HUNTING guide 2026 Supplement to The Alpena News Wednesday, October 28, 2026
From Dad’s footsteps to her own trail: Alleigh Sexton’s hunting journey
By JOSH JAMBOR News Staff Writer LINCOLN – For Alleigh Sexton, a 32-year-old working mom of two, this fall has delivered the kind of season most hunters only dream about: an Eastern turkey, a Merriam’s turkey, a 294-pound Michigan black bear taken with a bow, and a mature 10-point buck harvested on public land in Alcona County. The bear, taken Sept. 14 after a 12-
Courtesy Photo Alleigh Sexton as a young child, dressed in camouflage and ready for the outdoors. She began tagging along with her father on hunting and fishing trips around age 6 or 7.
year wait for a Michigan tag, and the buck, nicknamed Sue and taken Oct. 10, stand out even in a year filled with success. But for Sexton, the animals are only part of the story. “Hunting means so much more to me than just harvesting an animal,” she said. “It’s a combination of the challenge, the traditions, the memories, and the connection I feel to the outdoors. I absolutely love the pursuit. There’s something incredibly rewarding about putting in countless hours scouting, studying wildlife behavior, learning from mistakes, and finally watching all those pieces of the puzzle come together.” Sexton grew up in Northern Michigan, where the outdoors shaped her from an early age. Her father introduced her to salmon fishing and deer hunting when she was about 6 or 7. She recalls tagging along on trips, “literally walking in his footsteps and doing my best to keep up with him.” Those early outings, filled with family stories, laughter and good food, created lasting memories. “My dad truly laid the foundation for my passion for the outdoors,” she said. “Some of my fondest memories aren’t necessarily about hunting or fishing itself, but about the time spent together as a family.” By age 12 she was hunting on her own. Much of what she knows today
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she taught herself through trial and error. Over the years she has pursued whitetail deer, black bear, elk, turkey, waterfowl and upland game birds. She hunts with both a Mathews bow and a .350 Ruger American rifle, favors Vortex optics, First Lite and ScentLok gear, and is in her fourth year using a Latitude Outdoors tree saddle. Much of her equipment comes from Ausable River Outfitters in Mio. This year she has spent more time on public land than ever before, relying heavily on trail cameras and detailed scouting. Her background in wildlife biology helps her interpret how habitat, weather and seasonal changes affect animal movement. “For me, the hunt starts long before opening day,” she said. “I spend countless hours scouting, studying topography, running trail cameras, and learning wildlife movement patterns.” “I’m a firm believer that you make your own luck, and the more effort you put in, the more opportunities you create,” Sexton added. “Figuring out the puzzle is half the fun.” The Michigan bear hunt was especially meaningful. After previously taking black bears with a bow in Idaho, drawing a Michigan tag fulfilled a longheld goal. She involved her children throughout the process—filling bait barrels and checking cameras—and shared the journey on social media,
where hundreds of people followed along. “When everything finally came together and I harvested a beautiful 294-pound black bear with my bow, it was an incredibly emotional moment,” Sexton said. “After 12 years of waiting, getting to share that success with my children and an entire community of people cheering me on made it even more special.” Trail-camera photos had led her to expect a bear near 300 pounds. The animal that showed up every few days appeared to dominate the area. “From the moment I laid eyes on him, I knew he was the one I wanted to pursue,” she said. “When he weighed in at 294 pounds, it was incredible to see just how close my estimate had been. After spending so much time watching and studying him, finally putting my hands on that bear was a surreal moment.” The 10-point buck proved equally memorable. Sexton first captured images of the mature buck on public land in Alcona County in August. She spent months studying his patterns before conditions lined up on Oct. 10. “On October 10, everything finally came together,” she said. “After countless hours of scouting, watching trail cameras, and waiting for the right conditions, I was able to move into his territory and harvest him with
