2022 Mule Deer Hunt.

Sam, Shay, Cole, Brad, Shelie, me and Brady.

I have a lot of stuff and things on my bucket list. To shoot a mule deer buck is at the top of that list. Of course, to hunt mule deer you have to go to where they are and this is the main reason I wanted to hunt them. To get out in the Badlands of North Dakota. There is just something magical about the place.

The quest to wrap my tag around a muley buck antler started a couple years ago. My friend Matthew who has spent a lot of time in the Badlands around Grassy Butte told me to put in for that unit, 4C. He said once I draw the tag he will take care of everything else. Wouldn’t you know that I was lucky enough and I drew the coveted tag. I wrote about that adventure here. If you haven’t read it, please click on, “4C hunt.”

Those days hunting and exploring around Grassy Butte got me hooked. I seriously didn’t care that I didn’t fill that tag. Seeing those elk and seeing the sights absolutely blew my mind. I couldn’t wait to get back again. After that hunt a guy name Sam who I only knew through a group on Snapchat, offered to help me chase mule deer in unit 4D if I could draw that tag. And wouldn’t you know it, I drew that tag in 2021. I got to know Sam more and more with our conversations over phone and texts. We had everything lined up, places to hunt and I had my motel room booked. But there was one problem, I got sick. And not just a little bit. I ended up with pneumonia and spent six glorious days in Scamford Hospital & Suites. Good times. You can read all about the blog entry here. If you haven’t read it click on, “Pneumonia sucks.”

I was pretty disappointed missing a chance at that hunt. I thought the opportunity was going to be gone. But Sam told me to apply again and we will just do it next year. I told him, “I am coming hell or high water. I don’t care if I’m on my deathbed!” But I first had to draw the 4D tag. And wouldn’t you know it, I drew it again. So we started making plans for the 2022 rifle season. Sam works in the oil fields and works seven on seven off, Wednesday through Wednesday. So it would work for me to hunt the opening weekend. Sam also drew a buck tag in the same unit but he didn’t care. He said, “I can hunt after you kill.”

Now I had to convince my mom about the stuff and things that were going to happen. She was hesitant but she would do it. I didn’t know at the time but my brother-in-law Brad and sister Shelie offered to go along and help. I am a full-time job. We all decided that we would take off for Medora November 3 the night before the season opens and head back on November 8. That would give me three days to hunt and two days to travel. 

After we got everything packed up and there was a lot of packing, we headed west. It should be around 4 ½ hours to get to Medora from the farm but I am supposed to tilt back 10 minutes every hour. So that adds time. We stopped at a rest area west of Jamestown, rest area east of Bismarck and at my favorite convenience store in the state in Richardton. Of course, the wind was in our face on the drive. Doesn’t it always work that way?

I believe we got to Medora around 3:30 PM local time. We got checked into the AmericInn early and we decided to head south on the West River Road. My eyes were wide with the views. The beauty of the landscape is just unmatched in my eyes. Pictures do not do it justice. We drove and maybe put on 30 or 40 miles. We saw quite a few mule deer here and there. Mostly on the river bottom. To say I was excited would be an understatement.

I got a hold of Sam who lives in Dickinson and told him to meet us at the Little Missouri Saloon for some supper and cocktails while we made a plan for the next day. This was actually the first time I had met Sam face-to-face. He is a character and he fit right in. His mustache is phenomenal. I am envious. That night we also ran into a couple guys from Enderlin, Kyle and David. It’s a small world. We took it pretty easy the first night because of the long drive. So we got a plan together and headed back to the motel. I went straight to bed while the others went to the hot tub. Sidebar: If you ever go to the Little Mo, say hi to Lasko the bartender. Best bartender in the state.

Sam and I. Blood brothers.

Rifle season opens at 11 AM local time in Medora. Sam had a plan for us to go down to the Brown Ranch. It was a little over an hour away from Medora on the south end of the unit. Was a little hesitant to go that far but once I got there I was in heaven. We met the awesome landowner Nick at his house, plus we met his beautiful wife Maria and his adorable mother Nikki that first day. Their place is right along the Little Missouri. Everywhere you look is a postcard. It is something to see. As I was tilted back waiting to go on the hunt Nikki told us that Teddy Roosevelt camped not more than 100 yards from the house while he was on a hunting trip through the area. That just gives you goosebumps. Nick and his family are awesome. They made us feel like we were part of the family. After I got done tilting to rest my backside we headed out after I showed them how my rifle mount and elongated trigger works. They were impressed, I think. I brought along my Tikka 270 rifle. Then Sam jumped in Nick’s pickup and we followed them.

We put on a ton of miles that day. We were going up and down and bouncing all around the buttes and valleys on their place. It is something that I will never forget. I just can’t get over the scenery. We took a lot of pictures. It’s hard to absorb it all. We saw some deer that first day but Nick was disappointed that we didn’t see more. We did find quite a few does and one buck that I could have tried to get on. But Nick told me he wanted me to get something bigger. He is neat. That first day we explored most of the north side of the ranch. I really didn’t care about seeing deer. I was in my element driving through that land of history. Nick invited us back the next day to search some more of the territory. He promised me the next day that I would be able to notch off another item off my bucket list. That is to ford the Little Mo with my pickup. So we headed back to the motel and I went straight to bed. The others went to the saloon and had supper. I believe my mom won $600 that night on the machines also. Then they came back with some food for me and they hit the hot tub.

Gate bitch.

The next day which was Saturday we headed back down to the Brown Ranch. This day it was windy. I mean like 30 mph with higher gusts. We got down to the farmstead and there were some other hunters there plus Nick’s mom Nikki and dad John. Plus Mason, one of Nick and Maria’s four children. This kid is entertaining. More stories to come. They were gathered around on the porch trying to get out of the wind enjoying a Busch Latte. I tilted and we got to know the other hunters. They are lifelong friends of the Brown’s. I told Nick that I didn’t want to pull him away from his visitors but he said it was no big deal and we headed out. This time Nick got in Sam’s pickup and we followed them around.

