ORIGINAL: Jackson Bowner

I'm with you on northern Michigan. I have been deer hunting for 39 years in a huge swamp adjacent to the Au Sable River in Iosco County. I have never missed a gun opener in 39 years. Earlier in my life, until maybe 15 years ago, I calculated my success rate to be slightly over 80% on shooting a buck. That has dropped off to the point where I hadn't even seen a deer in 3 years. Finally last year I saw 2 does.

I started bow hunting about the time the deer population plummeted in northern Michigan. I was fortunate to be able to buy some land in Jackson County (where I live) while it was still affordable. Last year on Nov 14th (just before leaving to the north woods for gun season) I had 2 huge bucks just hammering each other right behind my pole barn while I was in my tree stand bow hunting. I thought, "why do I do this (going north) for nothing when the deer are right here". Well, it has been TRADITION. But I'll tell you what, this year I think I am going to break that 39 year consecutive streak and hunt Jackson. I hate gun hunting anymore anyways, so I might as well just take my bow and see if the P&Y 8 point and 10 pointer I have been seeing can be harvested then!