Ever wonder how a show gets produced? Ever think that outdoor TV has to be the easiest job in the world? Well, join Jimmy and Jenny behind the scenes as they travel and produce Michigan Out of Doors TV. These blogs may be from the truck, editing the show, or sitting in a bar in northern Michigan. You never know where the road may take you when you're producing Michigan Out of Doors TV. Join us from time to time and see where we are, what is going on, and just how we try and produce a show each week.
7/21/10
Hey there! Just finished next week's show - it will air on the 29th. We have West side walleye, where we explore 2 different west side lakes, and a Musky tournament from Lake St. Clair with a group of crazy women. This week's show does focus on the different hunting options for the summer. The show for tomorrow looks back at last years unbelievable early elk season as well as some summer deer hunting and some dog training. I have been on the road quite a bit and taking some time off as well. If you don't take advantage of this time of the year in our great state your really missing out. I have been in Ludington, Petosky, Gaylord, Grand Haven all within the past week and a half!!! This is supposed to be the slow time of the year.... oh well, its still a lot of fun. Kids and I have been doing some fishing and heading north next weekend with a buddy and our boys to shoot some guns, canoe and eat Vivio's pizza - summer is awesome!!! Got to go - 5 o'clock tee time...
Jimmy
7/7/10
Long time since I have been on here.... I was hoping our new Facebook page would be up and running by now but we have a few things we need to fix before we really start sending people there. I am in the office today finishing the show for next week and uploading the show for this week to the website as we speak. The show for this week has some of the best smallmouth fishing your going to see. We did a show up on Burt lake during the spawn and had a great time. We followed some guys from Chicago who were up here fishing for the week with our good friend Jerry Gostenik. Jerry is a guide and when I talked with him the other day he had been on the water for 80 straight days!!! That doesn't even sound fun. Next week I head to my home town of Ludington to tape some big lake fishing leading up to the tournament that is there next weekend. If your going to be in the area, stop on by and say hello. I will be taping the ladies tournament on friday and there for the awards presentation. See ya then...
Jimmy
6/15/10
It's been about a week and a half since I was able to get on here and catch you up on what we have been up to. I am currently editing a jiggin story from the Detroit river from a few weeks back. I wanted to get that story on sooner but the PBS stations in the Detroit area were in pledge so we waited for them to be done with that. I also have a killer smallmouth story from Burt lake that should run soon after the walleye story. Both Jenny and I had shoots get cancelled this week. I was heading to Erie, and Jenny had some flyfishing to do on the Huron river. Having 2 shoots like that get cancelled this time of the year isn't nearly as bad as the fall or even the beginning of the spring. This time of year (June, July, August) we typically do a few more reruns that other times of the year. We get some equipment replaced and get ready for the fall push. Of course, traveling the state is one of the best parts of our job, so we still get out at least once every week or so....
I recently got a new shotgun!!! Picked up a new lightweight 20 so that my wife could maybe hunt some grouse and woodcock with me. I got a Franchi auto, and I tell you its the lightest 20 I have ever held. I am shooting some sporting clays on Friday and plan to test it out then. Anyway, took the family camping this past weekend over at PJ Hoffmaster. Had a great time and look forward to a few more state park visits this summer.
Jimmy
6/4/10
It's another Friday!!! Had lunch today with Steve Gruber, he is a crazy guy, and a lot of fun. We are both going to be a part of a new outdoors show in August between Kalamazoo and G.R. I will give you more info when we get it.... Anyway, had a great Memorial day weekend with the family, did some fishing up on Burt lake and also rafted the Sturgeon river, that was a great time! Not traveling this weekend, at least not most of it. I am heading to Ludington Sunday evening to fish two different west side lakes for walleye on monday. That could be a pretty cool show if it all works out. Just burning DVD's today - have lots to get to and then try to get them in the mail if possible yet today. Ahhh, its a Friday, I think it can wait till Monday...
Jimmy
5/26/10
Sorry for the long delay between blogs, but we are working on our Facebook page so if your looking for more info from the show that should be coming soon. The show that airs tomorrow night will be a little different from most - we are doing 3 different Morel mushroom hunts from 3 areas across the state. Its been a few years since we have done one of these but this year we had some good stories to bring you and it is amazing to me how many people do this. I just posted the show online so you can see it now if you would like. I did hit the water yesterday, but is was to float the Red Cedar with my wife and some friends in canoes and kayaks. We had a great time with some perfect weather. I was working the last week as well and have 2 very good fishing stories to come. The first was a kids event in Saugatuck that was really a cool deal. The second was some smallmouth fishing from Burt lake, and I tell you what, we nailed them up there. I think I have one more turkey hunt and some flyfishing this week - after that I take the family to Indian River for the weekend!!!! If you see us in Vivios you can buy me a drink!!!!
Jimmy
5/16/10
Well - its been a wild week. I have been across this state a few times this week - really! Jenny's hunt this past week was an early one. We left the Lansing area around 3:30 to get to the place we wanted to hunt. The thunder and lightening made that a quick hunt. I did get my wife out this past weekend in the Ludington area - I got both my 6 year old and my 8 year old in the woods with us and that was great. However, the actual hunting itself was not good - very few birds and even fewer gobbles.
