Took a friend from work and her two kids out Sunday pm, went 7 for 7, including a double, on Kings to about 20 lbs.

The Chartreuse Splatter is just plain HOT, taking more fish than anything else.  Green Splatter, Black Onyx and the Polecat spoon on the lead core also took fish.

The morning bite at first light was hot, hot hot today.  many charters were cleaning fish at 9 am when I finally made it to the dock.

8-13-2005 Ludington

Fished straight out of the pier heads on a SE troll to Pentwater in 60-80 feet of water.  Went 8 for 10, 7 Kings to 15 lbs and a Laker.  Most fish were taken on meat rigs, except for a couple on spoons on lead core.  The new Chartreuse Splatter/Green frog glow and the Black Onyx/clear red Twinkies were the hits.  We started with 3 quick fish before sunup and then picked at them until 11.

8-5 to 8-7-2005 Ludington

Family stuff limited my time on the water this weekend, but my buddy Skip and his brother limited out a couple of times.  Meat rigs, our old favorite Black Onyx/Clear Red was the hot one and the lead core Blue Dolphin spoon were featured.

Skip reported good action North to the point out to 200 feet of water.  It sounded like bumper cars out there, but Skip stayed outside of the pack and had no problem whakin' and a stackin'.

7-28-2005 Evening Limit on Kings

7-31-2005 Ludington

A little rough for the Sarah Ann today, but good numbers of fish were hung on the rack this morning.

The fish are holding very large alewives, which reflects the reports that Mag spoons are doing better than regular now.

All areas out of Ludington are holding fish, from 50 feet out to 150.

Went 7 for 10 today, waiting right now for weigh in to begin.  I had Jim with me, a dock mate of mine who has not done much fishing before.

Before daybreak the hot setup was the Blue Glow Opti-Dodger with the Green Lantern Glow Dragon Fly.  We took fish on the Raider Bluetail and the Glow Blue Spin Doctor and the Light Blue Glow Dragon Fly.

When the sun came up, fishing shut down until I redid the setup.  I moved the meat rigs off of the riggers to the divers and took the last two keepers on the diver with the Frog Glow Kingfisher and the Frog Twinkie.

At that point we had 6 Kings and a Steelhead, and with the no-culling rule we had to go find some trout.  We took two more Kings, one on double orange crush on 3 color and the other on a lb. ball out 175 with a white Kingfisher and Jellybean Twink that we had to throw back, with questionable results, and decided that enough was enough.  We won't be in the money today.

Our plan was simple, I drove south until I was out of the fleet and stayed south of them all day.

We had a great time.  If you can get here in the next couple of weeks, by all means do so.

Fishing is great!  I took a customer out for a mini "seminar" on cut bait and other tackle last night.  We started a little slow, but about 7:30 the Kings moved in where we were and every line in the water took fish.

The Hot Lures were the Polecat and the Road Kill on 3-5 colors of lead and 150 feet of copper.  Had a little mishap with the 1/2 core so I had to go to 3 color, but it made no difference.

The Hot Rig near the boat was a diver out 130 set on 3 with a blue glow Spin Doctor and a Aqua Gold KRW fly.

The Black Onyx Kingfisher and the Red KRW Meat Rig and the Blue Magna Glow Splatter Kingfisher with a Blue Twinkie each took fish.

We fished straight out in about 60-80 feet of water on a North Troll.

This is "Prime Time" for Ludington.  The fish are big, one of those pushed 20 lbs, and they are still silver.  Later they are bigger but when they start to turn they lose some fight.

Big Thanks to "Willie Wonka" for setting us straight on where to go.  Bill charters on the same dock I am on, and can be reached at

810-659-4113

Fishing has been kind' a tough, not much in the way of specific information with the tournament on.  The boats I talked to struggled to get their fish.  One boat took all fish on divers and lead, the next took all on riggers deep.

The only real info I have is LOTS of bots in front of the Three Sisters (South almost to Pentwater, three dunes)

My free advice is to go South.  There are not enough fish at the point to fill the coolers of all the boats that will be there tomorrow.  Get away from everybody else, put out the core and hope to get lucky.

Trying my luck tonight after the fleet comes in.  I am not in this at all, so you will get a complete report.

Call me if you have any last minute needs here, I have some Kingfishers, twinkies, spin doctors and a few Raiders.

