Tip-up!

(photo from http://www.ontariofishing.net)

While my busy schedule and an unseasonably warm beginning to December have not allowed for any ice fishing yet, I've got the itch to drill some holes.

Hopefully after the holiday season is over, I'll be able to make the treck up to the family cabin in northern Wisconsin to try my hand at some tip-up fishing and perhaps some jigging as well.

While the lake that my family's cabin is not the greatest for trophy fish, there are plenty of northern pike and panfish to keep any fisherman busy and the set up couldn't be better.

As soon as I do hit the ice, I'll report back here with the results. And good luck to all the other ice fisherman out there.

Freaky deer story has legs

Wow, what a day we had here at The Reporter yesterday. The second I got in, I knew it was going to be an unusual day. The e-mails and phone calls poured in all day from media outlets (and interested citizens) wanting to know more about Rick Lisko and his seven-'legged' deer. (Original story ----> here.)

As bizarre it was for me fielding calls, I can't imagine the attention Lisko, a self-described "hermit," was getting (Read related story here). He even had an interview with BBC last night. Despite being "overwhelmed," Lisko seemed to be enjoying the attention the seven-'legged' deer brought him.

For me, part of the fun was checking to see where my story and the Associated Press version of my story ended up as the day wore on. It started with local newspapers like the Oshkosh Northwestern and Appleton Post-Crescent and then branched out to other Gannett-owned papers like the Detroit Free Press and USA Today. Soon it started popping up on countless Web sites and blogs including those from many prominent newspaper, TV and radio Web sites including the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the Boston Herald, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Fox News, ABC News, CBS News, WGN-Chicago and many others. I also found it on the Web sites of Canadian, British, African, Russian and Asian news outlets. Many of the Web sites linked back to The Reporter's photo gallery of the deer, which in turn attracted 296,827 page views for the gallery and 486,372 page views for The Reporter Web site as a whole, the most page views in Reporter history.

The headlines for the story also took on a life of their own.

Some were pretty funny:

- Tastes like genetically modified chicken

- Is It a Buck or a Doe?

- Oh, dear! A seven-legged deer

- Wis. deer bucks the norm

- Hunter bags deer with 7 legs -- but that wasn't the strangest part

Others focused on the fact that Lisko ate the deer:

- Hunter Bags 'Tasty' 7-Legged Deer

- Hunter eats deer despite its deformities

- Wisconsin Man Runs Over, Eats Seven-Legged Transgendered Deer

- Man eats a 7-legged, transgendered deer

Others were incorrect:

- Hunter says seven-legged dear still tastes good (Dear tastes good???)

- Wisconsin Hunter Shoots 7-Legged, Trans-Gendered Deer & Eats It (Shoots? He hit it with his truck.)

- Wisconsin Hunter Catches Deer That Has Seven Legs (Catches? Again, he hit it with his truck...)

And most of them were pretty straightforward:

- Deer has odd appendages

- Wisconsin hunter bags deer with 7 legs

- Hunter Comes Across 7-legged Deer

- Seven-legged intersex deer found

- Wisconsin bow hunter finds seven-legged deer

- Seven-legged deer involved in crash

- 7-'legged' deer killed near Waucousta

- Deer has 7 legs, both male and female reproductive organs

- Hunter Runs Into Deer With 7 Legs, 2 Reproductive Organs

- Wisc. man bags a small buck with seven legs, male and female sexual organs

- Hunter Bags 7-Legged, Dual-Gendered Deer

- Bow hunter finds seven-legged deer

- Hermaphroditic deer found with 7 legs

- Man Runs Over Deer With Seven Legs

The one thing that was obvious as the day wore on is that people love bizarre news and this story was very strange. So, if anyone out there knows of any other extra-appendaged animals in the area, make sure to let me know!

7-legged deer killed in FdL County

Here's one for the news-of-the-weird category: I spoke to Richard Lisko, of the town of Osceola, this morning. While he was driving his truck he hit a seven-appendaged deer that he says had male and female reproductive organs. Two of the appendages are three- to four-inches long and the third is a little bit shorter. All three of the extra appendages were growing out of the deer's other legs. The appendages have some leg-like features in that they have hair on them and the bottoms of the appendages have what appears to be the beginnings of hoofs.

A full story with more details is posted at www.fdlreporter.com.

To see photos of the deer click this link for a photo gallery: http://www.fdlreporter.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=U0&Dato=20061213&Kategori=FONNEWS&Lopenr=612130802&Ref=PH

Another strike out

Well, I hit the woods for one last time this deer season on Sunday in hopes of a successful antlerless hunt and came home without venison again.

