Whitetail Deer Gun Hunt - November 2010, Tomahawk, Wisconsin

This post will be the first on this site to chronicle our annual Wisconsin deer gun hunting season…its highs and lows and other anecdotes worthy of recollection.  The Wisconsin deer gun hunt has been an annual tradition for the hunters in our family since Jim and I were of legal age to hunt (and many years prior for Dad).  We have been making the trip at least since I was 13 years of age, with 2010 being my 34th year.  The year 2010 also marked our second time using Dad and Becky’s cabin as hunt headquarters.

Attendees at the 2010 hunt included Larry Mueller and sons Jackson and Peter; Jim and son Alan; Tom and son Josh; and Dad and I.

Unfortunately, we struggled to find our quarry, and the 2010 hunt closed without success for any of our camp’s hunters.  Larry and sons did not see any deer….they arrived Friday and left Sunday by noon.  Jim and Alan did not see any deer either, and they also had to leave on Sunday.  Tom and Josh had better success at seeing deer, and Josh even had a shot at a doe and a buck, missing both.  They left a bit disappointed on Monday mid-day.  I saw a single deer each day through Tuesday, with no shot opportunities.  Dad had the most success with at least seeing deer, and even saw three bucks, but again, no opportunities for a shot.  I left Wednesday for Merrill, and Dad stayed as Becky and Aimee/Jason came up for Thanksgiving.  Total deer seen by all hunters was 14 over 5 days. 

The highlight of the season was a partial albino buck that Dad saw on Sunday morning.  He was on the spot of his ladder stand-site…north of Prairie Rapids Road, west of Lee Road a half mile, in the pines.  It was with 3 other deer.  He did not shoot as he was not sure if it was legal to shoot an albino deer.

So, when the hunting is not exciting, we rely on the food to create interest.  Larry once again provided the steaks for banquet night (as he did in 2009).  This is becoming a tradition for him.  As usual, we had canned baby beets and baked potatos with the steaks.  Other nights featured lasagna, various soups and chili’s, numerous baked goods and munchies.

Weather is always a factor for our hunt, and this year opening morning was a chilly but not unbearable 15 degrees.  The lake froze over the first day here, opened, then froze again by Monday.  We had light snow on the ground, and got another inch on Monday night.  Tuesday morning high winds moved in (35mph gusts), creating a 5 below wind chill.

This annual event is always a great time.  It has always had an almost reverent quality about it to me.  I am not sure where the sense of reverence comes from…it is certainly not borne of our success at harvesting deer, as our take has been average at best over the years.  But yet its there for me, and I believe the others in camp feel it as well.  No sense, I guess, in trying to figure out why….we’ll just continue to come, to give our best effort at the hunt, and enjoy the atmosphere of our Wisconsin deer camp.  And perhaps next year we’ll even figure out where the deer are.

Colorado Elk Hunt...Wrap-up

We tell ourselves that its called "hunting", and not "shooting".  If it were shooting, we would always come home with meat for the freezer, and perhaps even an occasional trophy for the wall. We try to look for the positive....and we sincerely do enjoy the camaraderie, the incredible scenery that the mountains and clear blue skies provide, and the excitement of exploring new areas.  And yet, we measure success on trips like these by the hunt, by the number of animals we bring home, or at least by the opportunities at animals while afield.  By these metrics, our 2011 Colorado hunt was a disappointment.

The hunting was difficult.  No access to private lands.  Numerous hunters on the public lands.  And a vast majority of the public lands in this area of the state are covered with laurel oak, which is one of the thickest, gnarliest, most frustrating types of vegetation I have ever hiked through.  Our outfitter lacked good advice on how and where to find elk, and his constant negative attitude and lack of attentiveness only contributed to the disappointment.

BUT!...on a more positive note.....

Dad and I did see 16 elk during the last 90 minutes of our last evening.  They were over a mile away, and likely 1000-1500 feet higher up the mountain, but wow!, was it good to see them!

We learned a lot about the area, and if we ever return, could easily do a relatively inexpensive public land hunt (and avoid the high cost of the outfitter).

We saw 100's of deer throughout the week.  We saw two really good bucks, and several better than average bucks. Assuming one could get on private land in this valley, it would be a good spot to hunt deer.

We enjoyed one another's company, talking smart and spinning yarns of past hunts and outdoor experiences. The camaraderie is often the true highlight of these hunts.

Bottom line?....Tell me that the hunt would not be a success, and I would still go every time.  I can't wait to go try again!