Greatnorthernoutdoors.net is updated with new articles every Thursday.
Previous content on hunting, fishing and other outdoor subjects can be found
under the “Outdoor Adventure” button above. Here’s what’s new for the week
of August 27, 2009:

Weird weather: It has been a chilly summer across the Upper Midwest, thanks
to cool, dry Canadian air masses that have held off the hot, moist Gulf of
Mexico air that typically envelops us in July. Researchers say those cooler
air temperatures have affect water temps as well, and since so much about
fish depends on water temps - from their own physiology to the foods they
eat - it’s likely the weird weather is affecting them too. Sky Opila
examines the weird weather of 2009.

Let’s hunt geese: One group you won’t hear complaining about the cooler
temperatures or the shortness of summer is the waterfowlers. They get their
chance to burn up some powder next week when early goose seasons open across
the Great Lakes, from New York to North Dakota (which actually opened Aug.
15). The early season exists for one reason: To knock back the population of
resident giant Canada geese before the migrants start moving down from
Canada.

Planning is everything: If you’re thinking about hunting some new ground in
another state, there are a number of factors you need to consider. Tony
Hansen explains how solid planning can help you navigate the issues of
budget, tag draws and hiring the right outfitter when you’re ready to cross
the line. The state line, that is.

New video with Tony Hansen: Hunting agricultural fields is a perfectly
suitable way to target deer. You can see plenty of animals and learn their
habits. But at some point every season, those deer stop parading into the
fields. They didn’t just disappear, they’ve just found a different food
source. And for most areas of the Midwest, according to Tony Hansen, that
food source is acorns. So do a little pre-season scouting and find out where
the oak trees are, and you’ll know where the deer went when that time comes.

And more new video: Juri Geidans is a competent and extremely versatile
outdoorsman. So when he decided to try salmon fishing on Lake Michigan from
a kayak, he started asking questions and taking his kayak out fishing to see
just what that maneuverable little go-anywhere craft might need. He shares
what he has learned in a two-part video.

Dear Minnesota, Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin and both Dakotas:

On Tuesday, all of you will open another dove season and scores of dads, sons and daughters will take to the field for some good old togetherness.

It’s a near-perfect setup. No one will complain about cold feet because it’s still summer. There will be enough shooting to keep everyone entertained. The shooting will be fast, frustrating and educational. The quarry is plentiful enough that its populations can withstand everything you can throw at it. When it’s over, proud kids will beam over the tasty meal they helped provide.

My people don’t hunt doves. They tried to make it happen, but some deep-pocketed anti-hunting groups managed to bamboozle voters with a lot of half-truths, sleight of hand and outright falsehood. They spread the lie that doves would be shot from backyard feeders. They said doves are too small to eat. They put actors in Detroit Tiger caps to make them look familiar, then paid them to say that yes, they’re hunters, but no, they could never hunt those cute little birds. They called them birds of peace, a purely human concept.

It worked. My voters ignored the fact that doves are so prolific they can lose nearly three-quarters of their population each year to a variety of causes - including your hunters — yet still bounce back strong. They ignored the fact that dove hunting happens in open fields where a startling number of the birds are fast and elusive enough to dodge even the sharpest shooter. They ignored the fact that doves are not really smaller than grouse or quail, and certainly much larger than shrimp. They ignored the fact that if you interviewed 1,000 doves about what peace means to them, you’d get the exact same answer 1,000 times: They would want to eat and mate. It’s all they know. Peace? Not so much.

The antis won here. But they didn’t win there. So be safe, shoot straight, shoot lots and have fun. Wish I could be there.

Your friend,

Michigan