Herd health for the winter

White-tailed deer are a crucial part of many ecosystems, and their health and wellbeing is important not only for the animals themselves, but also for the balance of their habitats. During the winter months, it is especially important to take steps to promote antler growth and overall health of the herd. Here are some good ways to do that:

Provide Adequate Nutrition: During the winter months, the food sources available to deer are often scarce and low in quality, so it is important to supplement their diet with nutritious feed. Some good options include alfalfa, clover, and soybeans. These foods are high in protein, vitamins, and minerals that are essential for antler growth and overall health.

Offer Minerals: A yearly mineral supplement plan can help improve herd health, especially for pregnant does and their fawns. This is because minerals play a critical role in many physiological processes, including bone development, reproduction, and lactation. You can provide mineral blocks or supplements that are specifically formulated for deer.

Consider Their Feeding Behavior: Feeding behaviors of deer change throughout the year, and during the winter, they tend to feed less frequently but for longer periods of time. This means that it is important to provide feed in a way that allows them to access it easily and comfortably. For example, placing feed in a well-sheltered area or using feeders that are designed to reduce waste can help improve the overall effectiveness of your feeding program.

Avoid Corn: While corn is often used as a supplement for deer, it is not the best choice for their digestive health during the winter months. This is because corn is high in starch and sugar, which can be difficult for deer to digest during the cold winter months when their metabolism is slowed down. Instead, consider using foods that are high in fiber, such as hay or clover, which are easier for deer to digest and provide more sustained energy.

At the end of the day, promoting antler growth and overall health of a white-tailed deer herd during the winter months requires a comprehensive approach that takes into account their nutritional needs, feeding behavior, and digestive health. Implementing a yearly mineral supplement plan, providing adequate nutrition, and considering their feeding behavior can help ensure that your herd stays healthy and strong during the winter months.

Whitetail shed hunting

White-tailed deer shed their antlers annually, usually in late winter to early spring, and finding them can be an exciting hobby for many outdoors enthusiasts. Here are the best tactics and practices to increase your chances of success:

Know the timing: White-tailed deer typically shed their antlers between January and April, with the peak time being in February. Keep an eye on the weather and look for antlers soon after the snow has melted or after a thaw.

Know the territory: Antlers are often found near where the deer live, so study the deer’s habitat and travel patterns. Look for areas with heavy deer traffic, such as food sources, bedding areas, and trails.

Look for fresh signs: Antlers that have been lying on the ground for a long time will show signs of weathering and deterioration. Look for antlers that are still in good condition and have not been exposed to the elements for too long.

Use your senses: Antlers have a distinctive smell, so use your nose to help locate them. Listen for the sound of antlers hitting trees or rocks as the deer shed them.

Consider the terrain: Antlers often get caught on low-hanging branches, so look in areas with dense vegetation and heavy underbrush. Be prepared to search in steep, rugged terrain and areas with heavy snow cover.

Look for other signs: Keep an eye out for other signs of deer activity, such as droppings, tracks, and scrapes. These can help you pinpoint areas with heavy deer traffic and increase your chances of finding antlers.

Human activity and deer behavior can affect where and when deer drop their antlers. For example, hunting season can cause deer to become more wary and alter their normal travel patterns, making it more difficult to find antlers. Additionally, heavy human activity in an area can cause deer to flee and drop their antlers elsewhere. Keep these factors in mind when searching for antlers, and be respectful of the deer and their habitat.

Successfully finding white-tailed deer shed antlers in late winter and early spring requires knowledge of the timing, the territory, and the signs to look for. With patience and persistence, you can increase your chances of success and enjoy the thrill of the hunt. 

Basic Whitetail property management

White-tailed deer are a popular species among hunters, and creating the perfect habitat for these animals can increase the chances of a successful hunting experience. Here are some tips for creating ideal white-tailed deer habitat on your hunting property:

Plant food plots: Food plots can provide a reliable source of food for white-tailed deer, which can attract them to your property. Consider planting clovers, alfalfa, corn, soybeans, and other deer-friendly plants.

Maintain a varied landscape: White-tailed deer prefer to have a mix of open spaces and wooded areas in their habitat. Maintaining a diverse landscape, including a mix of fields, forests, and wetlands, can provide deer with the food, cover, and water they need.

Create cover: White-tailed deer need cover to protect them from predators and the elements. Creating thickets of brush, planting trees, and leaving natural growth can provide the necessary cover for deer.

Provide water sources: White-tailed deer need water to survive, and having a reliable source of water on your property can attract them. Consider installing a pond, creek, or other water source to provide deer with a place to drink.

