My wife, bless her heart, has lived in the west with my for the last 13.5 years. Before that, she spent a decade abroad studying for her MFA & undergrad. She's not lived "home" for 23 years and it was galling her last year. She asked if we could consider moving to Michigan to be closer to family. We've spent the last 8 years building a business, and a life in Montana, doing some good work for wildlife and conservation. But like all things, I've been feeling the pull to try something different than lobbying and working on contentious issues constantly. I agreed in December of 2019, then COVID-19 hit, and we shelved our plans until it was safe to go.
Then, when she was planning to go visit home for her grandmother's 90th birthday in May, the event was cancelled due to COVID. It put things in faster motion for us, as we were slated to spend a month (August) out in Michigan visiting. During that trip, her grandmother had to be hospitalized with stress fractures in two vertebrae, then hospitalized again from pneumonia contracted from the first stay, making the move more urgent. We ended up buying a house with 5 acres in a pretty rural area. We do have deer on it, and turkey as well. After doing some research it seems like the grouse hunting around there isn't half bad either. While it's not the west, it's not a terrible trade, really. Happy wife, reduced stress, and a chance to try something different.
And that's why this post is in the deer section. I know some Michiganders hunt stands & blinds and that's the most commonly accepted method, but is it possible to still hunt, to spot & stalk, or am I destined to wear puffy clothing & sit in a tree?
The dogs picked up ruffed grouse flushing pretty easily, so I think that will be a fun adventure. It's really the deer that are starting to puzzle me. I'm certainly not opposed to shooting a deer from the bathroom window, or out the master bedroom deck, but I'm interested in hearing how you big woods guys hunt Michigan deer effectively.
Any tips, reading materials, etc? I'll have a month of muzzleloader & late antlerless along with December grouse to keep me occupied, and I'd like to try and make the most of it.
Then, when she was planning to go visit home for her grandmother's 90th birthday in May, the event was cancelled due to COVID. It put things in faster motion for us, as we were slated to spend a month (August) out in Michigan visiting. During that trip, her grandmother had to be hospitalized with stress fractures in two vertebrae, then hospitalized again from pneumonia contracted from the first stay, making the move more urgent. We ended up buying a house with 5 acres in a pretty rural area. We do have deer on it, and turkey as well. After doing some research it seems like the grouse hunting around there isn't half bad either. While it's not the west, it's not a terrible trade, really. Happy wife, reduced stress, and a chance to try something different.
And that's why this post is in the deer section. I know some Michiganders hunt stands & blinds and that's the most commonly accepted method, but is it possible to still hunt, to spot & stalk, or am I destined to wear puffy clothing & sit in a tree?
The dogs picked up ruffed grouse flushing pretty easily, so I think that will be a fun adventure. It's really the deer that are starting to puzzle me. I'm certainly not opposed to shooting a deer from the bathroom window, or out the master bedroom deck, but I'm interested in hearing how you big woods guys hunt Michigan deer effectively.
Any tips, reading materials, etc? I'll have a month of muzzleloader & late antlerless along with December grouse to keep me occupied, and I'd like to try and make the most of it.
The mountains will still be here, and I'll be visiting.
