May 10th, 2008
By Arthur

I am pretty proud of this one.  This is only the second video I have ever put together for the site, and I had  honestly forgot how much time and effort goes into making one of these things.  Despite all the work though, I think it is way worth it considering we will be able to look back on this video for years to come.

The video covers a few different hunts, and while it has no kills on it (Jeff’s camera was dead when he shot his bird), it still captures a lot of the things that make hunting memorable; laughing, animal sightings, etc.  It is a little long, but I hope all of you take the time to watch it.  Enjoy!

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May 09th, 2008
By Arthur

Fall has always been my favorite time of year. I mean what more could you ask for in a season? Apple cider, fresh made donuts, football, salmon fishing, and of course, deer hunting. It is like the perfect combination of stimuli-from the indoors and ultimately, and most importantly, to the outdoors. With my love for fall I always tend to overlook the other seasons. Sure I do things in them that I enjoy, but they still pale in comparison to fall.

Winter always holds its grip on Michigan for longer than any of us would like it to. We all wait on pins and needles for the moment when winter breaks and spring arrives, yet somehow I always tend to overlook spring. It is not that I have anything against the season, it just always seems to arrive so late, doesn’t hang out for very long, and then summer arrives. That is just what we’ve grown accustomed to here in Michigan. We have two seasons normally–Winter and Summer. It is either 10 degrees or 90 degrees.

Somehow this season that all changed for me a bit. I actually looked around and noticed that spring had arrived. Sure it looks nasty, and the ground is always in shambles after a good snow melt off, but for some reason I actually stopped and appreciated spring. Maybe turkey hunting contributed to that and helped me to appreciate the season for what it is. Maybe it was just the pure fact that winter was so long this year, and I noticed spring’s arrival because I was so happy that it finally came.

There is nothing like finally being able to get outside and enjoy the sunshine after a long, cold winter. Wait, I think that was a Cinderella (the band) album, but I digress. There is nothing like finally being able to enjoy the outdoors after frigid temps for 3 or 4 months straight. Finally being able to grill out, walk the dog, and shoot the bow, all contribute to spring being my new 2nd favorite season. Everything is new, though ugly at times, and ready to be refreshed and renewed.

Of course there is one drawback…..I have to mow again!

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May 08th, 2008
By Arthur

Since I haven’t wrote a post about my Shiloh experience in quite some time–I figured why not write one today. I love writing these posts because when I sit down and go through the pictures again to get them ready for the post, and also when I’m writing the post, it takes me back to when we visited Shiloh and helps me relive that feeling over again. Now on with a little about Ross’ battery.

Ross’ battery consisted of six Parrot guns and were assigned to the Army of the Tennessee’s 4th division led by Stephen Hurlbut. They were organized mainly in Grand Rapids, Mi, but also had a some men join in Detroit as well. There captain was William H. Ross, thus the name Ross’ battery.

The Peach Orchard at Shiloh was a site that seen some of the most fierce fighting of the entire day. Though the Peach Orchard is treated as a separate area in the Shiloh park it still seen just as fierce of fighting as the Hornet’s Nest did on Sunday, April 6th. The Peach Orchard is actually due East of the Hornet’s Nest along the Sunken Road and was directly along the line that seen the bulk of the day’s fighting. This is where Ross’ battery was positioned on that fateful day.

They originally held a line in the middle of the Peach Orchard, but after the fierce fighting of the morning, and the ensuing Confederate advance, were pushed back to the North and took up a second position to continue trying to hold their line. Unfortunately for these gentleman that line didn’t hold and some were eventually captured after being surrounded in the late afternoon to early evening. General Beauregard himself, commander of the confederate army at that time, was actually wounded by this battery as he took it upon himself to lead the charge through them. There was more fighting over this battery than any battery on the field, and General Beauregard took it upon himself to address that particular issue.

Although the Peach Orchard now is hardly a peach orchard at all, because of the abundance of deer in the park who eat the trees, at the time the men talked about the “peach blossoms covering the ground like snow”. With the bullets flying through the air, and whipping through the peach trees, it caused the blossoms to float to the ground- even covering bodies at the time. The Park Service is actually trying to plant new peach trees in order to bring the orchard back to what it once was.

The Peach Orchard saw a lot of fighting, and Ross’ battery was instrumental in that fighting, and allowed time for Grant to build up his last line of defense. No matter how hard I try, I can still never imagine what it must’ve felt like to stand on that ground and fight. The things those men endured is just incredible.

The first picture you see in this post is a picture from the confederate side looking at the area where Ross’ battery was first positioned. The second picture is a picture of Ross’ battery in their first position of the day. The third picture is my ugly mug at the Ross’ batteries second position of the day, and the others I think all of you can figure out and enjoy!

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May 07th, 2008
By Arthur

Yesterday, after reading my post, Jeff called and alerted me to something that I had forgotten about. The DNR made a change to bass regulations that allow for a Catch and Release season before the actual bass season starts. I think this law was in effect last year as well, but I cannot remember for sure. I know that I was pretty pleased when he told me, even if it did exist last year!

It used to be that we had to be very careful when we were out fishing in spring for pike, because you always ran the risk of catching a bass. Now, while I don’t think the DNR would have given us any trouble, it was something that you always had to be conscious of. Now that problem is fixed.

Now in Michigan, on all the Lower Peninsula waters including the Great Lakes, there is a Catch and Immediate Release season for bass that runs from the last Saturday in April through the Friday before Memorial Day. Perfect. Now we can actually target bass and not have to worry about it while stumbling across a few pike at the same time.

This whole post may seem silly to a few of you reading it, but to me I think it is a great move by the DNR. It helps all of us Michigan anglers who are having some serious fishing withdrawals catch a few Largemouth without having to worry about any repercussions. It also helps us find some good fishing spots before the season actually opens the Saturday before Memorial Day.

What a great move by the DNR, and I can’t wait for this weekend and my shot at catching the first one of the season—-and then releasing it of course! (In case I had any doubters).

If any of you would like to see the regulation concerning this particular season you can find it here.

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