers of a resting buck show above weeds during the pre-rut The buck was banging its antlers against a tree, and I listened to him working a scrape for 30 minutes late last October. The buck was within 20 yards of me but he was screened by thick brush and was invisible. I sat in my tree stand and listened. He was close enough to hear the urine hitting the scrape, and he was upwind

Ever taken a gobbler with a muzzleloading shotgun?

2012-01-29T20:12:00.000-05:00

Make certain the firearm is properly patterned for a gobbler Several years ago I killed a 24 1/2-pound long-beard gobbler while hunting in Iowa. My firearm of choice was a Knight muzzleloading shotgun with 150 grains of Pyrodex and two ounces of copper-plated No. 5 shot. My first day of hunting with Tony Knight found us spooking a pair of roosted gobblers while opening a rusty and squeaky farm

Winter and the Five Senses

2012-01-28T20:12:00.000-05:00

A wonderful day on the river can stroke your five senses Cultivating my five senses is easy during the winter months. Hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting and touching are what enables sportsmen to fully enjoy the entire package of being in the wintry outdoors. Winter ice fishing turns me on but there isn't much safe ice yet except on a few small lakes and ponds, and so I have to forgo watching

Bad winter days rattle my cage

2012-01-27T20:12:00.000-05:00

A mellow day on Lake Michigan suits me to a T Our house is structurally sound but some work needed to be done to make it look nicer on the inside and out. Walls to be painted, carpet pulled up, all of this stuff leaves me cold. Some things got dinged up when my father was alive, and some things have just worn out. Some changes were needed. I am living proof of a man who likes his home

Dreaming turkey hunting thoughts

2012-01-26T20:12:00.000-05:00

A big boss gobbler fell to a well-placed shot during the spring hunt It starts every year in late January. I submit my spring turkey application, and sit back and dream turkey thoughts. My turkey hunting vest hangs in the corner of my office. The pockets bulge with box calls wrapped in soft brown wash cloths, and secured with stout rubber bands to prevent an accidental sound at the wrong time.

My love of great outdoor writing

2012-01-25T20:12:00.000-05:00

It doesn’t get any better than a big northern pike at sundown I've been in this outdoor writing business for 44 years, and over that period I've met most of the greatest outdoor writers of our time. Men like ... John Amber Erwin Bauer Havilah Babcock Nash Buckingham Chuck Cadieux John Cartier Gordie Charles Ben East Charlie Elliott Corey Ford Ben Hur Lampman Nick

Follow hunting and ethical rules and treat non-hunters with courtesy

2012-01-24T20:12:00.000-05:00

Two hunters with snowshoe hares and with a U.P. black bear All people are bound by the laws of man to live by a code of ethics, but sportsmen have additional values to be considered if we are to be judged by what we believe are ethical actions. Hunter ethics are more far reaching than many believe. They include a feeling and a deep appreciation for the animals and birds we hunt, the outdoor

Collecting old outdoor objects heightens my outdoor pleasures

2012-01-21T20:12:00.000-05:00

Another of my favorite collectibles are my Michigan turkey patches Everyone collects something. Writers collect information, baseball fans collect cards of their favorite players, and hockey fans collect sweaters of favorite players or signed hockey-pucks or sticks. My mother collected old Mason canning jars and hid change in old pill bottles. I go through enough pill bottles, but have

A walk in the woods for bunnies

2012-01-20T20:12:00.000-05:00

Winter snow and cottontails are made for each other The shotgun was just a prop. The real reason I carried it on a walk around my 20 acres was in case I kicked up a cottontail rabbit. I’ve done a good bit of judicious timber cutting, and many brush piles hold bunnies. I stoked the twin tubes of my Winchester 12-gauge over-and-under with low-brass No. 6 shot, and whether a bunny bounced out of

Fly fishing the steelhead streams 45 years ago

2012-01-19T20:12:00.000-05:00

Tres Amigos (L-R) George Richey, John McKenzie & Dave Richey Those people who just got started steelhead fishing in the last few years missed out on the finest fishing ever seen back in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Good numbers of steelhead were being planted all around the state, and the Betsie and Platte rivers offered great sport that was certainly was as good as it gets. There was

Common sense and intuition work if you pay attention

2012-01-18T20:12:00.000-05:00

Really solid ice is needed to support angler and shanty When it comes to the old cliche like "treading water," it means much the same as "spinning your wheels." And frankly, that's about where I'm at while waiting for lake ice to form a solid mantle on area lakes. It's been a long and frustrating wait. But now, a few reports are coming in. One came from a good friend of mine who travels

Teasing Winter Bluegills

2012-01-15T20:12:00.000-05:00

A good assortment of tiny ice jigs or flies in colors is needed. Bluegills have an endearing habit. Once hooked, they swim at right angles to the pull of the line and it makes them feel much larger than they actually are. The other day before all the rain was a case in point. A small lake not far from Traverse City had six inches of ice. I eased onto the lake, checking the ice