I saw three doe and a fawn, but none were shootable. Two does and a fawn were running together and I only saw them for a split second as they crossed the path in front of me and the other doe was running about 300 yards away on the edge of a marsh.

I was happy that the weather cooperated and I was quite comfortable sitting in my stand in December. Unfortunately there was no snow at all so I wasn't able to hunt in snow at all this year.

As I sat in a stand Sunday afternoon, I decided where I will build a stand for next season. I am hoping to find a spot where I can see the edge of the north marsh and the "alleyway" along the north property line where it is not as thick and deer seem to travel. The stand would probably only be about 100 yards northwest of the stand I used most of this season, but would probably be better-suited for the gun deer season because of longer shooting lanes (ideally).

On a hunting-related note, I hope everyone got their spring turkey licenses. The deadline was yesterday at midnight. Being the last-minute kind of guy I am, I bought my license at 5 last night and filed it on the Internet at 11:45 p.m. Hopefully I'm accepted. I was not able to shoot any of the elusive turkeys on the land this spring or fall, though my dad shot a nice tom in the spring and a polt in the fall.

Defending Deer Hunting

As the majority of people in today's world spend less and less time in the outdoors, deer hunting has become demonized by many. Since I have this blog, I'm going to use this opportunity to stand up on my soapbox and dispel a few misconceptions that bother me.

Often times when I mention that I am a deer hunter, people scowl or express their discontent. I have even argued with people on the subject. I have no problem with someone telling me that hunting isn't for them or that they could not kill a deer. I only take exception to the discussion when non-hunters profile hunters as heartless killers with no ethics. A lot of people simply view deer hunting as a cruel exercise that is little more than an outdated display of manliness. I try not to be offended by their opinions, which are normally backed up by misconceptions, but I am disturbed by the trend.

First off, I think people need to erase "Bambi" from their minds when talking about deer hunting. Deer do not frolic with their rabbit and bird friends in the forest. They don't fall in love with other deer. And they don't speak. Please don't humanize them. They are animals. They are beautiful and interesting animals, but they are animals just like the cows, chickens and other animals that we eat every day.

The one notable difference between deer and farm animals is that deer aren't cooped up in small and sometimes disgusting living spaces. Even the ones that are shot live their whole lives free in the wild. Because most people do not raise animals themselves or hunt anymore, there is a disconnect from what they are really eating. Please don't forget that just because you didn't kill it, that doesn't mean an animal didn't have to die for you to enjoy that hamburger, brat, chicken breast or the other meat products you eat. If you are a vegetarian and are opposed to hunting, I can understand that. There is simply a difference in ethics between us. It's the anti-hunting meat-eaters that I don't understand. Frankly, I find it hypocritical. If you want to fight a worthwhile battle, there are atrocities within the meat industry every day that are far, far, far more awful than anything hunters do.

This should be obvious, but I'll say it anyways. It is a fact that the deer population in Wisconsin is too high. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has stated that fact for years. There are simply no real significant predators for white-tailed deer in Wisconsin and hunting is the only real logical form of controlling that population. Without hunting, there would be more car/deer accidents, more deer in city areas causing destruction of gardens and lawns, greater loss of farm crops and other problems associated with deer overpopulation. As the population gets higher and higher, deer would not have enough food in many areas in Wisconsin and would slowly starve to death over the winter, not a healthy alternative, at least in my eyes. Even without the population issue, the quick death of being shot be a hunter doesn't seem as bad when you consider the other ways deer die: Starvation, disease or eaten by a predator (sometimes combinations of the three). There are no old-age homes for deer and nature is cruel.

There is also an impression amongst many non-hunters that hunters do not appreciate nature, that they exploit it by killing creatures and then leave. But, in fact, many of the world's greatest conservationists are hunters and there are few hunters that aren't also avid outdoorsmen. I think most hunters are out in the woods first because they enjoy nature. Sure, there are bad apples like in anything, but there are thousands and thousands of good hunters for every one bad hunter. Profiling every hunter as a bad hunter because there are some bad hunters is like saying all drivers are bad because some drive drunk. It doesn't make sense and it's an insult to all of the good hunters that are out in the woods every year.