We headed through the corrals and to the south end of the property. It wasn’t too long and we were staring at the Little Missouri. They went first and we followed shortly after. I didn’t think it was going to be as deep as that was seeing there has been so little rain. But it was up to the floorboards or little higher. It was a blast going through until we got to the other bank. It was steep. And there were deep ruts. We tried going up but we slid off the high points and stopped. So we backed up down into the river and this time we gave it the onion. I didn’t look over at the tach but she had to have been close to pegged. The GMC sounded great. Nick and Sam were on the top of the bank and as soon as we give it the onion Nick put his thumb up and smiled. They got back in Sam’s pickup and we explored some more. I don’t know how those guys see the deer they see. They would stop and glass and point out deer. Most of them I have to say I didn’t see. I don’t know how they could see them while driving. They just must have the eyes for that kind of territory. It’s like a needle in a haystack. Soon enough we were at another crossing. This time fording the river wasn’t as sketchy but just as much fun. There were deer here and there up high on the sidehills and one buck I would have tried to get on but he ran like a raped ape for some reason into the other unit.

Soon enough it was getting dark and we started heading back to the house. This meant fording the river two more times. I was in heaven. Going this direction the riverbanks were not so bad climbing out of. I was just glad my mom did not come along this day, she would have been crying and walking back to the motel. She is not a fan of going over old bridges or any type of water. I am the exact opposite. To watch the crossings of the river click here.

L-R: Nick, Mason, Sam, me, Shelie, Brad.

When we got back to Nick’s place he opened the garage door and we went inside. He threw a 30 pack of Busch Light on the floor, we had some libations and talked about the days hunt. He invited us back the next day but I told him I couldn’t do it one more time. I really truly enjoyed going around their property but I was jostled around quite a bit. My muscles were tenderized and I knew I would be sore. I could see he was disappointed but he understood. We stayed there for a couple hours. It was fun. He showed us his mounts of the animals he has been able to take. Pretty sure Jim Shockey would be envious. The stories he told us were awesome. I could’ve sat there all night. I think the highlight of the evening was getting to know their son Mason. He is a card. He asked me questions straight out about everything. I actually told him the truth. He offered to make me a cocktail. He started pouring the Morgan into my mug and my eyes got huge. I think he was trying to kill me. I am laughing as I am typing. I can see the whole thing playing in my mind. To say it was stiff would be an understatement. He also kept straightening my feet. So when he wasn’t looking I would move them in different directions by running into something. When he would come back he would stare at me and straighten my feet again. He was so disgusted with me. He also showed me his switchblade skills. It was entertaining. We also got to meet their other kids Miles and Ava. They are all awesome. But soon enough we had to head back. I so hope to run into that family again. If you guys are reading this let me know if you ever head this direction, I would love to meet up.

Austin, me, DB.

Like I said it is a little over an hour back to Medora. On the ride home I was contacted by Stephen a friend who lives in Beach. He said him and his dad Andy would who was visiting would meet us at the Little Mo. Was also contacted by Kristy and Tyler who also wanted to meet up, they live in the area. But they were not able to make it. Stephen and Andy did though. It’s always is good to see them. Too bad there was a band at the bar and it was too loud to really have conversation. While we were there Austin and DB came strolling in. These are also two guys who are in that same Snapchat group as Sam and I are. I had never met these guys face-to-face either but it didn’t matter. It was a blast and there were plenty of libations to go around.

I was glad to wake up that next day which was Sunday. Sam had a plan to hunt closer to town. He said him and his buddy Brady had some land I could get on that there should be deer. I was still in bed at the motel when Sam got a hold of me. He said he had a buck bedded down and it was just off the road. I could hear the wind howling in my room and I knew it was going to be a sketchy day shooting anything. We got packed up again and Brad, Shelie and I headed out west of town. It wasn’t long and we ran into Sam. We made a plan of driving past the buck, then I would get out of the pickup and get the rifle mount and rifle strapped on my wheelchair. This time we would use his 300 Norma Mag with 230 grain Berger bullets. Sam said we should use this because the heavier bullet would cut the wind a lot more than the 150 grain bullets I was shooting. When I had everything ready Sam and I would go alongside the pickup as it was headed the other direction so the deer could not see us. They are more afraid of people walking than vehicles. It was brutally cold, around 25° and winds were at 40 mph. I was shivering uncontrollably.

When we got to a good angle that I could get on the buck, we snuck around the backend of the pickup. The buck was bedded on a hillside amongst trees. It took a while for me to see him but when I did I could see the two antlers pointed straight up. He was cool looking. He was also in velvet which is weird this time of year. He looked like the devil. Looking through the glass on his Vortex Razor Gen 2 scope was a treat. I could see the cold air coming out of the buck’s nostrils. He was a little over 200 yards. We were all set up and I told Sam I was on him. He reached forward and took off my safety. Right afterwards the gun went off. Sam didn’t have time to cover his ears. For some reason by elongated trigger set off the rifle trigger when the safety clicked off. Sketchy. But we got the whole shot on video. I was inches away from bagging that buck. The buck and a couple others ran around but had no clue what happened. They were actually going to bed back down but we made the decision to pack up and figure out what went wrong. 

When Sam was taking off my rifle mount my controller on my wheelchair got stuck under my tray. This put me into a flat spin like on Top Gun. I spun around once and Sam asked, “Are you doing that on purpose?” I responded, “Hell no!” I spun around quickly two more times uncontrollably and Sam was able to grab the handles on the back of my wheelchair and he held me in place, thankfully. Shelie saw what happened, jumped out of the pickup and lifted the tray off of my controller. I thought for sure I was going to spin and end up tipped down the ditch. I would’ve been flopping around like a crappie on the ice. What a scene. I wish that was on video. Or maybe I don’t…

By this time, I was freezing. Brad and Sam helped get everything loaded into the pickup and we followed Sam to Sentinel Butte. There we were going to meet his friends Brady and Cole. We met at the gas station which is also the local coffee gathering spot. That place as quite the story. It was even featured on Oprah. The owner opened the back door so I could get in and I tilted back. Shelie got some tea and the owner heated up for me. I was so cold, my left arm wasn't working well. She had to work my controller for me to work my tilt. After I was done tilting, I started sipping on the hot tea. I don’t even like tea but that didn’t matter at the time. It helped me warm up. The owner also brought out a platter of baked goods including caramel rolls and pumpkin bars. It did not suck. While we were there, we figured out that when we put the elongated trigger on the trigger guard of Sam’s rifle it must’ve been too close to the trigger. That is what made the gun go off prematurely. But it worked great earlier when we tested it. Brady said we could use his 300 Win Mag that shoots 215 grain Hybrid Berger bullets. His rifle is topped with a Vortex Viper Gen 2. Very easy on the eyes. The elongated trigger worked perfectly on his rifle.

