SE MN Opener Recap - Deer Hunting - Deer Hunting

I had a fun weekend down in SE MN, no buck on the ground for me, but my buddy Josh put a mature buck down. I have been inviting a couple buddies down to the farm the last few years trying to get them on trophies, but the stars hadn’t alligned until this year.

I started the gun season high on a ridge where a 160’s class 10 has been seen running around. The morning was crystal clear and the stars were everywhere. Hunting started slow and I didn’t see a thing until 9 am when I had a big buck chase three does by on the wrong side of the fence. The fence runs the ridgeline and the buck was just on the wrong side of the hill, it would have been an easy shot, bummer. The buck crossed over to my side of the fence at 60 yds, but he was chasing pretty fast through the trees so I passed on him. As this was happening I heard a shot from across the farm where I sent Josh.

Here are some views from this stand.

Facing East:

Facing West:

North:

And down (notice the shadow):

The next deer was a fawn that walked by at noon. It got the pass because I couldn’t tell if it was a button buck or not.

That morning I gave my buddy Josh my super secret stump in a deep ravine because he didn’t have a safety harness. He saw fifteen deer including 8 bucks by 9 on Saturday morning. He ended up shooting a neat 10 point with 2 kickers off its G2s. It was his biggest buck ever and first Minnesota deer. He hauled it to the taxidermist while my friend Jim and I hunted the afternoon.

Josh and Jim posing above the farm:

I moved over to a stand in the same ravine Josh shot his buck. I had a doe and a fawn walk by at 4 o’clock. I let them pass thinking that it was getting close to prime time and I didn’t want to deal with a long drag from this particular location (buck only spot). At 5:30 a nice 8 came storming in chasing a doe. I stopped them both at 10 yards. I tried to decide whether to shoot, then I figured if I have to think about it, it wasn’t the buck I really wanted. After I stopped them, they stared me down and proceeded to circle my stand in a mad chase. I heard them crashing through the woods around me for five minutes. Right at dark another doe walked by but again I felt lazy and didn’t want the night time gut job and long steep drag.

After seeing 10 deer Saturday, I saw only one deer on Sunday. I got a glimpse of a buck through the woods at 3 o’clock. By the time I lifted my binoculars, he was gone. It was a long 12 hours in the woods. My buddy Jim shot a nice doe right at the end of legal shooting time. We cleaned the doe and then went to move a piano between houses for my cousin. That was fun…

On Monday I had a doe come strolling directly under the same stand as Saturday morning, again at 9 am. I was about to shoot her because it would have been an easy drag straight down a huge hill. However, seconds later I heard a long series of deep grunts. I see a big body coming through the cedars and I start hoping it’s the big buck that was on the wrong side of the fence on Saturday. Turns out it was a big 6 point. The biggest I have seen in person. He wasn’t a shooter, but next year he will be. I hope he adds at least another point so he will be a legal 4 pt to a side. If he doesn’t he will be the luckiest buck in zone 3.

It was hot today so I skipped the all day sit and heading in for lunch. I then hiked to the top of a different ridge and dropped down into a ravine. Soaked in sweat, I just sat down on the ground and leaned against a tree. Before I could even get situated I look across and see a doe working the opposite side of the ravine. She suddenly turned and walked right to me. I double lunged her and she fell into the ditch a stones throw from me. I sat there saying my thanks and reflecting on how fast everything happened. Not a minute after my shotgun boomed through the ravine, I heard more footsteps.

I look up and see a really goofy 1 1/2 year old buck on the same trail as the doe. He followed her exact steps all the way to where she was laying in a heap. He sat there and sniffed her for a few minutes. It was kind of hard to watch. I stole his girl. I was able to take some cool pictures and some shaky video.

Spike and dead doe:

Spike walking away:

It was so hot, that I decided to quit hunting. I wanted to get the doe in the locker so I packed up. I will be back at it Friday-Sunday trying to put a buck on the ground with the cooler temps.

Thanks for reading.