Winter archery makes us better shots

2012-01-14T20:12:00.000-05:00

Indoor archery shooting gives hunters practice all year Many people from all over the state have told me they shoot in an archery league to stay sharp during the winter. Others have developed other rather ingenious ways to conduct winter practice. The primary function is to shoot enough to pick up the bow, draw, aim and shoot without feeling any discomfort. Stay away from shooting of any

Putting together a fishing- or hunting-book collection

2012-01-12T20:12:00.000-05:00

Need a book on steelhead fishing, I’ve got several to choose from It has become very obvious in the last 25 years that people who fish or hunt often are well-schooled, have graduated from college and are accustomed to learning new things in their leisure time. Many anglers and hunters strive to stay well informed. They want to read things they can learn from, and over many years, I've

No safe ice yet

2012-01-10T20:12:00.000-05:00

Seeing a fish in an ice hole is tempting, but wait for safe ice. Ice gives ice fishermen two different options to consider. One is to ask questions of bait-shops and local anglers before venturing out onto any ice or they don’t ask. That’s the way it works most years, but certainly not this one. Let’s face one very important fact. Anyone who has spent much time on the ice over many years

What are the state's largest lakes?

2012-01-02T20:12:00.000-05:00

Many of these lakes offer good ice-fishing for walleyes and perch. The outdoors is much more than just fishing and hunting. There is a vast store of knowledge about various aspects that I know too little about, and I take pride in my knowledge. For instance: one glaring error in my outdoor education is my knowledge of bushes and trees. Sure, I know what beech, birch, maple and oak trees

2011-12-18T20:11:00.000-05:00

My apologies to one and all. This book review feature was scheduled for two weeks ago, which would have provided readers with more time to order books as a Christmas gift. Sadly, computers being what they are, they often choose to take a vacation when we least expect. So my computer crashed and we just got it fixed. TITLE: The American Rowboat Motor AUTHOR: Arlan Carter PUBLISHER: Fall

Hoping for the right wind

2011-12-08T08:11:00.000-05:00

Cold swamp mist circles around this big buck. Someone once said the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Mine were honorable, and I'd planned to hunt whitetails this evening. That is until the raw northwest wind picked up, and began swirling. My spot at my buddy's place is in his long and narrow swamp, and the wind must be perfect even when wearing Scent-Lok clothing. I

Late-season bow hunt

2011-12-07T20:11:00.000-05:00

A nice December buck steps out of a thicket to feed. It is a grand experience, this bow hunting for winter whitetails, but what makes it so special is that every day is different. Every day in the woods is one of pure joy, even on those days of hard east winds. Not all days are created equal when it comes to bow hunting. There are those special days that come along perhaps two

Taking a crippled old dog out fishing

2011-12-02T01:49:00.001-05:00

Mark Rinckey (with net) lands a Platte River steelhead for David Richey. I was dreaming the steelhead dream, and my world was one of rushing river water, a jumping fish hanging in the sky with droplets of cold water hanging of its hard body, and there I stood: looking like a big doofus, with a broad grin on my face, and loving the experience. Then I came out of my mid-day reverie, shook my

Happiness is a Thanksgiving Day deer hunt

2011-11-24T20:11:00.000-05:00

Some Thanksgiving Day hunters camp. The object of our attraction. Thanksgiving Day is something special where we celebrate our good friends, the weather, and a fine chance to hunt with friends. The weather was a bit blustery today, and it appears this nasty weather will continue into the weekend with possible snow. The first day of a winter storm arrived last week, and the whitetails

Dumb mistakes that deer hunters make

2011-11-23T20:11:00.000-05:00

Richey with a nice buck taken with a Thompson-Center Contender. Over the years, I've seen people do some of the dumbest things while sitting in an elevated coop or a tree stand or while hunting from a ground blind. Mfost are funny but some could have been deadly. The reason I write about some of these is there are always lessons that can be learned. Benefit now from these mistakes of

Weather tips for hunting deer and gobblers

2011-11-22T22:42:00.001-05:00

A deer hunter sits in a Texas tower. A truck pulls up & the hunter climbs in It's impossible for hockey players to play a game unless they are on the ice, and it's impossible for hunters to shoot a buck or doe if they are sitting indoors watching television. That's settled, so what do we do when faced with inclement weather? You know: like some of what we've had so far this month?

Choose quality optics and spend more glassing for game

2011-11-21T21:20:00.001-05:00

My vision is only fair at best but when snow covers the tag alders, and a deer stands motionless back in this heavy cover, they are tough for me to see. Quality optics means everything to a deer hunter. The difference between good and bad optics is like the difference between a good apple and a worm-filled one. I've always believed in good optics, and also believe that a person gets what they

What will it be, Mister?

