We’ve noted before that while Zeeland is arguably one of the most politically conservative cities in Michigan, it’s one of the more aggressive municipalities in our area in restricting what residents can do with their property. A ban on chain link fences and restrictions on front porch storage are among the limits imposed recently by the city.

My family and I headed north to Wellston on May 28 to spend the weekend together in a cabin on beautiful Pine Lake.
Pine Lake Villa is a quiet location that was once a logging camp. The cabin we stayed in was originally the mess hall for the logging operation there.
When I arrived Friday night and put the boat in the water, I netted a large snapping turtle on the way to the dock. I showed the turtle to the kids and then let her go, as turtle season doesn’t begin until July 15th.
Later that evening, I went fishing with my wife and daughter. I hooked three nice size bass and released them all.

If you have read this column more than a couple of times, chances are you have found an Italian dish.
I love Italy and all things Italian.
I have taken a slight vacation from sharing my favorite dishes, but here I am, back with the Italian. This weekend, my mom went on a little trip up north with some of her friends, and came back with this marvelous recipe that was kindly donated by our friends the Griffins.

The weather is warm and the fishing seasons have begun. If your boat isn’t ready yet, I’ve got a few items for you to check.
If your boat is ready, did you remember to check everything on your trailer to make sure it’s ready?
I can’t think of a more terrible way to ruin an outing than to spend your time along side the road waiting for someone to come and rescue you.
When it comes to preparing your boat for the summer season, start with the fuel system. Check over the hoses and connections to make sure that there isn’t any softness, brittleness or cracking. Then check that your exhaust and ventilation systems are functioning properly. Depending on the type of boat you have, you’ll want to check the belts, hoses, and wiring. Winter storage can cause brittleness and cracking.
Continue by checking the outer jacket of wiring for swelling and cracks. Inspect all of your electrical connections for corrosion and to make certain that they are clean and tight. Charge your batteries and have them tested to ensure they hold a charge.

I know this is a very simple recipe, but believe me, it is really delicious.
As most of you know by now, anything that has to do with the medieval/renaissance era intrigues me, so naturally, a Hogwarts drink would also pique my curiosity.
So I set out on a magical quest to find a tasty draught that would be easy to make, and at the same time be very rewarding.

Recently we’ve had a lot of warm weather and rain, and it’s made me think of all the activities I love to participate in during the spring, summer, and fall.
Those activities are, of course, outdoor activities and they include fishing, camping, canoeing, hiking, backpacking and so much more.
The rain really helped to prompt those thoughts when it caused the creeks to flood, and all I wanted to do was take out my canoe out and head downstream.
Even though the rain may come down a little too fast at times, it’s still better than the lack of rain when it comes to the growing season.

“Who cooks for you?” This is the question asked by many spring turkey hunters every year. When using an owl hoot call, it is the typical rhythm used to mimic the barred owl and evoke a gobble from a roosted wild “tom” turkey.
We’re talking about shock gobbling turkeys before the light breaks the eastern horizon on a cool spring morning in Michigan. The owl hoot has been employed as a shock gobbling technique for many years, but the turkeys have become conditioned to the traditional sound of an owl hooter singing out to the rhythm of “Who cooks for you.?”

A variety of turkey calls with a wide array of sounds and tones provides the turkey hunter with an advantage in heavily hunted areas, or as the season wears on and the turkeys become wise to the sounds of the hunters.
If you’re a beginner at the game of turkey hunting, I suggest you begin with a simple box call or a push button call. These are easy calls to work and to fall back on when you’re under the stress of the moment. When you’re under stress, it’s easy to make a mistake and these calls will reduce that possibility.

Last week I provided you with a To Do list and a firearms and equipment List for hunting turkey.
This week I think we should look at some of the clothing you will need for the spring turkey hunt.
 Camouflage is a very important factor in turkey hunting success. It’s probably just as important, and as necessary, as the skills of sitting and holding still while this incredibly wary bird has you in its range of sight.