Limit human activity: White-tailed deer are smart animals and are easily spooked by human activity. Limiting human traffic on your property, especially during the hunting season, can help keep the deer calm and increase your chances of a successful hunting experience.

By following these tips, you can create an ideal habitat for white-tailed deer on your hunting property. Providing the necessary food, cover, and water sources can attract deer and make your property a prime hunting location.

Whitetail Hunting Rig

We wanted to do something a little different for this Gear Drop, so enter CANIS Content Contributor and Owner of Grizz Media, Jesse Anderson. Jesse does what most people aspire to do which is make a living doing something you love. In this case, it is hunting, being outdoors, and capturing it all with a camera. If that doesn't make you want to switch places, check out his "office" during hunting season...The Hunting Rig. This Gear Drop is a tour around The Rig and Jesse's list of essentials for the tough task of chasing whitetail for a living.

- The CANIS Team

Every year whitetail season rolls around, I'm always running around, digging into totes and bags in search of all the gear I need. Then it's a continuous cycle of packing gear into the truck and unpacking to do everyday tasks. During this process I always tend to misplace something or leave it behind in the woods. Seems I always have gear scattered from the basement to the barn. Getting this enclosed trailer just puts everything I need in one portable place. Whatever hunt I go on or work shoot I'm planning, I have everything I need for it in one place year round. This gear will never leave my trailer, except during the hunt.

My intentions for this rig was primarily for my business. I own an outdoor media agency by the name of Grizz Media. We do content creation, marketing and brand development for brands of the industry such as hunting, fishing, winter sports, off-roading, tactical training and more. With all these different industries, the gear and supplies needed can be quite overwhelming. Preparing for projects and travel is always a mess and makes our job more difficult. So to have a rig where we can take it with us and to have all the gear we need is ideal. Makes me as a creator and hunter more efficient and organized.

The front wall of the trailer I use as a large clothes hanger to always have clients gear and apparel needed for each task. I have everything from CANIS rain gear, waders, and winter camo on this hanger. Each side of the walls I use to hang my Novix treestands and climbing sticks across with straps to keep them from smacking the sides. Heavy duty Plano storage bins are laid across the floor walls storing hunting pants, CANIS accessories, and gear I don't need to get to that often. The back side wall I mounted a shelf to store bins with gloves, hats, and smaller gear. I also store my boots here such as hiking, mud, and hunting boots. It doubles as a workbench with a peg board across the wall to keep smaller items close at hand. I keep my Grizzly coolers and Mathews bows in my cases against the front wall under the clothes rack since they will move the least there. The middle of the rig is to store an ATV if needed.

My trailer will continue to evolve to my needs for my business and hunting. Since I hunt whitetail deer almost daily, it's designed mostly for daily hunts and short trips. I plan to use it as a base camp for backcountry western hunting for elk and mule deer. It's definitely not a cheap purchase and also not a necessity, but it's probably the best investment I have made for my business. I'm excited to continue to build off it and be able to do more projects.

RIVERS OF STEEL

Steelhead Fishing Michigan - Rivers of Steel *Author-Jesse Anderson

As the spring air blows across the great waters of Lake Michigan the steelhead invariably follow. Every year, making their long journey upstream, they are determined to pass along their genetics to future generations. Traveling thousands of miles to reach peak spawning conditions, steelhead (aka rainbow trout) are anadromous, meaning they spend part of their lives at sea before spawning in inland, freshwater rivers. In contrast rainbow trout spend the entirety of their lives in freshwater. Although they are the same species, steelhead tend to grow larger in size and differ in color variations from rainbow trout. Both are mighty fun to catch.

You’re never more than 7 minutes from a river or lake, and always within 85 miles of a “Great Lake” in Michigan. With Michigan’s vast amount of lakes, rivers, and reservoirs the state is well known for its fishing, and the perfect place to pursue steelhead. In the “Mitten State” you can get your hands on several trophy fish species such as smallmouth bass, salmon, northern pike, walleye, and sturgeon; but every spring the steelhead always seem to be the talk of the town.

How To Steelhead Fish in Michigan

As winter melts away, thousands of anglers flood to lower Michigan’s western coast. It’s here the fish make their route from Lake Michigan to inland streams to spawn, creating entire “rivers of steel.” With one singular focus, steelhead swim so hard towards their spawning grounds that thousands of fish pass away from the severity of the journey, never reaching their destination. Resilient would be an understatement, to say the least. MIchigan’s west side, the “Sunset Coast” tends to be the hot spot for die-hard steelhead anglers.

