well I was able to visit SnowbearJosh for a few minutes last night.. He brought his kids and dad for a red lake adventure in his sno bear. They ended up landing about 20 fish with his 3 year old son Levi landing 3 walleyes. Joe, Carl and Chris headed to the south and crushed the fish .
Chris said everywhere the drilled hole was a solid 10 inches of ice, so were defiantly getting closer to hauling the houses out onto the lake.
Good old mother nature threw a wrench in all my plans yesterday as I spent a better part of the day plowing. After the store and our place I headed over to Hillmens to clean up the landing. Buddy Hillmen did start on the road with a stripped down plow truck. There were 3 times as many fishermen out there yesterday then Wednesday for sure. I expect a very busy weekend .
My as well share another hunting story. The first year I ever hunted I was 17 years old, My step dad/dad bought me a marlin 30 30 lever action. I ask if we needed to sight it in? He said nope they come sighted in? Off we went to his hunting spot . Opening morning we headed own a trail in the dark. I had no clue about hunting deer. We came upon a clearing, with the wind blowing 20 miles a hour right into are faces. We just stood there as it got lighter and lighter. After maybe a 1/2 hour of day light my dad says lets walk across the field to get out of the wind. We start to walk across and two deer jump up that were bedded down right in front of us. He threw his 44 up to his shoulder and fired off a couple rounds as I stood there in aww or shock?. As the deer made it into the woods he says I think I hit one? You stay here and I’ll go in the woods and check. I’m now standing there all by myself with no clue about hunting when all of a sudden this deer come out of the woods running right past me. As I bring the rifle up instead of pulling the hammer back I calk the gun and eject a round out. I then panic and start looking for my shell on the ground as the deer runs right by me. I did not learn my lesson, two days later I did the same thing ejecting my bullet. Then looking for it on the ground rather then shooting at the deer

She been a little more quiet here on the shores of upper red lake. There has been a few fishermen out there everyday that I can see from shore. I have also heard from the grape vine that there catching some fish, We do have some guest starting to arrive today through out the weekend so I should have a few more first hand reports coming . I did talk to Buddy Hillmen yesterday, Hillmen’s is going to” HOLD OFF” allowing single axel ice house out due to the 3 inches of snow we received last night. Wheeler/side by sides/ sleds are a go. He does ask that you stay on this side of a active crack out 2 miles or so. He also still has some on shore lodging. I also ask about the behemoth, his giant double decker house. The plans are to again have it rentable on the ice this year. If I remember right it will sleep 10. There number is 218 647 8504. I’m looking at possible getting on the ice towards the end of next week but mother nature may throw a wrench in our plans with this snow. I did have a customer take me up on my roast in the oven with taters,carrots and onion when you arrive. It will be interesting to see how that turns out. I expect they will walk in and say man does it smell good in hear. our plans this week are again to work on getting organized for the season. We have to go over to Davids in gather some 2×4 for blocking. They need to be cut up and that’s always a chore since I do not operate a chain saw. White lightning needs a water pump ,but I need to put that off for a bit. Blue thunder got her first work out as I had to go plow the gas station out this morning as well as our property. I was sure hoping we would not get any snow un tell I had the houses out on the lake . I knew I should of did the no snow snow dance. Oh well you would think I would learn but I realize after 17 years mother nature is and always will be the boss here on such a grand lake. Jonny boys buddies were up last weekend and snagged a elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappie. My plans are to give it another shot with the bow and arrow this weekend. I picked up some new gloves, and a couple hand warmers. Years ago I had built a deluxe deer stand up where the greek and I hunted for years.. Yes here come another lesson in not what to do. I had gotten to the stand before light . a lite snow was coming down but as day broke it turned into a mix of snow rain and ice rain. I was hunkered down in my stand with my bow hanging on a branch, The bow was completely covered with a thin coating of ice. A nice 6 point buck magically appeared coming straight towards me. I slowly grabbed my bow as the deer had no clue I was sitting 9 feet up in the air. He was walking right at me so I had no shot. After what seemed like a eternity he was standing right under my stand. My heart was pounding . I thought for sure he could here my heart thumping 10 feet away. He slowly started to mossy away from me . I was going to have the perfect shot quart ting away from me. As I raised my bow, I drew back, it sounded like a broken chandelier hitting the ground as the ice shattered. A sound a deer wants no part of has he bounded away in two giant leaps. Lesson learned if its ice raining you might want to keep the bow from freezing into a popsicle.

