Fall Hunting Camp in Michigan: Deer Scouting, Woodstove Cooking & a Canoe Mishap We’ll Never Forget

A Fall Hunting Camp We Won’t Forget

There’s something about fall in Michigan that pulls you back to the woods.
The air shifts, the leaves fall quiet under your boots, and everything begins to feel a little more intentional.

This trip started the way many of our adventures do, with preparation.

Scouting for Deer Season in Michigan

Kyle headed out ahead of camp to scout the land, walking miles through the woods in search of deer trails, bedding areas, and the kind of signs that only reveal themselves if you slow down and really look.Bow season doesn’t always reward you right away.

The first few days brought plenty of movement, close encounters, and lessons learned but no harvest. And that’s part of it.

Even without a filled tag, the woods were alive and that’s what keeps you coming back.

Waterfowl Hunting by Canoe: A Change of Pace

After a slow start to bow season, we shifted gears.

We packed up and headed for the river for a morning of waterfowl hunting by canoe in Michigan, just what we needed to reset.

The whole crew was together: Kyle, Me, Miya, Ollie and the canoe.

And for the first time ever…
I was the one steering.

My First Time Captaining a Canoe… Until It Wasn’t

There’s something empowering about trying something new in the outdoors.

At first, everything felt smooth.
We moved quickly through the river, navigating bends and shallows, working as a team.

It was tough but we were managing.

Until it wasn’t.

If you’ve seen the video, you already know the moment—
timestamp 16:50 says it all.

What started as a confident run turned into a full-on lesson in balance, current, and humility.

And just like that…
we were in the river, the canoe was under water, and Kyle's phone was lost.

Warming Up After the Cold

After a tough day in the canoe, we made our way back to camp cold, a little humbled, and ready to reset.

The kind of cold that settles deep in your bones.

We stoked the wood stove, peeled off wet layers, and let the warmth slowly bring us back. There’s something about that first heat after being soaked that feels almost unreal.

We settled in for the night at our campsite, tucked into the quiet of the woods, the kind of place that makes everything feel simple again.

Camp Life: Wood Stove Cooking & Sourdough in the Wild

This is where the trip softened.

Where the hunting paused just long enough to build something warm.

We baked our first-ever loaf of sourdough on the wood stove, something that felt both ambitious and completely fitting for camp life. The kind of meal that takes time, attention, and a little bit of faith.

And alongside it, a pot of venison stew rich, simple, and earned.

This is the part of adventure that doesn’t always get talked about:

The quiet moments.
The warmth after the cold.
The meals that somehow taste better because of where you are.

An Early Morning in the Marsh

The next morning came early.

Before the sun even thought about rising, the four of us—Kyle, Miya, Ollie, and I were already moving through the stillness, heading back toward the marsh we had paddled through the day before.

This time, with purpose.

We set up a duck blind tucked into the reeds, blending into the landscape as best we could. Then we waited.

As the sun began to rise, the marsh came alive.

And this time at all came together.

It was a successful hunt, and the dogs were in their element. Watching them work, learn and explore full of energy and instinct, was just as rewarding as anything else that morning.

Knowing When to Stay Back

The following day looked a little different.

Kyle and Ollie headed out for another waterfowl float hunt, chasing the kind of morning that keeps you coming back.

But Miya and I stayed behind.

And sometimes… that’s exactly the right call.

We took our time at camp, making pumpkin pancakes, coffee and bacon on the wood stove, letting the morning unfold a little slower.

No rush.
No pressure.
Just the quiet rhythm of camp life.

Because not every moment of adventure has to be pushing forward.

Sometimes, it’s knowing when to stay back and enjoy where you are.

A Fall Afternoon on Lake Michigan

Later that day, the dogs and I set out for a hike to one of my favorite views of Lake Michigan.

The sun was shining, but the wind told a different story.

It whipped across the shoreline, pushing waves into a steady crash against the sand—exactly what you’d expect from a fall afternoon in northern Michigan.

Raw.
Powerful.
Beautiful in a way that doesn’t ask for comfort.

We stood there for a while, just taking it in.

---

The Unexpected Ending (Because There’s Always One)

Just as we were packing up to leave camp, thinking the adventure was winding down… it had one more moment in store for us.

I loaded the dogs into my Jeep and, without thinking, tossed my keys onto the seat.

A few moments later…

beep.

That sound you instantly recognize but wish you hadn’t just heard.

One of the dogs had stepped on the key fob and locked the doors.

And just like that, our keys—and our dogs—were locked inside.

I stood there for a second, half laughing, half trying to figure out how this was actually happening.

We tried everything we could think of, but eventually had to call for help. About an hour later, a tow service arrived and got the doors open.

The dogs?
Completely unbothered.

Us?
Very relieved.

---

The Kind of Adventure You Don’t Plan For

Looking back, this trip had a little bit of everything:

• The patience of deer season scouting

• The comfort of camp cooking

• The adrenaline of waterfowl hunting

• The chaos of a canoe mishap

• And, of course, a Jeep lockout to finish it off

And that’s the thing about these trips.

You can plan the route.
You can pack the gear.
You can prepare as much as possible.

But the moments that stay with you?

They’re usually the ones you never saw coming.

---

Watch the Full Adventure

If you want to see the full story unfold from scouting and camp cooking to the canoe mishap you have to see for yourself. You can watch the full episode here:

Watch the full Adventure Chasing episode on YouTube

---

Final Thoughts

From scouting the woods to baking sourdough in camp, from quiet mornings in the marsh to unexpected swims in the river, this trip was everything we love about the outdoors.

The wild moments.
The cozy ones.
And everything in between.

Thanks for being here—and for being part of these memories,
the beautiful ones and the ones we laugh about later.

If you would like to read more about our adventures, keep an eye out for our weekly blog post here.