The Memories of Paper Hunting Licenses and stuff.

Everyone probably remembers filling out paper licenses before a certain hunting season started and it probably took place at a local gas station.

The gas station probably had two gas pumps, with only one in working order. But the pump in working order had one dial of numbers that didn’t work, so you were pretty much on the honor system when you went inside to purchase gas.

This gas station probably had a back room where the locals gathered for coffee. Mostly farmers and ranchers with a retired utility worker plus a possible postal worker or two.

I have been in a gas station similar to this, all around North Dakota and the surroundings states, you probably have to.

This gas station probably smelled like cigarettes and coffee. It wasn’t a bad smell, but it was a smell you knew and you looked forward to.

People from cities probably came to this gas station after filling their tank and didn’t realize they needed to tell the person behind the till the total dollars of gas purchased because there was no readout inside.

This gas station probably had homemade donuts and cookies for $0.25.

This gas station was probably open from 7 AM until at least 7 PM. It opened after the newspaper was delivered and closed sometime after Wheel of Fortune.

This gas station probably was always a treat to stop at after a long morning of pheasant hunting for a warm cup of coffee or a bottle of pop to get reenergized for the afternoon hunt.

This gas station probably had a TV running and the radio on constantly. The radio was probably on a station covering a local sporting event.

This gas station was probably open seven days a week and maybe even holidays.

Finding a gas station like this in the middle of nowhere while hunting antelope is probably like winning the lottery.

If you got some gossip from the coffee crew from this gas station, you should probably verify before repeating.

This gas station probably sold coffee for $0.25 a cup, with unlimited refills.

If you needed help trying to find somewhere to hunt a certain critter, don’t worry, the coffee guys at this gas station would probably point you in the right direction.

This type of gas station is probably a dying breed.

This gas station probably always had at least one dog and some random cats. The dog was friendly unless you tried to move him from his “spot” on the floor.

If you tagged a big buck, you probably came to this gas station to show to the coffee crew in the back.

The owners of this gas station probably worked there every day for years and years.

This gas station probably sponsored every broadcast on the local radio station that covered high school sporting events in the area.

If you were lucky, you probably had a gas station just like this.

This gas station probably had all of the snacks and pop anyone could possibly want during your upcoming hunt.

The owners of the gas station probably had names like Dick and Jane.

If you ran out of gas or your car broke down someone at this gas station would probably give you a ride to wherever you needed to go.

This gas station would probably heat up your Pugsley sandwich with the microwave behind the counter if you asked nicely.

If there was a bad blizzard and travel was not advised, you probably still tried to make it to this gas station to get the Sunday paper and grab a cup of coffee to see who else was able to make it.

If you wanted to know who owned a particular piece of land someone at this gas station would probably know.

You probably brought the owners of this gas station some deer sausage that you processed during the off-season.

I think every small community probably had a gas station like this.

I hope you remember those yellow paper copies of hunting licenses that you probably got at gas stations.

The gas station probably had a name like Miller’s Service.

I miss these gas stations, I’m probably not the only one.

Thanks for reading, Clint.

Deer Season Breakdown article for Dakota Country Magazine.

This article was published in Dakota Country Magazine. If you want a print or digital magazine subscription or looking to do some advertising click the link Dakota Country Magazine.

Every deer season you will hear hunters talk about the, “rut.” Rut is a broad term describing the mating period of the Cervid family, including deer, elk and moose. Hunters are interested in this time because increased testosterone in the males makes them reckless while pursuing females. In short, the bucks become dumb in love.

After years of data collection and research by many wildlife agents they have proven that rut is triggered by photoperiod, which means the length of daylight. But other factors do affect the timing like moon phases and weather patterns. But year after year, just like clockwork the photoperiod causes the estrus in the does to flow which in turn makes the bucks change their behavior.

Whitetail bucks will start making scrapes and rubs to mark their territory by spreading their scent. Scrapes are when bucks scrape the ground bare while adding urine and rubs are when bucks rub their antlers on trees and branches to spread their tarsal gland scent. During this time when daylight is diminishing, the velvet on the antlers start to shed. As soon as their antlers are hard enough, they will begin sparring. Just for play at first but then it becomes aggressive for the right to breed. Physically the buck’s appearance will change also, their necks start to swell in order to look bigger against their competition.

