Houstons Guide Service: Twin Ports Report - Special DEER HUNTING EDITION

As we are patiently waiting in the interlude between Late Fall Fishing and First Ice, let’s talk about this last 2016 Deer Season. As many have noticed, it was a great season for our family. On opening day, I shot a very respectable 8 pointer and then later in the week, I received word that my brother Jacob, one upped me with a solid deer of his own. During the course of both my brother and my hunting careers, we have harvested many deer. However, this was the year both of us would finally shoot a couple of bucks that are wall worthy and that is just what is happening, they are both going on the wall.

Since my childhood, our family has been actively involved in hunting. Matter of fact, given this was a busy fall fish guiding season, I was unable to get up in a BOW stand so my first time hunting was not until opening morning of Wisconsin Rifle season. All paid off though through some work prior to the season of scouting active deer trails, setting cameras and tree stands, I was ready.

The quick story of my buck is a tale of ups and downs. You see, when you have 3 active bucks on camera visiting your mock scrape, one can’t help but be excited and when you have the opportunity to hunt so many areas, well, it could be a lot worse. I need to take a moment and thank the good people down at Cedar Island for allowing me to experience such an incredible hunt! Austin Winfield and his hunting team welcomed me in and I am humbled. The Cedar Island land is private land on the Famed Brule River and to be able to hang a stand and participate in such a great hunt is beyond words.

Anyway, back to story, if your still reading...At around 10:30 I was looking toward my left side at a red squirrel when I turned my head toward the front and boom there is a "shooter deer"... I wasted no time and locked crosshairs. As I did this, the deer busted me and was about to run, so I pulled trigger and BOOM. He spun around 180 degrees and zoomed off as though it was a direct hit. Of course my heart was pumping and thoughts of finally shooting a decent buck got me excited as can be. As I collected my thought, and heartbeat I packed up to locate my deer. To make a long story short, after looking where the shot sight was, I found nothing but a bunch of hair. After looking at his tracks in the snow, I found not a trace of blood!....My heart sank.

I climbed back up to my stand and replayed the event the rest of the day. With thoughts, of "there goes my chance", "and why didn't I wait to get a better shot,"etc etc.. I sat depressed. As the temps dropped and started to shiver in my stand, I held out till dark as it was and always is my goal. At about 30 minutes before shooting time to end, a small 4 pointer showed up 20 yards away and walked around the stand. Although he never winded me, he seemed to sense something was off and was very cautious. He presented several opportunities for a shot, but rules at the Brule Conservatory are that if it don't have 4 point on one side, you can’t shoot it.This is a great QDM (Quality Deer Management) practice. After he gingerly jogged off, a doe came in from the left. At this time it was about 5 minutes until shooting time end. As luck would have it another deer was following her. As I scoped the 2nd deer, I saw nothing but tall tines at about 50 yards, and quickly decided to put cross hairs in the boiler maker area and pull trigger. BOOM... The buck ran right toward me in the stand and I pulled off 2 more shots (not knowing if I hit him or not). Then he came to a sudden stop right behind a big oak directly behind me about 15 yards. He sat, and keeled over with a little death moan and doing a little kicking. YES YES YES.... I finally downed a good buck! As I waited several minutes (felt like forever). I thought how could I get be so lucky to redeem myself.... As I packed up and climbed down to approach the brute, all I kept staring at was his tall horns. Yes, at this point I was very emotional.

A few days later my brother Jake Houston would also keep up with a beauty of his own.

Tight Lines and GoOd FiShN, and to the late season hunters still working the field,, GoOd HuNtN

Could you please let the readers know about the Duluth Ice Fishing Show this Friday through Sunday. Houstons Guide Service will have a booth and be conducting fishing seminars.