Brady said they had some family land that I could hunt on. Brady shot a 200-inch mule deer on this stuff with his bow. Crazy. It was number three or four in the state record books when it was shot. Brady and Sam hopped in his vehicle and we would follow them from the gas station. I later learned that I am the only person other than family who has hunted this piece of property. I truly am the lucky boy in the wheelchair. We headed from Sentinel Butte. We pulled into an old abandoned farmstead and we made a plan. Brad, Shelie and I would stay at the farmstead in the warm vehicle while they did some scouting. It wasn’t long and I got the call from Sam that they found a good buck bedded down.

It took us a bit to get to the spot. But it wasn’t nearly as rough as the stuff I had been through the last couple days. Brady was concerned about the roughness and Sam said with a laugh, “He’s been through a lot worse.” When we got to the top of the hill there was a field of harvested peas. The wind was pretty much directly in my face. Perfect to get on the buck. It was perfect but blowing 40 mph with higher gusts. I got out in that wind and I knew it was going to be a hard shot. Brad, Brady, Sam and myself made the sneak up to the edge of the hillside and got prepared for the shot. The deer was bedded 290 yards away from my position. My tray was vibrating and my chair was blowing around like a kite. Brady grabbed one side of my chair trying to hold it still and Sam on the other. My eyes were watering and I was shivering. I was miserable at that moment. It took me a while to get on him with that wind. And then once I was on him the wind would bounce the scope around terribly. But I finally felt like I was on him so I took a shot and it went right over its back. The buck had no clue where the shot came from. He got up and ran maybe a hundred yards and bedded back down. I was ready to give up but they said he ain't going anywhere. So, I got back in the pickup for half hour to warm up. Then I got back out and we reattached the gun mount and Brady’s rifle. We then made the second sneak. We got up to the hillside and he was bedded 130 yards away. It worked perfectly. For some reason it was just as windy but at that spot the wind wasn't affecting me as much. I moved my chair to get in line, adjusted my elevation by tilting a little, looked in the scope and he was right there. The crosshairs were right on him! Sam grabbed one side of chair and Brady on the other. I said, “I'm on him.” Sam dialed the scope in a little and I said, “That’s good, I'm taking the shot.” I pulled the trigger and didn’t even feel the trigger or the recoil. It felt good. The next thing I knew Sam, Brady and my brother-in-law Brad were screaming like school girls. “He got him! He got him!” I got a little choked up. It was quite the moment. We congratulated each other and I thanked them all. 

Me, Shelie, Brad.

Brady, me, Sam.

They then helped me get everything back into the pickup. Then Brady and Sam went down to the buck and tagged it. They told me to head back to the abandoned farmstead where Brady’s brother Cole was with their cousin Shay. I later learned that these two videoed the whole thing a thousand yards away at the farmstead. You can see the video here.

After the shot, Cole and Shay drove up to help load the buck. It’s a good thing they did because Brady’s fuel pump went out on his pickup. What are the odds? So they threw the buck in the back of Cole’s pickup and made their way down to the farmstead. We then all got out and went over the events that just took place. It was a great time. It was now time for pictures. We found a good spot next to an old building and took turns capturing the moment. They then gutted it and told us to follow them to the Grandpa’s farm so we could quarter it out.

Didn’t take long and we are at their Grandpa’s place. He was very inviting and a great guy. He was pumped for me. He let us use his garage to hang the deer and it didn’t take Sam and the others long to skin and quarter Mr. Big. We all enjoyed some celebratory beers watching Sam work. I was also tilting during this time. I was so cold I couldn’t my left arm, so Shelie had to run my wheelchair controller. But one of the guys got a propane turkey fryer going right next to me. The flames got me warm. They threw the tenderloins and back straps in one game bag and the quarters were in a couple other game bags. Then they threw everything in my Uncle Joe’s big cooler that was in my pickup box. They didn’t even know me an hour earlier and they rolled out the red carpet for me. Forever indebted.

Before butchering we couldn’t see where the bullet entered. But when we looked at the heart we knew where the bullet hit. The top half of the heart was completely gone. The bullet entered his right side went through the heart and Sam found the bullet on the other side in between the ribs and the skin. That bullet and the casing will be with me forever. Forgot to say that we caped the buck also. I texted my taxidermist Shad Stoddard and he said get it here as quick as you can. I will have to find room on my wall for another shoulder mount. That’s a good problem.

I can’t believe how everything worked out so well. I was ready to give up a couple times. Because I was happy with just being out there. Glad the fellas urged me on. Could not have done any of it without the help of my new friends, old friends and family.

After we got the buck in the cooler the boys got the garage cleaned up and looking just like it was when we got there. I thanked Grandpa for helping and he said any time. I thanked Cole and Shay. They were smiling the whole time. Grandpa told us the shortcut to get back to Medora so Brad, Shelie and I headed back to town to raise a little hell at the Little Mo. Brady hopped in with Sam because he now had no vehicle and needed a ride to Dickinson. We told them to stop at the bar to have some supper and cocktails. Which they did. We all had a great meal and a great time reminiscing the day’s events. We weren’t there very long, I think we were back at the motel by 9 PM. Sam and Brady left earlier. When we got to the motel I went straight to bed. The others went to the hot tub. I didn’t sleep very well that night, I think it was because I was little excited.

The next morning which was Monday, November 7 there was snow on the ground. I looked at the forecast for the day and it said strong southeast winds with snow showers. So we would be bucking a headwind heading east also. Just lovely for a long road trip home. Checkout was at 11 AM and we had everything packed and ready to go a little after that. The roads weren’t too bad until we got to about New Salem. But then they got really sketchy when we got to Mandan. The passing lane was pretty much not usable. The temperature was just right and the highways were warm enough that things were starting to ice up. When we were going down the hill towards the river, we were driving 5 mph. There was an accident somewhere up ahead. We were almost stopped on the bridge going over the Missouri River. It was slow driving all the way through Bismarck also. 

Only stopped twice to tilt on the way back. Once in Richardton and once in Steele. I just wanted to get home and lay down. The weather added an extra hour and ½ to the trip. I think I was home and back in bed a little before 6 PM.

While mom was helping me get in bed Brad, Shelie and my dad helped unload everything. They also made a plan to bring the cooler of meat to the locker that night. My dad works at Maple Valley Meats in Enderlin. That is quite handy. They also brought the buck’s cape to the locker. The next day my friend Don B brought the cape to the taxidermist. It takes a team. I am a lot of work. Ha.