Pre-rut:

Deer will begin feeding mostly during dawn and dusk. Their patterns will begin to limit daylight movement each day, every day. Middle to late October in the northern states, bucks will begin making rubs and scrapes. During this time their necks will begin to strengthen and swell as they begin sparring to establish dominance. Where there is a scrape there is usually an overhanging tree branch which becomes a marking spot for deer in the area. Both bucks and does will lick and rub their foreheads to mark their territory. These rubs, scrapes and licking branches allow bucks to find receptive does and rival bucks.

While hunting pre-rut find the areas with rubs and scrapes. If you have a trail cam this is a great spot to find out what deer are in the area. Rubs and scrapes can be found anywhere but target field edges and travel routes in between food sources. Bucks will be keeping tabs on their rub and scrape lines searching for does that are active. 

Rut:

Rut takes place early to mid-November depending on your area and daylight hours. During the rut bucks become more and more active searching for does that are in estrus. Bucks become very aggressive towards each other trying to establish hierarchy in their territory. Sparring becomes a real fight for dominance between bucks with similar rank. Their typical routine goes out the window as they only have one thing in mind and that is to find an open and ready doe. Bucks become distracted and are in some cases easier to hunt. During the rut you can find bucks chasing does throughout the day and night. Bucks have been known to chase does over a day or more until the does are ready. Bucks even forget about eating during this time. 

Hunting during the rut can be very productive. During the rut you can hunt all day long and have a good chance seeing deer movement. As mentioned, bucks throw caution to the wind and become less concerned with their surroundings. If hunting during the rut, set up your stands between bedding spots and on trails to food sources. If you find does, bucks will be there also. Does tend to stick to their regular routine and trails while bucks will be going every direction. Grunt tubes during the rut can be used very successfully to challenge other bucks for breeding rights. Also, during this time doe bleat calls can be used to call in bucks looking for does. To bring in deer from a little farther away you can try rattling antlers to mimic fighting bucks. But with calls and antlers, start quietly to not scare away deer that might be close that you cannot see. With the deer cruising everywhere, deer attractants including different urines can help lure deer in and cover your scent.

Sometimes there is a lull in activity when bucks in your area are locked down with hot does. This could last a of couple days. Don’t get discouraged because they will start moving again.

Post-rut:

As winter begins to take hold deer rut starts to shut down. Bucks that have been chasing and does that have been running are now focused on making it through the winter. Food becomes the number one objective to regain strength and weight lost during the rut.

Bucks will still be interested in chasing and breeding does but the pickings are few and far between. You begin to see less and less deer during daylight hours. While hunting post-rut, target in between food sources and bedding areas during dawn and dusk.

Second rut was not mentioned earlier but happens every year. This is for the few females who were not bred during the first rut. Bucks will seek out these few does the first couple weeks of December.

Clintism #62: "You're an inspiration and stuff."

As most of you know I get out and about quite a bit. I seem to meet new people wherever I go. A lot of them always say, “It’s good to see you out. You’re such an inspiration.” I’m always taken back by those two statements.

When I hear the first part (it’s good to see you out), I always think to myself, where else would I be? I have lived in an apartment building with mostly disabled people and I would say 1/3 of them never went outside. I could not do that. I would be crazier than I already am. To me it’s not a choice to be out and about, I have to be out and about. I would not be me if I wasn’t out on the town or chasing some tag somewhere.

When I hear the second part (you’re such an inspiration), I always think to myself, you must be mistaken because I am no inspiration. I was born able-bodied and I put myself in this situation to be disabled. The kids that were born disabled and are still trying their best, they are the inspiration. They didn’t have a choice, I did.

Everybody has challenges and everybody has obstacles they need to get over and get through, it doesn’t matter if they are disabled or not. To me, everyone is an inspiration as long as they try and face whatever is in their path.

This little blurb isn’t to argue. I truly am grateful for the comments and the support. But when I hear those statements, that’s what I think. Hard to explain, but at least I tried… I am not an inspiration. I’m just a person in a motorized cart.

Thanks for reading, Clint.

Trail Cameras article for Dakota Country Magazine.

This article was published in Dakota Country Magazine. If you want a print or digital magazine subscription or looking to do some advertising click the link. Dakota Country Magazine.

This article was published in the September 2023 edition.

When some people think of trail cameras, they only think of using them during hunting seasons. But for others they use them year-round to learn as much about their game and area as possible through a lens. Of course, laws and regulations are different in every state and make sure to check if there are any limits to how long you can have trail cameras during different seasons.

