# Cool things found in the woods?



## chasenabby (Apr 30, 2008)

thought maybe a thread of cool things found in the woods would be fun! 

I once found a stone monument with the name of a hunter who passed in that very spot. I try visit it every year during gun season. Didn’t know the guy but somehow feel the need to visit the site.


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## mjh4 (Feb 2, 2018)

Digging a hole to plant apple trees on my property my dad found a really old horseshoe about 3ft down next to a small stream. I hung it above the door in the hunting cabin for good luck it must work cause my dad has shot a 11pt and a 9pt buck in the last 2 years.


Sent from my iPhone using Michigan Sportsman


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## Ken (Dec 6, 2000)

Found a huge cable anchored around a big tree, that had been snapped. Can't imagine how big of a machine was pulling to snap that cable. Or a tree went down the wrong way.


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## Doghouse 5 (Apr 1, 2017)

Back about 20years ago I had to bury a new born puppy that died after a couple of days ..
As I'm digging the hole I get about 3 ft. down and I hit the "only" rock during the dig.. I expose the rock and extract it, and it is about 12 inches diameter, 4 inches thick and smooth like a river rock.. The rock had a perfect 1 inch hole right through it .. (not centered) (not drilled) 
The girl I was seeing at the time said, " That will make a perfect head stone marker".. 
Which is what we did..
This rock was so unique and just coincidental to the situation.. It was perfect...
The soil I was digging (dark heavy redish sand) really doesn't hold rocks and at that exact dig spot ..
The rock is still there ..(I assume) 
As I said ,just very coincidental and unique....


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## Doghouse 5 (Apr 1, 2017)

A have a buddy of mine that told me he was out squirrel hunting in his early twenties..
He and his cousin are together.. The next thing he hears his cousin say ," come over here and look at this gun"!!!
Joel (my friend) says there's a 12 or 16 gauge single shot ,shotgun leaning against a tree!!
He Said it was rusted beyond repair and the stock rotted off to the point that the breech was resting on the ground....
He said they left it there..


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## Doghouse 5 (Apr 1, 2017)

When we were kids , my aunt and uncles (Including myself) would find arrow heads every so often on my grandfather's farm..
This was when he was growing crops ...
We don't really find them anymore because the fields aren't being cultivated anymore...(not growing crops)
It is now a horse farm ,and has been for more then 45 years


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## Stubee (May 26, 2010)

Years ago I noticed an old tree stand on the 120A I hunt south of Hillman. Walked over to check it out and there was an old pair of underpants underneath, cut in half. Guess one of the old guys had a problem. 

About four years ago I was bird hunting there and saw something underneath the growth. It was this sign. No idea what it was doing back there all by itself, but the camp was started in 1926 and guys did build blinds outta old metal signs, even old autos.


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## wadin' forever (Jun 22, 2018)

Waded a narrow stretch of river deep into a swamp well after dark. Well past any trails so I'd have to wade back. But then about the time I was gonna turn around, I saw this little opening up on a slight bank, thought I'd check it out just hoping perhaps it was a trail. It wasn't - it was just a little 8' x 8' clear spot but there was this old cragly no bark, bleached out cedar branch that was sticking into ground, straight up, tapered down, with a 90 degree short "handle" sticking out right at right height for a cane, figured it fell out of tree and stuck itself into softish ground there. Grabbed it, got back in river, waded out. When I got back to truck I looked at it closer. The little handle was actually sawed off. It was just weird, probably a fisherman who was using it as a wading cane, but it wasn't fast water. This was at least 200 yards past any (very minor) trail in a very remote area in a very thick swamp. I've found lots of stuff, including a decent landing net about 3 days after I'd lost my net walking out through very thick stuff after dark. I still use that net. The cane turned up missing from my parents house, think my brother got it and lost it, it ticks me off, I still look for it in my parents congested house.


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## Petronius (Oct 13, 2010)

Lost a folding knife in the woods while sitting in a makeshift ground blind. It must have slipped out of my pocket. A couple of years latter, I was deer hunting and found a spot to sit. I looked over to my right and found the lost knife on the ground next to me.


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## Richard Cranium (Feb 27, 2008)

Hunting near a cemetery may moons ago and happened to notice an interesting "stick" sticking out of the dirt. Latched onto it and pulled it up. It appeared to be ahuman femur bone with about 1/4 of it broken off. Took it to the local popo and informed them that I would like to report a missing person. They had no interest in it. I then ended up taking it to school and we compared it to a skeleton in biology class. Sure enough, it appeared to be a femur. Thought about drilling it and installing a bowl on it for a pipe to smoke some weed. Never happened. As far as I know, it is still up in the floor joists of a friend's mother's house.


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## Tilden Hunter (Jun 14, 2018)

I found an old clear glass liquor bottle someone threw into the woods. The cap was lightly turned on, and it landed cap down. A small plant was growing inside it. The roots snaked out the cap, and the bottle was a tiny green house for it.


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## DecoySlayer (Mar 12, 2016)

If you hunt on the PA, MD, line, near Grantsville, MD. you will find several Mason/Dixon markers. 

