Thanksgiving

There are a lot of things happening in the outdoors right now!  Wisconsin's deer season, people are ice fishing across the ice belt, ducks are going down and all other kinds of things!  Don’t you just Love it!!  

Here in central MN where I live, the duck season closes on the 25^th of November and I am hoping to get the kids back out before the closing bell rings!  My son Mac (12) just shot his first duck early in the week and it was a big green head with curly tails.  He was pretty pumped and so was I, we shot 5 mallards that day all on Gull Lake.  The divers are a little too quick for the little guy and sometimes for me too.  We will see if the girls can whack a few divers in the next day or two.  

I am still holding a MN and WI archery tag for whitetail and I plan on using them!  I was back down to the Buffalo/Pepin county line last week and had a great sit - but cold!  I saw about a dozen deer, including a smaller buck, pushing the does around the field.  I could have easily shot a doe with the crossbow, but elected to hold out for a buck!  We will see what happens.  

We will be trading in the bows for a CVA muzzleloader early December as we head to Bluff Bucks in search of a monster!  In the meantime, we will try some more duck hunting (hopefully), some archery deer and then down to the Ice Show in St. Paul!  Enjoy the season and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
-Dan

Fall 2014

The fall weather has been beautiful and I am hoping that it hangs on for awhile yet.  We were up in Saskatchewan, Canada with Ricky Hart of Lucky Duck and the guys (Max, Cooper and Troy) from Central Prairie Outfitters on our last adventure and it was AWESOME!  We shot numerous ducks and geese and my shoulder was sore for about a week afterwards.  These guys are “dialed-in” on the ducks and geese and I would suggest you look them up if you are up for the hunt of all waterfowl hunts.  

From the calling to the decoy’s to the scouting and the amazing accommodations at Windy Acres, this was truly a hunt of a lifetime for me.  I  know you will love the show when it airs on television! 

Next up is deer part 2.  In a few weeks, we will be back down in southwest WI to try and score a big bruiser whitetail with the Excalibur crossbow!  In the meantime, I will be getting out on the water a few more times and will also try to bag a Minnesota whitetail with my bow and arrow.  We have also been doing a little duck hunting around here in central Minnesota, but it’s not quite like SK!!  

Have a great day, Dan

Smallmouth Bass

I just got back from Wisconsin last week where we met up with Jimmy Bell (Larson Boats Pro) on Chequamegon Bay, Lake Superior!  Smallmouth bass were our target and Jimmy was dialed in!  We caught a bunch and really enjoyed our time over in Ashland, WI!  

We stayed at the River Rock Inn and it was just a straight up exceptional time: great weather, people, a king-size bed, and huge bass!!  Even the cameramen got in on the fish catching action.  And guess what, I fell in the lake!  Yep, really did..on Lake Superior.  You will have to watch this show when it comes time to hit the air.  You will laugh your tail off.

Another exciting moment took place when my son Mac shot his first deer (ever!) with a bow and arrow.  This was so exciting for us, I can’t even begin to tell you how proud of a dad I am.  He made a good shot but we still had quite a drag out of the woods (uphill).  Next up for me is some walleye fishing and then we are off to Saskatchewan to do do some waterfowl hunting!  This is the season to enjoy the outdoors; can't get much better than late September, October, and November!  December isn't too bad either ;)

-Dan

The Wild, Wild, West

Hello everyone!  We recently returned from Gillette, Wyoming where I was hunting pronghorn with my new Bear, Motive 7 compound bow.  The trip was a total success and we went 5 for 5 (3 with cross bow and 2 with compound bows)!!  

Rob, Scott and Jason from Excalibur cross bows and Anita Williams were the 4 other hunters that were with us on this trip and we all harvested mature pronghorn bucks.  We hunted, we moved cattle, watched professional ropers up close and personal, and saw some beautiful country.  I love the west!! 

I was so happy to have had some really awesome help setting up my bow from Marty at the Mills Indoor Shooting Range in Baxter, MN.  And also some very, very helpful advice form David Peterson who is a representative for Bear Archery.  I would also like to thank the cameraman that has been with me through the thick and thin.  Kyle Peterson has been a real trooper; he is a hunter and avid outdoorsman himself and this really helps when things get down to the nitty gritty.  It’s not always easy to range, draw and make all the right judgments when you only have SECONDS.  

I am so thankful and totally appreciate all the people that helped me out and were a part of this hunt out west: Bruce Hudalla, Bill and Cindy Mankin, Julie Mankin, Dean Carlson, David Peterson, Big Mike, Kyle Peterson, Ryan Dechaine, Bradle Kangas, Anita Williams, the Excalibur crew (Rob Dykeman, Jason and Scott), guide Kyle and whoever else I may have missed!  The Rocket Hammerhead broad head was an absolute killer, I think I may shoot one at my Minnesota whitetail this fall.  

