Pics of my trip

[J-sews]

Sorry about the delay getting pics up folks. No sooner did I get back from the island than life took a bit of a left turn. Not to worry, everything is getting sorted now.


So as mentioned in this thread HERE, I was able to spend an entire week on North Manitou, a rather large island 20 miles off the coast in Lake Michigan. The entire island is managed as a wilderness area, with no shelter, assistance, electricity, or even fire allowed. The only public boat allowed is the weekly ferry run to the mainland. The National Park Service runs a very strict operation, and any violations are met with substantial fines. Park rangers will assist only in cases of physical emergency.

My reason for being there was the annual deer hunt, a week-long ordeal meant to help keep the local whitetail deer population in check. These animals are not native to the island, having been introduced by settlers in the previous century, and left unchecked will eat themselves into starvation, endangering delicate plants and shrubs along the way.

A decade ago there were many more participants, but the difficult conditions have taken their toll. This year only 26 people (including myself) made the trip......



Sunday Nov 1: The ferry is scheduled to leave the mainland dock in Leland at 9:00, but they wanted us there an hour earlier than that. I can see why! There is a lot of gear to be packed. Some of these guys plan on living the entire week out of their backpacks, others look like they've layed in enough gear for an Everest expedition! No matter what the load though, it all has to be transported by hand once we're on the island
 

In calm weather during the summer, they take tourists on cruises around the island in the big boat on the left. For this trip in rough November weather though, we'll be taking the little battle cruiser on the right. (background) In addition to a full compliment of survival rafts you see there...


...it also can be buttoned up tight to handle heavy waves and strong winds. We should not need to test those features today, as fortunately the weather is relatively tame this morning.


I've learned that there will be 26 of us this year on the island, down again from the previous year. Only three of us amongst the group will be going solo, although before my testosterone can kick in, I find out that one of the soloists is a woman! I meet and speak with Nancy, a remarkable gal indeed, and learn that she has made the trip - by herself - every year since 1998. Last year she finally saw success, managing to tag herself a 4-point buck.


We're finally under way! Goodbye civilization, see you in a week!


The trip over is uneventful, then came the ordeal of unloading everyone's gear. Again, there was a variety of philosophies represented, everything from groups of guys who packed everything but the kitchen sink, to minimalist individuals who only brought a backpack and a rifle. (Opting for mobility, I was more towards the lean end of the spectrum) Regardless, we all had to participate in the Chinese fire drill of unloading the ferry.


After a manditory safety lecture, we were turned loose to go where we pleased. The island is big - over 35 square miles - and it swallowed up 26 hunters without a problem. (I ran into only two other individuals during my entire stay) Almost at random, I headed south from the dock and set up camp a couple miles later. Temperatures were only in the low 40's (5 C) but I had wisely built up a layer of protective fat this summer and so had no problem staying warm.


Once camp was set and water was fetched (I used a Katydin Vario filter to get my water straight from Lake Michigan) it was time to explore. The entire island is heavily wooded, so my hunting plan all along has been to stake out a stretch of beach in hopes of catching deer coming down out of the woods for a drink in the morning.

Unfortunately, after walking the sands for nearly two hours farther south, I never cut a single deer track! Coyote tracks aplenty, no doubt cruising the beach for washed ashore dead fish and the like, but not a single deer track.


So I turned inland, hoping for more luck. The big trees are magnificent, towering oak, maple, hemlock, and beech. But the infestation of little beech saplings is annoying as heck. They retain their leaves until late in the winter, and the thick foliage falls right at eye level, limiting visibility and concealing game.


Here and there an old homestead is encountered, offering a small break in the endless forest. Above is an old apple orchard, long since devoid of fruit, with the clearing being slowly reclaimed by native trees. In 50 years I'd wager there will be no trace left.


Same goes for this nearby barn. Already there are 8" diameter trees sprouting from its foundation. How long ago must have it been abandoned?

But it is getting late in the afternoon, and by now I am a long long ways from camp. Stopping at the edge of a small meadow, I take a watch for the last hour until dark...


....and am stunned a few minutes later when this big bruiser comes trotting out of the woods!! I couldn't believe my eyes! For cripes sake the lack of sign had almost convinced me that there weren't any deer left on the island! He trotted out, all cocky and arrogant, his mind clearly on the topic of does in heat. I had a clean shot at about 50 yards, and took it.

Woo-hoo! Things never go this easy for me!

But the pictures and personal celebrations had to be cut short. At the sound of my shot, a pack of coyotes started yipping and carrying on nearby. And it was almost dark. And I had to hike all the way back to camp and retrieve my buck cart, then come back. No way did I want those little devils ravaging my deer while I was gone. Damn!