Another find

It was duck season 2000, I was hunting with friends in the "Lead Unit" at Pointe Mouillee. We were walking out and I tripped over an object, turned out of be a boat and motor buried deep in the muck. I reported it to the DNR, they got it out. The "MC" numbers were gone. There were 3 shotguns in the boat. IF I remember correctly they were circa 1970's but I am not sure. As far as I know they never found out who owned any of the "toys".


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## DecoySlayer (Mar 12, 2016)

If you go back deep into the woods in VA you can run across "lost" slave cemeteries.


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## Lightfoot (Feb 18, 2018)

In the mid 70's a friend and I were pig hunting and heard a strange whine/crying sound down in the bottom of a canyon. We hiked to it and found an albino porcupine.


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

A stolen truck. Reported it to the police on Halloween night and got blown off. Buddy was at coffee later that week, someone mentioned that someone they knew had their truck stolen. Turns out it was the same one. Buddy took him to it.

We parked in a parking lot while scouting for duck hunting. A couple weeks later a guy confessed to murdering his wife and they dug her out of that parking lot.

Pure Allegan County.


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## buckwacker 48097 (Nov 11, 2010)

Doghouse 5 said:


> A have a buddy of mine that told me he was out squirrel hunting in his early twenties..
> He and his cousin are together.. The next thing he hears his cousin say ," come over here and look at this gun"!!!
> Joel (my friend) says there's a 12 or 16 gauge single shot ,shotgun leaning against a tree!!
> He Said it was rusted beyond repair and the stock rotted off to the point that the breech was resting on the ground....
> He said they left it there..


Kind of the same story... A local Barber/gunbroker shop that I use to frequent as a kid and listen to all the old farmers one day had a character that told me he lost a gun while **** hunting. Later in life I bought a house out near where the man **** hunted and found that gun leaning against a tree in a 92 acre woods. I took it into the shop (this is almost 20 years later) and it was confirmed by the barber that it was indeed the mans gun. He had long since died and I'm sure would have loved to get it back.


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## Liver and Onions (Nov 24, 2000)

Doghouse 5 said:


> ............
> . I expose the rock and extract it, and it is about 12 inches diameter, 4 inches thick and smooth like a river rock.. The rock had a perfect 1 inch hole right through it .. (not centered) (not drilled)
> .....
> The rock is still there ..(I assume)
> ....


If you get back to that area I would replace that marker and take that rock to someone who might know if Indians had used that as a tool. 

L & O


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## Esquire (Jan 5, 2017)

On Mother's Day 2018, my kids found 75 big beautiful morels growing in one little spot. They could not run home fast enough to give the unexpected gift to Mom. Doesn't get much better than that!


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## bowhunter426 (Oct 20, 2010)

I have found several trail cameras and tree stands out on the state land. Just last week I found and took down a lonewolf stand and climbing sticks. This will be nice for next year for hang and hunts.


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## Doghouse 5 (Apr 1, 2017)

Liver and Onions said:


> If you get back to that area I would replace that marker and take that rock to someone who might know if Indians had used that as a tool.
> 
> L & O


I have always considered the "indian thing" ,but the farther I stay away from that ex girlfrend , the better for me and my life!!!!!!!!!! We live 8 minutes apart and I avoid her neighborhood like the plague!!!!!
(She owns the property....)
But yes it is probably some kind of tool or hammering device from olden times... 
The rock probably weighed about 12 lbs.(?),And was a dark grayish blue /blackish color...(completely smooth)
I remember it like it happened yesterday...
I dated that girl for many years and looked at that rock (head stone) daily while feeding/ tending the horses for years ..


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## Aaronjeep2 (Nov 18, 2016)

RVandevo said:


> View attachment 357629
> Anyone ever find trees that look like this ???


Yup found one in Alaska.


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## Big CC (Mar 30, 2010)

LG1 said:


> One time i found deer on state land that were alive


Pics or it didn’t happen


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## Botiz (Oct 21, 2010)

RVandevo said:


> View attachment 357629
> Anyone ever find trees that look like this ???


Indian trail marker.


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## LG1 (Sep 8, 2008)

Big CC said:


> Pics or it didn’t happen


 I couldn’t get my phone out fast enough. Remember they were on state land. They knew to bolt at the first sight of anything walking upright


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## Botiz (Oct 21, 2010)

riverwalleyes said:


> Kinda spooky to walk upon a grave marker, however I too have seen memorial markers for hunters who have past on and one for a hunting dog. This past deer season was digging up some ground for camp. Found the weirdest perfectly round stone that it appears fake. Very heavy too. Brought it home thinking it might be a meteor. But I doubt it.


Got a pic?


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## GATORGETTER (Jan 31, 2008)

At my in-laws cabin when they first bought it, the kids were wandering through the woods and found a grave stone. We didn’t believe them and went to check it out. Sure enough plain as day someone is buried there.


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## B.Jarvinen (Jul 12, 2014)

If you are in the woods a lot, you will start to think that the Original People sure had a lot of trails, and they sure made a lot of those bent tree markers - because such trees are here, there, and everywhere - fairly common, in all shapes and sizes.

I don't doubt that trees were shaped liked that on purpose - but that would have been in the 19th Century and before.


