Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Around the Campfire => Topic started by: PEARL DRUMS on September 09, 2013, 07:23:12 pm

Title: North Manitou Island backpack trip pics
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on September 09, 2013, 07:23:12 pm
My brother in law Paul and his friend Jon and I put together a plan to hike Manitou Island. Its located west of Northport, Michigan and east of Green Bay (sucks), WI. The ferry ride was 18 miles and took one hour both ways. Here are a few pics in no particular order, what a ball we had!

Title: Re: North Manitou Island backpack trip pics
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on September 09, 2013, 07:24:38 pm
And more...



Title: Re: North Manitou Island backpack trip pics
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on September 09, 2013, 07:26:01 pm
Yet more...

Title: Re: North Manitou Island backpack trip pics
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on September 09, 2013, 07:30:18 pm
You knew I couldnt stay away from my beloved archery... >:D Look, we had a severe chipmunk infestation and an action plan had to be put in place. Its a Silver maple sapling, some litter bug donated the string and hafting material. The arrow is made from a beech sapling and I did the ol' Cherokee 2 fletch with birch bark. The point was found along the lake. And it worked! Stupid thing actually shot a decent arrow within 10-15 feet........ >:D >:D >:D

And I got your stinkin' "Money shot" to! :D
Title: Re: North Manitou Island backpack trip pics
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on September 09, 2013, 07:31:54 pm
Still more pics....

Title: Re: North Manitou Island backpack trip pics
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on September 09, 2013, 07:33:15 pm
Yawwwwn...gettin bored yet?

Title: Re: North Manitou Island backpack trip pics
Post by: sweetpea on September 09, 2013, 07:48:21 pm
That is pretty neat, Pearlie boy. Very nice looking country, I bet the Pickers would like those trucks.
Title: Re: North Manitou Island backpack trip pics
Post by: osage outlaw on September 09, 2013, 08:18:16 pm
That's a fun looking trip.  I know you guys ate well with Paul there. 
Title: Re: North Manitou Island backpack trip pics
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on September 09, 2013, 08:22:25 pm
We ate well all right Clint. The inland lake we navigated to was about 4 00-500 acres and chocked full of smallies. I caught 8 in 9 casts on a Pop-R. They had to be 18" to keep. I never caught over 16", lots of 12-14". That was a riot!
Title: Re: North Manitou Island backpack trip pics
Post by: adb on September 09, 2013, 09:13:36 pm
Cool trip. You stumbled on a vintage vehicle bone yard!
Title: Re: North Manitou Island backpack trip pics
Post by: Trapper Rob on September 09, 2013, 10:05:49 pm
Looked like a lot of fun & did you get your chipmunk problem taken care of.
Title: Re: North Manitou Island backpack trip pics
Post by: seabass on September 09, 2013, 10:31:04 pm
what a nice trip.me and  Clint need to get together and ride up there.it looks like you fellas had so much fun.you up for it Clint?
Title: Re: North Manitou Island backpack trip pics
Post by: Pat B on September 10, 2013, 01:08:57 am
Nice trip, Pearlie. Looks like lots of fun.  That timber truck door is a keeper.  8)
 The money shot in that full draw pic is your outfit.  ;)  I dig those jellies.  8)
Title: Re: North Manitou Island backpack trip pics
Post by: chamookman on September 10, 2013, 04:25:32 am
Cool pics Chris. A few years ago, Gary Davis, Al Gosnel, a Friend of Als and I went on the Archery Deer hunt out there. A lot of history with the Island for sure. Saw a few Deer, but no arras were ever loosed - but a GREAT time anyway. Bob
Title: Re: North Manitou Island backpack trip pics
Post by: blackhawk on September 10, 2013, 07:39:28 am
Sooooo....ya camped out at a junkyard?  ::) 
Title: Re: North Manitou Island backpack trip pics
Post by: Buckeye Guy on September 10, 2013, 08:19:18 am
Pearly , one of your better efforts a bow making !!!!!!!!! :laugh: >:D
Nice job
Glad to see you had some fun !!
Title: Re: North Manitou Island backpack trip pics
Post by: paulsemp on September 10, 2013, 08:27:01 am
Sooooo....ya camped out at a junkyard?  ::)
That's what I was wondering. Looks like fun though.

Title: Re: North Manitou Island backpack trip pics
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on September 10, 2013, 09:41:01 am
Those are old logging trucks. Its basically an outdoor museum. You cant move or mess with anything, just look at it and walk on. Besides a few over grown orchards, there wasn't much sign of previous life. The apples where yummy though!

