As the week progresses and temperatures drop it seems that my favorite season will soon come to an end. Transitioning from fall to winter has always been a challenge for me. Somehow the 40-degree days in April seem much warmer than they do in October.
November brings sleetfilled days driven by high winds with an occasional beam of sunshine poking through the otherwise grey skies. The brisk wet air is a swift kick in the rear reminding us to finish the outside chores before the deep freeze.
Many of the wilderness critters are sensing the upcoming change of weather while feverishly storing food for the winter months to come. My dog “Maggie” loves harassing the energetic chipmunks and squirrels that reside on our property—or do we reside on theirs? Regardless, they have not been as playful with Maggie lately while trying to finish their winter preparations. Their “business only” attitude is shared by a lot of my friends up here on the Gunflint Trail as well. The buzz of chainsaws cutting firewood in the distance means: visitors don’t come a-knocking unless they bring a saw.
Our chores are close to being complete (so it’s safe to visit) and I have been utilizing the extra time with a little preseason scouting for whitetail signage. This year might be tougher tracking since there is so much foliage and standing grass still. It is much easier to find scrapes and rubs when the trails are not riddled with waist-high grass and tangled undergrowth.
It will be a challenging season for sure since we are restricted to one buck only in northern Minnesota this season. The whitetail populations on the Gunflint Trail have never been great but it seems like we are not seeing as many deer below the hill and near Highway 61. I don’t get away much, but my last three trips to Duluth I have seen only two deer—and that was during the bewitching hours after dusk that used to be dangerous for highway travel.
I have never been one to walk away from a challenge, but I didn’t even see a buck last year on the Gunflint Trail. Hunting is new to me and I might not have ever picked up a rifle and wandered into the woods if it weren’t for the basic need to produce nontainted food for my family, but I have learned that it is much more than that. To hunt an animal (much like fishing) is to respect and study that animal by anticipating their movements and behaviors in an attempt to outsmart them. Not an easy task when the creature you are stalking has the hearing and smell of a dog, runs fast, and is well camouflaged.
Greater challenges mean greater rewards.
Cory Christianson has worked as a fishing guide on the Gunflint Trail since 2000. If you have any fishing or wildlife reports or stories to share, send an email to: christiansoncory@hotmail.com or call 218- 388-0315. You can also visit Cory’s website at Gunflintfishingguide.com.
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