Many non-hunters also feel that the sport, and, yes, it most certainly is a sport, of deer hunting is very simple. They believe hunters walk into the woods with little to no preparation and simply wait for the droves of unsuspecting deer to walk right up to them. News flash: It's not that easy. Deer are pretty smart animals. They also have an incredible sense of smell, a great sense of hearing and reasonably good eye sight too. Also, since they are wild creatures that do have some natural predators, they are wary. If anything does not feel right, they leave the area immediately. Deer have the upper hand of being in their own element and knowing where to run and/or hide too. They're also much, much faster than humans. Besides, it's normally no cake-walk for hunters to be out there in the first place. Try sitting still 15 feet high in a tree in frigid temperatures with howling winds and let me know how that goes. Then, if a hunter is actually lucky enough to see a deer, he or she still has to aim and fire straight. Basically, hunters have to do a lot right before they ever shoot a deer.

I'm not pretending to be some kind of a saint that goes out into the forest and saves non-hunters from the terrible deer over-population problem. I don't hunt because there is an over-population problem. I hunt because I love the outdoors, I thrive on the challenge of the hunt and I like eating venison. There is a satisfaction in eating something that you went out and harvested too. All I ask is that I not be profiled in a false light because I choose to hunt. Thank you.

One chance left...

(image from Wisconsin DNR)

After some thought, I've decided to give the gun deer season one more shot this year. I have a chance because of the upcoming antlerless season, which runs from Thursday, Dec. 7 to Sunday, Dec. 10.

I have to work the Thursday, Friday and Saturday during the four-day season so I will only get out on Sunday. I was pretty wore out after the regular gun deer hunting season, but after a few days' rest, I'm ready to hit the woods again for that one day. I'd really like to have some venison sausage and hot sticks this winter, plus our camp is also trying to follow quality deer management and only taking one doe will not suffice. Another bonus is that I love hunting in snow and if today's weather is any indication, there should be some snow on the ground next week.

Hopefully I'll be able to bring in some sausage back to work. I've been hearing about my deerless season often over the past few days...

First year with GPS

This season was my first deer hunting season using a GPS unit and I don't think I will ever go out in the woods without one again.

I own a Lowrance iFinder Hunt Handheld GPS Unit. Before the season, I walked around the land and marked all of the stands and blinds I knew of and also marked out the property lines, cabin, driveways and more. During the season, I used the GPS unit to cut across the property through thick wooded areas that I would normally have skipped for easier routes down trails. It's reassuring to know exactly where you are and what direction you're headed in at all times as you crash through slashings. It's easy for anyone to get turned around when every direction looks the same. I know the land well, but my friends will tell you that I am not a "direction person". I do better in the woods than on streets, but it's still easy to get turned around. Not anymore.

As I used the iFinder, I found that I was learning the lay of the land a lot better and discovered new areas I want to hunt in the future. Hours sitting on the stand also allowed for some exploration of all the iFinder's features. I am a novice GPS user and by no means a technological mastermind, but I am very comfortable using almost any of the features the iFinder has now. My only complaint with the iFinder is it's limited battery life. It seemed the two AA batteries were drained pretty quickly.

The only thing I regretted as I used the iFinder was that I hadn't purchased the other available features for this season. I will definitely be looking into purchasing the MapCreate U.S. Topo mapping software, an MMC/SD card reader and some MMC/SD memory cards. With that technology, I will be able to make customized, high-detailed maps of the hunting property that will include all of the land's features and any data points that I want to include.

I also plan on using the iFinder for fishing more often this summer. Pinpointing exact hot spots so I can return later will be a simple process now. No more lining up landmarks on the horizon and guessing...

Another season in the books

Another deer season is complete and I came home without venison to put in the freezer.

Aside from that fact, I'd have to classify the season as a great success. I probably hunted more and harder than any other season in my life. I got out in the woods seven days out of the nine and I could have hunted the other two days too, but I went home for Thanksgiving. I normally split up my mornings and afternoons in different locations after the first weekend and hunted in more than a half dozen stands and at least that many spots in blinds or posting against trees.

Camp was fun, though I wish more hunters would have been there after the first weekend. We were a little light there at the end and especially in the middle of the week. The cabin, which was only built last year, has definitely proven to provide for a nice deer camp. Several improvements were made since last year and it was one of the most comfortable deer camps I've ever been a part of.

Dennis, one of the landowners, shot a doe on Thanksgiving day to take our only deer of the week. Hunters shot at three other deer but missed. I never fired my rifle. We all saw deer and activity actually increased a little later in the week compared to after the first weekend, but I was still a little let down by the deer activity. I expected to see more deer than last year with my new stand and I saw much fewer.

