# 2015 Predator Days is History



## SWAMPBUCK10PT

*What a week-end of Hunting-----6 single and 15, 2 man teams [21] took to the woods on a cold Friday night with winds ,leaves falling,bitter cold [20] and rain turning to snow by morning there was 3-31/2 inches on the ground by morning, than warming south winds melted the snow and by Sunday beautiful sunshine Welcomed the Day----------------------------Had a new little teaser to start the hunt this year---First team to report a coyote kill would get a $50 dollar Bill-Team #11 Cham Deschaine and partner Roy Lyberg had one down less than 30 min's after the hunt started---Wow!!! what a start-----------Most spent the night hunting hard with little response's---The Critters were lying low but by morning things turned around for the day and fur started to pile-up------14 coyotes hung from the fur pole by the time the hunt closed on SUN at 4pm-------Our first year we had 15 teams and 1 coyote -- 2 raccoon were taken ----this year is a record year with 21 teams and 14 Coyotes taken-------First Place this year was Won by Team #21---Bill Zintman---2nd by team #6--Don and Keith Maki also won little dog---3rd--Bob Abbott and Fred Gabsey they also won the Heavy Dog Purse-- Thank you goes too all the Great sponsors who provide all the great prizes for the Hunt every Year------Thanks To all the Hunters we do have Fun every year---------HERE'S SOME PIC'S----OH GREAT THE PIC'S WON'T LOAD*


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## azpredatorhunter

Sounds like a great hunt, congratulations to all. Way to go Fred!!!


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## prairiewolf

I second that, congrats to all the teams and good job Bob & Fred !!!


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## 220swift

Congrats to the winners and to you Skip for putting on the event.


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## SWAMPBUCK10PT

*Pic's are lost----please post some if you have any------skip*


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## glenway

Tell me it ain't so, Skip.


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## fr3db3ar

Now if Skip would just spell my last name right. 

Sent from somewhere in the time space continuum


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## hassell

Way to go everyone, hopefully more pic's will appear.


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## glenway

Well, maybe he's confusing you with someone who talks a lot.


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## fr3db3ar

I didn't take a lot of pics. Hopefully others will have more

Sent from somewhere in the time space continuum


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## hassell

Great pic's Fred, some are better than none.


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## SWAMPBUCK10PT

fr3db3ar said:


> Now if Skip would just spell my last name right. :smile:
> 
> Sent from somewhere in the time space continuum


Sorry Fred------- :biggrin: ----F. Gadsby


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## rotty

Hi skip, got your message. .here are my pics







I'll post more a little later


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## glenway

Good stuff, rotty. Crossing that bridge to the north is like entering another country. Thanks for taking me there, once again.


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## rotty




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## rotty




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## rotty




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## rotty

I thinik thats all i have. I hope you enjoy the pics as much as i did taking them and being once again up in gods country!

Special thanks to Skip for putting this on, i will be back next year...and hopefully connect. for some reason they didint want to play with my team this time.


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## hassell

Thanks for sharing the pic's and moments -- Skip -- I like your sliding glass door curtains -- Plus with all those guys standing around and you with a bum leg I'd be handing out rakes to get rid of those leaves. HA !!


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## SWAMPBUCK10PT

*First -second and third place Hunters*

*1st Bill Zintman*

*2nd Keith and Don Maki also Small Dog Purse*

*3rd Bob Abbott and Fred Gadsby also Heavy Dog Purse*

*Congrats Guys Great Hunting--------SB*


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## SWAMPBUCK10PT

Some more Pic's-----------Sharon and I had fun putting this on---See you next year---S&S


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## glenway

Looks like you saved the day with some photos, Skip. Great job bringing it to all of us who couldn't make the trip.


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## hassell

Awesome job Skip & Sharon, heck even Santa won something.


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## prairiewolf

Great Pics !!! Good thing you and sharon do Skip, sure wish I could get back there.


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## prairiewolf

Skip, do you keep track of what coyotes are shot at night and daytime ? Just wondering when most are gotten


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## SWAMPBUCK10PT

*yup only 2 were taken at night---weather was bad----snowed and windy---We like doing this Thanks for the kind thoughts-------and Santa even got his first coyote[29 lbs 12 oz in our hunt after trying for many years--using a call [ catwhacker Jim Spray --made ] he won last year-- *


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## Redfoot Ranch

Hey fella's, I have to finish writing up my U.P. adventure and exploration. I am still trying to catch my rear end with both hands after being away for a few weeks. Got to hang out with Skip and Sharon for a few weeks.