I leave for Saugatuck tomorrow for a very cool kids event. From there I head to northern Mi for some up north early bass action - this time of year is just packed with stuff to do. If you have a story you think we should do - please drop me a line. I am editing some great mushroom stuff this week for those of you that love to hit the spring woods...
Jimmy
5/10/10
Back in the saddle after a long weekend of travel. Was in the Traverse area following a Mushroom hunting story, then to the Cadillac area for some habitat work being done there. I did get back in time for a very good Mothers day - I think I did OK this year on that front!!! I am supposed to be woodcock banding tomorrow, but the bad forecast is moving that a day later. We are also trying to get Jenny a bird this week on camera. We were slated to head to the UP and hunt and fish there for a few days... that got cancelled. I was looking forward to getting above the bridge - you spend to much time in southern MI and bad things can happen!!!! I need the upnorthness from time to time to get me centered again. I guess my trip to Ludington this weekend will have to suffice. I hope to get my wife a bird up at my parents place. We are killing two "birds" with one stone - seeing my parents new place and getting in some turkey hunting for my wife while having a baby sitter that can be with the kids during those crazy turkey hunting morning hours.
Jimmy
5/3/10
My turkey season was the first 2 weeks, and they have come and gone. I had a great couple of weeks and was in the woods on some really good hunts. However, I didn't leave myself enough time to seal the deal on a bird myself. I hunted a few times with my long bow, and had some birds really close, but not in position to where I could get a shot - by the time I picked up my shotgun I only had 2 hunts that I could get out on. I did get out last night to do a roost hunt, but I took my 6 year old with me. Funny, I didn't even think that we would miss dinner, but he seemed to pick up on that pretty fast. He lasted about 2 hours, which was just about prime time, and then he had had enough. It was really fun to have him in the woods and we saw a lot of deer and he got to do some calling, just didn't see any birds. We left about the time we should have been getting set up near the roost site I had picked out. Oh well, some things are more important than a turkey. I was supposed to be following a guy this morning, but that hunt was cancelled at about 4:15 this morning as I was heading out the door... lots of good turkey hunting still to come.
Jimmy
4/26/10
Another turkey down this past weekend. Taped a first time hunter (11 years old) shooting a monster bird this past saturday at the coolest kid event I have ever seen. That will be on in a few weeks. I am also finally going to the woods with weapon in my hand instead of a camera. Tomorrow I hope my longbow can fling and arrow where I am looking. I have already been on quite a few hunts this year so I am not as inching to kill one as I was at the beginning of the season. Ever bird I get on tape feels like a "kill" to me since its not as easy as it looks. I may take a shotgun the last few days so I can get something to put in the smoker, but I will try the stick and string with no blind for a few days. Had a few trips get cancelled this week so I can actually breath a little and catch up on some sleep. I love this time of year.
Jimmy
4/20/10
Well, here it is the second day of Turkey season - I have a tag but have yet to hold a gun. I have been in the woods, and let me tell you, I love this time of year!!!! Just got back from taping a good buddy of mine on a perfect state land turkey hunt. I won't give you too much info, hopefully you will watch the show next week to see it. I was running the camera and the mouth call and this bird played the part just perfectly. I was at our cabin near Wolverine and was up there with my dad and some buddies of his and mine. Jenny also got a good kill on tape, it was a good opening 2 days for us. I have a lot of editing to do, so I need to get to it - but what a great couple of days in the north woods.....
Jimmy
4/11/10
So, we are finally about done with the big buck stories on the show .... we will have 3 solid weeks of deer stories, which is a little much, but not sure how to change that. Since we do 2 shows, one in Novi and one in Grand Rapids, its hard to get those deer condensed to one or even 2 shows. We only invite about 15 deer to each but to show about 2 minutes per person really ads up. If you have any ideas let us know.
Turkey season is getting very close and I have been shooting my long bow quite a bit just incase I try to take it to the field for a day or two. I can't make up my mind if I want to try it or not. I think I mentioned it but I hate hunting turkeys out of a blind so if I do take the long bow to the field it will be without a blind. I also have to decide to hunt the first few days of the season or go north and hunt and call with my dad and some good friends. Even as I type this it seems that the right thing to do is to go hunt with my dad.... you never know how many more springs we all have, it would be a shame to miss one with the old man if the only reason to not go is to stay here in southern Mi and shoot a bird for the show. I love the spring....
Jimmy
4/3/10
This week we aired our first portion of several weeks of big buck interviews. I don't have it posted online just yet because the file I need to upload is locked in an office that I can't get into until monday, so check the website on Monday and you can see the first episode if you have not yet seen it. Week 2 is where the really big ones start showing up. It is a few hours before my Spartans play for the right to go to the final game.... as an alumni I am really hoping they can pull it off, but they sure did more than what many of the "Spartan Nation" was thinking they would...
Also, tomorrow is Easter sunday - that is a big deal. Both me and my wife are very involved in our local church and for us (and all Christians) tomorrow is the biggest day in our faith. If you haven't been to church in a while - try to find one tomorrow - a big sacrifice was made for you years ago on a good friday and Easter is the culmination of what love really looks like.