The inactivity allowed me a little more time later in the week to do some exploring/scouting. We're all still getting a little bit used to the land since this was only our second year hunting and I walked through some areas I had never really been through. I think I will move my stand a bit further northwest next year to take advantage of longer shooting lanes and what appears to be more deer activity. I expect a lot of stand building this year as all of us are getting a better idea of where the deer move (and where they don't) on the property. Hopefully we'll have more to hang on the buck pole next year.

I'll continue to recap some of the successes/failures of the season in the coming days and weeks.

The sounds of silence

Well, things didn't get any better, as far as seeing deer goes, after the first weekend.

I haven't seen a deer during hunting hours since Sunday and the other hunters in camp haven't been much luckier. This is our second year hunting on this property and the same thing happened last year. After the first weekend, the only way we saw deer was if someone else kicked them up. While I'm not a big fan of driving for deer, I think it's likely we'll set up a few drives this coming weekend. Otherwise it almost feels pointless sitting out there staring into the empty forest. I've tried about 10 different blinds and stands, splitting up my mornings and evenings in two different locations normally, and they've all produced the same results. There hasn't been much shooting in the area either, although we have seen some very nice bucks on the back of trucks.

I've hunted hard, aside from yesterday and today is an off day because of Thanksgiving, and the results have been pretty sad. I saw a lot more deer last year. I can chalk it up at least partially to the hunters on the north border that really ruined my mornings, but I'm still kind of down about it all. Like I've said before, having an empty deer pole does not necessarily mean it's been an unsuccessful season, but it'd be nice to at least see a few deer. I mean, that's sort of the point, right?

Strangely, the woods seemed more quiet than last weekend too. There don't seem to be as many birds, squirrels and mice running around making noise. At least the weather has been nice so it hasn't been difficult to stay out there.

We're heading back to camp tonight. It should be a full camp again. Hopefully we'll find some success.

Opening weekend shutout

Well, I escaped from the woods for a few hours tonight and thought I should post an update.

The camp is deerless... though one of our hunters shot a five-point buck on another piece of land.

I have only seen three deer, which is shocking considering how many I saw last year and that there is at least twice as much activity near the stand I'm using this year. Deer hunting is unpredictable and I had no way of knowing that four hunters on the northern border of the property built stands right on the property line in a row right near me. One of them is only about 100 yards away from my stand. They don't show up to their stands until about 7 a.m., though I can hear them talking loudly as they walk into the woods between 6:15 and 6:30... Basically, they announce to all the deer within 500 or so yards they're entering the woods and tell them exactly where they're sitting. That just happens to be the same area I'm sitting in. One of them also uses a grunt once or twice about every 15 minutes after 3 p.m., but he's terrible at it and it sounds like a cow. So all of my pre-season preparation was pretty much wasted. I've seen the same small fawn sneaking out by my stand both mornings. That's it. Hopefully they won't be here during the week and my stand will be useful again.

This afternoon I decided I had enough of those four and threw together a little blind just off one of our food plots. I saw a nice doe at about 3:45 p.m., but she saw me too. She didn't make it all the way out of the sticks and I didn't have a shot. I'll probably go back there again tomorrow afternoon. I'll try my stand in the oaks one more time tomorrow morning in hopes that I won't have four late and loud neighbors again and then swing by the food plot in the afternoon.

Everyone in the camp has been seeing deer, but mostly does and fawns. We need to shoot some does, but I think we were all hoping to have a few bucks on the buck pole first. Plans change and I'm going to shoot if a nice doe walks by me for now on. Rick, who is one of the landowners, shot at a nice six-pointer on the west side of the property opening morning. He says might have been an eight-pointer. He hit it and the guys tracked it for over a mile, but then lost it two properties over. They did find a drag trail near where they were tracking though and suspect someone else shot it, which would be good. My friend Joe shot at a doe this afternoon but missed. He wasn't too upset about it. Good thing it wasn't a nice buck.

The camp has shrunk noticably. There will only be four hunters in the woods tomorrow on the property. Hopefully someone brings home a deer. We had high hopes and have struck out so far. The weather has been great, the food has been outstanding and the camp has been a great success so we're not too worried about deer, but we'd all like to take home some venison too. There is a lot of hunting left and I suspect we'll find more success as the week wears on.

The woods have been surprisingly quiet while hunting for me. I've seen a few woodpeckers, some crows, squirrels, some mice and that's about it. Usually I see some turkeys and bald eagles and always hope to see coyotes or other forms of wildlife, but it's been a little slow. Not sure why.