Shelie and Mom/Deb.

I knew this hunt was going to take a toll on my body. But I didn’t care. I figured I had all winter to rest up if I needed. And I probably will need it to recover. Check that, I will let my body recover after I fill my bow tag. Priorities.

Nick and Brad.

I still can’t believe how everything came together. The whole thing was just perfect. There wouldn’t be anything I would change. Everyone that I met was so awesome. They didn’t even know me and they were willing to help in any way. I am forever indebted to everyone that was involved. There is no way to say how thankful I am to everyone. It’s not about the kill, it’s about the memories made. And I sure made a lot of memories during this hunt.

Thanks for reading, Clint.

Another sidebar: Grandma Nikki sent me a message and told me that she enjoyed having us down and really loved the conversations we had. I told her if I ever make it back down to be warned because I might never leave. She told me, “The house next door is empty!” That just goes to show what kind of people they are. Just another reason why I love hunting and meeting new people. Lifelong friends are made. I will cherish my time I spent with everyone I met during this hunt.

Sam with his bow buck. Shot 11/8.

NDSU stuff and things.

I have been meaning to get together with people from my past. People who helped me through life. People who made a difference. People who were just there to be them, sometimes that is all that is needed is a little bit of normalcy. I met a lot of these people during my time at NDSU. Some during class, some around campus and some I met around Fargo doing stuff and things.

The memories from college are awesome. It was scary at first being as shy as I was and coming from a small town with the class of 36. But that goes away in a hurry when you can’t be shy anymore unless you want to not succeed. I really had no clue what I was going to college for but all I knew was it was going to be entertaining and I was going to meet a lot of awesome people.

I was thinking about going into Ag Econ but after I talked to an instructor about the coursework, I knew the science and math were not going to be my huckleberry. By this time I already had all of my classes scheduled for my first semester in the fall of 97. A couple of those generals included a speech communication class and mass communication class. Now being shy I did not think I would like these classes but my instructor in my speech 101 class got me out of my shell. Laurie was awesome. It didn’t take long and I was comfortable in front of strangers. My other communication class was intro to mass comm. At least I think that’s what it was called. One of the first days in this class the instructor put us in groups. We had to do research on some topic and then give a presentation. A couple of the people said they would do the research if someone would do the presentation. I gladly said I will give a two minute speech instead of doing hours of research. Seemed like a good trade-off for me.

That is pretty much how I got through college. Group projects. I was always the one who gave the presentation in front of the class. Still can’t believe I graduated. Doing group projects in just about every class you get to meet a lot of people. People from all walks of life. By the second and third years of college you get to know these people. Some of these people I haven’t seen since college. That is actually why I am writing this blog. I reconnected with one of my friends from college a couple weeks ago at Brewtus Brickhouse in West Fargo. It seemed to me that it was just like yesterday we were in class, but now we were reminiscing about the past 20 years and what we had been doing with our lives. It was great to see and visit with Erin, someone I hadn’t seen since probably December 2002.

At the end of that get-together, we agreed to get together again in the near future. Maybe next time with some more fellow classmates from the greatest university in North Dakota (NDSU).

This is Pastor Leo, Trey Dempsey's dad. He is neat.

After that meeting I had a chance to go to my first Bison football tailgating. Can’t believe I have never gone. I watch or listen to every game and it is crazy to me that I never went. I have gone to games but not tailgating. I always seem to be busy on those Bison home game Saturdays. But I was able to make it September 3 for the game against Drake. I still can’t believe how many people were in the parking lot. Everybody of course had green and yellow on, except for the few Drake fans. It is crazy how friendly everybody is. Everybody is smiling and having a good time. I’m pretty sure you could walk into any lot and ask for a libation or bite of food and they would gladly give it to.

I met a couple friends right away at their lot. Then I decided to tootle around to see what I could see. I ran into a handful of people that I hadn’t seen in years. And of course some randoms that wanted to get to know me. And some strangers who said they knew me or seen me somewhere. I ran into one of the kids I used to coach in Babe Ruth baseball who I hadn’t seen since probably 2006. Micah came up to me and we found a spot to sit and we talked probably half hour. Good times reminiscing about stuff and things we did during those summers. We both agreed those summers were the best, just like the movie, “Sandlot.”

I ran into some other friends from high school I hadn’t seen in years. They had kids with them that were anywhere from eight years old up to 17. Crazy.

I checked my schedule for the rest of the fall to see if I could make another Bison tailgating. And wouldn’t you know it I am busy every single home game. I guess there’s always next year. I can’t wait.

It was great getting together and seeing people who I hadn’t seen in years. The memories that came back and all of the good times we had came back to the front of the brain. I still am thinking about a lot of those great memories. So I am making a pact to myself to get together with friends from the past and to not just talk about doing it. If you are reading this and want to reminisce about the glory years, hit me up. I am always up for a night of libations and socializing.

By the way I graduated from NDSU in December 2002 with a degree in Mass Communication with a minor in Speech Communication. 

Sidebar: The best part about communication classes is the group projects. The best part about the group projects is the ratio of women to men in communication classes 7-3. I like those odds.

Thanks for reading, Clint.

Thanks Mom for stuff and things.

Sure makes me realize how much I appreciate what my Mom does for me on a daily basis when she is gone for a couple days. She deserves a lot more than just a couple days off and she deserves it a lot more often. But it makes me realize how much I take for granted on what she does for me every day, every week, every month and every year. Blows my mind how she has directed her whole life for helping me get through my life. If I come up with some crazy trip to go somewhere to visit someone over the weekend, she never bats an eye. She might give me a look but eventually she agrees and we are on our way somewhere.

I have a couple examples already from this summer. In June my sister Shelie invited me to stay a couple days with them at Woodland Resort at Devils Lake. Of course I jumped on the idea and said yes. I mentioned it to Mom and she was all for it. But she did ask if they had a hot tub, which they don’t but she said yes anyway.

I had a blast as usual. Doing it up Clint style every night at Proz. I met a lot of awesome people and I also got to catch a fish on the Channel A handicapped fishing pier. Thanks Shelie and Brad for an awesome four days and three crazy nights.

