One lucky deer stand
My husband and I are in our 70s and have retired. We own a farm with about half the land in CRP. It also sits a small lake filled with cattails. It was a great home for deer at one time.
About five years ago, we began to see more and more coyotes but fewer deer and almost no fawns. Our neighbor began the coyotes came to this area in large numbers and after that we began to see fewer deer and almost no fawns.
A neighbor started setting snares for the coyotes about three years ago. In the first year he trapped 20 on the lake. We began seeing fawns and more deer as result. 2008 looked good for deer hunting.
After missing a buck the year before, I learned that resting my gun and taking my time would help me shoot better. I was primed for the season.
On a cold November day, the opening of Minnesota’s deer season, I went to my stand at 6 a.m. There was a northwest wind, snow on the ground, and it was dark. My grandson was in a stand 200 yards west of me on the other side of an evergreen grove. A friend of his was 400 yards east by some other spruce trees.
When it was light enough to see, I used my Lil’ Can deer call to make a bleating sound. Two deer came in close right away. I couldn’t see antlers so I kept calling. Another deer came in from the west. I continued using my bleat call. Finally, one of the deer came close enough for me to see small antlers. I took the shot and down it went. When I got down from my stand, my grandson came to see if I’d gotten one. He pulled it off to the side, and we both went back to our hunting spots.
Once I was back in my stand, I reloaded my .20 gauge. Not long after I’d settled in, I heard a shot from my grandson’s direction. As I turned to look his way, a buck came into view. I bought my gun up but saw no red dot through my scope; I had forgotten to turn it back on.
I took the shot anyway. The deer took a couple steps then stopped, which gave me a chance to turn my red dot on and shoot again. That time I hit him. He ran off into the brush.
My grandson and I looked for him, and when we found him, my grandson told me to get back in the stand. He and his friend would take care of both of my deer.
I returned to my stand once again, and 10 minutes later a buck and a doe passed by me. I shot and took my third buck before 8 a.m. on opening day!
Six days later I took No. 4. What a season!
Since my stand was so lucky in deer season, I set up my blind in front of it the next spring. It turned out to be not as lucky for turkey. I missed two toms on opening morning. Perhaps I need a red dot for turkeys, as well.
Darlene Kenning
Hutchinson, Minn.
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