Deer hunting stories: Hunter finds success compensating for eye injury

November 30, 2016 at 3:54AM
George Groff of Rosemount with the buck he shot on private land in Fillmore County with his 20 gauge shotgun on the opening day of the Minnesota firearms deer season
George Groff of Rosemount with the buck he shot on private land in Fillmore County with his 20 gauge shotgun on the opening day of the Minnesota firearms deer season (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

George Groff of Rosemount was about to give up hunting because of a detached retina in his left eye, the one he relies on as a lefthanded shooter. Encouraged by family to stick with it, he modified a 20-gauge shotgun with a scope high enough for him to lean over and aim with his good eye. His new setup was tested about 8:30 a.m. on opening day of the Minnesota firearms season. That's when a doe walked by Groff's stand on private land in Fillmore County. Five minutes later, a grunting, mature buck emerged from cedar trees in pursuit of the doe. One shot to the deer's shoulder was all it took for Groff to harvest the biggest buck of his life.

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