Mom had a good time also. She didn’t have to cook and she enjoyed watching the boats come in and out from the patio. But even on vacation it is a job for her to help me do stuff and things. Like getting me dressed, in the chair when getting ready for the day and out of the chair at the end of the night and undressed. Plus a lot of other things that only people like us would know need to be done. It is work. I am a lot of work.

Even when I had the brilliant idea of going home the long way and stopping in New Rockford for the high-stakes shake of the day. Too bad we got there an hour early because the Buck-It’s Bar wasn’t open. But I tilted back for 10 minutes and we were on to our next adventure.

The next adventure was stopping at a friend’s place southeast of Carrington. I had wanted to go there for years and never did it. But this time when I mentioned it to Mom she said, “I love Enslow!” That is my buddy’s nickname. His place isn’t on the way home by any means but it isn’t that far off the long way home either. Enslow welcomed us and gave us a little tour of his place. We even got to meet all of his Redbone coonhounds. They are neat. Another friend was there also who I hadn’t seen in years, Blackbeard and his dad were there. We all have nicknames. We all bullshitted for an hour or so in the garage, I also tilted back. It was a quick visit but well worth the trip, soon we were on the road home. Next time I visit it will be longer I promise Enslow.

Last week I had another brilliant idea for another adventure. This time it was heading east into Minnesota lake’s country. I had a handful of objectives on this trip. I was able to accomplish most of them. I mentioned a couple of those objectives to Mom. Again, she agreed and I made motel reservations. Much to her chagrin, I got the motel without the hot tub. An honest mistake, sincerely.

It was a Thursday and we headed to visit my cousins Steve and Roxy. We got to their place on East Silent and Steve had fried up a bunch of crappie for lunch. We weren’t expecting that but it sure at the spot. We hadn’t been to their place for at least five years. We visited for a couple hours before they had to go to one of their grandkid’s baseball games. It was a great afternoon. They even sent the leftover fish with us. Thanks again. The fish was a tasty snack at the motel.

Steve also suggested a bar/restaurant in Perham that we should check out. So once we got to the motel in Perham we got unpacked and we made our way over to the liquor store for essentials and then the grocery store for snacks and stuff. After that we went to check out the Silvermoon Lounge & Restaurant that Steve suggested. It is kind of hard to find but once you find it, it is pretty neat. It doesn’t look like much from the outside and actually not much on inside but they do have good drinks and great food. We only had one cocktail each before I needed to go back to the motel and laydown.

The next day we decided to go back to the Silvermoon for supper. The waitress remembered us from the night before and as soon as I got my first cocktail, I noticed a celebrity on the other side of the room. It was Babe Winkelman and his wife Kris. I was as giddy as a jackrabbit on a first date. I could barely contain myself. I didn’t know what to do. Mom was laughing at me while we were eating our supper. Babe and Kris were with another couple and they were still eating. I didn’t want to bother them during their meal so I had one more cocktail to gather up enough liquid courage to go over there when they were finished. I am sure glad I went over there. They could not have been more gracious and friendly. It was awesome. We talked for better part of an hour about life, fishing and hunting. I hope to run into that again sometime.

The main objective for this trip was to surprise my friend Jen at her birthday party. I don’t think we had seen each other in maybe eight years. We used to have some good times when I lived in Fargo. Borrowed Bucks, The Hub, The Windbreak and the best of all, O’Kelly’s (when Clevy ran it) were our stopping grounds. Anyway, she had no idea I was coming. It was only 12 miles from Perham to Jen and her husband Bob’s lake home on Little McDonald. It didn’t take long for us to get there. As soon as I was going down the driveway towards the beach where the party was, Bob spotted me and started yelling, “Jen is going to freak!” He was running towards me to help me down the hill and gave me a big smile and thanked me for coming. By the time I was halfway down the hill Jen spotted me. She screamed. I can’t remember what it was she said but it was awesome. She came running over and gave me a big hug and kept screaming. It was perfect. She couldn’t believe I was there and I was so happy that I could make her that happy. We reminisced for little while before she had to go visit with some other friends and family. It was a great night on the beach listening to a band and watching the sunset.

Around midnight I got a text from Mom saying, “You ready!” That means I need to get going quickly. She puts up with a lot. Anyway, I found Jen and Bob and we made our way up the hill to my pickup which they wanted to see. I got a couple handshakes and a couple hugs and they watched my pickup work its magic. It was a great night all around.

The next day there was another objective that I wanted to happen at Mike and Randi’s lake place on Sybil Lake. I wanted to go for pontoon ride. But it was hot. It was hot for me in the shade. I was starting to overheat so Mike and I went for a ride in the pickup to cool off. By the time I got back I knew the pontoon ride wasn’t going to happen. So Mom and I went back to the motel. I laid down and cooled off watching TV while Mom went to a local brewery called 1894. She had a blast listening to a band while having something to eat.

The next day which was Sunday was another objective. That was to visit my friend Pipper on the way home. Him and his wife Deb are on Loon Lake. When we got there the clouds were ominous. After about a half-hour talking outside it was time to head in before the rain started. It was a good time visiting with Pipper and Deb, their son Jesse and his wife Leah with their two daughters plus Steve and Roxy also came over. The visit and the rain lasted about an hour. After I tilted, Mom and I were on our way home. It was a great trip, thanks to Mom.

Another trip that I have planned that I ran by Mom after I planned it is going to Medora in November so I can chase mule deer bucks in unit 4D with my rifle. She agreed after some compromises and stuff. It is going to be a grand time no matter what happens. I just hope I can make it this year and I don’t miss it like last year when I came down with pneumonia the week before the trip. Here’s to no whammy’s! This time I promise there will be a hot tub Mom, it is already booked.

Anyway, none of this would be possible without Mom. I am forever grateful for everything she does for me and everything I put her through. Thanks Mom, I love you.

Thanks for reading, Clint.

Lazy people suck.

 

Maybe it is because I'm getting older or maybe it is just that I have more opinionated opinions about things now. Either way it really annoys me when people say they don't want to do something and you know that it's just because they are lazy. You know what I would pay and other people in my position would do to be able to mow the lawn, do the dishes, fix that tire, clean that room, wash that vehicle, etc... You get my point. But I imagine if I was not in the position my position is in I would probably take things for granted too. But from my view sometimes it is hard to take and it seems to be getting harder to take.