There are positives to each cellular and regular trail cameras. Having not to disturb hunting habitat to switch cards is a big plus and less intrusive using cellular. You can check cam anytime as long as you have your phone. Using cellular means spending more on data plans from a cell service provider to receive your pics.

Cellular cams can send pics and videos as long as there is a cell signal. To help with connectivity there are also options for extending the antenna on cellular cams. Advantages of cellular include saving time by not having to check and change cards manually. You can change options on the cameras remotely with some cellular cams. You also spend less time and money on gas checking cameras.

Non-cellular cams are more affordable but they have their disadvantages. Regular trail cameras don’t rely on a cellular signal so they can be placed anywhere and take pics without interruption or connectivity of cell service. But with regular cams you need to change SD memory cards every time you want to see what pics have been taken.

There are also options when powering your trail cameras besides regular batteries. Rechargeable batteries save you money while putting fewer batteries in the landfill but these do not typically last as long. Lithium batteries give you the longest battery life and are the most reliable, but the price of lithium can add up quickly. Solar panels are also an option instead of depending on batteries. Solar panel technology has come a long way in the last few years. Of course, this means added expense but it will pay for itself in the long run. As long as you can get consistent rays of sun on the solar panel, this option could work year-round without physically checking the camera.

When setting up trail cameras there are many options depending on what you need in that specific area. Not everywhere has trees or even trees that are straight to hang a camera. Thankfully there are many different mounting bracket options when setting up trail cameras. But sometimes the homemade camera stands work the best. Many people use electric fence posts with adapters to connect to the back of trail cams. These are great for when there isn’t a tree or there isn’t a tree in the right place to get the best angle for the camera.

It also matters which direction to face the camera to get the best results. If possible, facing cameras to the north seems to work the best to avoid sunlight activating the camera. Aiming down a trail also helps get more consistent pics of animals rather than perpendicular to a trail. Avoiding or trimming branches and tallgrass will help avoid getting hundreds of unwanted pics of wind.

There are too many different brands on the market to list here, no matter what kind of trail cam you choose. Everyone seems to have their favorite brand. It will take time to find what brand works the best for you.

Trail cameras are like everything else in the hunting industry, each year there is always something better. But that doesn’t mean you have to go buy it. Find what works for you, stick with it and it will help you be a better hunter and outdoors person.

Some of the most interesting things I have discovered in my years of using trail cams is the random wildlife that visit occasionally without ever seeing them. A few years ago, I captured a fisher on a cam that was located 2 miles from the nearest river. 

After running trail cameras for years, you come to realize that even the newest and best cameras don’t catch everything. You can set up two identical cameras side-by-side and one cam will miss taking pics of some movement and the other will capture the movement. But with that said, trail cameras are well worth the money for the info they provide throughout the seasons.

Twist of Fate article for Dakota Country Magazine.

This article was published in Dakota Country Magazine. If you want a print or digital magazine subscription or looking to do some advertising click the link. Dakota Country Magazine

Twist of Fate is an archery hunt based in North Dakota designed for disabled archers no matter what their disability. The four-day hunt takes place south of Leonard in the beautiful sandhills. The hunt is scheduled every year during the last full week of September for 12 hunters that come from all over the nation. The Twist of Fate organization was formed in 1999 by a group of sportsmen who wanted to make archery more accessible for everyone who wants to participate. 

The organization is made entirely of volunteers, like David Erdmann from West Fargo, who has been there since the inception of the organization. An army of volunteers do everything for the hunters to make their hunt a success whether they fill their tag or not. Everything is taken care of for the hunters except travel to and from their homes. Even the archery equipment is provided if the hunters do not have their own. Food, shelter, hunting license and processing of their deer meat is provided by the organization. The only thing the hunters need to bring is a sleeping bag and toiletries.

Volunteers set up the camp usually about a week before the hunters get there. The camp is set up in a perfect location. Setting up the camp is not an easy chore. The hunter's living quarters are put up, which are tents that have heat and electricity. The main dining hall, which is a huge wall tent is constructed. The road into camp has to be maintained or sometimes repaired. Plus, trimming and mowing the grass. After all, it is in the middle of a pasture.