Click on the pictures for a better view

The lake turned over.  Very cold water in shore and sharp temperature breaks everywhere had the fish spread out, at least I could not find them in concentrations.  I heard a rumor that there were massive schools to the south while I was struggling at the point, but I have not confirmed that.

High lines saved our weekend.  Copper wire, full, 1/2, 2 color, flat lines took fish.  Double Orange Crush, Raider Polecat, and lemon ice took fish up top.

Dipsys were OK.  The Black Mongoose with a black KRW squid was a surprising hit, surprising as in I would not have thought of it, fortunately I was not alone on the boat.  "Blue Bubble" Spin doctor with a Blue Mirage fly took hits.

The one disappointment was the bait.  We took one hit all weekend on the bait, not for lack of trying.  I have never had a weekend like this before, since I tried bait.  We started with a bait only program and eventually evolved to getting rid of it all.

Don't take this as saying "bait does not work".  This just shows you that you have to be flexible and willing to adapt to what the fish want.  IN GENERAL, cut bait will out perform spoons and fly rigs this time of year, but as someone once said, my favorite lure is the one the fish is on.

One of the fish had the biggest Lamprey I have seen.  Fortunately it stayed on the fish into the boat so I was able to introduce it to "Mr. Fish Grinder" at the cleaning station after snapping that picture.

Fished the point Saturday Night.  Too crowded, too much fishing pressure, and my favorite places to go to get away from the crowd had little red flags all over.

My wife saved the day with that bad boy, 125 feet down on a rigger with an Electric Kool-Aid Raider Spoon

I took my "trophy" on two colors off of a board with a double orange crush.

Fished SW of the pier heads in mostly 183 feet of water.  Went 5 for 8, 3 Kings and 2 Lakers.

The Lakers came on top, 2 and 3 colors off boards, Double Orange Crush and Bloody Nose.  Someone told them they were Steelhead.  I lost a big Laker at the boat off of a 1 1/2 lb ball on a wire rig out 250.

The Kings came on riggers, 45 and 90 feet down, mostly on bait.  Black Onyx/clear red was the hot color, had a couple of hits on the White Glow and the new Jelly Bean Twinkie

The lb ball took hits with a green twinkie and no flasher at all.  This was the first time I have tried that, it was not "hot", but I can see days where it will be.

Lots of room to the south, the traffic is all North.  Big fish coming both places.

It's a big lake out there guys.  It is frustrating to be one of 2 boats within

5 miles and have you run right behind my boat.  A less tolerant person might have become unreasonable.  Fishing should be enjoyable.  If you are that desperate for a fish, come on my boat and I'll show you how to get some without being a jerk.

South Winds Sunday and Thunderstorms probably have changed things.  The shift cable broke on my boat as I was turning it around yesterday.  Another week, another couple of hundred bucks.  That's owning a boat. 

I was lucky in where I was where it happened.  The boat basically, with some help from people at "F" Dock, drifted right into a slip across from mine.  We then ferried it across back to my slip, without bumping any boats.

We did pretty well this morning, went 7 for 10, 6 Kings to 18 lbs and a 5 lb Steelhead.  A nice way to celebrate my buddy's first day on the water this season in his boat.

The misses, and the 1 catch, were all Steelhead on a board, Double Orange Crush on two colors of lead.  They simply got off the line by charging the board and there is no way to get the slack out.  That happens some time.

The Kings came mostly on riggers down 25 to 40 in 50 feet of water from Epworth to the Point.  We had a scum line and a nice temperature break that lasted from our 6 am start till about 11 am.  Just two boats fishing that with the entire fleet outside of us.

Well, we had good news and bad news.  The bad news was due to electrical problems I did not take the boat to Manitowoc.  The good news is everybody got out to fish, we found seats for everyone including me.

The even better news was I was assigned to team "Big Santa".  Big Santa and Large Elf are a couple of real fishermen who fish Manitowoc often, and it showed.  We went out at 3:45 am and were set up at 4:30.

There's a tip for you, Big Santa spent an extra 20 minutes searching for the right spot to set up, based on water temp.  Manitowoc is very flat, with not a lot of structure available, so small temperature breaks are important.  The idea is, spend a little extra time up front, save big time later.

Well, it paid off.  We were done at 9:00 with out limit of 11 Kings, 2 Coho and 2 Rainbows, or as we call them, Steelhead.  Wisconsin rules allow 5 Salmon per angler, limiting only Lakers.

