Here in upper Michigan the fall Deer Season is on. Deer bow season Started October 1^st. The gun Deer season starts November 15^th. So your not sure if you want to climb up into that tree or not. Not really! But what a great spot for a blind. The branches are just right and it is overlooking a very heavily used trail. You have some buck rubbings near by. It is just too good to pass up.If you are a little nervous over hunting from a tree. You are not alone. Some very serious accidents have happened using this technique. So if you are uncomfortable about climbing-Don’t.

I have used a ground blind for years Bow Hunting and have done very well.

Here are some tips for building a ground blind.

Scout out your location early in the summer. The earlier the blind is built before Deer Season the better. This will give the deer a chance to become adjusted to the blind being their. If you pick a good hunting area you may only have to do this once and it will be good for many years to come.

In the area I live in the fall winds seem to favor coming out of the north or north west. Ideally you want your blind located down wind from the deer trail or your bait pile. If the deer pick up your scent they will be gone before you can even get a shot off.

I like to pick a location that is slightly elevated over looking the bait pile or trail. I don’t think this is necessary it is just my preference.

As far as distance it is pretty much up to your skill level. I have had deer come with in 30 feet of my ground blind. Build your blind close enough to your bait pile or the trail so you will be confident when you are about to make the killing shot.

For material you can use about any type of building material. Make sure you make it tall enough. If you are sitting- the ceiling has to be high enough so as not to interfere with your bow. The same applies when you create your window opening. Keep in mind you need that extra room for your bow limbs.

I think this next one is the most important of all. It has to be dark inside. Buy that I mean their must be no light behind you in the blind at all. If you keep it dark behind you the deer will not have a clue as to what is going on. Any cracks or joints have to be sealed enough to keep the light out including your way in.

So if you don’t like climbing that tree-Don’t

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For my area the fall is a great time of the year for foraging for wild mushrooms. The fall rain makes the mushrooms pop quickly and the cooler weather keeps the insect damage down to a minimum. One of my favorites to harvest in the fall is Agaricus campestral. After a couple days of rain along with some cooler temperatures this mushroom is fairly plentiful. You can find it growing in yards, ball fields and many other grassy areas all you really have to do is ride around in your car and look. They are good size and the taste is excellent. There are a couple of look a likes but once you know how to positively identify this mushroom you wont have a problem telling them apart. This mushroom is the same genius as the white mushroom you buy in the store.Cap-Rounded or cushioned shape 1 1/2 to 3 inches across. Becoming flat with age. The color is mainly white and takes on a brownish tint as it becomes older. Gills-In the button stage the gills are pink. As the mushroom ages they turn brown then to a dark brown to almost black at maturity. The gills are free and not attached to the stalk. The spoor color is dark brown.Stalk- 1 to 2 inches stuffed. Pretty much even from top to bottom.The spoor print on this mushroom is important. It has to be dark brown. If it is white you could be dealing with an Amanita which could make you very sick. Such as the destroying angle which is also white. But has a white spoor print. The good thing about this mushroom is, it is usually found in wooded areas.

The closet look a like I have found is Lepiota naucinus.
  

This is not a deadly mushroom but is not recommended for eating. It has been known to make some people sick.When this mushroom is young its gills are white not pink. The spoor print is white. In the Agaricus family itself watch for the yellow stainer. It pretty much looks like the edible one except if you scrape it with a knife it will turn yellow at the scrape. This one will make you sick.Remember if you are in doubt don’t eat it. If you are new at mushroom hunting consult an expert.

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I hope you all had a good summer. I guess what they say is true-the older you get the faster time goes by. I like ice fishing but much prefer the open water and the warmer weather.Don’t get me wrong there are many good things about fall. This is a fishing and hunting paradise and in the fall you can do them both!

Lake Trout fishing remained good all summer here in the bay. The salmon stayed in but the fishing was spotty. As the cooler fall weather settles in we should start to see the salmon running up the rivers. I believe we are due for a pink salmon run in the Falls river this year. If this materializes I will keep you posted.

