Allen’s Trophy Whitetail Buck

A Trophy Buck Shot By Allen In 2009

Allen’s Trophy Buck was bedded near the rivers edge late Thursday afternoon just as Allen left his home in Circle Pines, MN. Allen had packed his pickup truck full of hunting supplies and food, enough for a 3 day hunt on his hunting land just a mile north of my farm west of the Moose Lake, MN area. Neither had any idea that they would encounter each other within a couple short days.

Allen’s Hunting Camp

As soon as Allen and his 14 year old son Adam arrived at his hunting camp they went right to work setting up the bunk house.

Allen's Hunting Cabin At His Hunting Camp

The electricity had to be turned on and the water had to be checked. As Allen opened the propane tanks gas valve for the stove Adam put the food and various beverages in the refrigerator. Later firewood was gathered and split for the wood stove; some was stacked on the porch and the rest near the campfire ring. Sparse bedding was brought in and put on the bunks even though his 4 hunting buddies would be bringing their own sleeping bags. Adam uncased their hunting rifles, stacked them near their bunks, and broke out the ammo. It was Adam’s second year of hunting whitetail deer. Excitement filled the bunk house as Adam chattered away about the huge trophy deer he dreamt of shooting. Allen wanted Adam to shoot a buck so bad. He couldn’t care less if he shot one, he just wanted his kids to have the opportunity. He had worked hard during the summer weekends in and around his hunting camp maintaining the cabin, brushing out and trimming 4-wheeler trails, cutting timber for firewood, working on their deer hunting stands where deer trails crisscrossed and converged by swamps, near the river, and close to the field edges. Allen and Adam had bow hunted the area a few times in October, and had seen a few deer off and on, but no shots.

Friday

The morning had a heavy frost to it; 23 degrees with a light Northwest wind. Perfect, Allen thought to himself; hopefully the weather will stay cold as that will help to intensify the rut and overall deer activity. After a breakfast of venison potato sausage and eggs with toast, Allen and Adam put on their rubber knee high boots and went out to check on sign around a few stands. Trying not to touch or brush up against brush and trees, they made it to Adam’s stand along the way checking the usual deer trails and rub lines. It looked as if the rut was on; plenty of scrapes and good sign of deer activity. Allen felt that his years of hard work on his hunting land was paying off. He was hopeful of a good rifle deer hunting season.

Nearing Adam’s stand Allen pointed out 2 well used deer trails; one was loaded with a half dozen scrapes, each 30 or so yards apart. “Sign looks great this year, keep your eyes peeled on this area tomorrow.” Allen whispered to Adam. “Yeah, I just hope a nice buck comes by tomorrow!” Adam said. “Shhhh – not so loud, we need to be really quiet. Looks good, lets set up a few doe-in-heat scent bombs and then go over to my stand on the other side of the swamp and check it out there.” Allen said. Another few hundred yards into their hunting area they crossed the narrow swamp and now approached Allen’s hunting stand. With Allen’s hunting stand in sight they approached a well used deer trail and were careful not to disturb it. Allen noticed a real fresh buck scrape and a freshly broken licking branch over it. “Good sign here too – lets get back to camp before we stink it up.” Allen had 3 scent bombs left and he taped them to small poplar saplings about 6 feet off the ground 20 yards from his stand in different directions. “This will help to bring them in.” Allen whispered to Adam. “Lets get back to camp before we stink our area up with our human scent,” Adam said. Allen felt a twinge of pride, and thought to himself – he is catching on to this hunting stuff.

Back at camp they finished camp chores, started a camp fire and waited for the rest of their hunting party to show up. Allen’s former boss and working partner, Tim, had bought 80 acres of wooded land that bordered Allen’s. Now they kind of shared hunting properties which increased the area they could both hunt. Tim’s sons and a friend were coming up this year for opening weekend. Allen’s daughter, Allie, would be coming in that night too, she was going to college at the University of Minnesota in Bemidji, MN . Allie was 18 and had already become a great hunter with many deer under her belt, shooting a nice 8 pointer with bow just a couple years ago. Allie also loves autumn bear hunting and has shot quite a few black bear out this camp hunting over bait stations.