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my bow. It was one of those moments challenges but focuses on results. “I’m where all the hard work and prepara- not out to prove I’m better than anytion paid off, and I was completely one else, just to keep pushing myself overwhelmed with emotion.” and show other women what they’re She named the buck Sue after her capable of,” she said. “Respect is grandmother, Connie Sue, with a nod earned through dedication, not gento the Johnny Cash song “A Boy Named der.” Sue.” “Harvesting a buck of that caliHer advice to others, especially ber on Northern Michigan public land young people and girls interested in was truly a dream come true,” she hunting, is straightforward: “Don’t be said. “Sue wasn’t just another deer to afraid to step outside your comfort me. He represented months of dedi- zone. Ask questions, learn from your cation, patience, and persistence, and mistakes, and never stop challenghe’ll always hold a special place in my ing yourself. I taught myself so much hunting memories.” through trial and error. You don’t have Neither the bear nor the 10-point to know it all to get started. Just be was a first for her, but both reinforced willing to learn, put in the work, and why she keeps returning to the woods. enjoy the journey.” Turkey remains her favorite animal to The season is not over. Sexton plans pursue because of its unpredictable, whitetail hunts in Ohio and Illinois. “run and gun” nature. Next spring she will travel to OklahoBalancing the passion with life as a ma for a Rio Grande turkey, completworking mother requires planning. ing her third subspecies after Eastern Sexton brings her children along and Merriam’s birds. Farther out, she whenever possible and treats hunt- has a moose hunt booked for 2030—a ing as an outlet rather than something dream since childhood—and upcomseparate from family life. ing trips for mule deer, elk and ante“Balance is something I’m constant- lope out West. ly working on,” she said. “Being a workShe handles much of her own whiteing mom of two with a busy schedule, tail taxidermy and shares photos, vidit takes a lot of planning, prioritizing, eos and stories on social media and and sometimes a little creativity to her new YouTube channel, “Beyond make everything work. Hunting is a the Brim,” a reference to the snaphuge part of my life, but my children back hats she wears while hunting. and family will always come first.” The response has been rewarding. “Hunting is my outlet,” she added. “One of the most rewarding parts of “It’s where I can disconnect from the this season has been connecting with everyday hustle, recharge, and do people who have followed my joursomething I genuinely love. And be- ney, shared in the excitement, and ing able to share that passion with my even been inspired to get outdoors children makes it even more reward- themselves,” she said. ing.” Looking ahead, Sexton hopes her As a woman in a traditionally male- children will remember a mother who dominated activity, Sexton hasWas faced what she loved. “I hope my What Perch’s Built pursued On... Purest, Freshest Meat Products Everyday!
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Wednesday, October 28, 2026 - Hunting Guide - 3
Lost Acres: A time for friends, cards, and snoring By STEVE SCHULWITZ Community Editor To me, spending time at hunting camp each fall is on par or exceeds the most lavish vacation or all-inclusive trip to anywhere in the world, including Las Vegas, which is my destination of choice more often than not. Although I rarely hunt, the time I spend enjoying drinks with my friends
that I don’t see often, eating like a king, and winning my friend’s money from card games such as Spitzer, which more than makes up for a lack of time napping in the blind. Typically, I head out to my friends’ camp Lost Acres for several days before Opening Day and it is a breath of fresh air. The stress of the world, work, and the negativity of life seeps from my
Courtesy Photo Chris Flewelling, left, Dan Leow, Rob Denomme, Terry Flewelling, Steve Schulwitz, and Kevin Flewelling pose for a selfie during a break in a card game at the Lost Acres hunting camp.