Two miles is far to great a distance to drag a deer, and the biologists prefer to check all deer intact. Therefore the park service has made a special allowance in their rules, allowing one- or two-wheeled carts into the wilderness for purposes of transporting game. The carts make the task manageable, but just barely. Thankfully I was able to make it back before the coyotes, but then it was two hours of hell getting my trophy back to camp in the pitch black woods.

Still and all, what a day!! My biggest buck ever, taken on my first day on the island! Despite being dead tired upon arrival back to camp, I was too excited to sleep a wink.


Monday, Nov 2: Wow, that must have been quite a squabble!! The field dressings from my deer are completely gone (about 30 pounds of guts in all) and a short distance away lies this poor fellow. His intestines are hanging out, but he isn't quite stiff yet. Obviously the loser in a fight over a choice piece of entrails!

The next day, after checking back yet again, the coyote too was completely gone. The only thing that remained were a few tufts of orange-blonde hair. Wow, mother nature at her rawest!


Tuesday, Nov 3: There is no limit on the number of deer a person can shoot (truth be told, the park service views the deer as an invasive species, and secretly would prefer they be completely eliminated) so I spend my time half-hunting / half exploring. The island is a fascinating bit of history and wilderness. 150 years ago, before the railroads were widespread on the mainland, boat traffic on the lakes was the preferred method of transportation for people. The island inhabitants thrived, providing both provisions for settlers traveling farther west, and logs to power the wood-burning steamships then plying the lakes.

By the early 1900's though, the economics no longer made sense. Island farms could not compete with those on the mainland, with their ready access to markets by truck and rail. People moved away in droves, leaving the islands mostly uninhabited by the time the national park service took them over in the 1980's.


The mainland bluffs and dunes, seen here looking 20 miles across the Manitou Channel.


The old docks, long since washed away. Emerging from the sands nearby is an old frame and rear axle of a truck, which had apparently been abandoned on the beach decades ago.


Thursday, Nov 5: The island is actually like a big donut, with a sizeable inland lake. There were deer tracks aplenty along here. But it was so freakin' far from ....anywhere.... that I wouldn't have shot one if it had stood up in front of me!


Not all the island inhabitants are quite so vicious as the coyotes.


Friday, Nov 6: I relocate camp, now a lot closer to the docks, so I won't have so far to travel tomorrow for departure home. The apple tree nearby was plenty old, but the fruit was outstanding! (Of course, after a week of eating nothing but freeze dried backpacker's meals, my opinion may be a bit biased!)


Where I lived for a week.

The next day, Saturday, was our scheduled day to go home. But the Lake Gods decided otherwise, hurling strong southwest winds and 10- to 12-foot waves through the channel. There would be no boat rides today. I had plenty of food and water and all, but it was still a mighty disappointment to have to reset camp and not see loved ones as hoped. Hopefully the winds will calm tomorrow.


They did, and we made it back uneventfully. Best of all was the large reception of people waiting to greet our return. It seemed that half the village turned out to see how successful the hunters had been this year! How flattering. And successful we were too, as among the 26 hunters, 9 bucks and 2 does were taken, more than have been tagged in the past several years.

[WhichDawg]

wow! very interesting and thought provoking Bob

I like how people use them carts to haul things with, how far can you walk/go with one?

[David]

Thanks for the sharing your hunt with us. Looks like you had a great adventure.   

[Grant Lamontagne]

Poor guy on the left must have had less luck with the coyotes- they only left him the skull!

It looks like you had a great time, and it's even better than you have a trophy to commemorate the occasion!

So now the million dollar question... would you do it again? 

Def

[MultiMat]

Great pics & story Bob   .
Will you do the hunt again next year Bob  
If you went again Bob what would you do/take differently  

[cryptrick]

Superb pics Bob  Sounds like you had a decent time there

[David]

The other big question is, did you use your MT?   

[Mr. Whippy]

Bob, that looks awesome.

Couple questions:
1.  How'd you preserve the meat for a week, and keep it away from coyotes?
2.  How were the coyotes regarding your food and gear?

[Benner]

Fantastic pics Bob.  Seems like a lot of fun.

[Smitty44]

Thanks for the great pic's and story to go with them,I just wish that I could have been with you.
  &

[Chako]

Awesome story Bob. Looks like a wonderful way to spend a week.

That sort of reminds me of a worksheet that I use in my 10 science Biology unit regarding deer/wolf relationships on an island.

http://biologycorner.com/worksheets/deer_predation.html

[prime77]

Great pictures Bob. Looks like you had a great time. What did you miss the most from the modern world while you were roughing it?

