Deer Hunting 2009

It’s that time of year again.

Tomorrow is the 2009 Minnesota Deer Hunting Opener and 500,000 hunters will take to the field and try to bring home a deer.  I will be one of them.

I’m only working a half day today because I want to hit the road early enough to at least miss out on most of the traffic.  I’m sure there will still be plenty of traffic as everyone heads North for the woods, but I’m leaving work at 1 pm.  I have a 5-hour drive ahead of me because we hunt just south of the Canadian border.  I’ll hunt Saturday, Sunday, and Monday morning, arriving back in Minneapolis Monday night.  So next week will be a 4-day workweek.  I like that.

For me, hunting isn’t much about getting a deer.  In fact, I’ve only shot 3 in almost 15 years of hunting.  It’s really about being out in the woods and getting away from it all.  It’s about being quiet and reading a good book.  It’s about being with family (there will be about 15 of us in deer camp).  It’s about stories around the campfire.  Stories my Grandpa has told hundreds of times.  We still love them.

It’ll take about 2 full tanks of gas to make the trip.  About $50.  Cost of a deer hunting license is $27.  If I get a deer, then the expenses go up into the $100-$200 range for butchering, but then I also get a freezer full of venison!

While I’m away, Bird will be going to Portland, OR with her mom to visit her brother.  If anyone is reading from Portland, let me know if there is any must see, must do, or must eat in Portland.

Here’s hoping for a big buck this weekend, but mostly for safety and good times for all 500,000 of us.  See ya on Tuesday.