Bob I basically acted like I was scouting all weekend, I never saw an area that made me think, "Yah, hunt here". It seems the eradication of deer in 1981 really worked. We seen one spiker on our way out and no other deer.
Title: Re: North Manitou Island backpack trip pics
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on September 10, 2013, 09:42:19 am
Nice trip, Pearlie. Looks like lots of fun.  That timber truck door is a keeper.  8)
 The money shot in that full draw pic is your outfit.  ;)  I dig those jellies.  8)

Pat those Crocs are Heaven on a bun after a few hard miles in boots. They weigh an ounce or two, so carrying them in is unnoticeable. Plus they double as wading shoes for fishing. I love em'!
Title: Re: North Manitou Island backpack trip pics
Post by: Buffalogobbler on September 10, 2013, 10:00:04 am
Pat,
They'r called jellies if they are hot pink or lime green. thier crocks if ya paint em black.
Careful about wading after them smallies Pearlie! The paint might wash off!
Looks like a great time! Did ya kill any of them acorn munching varmints?

Kevin
Title: Re: North Manitou Island backpack trip pics
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on September 10, 2013, 10:10:57 am
I got one Kevin. Ive never seen so many anywhere. And brave? They didn't care where they went or who was sitting there. There are only five land mammals on the whole island. A very few beavers, white footed mice, few deer, few coons and chipmunks
Title: Re: North Manitou Island backpack trip pics
Post by: Buffalogobbler on September 10, 2013, 10:40:48 am
Nice shootin!!!
It's always nice to put down one of those vicious nut munchers!
Aim small miss small!

Kevin
Title: Re: North Manitou Island backpack trip pics
Post by: blackhawk on September 10, 2013, 11:57:57 am
Those are old logging trucks. Its basically an outdoor museum. You cant move or mess with anything, just look at it and walk on.

If that's your definition of a junkyard I'm cool with that  8)  :laugh:  ;D
Title: Re: North Manitou Island backpack trip pics
Post by: BowEd on September 10, 2013, 01:16:24 pm
Cool expedition there PD.Good pictures too.Looks like the weather held up for ya real good.
Title: Re: North Manitou Island backpack trip pics
Post by: BOWMAN53 on September 10, 2013, 01:23:09 pm
man that looks like alot of fun
Title: Re: North Manitou Island backpack trip pics
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on September 10, 2013, 01:38:38 pm
Cool expedition there PD.Good pictures too.Looks like the weather held up for ya real good.

Ed we had a rumbler roll in off the big lake Friday morning around 4 am. I just sat in my tent and made oatmeal and coffee under the vestabule. At about 8:30 we said screw it and just struck off in the rain. That's why some pics are "wet". By the time we got back to base camp we where dry and had spotless weather onward.
Title: Re: North Manitou Island backpack trip pics
Post by: BowEd on September 10, 2013, 03:04:46 pm
Things always smell nice after a rain.Coming and going as you please any time is a good thing too.Were you on some kind of schedule though?&&&&&&& you did'nt get LOST.+1
Title: Re: North Manitou Island backpack trip pics
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on September 10, 2013, 03:18:27 pm
Our only schedule was catching the boat home at 11 am Sunday, other than that we did as we felt. I adore that part about backcountry hiking. No annoying signs and fences telling you to stay out.
Title: Re: North Manitou Island backpack trip pics
Post by: RyanR on September 16, 2013, 07:13:08 pm
Looked like a fun trip. Some of my older friends bow hunted out there years ago.. Not sure if it was north or south manitou.  It was full of deer. They shot a lot of deer.
Title: Re: North Manitou Island backpack trip pics
Post by: DQ on September 16, 2013, 11:20:48 pm
I'm older. ;D But I didn't get to hunt out there until after the deer were gone.  :( Great place to hike and camp though.  Looks like you had a good trip.  Thanks for the pics, I really enjoyed them.  Darryl
Title: Re: North Manitou Island backpack trip pics
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on September 17, 2013, 07:33:31 am
Yup. The deer are long gone. I believe they shot about 250 fawns in the fall of 1983-84? At one time they estimated they had 2500 deer on a 6 x 7-8 mile island, that's never good. They where starved out every winter and the island was severely over browsed. Something had to be done. You can look at the harvest numbers for the last 10 years. Not so overpopulated now.
Title: Re: North Manitou Island backpack trip pics
Post by: RyanR on September 17, 2013, 06:20:02 pm
I think my friends got like 5 deer tags each. I will see them opening day and ask.
Title: Re: North Manitou Island backpack trip pics
Post by: RyanR on October 05, 2013, 10:42:45 pm
I finally talked to my buddy who hunted out there in the 80's. They got 3 tags each. 6 of them went and they shot 16 deer. The deer were very small. 
Title: Re: North Manitou Island backpack trip pics
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on February 18, 2015, 10:23:05 am
Up for Jackson.
Title: Re: North Manitou Island backpack trip pics
Post by: wizardgoat on February 18, 2015, 05:20:21 pm
Nice photos Chris, looks like a great place for hiking