Sidebar: One time Ben and I were going to eat at Paradiso. We had to go through the bar to get to our table. I heard one guy say to the person next to him as we passed, "Look at that lazy POS in the wheelchair!" He said it loud so that I hear. And of course I heard it. I could tell that Ben heard it and I said to Ben, "Let's just keep on walking." Probably a good thing we did not run into him later. I don't think he would have been laughing. We were both hot but we took the high road that day. I don't think I would do that anymore. I would now release the hounds…

Thanks for reading, Clint.

High School Trap League

Spring 2015 was the first season for the North Dakota High School Clay Target League. The league was started in Minnesota in 2008. The Enderlin-Sheldon Wildlife Club collaborated with Enderlin High School and became one of the first four schools in the state to offer this opportunity to their student athletes. Since its inception, the Minnesota High School Clay Target League in 2008 has grown from three teams in three schools and 30 student athletes to close to 40,000 throughout the nation. The 2021 North Dakota Spring League had 67 high school teams participating.

The mission of the league is to provide shooting sports as an extracurricular co-ed activity to high schools for students in grades six through twelve who have earned their firearms safety certification. Shooting sports is one of the safest sports available to student athletes. Students who participate can also participate in other sports at the same time. The league allows teams to shoot any day of the week, which gives flexibility for practices and games in other sports.

Enderlin-Sheldon Wildlife Club volunteers built a clay target field at the shooting range in 2015 and have continued to make improvements throughout the years. All practices and shoots will take place at the Enderlin-Sheldon Wildlife Club's shooting range located north of Enderlin. Scores are tabulated and put on the league's website. The students do not have to travel to other ranges. The state tournament takes place in June at the Shooting Park in Horace, all athletes are welcome to participate. The spring session is a nine week season and starts early April and finishes early June. The spring session consists of two practice weeks, one reserve week, five competition weeks and a fun week. The cost per student is $30. The money goes towards the administration costs associated with league operations. The league also offers a fall session which is shorter in length and does not have a state tournament.

The wildlife club along with private donors purchase shooting vests, shotgun shells and clays for each season. There are also businesses that give discounts on their products that are used for the league. These discounts are used to purchase ammunition, apparel and shotguns. Also, hearing and eye protection are provided by the wildlife club. The wildlife club even provides shotguns to those who do not have.

What is trapshooting? The shooters fire from five positions in an arc shaped formation 16 yards behind a throwing machine in a small enclosure called the trap house. The machine throws the clay disc targets at different angles unknown to the shooter. Shotguns are not loaded and no shell is in the chamber until a squad member's turn to shoot. Each person fires at a clay target. Each target is only fired at only once. After each shooter has fired five shots from a particular position on the arc, all shooters move one station to the right until everyone has fired from all five positions. There are a total of 25 shots per round. Spectators are welcome at all events. Hearing protection will be provided if you do not bring your own.

The League is fully Title IX compliant with both male and female athletes competing on the same team. Additionally, it’s an ‘adaptive’ sport, which allows students with physical disabilities to take part.

The 501(c3) non-profit USA Clay Target League is the largest youth clay target shooting sport program in the nation. The league offers trap, skeet, sporting clays, and 5-stand leagues to secondary and postsecondary schools across the country.

Despite the unprecedented challenges posed by the pandemic, ammunition shortages and supply chain disruptions, the league posted another record year in 2021. Here are some stats.

• ·         League programs expanded to 34 states
• ·         Record 39,255 registered student athletes
• ·         More than 13,000 new athletes in 2021
• ·         7, 800+ coaches & volunteers
• ·         60% of league athletes never participated in shooting prior to joining league
• ·         $4 Million+ conservation dollars raised by League athletes through Pittman-Robertson excise taxes

The League is the safest sport in school, with not one reported injury since the inception of the League in 2001. Each athlete must complete firearm safety certification before participation.

The League’s priorities are safety, fun, and marksmanship – in that order.

The coaches and assistants are all volunteers. They are Head Coach Don Dick, Assistant Coaches Marty Briss, Janna Anderson, Logan Welle, Kathleen Gilbertson, Tyler Marschke, Craig Skramstad, Crystal Worrell, Jeremy Worrell and Clint Lindemann.

For more information go to this link: http://ndclaytarget.com

Thanks for reading, Clint.

2021 Hunting Season.

My bow hunting season started October 22 this year even though opening date was September 3 of 2021. That was the date of my first sit. But as most of you know hunting season goes pretty much year-round. We are either planning our hunts, thinking about our hunts or doing our hunts. As soon as bow season is over I am thinking about the next season. Throughout the summer I am setting up trail cams and checking pictures weekly. I cannot get enough of bow hunting.

I only had three trail cams set up this year. They were all within a mile and a half of each other. I knew there were big deers in the area and I didn't need to go any further. Sometime in July I started getting some nice pictures of bucks and they got me all giggity, again.

Another thing I do to keep myself occupied between hunting seasons is applying for other tags or buying points in North Dakota or other states. When applying for North Dakota rifle tag this year I was about to put in for my home unit 2B. I hunted unit 4C last year with good friends Enslow and Don B, but never pulled the trigger. (For the 4C hunting story click here.) But this year just about when I was going to hit enter to apply for my home unit I got a call from Sam who grew up in Medora and he asked if I had applied for my rifle tag yet. I told him I haven't applied yet but was just about to. He said, "Don't hit send, you should hunt out here in 4D. I think I can get you on some prime land to shoot a big muley!" How could I say no to that?

So I applied for that unit and surprisingly got lucky. After I received notification that I drew the tag I immediately made reservations in a motel in Medora because I knew the town gets pretty packed during rifle season. The dates of the hunt were going to be November 10 through the 14th. This is what worked with Sam's schedule and being the second week of rifle season makes the hunting even better. These dates also worked for Taylor who volunteered to be our pack boy. I couldn't wait to hunt some new territory, especially in the Badlands.

I don't like hunting early bow season because of the mosquitoes and heat. My favorite time to hunt with my crossbow is late October and November. To me it feels more like hunting season when the leaves are changing and the bugs are dead. Mosquitoes suck… Get it?

I hunted a handful of times in October with not much luck. For some reason not much was moving. I would see some skinheads but the only buckaroos I ever saw were pretty small and I knew there were bigger ones in the area. The last week of October I wasn't feeling the greatest but I went hunting a couple times. On November 1st, I made an appointment to get checked out and she told me I had pneumonia. Good times. I got some antibiotics, a steroid shot and a nebulizer to do four times a day. Two days later on November 3 I was riding in an ambulance to the hospital. You can read more about it here, Pneumonia Sucks.

