Posted: 11/8/06
Let the deer hunting commence
 Marais Fields, Harris, got this 7-point buck opening morning in Isanti. It was her first time hunting after passing gun safety training. She was hunting with her Dad. |
By Steve Morris
There are other things happening besides political campaign this November. On Nov. 4, a half hour before sunrise, the official start of firearm deer hunting in Minnesota kicked off.
For hunters and outdoors people, itís a time they have been waiting for all year long. One estimate puts the number of deer hunters in Minnesota at 400,000 or 10 percent of the stateís population.
By the end of the weekend, local hunting and bait shops were filled with people coming in to register the deer and share their hunting stories. (Deer must be registered within 24 hours of being shot.)
At DC Andersonís Fish Lake Bait in Harris, pictures from deer opening already line the storeís bulletin board.
Mike Sorenson, of DC Andersonís Fish Lake Bait, estimated that 100 deer were brought in during the opening weekend. Sorenson said it was about equal the amount of bucks and does.
On Monday, people were still hauling in their deer. Sorenson said the store will be open extended hours during the deer hunting season.
SAFETY FIRST
Brad Schultz, a local DNR Conservation Officer, said people need to use basic common sense when going deer hunting. One issue that Schlutz routinely comes across during deer hunting has to deal with trespassing. Just because you see a buck, explained Shultz, doesnít mean you can walk on someone elseís property without permission.
ìIt just a deer,î Schultz said. ìYour kids and wife will still love you even if you donít come home with a deer.î
When hunting, safety is a paramount concern. Schultz, who has been in the conservation business for a quarter of a century, said people need to check their deer stands before heading up.
A second significant problem that Schlutz often encounters is people not properly disposing of the deer carcassís A ditch or public road is not a good place for deer carcasses, Schlutz said.
ìIf youíre going to take the time to hunt, you can take the additional effort and time to dispose of the deer properly,î Schultz said.
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