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## DecoySlayer (Mar 12, 2016)

LG1 said:


> I couldn’t get my phone out fast enough. Remember they were on state land. They knew to bolt at the first sight of anything walking upright



Even bigfoot!


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## B.Jarvinen (Jul 12, 2014)

Graves in the woods - Michigan was settled a little differently than many states to the east. Early on, Michigan passed a law that every Township had to maintain a Cemetery.

Prior to such practices, most farm families tended to create their own small family cemeteries right on their own property. These can still be commonly seen out on the East Coast; often quite small fenced cemeteries right in the middle of a farm field. And fairly commonly, these small cemeteries become overgrown and eventually completely forgotten - until someone wants to cut timber on the property. So a common part of Forestry work in such areas is noting the locations of these small old cemetery plots - if possible to even still see/find them.


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## Chessieman (Dec 8, 2009)

7mmsendero said:


> Herbivore dinosaurs swallowed rocks and they would be unusual looking and somewhat rounded. Not necessarily round though, plus I don’t think we have dinosaur fossils in Michigan. So this isn’t likely to explain it.


They look like eggs and are from the Gizzards of dinosaurs. They are called Gastrolith, I have a few (I am a rockhound looking for gold) of these. The ones I have are the same size as Goose eggs.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastrolith


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## BUCK/PIKE (Oct 24, 2011)

RVandevo said:


> View attachment 357629
> Anyone ever find trees that look like this ???


lots of variables could be a fluke in growing or held down by something.
Could be Indians did use it as a trailmarker??
Even though that appears to be a slow growing white oak,chances that it was here when Indians roamed the state might be a stretch...have to look at bent trees like that and wonder if their 200yrs old give or take


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

Not in the woods but...

Trolling in April water is about 38 pull a kayak out of the water. No name on it. Call the Coast Guard on 16 no answer. Call 911 and ask if they have any report of a missing kayaker, and explain time is of the essence. Nope. Tell them I need to transfer to the Coast guard, they can't do that, hang up and call Holland CG no answer not staffed yet, call Grand Haven coast guard. They can get there in an hour, can we grid search? Sure, pull lines and start grid searching in a 14' in 2' chop getting pummeled in the surf until dark when the Coasties show up and relieve us.

Driving back into port sheriff calls and tells me to drop off the kayak. Uh no, that's not how it works. We will meet you and get it. No, try again. Prove ownership and pay me a fee and we can talk. Possession of stolen goods they counter. Whatever, I'm done with this and need to mind my vessel, so good night.

Sheriff called the next day and started the song and dance again. Told me he would stop at my house. Told him that was great if he wanted to mow my lawn, otherwise stop bugging me. Told me I could have the kayak back in six months if no one claimed it. Told him he'd just tell his neighbor what model it was and have him come and claim it and I'd never see it again.

In hindsight should have left it and kept trolling.

If you have a kayak, put your contact info in it.


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

Lots of trees like that are pulled down by a falling tree, a limb grows up and takes the place of the trunk, and the rest of the tree rots away over time.


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## BUCK/PIKE (Oct 24, 2011)

Arrow heads and Indian tools coolest stuff I find...but I also search every old woods junk piles.ive dragged some junk home mostly cool bottles and some porcelain coated pots & pails...
Found a Suzuki street bike ditched along the railroad tracks by stadium drive/wmu when I was like 12...my dad wouldn't let me keep it lol and called the cops


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## wannabeup (Aug 16, 2006)

This is a great thread! I read 'em all. I hunt Brush Lake near Woodville in Newago county. About 45 years ago out in the middle of the woods I found 6X6 post sticking out of the ground about 2.5 feet. It's got numbers and letters on the sides and a pointed top. Me thinks it's some kind of CCC marker. I also found the skeletal remains of a box turtle. Every bone still in place around the shell. Not a one had been moved since that turtle just died. I couldn't help myself, I took the shell and skull bone. I always thought that skull would make a cool bolo tie slide. It's been probably 30 years, 4 moves, and a divorce and that skull and shell still sits on my desk.


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## B.Jarvinen (Jul 12, 2014)

I have found 3 "Geo Caches" out in the woods. Those are usually a small weather-proof tube of some sort, with an assortment of knick-knacks in them. If you haven't heard of it, "Geo-Caching" is a hobby where people use a GPS unit to go find the little tube. Then they leave something in the tube. I always laugh at how ridiculously close to a road they are, and easy to find. I put my business card inside when I find one.

I can't say I understand the hobby very well at all. Would be a lot simpler to just simply go for a walk in the woods, and get away from the electronic devices for a while, in my opinion.


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## B.Jarvinen (Jul 12, 2014)

wannabeup said:


> This is a great thread! I read 'em all. I hunt Brush Lake near Woodville in Newago county. About 45 years ago out in the middle of the woods I found 6X6 post sticking out of the ground about 2.5 feet. It's got numbers and letters on the sides and a pointed top. Me thinks it's some kind of CCC marker. I also found the skeletal remains of a box turtle. Every bone still in place around the shell. Not a one had been moved since that turtle just died. I couldn't help myself, I took the shell and skull bone. I always thought that skull would make a cool bolo tie slide. It's been probably 30 years, 4 moves, and a divorce and that skull and shell still sits on my desk.