2011-11-20T20:11:00.000-05:00

Dave Richey checks carbon (left) and aluminum Robin Hoods. Archery shop owners invariably ask the same question when hunters come in to buy arrow. What will it be, Mister? There is very little discussion these days about arrow shaft construction. There are only three basic choices, and from there, several secondary choices to be made. Aluminum, carbon or wood? Only some long bow and

Dreams of big Quebec char

2011-11-19T20:11:00.000-05:00

Doug Knight (left) and the author with a lightly colored & silvery char The dream began sometime late last night. Many of my better dreams are remembered, and some are savored and occasionally one will haunt me for a day or two. This one was weird but true, as are most tales of fishing or hunting dreams from the far north. My dreams often deal with fishing or hunting, and the

Big buck but no shot

2011-11-18T20:11:00.000-05:00

Big bucks often catch a break by veering away from a hunter. The big buck appeared like a ghost from a bad dream. One minute there was nothing nearby, and the next found me looking at a 140-class whitetail buck. He was 75 yards away, moving in my general direction through the fringe of a swampy wooded area. He moved slowly and cautiously, the way big bucks do once they've been

Hay-bale blinds, where legal, are the warmest winter blinds

2011-11-17T20:11:00.000-05:00

Two types of hay bale blinds. Sit back away from shooting area The deadliest, most unconventional and warmest blind in the deer hunting woods has escaped many hunters. At first guess, many December hunters feel a heated on-the-ground or elevated stand is best. Not me. For my money, a hay bale blind beats whatever else might come in second. It has many advantages, and only one

Bob Jennings: Book Review - My Mythical Adventures with Bird Dogs

2011-11-09T17:37:00.001-05:00

MY MYTHICAL ADVENTURES WITH BIRD DOGS, by Bob Jennings. Bob Jennings has this book available for $30 postpaid. Send payment to: 3302 N 190 W., Switz City, IN 47465. Or call, (812)798-0783. This book is for any hunter who has owned bird dogs, and learned to love them like the author does. The Dedication of this book states: This booklet is dedicated to all dogs that have passed on and made

Bob Jennings: Book Review - The Crossbred Fishes

2011-11-06T20:11:00.000-05:00

THE CROSSBRED FISHES, by Bob Jennings. Available from Bob Jennings, 3302 N 190 W., Switz City, IN 47465; (812)798-0783. This book is $30 postpaid. FOR MUSKIE (MUSKY) FISHERMEN – THE CROSSBRED FISHES Muskie fishermen went through a 10-year revival of interest in these great fish, and in the past year, very few books have been published about them and how to fish for them. Well, welcome to

Grouse hunting interest pick up after the leaf drop

2011-11-05T20:11:00.000-04:00

Grouse numbers are decent is many areas and very good in others. Fall may be my favorite time of year but it lasts such a short time. The leaves peak in color by mid-October, the rain and high winds come, and soon all the beautiful color has lost its sparkle and lay dead and spent on the ground. The leaf drop is over, and bird hunters are getting active. Grouse season runs through

First rut phase will start soon

2011-10-21T20:11:00.000-04:00

The moon was big and bright last week, and what few deer moved then, did so right at the end of legal shooting time. An hour later, the fields were full of deer. This brings up the eternal question: Is hunting during the full moon a waste of time? No type of deer hunting, in my humble opinion, is a waste of time. My experience during full moon periods is probably quite similar to yours. The

In the air or on the ground?

2011-10-20T20:11:00.000-04:00

On the ground or in the air. Both work & it depends on you. It's an eternal question that is always being contemplated by bow hunters. Which is best: hunting on the ground or up in an elevated coop or tree stand. An elevated coop or a tree stand wins me over every time. I like the increased visibility that hunting from a tree provides, and I'm not bothered by height except in a high wind

Remembering my father

2011-10-19T20:11:00.000-04:00

Jack Duffy (left) lands a 10-pound brown for Dad. Oct. 13 is a hard day to remember and a very tough one to forget. Ninety-nine years ago last week, my father was born, kicking and screaming, into an era filled with world turmoil. Germany was fighting much of Europe when Dad came squalling into this world. Money was tight, and his father, David J. Richey, my namesake, owned a cigar

Literary riches from other writers

2011-10-11T08:11:00.000-04:00

Men like Ben East & Gordie Charles worked to build deer herds. Studying the history and high points of a person's lengthy literary career can be an informing and a somewhat behind-the-scenes look into that person's life. It has been my great good fortune to obtain a great and wonderful gift from my longtime friend, Gordie Charles, of Traverse City after his death. This gentle and kind man

Grunt up a buck

2011-10-09T20:11:00.000-04:00

Harold Knight calls for fast action. The 8-pointer was slowly making his way along the edge of a thick tag alder run, and was crosswind to me. I gave one short grunt, and one slightly longer grunt. Both were rather obnoxious sounding. Not to the buck, though. He stopped in midstride, swiveled his head in my direction, and slowly turned my way. There is only one big-time rule to follow

The glory of fall

2011-10-03T20:11:00.000-04:00

A touch of fall color while fly-fishing for Chinook salmon. Autumn comes each year with a balmy day like today, breezy weather, like yesterday, and days when a sweater feels dandy while greeting the dawn, and on those odd day when fall rains pelt us with cold water that will soon turn to snow. There is something magical that offers to show its pretty face right after Labor Day but this

Little Things can Change a Hunt

2011-09-23T17:07:00.001-04:00

The result of good planning and the plan working out. Many hunters think of bow hunting as a huge-antlered buck standing motionless at 20 yard with nothing but a few low-growing weeds and air between them and the deer. This so-called calendar pose is what many short-term bow hunters expect to see while hunting. They've been conditioned over many years to expect such a shot, no matter how