The photos I posted above are of the land. The top one is sunrise this morning. Yesterday's sunrise stunk because it was overcast. Today's was a bit better. The second photo is of the deer superhighway that runs near my stand that has been completely empty all season. Hopefully traffic picks back up.

On a side note, I'm not too upset I missed that Packers game today. That got UGLY. I picked a good game to miss I guess.

Despite being off work, I have thought about it from time to time. You have a lot of time to think sitting in the woods deer hunting. I don't miss it too much yet though and I'm looking forward to having the rest of the week off. I'm sure I'll be ready to get back into the swing of things by the end of the week.

I'll probably post another update on Wednesday night or on Thanksgiving day because I think that's the next time I'll have an Internet connection. Hopefully there will be some more positive news then.

Until then, good luck again hunters and stay safe!

Game time

Well, the season is finally upon us...

I am all packed and the car is ready to go. I'm sure I forgot something, as is always the case, but I have the essentials: blaze orange, license, gun, ammunition and ambition.

There are no computers or Internet at deer camp, but I will try to escape to civilization two or three times during the week to post an update.

Also, I'd love to hear hunting stories from area hunters. E-mail them to jblohm@fdlreporter.com and I'll post them when I get a chance. Every camp has a great hunting story or two, whether it's bagging the trophy buck or deer camp hijinks.

Alright, I'm off to the woods. Good luck hunters and be safe.

Send in your photos

Submitted photo

Shawn Montsma, 14, shot this 10 point buck in Fond du Lac County with a PSE Syder bow. This is Shawn's first buck using a bow.

The Reporter's deer hunting gallery is in full swing again this season. Show off your trophy buck, your first deer or any other deer by sending in your photos.

The gallery is located HERE.

To submit your photo, send photos with the following information: your name, address, day deer was shot, where and how it was shot, weapon used and deer weight and point-size, to Michelle Clark.

They can be sent via mail to: Michelle Clark, The Reporter, PO Box 630, Fond du Lac, Wis., 54935. Please include a self-addressed envelope if you would like your photo returned.

Photos can also be sent by e-mail to: mclark@fdlreporter.com. For e-mailed photos, please scan at 100 percent at 72 dpi in jpeg format.

Opening morning

Many hunters describe the anticipation of opening morning as being like a little kid before Christmas morning. That's exactly how I feel.

Despite going to bed relatively early because I know I will be getting up before 5 a.m., I can never fall asleep. When I was younger, it was because I was extremely excited. Now, more than a dozen years after my first hunt, I don't feel that same uncontrolled excitement for opening morning, but the anticipation still keeps me up.

I run scenarios through my head all night. If a deer comes from the west side of the stand, should I wait to shoot until it comes to the opening? If a nice doe walks through early opening morning should I shoot or wait and hope a buck is following close behind? Should I wear an extra layer since the weather forecast calls for high winds? Will that be too warm? Will there be several deer hanging from the camp pole Saturday night? Will someone in the camp bring back the trophy buck we all know is wandering through the land?

I'm counting on another restless night before opening morning, but that's fine with me. It wouldn't be the same without it.

What's that in the fridge?!?!

Have you ever tried to explain to your girlfriend why there is deer urine in the fridge? It's not easy...

You can mark deer urine in the "things I thought I'd never own" category, but any hunter or fisherman knows that if someone says something works long enough, you're going to try it. I finally broke down and decided to try the urine trail technique after reading an article in a hunting magazine while getting my oil changed.

The article featured the "Doe in Estrus" product from Mrs. Doe Pee. Maybe it was the no-nonsense name or the claims of purity and quality, but something sold me on the stuff. Pictures like the one above sealed the deal (notice the Mrs. Doe Pee container in the bottom left corner). I've never even seen a deer that big in the back of pick-up trucks or the zoo, much less alive in the woods.

Like all hunting and fishing promises, it's too good to be true. It's too easy, too painless and, surprisingly, too clean (Let's just say, I won't be dowsing myself in urine or anything like that). Much like that Banjo Minnow lure that was advertised ad nauseam on infomercials years ago, there is no way this technique alone will allow me to bag every trophy in the area. That said, I have to try it at least once or else I'll always wonder.

I'm not sure exactly how I'll use it yet. Should I use it opening morning? Is it too late to apply it (since the rut might be coming to an end)? What if it not only does not work, but also tips off deer to stay away from the area? Should I wait and use it as a backup plan if I'm unsuccessful early in the season? Do I even need it (there is a lot of deer sign by my stand and I've never applied Mrs. Doe Pee)? All questions I never thought I'd be asking myself...