That is actually my favorite find in the woods as well - an intact turtle skull. I only pick up turtle shells in perfect condition now, I have so many already.

Beaver/Muskrat teeth are pretty neat too - round.

I am trying to think of a good reason to pick up antler sheds again, but I just don't bother any more. I have a spike, a 6, and an 8 point rack all still attached to the skull, so the only thing I really want to find from a Whitetail is a 4 point, still on-skull, for a complete collection.


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## Doghouse 5 (Apr 1, 2017)

wannabeup said:


> This is a great thread! I read 'em all. I hunt Brush Lake near Woodville in Newago county. About 45 years ago out in the middle of the woods I found 6X6 post sticking out of the ground about 2.5 feet. It's got numbers and letters on the sides and a pointed top. Me thinks it's some kind of CCC marker. I also found the skeletal remains of a box turtle. Every bone still in place around the shell. Not a one had been moved since that turtle just died. I couldn't help myself, I took the shell and skull bone. I always thought that skull would make a cool bolo tie slide. It's been probably 30 years, 4 moves, and a divorce and that skull and shell still sits on my desk.



CCC ,what does this mean ???


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## B.Jarvinen (Jul 12, 2014)

CCC = Civilian Conservation Corps

They built most of the State Parks in Michigan and planted a couple billion trees along the way too (among many other achievements), from the 1930s until WWII. There is a museum in Higgins Lake celebrating their accomplishments.


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## Doghouse 5 (Apr 1, 2017)

B.Jarvinen said:


> CCC = Civilian Conservation Corps
> 
> They built most of the State Parks in Michigan and planted a couple billion trees along the way too (among many other achievements), from the 1930s until WWII. There is a museum in Higgins Lake celebrating their accomplishments.


Thank you ..


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## Slick Trick40 (Nov 25, 2012)

I found an old deer license from 1986 last year in the woods. Was a kill tag someone notched. Must of fell off while they were dragging. It was in an area turkeys were scratching. They must of dug it up.

My brother was metal detecting our farm field and found a very old button with a logo on it. He looked it up. It was a union that put civil war veterans to work.


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## wadin' forever (Jun 22, 2018)

riverwalleyes said:


> Kinda spooky to walk upon a grave marker, however I too have seen memorial markers for hunters who have past on and one for a hunting dog. This past deer season was digging up some ground for camp. Found the weirdest perfectly round stone that it appears fake. Very heavy too. Brought it home thinking it might be a meteor. But I doubt it.


 I found a vaguely heart shaped, rounded stone that is extremely heavy, about the size of a heart, too. Wondered if it could be a meteorite, like to think it is from - the hearts of space. Probably not, like to have someone look at it who could tell me.


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## 7mmsendero (Dec 2, 2010)

Slick Trick40 said:


> I found an old deer license from 1986 last year in the woods. Was a kill tag someone notched. Must of fell off while they were dragging. It was in an area turkeys were scratching. They must of dug it up.
> 
> My brother was metal detecting our farm field and found a very old button with a logo on it. He looked it up. It was a union that put civil war veterans to work.


Our property boarders the location of a lumber boom town. I plan to metal detect it someday, who knows what might be laying around.


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## jeffm (Sep 20, 2008)

7mmsendero said:


> Our property boarders the location of a lumber boom town. I plan to metal detect it someday, who knows what might be laying around.


Sounds fun. I have a good friend in tawas area that is a pretty popular medal detector guy to the locals at least, he is like a local historian so to speak.. with his awesome finds around the tawases and its river system. Been in local papers a few times, library exhibits and such. "Its all in the hunt" as I always say, and finding cool **** aint all bad either.


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## scubajay (Jun 9, 2003)

I found this rock on my hunting land. It looked like a Northern Pike head to me, so I painted it to enhance the look. It sits by the fire pit in which I found the horseshoe.


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## jeffm (Sep 20, 2008)

scubajay said:


> I found this rock on my hunting land. It looked like a Northern Pike head to me, so I painted it to enhance the look. It sits by the fire pit in which I found the horseshoe.
> View attachment 357737


Most definitely does, real nice.


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## Chessieman (Dec 8, 2009)

Metal detecting on state land is illegal. I know of a couple towns long gone (1890's) that I would love to detect the church and school yards.


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## Liver and Onions (Nov 24, 2000)

Chessieman said:


> Metal detecting on state land is illegal. ......
> 
> .


Maybe that is true, but it sure does sound like a bar rumor. 

L & O


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## jeffm (Sep 20, 2008)

Chessieman said:


> Metal detecting on state land is illegal. I know of a couple towns long gone (1890's) that I would love to detect the church and school yards.


Yes..state, fed, and parks and such.


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## jeffm (Sep 20, 2008)

When Mdot was building new five channel dam/M65 bridge. Mdot had a truck with archeology/mdot decal on its side, always wondered what they found while all the earth movers were moving mega tons of earth. Back in the day I jigged the fast water side wall of the dam alot.


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## toppm (Dec 30, 2010)

My uncle in law is a big metal detector guy. We have a park that borders my property and it has a an area the military used to use for a shooting range. The neighbors used to find some real cool stuff when they were kids after the soldiers would leave. This past summer my uncle found a WWI pin from someone from Indiana that worked on airplanes. 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


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## Chessieman (Dec 8, 2009)

Liver and Onions said:


> Maybe that is true, but it sure does sound like a bar rumor.