Getting close to good bucks

2011-09-14T23:49:00.001-04:00

Seeing a nice buck up close and personal is great fun. Everyone knows that whitetail deer hit the chow line in farm fields every evening an hour or so before dark, especially in the early season. It's one thing to set up along a field edge, and spend most of the evening watching deer at a distance. It's another thing to spend most of the night hunting. Granted, setting at the edge of a field

Different deer hunting strokes

2011-09-14T20:11:00.001-04:00

Big bucks like this don’t just happen. One must hunt to see them. Millions of deer hunters are found across this great nation of ours, and we all seem to have different philosophies on hunting. We seldom agree on wildly varying topics. Some hunters refuse to hunt east winds. Anything from the east is bad. For years, October featured south and southwest winds and then west and northwest,

Look for bucks in hard to hunt spots

2011-09-12T20:11:00.000-04:00

This big buck was photographed in a very small thicket. The hunter who pays attention to deer movements will soon find some out-of-the-way spots where big bucks like to lay up. Some of those locations are easily hunted and some are not. Some of these out-of-the-way spots are found while hunting other game species. Some of the little hidey-holes where bucks hole up are so small that one

Check out the deer sign

2011-09-11T23:59:00.001-04:00

Reading deer sign properly allowed this hunter to score. Reading deer sign is something that has always made sense to me. It gives me more knowledge of the animals, where they feed, where they travel, and in the end, it's this knowledge that makes hunters more successful while allowing them to accurately determine where best to set up their stands. I'm so mindful of a big buck from

Some thoughts about brother George

2011-09-10T20:11:00.001-04:00

I woke up this feeling a mite peckish. I wasn't hungry, the morning paper lacked any luster, and even the decaf coffee failed to generated any enthusiasm. I just felt out of sorts. A return to the paper was a start. That was it. It wasn't the paper so much as it was the date. It was eight years ago today when my twin brother George passed away. Besides losing a twin brother, I lost my

Change things THIS year

2011-09-09T21:00:00.004-04:00

Bunches of deer or just one. A new hunting spot can certainly help. Some things never change. Many deer hunters choose the same tree for a stand, walk the same trail into and out of a hunting area, and nothing ever changes. Many will sit on the same stump, along the same runway, as they did 10, 15 or 20 years ago. It's difficult for many sportsmen to break their old habits, and some deer

Maintain a tight focus while deer hunting

2011-09-06T20:11:00.000-04:00

Harold Knight & Rob Keck (l-r) are both as good with bucks as wild gobblers. My mind seemingly has tunnel vision. The only two things I seem to focus intently on now - and later - is bow hunting and studying deer. It doesn't make me all bad. I could care less about ball parks, Nascar races, or tournament golf. Whitetails excite me; almost everything else is far less interesting. People

Names have a place among sportsmen

2011-09-03T20:11:00.001-04:00

Pat Madigan unhooks a big brookie. What’s in a name? Much can depend on how anglers and hunters use the name to communicate with other sportsmen. Names can and do play an important role in how we feel and think about the outdoors. And, in many cases, how we choose our next adventure. They may remind us of a favorite trout pool with mist rising off it or a secret woodcock covert where white

Make your own deer hunting luck

2011-09-02T20:11:00.001-04:00

Locating trophy whitetail bucks requires several things: a spotting scope, good binoculars, a high vantage point, the ability to stay downwind of the animals, and perhaps a tiny bit of luck. You'll notice I said nothing about a bow or firearm. Those may be needed when hunting in the near future, but locating a good buck means spending a good bit of time in the field with the above mentioned

A good reason to go fishing

2011-09-01T20:11:00.000-04:00

Walleyes and brook trout make good eating for the elderly. Fishing seems to be one of those pastimes where some people need a reason to go fishing. They need a jump-start, and oddly, since the birth of salmon fishing in this state, the reason many go is to catch big fish. I've nothing against catching big fish that can stretch my line on 100-yard runs, but it's not necessary to catch a big fish

How NOT to wade a steelhead stream

2011-08-30T20:11:00.001-04:00

Larry Winans once posed for photos of an out-of-control angler. Water is great stuff. It's wonderful to drink, the right stuff for showers, great to wade in, fun to fish in, and a necessity when hunting ducks in the fall. However, it is not fun to swim in at cold times of the year. Here's what happened when I needed a story and photos on short notice for a newspaper story. It turned out

Hunches Don’t Always Pay Off

2011-08-29T20:11:00.000-04:00

My hunch was wrong when I missed a chance at this buck. I've hunted my land for so many years that I know where the travel routes of big bucks are found, and sometimes I play a hunch and it doesn't pay off. Here's just one example from last year. I had a couple of buddies visiting one day last season, and knew the bucks should be moving during the firearm and rutting season. I put each hunter in

