After getting out a few times in September this year, and taking the month of October off to work on the house, once November rolled around I was more than ready to get back into my tree stand! Evenings were not producing much in terms of deer activity, so I decided to try a few morning stands to see if that would be better. Last Friday, I had a 5-minute staredown with a beautiful 10-point buck that refused to let me get a shot at him, but he didn’t spook just casually wandered off. Saw a couple 8-pointers as well, but they were too far away. Monday morning I went back out at 6:00 AM (thank you Daylight Savings Time) and around 8:15, this doe and another wandered into my clearing from behind me. I silently grabbed the bow, drew back and took a 6-yard shot that hit her a little high and back but still caught 1 lung and the liver. She made about a 70-yard run in a semicircle around my stand and dropped 10 seconds later around 25 yards from me. FINALLY success! I’m totally hooked on bowhunting now- much to the dismay of Jodi!

Here’s Benny’s story, in his own words:

Have not been bow hunting much. Crappy warm weather. This was only my 6th sit of the year and 1st time ever hunting this stand site in the afternoon. 1st time hunting this spot was Sat morning and I did not see a deer. Went back there for the Sat night sit to see what would happen. Scrapes were everywhere around the stand so I knew some bucks were using the area.
I rattled and did calling sequence at 5:45pm. About 5-min later, I heard 2 bucks sparring out in front of me maybe 100 or so yards away – I must have got them fired up. 6 pm I could hear them coming my way walking directly at me. This was the first deer I ever saw from this stand and the other buck was walking right behind him. He came right into my mock scrape then turned and walked to one of his scrapes about 5-yards away from my mock scrape. He was broadside at about 20 yards and working the licking braches with his rack. I sent an arrow right thru him. Little back and little low – blasted the liver. He took 2 bounds then just walked away down the trail. The other buck just stood there and then came in and proceeded to work the scrapes – fun to watch. I got out of there and went back with friend and father in law at Midnight to trail him. Took about 1 hour of a tough blood trail. He went maybe 150 yards total of winding around and backtracking and walking back thru my shooting lanes and right over the spot I shot him. Actually ended up dying about 12 yards from where I shot him! He was laying right there when we first started tracking him – crazy stuff.

• 170# dressed
• I am calling him a 12-pt (the 1-pt is just under inch)
• I grossed him @ 144
• netted @ 129
• 15″ inside
• 11-inch longest tine

NICE JOB TO BOTH OF US!!!!!

Wednesday morning we set up along a wooded fenceline overlooking an alfalpha field right across the road from our house (thanks again Brent) and were ready to hunt by 5:30. 2 toms pitched down about 5:40 about 150 yards away. Lots of gobbling ensued and we talked back and forth. I got them to about 100 yards and then the hens pitched down. Damn hens! The hens and 2 toms stayed within 250 yrds of us all morning so we could at least see them – to help keep Taylor occupied. A rooster and hen pheasant walked all around us crowing and putting on a show. I was watching the 2 toms strutting around and then heard a different gobbler. I thought it was behind us in a soil bank field but turns out it was directly in front of us and coming straight at us. He was about 70 yards out and could see the decoys. He got as close as about 50 yards and then started to circle around. I was just giving him some soft calls and moving my jake and hen decoys with strings to give some movements. After about 10 minutes of this, he couldn’t take it anymore. He gobbled at us at about 40 yards and then came in on a bee-line. Going in and out of strut all the way in. What a perfect show! He came in to the jake decoy at about 15 yards and started bluff charging it and pecking at it. I told Taylor to shoot when she felt comfortable. She waited until he was clear of the decoys and the neck was out-stretched and she absolutely smashed him at about 18 yards! The look on her face was priceless and she said “I got him!”. Lots of hugging and maybe even a tear or two were shed (by me). I couldn’t have been prouder – she did it perfectly. It wasn’t until after we looked at the bird and were looking at places to take pictures that I fully realized where we were hunting. We were set up within 15 yards of where Dad and I shared our first turkey hunt together 9-Springs ago and Dad took his first bird. The rock pile in the background of the pictures is where Dad and I had set up. That was the perfect addition to our story and will always be very special to me and Taylor. I am sure Grandpa was helping hold that barrel steady!

