OPENING RIFLE WEEKEND IN MN

Opening weekend has come and gone and for me opening weekend is not necessarily about harvesting a big buck, but if one would come along I would gladly take a shot. For me it is about getting together with Family and enjoying our time together on our Family’s property up North of McGregor. This year we had some new faces and some faces were missing For the first time my Dad was missing although he did make a brief appearance during the day on Saturday. Stacie was back for her second time and this year my little niece joined us as her Dad and her sat together.

Anticipation was high as always opening morning as everyone got settled into their stands. Man was it a cold one. I’m not use to those mid 20’s temps yet. The first morning went by with no shots taken by our group of 4 hunters, but a few deer were encountered. Mainly little bucks, does and fawns. My brother did have an encounter with a 8 pointer that had one side real nice 5 points and the other was a wimpy 3. He elected not to shoot the lopsided buck that opening morning sit.

The first evening came after we had lunch and sat around camp and talked about the mornings hunt. For the evening hunt Stacie and I had set up very close together as she was on the food plot in a ladder stand and I was on a old logging road 120 yards off that led to the plot. As we both get settled into our stands it was a great afternoon enjoying the mild weather and we were in plain sight of each other. About an hour after we got settled I heard movement to my left as I watched a doe make it out of the woods and onto the logging rod. She had plans on making her way up to the food plot as she turned on the rod and started to head towards Stacie. I was pumped, excited and a little nervous as the deer headed towards my new bride. I was nervous for 2 reasons, one she had a deer approaching that she would definitely shoot, but also because we had a buck decoy by Stacie on the food plot. Past experience has shown me does do not put up with decoys very well. My past experience would come true again as the doe seen the decoy and put on the brakes. After what seemed like forever the doe decided not to enter the field and started to head off the logging road and into the woods again. Well this is where Mr. Winchester had to take over as my Model 70 Feather weight chambered in 7MM Magnum decided it was time to BARK. As I got her in my scope, she stopped one last time before exiting the road for the woods and looked at the decoy. This is when I squeezed the trigger off and my 150 grain Remington Core-Lokt found her vitals right behind her front shoulder as she dropped right on the edge of the road. I have harvested a dozen does with that rifle and not a one has taken a single step after the shot. Just hope the same holds true for when Mr. Big steps out. I had a few more encounters with small buck s that evening and Stacie was continually looking behind her as she said she could hear stuff walking behind her, but never could catch a glimpse through the thick woods. This food plot we were set up on was brand new for us. As I had worked many hours in the extreme heat and bugs of August preparing this plot. So it was nice to harvest a deer that was on her way to this plot.

It was great spending the weekend with family and sharing a pastime that is very dear to me. Although the one major thing that was missing was dear old Dad. He is still recouping form a major surgery although each and every day he feels better. Just hoping we can share some time in the stand together this year up in North Dakota. So get well soon Dad, it is only a week and half away. We did not observe any Rut activity while we were up there and never saw a buck tagging along with a doe. So this tells me the best is yet to come up there. The bad news I will not make it back up there, but my brothers, niece, her other Grandpa Joe and hopefully my Dad will be there for when the switch does turn on. It was also very wet up on our piece due to all the recent rain. Rubber boots were almost a must.

Well if all works out right I leave tonight for bow hunting a few days in ND and then over to Pine River area for some more rifle. I am pumped to get up to ND and plan on some long sits in hopes of laying the Smack Down on some ND P&Y BUCK. I will report when I get back so I hope everyone else had a fun, safe and memorable opening weekend in MN and stay safe through the rest of the month.

For now LIP is out and WELCOME……… TO IN-DEPTH OUTDOORS!

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