Jimmy
3/27/10
It has been almost 2 weeks since I checked in here. The reason, I am in Florida!!!! Even though when we left Michigan the weather was pretty nice, its not as nice as here! We are up in the pan handle of the state and enjoying some sun and seafood. I am getting more and more excited for the upcoming turkey season, and am trying to decide if I should hunt with my long bow or the shotgun.... If you have any thoughts let me know.
Anyway - I hope your spring plans include some time in the turkey woods, but until then, get out and enjoy some time on the water.
Jimmy
3/15/10
Seems like Monday is the "blog" day for me.... I have a full week this week. I am frantically editing Big Buck interviews from Novi today and tomorrow in hopes of getting a few shows edited this week. We also have the Grand Rapids Ultimate Sport show this week where we will tape another 15-20 hunters with their bucks as well. I hope to get all the interviews into 3 weeks of shows, but that is getting harder and harder to do the more deer we get. I may have to shortening the stories, or just do less deer - not sure which is the better option. If you have any preference, let me know.
We also have St. Paddy's day thrown in this week so I need to set some time aside for that! I am also packing up the family and heading to Florida this weekend!!! Lots of stuff to do, and limited time.... seems like just about every week gets like that.
I am getting really excited about Turkey hunting - I haven't decided yet if I will try to get a bird with my long bow. I don't like hunting birds from blinds so doing it off the ground with a long bow while just kneeling on the ground is even harder - I may try it for a day or two. Spent Saturday up and Jay's taping the state calling contest, so that even got me more ready for the spring!!! Got to go - good luck if you can get out and get on the rivers -
Jimmy
3/8/10
Another monday....getting ready to put this week's show together. Most of the PBS stations are in pledge so they are asking for a "short" show which is about 21 minutes or so instead of the 27 minutes they usually ask for. This give us a little break - we usually don't air much "new" stuff during pledge so it gives me some time to start editing our Big Buck footage that was taped a week or so ago. I did get out on Saginaw Bay a few days ago - had a great time out there and we started catching fish just before dark and ended up with a dozen or so by the time we called it a day. Should be a nice story. I was also supposed to be on Burt lake in Indian River over the weekend, but had to cancel that as my work calendar was not up to date with the calendar my wife has..... her calendar tends to be master calendar - which is probably a good thing. Anyway - have some cool stories coming up over the next few weeks, and starting to really look forward to turkey season - I love the woods in the spring.
Jimmy
3/1/10
Outdoorama is over!!! This past weekend was the big event in Novi, and we taped the first of 2 Big Buck nights this past Thursday. The crowd was great this year!!! We were in a different location in the building so we really didn't know what to expect. We were very pleasantly surprised with the turn out that was over 700 people! Overall, it went very well. We had a few technical issues off the get go, but after that it was pretty smooth. This Big Buck stuff should start airing the first week of April. I did get out and do some Steelhead fishing last week as well. We stumbled into a couple fish, and I hope to edit that this week to air next week. I am scheduled to go to Saginaw Bay this week, and maybe Burt lake on Saturday. Lots of stuff going on - got to get back to the editing.... take care
Jimmy
2/21/10
This ice fishing season has been more miss than hit.... I was up north this weekend and spoke at a church in Atlanta last night and was supposed to be fishing Burt Lake today for perch and walleye. As I got on the road to travel from Atlanta to Indian River I received a call from the guy who I would be fishing with. He and his buddies were on the ice all day and had a few perch to show for it and 2 walleye. So, we decided to give a week or so and see if the fishing would pick up. I can't tell you how many times that has happened to me this winter. We are also taping this week at Outdoorama.... the first of 2 Big Buck nights will take place this week down in Novi. MUCC, CBM, and the Country Smokehouse all help make that night happen and it should be a lot of fun. If your in the area, stop in on Thursday night and see some great deer. On the positive side the dinner I spoke at last night was a big success, despite the fact that they were serving both Beaver, and Porcupine!!!!
Jimmy
2/12/10
Well, we just finished wrapping up editing the show for next week. The sturgeon spearing season on Black Lake was awesome! That will be on next week's show. It's quite the event, with lots of history that makes it clear it's a huge part of the culture in the community - I'm glad I was able to witness it first-hand. On Tuesday I headed to Saginaw Bay for walleyes with Mark Martin and the gang from his ice fishing school. Apparently, I need more schooling, cause I think I was the only one on the ice that didn't get a fish. Guys were catching their limits right next to me! Of course, it was better than sitting inside. Last night I followed Jimmy with the camera on his coyote hunt. I'll let him tell you how it went. This weekend I'll be heading to the downriver area of Detroit to tape at Lincoln Bowmen club. Looking forward to it!
Jenny
2/9/10
So, here I am editing some footage for next week's show and all the news has to say is some big snow storm is supposed to hammer southern MI. It is funny to me that growing up in Ludington a big storm was like 3 feet of snow, the last few years it makes the news if we are going to get 2 inches. I don't know if the winters are much different in other parts of the state but in southern Mi I can barely call this winter so far. I have snow blowed my driveway 1 time. Ok, it maybe needed it 2 or 3 but still. At least it's been cold enough to make good ice and that is the most important part - but compared to last year this winter is a dud. I hope the kids get a snowday tomorrow, my Manistee river fishing did get cancelled so I could stay home tomorrow and play with the kids if they have the day off. My buddy called me and said a friend of his is having significant coyote problems. I am planning on heading that way on Thursday to try and call some in that evening. Maybe I can get lucky, and maybe, just maybe we may have 3-4 inches of snow. They are calling for 10-12 but I am not getting my hopes up.
