Books in the Blind: Student hunters prepared for rifle season

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Gearing up for hunting season means packing rifles, ammo, camouflage and school books for sophomore Michael Wilson.

The Warren native said he will go hunting about three to four times a week since rifle season started Tuesday.

To balance schoolwork and his love of hunting, he fits in studying while scoping out prospects.

“I have notes, so I bring them and usually a book to read,” he said. “It gets kind of boring when you’re sitting there, so I will just study in the blinds.”

Wilson travels to his family’s cabin in Harrison or to their family friend’s 40 acres of land in Leota.

He began hunting when he was 13 years old because of his love for nature and to join the family tradition.

“It’s an experience not many people get to do,” Wilson said.

Jackson senior Matt Sierminski said he has been staking out his prey for months now.

“We have two shooter bucks on camera right now and I am looking forward to tagging one of those,” he said.

He also agreed that nature plays a role in why he started hunting with his father when he was 11 years old.

“It is one of my favorite hobbies,” he said. “It’s fun just getting out in the woods and hanging out with people who also like to hunt.”

Sierminski said last year he stored his rifle with the Central Michigan University Police Department because he lived in the residence halls.

“Up here it makes it kind of difficult to hunt, but I usually go home every weekend for it,” he said.

Owning his own taxidermy company, Trophy Elite, and carrying 18 credits as a senior, Sierminski said he has little free time.

Last year he mounted about 30 white tails in addition to some small game work and elk mounts. Right now he has about 35 projects going for his business.

“I shot a nice 8-point with a bow when I was 12 years old, took it to a taxidermy studio and that’s when I got interested in it,” he said.

Sierminski said it takes one to three months to fully preserve a carcass for mounting.

Wilson’s roommate, Warren senior Thomas Trenkamp, said he isn’t sure how he feels about his roommate’s love for hunting.

“Recently I expressed my desire to go hunting with Mike,” he said. “But I still don’t know how I feel about killing an animal.”

Trenkamp said he shoots Wilson’s bow and arrow for fun.

“Sometimes I do well, sometimes I hit the neighbor’s house,” he said.

Although Wilson has yet to shoot his first deer, he said he is feeling hopeful.

“The future buck, that’s what I will be most proud of,” he said.