This was Taylor’s first game animal and what a beauty.
21 pounds, 10-inch beard, 7/8″ spurs shot at 7:45 am on April 28, 2010

The End,
Ben
(PS – we each have tags for the 5th season too!!) She already is asking when we can go again – and that is music to my ears!

He was born July 10, 1944 in St. Paul, MN to Robert and Florence (Leuer) Heinrich. After graduating from the Harding High School in St. Paul in 1962 he entered the US Marines serving in Naval Intelligence from 1962 – 1965. After receiving an honorable discharge he returned to St. Paul. Bob was employed by 3M in Product Development until retirement in 2001. He had also co-owned and operated the Sidetrack Saloon in Roberts, WI. In addition to his love for his family and friends, he loved to hunt, fish, play cards, bowl, golf, darts and shoot pool. Bob was a founding member of the Happy Hookers Fishing Club.

Bob Heinrich is survived by his wife, Diane Heinrich of Sarona, WI; a son, Benjamin (Wendy) Heinrich of Hammond, WI; a daughter, Amy Jo (Todd) Ballew of St. Paul, MN; 3 grandchildren, Taylor, Peyton and Jordyn; his mother, Florence Dumer of White Bear Lake, MN; 3 brothers, Gary (Terry) Dumer of Alabama, Richard (Cindy) Dumer of Ladysmith, WI and Donald (Joyce) Dumer of White Bear Lake, MN; 2 sisters, Diane (Richard) Pelletier of Cameron, WI and Beverly (James) Lau of Ham Lake, MN; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father, step father and grandparents.

A Service of Remembrance will be held 11:30 AM Monday, April 5, 2010 at Appleyard’s Home for Funerals in Rice Lake, WI, interment will be 2:30 PM Monday at the Northern Wisconsin Veterans Cemetery at Spooner, WI, where Military Rites will be accorded by the State Honor Guard. Friends may call from 10 AM – 11:30 AM Monday at Appleyard’s Home for Funerals.

Yeseree–yer from Minnesota!

The Devil observes that they are really enjoying themselves.

He says to them ‘Doesn’t the heat and smoke bother you?’

Ole replies, ‘Vell, ya know, ve’re from nordern Minnesooota, da land of snow an ice, an ve’re yust happy fer a chance ta varm up a little bit, ya know.’

The devil decides that these two aren’t miserable enough and turns up the heat even more. When he returns to the room of the two from Minnesota, the devil finds them in light jackets and hats, grilling Walleye and drinking beer. The devil is astonished and exclaims, ‘Everyone down here is in misery, and you two seem to be enjoying
yourselves?’

Sven replies, ‘Vell, ya know, ve don’t git too much varm veather up dere at da Falls, so ve’ve yust got ta haff a fish fry vhen da veather’s dis nice.’

The devil is absolutely furious. He can hardly see straight. Finally he comes up with the answer. The two guys love the heat because they have been cold all their lives. The devil decides to turn all the heat off.

The next morning the temperature is 60 below zero, icicles are hanging everywhere, and people are shivering so bad that they are unable to wail, moan or gnash their teeth. The devil smiles and heads for the room with Ole and Sven. He gets there and finds them back in their parkas, bomber hats, and mittens. They are jumping up and down, cheering,
yelling and screaming like mad men.

The devil is dumbfounded, ‘I don’t understand, when I turn up the heat you’re happy. Now its freezing cold and you’re still happy. What is wrong with you two?’

They both look at the devil in surprise and say, ‘Vell, don’t ya know, if hell iss froze over, dat must mean da Vikings von da Super Bowl.’

Happy Hookers 2009 Year in Review from Dave Anderson on Vimeo.

• Jan 30, 2010 – 11AM thru 6PM – Bald Eagle Lake – White Bear Lake, MN
• Mar 12 & 13, 2010 – Times TBD – Lake of the Woods – Baudette, MN
• May 15, 2010 – Times TBD – Yellow Lake – Webster, WI
• Jun 18 & 19, 2010 – Times and Lake/Location TBD
• Jul 10, 2010 – Time TBD – St. Croix River Garbage Contest – Hudson, WI
• Aug 14, 2010 – Times and Lake/Location TBD
• Sep 10 & 11, 2010 – Times TBD – Elephant/Blackduck Lakes – Orr, MN