Nope, I checked and got it back from the DNR. They allow at the beach due to high water and that is it. If you can get away with it, go for it. The place I want to you could get caught at the parking lot. I can walk from my place and have a old Indian camp but need to take my newer detector back there. We have a lot of camps around our northern county. I have friends that have quite a large collection that they acquired as kids. As the ground was plowed they were following the tractor tire trench picking up the artifacts including medallions. Of course at the start of SCR you have large tribes on both sides. A neat place to wade and look would be the middle channel in LSC. The Indians would boil down Sturgeon fat then mix it with mud. They would float it down at the start of the channel and spear the fish following the sticks before it opened to the lake. I have found a fishing spear head in Black River were the Indians use to get the Sturgeon trapped in the holes after the spring water went down.


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## 252Life (Sep 17, 2004)

In the early 80's when I was about 12 my parents took us up to the Leelanau Penninsula for a summer trip. The proprietors of the lodge where we stayed told us about this adventure, so my brother and I took it. We walked up the shore about a mile and started looking into the woods. Soon we came across an old cinder block building that was about 50 yards into the woods from the shores of Lake Michigan. It was one of* Al Capone's hide outs*. No roads leading to it and really only accessible from shore. We explored all over that structure...found escape holes built in closets and a lot of signs that we weren't the only ones who knew about it. 

I don't know if it's still there or if it even was what we were told it was, but for a 12 yo kid...it was pretty damn cool!


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## Pepper Baker (Dec 18, 2013)

chasenabby said:


> thought maybe a thread of cool things found in the woods would be fun!
> 
> I once found a stone monument with the name of a hunter who passed in that very spot. I try visit it every year during gun season. Didn’t know the guy but somehow feel the need to visit the site.


was the name on the stone Dick Guthrie?


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## Boardman Brookies (Dec 20, 2007)

I found some pics of the "sled" I found around the rollaways on the Au Sable many years ago. This had to have something to do with lumbering. There is way of the beaten path.


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## mark.n.chip (Jun 16, 2007)

RVandevo said:


> View attachment 357629
> Anyone ever find trees that look like this ???


yes, indian trail marker


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## jeffm (Sep 20, 2008)

Boardman Brookies said:


> I found some pics of the "sled" I found around the rollaways on the Au Sable many years ago. This had to have something to do with lumbering. There is way of the beaten path.


That is sweet BB. I would say you are correct, too cool. Mr. Thompsons old logging camp off rolloways with ancient cemetery plots just north of creek, only one Thompson buried in it (female) with a few others also laid to rest in the plot. Good stuff and very interesting over that way. Thanks for sharing this historical past in our area.


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## Boardman Brookies (Dec 20, 2007)

Jeff I would estimate this was about 2-3 miles from Thompsons. Back in the area where you used to be able to drive back to the big rollaway but they put up a gate there. Do you know that spot?


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## jeffm (Sep 20, 2008)

Yes it was a great snowshoe rabbit spot of mine in the mid to late eightys, and spent many days walking/training my plott pups on cat tracks until the cat was jumped and was a great area away from roads for the sake of my young dogs. Also spent alot of time back there all the way to the end where the grassy spot is, great camp area. Great memories.


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## Boardman Brookies (Dec 20, 2007)

Yep we used to come up there in high school and camp/party. Awesome spot. Too bad it is closed now to drive all the way back. I am tempted to hike in there this summer with minimal gear and camp for old times sake.


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## Forest Meister (Mar 7, 2010)

Not my coolest discovery, or was it. WAY back in the day I was working a summer job doing forest inventory for a paper company. My job took me to some of the most rugged and scenic country in Michigan, Baraga and Marquette Counties north of US-41. 

The company map showed a 2-track coming relatively close to the section I was to work on that day and since the next closest road was a very long distance away I did the logical thing, I took closest road. When I got where I needed to be I discovered a big oops. A very high vertical bluff separated me and my ultimate destination. With the exuberance of youth I was not dissuaded and with clipboard firmly tucked in the back of my belt I headed toward the top using my hands as much as my legs. A couple attempted ascents ended in dead ends and I had to go back down. When I finally made it to the top....What a view! From a cool little vantage point on a small outcrop I could see the Mulligan Plains below and the Silver Lake Basin off in the distance. Not sure how far I could actually see off to the west and southwest but it surely was several miles. 

While soaking it all in and owing to the difficulty of getting there I wondered if any white man had ever set foot on that exact spot. My heart sank when I looked down and at my feet lay a hemostat, with ashes firmly in the jaws. Eventually I put a positive spin on things. I have now convinced myself that what I located was surely a great archeological find, obviously proving Native Americans had stainless steel long before the white man arrived. FM


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## chasenabby (Apr 30, 2008)

Pepper Baker said:


> was the name on the stone Dick Guthrie?


I believe the name was Frank Miltner. 
The monuments is on the North Branch of the Boardman River.


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## Waif (Oct 27, 2013)

Chessieman said:


> Metal detecting on state land is illegal. I know of a couple towns long gone (1890's) that I would love to detect the church and school yards.