About 5 P.M. Tim’s truck pulled in with his hunting party. Everyone was excited for the next day’s hunt. Hunting stories of years gone by were brought up again and again over a a few beer, sodas and dinner. Allie pulled in about 7 and by now a few neighbors had stopped by to visit. When the clock hit 9 P.M. Allen told everyone it was time to hit the bunks as 4:30 A.M. would come soon enough. Everyone agreed and hit the rack in short time.

Opening Morning of The 2009 Firearms Deer Hunting Season in Minnesota

Allie's Trophy Buck Taken With Bow - 15 Years Old

3 alarms went off at the same time; 4:30 on the dot. Allen was first up and started the coffee. Allie wasn’t about to move yet and Adam pulled his sleeping bag up over his head as he had second thoughts about getting up so early. Tim got up just as the coffee was done, “how cold is it?” he asked Allen. “28 degrees, clear skies, and calm winds – it is supposed to warm up close to 50 degrees today,” Allen reported. A little warm for opener he thought. By 5 A.M. almost everyone was up. Adam was sitting on his bunk’s edge almost dressed and ready. “Slow down,” Allen said, “we’ll head out in about a half hour or so after a quick bite to eat.” Allie was now starting to get up as all the lights were on and it was too noisy to sleep anymore. Besides, all the boys were teasing her now too. They didn’t tease her too bad as they knew she was the one that always filled her tag and usually someone else’s too.

Allen and Adam were the first ones out of the bunk house heading off to their stand sites. With flashlights on, it was a 20 minute hike to Adam’s stand. Everything was quiet and still, they hadn’t busted any deer on the way in – that was good. Allen opened the scent bombs and exposed them to the air currents while Adam climbed into his stand. Allen handed Adam his 30-30 rifle that his grandfather, Bob, had given him. “One shot – One kill,” Allen said to Adam. “Will do dad – good luck to you too,” Adam said. “I’ll be back to pick you up around 11 A.M. for lunch,” Allen said as he turned and headed off to his stand across the swampy area.

Allen quietly got to his stand site, exposed the scent bombs, tied off his dad’s Remington 30-06 rifle to a safety rope and climbed up his stand, then pulled his rifle up and loaded it. Barely enough light to see, Allen thought. He took a deep breath to relax and heard a faint noise – “crunch crunch crunch”. Now what he thought, I just got up hear in my stand. He turned not knowing what to expect, kind of expecting a squirrel or mouse, but there he was – half running on the trail Allen had walked in on. Through the dim morning light he could see that it was a large 8 point trophy buck with his nose to the ground not aware of Allen’s presence. This big buck had something else on his mind and he wasn’t worried about anything else. Allen shouldered his dad’s Remington model 740 semi-auto, steadied his aim, took the safe off, held his breath and squeezed off a round from the dependable odd-6 and dropped the buck in his tracks not 50 yards away.

Allen couldn’t believe it, he hadn’t even sat down in his stand and this trophy buck came right in not aware of anything around him. A big mistake on his part. Wow! Allen thought to himself, this is incredible – first morning, first light, and I had just got into my stand. Then he remembered, the only thing predictable about whitetails during the rut is that they are unpredictable. Allen waited a few moments contemplating what had just happened. Looking down at the huge buck he felt a little remorse thinking it would of been great for Adam to have had this opportunity; but then again, Allen had been deer hunting for over 25 years. He knew Adam would have his turn, all in due time. Allen then climbed down knowing Adam would want to be in on the moment, especially after hearing the shot. He checked the buck to make sure it had expired then headed off to get Adam. Adam was already headed to Allen’s stand knowing it was his dad who had shot and that his dad doesn’t miss what he shoots at. They met up shortly and headed back to the kill site. “Wow!” exclaimed Adam “Gee dad, great buck! I hope I can shoot one like this one this year!” “Maybe; you never know son. Someday you will, and it might be even bigger. You just need patience, do the right things using your hunting skills, and have a little luck” Allen replied. They then proceeded to gut out their trophy whitetail buck.

Trophy Buck Harvested By Allen L. Nov. 2009

It was a productive opening day of whitetail deer hunting; 4 deer were harvested out of Allen’s hunting camp; 3 does and Allen’s trophy buck. That evening Allen brought his trophy buck over to hang in my walk in cooler as the days temperature had risen to over 50 degrees. I asked him what they had done with the harvested does, he said the guys, Tim and his party, had already processed them that mid-afternoon and had the venison in coolers and the refrigerator.

What a day! Bud (Allen’s recently deceased dad) would be so proud!