Was able to say goodbye to everyone this morning before they hit the road. Spent a couple hours cleaning up the shacks so I could shut down the heaters. This weekend, Ryan and his crew will be coming for the cabin. We have Boar and his wife coming up this weekend also,. Sounds like There friends are going to stay in montana for one night. Old Minnesota is still open as well as California. There is also a chance that north Dakota is open. Jeff will also be bringing his ice castle for us to rent this year. I know it sleeps 4 with no problems. I’ll have more details once its here. Looking at the forecast there is a chance that we will be getting the house’s out on the lake the first week in Dec. If all goes as planned they will be fishable by Dec.,7th. For now we will just keep them in there spots tucked away in the woods on the shores of upper red lake. I would say there were less the 30 portables out there yesterday that I could see from our end.I would expect even less today since its back to the grind for most. Also looking at the forecast I may get out on the deer stand again. One of my favorite ways to deer hunt when I was younger was still hunting through the woods. I took my first deer a 200 pound field dressed 10 pointer hunting this way with a 20 gouge shotgun. I also took my first deer with my 30 30 still hunting into the wind. Here’s another story from my many adventures trying to harvest a deer with my recurve The area I took my first deer was close to Wyoming Minnesota. I had a trail through the swamp that I had slowly made with a set of clippers. The trail came up onto the point of a oak tree ridge. With a lite drizzle/rain that fall afternoon my plans were to still hunt through the swamp up onto the ridge. Just as I took my first step onto high ground I spotted a doe leaned up against a big old oak tree. She was laying at the base. She had no clue I was less then 30 yards from her. I was totally into the focus mode. As I pre paired for the shot my arrow was all ready knocked on the string. I took my time, I drew back, picked my spot and let her fly. The arrow hit just above her back, she basically had to crawl out from underneath the arrow sticking in the tree. As she jumped up at least 7 other deer jumped up!!!. Seemed there was a deer laying next to every big oak tree . I was so focused on that doe I must of had binders on as I never saw any of them. When I pulled my arrow out of the tree the broadhead was buried into the tree , so it broke off. I imagine if the tree is still there the broadhead is still in that tree. There was a small pile of hair ,with not a single drop of blood. Lesson learned, when you see a deer be aware. There may be a heard if you take the time to look around

