Today the bulldozer came to the property to clear the new food plot area and create a trail to connect the logging road to the new property. The work took about 5 hours and everything looks great. Now the process of rock picking, disking, dragging, and planting will need to begin.

Jim and Wally spent the afternoon working on the food plot. They disked and dragged the area and then planted it with a combination of brassicas and clovers. Hopefully it will rain soon so the seed has a fighting chance.

This weekend there was a big crew of guys up to the cabin. Brett, Bruno, Al, John, Jason, Ben, and Jeff Thompson all came over from MN to help put up stands, cut trails, and haul wood. The first order of business was to check on the status of the food plot and set up a motion sensitive camera on the edge of the plot. The plot looked great but was starting to show some stress from the lack of rain. In order to accomplish the tasks we wanted to, we broke the group into two teams. Brett, Jeff, and Bruno were responsible for tree stand duty. They were able to hang 6 stands by 1:00. Wally, Jim, Jason, John, and Al worked on cutting firewood and hauling it to the road. They cut between 4-5 face cords of wood throughout the day. Around 1:30 Ben arrived at the cabin to lend a hand with the work. By 5:30 everyone was exhausted so we called it a day and headed back to the cabin. Normally this would not provide much of a repreave from the heat but the newly installed air conditioner had cooled the cabin down to a very comfrotable temperature. We grilled venison steaks and baked potatoes while relaxing in the cabin. Around 6:00 Wally and Jim headed home, Brett, John, Al, and Jeff hesded to Jump River to clean up, and Ben went to the food plot to sit in the stand to observe any deer activity. We all met at the cabin around 9:00. Ben was thrilled to announce that he had seen a nice 9pt along with several other deer. Overall the weekend was a success as many things were accomplished.

Brett and Wally were at the cabin this weekend cutting some wood and painting trail signs. We checked the plot and the dry conditions were definitely taking a toll on the vegetation. More brown spots were apparent this weekend than the weekend before. In addition, we went into Ladysmith for a couple of hours to visit Frank Piotrowski (Wallys oldest brother). By the time we headed home we had painted 23 signs. Wally plans to varnish them next week and hopefully start hanging them in the woods over Labor Day weekend.

On Saturday Wally, Brett, and Jason were at the cabin cutting some firewood, hanging some trail signs, and putting up tree stands. We managed to cut 3-4 face cords of oak and mixed hardwoods, hang 10 signs, and put up two stands. By the end of the day we were all pretty tired but happy with what had been accomplished. On Sunday, Bruno and Wally met Brett at the cabin around 8:30 in the morning. To start the day we took a walk around the western part of the property to show Bruno how that part of the property is laid out. We then decided to put up a stand on the old food plot while Wally started to mow the plot for the last time this year. After the stand was up, Brett and Wally headed down to the Cul-de-sac to put some more signs up. Bruno met us down there with the Whipper and we decided to cut part of Popple Place and all of Balsam Blvd. As we neared the end of Balsam Blvd., Bruno ran into a bees nest and was stung several times. Brett and Wally rescued the Whipper and finished cutting the trail. After finding Bruno and making sure he was alright we decided to cut the Beaver Pond Trail. This trail had not been cut for several years as there is one low spot that is always wet. However, the dry weather this year provided an opportunity to cut the trail down. Wally made 5-6 passes with the Whipper and Brett and Bruno put up a tree stand on the edge of the Beaver Pond. Bruno left the cabin around 12:30. Brett and Wally decided to check out the food plot status, set up the camera in a new location, and flag a trail from Wild Ridge to Border Ave. The food plot continues to struggle in this dry, hot weather. Hopefully we will get some rain soon so that it is still in good shape for hunting season. At 2:30 Brett and Wally packed things up and headed back to Chippewa.

A lot of work was done during this summer at the cabin. A new food plot was bulldozed and planted, 10 tree stands were put up, 3 new trails were cut, all of the existing trails and old food plot were mowed, and signs were made for all of the trails. Thanks to everyone for putting in all of your hard work this year. Now it is time for that work to pay-off.

