Former ND Lt. Gov flames MN hunters

[big drift]

Found this on another site, apparently this is the whole article from Grand Forks News.

This is an article by Former ND Lt. Gov Lloyd Omdahl

LLOYD OMDAHL COLUMN: Running the orange gauntlet in Minnesota

Published Monday, November 12, 2007

If you promise not to tell our insurance company, Ruth and I will confess that we unintentionally traveled through Minnesota brush country on the first day of deer season.

When we saw the first three hunters in their bright orange vests standing by one of those “leaping deer” signs, we thought the Minnesota Highway Department had ordered its employees to work Saturdays to examine bridges before snowfall. These hunters must have been beginners from Minneapolis because experienced rifle persons - and motorists - know that deer are never found within 15 miles of deer crossing signs.

As we drove down this heavily-wooded back road, the orange thickened until there were at least six hunters for every deer - twice the number of licenses issued by the state. Apparently, no one was left in Minneapolis-St. Paul except women, children and animal rights advocates, none of whom dared leave town.

Every gun in Minnesota was being held by someone wearing orange and everything not masked in orange was considered game. For years, the game wardens have proposed that all hunters pass an alcohol test because too many hunters think that a little “snort” clears the gun scope and multiplies the deer. At least, it seems that there are more deer. And, of course, many “snorts” bring out many deer.

A count of guns indicated that it was safer in downtown Baghdad than anywhere in Minnesota on opening day of deer season. In fact, relatives of hunters should have obtained “Support Our Deer Hunters” magnetic ribbons for their cars. After all, the people out there in orange were only as safe as the most intoxicated amateur hunter suffering from an advanced case of buck fever.

Evidence of hunter optimist was everywhere. Every highway ramp was full of pickups, ATVs, trailers and Rent-all trucks. Some had campers parked in the woods so they could refresh themselves between outings.

To guarantee a successful outing, some of the wealthier hunters leased land for their exclusive use. This practice really aggravates the traditional hunters who see reserves as unethical. In fact, they are placing a measure on the North Dakota ballot to outlaw the practice. (Why not just rope the deer a few days in advance and shoot them when the season opens? What is this country coming to, anyway? What good is the right to bear arms if you don't get a fair chance to shoot something?)

As the season wears on, the only hunters in the field will be those who haven't bagged a deer. As their frustration grows, they will become more desperate, making it necessary to keep horses, cows, sheep, dogs, cats and other furry animals indoors until the shooting stops. Lacking a live target, they usually open mailbox season on the last day.

Deer hunting in North Dakota is much safer. In the first place, there is one less fatality for every 25 miles of distance from Minneapolis, making Dickinson and Williston very safe. Secondly, hunters can see for miles on our treeless plains so there is no excuse for accidents. Of course, it is true that the deer can also see for miles so they share in the safety factor.

I come from a hunting family. My brothers would go out with 30.06s, shotgun slugs and even bows on that first day. (I had seven brothers and there were never enough guns.) I lost interest in deer hunting when a hunter was shot out of a tree stand in Wisconsin by someone too drunk to drive but untested for hunting. That turned me to pheasants and then only when I find them in my backyard.

[Eric Wettschreck]

Sounds like someones a little jealous.

[Shack]

Boy, who voted this guy in? I guess, being the "Lt. Gov" he came along for the ride.

Ah, who cares what he says anyways.

Sounds like an anti in drag. You just can not tell some times.

[Sandmannd]

Quote:

---

To guarantee a successful outing, some of the wealthier hunters leased land for their exclusive use. This practice really aggravates the traditional hunters who see reserves as unethical. In fact, they are placing a measure on the North Dakota ballot to outlaw the practice. (Why not just rope the deer a few days in advance and shoot them when the season opens? What is this country coming to, anyway? What good is the right to bear arms if you don't get a fair chance to shoot something?)

Deer hunting in North Dakota is much safer. In the first place, there is one less fatality for every 25 miles of distance from Minneapolis, making Dickinson and Williston very safe. Secondly, hunters can see for miles on our treeless plains so there is no excuse for accidents. Of course, it is true that the deer can also see for miles so they share in the safety factor.

---

For the first paragraph I have in quotes, I thought he was "passing through". Wow, wish I could get that kind of detail of what people do when I just pass through. To the fact that you can see for miles, yea, it's all prairie. Good luck hiding from a deer there. I'm from ND and do like the state but come on, don't you think the fewer accidents might have to do with going from 3 million plus people to 700 thousand?

