Deer Activity on the Rise Through a Transition on the Marsh

A mature doe ventures out along one of our property lines. Whitetail numbers are strong in the area, but deer behavior
in a marsh is unique to deer habits in a woodlot or amidst traditional agricultural land

The last week has brought much more seasonable temps (30s to 50ish) and finally a bit more pop to autumn colors that were -- until now -- pretty muted by temperatures 10-20 degrees above average. With steely skies and temperatures in the 30s, it felt like Halloween yesterday. And it certainly feels like November today.

The deer got the memo. Our motion cameras -- set-up, in part, to monitor for trespassing* -- have picked up a lot more four-legged traffic these last couple weeks. And if history is any guide, the rut (the annual pursuit of does by bucks) should be in full swing in the next week or so. I, along with a few close friends and family members, do archery hunt the property. But I've found there is a whole new learning curve when hunting in and around an expansive marsh. There are plenty of places to hide . . . and deer have no hesitation swimming to seclusion. In fact, it's somewhat of a rarity that we even see deer during much of the season. And when we do, it's just as apt to be in the water. I've even had them wade right through my decoys during a duck hunt. Pretty surreal.

I watched four mature bucks pursue a solitary doe on my drive home from dropping my son at school this morning. Now that duck season is temporarily closed (as of this past Sunday night and until November 11), I can shift my pursuits. I hope to "get in the tree" (into my tree stand) over the next few days.

The "break" or the "split" between open waterfowl seasons gives us a chance to fine-tune our water levels and take care of a few odds and ends. But the field season is largely winding down. Today, I worked on cataloging my regular photo-documentation efforts -- literally thousands of individual frames (see examples below). I will take my monthly monitoring photos the next time the sun shines (maybe Friday), and continue to transition toward inside work and winter pursuits (planning, design, grant writing, etc.). As with nature, our efforts are seasonal and cyclical.

The eastern end of the "Center Unit" of the East Marsh that we just sold to the neighbors, pre-restoration -- October 2016

One year later: a comparable perspective, after strategic water level manipulation -- October 2017;
the resulting diversity and quality of the vegetation in this area surpassed our expectations

* NOTE: I mention trespassing above. Fortunately, we have not had to deal with too much in terms of unwelcome (human) guests, at least on the majority of the property. We are dealing with a chronic littering/dumping issue on an isolated area near the village (but just outside village limits). We have frequent visits from shoreline fisherman along the roadways. Most probably just assume that the water is owned by the State. And we have had some issues with illegal ATV access. But again, this has been isolated to a specific portion of the property, and I think we have now sent the message that the property is private and that they are to stay out. I will likely speak more on this topic in the future, but suffice it to say, its a challenge. How do you keep a large site visually unaltered without running the risk of a small sub-set of the population taking advantage? All we can do is stay vigilant, be firm if we confront a trespasser, and continue to try to educate.

The Power of Passion: Thank You Dave Brunkhorst

This family just knows how to smile; here are a few of the subsequent
generations who will be carrying on Dave's legacy in the marsh

The entire Lake Erie marsh community, waterfowling, and Standing Rush recently lost a very dear friend. Dave Brunkhorst was not just a neighbor. He was a perennial smiling face, a regular visitor, a helping hand, a tireless cheerleader, a modest mentor, a great story teller, an unbelievable shot, and one hell of a duck hunter . . . just to hit a few high points! I encourage you to read more on Dave's many accomplishments and life experiences, but to me, Dave will stand as a testament to the power of a passion.

Dave Brunkhorst
1948-2017

Dave LOVED duck hunting. He loved duck camp. He loved duck trips. He loved the feel of a shotgun in his hand. He loved turning clay pigeons into clay powder (like 998 out of 1000 times). But more than all that, in the relatively short time I really got to know Dave, I could tell that what he really loved was combining his passion for the outdoors with his passion for being with people.

Roy has known Dave for decades. I first met him about 12 years ago. At that time, he was the County Engineer for Ottawa County, and I was a young snot courting him on a new engineering product. I wrote him a letter and asked if I could come into his office and introduce the technology that I was working on. He could have taken that as "this guy wants to pitch me a product," and simply ignored the letter. But instead, he invited me to the office -- and ultimately to his marsh . . . which I realized about a day into learning about this Bay View adventure, was right next door to the marsh that (a decade later) I was trying to buy.

A further skeptic could say Dave was just accommodating because I had a potential solution to one of his marsh problems (e.g. muskrat holes). That may have contributed, I'll concede, but Dave was just the kind of guy who would hear you out. We hit it off right from the start, and I was fortunate enough to get to know he and his long-time friend and conservationist, Ed Moxley, based on that initial marsh tour.

[As an aside: Dave and Ed leased our far east unit, the "Dinky Track," the first year we owned it. I always marveled when I'd hear no more than a few shots at a time coming from their blind. The reason: "Dr. Death" and "Mr. Doom" never missed. If you were a duck flying over their blind, you were a dead duck. Now Dave's nephew carries on that tradition as a leaseholder -- and also as a hell of a shot, I might add.]

The world lost this particular waterfowler too early. But Dave has family ready to continue to carry the torch. And we will do all that we can to be there to help. Thanks, Dave, for all that you brought to the world.

Dave (far left), perhaps the way he liked it best: with family, ducks, and a dog
(special thanks to the Brunkhorst family for permission to use these great photos)