This attached pic of Skip and I - our first time meeting after knowing of each other, and talking at times, through different online forums for IIRC about the last 8 years. This meeting, and my never having been off I-75 in the U.P., is what spurred me in making sure I attended his 2015 hunt. As you will see once explained, I felt this trip had a purpose and was meant to be. I sure want to thank Skip and Sharon for their gracious hospitality and knowledge of that area up there. I sure learned a lot, felt i just scratched the surface but sure enjoyed myself and will return soon....


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## SWAMPBUCK10PT

:biggrin:* LOL! And this is when Dale and Hazel left for Home Back across the Mighty Mac and the FLAT LANDS EH!!!* ----*Enjoyed your company Buddy---love you Hazel*

* sb*


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## SWAMPBUCK10PT

*Been Waiting For Bob or Fred to tell the tail on how they won The RED YOOPER TOOL* :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin: *Its a good story--Good thing there was a Yopper lady on the road EH!!!!*


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## hassell

I imagine there are a few stories to be had from that weekend.


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## finstr

That looks like a blast! Great photos!


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## fr3db3ar

SWAMPBUCK10PT said:


> *Been Waiting For Bob or Fred to tell the tail on how they won The RED YOOPER TOOL*     *Its a good story--Good thing there was a Yopper lady on the road EH!!!!*


It's all the DNR's fault.

Sent from somewhere in the time space continuum


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## glenway

Not much of a story, Fred.


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## fr3db3ar

Yeah, I'm not much of a story teller

Sent from somewhere in the time space continuum


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## pokeyjeeper

lol poor bob & fred hay fred was that 10 mile walk up hill all the way


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## fr3db3ar

Ok. We were camping 2 hrs from skip. We decided it might be a good idea to hunt our way back from the release to some extra hunt time in. On the way to skips we were watching Google maps for potential clearings on public land enroute. We passed a DNR office and stopped to chat. They directed us to an area on our map a few miles from the office. We followed map as best I could. (I was the navigator). Well, we should have taken that left turn at Albequerqee. We followed a split grass pass down through the woods and it was suddenly soft and wet and we sunk to the frame.
Now, I've been offroading for years and I know we're not getting out on our own.
I left immediately on foot to find assistance. It's now about 1300 and we're due at Skips @ 4.
It was about 3.5 miles of walk/run to get to the first habitation. A nice lady and her daughter answered the door and I explained our plight. I must have looked pitiful because she decided to do what she could to help. Her husband had just left for work so she couldn't contact him and as we looked around the garage we couldn't find a come-a-long that she knew they had.
I told her thanks for trying and that I would continue down the road and see if there was anybody else who could help.
As it turns out all but one of the other habitations were seasonal and nobody was there.
I was at this time out to the highway trying to possibly flag down a 4x4 that might be able help to no avail. 
After about 10 minutes of this the original lady showed up and had a possible solution for us. So now we have a rusty old come-a-long with a crow bar for a handle and an old chain that is patched in one spot with a hammer link and another section is bolted together with a 1/2" bolt.
Long story short it took about an hour of cranking and adjusting to move to behemoth of a 1500 Chevy back 40 ft and out if the quagmire. 
Our newfound friend wouldn't accept more than $20 for helping.
We finally made it to Skip's and rest is history.
All in all it was a good time and I'd do it all over again.

Sent from somewhere in the time space continuum


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## hassell

Now thats a better story Fred, thanks for sharing, pic's next.


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## DeereGuy

Nice job on the story Fred. ...it still makes me smile now my friend!

Sent from my Samsung Note 3 using tapatalk


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## 220swift

" and that's the rest of the story"................thanks fr3d


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## glenway

I'd say you're a pretty good story teller, Fred.

One thing I've learned after having been broke down in Yooperland 27 years ago: You couldn't get stuck in a better place than the U.P.

Thanks for sharing the details and for uncovering the mystery of the shovel. Ol' Skip must still be chuckling.

I never leave home without it.


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## fr3db3ar

We'll never go again without either a winch, or a hi-lift jack and chain.

Sent from somewhere in the time space continuum


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## youngdon

Good story Fr3d !


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## Bigdrowdy1

Now that what memories are made of fr3d!!! 2 or 3 coyotes would have been skint and talked about but stories like that last a life time !!!