Well, wel,l well! We were gone for the thanksgiving but did have a few fishermen stay here with mixed results. Stacy and Craig were walking on to the lake they did not do that well. Hint, hint. Joe and his crew had a sled and wheeler. They did real good at two different resorts.I have not talked to Mel ,Dan and crew yet, The social media/ facebook has exploded with great reports, I always find it funny you never see the bad reports. Also not sure how the dad and son that stayed in old Minnesota did . I be leave they said they did all right when I talked to them on the phone. From what I have saw. Beacon, Hillmens, Westwind as well as all the resorts down south had great fishing. As of right now the houses will be on shore next weekend, I expect side by sides will be allowed out by then, if the cold snap hits us. Were wide open if some one needs a place to stay next weekend. I’m headed down to get them all wiped down and vacuumed in a bit. So here is something I offered years ago. What if you arrived for a 2 night stay in one of our sleepers. Upon your arrival there was a beef roast with all the fixings cooking in the oven when you arrived. I could make that happen if requested . Of course there would be a extra charge. So if anyone is interested give me a heads up and will go from there. Since I’m not heading on to the lake un tell I can drive blue thunder I thought it would be fun to share a few more of my deer hunting stories. Most are misses with the bow and arrow but still fun to tell. Plus who knows maybe my mistakes will help you score. The greek and I were camping /hunting up north. It was mid Oct. The weather was a balmy 70 degrees, We had hit our stands early that morning with no luck . After a hardy lunch cooked on a open camp fire, we kicked back to come up with our evening game plan. Our plans were set so we both decided to take a little nap before going back to our spots for the evening. The next thing you know the greek is waking me up. Quick its all ready after 4 and we have a 1/2 mile walk to out stands. I jump up ,gather my gear. I think man I need to have something to drink so I grab a can of pepsi. I never bring a can of pop to my stand . I’m all set up in my stand, when I decide to quietly open the can of soda, I sitting in a portable with no where to set the pop down so I just sit there and slowly drink it. Now I’m sitting there in a tree with a emtpy can. I think I sure do not want to drop it under my stand so I decide to put it in my chest pocket. About 15 minutes go by. A nice doe appears to my left, she is going to be in perfect range. I stand up . Get positioned , as she step from behind the brush, right in my shooting lane I draw back. The pop can crinkles in the dead silence of the woods, This was not a sound the deer liked as she was gone before I ever had a chance to fling a arrow . Another mistake was made, hind site should of never brought a can of pop, should of just dropped it under the tree stand. oh well This was 30 years ago ,and I’ve never brought another can of pop to my stand to this day.

With the ice reports all over the internet , conditions different at every access. I would say its best to check reports on the access you are planning on using. Most if not all the phone calls about ice conditions and fishing reports can be found on social media . We still have plenty of openings for fish house rentals . I be leave Hillmens also has plenty of rentals this season still open , Including the behemoth double decker that sleeps 10 to 12. There phone number is 218 647 8504 We use Hillmens access during the ice season, I talked to Buddy Hillmen this morning . He will be allowing Wheelers/sleds out up to 2 miles. He also said to mention to drive slow and use extreme caution. as there is quite a bit of rough ice. With another lite snow and breeze the rough broken ice will catch snow and may be harder to see. Beacon Harbor is also allowing wheelers and sleds I be leave. They did have a fishing report on there facebook page. Westwind the premier resort here on upper red lake is well organized and also ready to go. There were just a handful of portables on the lake yesterday. I think I saw a couple out of beacon harbor, 2 out of hillmens and 4 or 5 out of westwind. I did get out again last night deer hunting. I also had a shot. I missed. I’m shooting a recurve with no sites . I’ve taken a deer with a shotgun. 20 gauge, a rifle 30 30, a compound bow. So I went back to the recurve a few years ago. Man do I have the stories of all the misses over the years. It seems with a bow something always goes wrong. I can say that I think hunting with a bow makes you a much better hunter as you have to plan for shots under 30 yards. 2 years ago I was set up just off a snowmobile trail. If a deer walked by me it would be a 15 to 20 yard shot. A small buck appeared to my left. He was coming right down the trail. I stood up. Grabbed my bow as I watched him through the corner of my eyes. I only sit about 5 feet off the ground, with no cover to speak of my plan was to let him walk by, I would take the shot just after he passed. As he slowly passed by I took one step to turn as I drew back . The seat tipped down and spooked him. Off he went. Standing there reviewing what happen I thought? Man should I have pulled back while he was more in front of me. I thought would he of seen me move. I reenacted what happen pulling my arrow back , aiming right in front of me again, thinking would he of seen me make that move. I repeated this about 5 times. I then hung up my bow and set down. Not long after I here a ruckus to my right. I stand up ,look down the trail ,here comes a nice 10 pointer. Full speed.! He is going to run right where I was practicing aiming. I pull back and let her fly. My arrow wacks him right in the rib, he never even flinches or slows down. I watch him run down the trail with my arrow sticking in the side of him as he turns the corner. I get down , right where I hit him there”s deer hair all over, I get to where he jumped a fallen tree , more hair, I get to where he turned the corner and there’ s my arrow bent in half with no broadhead.We never found a drop of blood. Bob harvested the same deer 4 days later. I found a small hole in his hide directly on a rib bone about the size of a pencil eraser. Now back to last night. All of a sudden I here what I think is a deer running through the woods. I grab my bow, about 3 minutes later here comes a doe walking right where I expect, She’s going with the wind. She is going to walk right where I have shot a flu flu arrow every night I’ve set in that spot. I always pick a spot and fling a arrow before I get down. She had no clue I was there, I pulled back as she stepped out and my glove is right in my sight line. It throws my concentration off, I ended up panicking and flinging my arrow rather then resetting . I’m glad I missed , another lesson is put in the books. Take off glove? Different glove? Hunt when its warmer so I do not need gloves, The list goes on and on. Its the thrill of the hunt. Well everyone have a happy thanksgiving cookie