I pulled in the second biggest fish of the gathering with an 18 lb King off of a wire dipsy.  We had a blast.  The Kings ran hard in the cold water and the Steelhead rocketed out of the water several times each.

Our catch of about 115 lbs took first place, the Big King was a 19 lb brute, which put me in 2nd place, of course it was in the last cooler weighed.  Hey, I enjoyed being "the guy to beat" for a while.

We took fish in 50-80 feet of water SW of the port all the way to bumping the bottom and off of boards.  The Steelhead came on Dipsys and Kings came on the board.  speed mattered, you needed at lead 2.4 to get a hit.

Hot rigs - (keep in mind I was a guest on this boat and we fished Big Santa's tackle.  He is not a customer, yet.  Nonetheless, a fishing report is a fishing report and these are all good names, even the ones I don't sell.)  The two big fish came on wire dipsys, one with a pearl glow Opti and a Blue Crinkle Howie fly and my fish on a green Opti Dodger with Glow tape and a white Howie fly.

Hot spoons - a pink and super glow Fishlander spoon, a black and green ladder back Pro King which happens to be one of my favorite non-Raider Spoons and a orange crush Pro King.  Big Santa had no Raiders on board, and we have since corrected that situation.

It was a great time all day.  Big Santa is a skilled fisherman and Large Elf is a fine young man.  Josh of Raider Spoons put on a great program and Berkley provided some excellent grab bag items.  Than you to all those who helped out, especially whoever made the Cherry Cobbler.  The Lakelink board is a bunch of really fun guys.  I am looking forward to next year already.

If you have a group, be it online or a bunch of guys wherever, you should organize an event like this.  It is a lot of fun, I think more fun because there is no money involved.  No pressure, no worrying about cheating, just guys fishing, eating great food, and telling stories.

6-19-05 Ludington

  The top three fish up there are mine, the bottom one is my buddy Skip's

(Just Kidding)

The fish were still scattered.  It took us a long time to get a program going, but in the end we were 3 for 4.  The three we got all hit deep, 80-90 feet down, all over 215 feet of water.  We crossed that depth three times and those are the three fish.  There was a small, 1 degree temp drop right there at the surface.

Two fish came on the White Casper Glow Kingfisher with a new color Twinkie (I have ordered them, they will be on the store as soon as they get here) and the third came on a dipsy with a Transparent Blue Glow crush Spin Doctor and a KRW Honolulu Hammer fly.

Hopefully the fish will school up and make it easier next weekend.

The one miss was a hard yank on a flat line with a Raider Double Orange Crush.

6-18-05 Ludington

  The north wind has the fish scattered.  Pockets of cold water are holding fish, if you look long enough you can find them.

Wasted a couple of hours southwest of the pier and pulled lines.  For once "radio fishing" paid off, some wonderful soul reported fish in 160 feet of water 90 feet down.  Set up and in 5 minutes had a 10 lb king, 90 feet down in 160 feet of water, just like the man said.  Had to head in at that point, but I was happy to get the skunk out of the box.

My first kill with the new Black Onyx Magna Glow Kingfisher and the clear/red Twinkie.

Heading out first thing in the am, my buddy Skip will be with me, so at least I can run 6 lines.

6-11-05 Ludington

  We started out in 100 ft of water SW of the pier.  "Word was" the fish were deep again, but the weather was iffy, with rain squalls and fog and I did not want to get too deep.  Went 1 for 2 in about 2 hours before the wind came up and blew us off the lake.  My passenger today had a bout of carbon monoxide poisoning several years ago and the slightest wiff of exhaust makes him seasick.  I never make passengers stay out when they are uncomfortable.

First hit, a good sized King that Roger "farmed" came 45 feet down on the "Black Mongoose" Spin Doctor and clear/red twinkie.  The fish managed to get the line back between the tines of the treble hook and twist himself off.

The other hit came off of a Chartreuse/Pearl Scale #122 "Banana Rig" Opti-Dodger and a #124 KRW "Wild Streak" Fly.  This rig was on a diver set on 3 out 100 feet, and produced a nice steelhead, my first on the big lake for 2005.  See the picture above.  I have been hearing about good numbers of Steelhead around, I hope they are true.  This bad boy gave me every bit of fight I have come to admire in the Steelhead, and then tasted great off of the grill tonight.