Some of the volunteers are also guides. The guides put in more time than just taking the hunters out during the hunt. They spend months finding good locations that are active with deer. These locations can't just be in any location either, they need to be accessible by people with varying mobility. When Erdmann started guiding he said, "I was kind of scared, fear of the unknown. I didn't want to break the people in the chairs. But it has turned out great, I have found it is really rewarding for them and me." Some of the spots need to be wheelchair accessible and some spots don't need much depending on what their hunter needs. Each guide usually has two or three preset spots ready for their hunter depending on the weather elements. The guides also have relationships with some 35 landowners throughout the region. The landowners are generous enough to provide their land to the hunters for the event. Without the landowners this hunt would not be possible. Hunting spots can be anywhere from Kindred all the way to Enderlin.

The hunters usually arrive Thursday. When they get to the camp, they meet their guide if they haven't already. "Usually we have already talked to our hunters well before they arrive to find out what their needs are and what they will need help with," said Erdmann. "We also have them shoot to see how good of a marksman they are," explained David. Then midafternoon they head to their hunting locations, which average around 10 miles away from camp. That night they come back for a meal at the dining hall and to share stories of the first day. Hopefully they hear some honking. It is customary for the guides and hunters to honk their horns coming into camp if they are successful. In total, there is a hunt Friday and Saturday morning, plus Thursday, Friday and Saturday night.

Saturday night is their banquet and fundraiser night. Twist of Fate invites the landowners, volunteers, donators and general public to a free will supper. During the evening there is a silent auction, live auction and a live band after everything else is over.

"No doubt, in a heartbeat I would recommend it," said Tory Taszarek a three-time participant of the hunt. A North Dakota native, Tory is a T5 paraplegic who was injured when he fell out of a tree stand in 1989. On his experience at Twist of Fate he explained that, “To be honest it has been one of the best experiences of my life. Not so much about the hunting itself but because of the bonds of friendship that were made. I was able to meet a lot of great people who I would have never known otherwise. That was the best, but don’t get me wrong the hunt was awesome too and it is so nice to have all the help you get while there." In 2012 Twist of Fate helped Tory take his first deer with a bow since being in a wheelchair after trying numerous times in 24 years. "It was a little doe but meant as much to me as any trophy buck," said Taszarek.

Twist of Fate's mission statement says it all, "To provide a quality outdoor experience for those who are unable to do so on their own regardless of the circumstances."

If you would like to volunteer, the meetings are the second Thursday of the month starting in April. For time and location contact: twistoffatend@gmail.com

If you would like to go on this hunt or you know someone who would be interested, go to this website to fill out an application: twistoffatend.org

2023 4D Muley.

This year deer applications were due June 7 and we got the results June 20 in North Dakota. I was lucky enough in 2022 to receive a mule deer buck tag in unit 4D. When deciding where I should apply in 2023, I remembered the landowners from last year said I can come back anytime. So before applying this year I contacted the landowners in unit 4D and asked them again if I could come back to hunt and one response was, “You better damn well apply for this unit!” After that and other conversations with the landowners, they wanted me back and wanted to help in any way. With that I applied and wouldn’t you know it the “Lucky Boy in the Wheelchair” drew another coveted mule deer buck tag. That didn’t suck.

After the tag was secured, I needed to figure out scheduling and who was going to come with on another one of my adventures. First, I called up my friend and guide, Sam. He works seven on, six off in the oil fields and grew up in Medora. He knows stuff and things about the North Dakota Badlands. He sent me his schedule and said try to work around this. It worked perfectly, the second weekend of rifle season would be our huckleberry. Then I got a hold of landowner Nick who said I could come down anytime no matter what the season. He also said him or someone would be around pretty much every day.

Next, I made sure my mom, Deb would be able to go or I should say I told her I was going west for hunting and she replied, “Who’s coming with?” I then got a hold of my sister Shelie who had mentioned when I applied for the tag that her and her husband Brad should be able to go along. This time when I talked to her she said, “Yep. What are the dates and where are we staying?” I told her would take off November 16th, hunt the 17th-19th and head home on the 20th. Plus I said we would be staying at the AmericInn in Medora. She said she would make it work with her and Brad’s work.

I knew we had one landowner secured but Sam and I also got a couple other landowners to give permission. Plus, both of us know people. And if we don’t know the right people, we know people who know those right people. It’s good to know people. It’s also good to be respectable about other people’s property when they graciously let you on. Not being an idiot is helpful.

Brad and Shelie got to the farm that Thursday a little before 10 AM. In no time they had their stuff and our stuff plus all of my hunting crap packed. I believe we were on the road right at 10. That’s good planning. Our first stop was at Steele. They have a huge travel plaza with snacks of every kind plus a subway. Here is where I tilted back for my first time. I am supposed to tilt back every hour for 10 minutes to relieve pressure off of my derrière. Pressure sores suck I have learned the hard way, numerous times. We also got a little lunch and snacks for the trip. I think I checked at least three times on the way to see if I packed my deer license and elongated trigger. Nervous I was. 

