First shot on Saturday?

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

6:06 about 3-4 miles south of Motley. Followed up by another at 6:12 from a different area, and another at 6:16 from another different area. I don't even know how someone could positively identify a deer at those times.

[snoozebutton]

I hear that in Wisconsin a lot too. Got to be using lights of some kind.

[Mark Christianson]

Thats why people get shot.......

The woods are full of inept hunters on gun opener sadly.

[ozzie]

I was in the stand on Sunday and heard a shot while I had my eyes closed...opened them up and couldn't see a thing....6:20am...like said must have one in the lights or directly under them......or it is a hunting accident!!!

[gundy89]

Sunday Morning 5:50 as I was walking into the deer stand. East of Hinckley.

[mrklean]

550 it was still black almost, my guess headlights on a truck flashing the deer

[titelines]

Was working outside Sunday night (about 7:00) and heard shots. It was well past dark...outside of Two Harbors.

[Mike #1]

Somtimes it can be a person loading a gun.

[Musky Buck]

Does a year really go by when you don't hear those early pokes, I call it poaching. Some people don't care, hey I'm in a stand who cares what time it is, 2 years from now we won't care that I shot early, hey I tagged it anyway, those people have all the excuses in the world, it sure is unnerving when it's a close one and you're walking out to your stand, I would assume with some snow cover these characters could see a bit earlier than 6:39 am. It doesn't change the facts. Fact is shooting early or late should be loss of hunting priviledges for 3 years and forfeiture of the gun. No slap on the wrist fine. These people know there aren't enough DNR's to stop it. They also feel on private land they aren't at risk. I hate the people that break the rules when it comes to our fish and wildlife resources.

[Musky Buck]

Sorry Mike but if you can't load a gun without it going off your career as a hunter should be over before you kill yourself or someone else. I promise if while loading one of my many firearms if it goes off I will retire. You have a great name Mike, same as I !

[FishingwithJake]

Lip Ripper Guy,

I hunt in Cushing and also heard those shots. I remember having to turn on the backlight on my watch to see the time of those shots. That was a topic of discussion around the deer camp that afternoon. I don't know how someone could be pulling the trigger in that low of light.

[Jim Almquist]

This was the first time in many years that it was light enough to shoot yet I still did not hear a first shot till almost 7.

It seems most years they start around 6:15 and there will be more then one.

[Mike #1]

Musky Buck,

I have done some stupid things in the woods but that is not one of them.(this weekend I forgot my knife)

[Scott Stein]

not that i would shoot a deer this early but i was in my stand at twenty to six and didnt need a flashlight i could have picked a deer out

[Musky Buck]

Forgot your knife ? Isn't that when something good usually happens, hope it did for you. I got my 24th career buck, I let 5 bucks walk free because they were 1st year bucks and one 2 1/2 year old 8 pointer that was close to shootable, but not up to my standards then Sunday 8:01 AM the big 14 pointer made a mistake and came sneaking into his ground scrape you would think a 275 pound deer would make a little noise, no just standing right at the scrape when I turned to look, 1 shot later and I was a happy guy and so is that 2 1/2 year old, see next year he'll be a keeper. Had 13 different bucks on my trail cam the past 2 weeks, only 4 of them are 3 1/2 year old or older so the rest of the bucks are seed for the upcoming years. In Ottertail county it is so easy to tell 1 1/2 2 1/2 and 3 1/2 or older bucks. Now the rest of the bucks that survive the hunt and vehicles can stay on my land as a sanctuary. M.B.

[Quackaddict9]

Musky buck- what did he score? sounds like a nice deer. I like you, passing up the small deer! If you have problems posting up pics, send em to me at wangberg9 at hotmail dot com.

[vister]

i was in the stand at 530 on the dot saturday and sunday morning. where i hunt, we had the luxury of hunting over a nice white background too! even at that time from the stand, i was able to see deer that walked in front of me, if they would have. but even at 530 am, i could still see out maybe 25 yds with the snow that was on the short grass. i wouldn't have shot, as i wouldn't have been able to distinguish size let alone sex. but i would have been able to see the silhoette walking through.

im guess some people that let em blaze that early don't have a scope on their rifle, as i can see deer pretty early, but finding them in a scope is a whole different can of worms, since its lowest magnification is 4.5 power.