Today was the official start of the 2003 bowhunting season. Brett and Jason were the only two that were able to make it out today. We decided to spend the morning hunting at Jims and the afternoon at the cabin. We were up at 4:30 this morning, grabbed a quick shower with scent free soap and headed out the door by 5:00. At 5:25 we parked under a streetlight near Jims so we could slip into our camo. Once we were ready, we continued the short distance to his house. Jason dropped me off on Tower Dr. and I slipped into my treestand. On the way in, I spooked one deer. By 6:00 I was comfortably sitting in the stand. At 7:00 a doe and two fawns came from the north and worked their way past my stand. I was preparing to shoot the doe but she never offered me a clear shot opportunity. The deer milled around my stand for about 20 minutes and then they headed off towards the south. Around 8:30, I decided that I had sat long enough for opening morning and headed towards Jasons stand. I walked to the SE through the ravine and circled around to his stand from the south. As I was doing this, I kicked up a large buck (at least 8pts) and taller tines than anything we have hanging at the cabin. The buck ran about 50 yards from me and stood in some thick brush. He eventually jogged away but it was a great encounter to start the season. After seeing this buck, I continued to make my way towards Jasons stand. I saw four more does and fawns on my way to his stand. When I got to Jasons stand, he told me that he saw three does early in the morning and a spike buck came by about 8:45. Not a bad way to open the season. After getting out of our stands, we decided to reposition two stands on Jims property. We moved one down in the ravine and another near the SE corner of the property. We were done doing this by 1:00 and started heading towards the cabin. We arrived at the cabin around 2:00 and hung out for about an hour relaxing and talking about the upcoming season. Around 3:15 we started the process of getting organized for the evenings hunt. As Jason headed toward the door he stopped in his tracks when he saw a spike buck eating acorns a mere 40 yards from the cabin. We watched the deer feed for about 5 minutes before he eventually bounded off to the north. We continued to get ready for the evenings hunt when Wally pulled in. After a brief discussion, we headed out to the stands. I went to the new food plot, Jason went to the blue tarp area, and Wally took the video camera to the original food plot. Around 6:00 I saw a lone doe come out to the food plot. She fed for about 10 minutes and then slipped back into the woods. At 7:00 a doe and a fawn came out to the plot and ate for a few minutes. The fawn was spooked by something to her north and the two deer went back into the woods. About 10 minutes later, both deer came back out to the plot and fed for 15 minutes. I got out of the stand around 7:35 and headed back to the cabin. When I got back, Wally told me he saw a fisher and 1 unidentified deer. Jason saw 1 doe. He also had the most interesting experience of the evening as the black bears made an appearance. Specifically, a sow and four cubs came within 30 yards of his stand. The sow was huge (est. 400+ pounds). They milled around the area for 15 minutes before heading off to the southwest. Jason waited a few minutes and then headed back to the cabin. Overall, the start to the season went very well. A lot of deer were seen and some other unique nature sightings also occurred. Check back for updates throughout the season.

Brett and Al came up to the cabin Thursday night. We woke up early Friday a.m. and headed to Lake Holcombe so that we could try to catch some fall crappies. We managed to pull in about 6 crappies after a couple hours of fishing before we headed back in to the cabin around 10:00. Brett and Wally met with a timber buyer to assess the possibility of putting some of the acreage into Managed Forest Land (MFLO). Finished walking the property around noon. Brett, Al, and Wally moved 4 loads of popple off of the food plot. Around 3:00 Ben and John arrived at the cabin. Brett, John, and Al headed to Lake Holcombe. Ben went to the food plot to bowhunt. Met back at cabin around dark. Ben missed the same doe twice.

Ben was up early to hunt. He headed to Scrape St. but didnt see any deer. Brett, John, and Wally were up around 7:30 and started cutting wood. Al got up around 9:00 and Ben got back from stand around 9:30. Jason R. showed up at 10:00. Jim S. arrived 11:00. The crew cut, split, and hauled out 12 face cords of oak, popple, and mixed to the logging road. Everyone headed home early Sunday morning.

Brett hunted Thursday morning at the cabin nothing came through. Wally came back to the cabin at 11:00 to have a cup of coffee before we headed to Frank Piotrowskis funeral (Wallys brother). While at the cabin, two does quietly fed near the syrup shed. After the funeral, Brett and Jason hunted at the cabin. Brett went to the food plot and Jason headed to an area that was triangulated between Wild Ridge, Scrape St., and Dancing Deer. Brett saw 5 deer 2 fawns, doe, spike, and a small 8pt. No shots were taken. Jason saw 4 antlerless and 1 buck.

On Friday, Brett, Wally, and Jim put up barbed wire fence on Hwy 194 and hauled several loads of syrup wood. Saturday morning Brett and Ben hunted on the property. Brett saw four deer from Blue Tarp and Ben zipped. In the afternoon, Brett and Wally met with the snowmobile club to discuss the final recourse for the damage that was done to the trails. Saturday night Brett and Ben both zipped. Sunday morning Ben saw two deer and Brett saw zero.