What are the odds? What are the odds that I would get sick and my hunting trip I was looking forward to all year was going to be canceled? I was in the hospital until November 8 and I was supposed to take off for Medora on November 10. I didn't want to but I called Sam and canceled the hunt. That sucked. There was no way I would have the endurance to do a hunt in the condition my condition was in.

Anyway, back to hunting. November 16 was the first day I was back in the blind. I still wasn't feeling the greatest but I would rather feel like crap in the blind than feel like crap in the house. I hunted a handful more times in November with no luck.

When I woke up on December 19 I believe it was 9 ° and I could hear the wind blowing. The wind was out of the south, with that it was going to warm up to around 30°. But it still sounded gross out as I laid in my warm bed. Around noon I decided I was going to go hunting for the 14th time of bow season. Even though I shouldn't hunt this spot with any wind out of the south I was going to press my luck hopefully just one more time. If the deer come from the east or straight north they will bust me in this spot. If the wind is out of the southeast this spot is a no go. But with the wind out of the south or southwest I was hoping they would come from the northwest. That was my only chance.

I got in the chair around 3 PM and started putting on the layers of clothing to keep out the North Dakota suck. Once I was bundled up, dad grabbed my crossbow and attached it to the wheelchair. Then he grabbed the hand crank cocker to pull back the string on the crossbow. With that, mom said, "Good luck," as I went out the door.

A couple weeks before dad cleared a path to my blind with the Bobcat. He didn't have the Bobcat plugged in so after dinner he had to shovel some of the snow that had blown in from the southwest. That was only a couple hours earlier and my path was already getting blown in again. So I had to put my wheelchair in third gear and hit it hard. I made it with a little help from dad pushing on back. Once we got to my pop-up blind camouflaged in Mossy Oak, dad lifted the front of the blind and I backed in. Then I get close to the front of the blind so he can reach in and place the arrow on my crossbow. This is the same process no matter who is helping me get ready which is usually mom, dad or Don B. Then dad reaches in and takes the crossbow off of safety. He then said good luck and was on his way.

As soon as he is walking away I make sure everything is lined up and I also make sure what my shooting zone is, left to right. Once that is done I settle back and let everything else settle down around me.

Pretty soon the birds, rabbits and squirrels are running around like I am not there. This is my me time. My happy place. Anything I do is up to me and only me. I can just enjoy nature or pull the trigger. Or both. Totally up to me.

I believe I watched dad walk away right at 3:30 PM, perfect. That day legal shooting time was until 5:14 PM. Usually the deers in this spot don't show up until at least 45 minutes before dark if they show at all. Most of the time it's the last ten minutes when they make an appearance. As I was looking around the snow covered ground there weren't too many deer tracks. There were a lot of rabbit and bird tracks. Then I remembered my cousin Jason called me the day before and said he saw herd of deer in their wintering grounds not too far from where I was. I wasn't sure if these deers had left or not. I started to think maybe this was going to be a very slow evening.

I really don't mind sitting in the blind and not seen anything. Maybe because I am used to it or maybe it is just because I enjoy being out there, just me and nature. But I have been lucky in this spot even though it is very hit or miss. Mostly a lot of misses, meaning not seeing any big game. But I knew I had slayed four buckaroos in this very same spot. Three of which have been in the last three years.

I knew the time was coming up, that golden time when if something was going to show up they were going to show up. I looked down at my phone to see the time and it said 4:24 PM. Right at that exact same time I heard crunching of snow. I have spent enough time in the woods to know that this could mean many different things. Things like a field mouse or a goofy squirrel can sound like a deer when things are quiet. But as soon as I looked up I knew different. Through the little shelter belt in front of me I could see a deer making its way through the rows of trees. I was kind of taken back because I do not expect it that early. Then I looked up to see an antler and I got excited. Once he made his way into the clearing I recognized the buck from numerous encounters throughout that season. It was the 3 x 0. During the second week in November one side of his rack got busted off. He walked right in. Inside of 10 yards and just stood there. He stared right into the blind and I wondered if he would see me. But he did not. When they are that close even though it is dark in the blind you cannot make any movement or you will get busted. I wondered if he would smell me with the wind pretty much at my back. But he did not. He stood there foraging for ten minutes while I was enjoying the show. It is awesome being that close and knowing they have no clue that you are there.

I was trying to make up in my mind if I was going to take a shot if he gave me a shot. He was aimed right at me so I knew I would have to wait until he was broadside. That may never happen. I also knew that the forecast sucked. The wind the next several days was going to be from the south or southeast which is a no go for this spot. Then it was Christmas Eve and Christmas and after that the negative North Dakota suck was coming in until the end of season which is January 2 this year. I also knew that my freezer was getting low of deer meat. A couple rings of country style ring sausage and a couple logs of summer sausage were about it. Gosh I love meat in tube form. But I digress…

I was thinking about all these things while he was still munching on some golden nuggets. I looked down at my phone and it said 4:42 PM. He had been in front of me for almost 20 minutes just eating but every once in a while he would look back to the north. I thought maybe there was something else coming in but there was no other movement. All of a sudden his backend started to drift a little bit to the south. He was just about broadside when he reached back with his head to lick or itch something on his left side. I knew this was my opportunity, so I lined up the crosshairs of my scope on the Carbon Express Intercept crossbow behind his right shoulder and a little below the middle mass of his body and pulled the trigger. The next thing I knew is his back legs kicked up as I heard a big crack. He took off straight to the east and was out of sight within a second. I started shaking as normal and I looked at my phone and it said 4:45 PM. I listened to hear him crash but in the snow I knew this would be futile. I then looked out of the blind at the snow and saw some blood on the fresh snow. I knew it was a good hit but you never want to be confident. It is impossible to follow the arrow when you are shooting 365 feet per second at a target that is 8 yards away. But I was confident I was aiming in the giggity spot.

I collected myself and dialed home at 4:47 PM. Mom answered and said, "Hello. What's up?" I was holding back tears when I replied, "I shot a buck!" She replied, "A big one!" I responded, "Nope. Not this time. I shot the 3 x 0." I could hear in her voice she was excited and she said, "Awesome. I will be out shortly."

After that I sent a SnapChat video to the BS group I am in that said a lot of expletives with I shot a buck. This group is made of 20 or so guys from North Dakota who enjoy hunting, laughing, joking, drinking and a lot of other stuff and things that shouldn't be said here.

