A great Fall weekend has just past us by, with most of us utilizing it to the fullest. Whether its doing some things around the house, going for a hike, hunting or shooting some clays the daylight available is becoming less with our activities becoming greater. Usually around this time of year is when I’m zeroing in my rifle along with getting in some clay pigeon shooting to spike my small game hunting skills. That’s exactly what I was Read More of the Story…

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I have discovered, the last few weeks, hunting catalogs in my mail box. Yes, if you look down the road, fall will be rounding the corner, walking at a brisk pace that will bring it quicker than you think.

If there never was a calendar to tell the date, I would know fall is getting closer. I seem to suddenly find more interest in the circling flocks of ducks or geese than the walleyes I’m fishing for. I usually dig out my duck call and see if I can still make it sound like a mallard. Read More of the Story…

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While growing up in central MN, deer hunting has been a family affair that has had so many great memories. My parents both hunt, along with my three brothers. My older brother has a couple more years of hunting under his belt, not to say he has had more success though (uh oh…I’m kidding bro). So when my brother got to go deer hunting before I did, as with other experiences that he got to do first, I was pumped to get my butt out there and maybe show him up a tinge.
When I was 13-14, the time had come to map out a spot for my stand. I was as excited as a little school girl with a new dress and pair of shoes to get out into the woods. We stand hunt and rely on some other people in the woods to stir things up for us, we hunt on public land. The location for my stand was chosen with my parents and older brothers recommendation. The area has alot of rolling knolls, so the spot was at the mid point of one and on the edge. To my left was a huge gully/dip between knolls. To my right was flatter ground. Behind me the knoll continued to rise.
My first deer opener had arrived, state holiday practically in MN along with the walleye opener, and I was ready. Sitting in my stand that first time on my own was a cool thing. The sounds, the silence, the wind and cold was a neat experience, but all the time my ears were at peak tuning for any sound. Time went by and I was just itching to see a deer. Behind me I could hear a very distant cracking/rustling, I sat still and listened, the noise got closer along with a almost like panting sound. I stood up and turned to my right, with the rise of the knoll to my right.
The sound was getting closer and closer and I was looking so hard to my right, up towards to the rise of the knoll, for something to show up. Then it did….a doe…came barreling down the knoll headed right for me! I had my rifle (30-06) down towards my right hip with both hands on it watching this deer cruising right to me, head down not seeing me at all. I FROZE, the doe stopped about 10 yards away from me for a second, broadside, and looked at me as to say “what the heck are you doing there”. I was still FROZEN, never raised my gun. The doe then split, a couple leaps and out of sight.
My heart was racing, I was almost shaking because of the excitement and disappointment of not taking a shot. I raced down from stand and thought I could catch up to the deer. After a period of time trying to catch up to the deer and getting very hot, reality set in…she was gone.
20 years later I have had success hunting deer, meaning that I actually shot my gun at a deer and hit it. That first experience I think about every deer opener and as time has gone on….I chuckle about it!

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I have been deer hunting 4 times in my hunting career. The last time I was out, it was the second day of the season, mid afternoon and warm and sunny. I had lost interest at least an hour earlier and was killing time texting my daughter at home. As I’m sitting in my tree stand texting her, I suddenly heard a snap near me and turned to see an 8 point buck looking at me! I froze and waited and he finally looked back at the ground and seemed to have forgotten about me. So I’m sitting there trying to turn to my right very slowly and bring my rifle up…. now remember, I’m still holding my phone in my left hand which I’m also cradling my rifle with the same hand…. and I’m just praying that my daughter doesn’t text me back right then which would certainly not only alert me that a text had come in, but the deer also! Luckily I was able to turn and get the shot off just before she texted me asking “why didn’t you reply?”. I promptly got out of my stand, snapped a picture of the buck on the ground and sent it to her phone with the comment “This is why”.

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