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## azpredatorhunter

Great pictures Skip, it appears that everyone had a great time... Great story Fred, I bet you'll bring some recovery tool's with next time. I know a guy who went to the World's Coyote Calling Championship one year and he spent a entire day getting the truck unstuck.


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## glenway

You're right about that, Big D. It's all the "other stuff" that sticks with us.

Thanks again, Fred. I'm rigging my truck to keeping out of trouble or at least getting out after the fact. It's a Boy Scout thing.


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## SWAMPBUCK10PT

*THEY MADE IT TO CHECK IN ON TIME -KILLED A COYOTE DURING THE HUNT AND RECEIVED THEIR SPECIAL PRIZE WITH A SMILE--GREAT TEAM HERE----GLAD YOU GUYS CAME --SEE YA NEXT YEAR--------------SB*


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## Redfoot Ranch

I finally found my rear end with both hands and this is long overdue!

MY FIRST U.P. ADVENTURE​​
I was blessed and fortunate to have been in and driven through all 48 of the lower United States by the time I was 25. I knew what other states had to offer but lacked in exploring any of our U.P. I had driven up I-75 in the upper peninsula of Michigan a few times driving up to the Soo to cross over into Canada in route to Nakina to fly in fish at remote lake camps. Knowing Michigan offers 4 solid seasons and scenery that rivals other parts of this country, my desire to see what this state has to offer north of the Mackinaw Bridge has been on my mind for a few years!

My first opportunity to meet Skip came in early May at the Michigan Predator Rondy. Skip and I had been bidding against each other for a custom call on the PM site - so a Rondy slugfest was inevitable. I had a great time visiting and getting to know Skip. After the time we all had at the Rondy, I made a commitment to be sure and attend Skip's Predator Days 2015. For 5 or so years, I usually head north into the forest in the northern lower pitching a tent and predator hunting for 3 weeks primarily in September. After a very busy and productive year, without much time to get after summer coyotes, this trip was going to be a much need break!

I posted up on a couple forums that I was looking for a partner for the hunt. Bob Patrick (Rare Earth Predator Calls) contacted me and we made plans to partner for the hunt. Knowing Bob was from the land of yooper's, and I being an ignorant to the UP flatlander, I felt it would be an excellent combination. Unfortunately, Bob had some unexpected health issues about 10 days before the hunt in the early morning hours while out locating for the hunt. Once again without a partner, I figured I'd go it alone. Bob Abbott phoned me about 3 days before I was planning to leave and got me lined out with one his hunting partners here in the lower by the name of Rob, who wanted to attend if he could get the time off. 24 hours later I knew I had a partner and he would be riding up with Bob and Fred. They would bring him in to the check in.

I had decide to take Hazel, my Mt. Cur decoy dog, hoping to get into some late season family groups after the hunt. She also doubles as an early warning sign while tent camping. I left on Wednesday prior to hunt to mill around and see what kind of trouble I could get into. Leaving later than intended, but not wanting to come back to unfinished chores, I knew it would be early Thursday before I had traveled that 403 miles to Skip's. Once I hit the "Seney Stretch" on 28 heading west toward Marquette I started locating along the 2 tracks which paralleled the rivers running perpendicular to the road. I rolled into town about 3 in the morning and slept in the truck until daybreak.

After grabbing some coffee, and doughnuts to share, I made my way to Skip's address. Upon arrival, Hazel and I were invited in and we spent the first few hours visiting. I believe having Hazel around was a blessing for Skip and Sharon, as I had just recently learned that they lost Maggie at the beginning of the year. I was planning to find out spot in the forest to set up camp as I have done many times in the past - Skip told me to pitch my tent and cook canopy up in his back yard. After getting out and seeing the some of the country I decided to take him up on the invitation.

As a guinea pig for a new rifle build, and having never gone through the process, I sent this 243 Winchester to West Pointe, Utah where Cody's Custom Guns trued the action, set the barrel back and rechambered to a 243 Ackley in addition to some other minor work. A week and a half prior to my leaving I finally received the new SSS trigger I had patiently been waiting for. After installing, I went through the adjustment steps and ended up with a crisp 1 lb. 4 oz. trigger pull. A tickle lighter than the desired 1.5 lb. pull I was after, but not wanting to have to reverse the process and begin again after a minor sear adjustment I decided to leave it there - it breaks like glass snapping and not over travel. I may get beat up over this by some, but with myself being the primary shooter, with plenty of room inside the trigger guard, some common sense gun safety and my cutting the fingers off my trigger finger for hunting - I like it! I bedded my barreled action in a new Boyd's stock the night before I left and separated just prior to leaving. I still needed to mount the new optics and get things sighted in.

