Why do you hunt there?

[Outdoors Junkie]

We all have our reasons for why we go to that place we call deer camp (or deer hunt). 

For some of us it is a tradition passed down by our mentors.  For others, it is because we can't go to far because of work or need to be close to home.  Or it may be the only place you can go.

Please share your story of why you deer hunt where you hunt.

                                          

[Cody Gruchow]

were we have always hunted deer. were my dads side of the family grew up hunting. not really any story because i dont think you can count it as a camp

[HD]

Cause it's home:

We really don't have a deer camp...
Kids come here to hunt...
Plenty of deer here...
The farming we do...

A chance to catch up with the family...cause it's home.

[Outdoors Junkie]

Our deer camp is known as the "Jim Moline Gang".  We started calling our group that the year after my grandpa Jim passed away.  He first started hunting this area before he went to WWII.  He was 18 years old.  He didn't get back to our hunting grounds until after he returned from the war got married and had kids.  He brought some buddies up to Waskish in the early 50's.  They use to camp out in the woods with a big green army tent (heated by a wood stove).  Back in those days the deer hunting season was over Thanksgiving.  So, they would bring a Turkey with and cook it up.  My grandpa bought a cabin in Waskish in the 60's.  My grandma started hunting around that time.  In 1970 my dad married into the family and started hunting that year.  In 1985 I turned 12 and joined in the fun.  Then my cousin turned 12 and started hunting.  My aunt joined us next.  I invited some friends and we now have 12 hunters in our crew.

[Realtree]

I starting deer hunting with my Dad in the early 1990's after he and my Mom bought property in SW Waseca County along the Wilton River in the woods. A couple years after we started hunting, they decided to get out of Waseca and started making plans to clear some of the woods to build a house. We have hunted on that property every year since they bought it with the exception of 2001 when I had surgery.

Our group is normally my Dad, myself and a couple of my close friends that hunt our land. Over the past couple of years we have had a couple of different friends out to hunt with us and I have also had the pleasure to hunt the Upper Red Lake-Waskish area with my good friend Dennis and The Jim Moline Gang.

[guythathunts]

I started hunting on a friends parents land when I was 15 with my brother John 17. We didn't know what we were doing but we got deer those first 2 years. My friends parents sold their place 1 week before hunting season my senior year of HS hence we lost our spot. In an act of desperation I called my girlfriend's house and asked for her dad (he scared the crap out of me so you can imagine the nerves!) He was a farmer so I figured he might have some connections that I didn't. He said "I don't know - Deer hunting is tuff, but I'll ask around" About 5 min latter the phone rang and he had a spot all lined up and a number to call! "It's my Brother Tom's place" he said "Give him a call and see what he says" AWESOME! I thought, but I had to ask if me and both of my brothers could hunt and Tom is an avid hunter. So... i made the call - AWKWARD "Ummm... Hi. This is Greg. I'm dating your niece and was wondering if me and my 2 brothers could hunt with you on your land...." the next line of the conversation was like music to my ears, "When do you guys want to come out and build your stands, it would be nice to have a few other guys to hunt with and push the deer around?" We went out the next day and built 3 stands and the rest is history. My "girlfriend" is now my wife - I'm no longer scared of her dad and Tom is now a good friend and hunting partner. The 4 of us have been hunting together for 7 years and have made some great memories. It's a 160 acre farm with an amazing deer population, and one of my favorite places in the world. We make 'camp' at either my brother Mark's or my house and head out to the farm (about 20 miles out) to hunt. I can wait for Friday to make our homes into deer camp and head out to the farm to make more memories!

[Go Big Red!]

Tradition.  Simple as that.  I get to hunt the same woods my father hunted as a child, my grandfather hunted before he past (Miss you Grandpa!!!!!!!!!), and it just feels so right to be there.

[MN-BOY-ALWAYS]

You guys that have land don't know how lucky you are. We hunt on paper company land cuz thats the only place we can go. Unless you want to go to a WMA and see a hunter every 50 yards. I have been hunting with my dad since I was 5, so I have been hunting 24 years with him and we hunt where ever we can find a place.

[deadeye]

For my answer see my post in the topic " Re: Wheres everyone hunting this weekend.  "

MN-BOY-Always, I can't speak for all, but I can say that I am blessed and very fortunate to own the propery I have.  Not that it's always a total joy, there are issues such as taxes, tresspassers, storms, and neighbors, but overall it's great.  There is also a lot of work involved.  Planting trees, cutting trees, clearing trails, fighting beavers, planting and maintaing food plots, keeping up with goverment rules and regulations.   

[BiggA]

I hunt where ever possible. I was lucky enough to get permission to hunt a place this year that doesnt seem to promising but at least it is somewhere to go. I am afraid to hunt public land due to safety and the whole we have been hunting this section for x years and intimidation you can recieve from others.

[cobb]

Because dad and I hunted the area with a cousin about 40 years ago.  Dad found a local sale of property, did some land swap with a neighbor and ended up with the 180 acres that we hunt today. Put a small hunting shack on the south end, next to the well that he got in the land swap, put in an outhouse and later brought in electric.

I live in the river valley just south of Mankato, private property, access to much more and I muzzleload hunt a couple hundred feet of my house if I don't tag up north.  But we still go north to the Bemidji area to hunt, it has been, and still is our hunting getaway that is now in the third generation of our family hunters.

But why do I need to explain, or need an excuse?