Last Updated: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 4:57 PM CST
Outdoors : Global What?
by Mark Walters - Columnist
(An Outdoorsman’s Journal) - Hello friends.
The title to this week’s column does not mean that I do not believe in global warming. It does mean, that wherever I go this winter, snow and cold air temperatures are sure to follow.
This past week, my 19-year-old nephew, Riley Schuster, myself and my dogs Ice and Brownie went on a remote winter camping, ice fishing and coyote hunting trip on backwaters of the Mississippi River near Trempealeau in La Crosse County.
Monday, February 18
High 19, Low 3
Today’s drive would begin after another snowstorm and take place during a minor two-inch snowfall. The forecast for the second night of our adventure, in which Riley and I would be sleeping in a tent, called for an air temperature of minus 20.
Riley and I had our work cut out for ourselves this afternoon as we unloaded my “Arctic Cat” snowmobile and two Otter Sleds loaded with gear. My plan was to take Riley and the pups in with our first journey, while pulling the two sleds, drop them off and return for a final two loads.
We would be putting my 10x10 foot tent up on the ice about two miles down river from my truck and would then try to achieve one of Riley’s two goals, either have him catch a 40-inch or larger northern pike or shoot his first coyote, either of which he was planning on having mounted.
We built a comfortable camp and made sure we double tarped the tent to try to keep it as warm as possible. Inside the tent, we set up two cots and flipped an Otter Sled upside down for a table. I use 20-pound propane tanks that I run a heater, propane light and cook stove with.
We each put out three tip-ups baited with shiners and found out that at least on night number one the local fish population had lockjaw.
Tuesday, February 19
High 6, Low minus 12
It was 12 below zero when Riley and I got out of bed this morning and it took a solid mindset to get into fishing. We were rewarded for our efforts almost instantly when Riley had a flag go up and iced a chunky 28-inch northern pike, which later that same day would be filleted and then fried that night.
At about noon, Riley and I told the dogs to stay at camp and then we went on a coyote hunt. I am still in the learning stages as far as coyote hunting goes but was excited about the experience. We saw plenty of sign, but after two hours had not called in an animal (that we knew about) with my imitation dying rabbit, mouth call.
The rest of the day we hung out at camp hoping to catch a big gator and trying to stay warm on a day where the high was 92 degrees cooler than our body temperatures.
Wednesday, February 20
High 7, Low minus 21
We ate Riley’s northern pike last night and it tasted very good! This morning it was really chilly when we climbed out of the tent at first light. The sad reality of the present cold snap was that fish catching was not meant to happen.
About 10 a.m. Riley and I headed out from camp and went on another coyote hunt.
I had been calling on our first set up for about ten minutes when I heard a blast from Riley’s 12-gauge. I could not see Riley because he was watching a different direction and was on the other side of a tree. Riley watched the coyote that was looking for an easy meal and said that it actually was hiding behind trees as it made its approach and then met its fate.
The whacking of the coyote was a nice ending to a positive trip in which an uncle and his nephew met the elements and had a good time doing it.
Soon there will be mosquitoes; humidity and sunscreen will be required!
Sunset
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In the opening half, Steve Falat used his height and power to work open beneath the hoop, going to the rim for ten first half points. The shorter White Lake player, Shawn Zinn (23) can only hope Falat misses.
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Football team appreciates support of the community
Parents, grandparents, uncles, families and friends, local businesses and Hodag football supporters: Due to your generosity our locker room pledge drive was a great success. Our goal was to raise $8,000 to $10,000 to purchase 40 lockers for our varsity locker room. We crushed this goal and raised enough money to purchase 100 lockers and the ability to have every male athlete in a new locker. These new lockers will allow us to secure our valuable equipment. In addition and I believe more important is that it shows our kids we care and will make the locker room less stressful. This facility has needed this improvement for three decades and you made it happen. Personally, I can not thank you enough for giving us the opportunity make this improvement for our students. READ MORE >
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