Jimmy
2/2/10
Well, I'm back from the U.P. We ended up canceling the whitefish/menominee fishing shoot because it was pouring rain - sideways - the day we were supposed to go out. Since I've never actually seen a menominee fish, I'm beginning to think it's a little like "snipe hunting". :) The rain let up the next day, so I was able to head over to Sugar Island in the St. Mary's River and ice fish for some jumbo perch with a couple of great guys. The only challenge was all the water on top of the ice! I'm editing that together this week, so it will be on next week's show. I'm excited about the sturgeon spearing season that begins this Saturday. I'm headed up to tape it, so hopefully I'm in the right place at the right time to capture some of the action on camera! It's gonna be interesting to see how many people take advantage of the new sturgeon spearing regulations and show up to take part in it. Hope to see you there!
Jenny
1/28/10
Just finished the show that will air a week from today - its got a really good rabbit hunt and the top 6 videos from our video challenge. I am heading north tomorrow to try and get a story that I know will not be easy. I am covering the Nettie Bay Predator Hunting tournament. It takes place over a 48 hour span that starts tonight, and ends on Saturday night. I will tag along with at least one group and maybe two tomorrow afternoon and again on Saturday. Getting a coyote, or a fox, or a bobcat on tape is very tricky to do here in Michigan while calling, so if it works it will be great....if not, we will still make a story out of it if at all possible. Tonight's show (the 28th) is pretty good, I am interested to see what kind of feedback we get on the squirrel hunt. Good luck on the ice!!!!
Jimmy
1/22/10
Hey everyone! Sorry I haven't "blogged" in awhile. Time just kinda slips away sometimes, as we all know. This week I'm working on editing together a rabbit hunt I taped last Saturday in Jackson County. Lots of fun - a bunch of dads & some kids who are better shots than a lot of grown men I know! We got 16 rabbits in just a few hours. In a couple of days I'm headed up to the U.P. for 2 days of icefishing. If the weather cooperates, we'll be hauling in some jumbo perch, whitefish and possibly some menominee. Anyone ever heard of menominee fish? I never had, so I can't wait to see them. Unfortunately, the weather is calling for some freezing rain, so we'll see if it happens or not. Be careful out there!
Jenny
1/21/10
Hey West Siders!!!! Meant to get this on our show this week, but didn't quite have time. There is a very cool event coming to Grand Haven on the 6th of February. Hal Blood, big time whitetail hunter, is the featured speaker. This event is at the Resurrection LIfe Church in Grand Haven - its open to the public and all the proceeds go to the Lakeshore Pregnancy Center and the Salvation Army. For more info call 616-842-2800 or www.reslife-gh.org
1/18/10
Well, its Monday morning and I am chin deep in viewer video's!!! This week we air our first half, or I should say all the non-deer stuff. We have some really cool stuff, and I would say several very good deer hunts that will air next week. I am also hoping to fit in the squirrel hunt I did a few weeks back as well for next weeks show. It was the coolest hunt I have been on in a while - we used dogs and they were awesome!!! I am also hitting the ice this week to do a how to on pike jigging. That will air soon. Jenny taped a rabbit hunt this past saturday and that went well, they actually got 16 rabbits or something crazy like that. I think a few were on tape.....I hope. Had a great meeting last week with a group that is going to start working with me and getting us some very good how to footage and tips on fishing. This will help me get more quality stuff on the air, and let them handle some of the shooting and editing. I should know more on that in the next month or so, but it could be a very cool partnership. Take care -
Jimmy
1/13/10
So it's late on a Wednesday afternoon and I am trying to wrap up the show that will air next week. I think I have mentioned before that the show that airs on a Thursday actually gets handed in the Thursday before. Anyway, it is the first week of our Viewer Video Challenge and I think we have some good stuff. I did include a few trapping scenes that include a wolf and a bobcat that were unintentionally trapped, and the video is how they were released. I went back and forth on if I should run them, but its a perfect example of what to do if that happens. I am sure a few folks will get upset that I included them, but I have one learned on thing very well in my 12 years of being here.... you can't please everybody. In fact, your lucky if you please half. On that same note the new DNRE director was picked today. Becky Humphries will keep her job and add a lot to it. I have steered away from a lot of the political stuff since taking over the show. I know its important and we do and will comment on it from time to time. It's very easy to get caught up in that world. I have also learned over the years that those in Lansing think the stuff that goes on in Lansing is REALLY important. It is to some small degree but not like many think it is. I hope Becky does a good job, I wouldn't want that job at all. Well, have to get back to editing....take care
Jimmy
1/8/10
So, its a friday and I am in the office - not good. I guess I shouldn't complain I did spend all day yesterday trying to call in a coyote. I was running the camera and was with some guys who were running the calls. They sounded great and usually get one coyote every 4-5 set ups. We did 7 set ups yesterday, so I am sure they will get one without me very soon!!! We didn't get one, but we did get about 6 inches of snow as we were hunting. I will get down there with those guys again to see if we can't connect - they are also call makers so it will be a good story. I am editing viewer video stuff today and next week, getting some pretty good stuff to air on the 21st. I am planning on getting together with my bird hunting buddies on saturday night to have a wild game dinner - should be fun. Have a great weekend!!!
