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FishingMinnesota 2004 Big Buck Contest

Dan Wood

By Dan Wood
in Deer Hunting-Bear-Elk-Moose

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Dan Wood Mentor

Dan Wood

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Just so you guys don't think I'm holding out on you... I'd have entered my buck regardless of size, if I had a buck to enter... I zeroed this year for gun season...

I drew a tag in ND this year and only get a chance to hunt there about every 4 yrs. Bucks are plentiful and I passed on some darn nice bucks in search of a trophy. I did have my chance at a 150+ buck on the second to last day, but it just didn't work out.. I can chalk it up as a learning experience. Holding out for a big buck the length of the season almost worked. The buck was shot by friends of ours and will score over 150 with deductions. Not a huge buck, but a very nice 10 with very little for deductions...

I do somewhat regret not shooting opening day. I saw 3 shooters opening weekend that I couldn't get in on for a clean shot. I had a drop tine 10 pt. that I should have shot. I did't realize it was a drop tine or I would have blush.gif.. My partner got a much better look at it, but either of us could have taken it (he didn't have a buck tag or would have).. "you should have shot that drop tine..." I heard a lot of that...

That 150 class buck was the only real nice buck I saw taken this year. With all the corn up, the big bucks were pretty safe. The same guys that took this buck got another nice one that had a wide 21" spread, but scored similar (under 160 I believe).. In our group, we only had 4 buck tags and only 2 of us which were holding out for big bucks. The other guy that was holding out for a big one, was a little dissapointed in his buck, but it was still a fine buck... It was a high and heavy 10 pt. with a broken tine. I'm pretty sure that would have been a 130+ buck with the tine that was broken off... Not a great buck for that area, but a darn nice deer regardless..

Those are some great bucks that everyone has entered. Let's see some more.. Contest is coming to a close soon, so get them in before Dec.20th!

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Dan Wood Mentor

Dan Wood

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We hunt zone 2F2, what about you guys? I'm hoping to bowhunt that area next year, since I won't draw a tag... I'd love to hunt that with the muzzleloader too, but that is a draw as well so I'll just have to wait a few years..

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iffwalleyes Grand Master

iffwalleyes

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Dan I hunt in 2B up between Finley and Northwood sometimes we work over to Hatton and Reynolds areas. I have some college buddies that live in these areas. Ya it doesn't look like the yard would be that bad of a spot. You need to drag out the Lazy Boy and you'll be ready to go. I drive all the way through 2F2 to go hunt since I live in 2F2.

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Dan Wood Mentor

Dan Wood

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iffwalleyes,

That isn't too far at all.. My wife is from Carrington, so most of her family is in that area... Great area to hunt - love it... The birds seem to be really coming back out there. Between grouse and pheasants we saw a lot of birds this year...

Do you fish Devils Lake then? I've fished a few tournaments on Devils Lake.

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iffwalleyes Grand Master

iffwalleyes

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I have but not to much the past couple years. I usually head out to the Jamestown Resevoir to do my fishing durning the week and the weekends when I am around locally. If you head to Carrington you are going right past it. It is probably the best walleye lake in the area. Occationally you will get into some crappies out there as well. If I decide to drive a distance I head to Lake of the Woods myself.

Also no I don't know the last name. I am a former MN boy that move to ND to go to school at NDSU. I have been in Valley now for 3 years so I don't recognize that many last names yet.

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iffwalleyes Grand Master

iffwalleyes

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You bet, Hanson I became a Alum. Spring of 02. I myself like Fargo (much better than Valley City) but I hate the cities. I worked there one summer and that was enough for me.

Say hanson that one heck of a spike. grin.gif. I shot two this year myself so I can't give anyone too hard of a time. The second one was the same as you I though it was a doe. Oh well at least a I did manage a better than average buck for my ND tag.

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MG - Fishin' Explorer

MG - Fishin'

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Thanks Dan, my 10 pointer was taken on 11/14/04 near Leech Lake. He came across my stand about 50 yards in front of me, but was behind a lot of brush and I didn't have a clean shot. Then I could just see antlers and his tail through the thick brush. He was on a steady walk going diagonally to my right in front. Then he stopped behind a group of trees now at about 140 yards. All I could see was the tail moving behind the trees and thought that he was going to be gone shortly now that he was moving away through the thick brush. I had the gun up and was looking through the scope pointed right in front of the tree that he was behind, still twitching his tail. Then I saw his nose poke out and he moved back behind the tree again. About 20 seconds later, he took one step out in the trail and perfectly in my cross-hairs of my scope. One neck shot and he was down in his tracks. This was my biggest buck to date so I was pretty pumped from the first moment I saw him. Every time I look at the rack in the garage you can re-live the whole story in my head and will never forget it. Nice bucks everyone else. Looks like it was a pretty good year by the pictures and stories.

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Labby Collaborator

Labby

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TJM

Nice Bucks

As to the fluke question I highly doubt it. By the looks of the photo of the truck I didnt see any deer under 120" If you dont fill er up with little ones you will shoot big ones in a few years. Good lesson for the rest of us.

Let me know if you need any help next year grin.gif

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tjm Rising Star

tjm

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Labby

Realy was just a fluke.3 of the guys have never hunted this area before.Think we shot all the big ones off.

wink.gif@letting the small ones go.

The small 1 was a cripple.He would still be around if that wasn't the case.

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bigeyeguy Apprentice

bigeyeguy

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Dan thanks for posting those pics for me, wish I would have known about the contest before I got the big guy. I got him Nov. 7th at 7:30am chasing a doe. It was out of a stand my Dad built over 30 yrs ago up north of Deer River. And Tjm that is the most impressive truckload of bucks I've ever seen! Nice deer everyone less than 11 months to firearm opener.

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