I started hunting late in life, but have learned to greatly appreciate the connection with nature and the fellowship with friends and family. There is something special about using your heightened sense of awareness as the silence of a crisp morning in the woods is altered by the sound of a deer stepping on a twig or hearing a turkey respond to your call or seeing a duck race towards you at dawn or the rush of a pheasant or grouse flushing in front of you. Hunting gets you into the woods or the field to enjoy each of these sensations.
Grouse Hunting
My first hunt, was Grouse hunting in Northwest Ontario in September 2011 with good friend Fred Bouwman. The combination of Walleye fishing and Grouse hunting on crisp, sunny, fall days as the leaves change before our eyes. I had great success hunting Grouse that likely had never seen a human before.
After missing the annual Memorial Day trip, I was thrilled that Jeff Westra and Fred Bouwman wanted to go back to Canada in September 2017 for another Grouse Hunting/Walleye fishing trip. Good hunting in the low light hours in the morning and in the early evening. Good fishing and a memorable trip.
In September 2018, Andrew and his friend Tyler joined Fred and I on another combined Grouse hunting and Walleye fishing trip, but hunting was more difficult. Good fishing and great weather made for a fun trip.
After Covid shut down the border to Canada for almost two years, a small group of us (with Fred Bouwman, John and Jim Cunningham) went up in 2021 without boats to clear the old logging roads to get back to our camp. We were able to find some Grouse while walking in the woods. Great eating! https://stevepelton.com/september-2021/
In 2022, the same crew brought boats so we could hunt Grouse in the morning and fish for Walleye in the afternoon. Beautiful weather. Three guys shot 45 birds in 4 days! Great hunting! https://stevepelton.com/september-2022/
In 2023, Zack and Mark Cunningham joined the traditional fall group and the 4 hunters got 47 grouse and all the Walleyes we could want. https://stevepelton.com/september-2023/
Pheasant Hunting
In October 2012, son Andrew joined up with Scott’s in laws Roger and Blake Palmer, on a Pheasant hunting trip along the Missouri River in central South Dakota. Hunting the expansive public land that South Dakota provides without a dog made for tough hunting, but it was a fun trip.
We everyone’s busy schedule, finding time for a long drive to South Dakota, Andrew, Scott and I started hunting game farms in Wisconsin. The game farm coordinates with local dog handlers to use their dogs for our hunt. It is really fun to watch a good dog work a field to flush Pheasants and retrieve them. This has developed into a great family tradition, adding daughter Nona in 2019.
Deer Hunting
In 2013, we bought 13 acres of hunting land near our home. The property has an heated storage building, which serves as a warming shelter. 10 acres of wooded land is in the Wisconsin managed forest program and has a small stream running through it that empties into the Big Eau Pleine Flowage. Trail cameras show the diverse population of wildlife that calls these woods their home.
The Wisconsin gun deer hunting season is a strong tradition. With over 650,000 licensed hunters entering the woods and fields across the state for the traditional 9-day gun deer season, forms the 7th largest armed militia in the world!
Jeff and Andrew helped me build 2 new tree stands in 2013. Jed and Jeff helped me move one of the to a new location in 2020. Grandson Alex helped me move a metal stand to a new spot.
Andrew joined me for the first deer hunt in 2013.
Daughter Nona often joins me in hunting the day after Thanksgiving. I recruited Linda and grandson Alex to put on the blaze orange to walk through the woods as a deer drive, without success. I often see does, but no bucks have walked past my stand – yet!
In 2020, Granddaughter Jenna got her first deer at age 15. Son-in-law Jed shot a big buck with his bow during the gun season!
Need to be ready to hunt in all kinds of weather, the woods are beautiful from sunrise to sunset.
Observing the little things on Opening Weekend 2023
27 degrees and it was a crystal clear and calm morning when I walked into the woods an hour before sunrise. Stars are shining brightly. No need for a flashlight. I hear but can’t see a couple deer get up and run off.
I get into my tree stand and everything is so quiet! My head is buzzing in the absence of any sound.
The sunrise is beautiful from my view 16’ in the air.
The sun peaks out over the hill. The tops of the trees start to glimmer in the morning light while the bottom of the trees are still dark. Geese fly over with their bellies bright white reflecting the sun.
Soon a squirrel rustles the dry leaves and the woods slowly comes alive. Birds start to chatter. A truck drives off in the distance. The first few shots are fired in the distance.
Soon the sunlight reaches the forest floor and the frost on the grass in the marsh shimmers and sparkles.
Different tree stands give me a very different perspective. The view over the open marsh is expansive, while the view in the forest is more restricted. Both are beautiful.
These are the little things that I greatly enjoy about deer hunting!
Turkey Hunting
I tried Turkey Hunting in the Spring of 2018 & 2019. I hunted with my cousin Jeff Westra for a couple days near Mauston WI before setting up a blind and decoys outside our woods. It was exciting to call the birds and have them gobble back in return, but not close enough for a shot.
Duck Hunting
My good friend Ron Cunningham has a lake home in Watertown South Dakota, close to some great duck hunting in the prairie pot hole region. Ron also has some great Labrador Retrievers that love swimming after downed birds. We found a little strip of land between two lakes were the ducks fly back and forth all day. In October 2019, I learned a lot about how fast ducks fly as they pass by us. Wow! For a guy who lives in the deep woods, I still appreciate the beauty of sunrise over a prairie lake.
In October 2020, we added 2 days of Pheasant hunting to our duck hunting trip. Ron’s farmer friend Wendell was gracious to let us hunt his land as he finished combining his corn. The combine would chase out Pheasants for us.
In 2023, Ron’s two sons, Peter and Johnny made the trip from Colorado to hunt with us. Peter’s friend Joe Foley invited us to hunt with his family on several different sections of land owned by his father Vince. Great guys, 6 dogs lots of birds and fantastic hunting! Ron made an excellent meal from some of the Pheasant breasts.
Trap Shooting
With my limited experience in shooting, I started shooting trap to practice. Andrew and I shot trap competitively a couple times in the Rich Seubert Celebrity Trap Shoot and Charity Auction. We had limited success, but it was a fun experience and supporting a good cause.
I bought a trap thrower to shoot near our woods. I have enjoyed teaching the kids and grandkids how to shoot.
Steve Pelton 