In the meantime, while those questions weigh heavily on my mind, I have hidden the carefully camouflaged package in the deepest, darkest refuges of the fridge in hopes that it will survive four more long days.

Snow for the season?

(photo from geekphilosopher.com)

I have to admit that despite the fact that I had a 20-some minute drive home through the awful weather last night, I was a little excited watching the snow fall.

Every year I hope for snow during gun deer season. Besides the obvious hunting advantages (easier to track deer before or after shots with snow and easier to see deer against a white background), the forest looks amazing after a snowfall. When the sun starts to peek through the trees, everything shines as the woods come to life.

It doesn't look like any of that snow is going to last, but maybe we'll get some snow during the week.

Mother nature, could you please drop about 4 inches of snow on the state some time this week? And while you're doing that, please also keep the temperatures around 40 during the season without wind. Thanks, I owe you one.

Looking forward to deer camp

(painting by Steven Mulak: http://stevenmulak.chicopee.com)

Many hunters measure a successful season by how much venison they have in their freezer and how many points are on the antlers they mount on their wall, but an empty freezer and a bare wall would not necessarily mean an unsuccessful season for me.

The months of scouting, fixing up the stand, the anticipation of the hunt and the opportunity to be out in the forest are all just as important to me as filling my tag. Don't get me wrong, I would love to come home with a trophy buck and seeing deer makes the long hours of staring at the same trees a lot more enjoyable, but there have been several seasons that I never squeezed the trigger that rank amongst my favorites.

The one thing that dictates a successful season for me above anything else is deer camp. There's something about walking back into the cabin after 12 hours of freezing 15 feet high in a tree and hearing about everyone's day: How many deer everyone saw, who only lasted two hours sitting at their stand before calling it a day, who saw the most turkeys, who got lost on their way to their stand, who fell asleep for half the afternoon at their blind, where those four shots early this afternoon came from... You get the point.

The cabin is usually messy, stinky, crowded and either way too hot or way too cold, but it's heaven. It's a week-long escape from the real world where exit strategies and the sagging economy are forced to take a backseat in conversations to hunting strategies and raging hot chili.

My dad and three of his friends bought hunting land in central Wisconsin last year and built a nice small cabin with the help of generous friends and family. The cabin was mostly finished last deer season, but we can really sit back and enjoy it this year.

Somewhere around 10 people will be there for opening weekend, easily the largest deer camp I've ever been a part of. The group not only includes my dad and several long-time family friends, but also one of my best friends as a late addition. I can only imagine the stories and jokes that are going to fill the cabin that weekend. It should be a great season.

Only eight more days until opening day and my only extended vacation of the year. Not that I'm counting...

Caught on the trail cam

My dad bought a couple of digital trail cameras this year and set them up on the hunting land. It has been fun to see the dozens of deer the cameras have caught images of. The pictures have come from all times of day and have been of bucks, does, fawns, turkeys, raccoons, unsuspecting land owners and lots and lots of trees.

The photos have given those of us that are hunting on the land a chance to see the deer in their own element. Some of them have made multiple appearances no matter where the cameras are placed, while others have only been in one picture all fall.

The 10-point buck above is the biggest caught on film so far. It was walking right next to my tree stand when the photo was taken. It will be an exciting season if I see him in person a couple weekends from now.

Welcome to Fondy Fish and Forest

Hello and thank you for checking out the Fondy Fish and Forest blog.

My name is Jared Blohm. I'm a reporter and copy editor at The Reporter. As a longtime amateur "blogger," I'm happy to join the quickly growing Reporter blog family with my own spin. The Fondy Fish and Forest blog will focus on "hook and bullet" activities in Wisconsin's outdoors.

I grew up with a passion for the outdoors, specifically fishing, hunting and camping and I'll share my experiences with you. I'll also try to provide information and links to other interesting Wisconsin outdoor experiences and anecdotes.

As the blog develops, I'd love to include reader's stories, perspectives and photos of Wisconsin outdoor sports. Please also feel free to comment on any post as long as you keep it clean.

I will begin posting immediately and will try to update as often as I can. The upcoming weeks will be filled with preparations for the quickly approaching gun deer hunting season so I will have plenty to discuss.

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to send me an e-mail at jblohm@fdlreporter.com. I hope you enjoy the blog.