Sites of previous native activity are protected.
The antiquities act applies to the rest as well. Anything over 50 years old pretty much is off limits.

I have not had any trouble detecting , but then it is removal of relics that is forbidden......
Not so much detecting , unless posted or written no detecting.
Not uncommon to hear it is not allowed when there is nothing written to show to prove it.

Certain areas are off limits ,but not all state owned land is illegal.
Parks and rec areas vary...

Detecting is recognized in Mi. as legit . Yet detectorists are treated like red headed step children at the same time.


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## Trophy Specialist (Nov 30, 2001)

When I was young my buddies and I scouted out a new hunting area deep inside a massive swamp. The spot we chose to camp at was at least two miles from the nearest parking spot where a 4WD could get to. There were no ATVs then. The walk in was simply awful over blow downs, marsh, creek crossing, wet all the way. As we were setting up camp scrounging for fire wood, I noticed some trash about 50 yards from out camp site. It turned out to be a very old camp site used decades ago by the same type of hunters we were. We hunted there during gun season from a back pack in camp and when we were loading the deer onto the vehicle (International Scout) in preparation for departure, an old guy approached us. It was his old camp that we had camped near, but they hadn't hunted there in over 50 years when they were young. He was the only one left alive from that camp and now just hunting along the edge of the swamp. We chatted for a long time with him telling us about all the big bucks they killed there. The deer I had was the biggest racked buck I've ever shot. After that hunt, I had was out of state for four years and when I returned the two track into the area was gated off and ATVs and baiting were starting to infiltrate the area ruining it as a trophy hot spot. I never returned.


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## stickbow shooter (Dec 19, 2010)

Trophy Specialist said:


> When I was young my buddies and I scouted out a new hunting area deep inside a massive swamp. The spot we chose to camp at was at least two miles from the nearest parking spot where a 4WD could get to. There were no ATVs then. The walk in was simply awful over blow downs, marsh, creek crossing, wet all the way. As we were setting up camp scrounging for fire wood, I noticed some trash about 50 yards from out camp site. It turned out to be a very old camp site used decades ago by the same type of hunters we were. We hunted there during gun season from a back pack in camp and when we were loading the deer onto the vehicle (International Scout) in preparation for departure, an old guy approached us. It was his old camp that we had camped near, but they hadn't hunted there in over 50 years when they were young. He was the only one left alive from that camp and now just hunting along the edge of the swamp. We chatted for a long time with him telling us about all the big bucks they killed there. The deer I had was the biggest racked buck I've ever shot. After that hunt, I had was out of state for four years and when I returned the two track into the area was gated off and ATVs and baiting were starting to infiltrate the area ruining it as a trophy hot spot. I never returned.


That would of been cool .


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## Nostromo (Feb 14, 2012)

Boardman Brookies said:


> I found some pics of the "sled" I found around the rollaways on the Au Sable many years ago. This had to have something to do with lumbering. There is way of the beaten path.


That's really cool.


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## Nostromo (Feb 14, 2012)

jeffm said:


> Yes..state, fed, and parks and such.


It's allowed in certain parks etc. You are supposed to turn over items you find for review.
https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-350-79133_79205_83819-97922--,00.html


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## wadin' forever (Jun 22, 2018)

jeffm said:


> When Mdot was building new five channel dam/M65 bridge. Mdot had a truck with archeology/mdot decal on its side, always wondered what they found while all the earth movers were moving mega tons of earth. Back in the day I jigged the fast water side wall of the dam alot.


One summer in my teens, I worked occasionally with my uncle who had a friend who put in in-ground pools. We'd level bottom and sides after he backhoed. Once, the guy scooped out what looked like a large leg bone, bigger than a cow's, and 4-6' down in earth. The guy was a bit of a grump, work didn't stop, the bone disappeared. I figured it was a mastodon bone, wish we could have excavated the whole back yard, wasn't gonna happen.


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## jeffm (Sep 20, 2008)

wadin' forever said:


> One summer in my teens, I worked occasionally with my uncle who had a friend who put in in-ground pools. We'd level bottom and sides after he backhoed. Once, the guy scooped out what looked like a large leg bone, bigger than a cow's, and 4-6' down in earth. The guy was a bit of a grump, work didn't stop, the bone disappeared. I figured it was a mastodon bone, wish we could have excavated the whole back yard, wasn't gonna happen.


Yes this happens alot more then we know I bet.


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## MRocks (Aug 31, 2007)

I was trout fishing in the UP on some Mead Paper Company land near Michigamme and found a nice trout landing net, and an aluminum bait holder, the kind that attaches to your belt.

When I lived in South Central Minnesota, my neighbor found an elk antler sticking out of the ground. It was about 3 feet long with a couple broken points left on it. He also found half a buffalo skull with one of the horns still attached, sticking out of the ground. Neither of those creatures had been seen there in 150 years. At the same time, my brother was working at a state park that had a river running through it. After a heavy flood one spring, they found the path of the river had shifted and washed out one of the banks, exposing a couple horse skeletons.


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## Boardman Brookies (Dec 20, 2007)

chasenabby said:


> I believe the name was Frank Miltner.
> The monuments is on the North Branch of the Boardman River.