Of course, we were bucking a 30 mph northwest wind most of the way with higher gusts. Could hear my 2017 GMC Sierra 2500 HD SLE pickup sucking the gasoline. Our second stop was in Richardton where there is the best convenience store along I 94. I tilted back here again, got some more snacks and filled the gas tank. In no time we were entering the beautiful rugged badlands. Couldn’t check-in until 4 PM mountain time so Brad decided he would take us to Buffalo Gap. I had never been. If you haven’t, you should check it out. I even got to meet Ole the owner. He is entertaining. The scenery is breathtaking. 

If you don’t know this is a place where you can stay, eat, drink, bring your horse, camp and just about anything else. You should check it out you haven’t. We stayed here for a bit as I tilted and we sampled some libations until we decided to go for a cruise to see if there was any deer movement. It didn’t take long to see our first deer on the East River Road. There was a bunch on the greens at Bully Pulpit Golf Course. There were deers everywhere it seemed, not only on the golf course. My hopes were high for the hunt.

Next, we decided to go to the Little Mo Saloon for supper, cocktails and to see the best bartender throughout the land, Lasko. This man is a machine. The bar was packed and he kept everyone happy and not sober. Just stay out of his way and never say you’re going to Boots Bar. He will lock the door when you leave. I don’t even think he’s kidding when he said that. Truthfully to watch this guy work is entertainment in itself.

The next morning, I got a hold of Sam and of course he was out and about already scouting the area for anything that moved. We made a plan that I would get in the chair around 11 AM and we would meet by the Brown Ranch. When we met Sam, he was excited and said there were a couple bucks and a bunch of does a couple hundred yards off the trail. We got excited. But first we had to drive down a sketchy trail to get there. Actually it wasn’t too bad but my head was flopping around like a bobble head as we bounced for about a mile, probably a little more. Once we got to the spot we couldn’t drive anymore Sam asked, “Do you think your chair can get over there? A couple hundred yards,” as he was pointing to the north. I said, “I think we can do it.”

We got out of the pickup and got all my equipment ready. Sam and Brad attached my rifle mount to my chair and then got his rifle attached to the rifle mount. They also attached my elongated trigger to the trigger guard on his rifle. We also tested the trigger a couple times. We had a scenario last year while hunting so we make sure we do this now. Good stuff. It is a process, but they get it done in quick fashion. Shelie was helping me get my orange clothing on and getting other stuff. Before we knew it, we were making our way across the pasture. Shelie had the spotting scope with tripod, Sam had his rifle which was attached to my rifle mount cradle and Brad was helping push and steer me in the right direction as I was navigating rocks, dried cow pies, holes and other things while bouncing a couple hundred yards to a vantage point where we could see the deer without them smelling us. I would guess the whole process took a half-hour maybe a little more.

When we got to the little draw that was holding the deers, we were happy to see they were still content and just milling around aimlessly eating beside a windmill and water tank. There was one buck we could see from our vantage point. He wasn’t huge and he wasn’t small. Sam asked if I wanted to take a poke at him and I said yes. Soon after that they were attaching the rifle cradle which holds a rifle onto my rifle mount on my chair. After that I snuck forward a little bit to get a good angle and to be able to get the buck in the scope.

Pic of rifle on Afognak Island.

Let me stop and tell you about Sam’s rifle and stuff. His rifle is a 300 Norma Mag with 230 grain Berger bullets topped with Swarovski DS scope, the scope has ballistic calculator and rangefinder. It’s like looking through pure sex. You see things looking through that scope that most only see in movies and magazines. It is wild.

Back to the story. Sam got the yardage and it was 515 yards from where we were to the buckaroo. It took me a while to get lined up. In fact, while I was trying to get on him, he decided to lay down. It really takes me a long time to get the elevation correct, up and down. To do this I hit the recline button on my chair, once I get within a couple inches then I do the fine adjustments with my shoulder. It’s a little not precise. Anyway, after a handful of minutes I said I was on him and Sam asked, “You sure, we have a lot of time, he isn’t going anywhere.” I responded, “Yep!” As he reached over and took off the safety. Next thing I knew I was pulling on the trigger waiting for the crack of the barrel. “BOOM!” I knew right away that I missed because there was no hollering. It was a clean miss.