I like this fish canned. I will often add some liquid smoke to the jar just before processing. It gives it a great taste. I have eaten these fresh and was not all that impressed. However just recently I was told I was wrong. A friend of mine said they are great. Worth another try I guess. The bait of choice for this fish is a spinner bait. Pretty much the same thing you would use for Trout fishing.

What a year for pan fish in this area-one good tip after another. I am sorry to see it coming to an end.

The fall fishing in the bay can be awesome. It is possible to catch almost anything. Steelhead, brown trout, salmon and who knows maybe even a walleye or bass.

So if you get a chance break away from football on Sunday afternoon and do some fishing.

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Please welcome guest poster Bobby from Free RecipesThere are so many good ways to cook fish, pan fried, baked, deep fried, or grilled. So many ingredients to enhance the flavor, there are even some really good box mixes out there, but this is better. Last night for the first time I tried Parmesan fish and it was great. The fish is first rolled in bread crumb/parmesan cheese mixture and then deep fried but you can easily sauté in the pan if you don’t have a deep fryer. The real highlight of this recipe isn’t in the breading though; it’s in the delicious lemon sauce - A simple yet great tasting sauce consisting of lemon juice, lemon zest, mayo and basil. This recipe will work with many different types of fish including tilapia, cod, cat fish, bluegill, crappie, bass and many more. Enjoy.

Ingredients:
5 medium fish fillets
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup dry bread crumbs
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 eggs (beaten)
½ cup white flour
1 pinch salt
1 pinch pepper
Oil (for frying)
Lemon Sauce-
6 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons basil

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: For the sauce – In a small bowl combine mayo, lemon juice, lemon zest and basil. Mix well cover and chill.

Step 2: On a pie plate combine bread crumbs, parmesan cheese and cayenne pepper. Mix well. On a separate plate combine flour, 1 pinch salt and pepper. Mix well. Beat eggs in a shallow dish.
Step 3: 1 at a time coat each fillet by rolling in flour, then dipping in egg mixture and then rolling in the bread crumb mixture. Make sure fillets are fully coated evenly.

Step 4: Deep fry 2 pieces at a time at 350 degrees in a deep fryer. Deep fry for 2-3 minutes or until fillets are golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve with lemon sauce.

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Wow what a fast summer. I don’t now about you but this one for me is going by way to quick. When the preseason football season starts to me it is a good sign we are nearing the end. For the most part here in upper Michigan the summer has been very nice with temps staying below the 90 degree range along with plenty of moisture.
In Keweenaw Bay the lake trout fishing has been good all summer and continues. There are some salmon being caught but you have to work hard for them. This should improve as we get closer to fall. The salmon will move in to start their spawning run.
The inland lakes are still producing some real nice pan fish. Our last trip produced 33 keepers with over half of them being some real nice crappies. The bait of choice for that trip was small minnows and pink and white twister style jigs

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It looks like it is going to be a great summer here in upper Michigan for hunting wild mushrooms. We are getting a lot of rain and that is a key ingredient. What I call the summer mushrooms appear to be just starting. The first edible Boletus I am usually able to find is the Boletus Subglabripes. This is a good mushroom when it is real young but turns very soft with age. During the years when this wild mushroom is plentiful I dry them to use in roasts and other meals I add mushrooms to. They dry and reconstitute very well. I have included the picture of a spore print in this post for this mushroom. Just to give those of you that are not familiar with it an idea of what it looks like.Boletus subglabripesCap-Light Brown to rich Cinnamon, 11/2 to 4 inches, convex then expanding to almost plain.Stem- 2-4 by ½ to ¾ inches even or tapered at the base. Pale to bright yellow.Flesh- Pale to Lemon yellowGills- This mushroom has tubes not gills. Spore print deposit color -pale olive brown.Habitat- Found in mixed deciduous woods, occasionally under spruce. Found in Eastern and Eastern North America.Season- June though September