6-4-05 Ludington

  From "Verdict" - a fisherman out of the municipal Marina: "We fished out deep from the 4000 to 4500 line on Saturday and did okay.  We boxed 10 fish and lost 3 or 4 others between 7 - 12.  6 kings, 2 coho and 2 lake trout.  Unfortunately there was no pattern, Spin Doctor/Fly, regular and mag size spoons, primarily on leadcore (half, full and core and a half)." 

6-4-05 Ludington

  I guess I was spoiled in South Haven.  The fish have spread out and deep, I heard reports of fish taken in 400' of water.  I did not get out that far, just 100-235' and hardly marked a thing.  Had one strong hit on a Green Holo/Green Frog Twinkie and it was gone.

I heard a report of a 28 lb Laker taken, and another of a 27 lb King.  I did not see or weigh either fish, but from the sounds of it some nice fish are hiding out there.  I also heard of Steelhead being taken out there.

5-29-05 Ludington PM

  Well, as good as it was Saturday, it was that tough Sunday.  Ended up 2 for 4 with 2 Kings pushing 12 lbs.  The lead core with the Raider Froggie and the White Spin Doctor with Green Holo and a Glow Frog Twinkie took the fish.

Getting kind of tired of fighting "1 foot or less" seas that look like 2-4 footers.  Kind of takes your confidence out of the forecasts.  Tip - if you have NW winds to 20 knots, they won't be less than 1 foot seas.

5-28-05 Ludington

  The rumors were true!  We fished from 9:30 to 12:30 today Straight off of the project.  150 feet was the depth for us today.  140 feet or less and 160 feet or more we could not catch a fish, just 150 feet.  So we just crosses that depth 8 times (1 double) and got our 6 fish.  Some days it's like that.

We were 9 for 11, Jerry farmed 1 and I farmed 2.  All Kings 6-10 lbs.  We saw 1 nice Laker and a BIG King, probably well over 15 lbs at the fish cleaning station.

The Mini Purple Dee's Flasher with a "Hey Baby" Spoon, A Green Holo/White Spin Doctor with a Frog Twinkie, Mag Lemon Ice, and the Froggie Raider spoon in the picture were the hot lures.  Fish came on divers back 150, Rigger down 60 and the hot line was a full core.  A faster troll, at least 2.5 mph was the ticket.

5-21-2005 South Haven Flint Steelheaders Tournament

Click on the photo's for a larger view

We did "OK".  The above catch was about 42 lbs, which managed to put us in 20th out of 25 place. 

Talk about great fishing.  The numbers were impressive.  25 boats, 198 Kings, or almost 8 Kings per boat. There were also 4 Steelhead, 2 Coho and 9 Lake Trout caught.  We were 20th with 42 lbs, boats "in the money" who caught 10 fish (You needed at least 1 trout to weigh in 10 fish, and we did not get one) had 47 lbs of fish.  So in 20th place, we were a 5 lb Laker away from the money!

Tim Maike in the "Bald Dog" Took first with 66 lbs, and Big Fish was caught by Daren Horger.  That's Daren above there receiving a rig I donated as the Big Fish Prize, along with the $50 the club awards.

Complete results can be seen here.  While you are there, sign up!

Daren caught the Big King on a copper wire rig and a Fishlander Orange Crush spoon.  Daren bought the copper from me at the Birch Run show.

Our hot rigs were a Raider Mag Orange Crush on a full core (Yeah - why wasn't I running copper???), Raider Regular Blue Dolphin, Raider Serial Killer, White/Blue Holo Spin Doctor with a "Blue Dynamite" Fly.  You needed to be going at least 2.2 mph, and we caught these fish in about 110 feet of water straight out from the pier.  We had our 9 fish and went trout hunting at 10.  We trolled out deep with flat lines, 2 colors and riggers way down.  We caught Kings on the surface, we caught Kings as deep as 145 feet down, but we could not find that trout.

Oh well, who's complaining?  We weighed in a very respectable cooler and we had a great time.  I have said it before, and I will say it again now, if you like to fish for Salmon, get to South Haven in May.

I went out 5 times in the past week.  I limited out on Kings every time out.  We kept 37 fish, 36 Kings and one Laker.  We boated well over 50 fish.  I am not bragging, I am just trying to show what a phenomenal fishery they have in May.  Incidentally, the two guys I took out Wednesday I saw at the launch with their boat Saturday and they had taken 9 Kings themselves.