If anyone of you have the opportunity to get out west, I highly recommend it!  It will be an experience you won't forget!  I hope you are all enjoying your summer and that you're getting ready for the fall hunting season! 

-Dan

Summertime Heat

Happy July!  I just got off the water and it’s a scorcher!  Our thermometer here in Lake Shore, MN reads 85 degrees in the shade.  This is definitely going to get that water temperature up in a hurry.  Thankfully the wind decided to blow a little this afternoon otherwise it would be dangerously hot!  I guess all a person has to do is look at the winter we had in the upper Midwest this past season and it makes a person take the heat a little easier.  

The fishing has been pretty good, but I have had a couple of back to back slower days on the water (one on Mille Lacs and this a.m. we only caught 3 walleyes on Gull).  But, I did drop in on some walleyes after my trip and caught 2 nice ones on a Lindy Rig and a juicy minnow!  

Last week we were over preparing for an upcoming crossbow show in WI.  We hooked up with Todd Hess down in Buffalo Co. WI and did a little planting, tree stand hanging and set out a couple of game cameras.  We will be heading down there for the opener on his in-laws property in search of a whitetail or two with the Excalibur crossbow!  For now, it’s time to get the new Bear compound bow and get it rigged ready and sighted so when I see that giant antelope in WY next month, it will hit the mark.  

As for now, it’s time to do a little more fishing and hopefully some more catching!!  I hope you all are enjoying this summer!  

-Dan

Fishing!

The fishing season is in high gear and the action seems to be picking up for all species!  We were over visiting Larry Smith in Wisconsin a couple of weeks ago and had a great time on Lake Winnebago and the Bay of Green Bay.  We caught a lot of fish and many different species (walleye’s, pike, perch, carp, drum, catfish, bass and I’m sure something else that I forgot about).  

We fished Winnebago on the 2^nd of June and Green Bay on the 3^rd.  I was impressed with both fisheries, but I would have to say that the walleye’s on Green Bay took the cake!  We were catching fish on the Mills exclusive Salmo Hornet’s, Berkley Flicker Shads and the Rapala Shad Raps, these baits are all exclusive colors only available at your local Mills Fleet Farm!  We also caught fish on numerous other presentations (jigs and Gulp Alive, Rippin Raps, Jigging Raps and hair jigs) while casting!  Larry knows his stuff and I would certainly recommend him if you are looking for a fun, fish-filled outing!  Look him up at Larry Smith Outdoors.  


Our guide service here in Minnesota (Walleyedan’s Guide Service) has been busy too and the fishing is starting to crank-up in the Brainerd Lakes Area and beyond.  This past weekend I fished the 31^st annual Confidence Learning Center’s Fishing Classic on Gull Lake and we won it!  

It was my mother, father and myself and it was a trip that ranks near the top of my best ever fishing experiences!  Yes, it is up there right near the outing with Al Lindner two years ago on Mille Lacs!  We won the total bag for the walleye division and also had the lunker walleye of the day. 

If you would like to book a guided trip with one of our professional guides, look us up at www.walleyedan.com and we will do our best to put you on some hungry fish.  
The next scheduled filming mission is going to be in Wyoming and I will be looking to harvest my first antelope.  Stay tuned and we will keep you up to snuff!!  

Get out there and enjoy this awesome weather!! 
- Dan

Busy, Busy, Busy

Boy oh boy are things happening!!  Fishing season has begun, turkey season is still “on” and it seems like it’s all getting compacted into a smaller window because of this late spring once again.  Hopefully we have a nice, long summer!  The filming schedule is looking like a good one for the 2015 season and we already have 3 shows in the can!  Our next filming mission is with Brian “Bro” Brosdahl and we will be targeting crappies in northern Minnesota (possibly with my son, Mac).  After that, it will be over to Wisconsin to fish walleyes with Larry Smith on Winnebago and Green Bay, these should be some fun times!  Al Lindner might be back in the 2015 line-up as well with smallmouth bass the likely target.  Jimmy Bell is also going to take us after some of the bronzebacks in Wisconsin later this fall.  Mix these fishing trips in with some deer hunts, antelope, maybe bear and some waterfowl and I can see the 2015 season as really good one!  Things are busy, but things are good!  

Last weekend the Brainerd Lakes area hosted the Governor's Fishing Opener, which took place on Gull Lake.  The ice was out and weather cooperated and everything turned out well.  What a great way to showcase the beautiful area that I am fortunate enough to call home!  

I would like to thank all of you for reading this blog and for tuning into We Love It! Outdoors television!  Spread the word and we will try our best to produce some action packed outdoor reality!!  Now that the weather is warming up, be sure to get out and enjoy it!

-Dan