Lakeshore and riverside towns market towards and provide for these angler’s needs. Gas stations, hotels, bars, and restaurants all target spring fishermen with sales and aesthetics. You can be sure that any anglers you come across on the river you’ll be reunited with over a burger or beer at the diner in town. I would suggest one of Michigan’s finest, a Bell’s Two Hearted Ale. After you tell a day’s worth of fish tales, and get your belly filled, be sure to restock with all the necessities for another early morning of fishing. Even when fishing with the proper techniques you’re sure to lose a lot of gear. I know I do. Don’t let the sun rise and catch you being unprepared.

It’s tempting to hit the sack as soon as you get back to the cabin after a long day of fishing, but you should probably invest some time in practicing your knot-tying skills. Steelhead techniques vary, but they always involve weights, bobbers, jigs, and plenty of snags in the river. In fact if you aren’t snagging and breaking off on rocks or logs you are most likely doing something wrong. Or you are a fishing GOD and we should all bow to you! Probably not though, so be prepared. These fish like to hold tight to the cover of trees and rocks along the bottom.

Locate and target gravel-covered bottoms or ditches and avoid the sandy spots. More opportunities for snags and for fish are found here. While there can still be fish in the sandy bends they prefer gravel beds to lay their eggs and feed. Steelhead eggs hold better in the current on top of these gravel beds preventing the spawn from going down river. There is a slim chance these eggs will grow into fish if they are lost in the current since trout are a cannibalistic species that will eat their own spawn if they see it floating around.

Michigan Steelhead Fishing Techniques

Two of the most basic rigs for fishing steelhead are the float technique and bottom bouncing technique. Bottom bouncing is dragging your spawn bag or bead across the bottom till the fish picks it off the river floor. The float technique uses a float/ bobber to lift your spawn attempting to put it right in front of the steelhead’s vision. This float approach allows you to make bigger drifts along bends and it’s much easier to detect a strike, while the bottom bouncing gets the bait closer to the fish and tends to improve hookup and landing opportunities. Both techniques should be mastered and practiced if you are looking to catch your fill of steelhead.

This spring getaway has become an annual tradition for many Michiganders and even some out-of-state anglers. I really believe that comradery and kindness are very important to keep these fishing traditions respected. Anglers helping net strangers fish and supplying gear to another when needed are common practice on the river, uniting fishermen from all over. Striving to keep the rivers and banks clean from pollution and being unselfish about where you choose to fish are two keys to keeping this a great experience for future anglers. While you still will always have some people who don’t care to respect these things, the majority of fishermen seem to follow and respect these unscripted rules. Being careful to avoid casting over someone’s line, sharing river bends, keeping your paws off someone elses banked fish, and sharing local insider fishing information are all unwritten guidelines for the steelhead game that ensure everyone gets to have a great adventure.

With such a short window for peak fishing time, you must be on your A-game every day. On average you have a three-week window each spring to get a good pattern of fishing in. Michigan’s crazy weather makes it very hard to predict when the best steelhead fishing will be. You know what they say right?

“If you don’t like the weather in Michigan, just wait five minutes! It will change!”

From March to April it can be anything from 75 degrees and sunny, to rainstorms, to 20 degrees with snow squalls popping up. This year we actually experienced all of those weather situations so it’s ideal to pack heavy and prepare for anything.

Michigan Steelhead Fishing Report

If you are looking for local and recent fishing reports the best spots are the local tackle shops. Most owners will love to help you key in on the recent fish activity. Understanding patterns, locations, and what bait or techniques are currently successful is extremely difficult and can change on a daily basis. Having to constantly change tactics and locations to locate the fish can be tough. I find it valuable to get advice from shop owners and experienced fisherman as I venture out in hopes of catching that big one. If the fishing is not going well, hit up a tackle shop and start asking questions. River dams, sandy bends, small creeks, and even the delta from the lake to the river can all have fish. If someone can point you in the right direction you might just have a lot more fun fishing that day!

3 Different Steelhead Fishing Experiences

So maybe you’re wondering what a day of fishing for steelhead really looks like? There is a choice of 3 different fishing experiences that you can make. You can

1. Fish from a boat casting down current.

2. Find a good dam or bend to hang at for the day, or…

3. You can load up that backpack and hike down river for miles fishing each deep hole you venture upon.

All three experiences will provide good opportunities and differing results. It’s good to be ready to do all of these options depending on the fishing and weather conditions.

For the fisherman who wants to relax in luxury while they fish, the boat is the way to go. There are several local guides available that will almost guarantee catching fish, like my friend Kyle, a younger angler with tons of experience, at XXL Chrome Chasing. If boating and hiking are not your thing try option 2. Head to the dam or a popular bend where you can set up base camp, have a bonfire, and spend the whole day picking off passing fish. Or, if you’re like my crew you might prefer option 3. Maybe it’s time to get your hike on and really get into this.