Love each day to its fullest and be happy

2011-08-28T20:11:00.000-04:00

Walleye fishing was a joint adventure when we fished like this. A number of people who have been near and dear to me may have taken life for granted at one time or another. Most of them, in the final days of their life, realized their mistake. In other situations, some of us don't take things for granted, but life can still step up and blind-side us. None of us are infallible, and none of us

Finish up preseason work and lock everything up

2011-08-27T20:11:00.001-04:00

One way to save tree stands and ladders is to use climbers. My ultimate goal is, and always has been, to be ready for bow season by September 1. That means I have a full month for my hunting areas to settle down before I crawl into a tree stand or ground blind. My fall food plots are planted, and there is a fairly lush green growth. We needed a rain bad, and last week the plots got a

George and I hammered the Chinook salmon

2011-08-26T20:11:00.001-04:00

My late twin brother, George Richey, leads a big king to net. Years ago we had an early cool snap, a cold rain fell, and suddenly the Betsie River was awash with fresh-run Chinook salmon. Everywhere one looked were fish moving upstream, their backs creasing the surface. Brother George and I were fishing two small holes 30 yards apart, and he was casting a wet fly while I was pitching a copper No

Scout now for an October’buck

2011-08-25T20:11:00.000-04:00

Start Preseason Scouting Soon Anyone who greets the dawn in the field is getting a big jump on the day, and will most likely find game animals and birds moving about. Do it just right, and it can be a kick-off to your preseason deer scouting. I visited one of my hunting spots two days ago, and it was fairly cool. It felt good to be a bit chilly, and I walked in to a high hill where I could watch

Old outdoor magazines bring fishing and hunting to life

2011-08-22T20:11:00.001-04:00

Magazines with great art covers are wonderful mementos from the past. Reliving some old outdoor passions is easy. Simply dip back in time with an old outdoor magazine and have your brain gently nudged again by something great from the past. Kick back, dig into my old blogs, and choose those articles that are most appealing. Heaven knows, there are plenty of choices of fishing-hunting

River guiding 35-40 years ago

2011-08-21T20:11:00.000-04:00

Dave Richey (left) and George Richey with big Chinook salmon. Those people who just got started steelhead fishing in the last few years really missed out on the best fishing ever in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Superb numbers of steelhead were being planted all around the state, natural reproduction was fairly good and the Betsie, Little Manistee and Platte rivers offered sport that was as

Life’s baggage and some memories

2011-08-20T20:11:00.000-04:00

I land a New Zealand brown trout here. We begin life naked and squalling, and should we live long enough, a busy lifetime of fishing and hunting will leave us with some priceless items. Few are valuable from a monetary standpoint, but all are worth more than gold because of the wonderful memories they help me remember. Our personal outdoor baggage, if such it is, consists of the odds and

Lessons learned from the deer

2011-08-18T20:11:00.000-04:00

Whitetails can keep a hunter honest. They also can make you a better hunter. This doesn’t mean that my valued readers are dishonest nor does it mean they are bad hunters. It simply means that deer have the ability to make hunters think. They also can make hunters pretty humble when sportsmen think they know everything about deer hunting. Hunters who feel superior often get humble pie to eat.

Bow Quivers ... On Or Off

2011-08-16T20:11:00.000-04:00

Bow quiver on when shot is taken. Replace quiver after the shot. Life is about making personal choices and decisions. None of us must do everything as others do. We can dare to be different if we choose. This blog post applies to bow hunters. Every stick and string hunter worthy of the name has his or her way of doing things, and often they turn out right. We all learn from our best teacher,

Watch for bears in the woods and swamps during bear season

2011-08-15T20:11:00.001-04:00

A bear this size, at close range, is a formidable animal. Be aware of nearby bears. Bear hunting is a special brand of outdoor adventure where the hunted can become the hunter. It's when the tables can be rapidly turned on a sportsman, and where things can get very interesting very quickly. It doesn't happen very often with black bears, but when one attacks, it's not good news. A grizzly will

Outsmarting deer can be easy when hunters think

2011-08-15T11:48:00.002-04:00

This buck was photographed smelling a hankie. My problem was the deer always trickled past my tree stand about 20 yards out of my effective bow range. I did as I always do, and kept thinking they would eventually swerve a bit closer but they never did. Human scent is known to drive deer away, and after waiting for a miracle to happen, my idea seemed a bit far-fetched. It was to lay a

Food Plots Need A Good Soaking

2011-08-13T20:11:00.000-04:00

A good food plot, with enough rain, can produce fine bucks. I'm a bit too young to remember The Dust Bowl days of the early 1930s, but well remember talking to people who lived through that era when the ground was baked under a brutal sun, hardened, cracked and turned to chalk-like dust from an ongoing drought. Crops were impossible to grow for a few years, and dust storms covered roads, seeped

Plant It Right And The Deer Will Come

2011-08-12T20:11:00.000-04:00

Dave Richey (left) checks his clover plot. More and more people are putting in food plots every year. Some people use them to attract deer so they can watch the animals from their house, and some people hunt over them. Either way, putting in a food plot is good for all wildlife in the area. So what is a perfect food plot? Perfect means it grows well and provides extra nutrition. This question