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Fantastic shots mate, and well worth the wait

Shame about the half naked fat bloke half way through though

[Grant Lamontagne]

Fantastic shots mate, and well worth the wait

Shame about the half naked fat bloke half way through though

Tragedy is he probably still looks better than many of the rest of us! 



Def

[Gareth]

Thanks for the run through Bob, I almost felt like I was there with you.*









*you know, except for being in a nice warm house with a cold glass of white wine by my side.

[AHB]

Great pictures.. 
Looks like you had a fantastic time..  Thanks for sharing with us..

[cliosguy]

Great pictures.. 
Looks like you had a fantastic time..  Thanks for sharing with us..

+1 (im getting lazy lately with the replies )

[AHB]

Great pictures.. 
Looks like you had a fantastic time..  Thanks for sharing with us..

+1 (im getting lazy lately with the replies )

I actually noticed that too.. 
 

[edap617]

Stunning pictures with interesting commentary.

Thank you so much, Bob.

[Dunc]

Really enjoyed reading this Bob    Thanks for sharing . There is almost a Zero chance of doing this kind of thing over here and I find it very interesting and would very much like to be part of it .
And please do share with us what multitools you took with you 


Dunc

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Fantastic shots mate, and well worth the wait

Shame about the half naked fat bloke half way through though

Tragedy is he probably still looks better than many of the rest of us!  (Image removed from quote.)

(Image removed from quote.)(Image removed from quote.)

Def

Speak for yourself fatty

[J-sews]

wow! very interesting and thought provoking Bob

I like how people use them carts to haul things with, how far can you walk/go with one?

It depends how heavily the carts are loaded WD!

With my particular cart, the wheel doesn't carry much of the weight, the hunter does! Most of the island veterans had carts that were more "balanced", with the weight of the deer centered over two wheels. As such the hunter simply has to push the cart, like a shopping cart, instead of lifting and carrying the weight like I had to do.

If/when I go back, a cart re-design is definitely in order!

[J-sews]

Great pics & story Bob   .
Will you do the hunt again next year Bob  
If you went again Bob what would you do/take differently  

I'll be back! And with a new cart, far less extra clothing, and more food!

[J-sews]

The other big question is, did you use your MT?   

Yep, mostly the knives on my Super Tool. Cutting rope to secure my buck onto the cart, sharpening tent stakes, and cutting open food packages. That's pretty much it.


Oops, also trimmed my fingernails with Micra scissors.

[J-sews]

Bob, that looks awesome.

Couple questions:
1.  How'd you preserve the meat for a week, and keep it away from coyotes?
2.  How were the coyotes regarding your food and gear?

Fortunately the daytime temps were in the low 40's all week (night times dipped into the mid-20's) so the meat was never in danger of spoiling. After the first night in camp, I hauled the deer back to the dock area where the rangers allow us to use the cellar of a 100-year-old barn to hang the deer in. 

As regards coyotes, their yipping and howling could be heard every night, yet they never bothered my camp. Must be they are so wary of humans that they don't come anywhere close.

[jzmtl]

Looks like a fun week, wish I could come next time.

[J-sews]

Great pictures Bob. Looks like you had a great time. What did you miss the most from the modern world while you were roughing it?

Warm showers, warm bed, warm wife. (but not necessarily in that order)

[J-sews]

Looks like a fun week, wish I could come next time.

You and anyone else here has a standing invitation J!

[Mr. Whippy]

Bob, that looks awesome.

Couple questions:
1.  How'd you preserve the meat for a week, and keep it away from coyotes?
2.  How were the coyotes regarding your food and gear?

Fortunately the daytime temps were in the low 40's all week (night times dipped into the mid-20's) so the meat was never in danger of spoiling. After the first night in camp, I hauled the deer back to the dock area where the rangers allow us to use the cellar of a 100-year-old barn to hang the deer in. 

As regards coyotes, their yipping and howling could be heard every night, yet they never bothered my camp. Must be they are so wary of humans that they don't come anywhere close.

I figured there had to be something like that (or big coolers with blocks of ice).

I'm surprised they don't explore camp when you're away.  We get fox in the barn and if we're not careful, they'll eat the cat food or horse food.  Coyotes are at least as bold as fox.  

Man, Bob, I'm so jealous.  That looks like an AWESOME trip.  

[Anthony]

Awesome story and pics, thanks Bob.  I'd love to explore that island..were there still standing settlements/farms, or has it all been eaten up by mother nature?

So how did you find out that the ship wasn't coming to pick you guys up?  Did you all just meet up at the dock and realize you were all there for another day?

Did you carry a fixed blade?  I think I asked you in another thread what you were taking but I forgot