mind and the partial escape from technology also does my psyche good. At camp, there are primarily six of us that stay and as is often the case, it is customary to razz and belittle each other, in fun of course. The playful jobs aren’t for the faint of heart, but each and every person who stays there would give each other the shirt off their back if needed. Now as much fun as camp is, there are sacrifices we all have to make. The first of which is sleep, which is more difficult to find than a 14-point buck because of the chorus of snoring that echoes through camp that to me, sounds like a blend of duck calls, a motor boat, with a touch of a snort of a Metallica song. The snoring is both a curse and a blessing, because it often keeps me awake well into the early morning hours, but it is also a reminder of how lucky I am to have a camp to be invited to each year. After my one hour of nightly sleep and the snoring from the bunk room has subsided, it seems like everyone wakes up refreshed and ready for another day of camp-life. I must admit there are some mornings that it takes a few of us time to regain our gain-of-function if the prior night or early morning was a little too festive. Each hunting season we alternate camp dinners with another camp nearby. The two camps always try to one-up each other on what is served, but I can say confidently, that those meals dur-
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ing the camp dinner are some of the best I have ever had in my life and Gordon Ramsey has nothing on the chefs of the day and the recipes they create. My stomach is growling just thinking about what is in store this year. After each meal, everyone springs into action to clear the table, wash the dishes, and put everything away. When those small chores are done is when the real fun begins. As many as 15 people or more cram themselves around the table for some cards and a chance to cushion their wallet. We don’t play for high stakes, but even the smallest win is enough to harass our opponents about their pile of quarters that is quickly diminishing. Throughout the first few days at camp, the guys often check their trail cameras often to see what activity is near their blind and with every buck they see on the screen of their cellphone, their excitement and confidence rises. I’m still waiting for someone to actually shoot one of the bucks that seem to taunt them in front of the camera. Then, after several days of fun and partying, Opening Day arrives and the drowsy hunters make their way to their blinds with high hopes of tagging a buck worthy of hanging on the wall. I stay behind at camp and relax waiting for sunrise when the series of gunshots begin and the prospect of having deer hung on the buck pole enhances.
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The successful hunters, after tracking and hauling their kill back to camp, are greeted by the others. The deer is cleaned and there is usually a celebratory toast to the lucky hunter. Then it is time for more food and cards, until it is time to head back out into the woods for the afternoon hunt and another quick nap. Eventually, it is time to begin preparations to return home and to work. It is bittersweet because I don’t want the fun to end, but also, I am ready to return to my own bed and escape the persistent snoring that has forced my body and mind into exhaustion. Before our return home however, preliminary plans are already set for the following season and the excitement for the next deer season already begins to seep in. Over the last several years, I have also
been lucky enough to spend weekends at “The Damn Camp” in Herron, which is owned by friends of mine who live in Alpena. We poke around doing small maintenance projects, enjoy bonfires, listen to rock-and-roll, and again, feast like the wealthy. It doesn’t matter what time of the year it is, a weekend getaway at camp is therapeutic for me and appreciated. Now, let’s get that firewood processor built, fire up the tractor, and restock your inventory of firewood. I am blessed to have friends who share their camp experience with me and I appreciate it more than they will ever know. Good luck bagging that big buck this season guys and I’m excited to sample the sausage, jerky, and meat sticks you make from them.
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Wednesday, October 28, 2026 - Hunting Guide - 5
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Terms/Conditions Apply Only ONE Prize per Hunter Deer MUST remain hanging until 7pm. Contact Chamber office for more information 989-785-3400 or facebook messenger. Antler scores calculated using the "Green Method" = Simple, Non-Official, Chamber Scoring ATLANTA > THE ELK CAPITAL OF MICHIGAN <
6 - Hunting Guide - Wednesday, October 28, 2026
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Wednesday, October 28, 2026 - Hunting Guide - 7
Courtesy photo Alpena Sportsmen’s Club members are pictured with the bows on the archery range at the club..
Further details will be provided; please look out for additional postings on facebook
Thank you to all our Sponsors for making this happen! 8 - Hunting Guide - Wednesday, October 28, 2026
Courtesy photo Jade Webster, age seven, is seen shooting a bow for the first time at the Alpena Sportsmen’s Club..
Hunter’s safety was once taught at AHS, and could be again By REAGAN VOETBERG News Staff Writer ALPENA —- Believe it or not, Alpena High School students were once allowed to bring hunting rifles to school for a hunters safety course. That seems inconceivable now in a world where schools have been gun free zones since the 1990s. The course was available to students in the late 1970s to the middle 1980s, according to Ed Retherford, captain of Trout Scout Charters. Retherford taught the class at the time to ninth grade students. There was a shooting range in the high school where the old weightroom is now, according to AHS Principal Romeo Bourdage, who was a student at AHS at the time the safety course was available. Retherford said there was also a shooting range in the old Thunder Bay Junior High basement.