I then began to look for more blood out the windows of the blind. I thought I could see some more towards the direction he ran. I then dialed Don B at 4:54 PM. He answered the phone with, "What the hell do you want?" I giggled because I knew what he meant. He knew I would only call this time of day for him to come help track and gut the deer. I replied, "I shot a buck and I think it's a good hit." "Good job. I will be on my way shortly," he explained. I then asked him, "Is T-rav home? Could you give a jingle?" He said, "He didn't know but he would call him right away." If you have read my other stories T-rav is my other tracker and gut man.

By that time I could hear mom's footsteps through the snow. I had her lift the front of the blind and I drove out. I asked her to look for some blood and she followed the deer's tracks a little bit and saw some spatterings here and there. But there sure wasn't a lot. I was kind of nervous as I said we should just head in and wait for the boys. At this point it had only been about 15 minutes since the shot and you should wait at least a half-hour to start tracking, preferably an hour.

Once inside I had mom take the crossbow off of my tray on my wheelchair so I could tilt back and give my derrière some relief. I was just about to recline when there was a call on my phone from Sam. He is in the BS group. He answered the phone, "Good job killer!" He asked about the shot and we went over it. I told him about the buck. He gave me the confidence that I was going to find the buck dead. About that time I saw headlights coming down the driveway so I got off the phone. I told Sam I would for sure keep him and boys informed on what happens.

I thought it was Don B and T-rav but then I saw the clearance lights and I knew it was dad. He was there to help get me out of the blind when I was done hunting. He had no clue that I had shot anything yet. I told him the story and what was happening. After story time I saw more headlights coming down the driveway. Dad said he was going to plug-in the Bobcat and the guys came in the house. I told them the quick story and the three of us went out to the scene of the crime. The snow had blown in my path on the way back out so I had to give it the onion to get through the North Dakota suck.

When we got to the crime scene, I told them where the buck was standing and which way he was looking when I took the shot. I explained the direction he took off and they started looking for blood. Don B asked if I had found the arrow and I explained that I heard a big crack after I shot him I figured my arrow hit a tree and ricocheted off somewhere in the snow. As like mom found, there was little bit of blood where the arrow went through the buck but not a whole lot. Don B said he would look for the arrow as T-rav shined his flashlight in the snow for more blood. Surprisingly Don B found the arrow laying on the snow not far away from the impact site. It was lathered in blood from tip to knock. It's a good thing to see. My confidence went up a little. He placed the arrow on my tray and they both took off to the east.

This is always a nerve-racking time for me. Thinking to myself, "Are they going to find it? Was it a good shot? Am I going to eat deer heart or deer liver tomorrow?" These are the things I think about when they are tracking. As they were following the track I could hear one of them say, "Here is some blood." "More blood over here," was repeated until I could hear them talking to each other. The next thing I could hear was them dragging something through the snow. Don B yelled, "Next time shoot one with both antlers! It would be a lot easier to drag!" We all laughed as I could see them pulling him into view with Don B pulling on the antler and T-rav pulling on a front leg. They brought him in front of me and I asked how far he went. T-rav responded, "Maybe 50 yards." He then explained, "By the look of the tracks, it looked like he was running and didn't know he was dead. It looked like he piled up into a ball mid jump." T-rav then grabbed the tag off of my tray and started cutting the dates out and applied it to the antler. As we were doing this Don B was pulling out his knife and saw to get the field dressing underway. Don B then said, "Look at this weird coloring of hair on his chest in between his front legs." He then said, "I think his mother was a skunk!" I shook my head and laughed. Good grief. There was white striping in between the legs. It was neat. T-rav also pointed out how the buck broke off his antler directly from the skull. It wasn't snapped or cracked anywhere. Completely gone and there was still some redness around the area. Maybe he shed the other one off and this one is just awnery. Anyway, weird scenario.

I then said I needed to head back of the house to get mom to take some pictures. On the way back to the house I passed my dad in the Bobcat. That is a lot easier than dragging it the 60 yards or so to the shop where the pickups were. By the time I got mom and back to the crime scene, the buck was already gutted and in the bucket of the Bobcat. I explained that we needed to take some pictures and T-rav drug it to the snow pile to take our annual pictures. Mom and dad both snapped pictures.

Then they put it back in the bucket of the Bobcat and we followed my dad back to the shop. We then decided we were going to bring it to MapleValley Meats, the meat locker in town to get the carcass washed out nicely instead of hanging it in the shop overnight. They put it in the back of my dad's pickup as I burned back to the house to tell mom what was up. T-rav helped me in the house so I could tell mom the plan and all I had to say was, "Can I have you…" I couldn't finish my sentence and she replied with, "Yes Clint. I can make you a cocktail!" T-rav and I giggled.

It didn't take long at the locker for them to get it washed out nicely. I thanked the guys and said I would buy them a beer. They said you better call James to see if the Spare Time is open. I gave him a jingle and explained the situation. He said I saw your buck on snap and yep sure come on over but use the back door. I burned over there in my wheelchair and bought the boys a beer. I believe there was only one round and they decided they had better go home because it was a school night. I of course had one more while James cleaned up and got ready to close the bar. As I got outside I realized mom and dad went to the Friendly. So I burned down the middle of Center Street and was cheered on by a couple local idiots as I was in fifth gear making little time of the block distance. My pickup was running and mom was coming out of the bar as soon as I was ready to back in to the lift.

As soon as I got home I had something to eat and was in bed by 9 PM. I watched some of the Sunday night football game and was sleeping by 9:30 PM. It was a good night.

This hunting season was a different one for sure. It wasn't the hardest and it for sure wasn't the easiest. But I know one thing for sure, it was for sure worth it. Even if I hadn't shot a deer this year, it would have been a success. I am always learning something new about hunting and the outdoors every season, along with learning new things about myself.

I want to thank mom and dad for always helping me hunt whenever I want to. Even though I know sometimes it is the last thing they want to do. I want to thank the landowners who always offer up a place for me to hunt every season. I want to thank my good friends who are always there to help whenever I call, Don B and T-rav just to name a couple. I want to thank Leslie at the probe shack for the samples. You all don't suck. I can't wait to do it next year. Bow season starts in 254 days…

I am very lucky. I truly am the lucky boy in the wheelchair…

Thanks for reading, Clint.