Can We Solve Natural Resources Problems

2011-08-11T20:11:00.001-04:00

Wild turkeys and whitetail deer may have severe die-offs in bad winters. Guess what? Fishing and hunting isn't the same as it was 10 years ago, and it won't be the same 10 years in the future as it is now. Fishing and hunting have become fragmented. How so? There are many ways to look at our natural resource problems, such as: Years ago, a bear hunter bought a license and went hunting. Now, we

A Living Muskie Legend: Bob Brunner

2011-08-10T20:11:00.000-04:00

Bob Brunner, Legendary Muskie Guide of Lake St. Clair with big fish. Legendary is an honorary distinction bestowed only on a few fishing guides each year. It is an acknowledgement that a person has attained legendary status: a man who has made a visible impact on fishing over a period of many decades. Bob Brunner of Utica, Michigan, was awarded this distinctive honor several years ago by the

On Your Own Or With Someone: It’s The Big Question

2011-08-09T20:11:00.000-04:00

One man -- me -- and my muskox. A good case can be made for fishing or hunting alone. Let's face it: sportsmen are a gregarious sort by their very nature, not by necessity. They love the camaraderie and excitement of the hunt, the sharing of nearby campsites or putting a canoe sneak on a bunch of bedded bluegills. Two or more sportsmen make a big deal out of planning their next deer drive, their

Bear hunting season opens next month

2011-08-08T20:11:00.004-04:00

The author’s first bear with a bow. Sometimes, this is all one sees of a bear. Me and black bears go back a very long time. There have been a large number of close encounters with bruins over 45 years, and some potentially dangerous confrontations have taken place and I’m still respectfully writing about them. Bears are very curious but can be very dangerous animals and are among my

The fish that becomes and addiction

2011-08-07T20:11:00.001-04:00

The Dave Richey plays a big Lake St. Clair muskie. Muskies have been a preferred species of mine for many years, in many states and the Provinces of Ontario and Quebec, and it’s my sincere belief they are the most unpredictable, ornery and cantankerous and unpredictable fresh water game fish in North America. They may hit well one day, but may go several days before they decide to hit

Bob: A Big Loser At Walleye Poaching

2011-08-06T20:11:00.005-04:00

Poachers often glass from a car & often shoot pheasants & rabbits for sale. Bob was sitting pretty. He was making about $1,500 per week, and was able to set his own hours. No time-clock punching for him. He owned a boat, motor and trailer, and fished or hunted every day. He was a laid-off factory worker, and was entitled to some rather sizable work benefits. However, Bob’s life was a little

Accurate shooting requires good optics and lots of practice

2011-08-05T21:26:00.004-04:00

Dave Richey with big Alaskan moose.The truest form of respect we can give to the animals and birds that sportsmen hunt is to make a clean, killing shot, whether with a bow, muzzleloader, pistol, rifle or shotgun. The thing that many anti-hunters are against are wounded animals. I have people contact me, and some say they are ill-prepared for the shot. A bad hit is the result of jittery

Scoop’s Books website crashed and burned

2011-08-04T20:11:00.002-04:00

Anyone who has read my daily weblog over the past eight years knows that I write about fishing, hunting and outdoor recreation. I cover some of the Department of Natural Resources' issue, and have some 500 fishing and hunting books for sale. A few examples of some of my outdoor books for sale. Well, at least as of last weekend. Putting up that many books doesn't happen overnight. It doesn't

Gram babysits and bow hunts at the same time

2011-08-03T20:11:00.002-04:00

A bow-hunting Gran'ma, Kay Richey.Spending time with someone else, and watching them take a shot at a buck, is just as exciting for the watcher as for the shooter. It's long been said that turkey hunting is a one-man game, and that, for the most part, is true. Hunts can be shared by people who hunt alone but who will share the trip with another person. More families than ever before have come

Unseen midnight stranger on a darkened river

2011-08-02T20:11:00.000-04:00

Big browns like this come along often.There are times when I've had my act together. One special night on the Sturgeon River between Indian River and Wolverine was a very good example, and it occurred after the major insect hatches had ended. I'd waded down through a deep, slow stretch of water during daylight hours because I'd seen a big brown raise to the surface like a lazy whale broaching

Litte things can change a hunt

2011-08-01T20:11:00.001-04:00

Little things count. Wait for the right time to shoot and hit the vitals.Many hunters think of bow hunting as a huge-antlered buck standing motionless at 20 yard with nothing between you except a few low-growing weeds and empty air. This so-called calendar pose is what many short-term bow hunters expect to see while hunting. They've been conditioned over many years to expect such a big-as-life

The old ways are not always the best

2011-07-31T20:11:00.001-04:00

(left) Scouting can lead to a big buck. (right) This nice buck bedded in high grass. Some things about whitetail hunting never change. Many deer hunters choose the same tree for a stand, walk the same trail into and out of a hunting area, and nothing changes. Many will sit on the same stump, along the same deer trail, as they did 10 or more years ago. It's difficult for many sportsmen to