1/03/10
Well, the holidays are over and life resumes tomorrow. I had a great week or so with the family and was able to travel quite a bit and I am sure gain several pounds! I do love this time of year, but it will be good to get back to a normal schedule - whatever that looks like.... I am meeting with the folks from Jay's Sporting Goods this week to talk about this upcoming year. I am looking forward to that. I am also taping a coyote calling segment this week. Those are hard to tape and we haven't had the best of luck getting a coyote kill on tape. I hope for big things this week! The show this week will highlight a southern Mi buck pole in Dexter and will have a great ice fishing segment aimed at getting folks excited about the season that is now upon us. The show we edit this week that will air the next week has a great late season elk hunt with a wounded veteran. I will be putting together all of our viewer video stuff as well this week to air at the end of the month. We have lots of good entries this year, should be at least a full show, if not more. I look forward to seeing what this next year will hold. This first year of taking over the show has been full of challenges, but good overall. Year 2 looks good as well with PBS and our sponsors continuing to be supportive. Thanks for watching, and thanks for reading the random thoughts of a yahoo :) God bless
Jimmy
12/25/09
Well, Christmas with the kids today!!! Had a great day with just the family. We head north tomorrow to Ludington to celebrate with my side of the family. I am hoping to get out a little next week and try to put one more doe in the freezer. We are airing our "best of" shows this week and next so that we have a chance to take some time off. I hope you got to spend some time with friends and family today, and that you remember the reason for the season.....God bless
Jimmy
12/18/09
Just got back from a couple days up north....taped a great squirrel hunt! That's right, the best squirrel hunt I have ever been on. We were using squirrel dogs and it was a perfect day in the woods. These dogs were pretty amazing and you won't want to miss this hunt. It won't be on till probably mid January, but it was cool. I was in the Alpena area, it's a long way to drive for a squirrel hunt, but it was worth it. Just got back down state, and every time I drive back "down state" I wonder why I live "down state" I hate "down state"!!! I love being up north!!!! I guess I should talk to my wife about that.... :)
Jimmy
12/14/09
So, last week we aired me shooting a year and a half old buck, and I was really surprised by all the feedback! I was sure I would get some folks that didn't think I should air that. However the vast majority of folks, probably 90%, thought that was a great deer to show being harvested. In fact most really appreciated the fact that we aired that hunt. For to many years now, there is this sense that shooting a small buck is irresponsible and not what we should promote. That is crazy!!! We has sportsmen have to stick together. We have anti-hunters that try and tear us apart - lets not do their job for them. Most feedback was very thankful we showed what true Michigan deer hunting is like - thanks to all that sent in their thoughts on last weeks show - I am still looking for that big one....
Jimmy
12/09/09
It's finally starting to feel like winter here in the great state of Michigan!!! The snow if finally falling and I am going to get to do some muzzleloading this week. I may even get one more grouse hunt in, but not to sure if I can pull that off as well. I am in the office finishing the show for next week that will have Jenny's opening day story as well as a buck pole from Mason, Mi. Jenny is up north following a wounded Vet. who is trying to shoot an elk during this late season. They are getting dumped on with snow, so not sure if they will get it done before Jenny has to leave or not. I hope they can pull it off, it sounds like a great story. We are getting ready to break for the holidays as many of you are, we have a couple shoots to go before we run our "best of" shows for Christmas Eve and New Years Eve. I am heading to Alpena next week for a squirrel hunt - that's right, a squirrel hunt with dogs will be the next story I am taping - should be a good time. Thanks for checking in -
Jimmy
12/03/09
I am just finishing up the show that will air a week from today. I am running our state land opener next week and I have very little deer to show for it. We sure had a great time, but the deer did not want to cooperate with us at all. I ended up shooting a nice little 5pt. later in the season and did get it on tape. I am sure I will get some feedback from folks that think you shouldn't shoot year and a half old bucks.... but I say that its legal and to be honest I don't know if I even saw a 2 year old this season. Anyway, that is what we have cooking for next week. I am heading to Mt. Pleasant tonight to pledge at WCMU with Bob Garner. We had some good success last year raising some money for PBS so we are trying again tonight. Live TV is pretty fun, and it's always good to see Bob. If you get a chance and are in northern MI we should be on from about 8pm till 9:30 or something like that. Take care...