Students learned safety skills like storing ammunition separately from the gun, how to travel with a gun, how to safely bird hunt with dogs around, and more. Retherford said that he would take students outdoors to learn some of the skills as well. Students earned a certificate at the end of the nine week course that they could use to obtain their hunting license. Retherford said there was also a hunting club at the high school led by Steve Speaks. Bourdage said he remembered Speaks teaching the safety class as well. A hunter’s safety class could be a possibility again, minus bringing real guns and ammunition to school. In December 2025, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed House Bill 4285, which requires the Michigan Department of Education (MDE), in consultation with the Michigan Department of Natural
Resources (DNR), to adopt and make available to schools a model program for firearm safety instruction for junior high and high school students. According to the Senate Fiscal Agency’s bill analysis, the instruction would have to comply with specific courses already provided by the DNR and include topics like safe firearm handling and storage and safe hunting practices. Schools could provide the instruction as an extracurricular class or as part of an existing course, and a pupil who completed the instruction would be considered to have completed the hunter safety instruction required to obtain a hunting license. The House Fiscal Agency’s legislative analysis states that the course
w o u l d have to be taught by an individual who has been certified as a hunter safety instructor by the DNR. Firearms or ammunition could not be brought into a school building as part of the firearm safety instruction. Since the bill’s passage, Alpena Public Schools Superintendent Dave Rabbideau said he has had informal discussions about implementing a hunting safety course at AHS. He said there would be interest from students in the district in a hunter’s safety course, but would need more details on what can be covered in a class like that. “Handling guns is very relevant and important up here,” Rabbideau said.
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News file photo Riley Krajniak poses with the large buck she bagged on the opening day of deer season in 2025. Krajniak shot the deer in Presque Isle County.
628 W. Chisholm St Wednesday, October 28, 2026 - Hunting Guide - 9
Hunters preserve sportsmen tradition in Northeast Michigan KAYLA WIKARYASZ News Staff Writer ALPENA — Hunting has become a family affair, in Northeast Michigan, and changing traditions aim to keep the younger generations interested. When at one time fathers took their sons out for a weekend in the woods to find a trophy buck, now more families are retreating to the woods during deer season to spend time together and enjoy the bounty the Northeast Michigan forests have to offer. Hunting camps are becoming more like homes than rustic cabins our grandfathers built. At one time they were a place to rest your head and retreat away from the cold. Now, some are like second homes where families spend the holidays. Steve Kaminski, Alpena Sports-
men’s Club voting director, said that hunting camps are an important aspect of Northeast Michigan culture and he is glad to see camps becoming more family oriented. He added that his own camp has become the family gathering place to celebrate the hunting season. “Our place, the whole family’s there...we stay right there, through Thanksgiving. We have Thanksgiving out there. And I think a lot of places are becoming much more family oriented,” he said. “I have to say, the camps are becoming family orientated.” He said that he is concerned about the lack of interest in hunting among the younger generations but says that hunting has always been a tradition in Northeast Michigan. “It’s been generation after genera-
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tion of dads and grandfathers, and sitting around the fireplace, playing cards, eating...it’s huge around here,” he said. Kaminski said that the hunting tradition has changed over the years as society has changed and Michigan rebounded after threats to the deer population, statewide. According to the 2017 Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Deer Management Plan, the Michigan deer population was first threatened in the early 1900s but rebounded in the 70s and 80s when conservation efforts were successful. The report stated that southern Lower Peninsula deer herds have grown while northern Lower Peninsula deer herds have struggled to keep up. However, the declining number of hunters across the state have complicated matters further, and the DNR management efforts aim to recruit and retain hunters to preserve not only the hunting culture in Michigan but to better manage the state’s ecosystem. “Deer are important to the people of Michigan, and for many Michigan residents deer season is the focal point of the year, providing the opportunity to reconnect with family, friends, and the natural world,” the DNR report stated. “Deer hunting provides revenue that is critical to the conservation of Michigan’s natu-
ral resources and is important to stores, shops, and restaurants of rural towns where hunters spend money on lodging, food, and supplies. Recruitment of new hunters and retention of hunting traditions are important to the culture of Michigan, yet management efforts designed to provide sufficient deer abundance to meet the recreational needs of Michigan’s citizens also must consider the impacts of deer on the landscape.” Kiminski applauded the work the DNR has done to bring the deep population back from “decimatation” while also preserving the traditions of hunting families. “We experienced the overhunting and almost decimation of the deer herd because of hunting, and thank God the DNR did step in and started monitoring herds,” Kaminski said. “Hunting is a way of bringing families together, camaraderie, and the management of our game species.” Though the number of hunters in Michigan continues to decline, according to the DNR, Kiminski said that the hunting tradition continues to be a way of life in Northeast Michigan for many. “I think it’s very important...it’s almost ingrained in us,” he said. Kayla Wikaryasz can be reached at 989-358-5688 or kwikaryasz@TheAlpenaNews.com.