[KG243]

This year was the first years I didnt here a early shot. The first one was 15 minutes after legal time!

[Neighbor_guy]

6:25am Saterday, and 6:19am on sunday. Both from the same stand, just north of our property in Onamia. The deer on Sunday, I jumped from the swamp on my way out, and my dad pushed the entire way to his stand. The deer just went over the ridge to the north and BAM!!!

[Musky Buck]

Duckaddict, I'm holding the picture of him in my hand, he isn't all that impressive, a good one no doubt but after downing 24 bucks, he ranks about 7th on my all time list, key is letting them get older and having the kind of land where they can survive deer seasons and hopefully cars. I'm fortunate that I have a great stand 24 bucks and I'd guess 15 of them were at that 2 1/2 or older group with 4 being real trophies. Back when I started in 1983, we only had a 2 day season and in my 3rd year tagged a trophy 12 pointer, since I was 15 I have only taken mature bucks, the young ones are the future trophies, I'd take a doe certainly before an inferior buck, any ideas how to get the photo your way, I don't have a scanner, best of luck in Bemidji, went to BSU in college, loved it, fishing and hunting so near a state university, no brainer where I'd go to college.

[Gissert]

About 10 years ago I was out on my deck having coffee with my brother and heard a shot about 5:50 am. At 8am, a small basket stepped out with half of his face gone. I shot him, needless to say.

I am guessing he was a target of opportunity in someones headlights.

[sticknstring]

Quote:

24 bucks and I'd guess 15 of them were at that 2 1/2 or older group

Quote:

since I was 15 I have only taken mature bucks

So you're telling us that you killed 9 yearling bucks before age 15? Impressive.

[Musky Buck]

No no,1983 1st year a doe,1984 2nd year a 7 pointer, 3rd year 1985 a 12 pointer and 2 does and 22 bucks after that. I'm saying since I was 15 years old and shot a trophy 12 pointer, I quickly lost the need to get my buck or fill my tag, I always wanted to outdo that 12 pointer which I have about 6 times now with several about equal to that. With that 2 day season, I did take a few more 1 1/2 year olds and on a few drives ended up getting a few 1 1/2 year olds but when the grown ups tell you, see a buck take him, you do, with only 2 hunting days and back then you had to apply and hope for a doe permit. We were forced into taking only bucks because the people in our party charished their doe permit more than the buck tag. I did mess that up sticknstring, I did take some young bucks mainly on drives or if I was told to help fill out our parties tag, then I realized if I am going to hunt trophy deer I need to hunt alone, no more deer drives, more time sitting in good stands near the big boys bedroom. 1994 was actually the last yearling and our party busted up from there, some day when I can figure out the picture thing I'll post a picture of my trophy room, 14 bucks on the wall. The biggest change was not shooting that 1st buck I saw, but waiting even if it means not getting one, last year no rifle, but bingo with the muzzleloader, anyway hunt hard, hunt alone (less riff raff) and stay focused and do everything you can before the hunt, my shooting lanes are cut in February each year, I make 1 trip to my stand in October to put out the trail cam and 1 last trip before season to get it, any work on my stands are done in the winter, I want to keep all human scent out of the area as much as possible and not bump that trophy onto the neighbors property or worse out of the immediate area altogether. I can handle my 30-06 very well and shoot it off and on year round, not just a couple weeks before season, a few of these bucks would be alive today or missed if I couldn't pull off that free hand 100 yard shot through the tamaracs. It takes all the little intangibles to bring it all together and finally more patience than the rest of the deer hunters or at least equal to the most patient, the only trouble is dragging these horses out of my swamp, I also do a ton of antler shed collecting and post season scouting to see if I can find that sneak away from hunters spot, I'd rather watch a trail with little traffic on it than the community doe/fawn/immature buck trails the rookie deer take, the veteran bucks don't cruise these in shooting light too often. Out for now, got to go clean that rack.

[sticknstring]

Ohhh so you did take a few after 15 then... gotcha! Congrats on all your trophies over the years.

[Quackaddict9]

Quote:

I have done some stupid things in the woods but that is not one of them.(this weekend I forgot my knife)

I never bring a knife with me out in the woods. Maybe its just because I'm nearby my hunting group and they'll have one or go to the cabin and grab one then go back and gut it cause usually I'll need people to help me drag the deer.