It didn’t take me long to find him in the scope again and Sam jacked in another bullet. By this time the does around him knew something was up and they started to head to the north, away from us and he followed. Once that bunch was gone another bunch from the same group of trees got up and followed the first bunch. We didn’t even know they were there. After that, another couple followed them all. There was probably close to 25 deer in group. It was awesome to see. We knew they were gone and they were not coming back that night.

Before we packed up to head back to the pickup, Sam spotted a coyote laying down in the shade like 700 yards away. Some people just have the eyes to see things. I have good vision, like better than 20/20 and I had a hard time seeing the coyote in the spotting scope. It’s impressive to see that kind of vision, it seems to come with a lot of time glassing different territories.

Next, we bounced back to the pickup around and sometime over rocks and crevices. When we got back to the pickup, we got the rifle mount unattached and everything put away. Then I tilted as we made a plan for the rest of the daylight. Sunset out there during my time was around 4:15 PM Mountain Time. Legal shooting hours are a half-hour after sunset in North Dakota. Making the couple hundred yards out and back took a couple hours. It was around 2:30 PM after this first attempt, which gave us a couple hours to drive around and look for another buck but we never found anything that we could get to. But we enjoyed the scenery and company.

When we got back to the motel I tilted again. Shelie rounded up Mom, she doesn’t go along when we are traveling on what she considers sketchy roads. She would rather sit in the hot tub, do some shopping or play the machines. Then we went back to the Little Mo for supper. Sam joined us for an evening full of food, libations and reminiscing. Good times.

I should explain that I get in the chair so late every day because I am only supposed to be in the chair a limited time per day. I tried to keep it under eight hours but more likely around six hours a day. But on this trip, it was more like 10 hours a day. Reclining hourly and limiting time in the chair every day keeps away pressure sores and keeps me out of the hospital. You can read about some of my hospital visits in earlier blogs.

Saturday morning, I got a hold of Sam wondering what he was up to and of course he was out scouting. He is awesome. He told me he was way south, farther than we had been this year or last. I said I would get in the chair at 11 and head that way. It took us a little over an hour to get down there. I was glad Sam went this way. The views and scenery are spectacular. The view to the west was like looking over a little Grand Canyon. It was impressive to say the least. We were only 2 miles I believe from the Montana border at this time. I definitely want to come back and explore this area. Then we went back north a couple miles to the spot where I could tilt. After that I called Sam and he said he hadn’t seen much but he almost tipped his pickup over. Geesh. Close call. I mentioned to Sam we were going to head back to a place we were yesterday. It is a spot we were at a year before. 

Once we got down there, we pulled onto the trail and we didn’t go 100 yards before seeing a mule deer doe with twins. We watched them for a couple minutes and didn’t see a buck so we decided to go down the trail farther. It is a gnarly road, the kind of roads I like. We didn’t make it 50 yards and we saw a muley buck on top of a break a long ways away. Then we noticed some muley does not too far from him, just below. About that time Sam pulled up behind us and we showed him what was up. He asked if I wanted to try and of course I said, “Yep!”

He ran back to his pickup to back up because we needed to back up so I could get out of the pickup on flat ground. When I got out of the pickup, everybody did their thing. Brad attached my rifle mount to the chair, Sam got his rifle attached to my rifle cradle, Shelie gathered orange clothing, binoculars, spotting scope and then Sam and Brad attached the elongated trigger to the rifle. It goes pretty smooth for how chaotic it could be in pressure time.

Pretty soon we were sneaking over a rise trying to get closer. When Sam ranged the buck, he was at about 600 yards. We were able to get about 20 yards closer but not too much closer. At that distance it took me a while to get him in the scope. But he didn’t have a care in the world except those females. He was twitterpated. He would lay down for a while, get up not move really and lay back down. The does were just meandering around the hillside. Soon enough I got him in the scope and Sam dialed him in so he was bigger in the scope. This is fine and dandy but it gets touchy at that far a distance. Move the scope 1/32 of an inch, and downrange 500 yards the crosshairs are 6 feet off, give or take. 