[Nate McVey]

Sounds like the Lt. Gov. is frustrated. Maybe he didn't get his buck Who cares what he thinks.........love the comment about the "anti" in drag

[smnduck]

I have duck hunted in North Dakota for over 20 years and have seen how "they do it"

Alot of chasing deer with the truck and shooting it from the seat of the truck.

Deer drives done with the grill of a pickup truck.

Leased hunting land signs all over "his" state.

What a hypocrite.

This guy is blind to what is going on in his own backyard.

[DeanoB]

North Dakota...lol

[archerystud]

Glad they were just passing through.

Hint: Next time, GO AROUND PLEASE!

[lawdog]

I hope he got about a $499 ticket while he was here!!

What an irresponsible @$$!!!!

[Augusta]

I think it's hilarious....

oh,oh, what did I just do.......

Now I'm going to be like "da thurdty point buck!"

[vermilionwally]

wow. Thats actually kinda funny that he would say that when he admits to being her on the deer opener. Youd think he would avoid the area if he thought he was in real danger. North Dakota...

[SledNeck]

I feel bad for the guy actually. Many Dakotans are just like him. Not used to living around other people, stores, roads, etc. They dont understand how the majority of Americans live and have a skewed view of "life outside of the prairie"

[Surface Tension]

ROTFLMAO

[Surface Tension]

I can't stop laughing.. It wouldn't be funny if there wasn't some truth to it. BWAAHAHAHA.

[Steve Foss]

I was born in Wisconsin deer country. Raised in North Dakota deer country. Hunted in Colorado deer/elk country, too. Now I hunt in Minnesota deer country.

C'mon folks. This is just funny. I covered politics in N.D. for several years for a paper there (the Grand Forks Herald, not the Grand Forks News), and I know Lloyd is not serious. I've met him and talked with him several times. Don't you get it? He's writing a humorous column here, and the best humor only has a few grains of truth surrounded by a ton of bull. He's making the kind of deer camp jokes you all would laugh uncontrollably at if you were in deer camp with a couple brews in you.

Funnier than his writing is the fact that some of you actually got defensive. Sheesh, it reminds me of the movie "Fargo." The people who could laugh at themselves thought it was hilarious. The people who took themselves too seriously were outraged.

You all break your sense of humor bone today or what? Lighten up!

[LMITOUT]

truth hurts....

I think it's rather humorous how there are those who mock and ridicule the state of ND, yet those same people are some of the first to come barging in at the beginning of the assorted hunting seasons. Seems like the state is OK then, isn't it?

Before you stick your chest out and brag about the alleged great fishing in MN that all the ND people come for, don't. Aside from those in the Red River region where lakes are scarce, most don't give one thought to heading east to go fishing. Trust me.

[jlm]

I have to admit, I kind of took the whole thing as kind of a joke or neighborly slam against MN. No big deal I guess. Besides, its tough to be critical when all you have to do is drive through the eastern half of ND during their deer opener..not much different in my opinion.

[Augusta]

The article was a joke, it's called "humor", try to understand the concept.

[fishroger]

Thats pretty funny! My cousin in williston always gives me b.s. about stuff like this. I saw a guy huntin birds out in no. dak. in his SUV with his shotgun sticking out the drivers window. A lot of it is pretty close to the truth with the drinking and such. At least its a politician with a sense of humor

[Boss Hogg]

Is the State Tree of North Dakota really the telephone pole??

[boatfixer]

No, the telephone pole is the... oh forget it, this is supposed to be a friendly forum.

[Eric Wettschreck]

Yes it is, and the state flower is a satelite dish.

[papabear]

I thought it was generaly funny. As one who has spent three years in ND I can say it is just a little bit of nieghborly ribbing. They believe all people from da Range play hockey and drink beer. (I did my best to prove them half right) My goodness they dont even case their guns in the gun racks of their trucks or combines. One of their most famous sons is Lawrence Welk. The whole state doesn't even have one Div 1AA football team... Wait niether do we. But the liqour stores stay open till 1 Am.

[bottomdweller]

Yes, no doubt it is just a spoof. My father grew up with Loyd, he is a comical feller. Get over it you rabbit chokers.

[bigbucks]

I thought it was pretty humorous. My cousin's husband is from Wyoming (state) & lived in Denver for years, both big hunting places. He couldn't believe it when he first met our family, specifically his brother-in-law to be. He's basically a professional actor/comedian anyway so it's pretty funny when he starts talking about it. Hey want to see my gun? Let me see yours. Do you want to go kill something? Want to see pics of what I killed yesterday? It's pretty hilarious. We see it as normal, but generally Minnesotans are some of the most hunting crazed folks in the country. I know I read somewhere, maybe on here, that MN has more hunters that take out of state hunting trips than any other state.