Jimmy
11/26/09
Well its finally here Thanksgiving day!!! Our firearm season is about all wrapped up with not much to show for it. I was able to put my tag on a small buck last week but have not seen any big ones this entire season. We did get my buck on tape, and I did get a lot of good footage from deer camp, so the season was not a total loss. From what I have been hearing from guys all over the state it has been a slow season with not a lot of deer moving - regardless of where you hunt. Once the corn is harvested and the weather gets colder we should be in for some good muzzleloading! The PBS stations are going into pledge now so we will wait for another week or so before we air our opening day stuff and the buck poles we visited. I am currently in the Muskegon area with my wife and her side of the family. We have a very full house and 6 kids running around. Family is what it's all about - so back to the family room and Thomas the Train - take care and good luck if you get to hit the woods this weekend.
Jimmy
11/18/09
Well, we have had one of the toughest openers I can remember. We don't even have the weather to blame!!! My state land gamble didn't pay off, well at least not yet. We had a great time but the 16 hunters who were in camp shot NO BUCKS and said they haven't seen it this slow in years. They also said they don't remember seeing this many hunters in the woods. I still have a day or two to hunt with these guys so all hope is not lost, but it's getting close. Jenny had no luck in southern Mi with only a few deer even seen. We do have a couple good buck poles to go to, hopefully they will save the stories. Its been a lot of time in the woods and very little to show for it. We still have a week or more to go, but our time in the woods will be getting less and less.
Jimmy
11/14/09
It's the day before the big day!!! I am headed north to state land...I must be crazy! Its been a long time since I spent the opener on state land, and I have to say I am pretty excited. The guys I will be spending the time with are great guys - they have a lot of fun and hunt hard. I am sitting with a guy who has killed a buck every opening day for 7 or 8 years on state land. I hope I don't bring the curse of the camera with me. One nice thing is that these guys do shoot at about anything with antlers, so we won't have to wait for Mr. Big. Should be good story either way.... Well, the truck is loaded and I think I have everything - Good luck to all of you out there - see ya in the woods.
Jimmy
11/10/09
So, I think my head is FINALLY back out of the clouds! Last week I was bowhunting in Ohio with friends Jim & Elaine Morrow from MJC Archery. We just went for a 4 day "fun" trip (which means there were no video cameras allowed). On the sixth sit in the stand, a big ole bruiser walked by at 10 yards - nose to the ground & grunting! I will admit, I had the worst case of buck fever I've ever experienced. I had to put two arrows in him, but he was down & didn't get back up. Whew! A nice big 10 point that we estimate at just under 150". My biggest buck by far! I just tried to figure out how to insert the picture here, but no luck. If you watch the end of this week's show you'll see him. So it's back to reality....and back to editing. This week I'm editing the footage from the Pere Marquette fly fishing trip we took a few weeks ago. I'll be back out in the treestand later this week, and hope to bag a Michigan buck or doe soon. Then it's off to Coldwater to tape the gun opener this weekend. Good luck everyone!
Jenny
11/8/09
So one week later here I am on a Sunday night checking in. My time in northern MI went well taping the camp going up on state land. We hunted for a day while there and one guy actually got a small buck with his longbow the first night. That whole story should be a good one when we get it on the air. I spent a fair amount of time last week talking with underwriters about sponsoring our show this next year. This is a very important part of doing a TV show. Without good folks to back you up, it's a little hard to put a show like this together. So far next year is looking good, so we hope to keep this show going for years to come!!! I did get a chance to tape a buddy shooting a nice little buck this weekend, and I was able to hit the woods tonight and had a close call with my longbow, but still not an arrow has been "chucked" at a deer this year. I am getting excited for the opener - should be a good few days in the woods. On another note, I took my 8 year old daughter Jamie to her first MSU game this past Saturday. Even though it was only Western, it was a perfect day to be at the stadium, and to tailgate. Should be a crazy week trying to get a show done and get a little bow hunting in before the guns start going off next week. Take Care -
Jimmy
11/1/09
It's Sunday night and I am heading north first thing in the morning. I am taping my opening day firearm story on state land this year and the guys I will be staying with are putting up their tent/cabin thing tomorrow. I hope to get there in time to see and tape it going up. They camp on state land for a couple weeks. They start with a few days of bow hunting and then when the firearm season starts they put down their bows and pick up some rifles. It should be a fun trip, and just maybe we will get some decent bow hunting in as well. It's been a long time since we taped an opening day on state land - in fact I don't remember ever doing it on the opener in my 11 years of being here. It's a gamble but if it pays off we will have a great story. Been doing mostly bird hunting here in October, so now that it's November I hope to get some good deer hunting time in. Had a good weekend with the family, kids had a great time trick or treating and other than my spartans losing again it was a good weekend. Looking forward to heading north tomorrow - talk to you soon.
Jimmy
10/26/09
Yes - another Monday indeed! So, Friday I was out in the wind & pouring rain taping a bunch of guys trying to shoot some pheasants. Turns out the birds had more sense than us & found good cover. Pretty rough going, but lots of laughs. Then I headed down to Jackson to the land of Nugent and taped some friends who were hunting on Ted's ranch. Did I mention it was raining? Then I taped the Motor City Madman himself for a day and a half. Ted was trying to bag his first Michigan free-range deer with a crossbow. Saturday night we got skunked in the cold rain. Sunday morning we got skunked, but at least the rain subsided for a bit. Then last night we hit paydirt...in the rain. You'll have to wait & see what happened when the hunt airs on our show here in a couple of weeks. In the meantime, I'm sitting inside editing on a beautiful sunny day! Ohhh, Mother Nature, you are one crazy, mixed up lady.