I saw on face book beacon harbor is allowing wheelers and sleds. I never got to talk to Buddy hillmen yesterday but I imagine its getting closer for him to also allow wheelers and sleds. Jonny boy and I got all the house’s ready to move. once we hit that consistent 14 inches of ice on our end. The temps dropped to -2 last night, You would think that should of made a little more ice.Then it started to warm up and we got a sprinkle of new snow. I would say less then 1/2 a inch. I’m hoping to get out in the woods again tonight. At least for the last hour. I’ll plan on still hunting to my stand with a flu- flu arrow knocked in case I get another chance at that fat grouse I saw. This time I’m not going to hesitate and take the shot asap. I counted just a few pop ups out there yesterday. I did see two wheelers come from the south but have no clue where they got access to the lake, I imagine it may of been someone with a cabin on the shore line. We should see quite a few more fishermen after thanksgiving, I expect it will be a little bit busier that last weekend. I do have a few friends coming up Friday, so I will have a first hand report on how they do. Knock on wood both blue thunder and the red baron are in good shape as of now. The little grey kia needs a little work but it does have good heat so that’s a plus. I see it s 9 so better get to work

The first weekend of fishable ice has come and gone. I read somewhere that waskish would be a zoo this weekend.? Saturday afternoon I counted maybe 30 portables out of Hillmens.The ice breaking up down on the south end may of calmed things down for sure. The dnr was out there racing around on a sled checking fishermen saturday. Not sure how he got on the lake but I’m thinking Hillmens was probably not thrilled to see that . I say it again common sense should be used at all time on upper red lake. Watch the weather. When its a white out on the lake it can be pretty spooky. When the winds blow the lake can have many variable’s. When the weather warms drastically the ice can expand and play havoc on things. A small crack can explode into a season long pressure ridge. We did not have any guest this past weekend but I did talk to a few fishermen. The reports were mixed. . One guy I gave instructions to said it was slow , they caught 20 and kept 16? That was all day so 4 guys caught 5 fish apiece or 1 every 2 hours. So I guess that would be slow. I also heard of a few that got skunked. I still have no plans on going on the lake un tell I can drive out with blue thunder. The day I drive out there means I will be on the lake every day tell mid march so I’m never in a hurry. Plus my mentor cousin Pete taught me long ago 17 years to be exact slow and patient.I did squeeze in church on sunday. I always feel a bad when I keep skipping, then I end up prolonging going. A few nicer deer were taken the last few days . I had a huge grouse in my sites last night and did not take the shot. I think it was the biggest, fattest, grouse I ever saw. No deer from my stand but more tracks so its very encouraging. My plans were to pull my stand but I’m going to give it a few more shots as the peace and tranquility of sitting there is very relaxing, Plus if I see a deer you get that adrenaline rush . Today the plans are to button up the fish houses and break them loose, I’m thinking they may be going on the ice by the weekend of the 7th. I have added on a ice castle this year but have not named it as yet, They are bringing it up the end of the month.