How to approach your hunting stand without spooking deer

2011-07-30T20:11:00.000-04:00

A truck is the best way to approach a blind. Truck drops off and picks up hunters. OK, folks, which is the best way to walk to your deer-hunting stand? Skulk along like you are trying to sneak up on the deer or just walk straight-forward without trying to sneak from one tree to the next? In this country, opinions are like elbows: everyone has at least one. You may disagree with my thoughts,

Hunters who brag about never missing

2011-07-28T20:58:00.004-04:00

My wife with a nice Wyoming pronghorn. The author with a nice mulie buck It was more than 20 years ago, and a friend and I were hunting mule deer on a ranch in northeastern Wyoming. There were some good bucks on that land, and I shot a dandy mule deer as did my friend. A few hunters on the ranch were there only for antelope. One was the sort that let his mouth overload his back-side, and

The Richey Twins on the outdoor trail

2011-07-27T20:11:00.001-04:00

George with a 30-pound-plus king salmon. It was a nice day and it felt good to be cleaning steelhead rods and reels. This job seemed better than working on the computer. I was puttering with a reel with 4-pound line when a memory jolted me like an electric shock. It was about my late brother George, and he was coming down the Little Manistee River years ago fighting a rampaging steelhead. "

Camera or Bow: Which is best?

2011-07-27T00:31:00.001-04:00

Photographing wild whitetail bucks requires as much skill as hunting them. It was one of those great nights a few tears ago when the deer started moving early on a west wind, and continued filtering through my area until after dark. It presented me with a dilemma. Should I shoot a buck with my compound bow or with a camera? The new Canon camera with a 300mm lens seemed to beckon hard and long

I mourn the game birds we’ve lost. What’s next?

2011-07-25T20:48:00.001-04:00

Hunting game birds in the fall is great fun but we must protect what’s left. Gone, at least from Michigan, are some birds we once hunted. Hunters did not drive these game birds away nor did they kill them off, but humans and their intrusion into the birds' backyards did the job, quickly and quite effectively. I remember 40 years ago in a hill-top tent blind between Lake City and Marion, along

Remembering past ecological problems.

2011-07-24T21:56:00.001-04:00

Keep Asian carp out of Lake Michigan to protect salmon & other game fish. Mind you, being 72 isn't really old when you consider my father lived to be 94. He saw so many new and exciting things happen during his lifetime although he seldom appeared terribly excited by any of them. I've been witness to so many changes in our fisheries. Many years ago, Lake Erie was an open sewer. A dumping

I'm No Whiz With Tools.

2011-07-23T20:04:00.001-04:00

This is the boat and motor that generated this story of my mechanical genius. This time it's my children with me. I'm sure you've heard the stories of fools and tools or the ones about bear cubs and boxing gloves. They've got nothing on me. There are many things I may or may not be, but handy with tools is not one of them. My tolerance level for all things mechanical is very low. In fact, I

Literary riches from other writers.

2011-07-22T19:47:00.001-04:00

Ben East of Holly, Michigan (left) and Gordie Charles, two key outdoor writers. Studying the history and high points of a person's lengthy literary career can be an informing and a somewhat behind-the-scenes look into that person's life. It has been my great good fortune to obtain a great and wonderful gift from my longtime friend, Gordie Charles, of Traverse City after his death. This gentle

Bow hunting: More mental than physical?

2011-07-21T21:49:00.001-04:00

The mental aspects of a bow hunt really comes while waiting for a good shot. It has often occurred to me that hunting is more mental than physical. Granted, we walk into the woods, climb into a tree stand, and if a nice deer walks by and stands in the best possible spot, we draw, aim and shoot. Go caribou, goat or elk hunting in the mountains, and the hunt becomes far more arduous than a

Remembering Luzerne Pond’s Brown Trout.

2011-07-20T17:01:00.001-04:00

A big hook-jawed brown trout splashes on the surface of Luzerne Pond. It happened about 30 years ago. Back in the early to mid-1980s, and as a news item it didn't draw much media attention. Big deal. So what. Another dam went out and silted up a small trout stream. Most people didn't pay too much mind, but it was a catastrophe for me. Luzerne Pond, midway between Grayling and Mio on highway M-

Scoop's Summer Outdoor Book Sale.

2011-07-19T16:51:00.001-04:00

Dave Richey shows off just a few of the fishing-hunting books he sells. OK, fishing-hunting book buyers. Gather round. Scoop's Books, here on my website, is offering a 10 percent summer special off the listed price through the end of August, 2011. Buyers can take an extra 10 percent off the low figure charged for all the books and magazines I offer. Fishing. Hunting. Bows and firearms. Salmon

Caribou In The Snow.

2011-07-18T19:36:00.001-04:00

The author with a nice caribou for the record books. And no, the bow isn't broken. It's covered with a bow sock. One of the most fascinating things about northern Quebec is how many lakes and rivers there are, and how few people inhabit the region. Some Montaignais Indians and a small group of Inuit from the sub-Arctic coast, and that's it for thousands of square miles of bush country. My first

Sitting still is all in your head.