I have to thank Greg from the Flint Steelheaders for putting on such a great event, and everyone else who helped and participated.  I also have to thank the South Haven Steelheaders who treated us all to a cookout afterward.

Well, next week I will probably be putting the boat in at Ludington.  I have heard some rumors that the Kings are showing up there now.

5-20-2005 South Haven

We went 9 for about 12 today, Keeping 6 Nice Kings and 1 Lake Trout.  Lemon Ice and Serial Killer were the hot spoons.  We are cranked up and ready to go for tomorrow's Steelheader Tournament. 

All the fish came in about 110 to 120 feet of water, in riggers down to 80 feet and divers out 125-150.

5-18-2005 South Haven

Click on the pictures for a better view

I spent the day with a couple of real nice guys who just plain love to fish.  They love to be on the water, they love to fight the fish, and they love to eat fish.  It's a real pleasure to be out there with guys who are just plain enjoying themselves.

We went 11 for about 13 today, releasing 2 small kings for a 3 man limit, from about 8:30 to 2.  Things started slow, I set up in about 140 feet of water a little north of the pier and trolled North with the waves.  After about an hour I started to sweat and decided to bring the boat in shallower. and swung South.  That was the ticket, in a bout 120 feet we started to find the fish.

The Hot spoon was the Raider Green Alewife which took probably 4 fish, on the center rigger 80 feet down.  The Serial Killer did quite well also.  In the Dipsys (125 and 175 back dialed on 3) the Black Mongoose and Clear/Red Twinkie had three hard hits, and we boated two of them, including one of the double we had for the last two fish.  The other fish on that double came on the white Spin Doctor with Green Holo and the Green Mirage KRW fly and was the big fish for the day.  All the big fish today came on the Spin Doctors and fly's or bait rigs.

The "Goofy Rig" did nothing for me today, so I swapped it out with a Chartreuse/Pearl Scale "Banana Rig" Opti-Dodger with a raider Lemon Ice spoon running rather shallow about 35 feet down about 50 feet back.  That rig took about a minute to find a fish.

There's a lesson to be learned there - Be flexible.  Just because a rig worked yesterday does not mean it's going to work today.  To consistently catch fish you need to be able to adapt to changing conditions.  Your favorite rig should be the one catching fish today, not yesterday.  The "Goofy Rig" will continue to be a part of my program, but like any other part of my program, if it does not produce it comes out.

The other thing that worked Monday and did nothing today was sliders.  All rigger fish came on the main lines.  Some days it works, some days it does not.

Most of the action came on about a 2.5 mph troll, slowing down killed the riggers but seemed to help the dipsys.

On the way back in we saw this cool (I assume a reproduction of a) old sailing vessel taking a group including a bunch of kids out for a sail.  It looked like they were having a lot of fun.

Friday am I head back to clean up the boat and get ready to pre-fish for the Saturday Steelheaders Tournament.

5-16-2005 South Haven

Click on the picture for a better view

I feel like the Pistons.  Get a butt kick'n one time out and come roaring back with one of the best days I ever had on the lake.  We went 8 for 9 and released a good sized Lake Trout and a small King.

Set up NW of the port in about 140 ft and trolled South with the "1 foot or less" waves that looked a lot bigger than that to me.  Had our 6 Salmon in less than 2 hours.  We had all 3 riggers and one of our divers going.  Blue and Green dolphins, Clear/Red Twinkie with the Black Mongoose Spin Doctor, White Spin Doctor with a Mirage/Green KRW Fly.  Fish came 50-100 feet down on mainlines and free sliders.  We were trolling at about 2.5 mph, slowing down seemed to kill the action.  We had 2 Ridgeback Rattlers out.

My partner got 2 of his buddies on the phone and we went back out in the pm.  Same exact program except I added a Blue Dee's flasher ahead of an electric Kool-Aid Raider spoon.  We could not keep that rig in the water.  Went 6 for 7 in less than 2 hours, 3 of the fish on the Dee's rig.  My partner was not very confident of this rig when I put it out, to say the least.  He named it the "Goofy Rig".  The first hit (the miss) he called luck, by the second fish he was asking if I had more "Goofy rigs".

I started out running a couple of bait rigs, but when the action seemed as good on the other rigs we pulled it.  I love bait because it catches fish when I can't otherwise catch fish, but if the other stuff is working, bait is a pain in the neck.

