Surrounded by buckthorn, Dan Luetje of Apple Valley spied a few antlerless deer on opening day of the gun season in an Antler Point Restriction area near Red Wing.

At 4 p.m., he moved to the edge of a vivid green alfalfa field and saw antlers appear in the distance. Binoculars confirmed four large points on each side.

As the thick-necked animal slowly quartered forward, Luetje touched off a shotgun blast from 67 yards away that stayed true.