I know this spot. There was once a piece of laminated paper there that explained it. If I recall he died there while trout fishing. Very nice area back there. I have caught a few nice trout right in the run on the opposite side of the marker. Thankfully no one has ever mess with it.


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## wadin' forever (Jun 22, 2018)

Monuments. One night when I was 15 I was fishing the Pigeon River near Headquarters (had a one-week job there, in YCC, building blue marker trails). As was often the case back then, I was struggling mightily, disoriented, fighting and sweating through some dense tangles of tag alders and general mess of a river bottom - took a while till I just found the hill. I was missing my flashlight, or it had quit, too. Anyways, climbed straight up the steep hill, when I got to top of it I immediately tripped , hard,over the PS Lovejoy monument there. Stood up, and in moonlight I was staring at the visage of Mr. Lovejoy - which some cretin had chipped one eye out of and which underlying marble shined back at me. I have to admit, it was disconcertingly creepy making his acquaintance that way.


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## TCpat&trout (Dec 6, 2012)

Boardman Brookies said:


> I know this spot. There was once a piece of laminated paper there that explained it. If I recall he died there while trout fishing. Very nice area back there. I have caught a few nice trout right in the run on the opposite side of the marker. Thankfully no one has ever mess with it.


I’m always doing something or another on the North Branch and have never come across this. Can someone narrow down the location? I’d like to check it out. 


Sent from my iPad using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


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## marksman72 (Dec 20, 2003)

chasenabby said:


> thought maybe a thread of cool things found in the woods would be fun!
> 
> I once found a stone monument with the name of a hunter who passed in that very spot. I try visit it every year during gun season. Didn’t know the guy but somehow feel the need to visit the site.


I found one too. It was on State Land in Newaygo Co. I think. Took off my hat and gave respect.


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## Pepper Baker (Dec 18, 2013)

chasenabby said:


> I believe the name was Frank Miltner.
> The monuments is on the North Branch of the Boardman River.


Thanks for the reply. I found something similar in the U.P. around the Manistique area with Mr. Guthrie's name. Middle of nowhere. We also visit whenever in the area.


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## marksman72 (Dec 20, 2003)

I had a friend in high school back in the 80's that was small-game hunting. He was walking/hunting and stepped on, what he thought was a brush pile. Upon investigating it, he and his dad found a decomposed body of a missing person. No lie. The Sheriff Dept. came out and confirmed it as a missing persons investigation. My friend was so traumatized by the discovery, he never talked about it. It really messed him up. It's crazy what can be out there.


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## JimP (Feb 8, 2002)

Finding this in the woods? Jeepers!
This from the site with the duck calling dog, no details, just the post.



__ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=312058832850909


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## 6Speed (Mar 8, 2013)

jimp said:


> Finding this in the woods? Jeepers!
> This from the site with the duck calling dog, no details, just the post.
> 
> 
> ...


What is this Facebook thing? I'll pass..


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## Waif (Oct 27, 2013)

jimp said:


> Finding this in the woods? Jeepers!
> This from the site with the duck calling dog, no details, just the post.
> 
> 
> ...


Let em grow!


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## fishinfanatic19 (Jun 4, 2014)

Wow he’s a big fella


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## jiggin is livin (Jan 7, 2011)

GIDEON said:


> Any where near old 23 outta Oscoda?


This is just into Oscoda county North of 4001 and South of the Au Sable River. 

Sent from my E6810 using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


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## Scout 2 (Dec 31, 2004)

I found a rototiller way back in the swamp one year. How they got it back there I do not know and after what I saw growing did not stick around to ask questions


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## junkman (Jan 14, 2010)

My Dad tells me that the spot I hunt use to have a big piece of logging equipment sitting there.Then one year when they came up to hunt it was gone.I have always wanted to metal detect that spot and the surrounding area.He does not remember what exactly it was.But I'm sure that the guys that used it had to have dropped something.


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## Lever4ever (Dec 2, 2017)

I found my sanity 45+ years in a row. 

Does that count :mischeif::mischeif:


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## Lef T (May 11, 2006)

stickbow shooter said:


> That would be Ponozzo rd.


I'm familiar with the area. We hunted 3270 road for years. Camped out there in a portable cabin for over 20 years. Also had a camp at Camp Gibbs.


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## stickbow shooter (Dec 19, 2010)

Lef T said:


> I'm familiar with the area. We hunted 3270 road for years. Camped out there in a portable cabin for over 20 years. Also had a camp at Camp Gibbs.


I lived in Iron River and hunted the area for many years. I truly miss it.


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## Lef T (May 11, 2006)

stickbow shooter said:


> I lived in Iron River and hunted the area for many years. I truly miss it.


I miss it as well. We got rid of our camp 3 years ago. Hardly any deer left. I'll still probably go back to hunt again. Just something about hunting in the big woods!


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## stickbow shooter (Dec 19, 2010)

Lef T said:


> I miss it as well. We got rid of our camp 3 years ago. Hardly any deer left. I'll still probably go back to hunt again. Just something about hunting in the big woods!


