Hunting tales: Success during a three-hour hunt

Simon Heuer, Burbank, Calif. (As told by dad, John Heuer, Fairmont)

My oldest son, Simon, moved to Burbank two years ago, and while he loves his job and living in L.A, he misses southern Minnesota — especially when deer season rolls around. I was not surprised, then, when he called and said he was going to attend a wedding in Minneapolis on opening day of deer season and was hoping to come down to Fairmont for a quick, three-hour hunt before the wedding. So plans were made and off we went Saturday morning. Not only did we enjoy each others company immensely, but the good Lord smiled on Simon, too, as he bagged a nice buck — and made it back to the wedding with time to spare.''

Evan Halet, 12, Minneapolis (As told my dad, Jeff)

"We were hunting near Lanesboro when this buck came across the field almost straight at us. Evan was trying to get my attention as I was looking the other way down as ravine. Finally I heard "Dad!'' and he was pointing to the field. I saw it as it entered the woods, and mouthed the word "Shoot... Shoot" — and he did. Evan put the slug right in the boiler room of this 11-point buck. Evan is now all for the antler point restrictions in the southeast.''

Sophie Rofidal, 11, Edina (As told by dad, Chris Rofidal)

"Sophie was hunting on the opener when we saw three deer running through a field. Sophie was shooting a single-shot youth rifle and on her third shot hit this button buck with a perfect kill shot, her first whitetail. Along with her Grandpa Clif and cousin Rob we all sat in absolute amazement that she hit this deer while they were running full speed across the field. All three of us carried range finders and we all independently recorded her shot in the 300-yard range. As you can see, she was absolutely thrilled!''

Ryan Wahlund, Shoreview

"I recently was blessed with my first child, a boy, so there hasn't been much time for hunting, but a friend invited me to hunt 1.5 hours south of the Twin Cities and I was given clearance to hunt until noon. My friend, his brother and his dad all hunted with shotguns, but I only bow hunt so I put on blaze orange and joined them. Within 20 minutes, two does showed up, and later two more. Then I heard grunting and up popped this big buck. He was missing the right side of his rack. I was frozen in the same position for 30 minutes, and had all I could do to keep from shaking. He walked directly in front of my stand at 15 yards, and I shot him. We were admiring the buck when we remembered the landowner had found a week earlier near where I shot my buck. We brought the deer to camp and found the 'shed' was the broken-off right antler from my deer! It fit like a glove. It was a 10-pointer and my biggest buck ever.''

Josh Coleman, Ramsey

"I shot this buck near Blackduck, Minn., on Nov. 4. It has 17 points with nice double brow tines. Our crew has been hunting up there for 50 years, and this is the biggest buck we have ever taken.''