The results are in. Those who applied for the spring turkey hunt back in January were able to find out — via the Internet beginning March 1 — if they were among the lucky ones selected for the hunt.
If you haven’t checked the results yet, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr and go to drawing results.
The first spring turkey season begins April 19. This means we have six weeks to talk turkey before the seasons begin. I’m not sure if we can talk turkey for six weeks, but if we do, I hope our conversation is beneficial to you.

Watching a movie isn’t considered to be much of an outdoor activity, but it can be an experience that might incite actions for the benefit of the outdoors and future generations.
This past weekend, my entire family and I went to the IMAX Theater in Grand Rapids to watch the movie “Mysteries of the Great Lakes. “
We had mixed reviews.

I have always opposed purchasing video games for my children
I’ve never been able to find much value in them.
I’ve been told video games enhance hand-eye coordination, but I just couldn’t see looking at a screen and using your thumbs and fingers to push buttons as enhancement to hand-eye coordination.
Not to mention, while pushing those buttons, the gamer is sitting on the couch.
Believe me, I’ve seen kids who are very good at video games, but haven’t got a clue how to swing a hammer.

I know that this recipe is short, but believe me, it’s very sweet.
My mom subscribes to “Vegetarian Times” magazine, and as she was flipping through it earlier this week she showed me the picture of this panini.
 After seeing the picture, I thought that we had to make it. So, we did, and it was awesome.
This is ooey, gooey and just a downright tasty panini. It’s perfect for dessert, or even a sweet breakfast.

Now that summer is just around the corner, it is time to plan your Alaska vacation. The best travel season for Alaska is May through September.
We are finding that the space is filling up earlier this year than last. It’s not so much the cruise portion that fills up, it is the land portion that is far more limited on space.
Having been to Alaska several times myself, I can tell you it is easy to fall in love it.
Tours range from seven-day cruises to cruise/tours of three to four weeks.
Today, I’m writing about a 14-day tour.

For the past two weeks, I’ve been telling about my hunt on Dec. 30.
To recap, early in the day my dog had split his ear on a briar and it wouldn’t stop bleeding. My two-man blind had been stolen before we arrived at the land we hunt in Allegan County, and I tracked the thief until I only had 15 minutes left to hunt.
On top of these unexpected happenings, I was supposed to leave to join my wife for dinner with friends at the same moment I had shot a deer.

Last week I wrote about the events that unfolded prior to my evening deer hunt.
Things like the fact that my dog had gotten his ear split by a briar and we couldn’t get the bleeding to stop.
I also told you of the thief that had stolen my blind that was on private property and how this delayed me from settling in for the evening hunt.
This week you’re reading part two of this three-part story.

It’s been a few weeks now and the ringing in my ears has finally subsided.
On Dec. 30, with only two days left in the late antlerless deer season, I bagged a deer with my stainless steel Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum pistol with a 4-inch barrel. People shoot deer with pistols all the time, but I thought  my story might be of interest to you, and how it ends might make you chuckle.

These crispy crackers are perfect for any occasion, but especially around the holidays, because you can use Christmas cookie cutters to form them and add some seasonal spirit.
I made these for a Christmas Eve dinner at a friend’s house, but they would also be perfect for any hors d’oeuvre party that you have. I  served them alongside some good goat cheese.
I think they would be perfect for your New Year’s Eve party.

While you were reading last week’s article about ice fishing, I had Joe DeWeerd of Cut ‘em Close Duck & Goose Hunts on The Outdoor Show with me, and we talked about bagging some late season geese. If you’re going to bag some of these overgrown Canadian ducks, the first thing you must do is find them.
If you’re new to the game of chasing geese, you may want to head out to the Todd Farm in Allegan. The Todd Farm is the Allegan County Game Management Unit (GMU), and the late season began Dec. 28 within the unit. Outside of the unit, the late season runs from Jan. 2 - 31. There are an estimated 17,000 geese on the Todd Farm right now.

I recently read a sign in front of one of our local churches that asked, “Are you a servant in God’s church or just a bystander?”
This started me thinking about all of those who serve, and the ways in which they serve, be it in church, or for the cause of conservation and hunting and fishing heritage.
While I was thinking about those who serve, I began thinking about all of the ways that one can serve.