Where is "THE" place?

[Coach1310]

You know... that place you daydream about at work while thinking about hunting. Or that place you vividly remember as a kid where you saw your first deer or the place where you sit and no matter what is going on in life and the world, everything seems right. Where is your place? What is it like?

MY PLACE

When I was a kid my dad and his friends leased some land for hunting about 20 miles from home. It was a huge tract of swamps and hardwood ridges. About 1000 acres worth. My Dad's stand was in a classic funnel location. Two woodlots with a point jutting out from each with about a 50 yard open crossing between them. I can't tell you how many deer he shot off that trail. In one of the woodlots was a small knoll. We had a stand on that knoll and I can almost picture each tree like I sat in the stand yesterday. I was a perfect spot where the terrain got unbelieveably thick and 3 trails converged. I shot my first deer, an 8 point off that stand. On that knoll, surrounded by countless oaks and smack dab in the middle of a bunch of rubs and scrapes... that is my place. It has been a number of years since the lease was sold of a chunk at a time and they all regret not buying the land, but like it always goes, you never know a good deal until its gone.

What is your place like?

[Outfitter17]

That sounds very similar to where my family has been hunting for the past 45 years. It is only 15 miles S. of I. Falls, but it seems like you are on your own private reserve.

No other hunters other than our hunting party and other than the area growing up a bit, it hasn't changed at all.

We have new deer stand right next to the old ones, my grandfather and great uncles used.

[machohorn]

I hunt/fish too many different areas, they all are great places with many memory's. My special place is a little town called Sturgis it grows to about 500,000 this time of the year, People think that every place is is too crowded, I can ride roads 2 miles from down town and only see 5-10 bikes all day. Nights are different then it;s time for people watchin.

[Jaydebull]

My place is a hundred year old maple thats leaning over and you can walk right on up to the deerstand.. I have seen so many deer off the stand i can't even count them.. theres a river about 75 to 100 yds away that had a spot the deer crossed in the shallows that always alerted me to them coming from one direction.. The otherside of the stand is so thick of a spruce tree grove you cant see 10 feet inside it... Theres alot of notches on the tree, from all the bucks taken....It is my happy place.. and I have had many revelations sitting there..

My other happy place was cut down two years ago.. made my heart sad.

[goblueM]

My favorite place is the cabin my grandpa built and my family has been going to since the 50s. Northern Michigan (originally from SE michigan). I can close my eyes and vividly recall the smell of the air or the sounds of the lake that are so common but also unique to each special place

Even though the fishing isn't nearly as good as most places I fish around the metro, I'd rather fish there any day!

[iceman16]

mine would have to be the deer shack up off the echo trail. the 6 hour drive to the turn around and unloading the wheelers and hit the trail for a 4 mile ride to the front door of the shack. waking up in the morning walking out to the thunder box and hearing the river running in the valley. and then the mile walk to the deer stand watching the sun come up and watching nature wake up and the woods come alive. just thinking of it i cant wait for deer season!

iceman

[SDbowhunter]

The same stand I've hunted every year on a swamp with two points of willows that come from either side that funnel the deer. I know every single branch in that part of the woods. I shot my first deer there. Someday soon I know that stand will produce a nice buck.

[vister]

my place is in a deer stand opening archery. being entirely to myself without a care in the world. mosquitos permitting. the only thing to get mad at is the squirrel next to ya that won't zip it, or occasionally sounds like the footsteps of a deer, getting the heart thumping, only to reveal his little face closer than you thought.

other than that, a bucket on the ice staring down a hole all day or mom and dads cabin by battle lake are a close second.

[Gordie]

My place is were ever I will be hunting of fishing on the next outing. as the song goes I've been everywhere man. and I have alot of places this year my place I think about the most is the double ladder stand with my 12yr old son hopfully shooting his first deer.

[skee0025]

Mine is off old highway 10 in Lincoln north of Camp Ripley. It was a nice natural funnel off a power line clear cut. Back in the early 80's we'd have our 3 deer by 9 am every year. My dads uncle who owned the property died and it now sports several double wides

[FishandFowl]

Just before light after getting the decoys in at the duck spot. Pouring the first cup of coffee. Watching the lake go from dark to light with ducks buzzing overhead. Looking for those first birds to lock in.

FnF

Skee 8 weeks

[Rippinlip]

The one place is in the deer stand I am sitting on near the river and listening to the water flow so ever gently over a small riff of rapids while watching the 2 narrowing funnels off the fields and the river borders. Then getting to watch the sunrise through the trees and watching the birds and all wildlife come to life for the day.I have been lost in thoughts so deep some times I have not recognized the softly walking deer as they approach the stand.

Close second would be in the Frabill on top of the inside turn my GPS has pegged me on for years, watching the Vexilar light up like a Christmas tree and really wondering how some people never get to experience a settling time like this.

[dan z]

gotta be after settin decoys and watchin the first flock of birds fall into your spread.

[TrophyEyes]

I will be honest. I have so many places that I love to be. Duck hunting in southeast North Dakota is amazing, deer hunting - from an hour north of grand rapids to houston, mn I just love some of the areas I hunt. I really love one of my doe hunting locations. It is in the middle of an apple orchard. If I get hungery I just climb down and pick a snack.

Now I hope I have a new favorite. We just leased a nice track in Mid Western MN. It is 330 acres of CRP, Marsh/water and Woods. The pheasants are in their by the hundreds, the ducks funnel into our own private lake, and we have the sanctuary for all the deer once the crops are pulled from the surrounding fields the weeks leading up to the season opener. Surrounding fields are beans, corn and wheat. Not a bad combo. We are putting up stands and cameras next weekend. I am very excited.

[pointerspal]

North East of Bemidji oct 1-15 chew in my lip and setter working in front of me at about sun up. A nice thick frost on the ground. nothing better all this place talk has me gitty for the upcoming seasons.

[bigbucks]

It's some type of deer stand somewhere with a bow or gun whenever it's season.

The night before gun season it's usually a certain box elder tree at my folk's place with a small permanent that's accounted for a few archery deer, including a couple of smaller bucks on that night.

On opening day of gun season it's a certain double trunked white oak at my Uncle's place with a small permanent stand that's accounted for 10-12 deer in the last 7 or 8 years.

[fishinmajishin]

Riding my HD on a smooth winding road at sunset(without bugs!) Otherwise any lake or tree will do(also without bugs!)

[bottom-bouncer]

Mine would be up around crane lake there are many places were you can get up high on top of the ridges looking down into the brush or you can look over the top of the ridges and see the distant hills in canada it is so quiet it just makes sense if you know what I mean..

[walleyes12]

Just as the sun is coming up in the rolling hill in Western ND, Listening to coyotes howling, Listening to my jackrabbit call as a pair of coyotes come in on a full run!!! I am a little different! LOL

[Barony]

Western MN at sunset, sitting on the tailgate of the truck watching the roosters move from field to field w/ a beer in hand and a tired dog with her head on your lap. Of course, you have 2 in the bag so you can do this.

[Phunnyfarm]

Sitting in the field drive of a piece of CRP at 11am on SD Pheasant Opener, BSing with the fellas, watching the dogs get worked up, listening to the Gopher football game on WCCO, and just waiting for one of our watches to say noon.

It's also difficult to compete with sitting in the stand on deer opener morning, 20 minutes before sunrise, morning coffee making it's way to the brain, listening to the woods wake up, smelling the fresh air, and having visions of the King Of The Forest presenting himself right as legal shooting can begin!

OK, that was fun. Now I'm going to get back to banging my head on my cube desk for the next 3 weeks!