14 fish caught, 12 kept in one day in my boat is not a record, but it's close.  If you can get down there within the next 2 weeks, this is some of the best fishing you will find anywhere.  While I was typing this, one of my best customers called about fishing tomorrow and I couldn't resist.  I am meeting them at 8 am at the boat, so I'll have a report tomorrow.

On a more sober note, I want to urge all my customers, and everyone else, to be careful out on the lake.  A report on one of the boards is that a very experienced fisherman capsized his boat last weekend and they nearly died from Hypothermia.  I have no details on what happened, but I know that having a radio and a GPS on board probably saved their life.  Yesterday cruising out I saw a HUGE log floating in the water, nearly in my path.  Had I hit it at speed it would not be a good thing.  All the electronics on the boat did not keep us safe, a sharp lookout did.  Use your head, it's the most important piece of safety equipment on your boat.

5-7-2005 St. Joseph

Well, I got my first skunk of the season.  We worked on the boat until 10pm Friday after getting it from Grandville Marine, who did a fine job on my boat.  The board is finished and we are armed with all 3 downriggers.

Got a late start Saturday, put the boat in at noon and fished for about 3 hours until we got blown off the lake.  We had one hit on the same Raider Orange Crush that we got the King on last time on a free slider.  I farmed the fish myself so I can't even blame Jerry.  That North wind was just miserable.

The good news is the boat ran great and I am just that much closer to being ready for the big time!

The Flint Steelheaders South Haven Outing is in 2 weeks, on May 21.  The last two years I have fished South Haven in May and it is a gas.  It's not fishing, it's catching.

I will be pre-fishing for the Outing this weekend.  The South Haven Steelheaders Big Jon Pro-Am is this weekend.  I have to figure out what I am going to do.  Last year the port was mobbed that weekend.  Maybe I will have to fish some other days other than Saturday or Sunday.

4-30-2005 Ludington Browns

I have a reliable report on brown fishing in Ludington.  My contact went 6 for 9 trolling the harbor and north and south of the pier heads a couple miles each way.  The hot rigs were Thunder Sticks in Fire tiger and Perch, and an unknown brand of blue and silver stick bait.

4-26-2005 Enough Snow!!

SUNDAY
WEST WINDS 10 TO 20 KNOTS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS. WAVES
3 TO 5 FEET.
 

Not what I consider fun, and besides, the Sarah Ann is not done at the shop, so the get together will be postponed a week.  Sorry/

4-24-2005 Michigan

4-17-05 St. Joseph - Slow Fishing

First fish of the season!

2-27-05  A long time since my last update, not much to report.  I have been spending all my free time building the store, choosing inventory and shipping orders.

Good News - it's confirmed as of April 1 I will be doing this full time.  Hopefully no more working until 2 am!

1-9-04  The store is finally up to date, at least as of today!  Of course there is always more to do, more products to add, but the store is pretty functional now.

12-12-2004  Went out on the Manistee river this week with Jerry D. and Doug Samsal.  Doug is a premier guide and after a day on the river I highly recommend him.  We went 8 for 16, including a triple on our last hits.  The water was high and it took an expert guide to find the fish.  A camera malfunction means I don't have pictures.  If you have never fished the river for steelhead, you are missing a treat.  These fish hit hard and run fast.  You can call Doug at 231-859-4485

12-2-2004  Gun season is over, and as usual I did not get out as much as I like.  I did take a doe on the last day.

The good news is, Muzzleloader season is open in the UP, and opens in the LP on the 10th.  You still have plenty of time to get that "Smoke Pole" and get out there.

11-16-2004  My son and I hunted a friend's land in Eaton County, MI on opening day.  My son shot his first buck at 4:00 pm from the stand.  It was about a 75 yard shot with a 12 gage slug.  He kept his cool despite a parade of does all day to the bait pile.

It was John's first deer camp.  Our hosts did it up in style with heated blinds and custom made hats.  Three deer were taken that day, another buck slightly heavier and a doe.  Our host is working hard to improve the quality of the bucks, by culling does and planting crops to improve the herd's health.

10-31-2004  These guys stopped by for our opening!  Seriously, a flock of 9 turkeys were in my yard the other day when I came home.  This photo was taken from 4 feet away.  Of course this would never happen if I was hunting!