In the afternoon, we retreated to Skip's reloading area and I got the optics leveled and torqued to specs, opting to include a swing out anti cant level on this setup. Skip then took me up to Jimmy's camp and we proceeded to print on paper. As I had plenty of factory ammo left and being behind the 8 ball, I began with 58 grn Vmax as this rifle "used to love it." Stock change, bedding and shortened barrel length, altering harmonics, leaves undesired results with the 58's. Chambering and firing 75 grn HP's, again in factory loads, resulted in extreme repeatability and I am now doing the happy dance. I have over 100 rounds which I'll hunt through fire forming for this new chambering.

Skip showed me around the camp with the deer blinds and shooting lanes. From there we proceeded down to the old hunting camp shack by the trout pond. Inside the shack, along with many hunting accomplishments penciled on the wall, was a set bear trap without hanging on the wall - without an safety features we could find. Be dang careful if ya can't stay out of the bottle!!

When leaving camp, Skip drove me down into some 2 track trails along the Cherry Creek river bottom as well as some other areas to scout for hunting. As we didn't take Skip's hunting truck - we both caught a bit of grief from Sharon a few days later when she got into the truck. She was not impressed with the new pin striping. I made a wise choice in deciding to keep my old '97 4 wheeler one more winter and exploring the U.P. After last year's trip, I shouldn't have had side mirrors left. This year's trip added pin striping in places I didn't think was possible! That evening I had my first encounter with a pasty. I'm hooked!

At some point this afternoon, we were in Skip's taxidermy shop and a young feller comes rolling in wanting to enter him and his boy is the hunt. I could tell when he started talking he wasn't from the area. He grew up in Van Buren, MO and his daddy was 78 when he was born. He was a miner who came to Michigan, after working mines in Alaska and Montana, to work the Eagle mine. You might say "Catfish" (his mine nickname) was much wiser than his years and was a very interesting lad. He glanced over at some "chaga" (at the time a big brownish black blob to me) laying on one of Skip's freezers and started telling us about the history and medicinal benefits. Skip had a friend in AZ who he had shipped a box of these "brown blobs" to, after cutting down a dead white birch tree in his back yard, as Randy knew all about the benefits. From what Catfish tells, the Marquette area is about as far south as the fungus/mushroom begins to grow on both yellow and white birch. Further research on Google indicates parts of the Carolina's produce this as well.

The remainder of the trip was a blur - going by way too fast. Friday I spent out scouting along the railroad in the Sand Plains area. Returning back about 2 hours before the hunt started, I finally got my tent set up in time for my partner's arrival. We hunted the first night until the snow began to come in so hard the lights wouldn't penetrate it. We retired to sleeping bags and woke to 3" of fresh snow. During the day we didn't see much sign of animal movement. About 2:30 Sunday morning, we finally got a group to vocalize back to us. Quickly moving on them resulted in a big goose egg. They had already moved on? It was only after the hunt was over that I realized how much wolf movement was in the Plains area. We ended the hunt having not seen anything but 1 set of deer eyes while night hunting.

A great time was had by all hunters with some good food at the check-in. There was a rather large bottle of brandy making its way around with some utilizing its' "medicinal" benefits more than others! (Not everyone gets in a tug of war with a shot coyote.) With many great sponsor having donated items for raffle draw prized, all hunters went away with something to remember this 2015 hunt by! After all numbers issued to hunters had been drawn, there were still items on the table to be given away. New tickets were handed out until the remaining donations had been given out. Skip was especially proud of a pen and a call set, which were personalized, and donated for this year's hunt. These were saved for the top prizes. Another set of tickets was handed out for these 2 remaining items. The pen was won by Pokeyjeeper and I won the Ed Weddle - EW Game Calls (prairiewolf) call set. Two trolls cleaned up!!

After the dust from the hunt settled, I spent a huge amount of time exploring and combing the U.P. landscape in different areas I had learned about from DNR biologists and locals. I learned a lot about commercial forest land, mine property and the wolf population in the north woods as well as the northern hunting code. This was topped off as Skip took me out on a 5 hour jaunt beyond Champion in some areas he had hunted in the past. I marked 215 waypoints on my handheld GPS to look at on Google Earth.