Brett and Jason hunted at Solbergs. Brett kicked up two deer on the way to the stand. Around 3:40 the first deer of the night made its way through the area. It was too far away to see what it was. At 4:00 another deer appeared. It was one of the mature bucks on the property. This deer had a heavy, wide 10pt rack. The deer milled around for 30-40 minutes never coming closer than 30 yards and never offering a clear shot. At 6:00 a doe and fawn came through from the west. Again they did not come close enough for a shot. Jason saw four baldies on his hunt.

Brett and Jason arrived at the cabin at 6:15 a.m. Brett headed to the cul-de-sac stand and Jason went to Blue Tarp. At CDS, Brett saw the first deer come through at 7:00. It was a year and a half 6pt that walked past the stand at 10 yds grunting softly. The deer milled around for about 15 minutes before moving off to the SW. There was no activity until 9:00 when a year and a half 8pt came out of Balsam Blvd. The deer walked directly under Bretts stand offering several good shot opportunities. Jason also had a good hunt Saturday morning. He started the morning by seeing a doe around first light. Then at 7:30 he heard something in the brush. He gave three soft grunts tosee if anything was around. Shortly after, three bucks converged near his stand area - a spike, fork, and wide 6pt all showed up. They all participated in grunting, rubbing, scraping, and even fighting. This lasted for 45 minutes with all of the bucks offering good shot opportunities. Both hunters opted to pass on all of the deer they saw this morning hoping the rut would cause some of the bigger bucks to show up. In the evening Brett went to Buck Run and Jason to Mother Oak. It was a slower evening as Jason zipped and Brett only saw two fawns.

Brett arrived at the cabin in time to hunt Friday morning. He hunted Blue Tarp in the morning but saw nothing except flying squirrels. At the end of the hunt, he put a more comfortable stand about 7 ft. higher. That evening, Brett hunted Scrape St. For the second time in two outings no deer were seen at this stand location. Perhaps it is time to move this stand. Brett went to Fosters to meet his parents for dinner and then headed back to the cabin to meet Jason.

Brett went to cul-de-sac stand in the morning and Jason headed to Blue Tarp. Brett had the best encounter of the morning as a mature 8 pt came withing 35 yards of the stand. Unfortunately, he didnt come any closer and eventually moved off to the north. Jason had another fun run in with some small bucks at Blue Tarp. In fact, six different bucks made an appearance while he was on stand. Saturday evening it was Jasons turn for the nice encounter. He was at Wild Ridge when a huge 130" 10pt came within 15 yards of his stand. He was moments away from taking a shot when his arrow bumped a small sapling. The buck got out of there in a hurry. Brett sat on the food plot hoping to get a shot at a doe. Unfortunately, the deer have eaten just about everything on the food plot and no deer showed up. Jason headed home after the hunt and Wally and Jim came to the cabin to stay over.

Brett went to Buck Run for a short morning hunt no deer. He headed in around 9:00 to have some breakfast with Wally and Jim. After breakfast, the crew headed out to fix the tractor, help Tony put up his ladder stand, and put up a stand across the creek. After these tasks were complete, Brett, Wally, and Jim headed to Cornell to cut some firewood.

Bruno hunted the morning and saw one deer at 6:15. In the afternoon, Jason went to Blue Tarp, Ben to Middle Ridge, and Bruno to Wild Ridge. Ben had a nice encounter with a mature 8pt but could not get any shot opportunities. Bruno and Jason zipped.

Brett and John arrived around 7:00. After dinner and a few beers everyone headed to bed. At 4:30 the alarm sounded. The winds were blowing hard from the NE and the temps had taken a dive. Brett went to CDS, Jason to BT, Bruno to Beaver Pond, and Ben to Scrape St. Bruno and Jason were the only people to see deer. In the middle of the afternoon, Bruno and John went to Blue Tarp. A spike came through that John tried to film. That evening, Brett and John went to Middle Ridge, Bruno sat on the food plot, Jason went to Mother Oak, and Ben went to Middle Ridge. Brett and John saw three deer, Bruno 1, Jason 0, and Ben shot a 5pt. Brett helped Ben track the deer for awhile before deciding to let it lay overnight. The next morning, Brett, Jason, John, Ben, and Wally tracked the deer but were not able to recover it.