Jenny
10/26/09
Well, another Monday. I am finishing up a river salmon story that will air next week and hoping to find another 3-4 minutes of content for next weeks show. Jenny is editing a pheasant recipe and we hope to take some footage from a pheasant hunt that happened last week and round out the show for next week. Jenny and I were up with Bob Garner last week and attempted to tape a pheasant hunt with some folks who purchased the trip through WCMU. I say attempted because the day was raining sideways and was terrible to tape in. I think we have enough to make something out of it because we had a pretty entertaining day despite the rain and nasty weather. We were supposed to be heading to the UP this week but that trip has been cancelled so I may be able to bow hunt a little this week. Hard to believe October is all but gone - its my favorite month, and man did it scream by this year.... talk to you later -
Jimmy
10/20/09
Today is the opener of the Pheasant season and I wasn't hunting pheasants today. That is sad, however I was hunting (or should I say taping) a great goose hunt today. We were in the Lake Odessa area and did we ever hammer them today!!! 12 birds in about 40 minutes or so. We got just about everyone dropping on tape and should be a good story. I am editing a habitat piece and a story about the making of my longbow that I am using this year. Both those stories will be on next weeks show - this week has a really good bow hunt as well as a first time buck slayer on the youth season. I just got home from the goose hunt and will start putting a salmon story in the computer to edit for the following week. My dog did very well in the UP for those who read the blog from last week. If anyone reading any of this would like to ask a question please click on the contact portion of the site and drop me a line. I would love to know who is reading this stuff.... take care - hope to do some bow hunting soon if time allows - get outside October is almost gone.
Jimmy
10/13/09
Well, hello! My first blog - yeah! I just finished editing the youth deer hunt story for next week's show. It was such a fun hunt with lots of nail-biting & a shot fired in the very last minutes of the season. I'm leaving in the morning to head up North for two days. I'll be taping a bunch of guys fly fishing for salmon & steelhead up there. It's gonna be loads of fun, cause it's the same group of guys I taped in Alaska back in 2007, and let me tell you - they're a riot! I went out to my hunting spot today and put up a couple of new stands. I know it's kind of late to be doing it, but I just couldn't quit thinking about this one area that lacked a stand. One of the stands was a ladder stand. It must have looked like I was dancing with it out there. You know what I mean? When you get it all put together & then try to lean it against the tree? Yup, dancing. Can't wait to get back out there! Good luck bowhunters!
Jenny
10/12/09
This week I am in the UP and as I write this I am overlooking Lake Huron from the beautiful shores of Hessel in the east end of the UP. I have been grouse hunting now for 4 straight days and my dog is very tired. We started this trip in the northern lower where I found very few woodcock but did well on the grouse and was able to connect with a few. We are heading to the local watering hole in a few minutes once we get the dogs feed. We have 9 dogs with us and 4 hunters this trip. I hope to do some taping soon but the shotgun seems to be jumping to hand very quickly. Today we had over 60 woodcock flushes and close to 20 grouse. We did manage to get our limit of woodcock today all over points, it was a good day in the woods. I will need to do some editing at some point while I am up here but for the now its time to relax....
Loving the UP - Jimmy
10/5/09
Well, its been a hectic week since I last checked in here. It all started with the bow opener last Thursday. I am hunting with a longbow this year so Jenny taped me and we did see a lot of deer on the opener but nothing close enough to shoot. Hunting with that longbow means that just about any doe or buck will be fair game if we can get them close enough. I am also trying to hunt off the ground this year which is really making this even harder - but if it all works its gonna be pretty cool. I also just took about 13 guys from our church north for the weekend to Nettie Bay Lodge near Hawks, Mi. We hunted waterfowl and also did quite a bit of upland hunting. My shorthair had a day I will remember for a long time on saturday. She had at least half a dozen solid woodcock points and 2 very good grouse points as well. We killed a few birds and had a great weekend up there. This week I am editing the youth waterfowl season and maybe editing a few other stories as well because I am heading north on Thursday to hunt the northern lower and the eastern UP for grouse and woodcock for close to a week - no cameras. Hope your getting out to enjoy all the state has to offer in the month that seems to have so much to do and such little time to get it done - OCTOBER!!!!! Thanks for checking in and don't forget we are running our fall viewer video challenge - take your camera to the woods and send us the video - we have some great prizes again this year.