Yep it isn't always about getting a deer, if that was the case I would be hunting down state.For me it's about the rugged remoteness, the pure beauty , and lack of other hunters that appeal to me. There is just something about it that calls to me, and I feel a deep connection to the bigwoods.


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## Forest Meister (Mar 7, 2010)

Lef T said:


> I miss it as well. We got rid of our camp 3 years ago. Hardly any deer left. I'll still probably go back to hunt again. Just something about hunting in the big woods!





stickbow shooter said:


> Yep it isn't always about getting a deer, if that was the case I would be hunting down state.For me it's about the rugged remoteness, the pure beauty , and lack of other hunters that appeal to me. There is just something about it that calls to me, and I feel a deep connection to the big woods.


You can physically leave the UP, but you can't remove the peace of mind associated with being there. When you get back, it's like coming home again. FM


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## Lef T (May 11, 2006)

stickbow shooter said:


> Yep it isn't always about getting a deer, if that was the case I would be hunting down state.For me it's about the rugged remoteness, the pure beauty , and lack of other hunters that appeal to me. There is just something about it that calls to me, and I feel a deep connection to the bigwoods.


I've hunted Wyoming with my brother and a few others the last 3 years. Shot nice deer every year, but just not the same as the UP. Lost our lease out there anyway, so will probably be back down 3270 road next year.


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## Swampdog467 (Jul 6, 2017)

Lef T said:


> I'm familiar with the area. We hunted 3270 road for years. Camped out there in a portable cabin for over 20 years. Also had a camp at Camp Gibbs.


I only hunted there the one year, would love to get into the big woods again. Unfortunately my favorite hunting partner, my wife, is not comfortable in the big woods. She can get lost on a 40 acre parcel in farm country. That's ok though, she lets me get away with a lot of other stuff

Sent from my XT1585 using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


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## sureshot006 (Sep 8, 2010)

Trophy Specialist said:


> I remember a few years ago when some idiots in the DNR had a big fit over people putting out memorials on state land and decreed that it was not right and threatened to remove them. The public outcry was loud and consequential as they backed off of that stupidity fast. It was not one of the DNR's finest moments. I have run across several memorials out in the woods and even a couple very old, small cemeteries too. I see nothing wrong with this even for pets.


Have you seen Pet Cemetery? Just what we need lol


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## DecoySlayer (Mar 12, 2016)

The "Big Woods", where I used to hunt in PA, is gone. So are the deer.


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## Timberdoodle2 (Jan 6, 2015)

a lot of the big woods are gone in the *UP* as well, dollars are taking over vast sections of timber


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## Tilden Hunter (Jun 14, 2018)

Forest Meister said:


> Not my coolest discovery, or was it. WAY back in the day I was working a summer job doing forest inventory for a paper company. My job took me to some of the most rugged and scenic country in Michigan, Baraga and Marquette Counties north of US-41.
> 
> The company map showed a 2-track coming relatively close to the section I was to work on that day and since the next closest road was a very long distance away I did the logical thing, I took closest road. When I got where I needed to be I discovered a big oops. A very high vertical bluff separated me and my ultimate destination. With the exuberance of youth I was not dissuaded and with clipboard firmly tucked in the back of my belt I headed toward the top using my hands as much as my legs. A couple attempted ascents ended in dead ends and I had to go back down. When I finally made it to the top....What a view! From a cool little vantage point on a small outcrop I could see the Mulligan Plains below and the Silver Lake Basin off in the distance. Not sure how far I could actually see off to the west and southwest but it surely was several miles.
> 
> While soaking it all in and owing to the difficulty of getting there I wondered if any white man had ever set foot on that exact spot. My heart sank when I looked down and at my feet lay a hemostat, with ashes firmly in the jaws. Eventually I put a positive spin on things. I have now convinced myself that what I located was surely a great archeological find, obviously proving Native Americans had stainless steel long before the white man arrived. FM


I'm surprised that you didn't also find a Bush Light can there also.


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## Forest Meister (Mar 7, 2010)

Tilden Hunter said:


> I'm surprised that you didn't also find a Bush Light can there also.


Now that is just silly. Everybody knows Native Americans didn't have aluminum. FM


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## Wanna Fish (Aug 26, 2011)

Midland county, state forest ground. I hunt way off the beaten path. On the edge of a small open spot I found a 4x4 treated post with small 2ft +/- sign attached. Someone had hand routered a nice message about their father on the wooden sign. It was "his" spot for many years and now he was gone. The sign was old, and this was 5 years ago. Maybe someday one of our friends or sons will do the same for us. I dont go by that sign anymore. I figure it should still be his spot as he was there first...


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## Sasquatch Lives (May 23, 2011)

Found some old massive cement pilings/piers on a remote ridge near a rollway on the Au Sable. I assume they were used to anchor the logs during the winter before they cut them loose in the spring.


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## DM90 (Jan 7, 2014)

Found a spot on SE MI state land where some people had made pretty elaborate tipi's out of logs and layered bark. I'm guessing they were high school kids looking for a spot to drink and smoke but they were pretty well made. They had floral rugs inside, wine bottles hanging from the roof on fishing line, painted weed leaves on the inside walls, and prescription pill bottles laying around inside with the labels peeled off.


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## bigmac (Nov 28, 2000)

DM90; is that spot right off 75?


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