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Amanita-Desroying Angle 

 With mid summer taking place in most of the country there is a large variety of mushrooms growing in most locations. A question has been asked “How can you Identify a Poisonous Mushroom ?”To start with the best advice I can give you is-know what you are picking. If you are unsure of your identification don’t eat it. Seek out an expert in the area you live in. Most of them would be happy to help you . Also your local county extension service may have booklets you can get for little or no charge on edible mushrooms that grow in your state. Here in Michigan, Michigan State University hosts a Mushroom Seminar in late summer or early fall. If you would like more information on this send me an email and I will send you the link.Purchase a couple of good books on Wild Mushrooms. Don’t use just one. Some wild mushrooms look great- because it looks good does not mean it is edible. The Amanita genera I think is one of the nicest looking mushrooms in the woods. Pick the wrong mushroom in this group and it will kill you! This is one genera I stay away from completely.Another myth I have heard is-If the animals eat it-it must be edible. Not True, Their digestive system is different then ours. A mushroom that would make a Human very ill may not even affect a Deer or a Squirrel.

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This is one of the most relaxing types of fishing you will ever do. Turn your radio on. Make some coffee- kick back in your boat, relax and catch some fish.The key to this is deep calm water. Usually 200 to 300 feet. It needs to be a calm day so you can anchor and maintain you position. Not to mention it gets pretty uncomfortable sitting on the edge of your boat when it is bouncing up and down in 2 or 3 foot waves. If you have never bobbed for Lake Trout or are fishing a new area check with the local fisherman or at a bait shop to help get you pointed in the right direction. This can really save you some time. These fish are usually on or near the bottom, but suspended enough to be able to pick them up on your sonar or fish locator. Look for drop offs, underwater islands and plateaus. If you start marking fish consistently it is time to drop anchor. I will fish the location for about 30 minutes and if it doesn’t produce any fish I will move on till I locate them or make the determination they just are not hitting. Once you locate a school of Lake Trout that are biting you should have some action for awhile.The Fishing Tackle you will need.Boat anchor and 400 feet of anchor line-This is a lot of work-pulling an anchor up that is 300 feet down. You can purchase a large floating ball. It has a place to slide your anchor rope through. You can use the power of your boat to pull the anchor to the surface. Its works great. Just be sure the anchor is not hung up before you start the process.

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Please welcome guest poster Bobby from Chinese Recipes Here’s another great side dish to go with your Chinese dinner – a recipe for Oyster mushrooms. Oyster mushrooms are very good to eat and you should be able to find them at any decent market. They are commonly used in Japanese and Chinese cuisine as a delicacy. This recipe is very easy and is nothing more than a basic stir fry. Normally I just sauté my mushrooms in garlic and butter and that tastes great, but I think this is a lot better! Instead of just adding garlic and butter we are adding other ingredients such as soy sauce, white wine and rosemary. I was really amazing by the great flavor that the mushrooms had after frying them. If by some chance Oyster mushrooms are not available to you, I would think this recipe would go great with many other types of mushrooms as well. Enjoy.

Ingredients:
8 ounces fresh oyster mushrooms (rinsed)
1 tablespoon garlic (minced)
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon rosemary (minced)
1 teaspoon butter
2 teaspoons all purpose flour
1 teaspoon dry white wine (or sherry)
1 tablespoon soy sauce

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: Slice mushrooms into pieces. Sauté garlic in olive oil for 15 seconds. Add mushrooms and sauté 3 minutes.
Step 2: Add rosemary and butter and stir fry until butter is melted. Sprinkle mushrooms with flour and stir fry.
Step 3: Add wine and soy sauce and cook until liquid slightly thickens and the mushrooms are tender.

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My son says it was massive murder. He loves to catch them gills and really enjoys the fish fry that follows. We packed all our gear up and headed for the lake yesterday afternoon. The action was fast. First cast I landed a large bluegill. It did not stop their. It turned into two hours of fun and produced a nice mess of fish. My bait of choice for this trip, a Black fly. My son simply used crawlers and a bobber. Both fishing baits did very well.

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