One hunt in particular stands out. I had climbed a very tall sand hill, which stretched across for about 3/8 of mile, in mine country. I drove into the area into the wind, planning to look at 2 spots. On the first stand I opted to carry my pistol, rather than a shotgun in hopes of reducing weight, for up close encounters. I called the north side of this hill looking over the top of the forest beneath me fighting off the gnats. I saw flashes of fur in the pines but no commitment for a shot. I set up calling off the south side of this hilltop across a mine opening into the timber below. The wind was blowing so hard, I wondered if I was effective, so in about 20 minutes I was literally froze and made my way back down the sand hill. I proceeded about ¾ mile south and drove down closer into the filtration areas to snoop around. The sun was beginning to set and headed out retracing my way in. Pretty true to what I had learned so far, there were 2 sets of wolf tracks in my tire tracks which were now about an hour and a half old. I'd bet, nickels to nuts, what I saw below me while calling was one of those wolves.

To be continued-


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## Redfoot Ranch

Jimmy's Camp


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## Redfoot Ranch

My favorite hunting partner and most of what I came across!


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## Redfoot Ranch

Skip's shop...


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## Redfoot Ranch

More of Skip's work...


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## Redfoot Ranch

High winds and rain left a bunch of time for exploring and visiting with Skip and Sharon. We got 3 of Skip's FoxPro's reprogrammed and got him back on the Michigan Predator Calling website in passing time.

The first day I was there, I let them know I didn't hand feed treats, nor give human food, to Hazel. By the start of the hunt, she was getting pieces of steak, which just happened to fall off a plate onto the floor. Many nights were spent watching the playoffs and beginning of the World Series. Popcorn became a regular part of her diet in the evening. She was introduced to Busy Bones and was treated to the last Frosty Paws ice cream in the freezer, treats that Maggie loved! Sharon said her hands were smaller than mine so she would get double servings of dog food if I didn't feed her if she beat me to feeding her. On the couch or in the recliner, she could do no wrong and it was obvious to me the this trip was where we were destined to be!

Skip and I finally meeting at the Rondy, my winning what I felt Skip regarded as one of his top donated door prizes (personalized for this hunt and my knowing it was going to be my ticket number called before it was announced) and seeing the love they both poured out to Hazel. I was unsure if I might have to kidnap her when I left!

As I was getting in the truck to leave, Skip asked me to roll down the passenger window. He told Hazel to email him if she felt like doing so and to stay in touch! Wouldn't you you know it - i get on my laptop on 11.16 and it appears somebody hacked me! This is an email I found:

"Dear Skip and Sharon,

I don't know what to do! He is making me share MY Busy Bones with those 2 little runts I was on a vacation from while I was hanging out at your place. Please help!!

Love, Hazel"

and

Skip's response back:

Things will get better SWEETIE hang in there ---LOVE you HAZEL------skip & Sharon

i get home Friday night and there is a package on the porch containing what is found in the pictures!!

I want to thank Skip and Sharon for their gracious hospitality! I ahd a blast exploring and learning firsthand about Michigan's upper peninsula. Mr. Ed Weddle, I feel honored and am proud to have been the recipient of your call set. Thank you and thanks for supporting Skip's Predator Days! We will be back again...


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## SWAMPBUCK10PT

*Buddy it was a pleasure having you and Hazel here----We fell in love with Hazel Give her Hugs and Kiss's for us--It was hard not to spoil Her LOL and THANK YOU and HAZEL for Taking Sharon and I out for Dinner to our Favorite Restaurant-We had a great time Take care--skip&Sharon*


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## glenway

It's been too long since I've been to the UP, and RR, you've made me realize it.

Sorry to hear about Bob Patrick, though. Did a coyote hunt with him in 1997 in the eastern UP. Coyote Crazy, that man! Still have one of his calls he gave me.

Hooking up with Skip was a smart thing to do.

Thanks for taking the time to share your memories.


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## Redfoot Ranch

Glenway we need to hook up this winter. I met you some years back when Dave B was running gun counter at Meal & More. I believe you are just down the road from his house!


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## glenway

Yep. We are friends and neighbors.


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## SWAMPBUCK10PT

*Dale I called one of them Wolfs in last week--Was he ever Huge and Beautiful--Was hard not to pull the trigger--We need a wolf season again --Many were seen over the rifle deer season in Nov-------------sb*


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## glenway

Some good folks are working on it, Skip. We ain't done yet.


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## Redfoot Ranch

I am still waiting for some video footage! Great job on calling your first wolf Skip - you are now ready for another wolf season here in our great state!!


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