Jimmy
9/28/09
Another Monday - yippee!!! I have a lot of editing to do this week. We edit a show and hand it in on a Thursday and it airs the following Thursday. So the stuff we edit this week will be seen on the 8th. For years we handed the show in on a Wednesday and then it would air the next day. So stuff isn't as fresh as it used to be but, oh well. I am editing our early season Elk hunt, where we shoot the number 2 non-typical ever shot in the state!!!! Its a huge bull and a great hunt. I am also hoping to get a father son fishing trip we did on the Detroit River on as well. So, I better get back at it... By the way I turned 38 yesterday, so if you want to send any gifts feel free!!!! Take care -
Jimmy
9/22/09
Well I was supposed to head to the UP tomorrow to tape a salmon story in the Sault and then do some grouse hunting as well - both for the show. The salmon are very hit and miss so we postponed the trip. So, since PBS is showing a new documentary next week I decided to run some older footage and went grouse and woodcock hunting today with no camera. We had a great day and my year and a half old shorthair Marley did pretty darn good. Had 2 great woodcock points, but the leaves were so thick that I could only see a flash of bird in the first 4 feet of lift off and then it was gone - both times. Finally connected on a very nice point and was able to take 2 woodies today. I have been shooting my long-bow A TON trying to get ready for the opener and my first "traditional" season. Will be back in the office tomorrow getting next week's show around. Get in the woods -
Jimmy
9/16/09
So here we are a day into grouse season and I haven't been to the woods yet. Oddly enough I had to work yesterday and then go to a Roughed Grouse Society dinner. They gave me a very nice award and a steak dinner, so overall it was OK that I missed the opener. The weather for the opener was HOT and my buddies that did hit the woods said that mid-day was pretty tough on the dogs. Today we are finalizing the show for next week and getting ready for a few shoots this week. Friday I will be on St. Clair chasing monster muskies. Saturday I am taking a group of kids out on the youth waterfowl season. Even though my 6 year old Charlie is to young to hunt, he is tagging along and maybe learning to run a camera. Should be a great time. Next week we go north to fish the St. Mary's for pink salmon and then I finally will hit the grouse woods with camera rolling. Crazy time of year, but what a lot of fun....this is a great state!!!
Jimmy
9/10/09
Well - pretty crazy couple days. I am waiting at WGVU to go on a live pledge pitch in about a half hour. I just rolled in from a day of fishing on the Manistee river where the new WORLD record was caught yesterday!!! A monster brown trout - we didn't do anything like that, but we did very well today and landed 6 fish. I am heading north on Saturday to speak at an outdoor event at Spring Hill Camps and then taping a Roughed Grouse bird dog trial on Sunday morning. If I ever get a chance to do some editing we could have a couple really cool shows! Anyway - have to go ask for money for PBS.... they are good to us so I do what I can to help them out as much as possible. If your in the Grand Rapids area I will see you live in a little bit. Live TV is pretty fun - but I think I still have salmon bits and pieces on my shirt.... Oh well :)
Jimmy
9/04/09
What a couple of days!!! I just got back from 3 days of Elk hunting in northern MI. Not much the first 2 days but on day 3 we bugled and were answered about 7am in the morning. After a small stalk we were within 150 yards of a monster 8x8 bull! This could be the nicest bull I have seen in our state. Our hunter made a great shot and not much longer we were jumping for joy around a stud of a bull. I then traveled to southern MI and hooked up with the guys from Outcast Traditions. They are building me a long bow that I will hunt with this season. Its been a great few days and now get to hang with the family tonight. Even though we are watching Wizzards of Waverly place on the Disney channel life is good. Take care...
Jimmy
8/30/09
It's Sunday night and I am heading into the office in the morning to try and get a few things done for next week's show. I am then leaving in the afternoon to try and get a little footage of the night before the elk season opener. I am taping for at least a few days in northern Michigan and elk season is a very special hunt to be sure. After taping the hunt I need to get back to the office and finish editing next week's show on Thursday. It will be a full week. In between hunts I will be editing some fishing stories. Trying to get all our summer fishing stuff on the air before the fall hunting seasons really kick in. I tried to take the family camping this weekend, but the rain and cold weather made us pack up a day early. We were at Higgins Lake campground and had a great time, just got a little wet in the process. If you're in the Gaylord/Atlanta area stop by the elk weigh in - I will be there....
Jimmy
8/27/09
Its Thursday and the show is done and handed off to PBS for next week!!! I am heading north today to take the family camping - should be a great time. I then will head to the Gaylord area right after camping to cover the first Elk season for the year. That is always a lot of fun, but the early season can be tough with all the leaves on the trees. Hopefully we will have some luck - we usually do. Also expecting some new wireless mics to come in today. I know it doesn't sound like much of a big deal, but I am kind of a gear nut so any new equipment is fun to start working with. I also talked with a manufacturer today that is going to build me a new recurve to use this upcoming season. I will be practicing a lot with that new bow now that my wrist is healed after breaking it this summer. The biggest news is that I am picking up a Jeep wrangler today.... tops off and lets hope for some more summer days before fall hits!!!
Jimmy
8/24/09
Well, we just turned on the website a day or two ago. I thought it would take about 2 months to get this thing up and going. Turns out it takes about 8 months when you're trying to produce a weekly TV show. The new site will be a nice tool to have. We should have the store and the real estate stuff turned on soon. Today is Monday and I am editing 2 different kayak stories. One is how to fish with a kayak, and the other is just a beauty/travel story from the Sturgeon River. I had a lot of fun on both shoots. The story on the Sturgeon River was pretty cool because I got to take my wife Dana along. I don't get to do that very often so to have her along in one of my favorite parts of the state was fun. I just edited about 10 and half minutes on the fishing part and need to fill about 7 minutes on the travel side of the story. I have a 17 minute hole to fill - so back to it. Talk to you later....
Jimmy
