50 years ago this October Charlie Ehlen and Lee Tallakson, both Navy sailors with connections in the Midwest, met at a hunt club in Southern California. Over the next few years the two would find themselves starting families in Minnesota and cranking out kids, pretty much on the same schedule. For the next several decades the two families would cut Christmas trees together, spend countless weekends and holidays together, and most importantly, for the past 26 years spend the MN deer opener together at the Ehlen property near Randolph, MN.

My wife Kristin and I were fortunate enough to meet the Ehlen family at the MN Governors' Deer Opener in 2010 and we've been part of the group ever since...they don't actually invite us back but we keep showing up! Like many MN deer camps, the Ehlen camp, 5 miles west of Camp Ripley, is full of history, characters, stories, embellishments, good food, good friends and occasionally great deer. It's always a pleasure to share a drink with Lee and hear stories of years past. Lee and his Ty are tasked with Saturday dinner which includes Lee's South Dakota Hot Dish accompanied by BBQ ribs.... the perfect deer-camp meal completely void of vegetables!

Each year the experience has been unique with highs and lows. This year was no different; if there's a low it would have to be the lack of deer courtesy of the neighborhood wolf pack. There is strong evidence that the wolves in the area are decimating the herd...another topic for another day! This year the lack of action was irrelevant thanks to our only two deer in camp on opening weekend.

Twelve year old Max Ehlen from Sartell, grandson to Charlie, son of Steve and Kelli, had the pressure of a long opening day streak for the "Dialed Stand". This stand has produced a deer every opener for the past 25 years, including last year when my 14 yr old shot his first deer. Max apparently has ice in his veins because as the sun rose, he raised his 30-30 and dropped this doe in her tracks!

Max Ehlen and his first deer!

Not to be outdone, Heidi Tallakson, 12 yrs old from Eden Prairie, Granddaughter of Lee; daughter of Ty put her recently secured firearms training certificate to good use and shot her first deer...what this buck lacked in antlers he made up for in body size. A perfect first deer...we joked that Heidi is well on her way to being the next Eva Shockey!

Heidi Tallakson and her dad Ty

Ty, Heidi and Lee Tallakson

It's nice that as the years go be we measure the success of our camp, not by the size of the antlers or the number of deer on the Fred Ehlen masterpiece of a deer pole, but on the shared experiences of our kids and grandkids finding joy in the sport we've loved for decades.

Thanks again to the Ehlen family and everyone who took part in Ehlen Camp 2014. We look forward to 2015!

Happy Hunting!