The deer hunt is on!

This past weekend was opening day here in ND. The weather was actually too nice to be out hunting, but the boys were pretty excited to get out in the field again. I guess I was too.

Opening day was Friday and we spent the afternoon just scoping things out and seeing what was hanging around the neighborhood we hunt in. I am fortunate to have a brother that took over the family farm, so I have access to some pretty nice hunting grounds.

On Saturday, we left the house at 5:00 AM and set ourselves up on this nice little abandoned farmstead he owns, and by 6:00 AM I had this beauty walk within 40 yards of me. He's a nice 4X4 with a width of 17 1/2 inches, not a giant by any means but still very nice.





We didn't have any more success that day but my 15 year old son Blaine was really pumped to get back out the next morning. We headed back to the same place early Sunday morning, even though in other years we never really had that great of luck at this particular place. Try and tell that to a 15 year old though when you have just taken a nice deer out of there!

Anyway, we had been sitting there for over an hour, I in one spot and he in another, not within site of each other, and I was getting pretty chilly. I had just started to head in his direction when I heard his 270 crack out in the quiet dawn. When I reached him, he was standing over this pretty decent 5X5.




He had quite the grin on his face when I walked up. I was pretty proud of him, to say the least. This is the 3rd deer he has taken, and I have yet to actually witness any of them. His older brother, who still has a tag to fill, has been with him the last two years while I was working, so this time out was pretty special for me.

Well, I know this isn't anything about BMW's and riding, but I know there are lots of hunters out there and just wanted to share the experience. There really is something to the expression, "take a kid hunting or fishing"! They'll remember it forever.

Hiya Rich! Nice pictures and congrats to you and your son.

Rich said:

Well, I know this isn't anything about BMW's and riding...

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It has LOTS to do with BMWs and riding to me - the roads are two critters safer and I thank you.

nice job rich!

tell you what - you hunt them till theyre on the endangered species list, and i'll pay your legal fees.

Rich, Congratulations!! That is some pretty fine hunting. Our season just began this past week-end here in MN, I have had some luck, but nothing like yours. The DNR here has been doing their best to reduce the deer herd, and I think they are doing a pretty good job, The last couple of years here in MN, a person on a bike had better be on alert!!. Again congrats to you and your son, I have hunted all my life, and deer like those do not come easy. Den

Nice. Venison sausage this winter?

Bleeding heart environmentalist

That's me. From my perspective, I think that more doe tags should be issued as well. Wolves, cougars and bears are not likely to dent the deer population in my lifetime. Get them pesky varmits and eat em! Thats what they are there for. By the blood stain on Blaine's buck, I'd say he is a pretty good shot.

Bob_M said:

That's me. From my perspective, I think that more doe tags should be issued as well. Wolves, cougars and bears are not likely to dent the deer population in my lifetime. Get them pesky varmits and eat em! Thats what they are there for. By the blood stain on Blaine's buck, I'd say he is a pretty good shot.

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Bob, the MN DNR agrees with you, this year many areas had a two day doe only season, and this year in the zone I hunt a person (if they took advantage of the early doe season,) can take up to 7 deer, all but one has to be a doe or fawn, the takeing of doe's really can reduce a deer herd in a hurry, as a doe, in a good year will have twins, (or triplets). and (IMOP) another advantage is that it gives the bucks a better chance to mature. Den

I should have you both come down here. A block from my house on the way home late last night from a rehearsal I had probably a 3x3 or a 4x4 buck run across the road. That was something I hadn't seen in the middle of town before.

One a day

On my commute home through residential and city streets there has been a deer hit every day this week. BIG ONES. Used to be the deer in Jersey were tiny. Not anymore. Thinking about dusting off the guns and heading out this year. Never hunted in Jersey before.

I'm not a hunter and I could never understand how anyone could shoot such a cute animal, but today with all problems they cause, I just see them as rodents with hooves.

Way to go Rich !!

Congrats Rich and Nice Bucks. I'll be out with the bow on all day friday (rut peaks this week), and see if I can score one with headgear. I've been watching an 8-pt. for a month or so, but so far he's elluded me. Hopefully some grunting and phermones will change that this week.

Thanks for all the congrats.

You bet there will be sausage this fall! Nothing like throwing some venison in with the pork and smoking up a big batch of smoked sausage. Last year we made over 100 lbs, and it's about gone. Three teenage sons in the house can eat you out of house and home, as I'm sure many of you know. We make lots of jerky too, it is a hot commodity for that after-school snack.

Our state issued over 145,000 gun permits alone this year, a record number. It was just a few short years ago and that number was around 90,000. I agree, deer have become a nuisance. You don't have to drive far to find a big blood splatter along the highways. I hit one myself a couple of years ago (company truck) so I know the damage they cause. That particular accident resulted in $2300 worth of damage.

Speaking of doe tags, we still have somewhere in the neighborhood of 6000 left over, and they are trying to push them every day. I would get one myself but there is only so much venison you can use. All three of us put in for bucks this year, and I figured only one or two of us would get drawn, but we all did. Usually the ones that get turned down re-apply on the second drawing and get doe tags. My neighbor and his son next door have 8 doe tags to fill, so he is doing his part. What he is going to do with all that venison is beyond me.

We'll do our best to lower the critter population by one more this weekend. My oldest son is hoping to beat the old man this year for rack size. I hope he does.

Hey Rich,

Your location says it all. Keep up the good work.

tb

Good Show!


Just the kind of stories for telling around the campfire. So the boy used a .270Winchester(fantastic round) and better than the R69S that I used.

Minnesota DOT has anounced it will no longer put up deer crossing signs on state highways. A study showed they are not effective. When funds become available the static deer crossing signs will be replaced with ones that incorporate a flashing light trigered by animals breaking an electronic beam.

A related story just prior to deer season.

Deer leaves his mark on state Capitol
Thursday November 03, 2005
ST. PAUL (AP) He was antlered and dangerous and he almost took out Gov. Tim Pawlenty.
As Pawlenty arrived for work at the Capitol Thursday, he and his entourage heard shattering glass and then saw a big buck charge past about five feet from them. The deer broke two windows at the Capitol before bounding off.
The state's deer hunting season officially opens Saturday, and Pawlenty is headed to the northwestern Minnesota city of Perham for his annual kickoff event.
Pawlenty said the parking lot incident was a good omen.
``We could have had the governor's deer opener right here at the Capitol,'' Pawlenty said. ``If that's any indication, the deer hunting is going to go well this year.''
State natural resources officials say the urban deer herd is much larger than usual this year. Ramsey County, which includes St. Paul, is considering hiring sharp shooters to thin the deer population along freeways and other well-traveled areas.
It's the mating season for deer, when rutting bucks sometimes charge their own reflections in windows.
(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
In the interest of timeliness, this story is fed directly from the Associated Press newswire and may contain occasional typographical errors.