My cousins and I prefer to chase the fish down river looking for new holes to explore and things to learn about as we go. As all younger men, we don’t like to sit around and wait for the fish to come to us. Take my cousin Casey for example. Casey is the most driven and passionate steelhead angler I have ever met. From daylight till after dark he will be in that cold water fishing. Cold or wet he is too stubborn to give up until he reaches his daily fish catch satisfaction. With him you have to learn quickly or get left behind. In the fishing world that means he’d be catching all the fish and you’d be the guy netting them for him. No one wants to go home from an adventure and tell stories of someone else’s fish that they caught. You have to get on the ball quick, and catch your own!

With only about 10 days of fishing total over a four-year period, I don’t have much experience under my belt. Learning most of what I know from Casey who got me started, I’ve learned more and more and am always becoming increasingly prepared. My first few years were an absolute mess. I just wasn’t prepared with the right know-how or the right gear. Having the right type of boots, waders and clothing will either make or break your trip. Always check your waders for leaks before any trip because it will become an absolute nightmare if they leak. No matter how or where you learn to fish, the best teacher is experience. It is so important to keep at it, make the most of each opportunity, and learn from each day’s mistakes and accomplishments.

The best thing about steelhead fishing in Michigan is that it’s always worth it! Time spent with family and friends, memories of epic catches and sometimes massive balls of tangled line are priceless. Purchasing gear, learning tips and tricks, and continually digging deeper into the sport of steelhead fishing reaps awesome rewards, so get out there and learn the ways of the river. Let’s start mining that valuable “steel.”

“Closer to the sky”

“Colorado is an oasis, an otherworldly mountain place”

Every mile you travel feels as if it could be your last on the roads in the rockies. Fortunately every view in the mountains makes these life defining roads worth every heart skip. Just be weary of the falling rocks from the cliffs and the slippery sharp corners nearing the inevitable death defining cliffs. With warmer than usual weather even after one of Colorado’s biggest snowstorms in years, the road traction was not an issue. As the roads were clear and grippy but the mountain slopes were slick and covered deep under layers of fresh powder. Making the mounting side a treacherous wonderland of adrenaline filled fun and danger. So be weary of deep snow near steep edges, since each year avalanches take around 150 people's lives worldwide.

No shortage of fresh grilled bison burgers or an ice cold brew with a plethora of local breweries. Each pub or bar really giving you that Colorado backcountry esthetic. Endless choices of refreshing brewed ales, ipa’s and anything an explorer could want. You have heard of southern hospitality but in the rockies it's also very similar. Everyone is so upbeat, helpful and ready for adventure. You don’t think of Colorado as being such a sun shining place but there seemed to be no break from the sun glasses. Don't take sunscreen for granted either, even when it's 30 degrees, windy and even cloudy. Being a mile high up in elevation puts you much closer to the sun's rays as well as the fresh white snow acting as one big reflector. Might get surprised when you're shopping for aloe in the snow covered mountains of Colorado.

If you're looking for that backcountry fresh powder shredding, then loveland ski resort is your place. With wide open runs that look un-scaved to any other human. Points so high you will be gasping for breath just reaching down to bind up your board. Just as you thought you were in good shape, it humbley makes you feel quite pathetic honestly. If you wanna explore the whole resort you might need to set aside a good work week to have the time. With vast amounts of land and snow with endless opportunities of creative run ideas. The thick snow makes for a great crash pad for the beginner riders but quite exhausting for the fast and stylish riders paving your way through the deep heavy snow. It adds some overtime on the knees and calves. Loveland is the backcountry beginner's dream to explore the lifestyle and peacefulness of backcountry.

If you prefer the long, groomed and fast runs with a mix up of terrain parks then Keystone resort is your go to. With more of a family/friends on the weekend ski trip atmosphere. Might take you two full weeks to explore each run but well worth the time if you consider yourself a snow shredding connoisseur. With over a hundred different runs to choose and mix up, you will never run out of creative rides at keystone. Ride the backcountry, the massive terrain park or even take the long out skirt trials and practice your butters all the way down. Don't worry about hunger with several bbq shakes and bars scattered across the mountain. The vibes of cheering/supportive crowds waiting in the lines below really brings the whole rockies/Colorado experience together.

Don't leave hiking the rockies off the atenterary. With views that make you feel so microscopic to the world. A truly refreshing experience that shows you true natural bliss. Letting the cool fresh breeze flow in your lungs, giving you that second good wind to ascend another thousand feet. While every step making your ankles swell and your lungs tighten. No better feeling of exhaustion and pain when you reach the peak of a cliff or mountain side to a view of the rockies.