Hunt Is Over For Another Year

Another Zone 2 Deer Season has ended. It was a long 9 days and we really worked hard for the 8 deer we got. We had 11 licenses and only 8 deer. Again the weather played a major role in this years hunt. It went from warm to rain to freezing drizzle, snow on the ground and back to warm. Deer movement was not that great. The bucks were not really in rut with the exception of one buck we have hanging.

I started by getting the first deer, a doe, and Barry harvested the biggest deer. An 8 pointer which was fairly large and had a big neck. The neck on this showed the signs that he was in full rut. My brother Tom...the most deer. Four in total. He took 3 Does and a button buck. He took the small buck because he saw this strange lump on the side. With the possibilities that it may have some sort of sickness he took the deer. Called the DNR and talked to them. Story behind the deer...probably sustained an injury and it healed, formed a lump while doing so. It really looked weird. Again, this was a button buck, so was it an old injury due to someone shooting it with a gun or bow? The more we looked at it the more we thought it may have been caused by fighting with a buck that had antlers. The little button had a hole in the rib bone. Another buck must have gorged it to get the little buck out of his territory. Weirdest thing we have seen this year but a real good possibility that is what had happened.

Okay so back to the deer count...Terri with one. Did knock one off its feet but when we tracked it..we lost the trail it was leaving behind. Felt kind of bad about that but I must not have hit too hard if it was able to get up and go like it did. Barry with one buck. Tom with 3 Does and a small buck. Steve E with a small 8 pointer and Philip with a Doe. Overall and despite the climate it was hard work and a decent hunt.

One thing I did hear...On my way to the station to register the deer I heard that so far hunting has not been all that productive. Numbers coming in are low. The DJ was talking to someone who owns an Archery business and they were running their usual big buck contest. They had one 10 pointer that came it with a weight of 201 pounds but a small rack. And another 10 pointer came in weighing less but had an impressive rack. Also, he said what I had said earlier, the weather was a factor and the bucks were not 100% in rut. Then they talked to another guy who hunts in the most northern part of Minnesota. He said after one week of hunting, one station only had 14 deer registered. That is not good. Beside the bucks not in rut and the weather being way too nice, they had a different problem to deal with. I am sure because of the recent BWCA fires it made the wolves move. This guy said the night before opener the wolves were howling. He was out in the stand and saw many wolves. So therefore the deer run off and stay out of the area until the wolves move on. What was funny is he said within 4-6 days the wolves will be gone and the deer will be back. I am not so sure I really believe that because the wolves we had around the cabin hung around for a LONG time. We still saw deer and didn't do too bad with hunting either.

Oh yeah! Welcome to Deer Camp to our Newby's, Aaron and Simon. Aaron is Mikes stepson and he came up on the opening weekend. He did see deer but didn't shoot. Simon is our nephew and he came up the second weekend. He didn't see any deer but still had a good time. Both of them are planning and ready to come back next year.