2011-07-17T18:26:00.001-04:00

Deer often are head-up and alert, and may stand back in cover before moving. There is an art to sitting still. It means much more than being motionless; it means being still without making a sound. This may sound easy but it is a very difficult thing to accomplish for more than 10 minutes. Most people who bow hunts for deer will fidget, move around, or easing that tree stub pain sticking

Brook trout: Search and find.

2011-07-16T21:48:00.001-04:00

Doug Esch says it takes lots of hard work and searching to find brookies like these. A special thrill is experienced when prospecting for those speckled little fish with a square tail, white piping along their fins and blue spots along a dappled flank, and it comes whjen we find them. They can be pretty good at hiding themselves, especially in August and early September as they prepare to head

Can farmers and deer co-exist?

2011-07-15T16:38:00.001-04:00

A case of too many adult does and doe fawns can be the downfall of a deer herd. Many farmers I know have a love-hate relationship with deer on their land. As long as whitetail numbers aren't too high, they seem to coexist without undue problems. It's when antlerless deer numbers grow way out of proportion to their local available habitat and their food supply that things get real testy. Two

What’s not to love about trout fishing?

2011-07-14T17:47:00.001-04:00

Two beautiful brook trout: A big lake fish (left) and a dark river brookie. Why are 10-inch brook trout prizes to be cherished? Why should anyone spend hard-earned money to buy fine tackle just to catch a trout? They were a few idle thoughts that occasionally creep into my brain without warning. Here are some personal answers that often apply to al trout fishermen

Give of your time to help others learn about the outdoors.

2011-07-13T15:33:00.001-04:00

A nice good for a young hunter. The smile says it all for the young deer hunter. Enjoying the outdoors is something that can be easily learned. By catching one fish or a limit; by deer hunting and taking a nice 8-point; by shooting a nice black bear or by decoying a brace of mallards drakes into a small pothole pond. It also can be learned simply by spending time outdoors, and by studying

Shoot Once, Shoot Straight & Don’t Miss.

2011-07-12T17:53:00.001-04:00

This system really works. Study it, practice it, and be ready for fall bow hunts. Many years ago several of us adopted a basic bow-shooting philosophy, and it is every bit as important to us today as it was back then. We called it the Shoot Once, Shoot Straight And Don't Miss philosophy. It is a philosophy to aspire to, and we've taught it to thousands of bow hunters over the years. The

Write to me about your article preferences.

2011-07-11T18:38:00.001-04:00

How about the oddities of deer antlers like those on these Michigan bucks. I'm an outdoor writer, and if we base that on the large number of writing and photography awards on my walls, a decent one at that. I enjoy writing about all types of fishing and hunting but I always could use a little bit of help from my readers. Send me an email at and tell me what you most like

Old Outdoor Magazines For Sale

2011-07-10T20:54:00.001-04:00

Old magazines can captivate the imagination of any sportsman. Reliving our old outdoor passions is easy. Simply go back in time with an old outdoor magazine and have your brain gently nudged again. Kick back, dig into it, and choose those articles that are most appealing. Heaven knows, there are plenty of choices of things to read about. Think reading is a dying art? I’d suggest you think

Get it right or don't show it,

2011-07-09T18:55:00.001-04:00

People love to see photos of live deer, not videos of dead or dying animals. I'm not a big television fan, and would rather read a good book than watch dumb shows. Many people apparently agree with this philosophy. OK, folks, want an example of misguided thinking?. Most television hunting shows focus on whitetails. Most of the show hosts are from down south. Now, I mean no disrespect to any

Idle mid-summer thoughts.

2011-07-08T20:06:00.001-04:00

Big-water salmon or fly fishing for trout during a summer hatch. Take your pick. You know it's summer when the croaking sound of flying sandhill cranes waken you at daybreak. These big birds are noisy, make strange sounds and I know one woman who is deathly frightened of them, Why is anyone's guess. As soon as a sandhiil crane sees a human, they lift off the ground in ungainly flight,

Estimating distances for bow or firearm shots.

2011-07-07T14:43:00.001-04:00

How far is this foggy buck & doe or this large and heavy big buck in the open? The buck was an estimated 25 yards away as it moved through a foggy day shortly after sundown. This happened some years ago, and I drew back, aimed and the arrow sailed just under its brisket for a clean miss. I had held for 25 yards, but in the dusk and light fog, the distance was very misleading. The buck had

Summer means working on fall hunting stands.

2011-07-06T21:10:00.001-04:00

If it’s a nice buck you want this fall, now is the time to finish up odd jobs. Opening days, and last days, are a continuing part of the cycle that is bow hunting for active hunters. We no more than finished the 2010 hunting season, and am now looking forward to the Oct. 1, 2011 archery opener nearly three months away. There never seems to be enough time to get everything done that we need

How To Control Most Human Odor.

2011-07-05T17:04:00.001-04:00

Scent Shield and Vanishing Hunter work very well, as does Scent Killer, etc. Humans have some funny notions, and oddly enough, some believe them. Our beliefs often are very strong about things concerning hunting, and we believe them even if they are not true. Well, at least some people do. The problem is our Daddy or Gran'pappy told us these hoary old thoughts were true. Some of these myths