From 2 to 5 to 7? What started as 2 fishermen Tylor and John last week. Wednesday Bill and Hays spent the night and walked out with not much luck. All though Bill is a photographer and said he never wet a line as he snapped pic after pic of the sunset. I caught the tail end of it and should of snapped a picture myself, as it was spectacular to say the least. Not even sure there’s a name for the color, maybe blood red? Thursday morning hays was not feeling very well so Bill went out on his own. Down at the lake working I saw 5 fishermen counting Bill. Yesterday it was up tp 7. I have had a dozen calls, how thick is the ice, how’s the fishing? Buddy Hillmen of Hillmens resort says around 5 inches, They are allowing walking traffic out to a mile where his road stakes stop. I have heard of 5 fish caught and 1 lost at the hole so that’s the fishing report. Some one said it would be a zoo up here this weekend since the south end had that strong wind . I would have to disagree as I have no one spending the night here until after thanksgiving?All the house are prepped down at the lake and ready to go other then a few little things. If anyone stays down there they will have to be cleaned again but that’s fine with me. Jonny boy did not get out as he was a little under the weather. I did get a shot at a grouse with my recurve going out to my stand Thursday night. It was a shot through the brush and my arrow just missed. I ‘ll always give up being quiet when I have a chance at a grouse, either when I’m going, sitting or leaving my hunting area. Years ago I took a grouse in the air with my recurve and flu flu arrow. I would love a repeat of that. Plus the hammer loves the way I make grouse as do I. I was going to pull my deer stand but now have second thoughts . Some venison in the freezer would be nice. I like cutting up steak in super thin pieces then quick frying for a minute steak sandwich. Plus I’m still trying to harvest a deer with my recurve

I talked to Buddy Hillmen yesterday around 10 am . As of yesterday his plans were to allow walk outs starting today out of there resort. While I was prepping houses down at the lake yesterday there were about 7 fishermen wondering around out there . My son Jonny boy says he may hook up with a guy staying at westwind that he knows and wet a line today, With any luck we could be have fresh walleye with our steak tonight. I’m still doing a little bow hunting. We moved my stand Monday so I have set out there 2 evenings.Yesterday it started snowing like crazy, The snow tapered off around 2pm. We got about 1 inch. I headed to my stand around 3 and darn if a deer had not walked right under my stand some time after the snow stopped. Plus another came racing through heading south while another was heading east. All fresh tracks after the snow stopped. Crazy deer. I might give it another shot tonight but will see.

From what I have been reading and pictures posted the winds were plenty strong enough to move the ice to the north .
I was down at the lake off and on all day yesterday . You could hardly notice it was windy down there as our property has 8 acres of trees. The ice looks about the same as it did 3 days ago but again I have not stepped out onto the ice.
I hope to hook up with Buddy Hillmen today to see what he has to say as we use his access to run our rental operation.
I’m still plugging away detailing the houses. I had blue thunder down at the lake yesterday and Jonny boy noticed a few loose bolts on the drive shaft which was a huge catch and more then likely saved me from damaging a drive shaft “Good job buddy” We also found a little repair Job on North Dakota while we were getting it off the ground.
I forgot to mention a good friend of ours and his son Harry and Ben have a beautiful cabin they are renting this year. The Dahlin Lodge. dahlinlodge.com I think it sleeps at least 6 guys.
I did get out to my new deer hunting spot last night. The winds were moving the trees around quite a bit so no deer last night. I did have a grouse that snuck up to me from behind. He then flushed right under my stand. He all most caused me to fall out of my stand. He was lucky I did not see him as I always have flu flu arrow when I’m hunting with my bow. The plan is to sit again tonight as it was so peaceful out there last night. well its after 9 and we start at 9