Minnesota's 2013 deer season soon will be history, but tales from deer camps around the state will be told for years. Here are some:
Lynn Gunderson New Brighton
"After retiring from teaching and coaching at Coon Rapids High School for 36 years, I took up deer hunting in 2004. I did not shoot my rifle until opening day this year at 9:15 a.m. south of Brainerd. I rattled a pair of antlers and five minutes latter a buck walked out looking for a fight. One shot and I had my first deer at age 68. I can take one off the bucket list.''
Mike Nelson North Branch
"After I retired last year, I took up archery to learn a new skill and maybe even bag a deer, something I had failed to do in many years. I didn't get a shot my first season, but had a great time and saw a lot of deer. This year, on the Wednesday before the firearms opener, I hunted in the morning with no success but went out in the afternoon to another stand. When I reached it, I hung my bow and walked to an adjacent cornfield to check for tracks. Out of the corner of my eye, I detected movement and saw a buck chasing a doe. I hustled back to my tree, retrieved my bow and, before I could get up in my stand, the deer were in front of me. The doe moved behind some trees, but the buck looked right at me. I remained motionless and when the buck started moving toward the doe, I raised the bow, took aim and shot. The 8-point buck spun around and ran about 40 yards before dropping in the corn. At age 66, this was my first deer with a bow and my first deer in a long time.''
JoAnn Iskierka Rush City
"Granny got the big one this year, a 12-pointer! As a rule we always get deer on opening deer season, but never have we seen anything this nice in the past. I guess I was lucky to be in the right stand at the right time. Our hunting party of seven ended up with four deer, as my three younger grandkids also shot deer.''
Law Zeng Yang, 16, St. Paul