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Hunting season safety tips
Hunting is a popular pastime across North America. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) reports there were 14.4 million hunters across the United States in 2022, noting those hunters spent a total of $42.5 billion. According to Statistics Canada, Canadians spent $678.6 million in the second quarter of 2023 on hunting, fishing and camping equipment. The B.C. Wildlife Federation found there were 1.27 million hunters in Canada in 2019. Hunting is a popular way to enjoy the outdoors and is a carefully monitored activity that places strict limits on game collected. Safety protocols must be followed when hunting. The following guidelines can help hunters and non-hunters remain safe. Ensure you can be seen Visibility is essential during hunting season. Wearing blaze orange can help minimize the chances of anyone being mistaken for game animals. Deer are not color-blind, but they lack the ability to distinguish colors like red and orange from green and brown, says the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. Wearing blaze orange will not make hunters stand out to deer, but it can make them visible to other hunters.
more likely to deteriorate over time due to the weather; hunters should use temporary tree stands only for the season. Falls tend to be the most common cause of injuries, notes the Mayo Clinic Health Systems. Hunters should pay attention to their surroundings to avoid being startled by animals while in tree stands. Also, checking equipment and using safety belts can help prevent falls. The average fall from a tree stand is 15 feet.
ensure people, pets or other animals around a dog’s neck will help to proare not in the line of fire. tect the animal. Sticking to trails also improves the safety of the public and Recognize hunting seasons will reduce the likelihood of entering and lands designated hunting areas. Non-hunters must practice safety during hunting season as well, even Treat every firearm as if it is loaded if they are not participating. FWS adHunters should treat every firearm vises nature lovers to learn where as if it is loaded. The muzzle should and when hunting is taking place and be pointed in a safe direction, and the plan recreational activities based on only time a finger should be on the this information. Staying out of des- trigger is when one is ready to shoot. ignated hunting areas is essential. Never assume a firearm is unloaded. Acknowledge your own physical It’s also important for non-hunters to Fall is prime season for hunting, limitations choose bright clothing to be visible and hunters and non-hunters can Activities inherent to hunting, when in the woods. A brightly col- benefit from a refresher course in which include walking over rough ored bandana or piece of fabric tied hunting safety. terrain, carrying and shooting a rifle and dragging an animal carcass push the body to work harder. This may increase the risk of heart attack in people unaccustomed to strenuous exercise. Take frequent breaks, and hunters may want to go out in pairs so that someone can call for help or administer first aid or CPR, if necessary. Dress accordingly In addition to wearing blaze orange, hunters should be dressed for the weather to avoid frostbite and hypothermia. Layering clothing can be helpful, as layers can be taken off or added to stay comfortable.
Be safe in tree stands Be sure of your target Perching above the landscape can The FWS advises certifying a target give hunters a clear view of game below. Permanent tree stands are before taking a shot. This can help
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12 - Hunting Guide - Wednesday, October 28, 2026