Anyway, I finally got him on the crosshairs steady, he wasn’t moving standing perfectly broadside. I reached for the trigger, breathed out and squeezed back the trigger. It goes off and he doesn’t move. Sam says, “Miss.” Nobody could tell where the bullet hit on the hillside. Sam racks in another bullet. The buck still hasn’t moved much neither have the does surprisingly. I get the buck lined up again in the crosshairs, pull the trigger, it goes off and still he doesn’t move. Sam says, “Miss.” Again no one could see where the bullet hit. Sam racks in another bullet. This time the buck has moved but not far. It takes me a couple minutes to get readjusted and lined up. Eventually I get him in the crosshairs, Sam takes the safety off and I fire again. I can see in the scope that I did not hit him. Sam says, “Clean miss. I got to run back to my pickup to get more bullets!”

By this time, we are all laughing perplexed because I just fired three shots and the deer are all still there. Sam was giggling his way to his pickup and back. We have a conversation about where we think I am hitting and Sam looks over the video he has been taking on spotting scope and there is nothing to see about where the bullets went. Thankfully this buck and the does were as clueless as we were. So, Sam jacked in another bullet and I got realigned. I fire again with a clean miss. I did this two more times for a total of six shots and no hits. Frustration settling in.

But Sam made me laugh when he now said he had to go back and get a box of bullets. First two times he only had three in his hand. Good grief what a scenario. Now he had ample kill pills ready to do the job, again. He jacks in three more bullets and I fire three more times without hitting anything. We did see dust a couple times in this last volley of lead. By the way, the deer still haven’t moved.

The buck is now looking to my right but broadside. He was following one of the does pretty hard but thankfully he never moved more than 20 feet the whole time the barrage was going on. I get readjusted and get him in the crosshairs and Sam jacks in another bullet. As I’m looking down the scope Sam says, “I think your hitting to the right of him, aim right at his ass.” He then takes the rifle off safety. I reach for the trigger for the 10th time, slowly pull back and I hear that beautiful SMACK sound. I hit him right in the back hip but the 230 grain bullets dropped him like a sack of potatoes. Sam yells, “He’s down! You got him!” Shelie and Brad were yelling, “Congratulations! You got him! You got him!” There were probably some expletives too and Sam grabbed his phone to get most of the celebration recorded. I told Sam, “The scope said it was 571 yards!” Holy Shinto. What a relief.

We high-fived, hugged and probably cried a little bit celebrating. That’s what it’s all about. Camaraderie. After the celebration we were a little concerned that he might get up. We waited for probably 20 minutes and Sam could see through his spotting scope that his eyes were not blinking. By now some of the does had left. The rest of them left when we started putting away my gear.

Now we had to figure out the easiest way to get him. There was a big draw between him and us. Sam called up Nick the landowner and he said there is an easier way around back to the north to come back south. On the way over there, Sam pulled over to tell us he was going to ask some hunters camped not too far if they could help. It was a good idea but nobody was home. At this point we were losing light in a hurry. We decided not to go longways around and just go in where we were.

For the 600 yards or so it didn’t take them long to go down the gully, back up the other side to get him and put the tag on him. By the time he was in the back of my pickup we maybe had an hour of sunlight. Sam found a perfect spot to take pictures. The buck turned out to be a 4 x 3 counting the eye guards. These pictures are awesome with the backdrop. Sam then mentioned we should bring the deer to Buffalo Gap to get him quartered. He said they have a set up just like a regular locker with walk-in cooler, rails on the ceiling and pressure washer to clean everything up. Good thing Sam knows everybody. Evidently he has helped Ole while Ole has been hunting a time or two.

We followed Sam to Buffalo Gap. When we got there, it was dark. We backed up to the door and by the time I got out of the pickup and inside they already had the buck hanging and started to skin him. When I say they I mean a character named Itchy Twitchy. This guy is neat. He helps at the Gap. If you have met him, you know what I mean. Hard to explain. I asked Shelie if she would go to the bar to get a couple six packs of refreshments. In the meantime, Brad went back to Medora to pick up Mom. It’s only like 5 miles away. The beers were flowing and we kept the butchers lubricated after Shelie got back. Itchy Twitchy said we could keep the deer there overnight and pick him up in the whenever we can. That was nice and handy. I hope to meet Itchy Twitchy again. He’s got good stories and I’m sure they’re all true…

Then we went to the Little Mo for supper and to celebrate. Of course, the place was packed but we found a spot I could get to. Lasko greeted us with our beverage of choice which he remembered from the days before and the year before, crazy. Sam joined and we had a couple rounds with supper while reminiscing the day’s events. Pretty soon it was just Sam and I at the table because the others went to gamble. Then a couple of cowboys with their girlfriends asked if they could sit down with us. We told them go ahead. They were all in town for the North Dakota Rodeo Association year-end banquet. Parker turned out to be the saddle bronc champion of 2023. He was with his lovely girlfriend Brianna. The other couple was bareback rider Tanner Jarrett and his lovely girlfriend Sierra. They are all good people.

Sunday was a free day to do whatever we wanted. Our number one thing on our list was to go down and visit the Brown family. Mom even came with this time. She only freaked out a couple times with the roads. It is about an hour from Medora to the Brown Ranch. We stopped at Beach for lunch around 12:30 PM at the Buzzy Café. Classic small-town restaurant. I suggest ordering the hot burger on bread with mashed taters and brown gravy. It didn’t suck.

After I tilted, we grabbed some libations from the local watering hole and made our way south. After going through Golva which is 14 miles south of Beach, the views get better and better. It gets more rugged and rugged the farther south you go. The definition of wide-open spaces. Once you get onto the ranch everywhere you look is spectacular. When you get down to the homestead everywhere you look is a postcard. 

When we got down to Nick & Maria’s it didn’t take long for the whole family to be outside, Nick, Maria and their kids Mason, Aubree, Miles and Ava. Grandma Nikki also walked the half mile to visit. She is a sweetheart. (I can still picture the cookie story scenario with Grandpa John. I am smiling at the inside story.) Soon we were gathered around in the yard sitting, visiting and commenting how nice the weather was while enjoying each other’s company. It was close to 55° every day that weekend. We were only able to stay a couple hours because we wanted to be able to see some new territory on the way back to Medora. Before we left, I was able to give Mason a ride on the back of chair just like the year before. Good times. Next time I give Mason a ride he wants to bring a rifle along in case we see a coyote. Ha. They invited us to come back again. I really hope to get down this summer to spend some more time enjoying the Brown family. A truly genuine, nice family.

We left the ranch with about a half-hour of daylight left. Brad had a plan to go home on the Pipeline Road which leads to the West River Road back to Medora. Glad he had this idea. We saw hundreds of deers. When it got dark, the deers really came out. I’ll need to go down this road again in daylight to see what all we missed. It is a very winding and up-and-down road. Coming over one hill Brad came to a complete stop because there was a black bull standing in the middle of the road. He didn’t want to move so we had to drive around him. This is open range area, FYI. Cattle guards everywhere.

We managed to make it back to the motel a little after 6 PM. I laid down in bed immediately. The others of course went to the Little Mo for supper. I ordered takeout. When they got back, I ate and they went to the hot tub for the evening. While soaking Brad listened to three guys in the hot tub talk about their day of hunting and what they did for a living. Finally, they asked him he did for a living and Brad with his quick wit said, “I am a game warden. I like to go undercover every once in a while.” I guess the other guy’s faces were in shock because of what they just told him. Ha ha. I wish I would’ve been there.

Monday morning it was time to go. Before I got in the chair, Brad & Shelie were already packed. They said they would go to Buffalo Gap and pick up my deer meat while mom got us packed. It didn’t take long get it and come back. Evidently Itchy Twitchy was there to help them. Geesh he is neat. When they got back to the motel, they helped us get everything loaded into my pickup.

On the way home the wind was actually pushing us, shocking. We didn’t need to stop for gas but I did stop to tilt in New Salem and Tappen. The Tappen Roadhouse Bar & Grill is a good place to stop. They have good food and homemade soups. I had a huge bowl of beef veggie soup that made me happy in my facial region and in my belly.

We got home around 5:30 PM on Monday the 20th. It didn’t take long to get everything unpacked and in the house. Then we got the coffin cooler in the shop and got the meat in a freezer. We will trim out the quarters soon. Can’t wait to eat the tenderloins, back straps and heart.

When I got in my room, I got in bed, gosh it felt good. This was going to be where I stayed until Thanksgiving three days away. My backside needed a couple days rest after averaging 10 hours a day in the chair during the trip. Good news, no problems with skin breakdowns. The couple days in bed will also get rid of muscle soreness built up from bouncing around and just being up in the chair so much. You might think it would suck laying down for days, but going on trips like this make it not suck.

Another trip of a lifetime thanks to Mom, Brad & Shelie, Sam, and the landowners Nick & Maria, John & Nikki. Without you all, none of this could have happened. Thank you. You all don’t suck…

Sorry if this got a little long-winded but I love the details. Great memories.

Thanks for reading, Clint.