“Fear, no fear.”

We are only as strong and creative as the experiences and new opportunities that we present to our children.
I promise to give my daughter the same guided attention as my parents did I.

(A very proud father smiles today — every day:)

Fat Man’s Landing, MN

“I’ve Seen God Paint!”

A beautiful fall day hunting.

Fat Man’s Landing, MN

“Navigating Lock and Dam #1”

It’s 2 o’clock in the morning…I wonder what the other half of the world is doing right now?

Fat Man’s Landing, MN

“Exercise for my eyes!”

Mushrooms gather on fallen tree.

Fat Man’s Landing, MN

Finding Deer Antlers in Minnesota Woods

Some call it luck…I call Fate. This fall, my buddy Brian and I walked the trails hunting for grouse only to find this ivory memento of a large eight-point buck.

Congratulations! What A great find!

Fat Man’s Landing, MN

A Star-of-a-buck in Starbuck, Minnesota.

Whether it’s “First blood gets the deer” or “The person who makes the killing shot?” In either case, it’s not an easy answer.

My friend hunts private property near Starbuck, MN. He usually hunts a fence line dividing two fields. On this day, the neighbors were hunting close by, so he decided to hunt the adjacent woods. From his stand he heard a shot and watched as the neighbors drag a doe to their vehicle. While watching the hunters, a massive buck moving slowly, through tall switchgrass, caught his eye! The deer was between my friend and the other hunters. As the deer moved passed the other hunters, a safe shot presented itself. He took the shot and the deer dropped! You can imagine how excited he was! He yelled from his stand, “I have a big buck down!” The other hunters walk in his direction as my friend climbed down from his stand. The hunters and my friend walked towards the deer from opposite sides — at 30-yards the deer gets up and starts to run. A hunter from the other party shoots and hits the spine — killing the deer.

The Loaded Question?
Later inspection, my friend had hit the deer in the hind quarter. It was a deer of a lifetime! A huge 11-point buck worthy of a wall mount!

As everyone stood around the deer, the question came up, “So who’s deer is it anyways?” The hunter who shot the second time felt it was his deer. My friend feels that if he had not called the others over — that he would have had a second shot.  In the end, my friend decided it wasn’t worth arguing over and walked away the better man.

So what do you think? Please share your thoughts.

Come visit Twin Cities Outdoor Adventures Group (TCOA) new site. It’s the best way to connect with other outdoor enthusiasts!

Located in the heart of the Twin Cities Metro area, TCOA consists of a growing number of outdoor enthusiasts who thrive on sharing new experiences, while building camaraderie with others who also appreciate the great outdoors.

Get Off the Couch

If it’s exercise you’re after…come breath in the fresh, clean air and feel rejuvenated. Join us in planning fun-filled activities such as hiking, biking, camping and many other exhilarating outdoor pleasures.

Outdoor Learning Activities

If you’re interested in knowing more about the outdoors…growing TCOA connections in the community have led to a plethora of learning opportunities, including how-to camping seminars, wildlife identification field trips, local geocaching events and more.

The Right Gear

Having the proper equipment is essential to every safe, successful outdoor experience. If you’re a little low in the outdoor gear department, don’t worry. TCOA’s 1000-plus membership allows us to pool our efforts, so participants have access to the appropriate equipment for their event. Additionally, local sponsors offer informative seminars highlighting equipment, tips and techniques to further ensure that our outings proceed as planned.

Community-Grown Success Starts with our Members
As the foundation of our growth and success, TCOA members are committed individuals who generously share knowledge, volunteer and help plan outdoor activities while engaging others to do the same.

Join us in pursuing our mutual passion for the outdoors! FREE! Join TODAY!

“Clubbing Outdoors”

With the Yukon loaded to-the-gills and the Beasty Boys playing, fish were soon pulling at our lines and New York strip steaks flamed over a hot grill. The air was filled with laughter and the cold night sky danced with green and purple Northern Lights.

This is my kind of night out-on-the town – swilling a few cold beverages and pickin up a few Walleyes to take home!

A blizzard came through Saturday, which really turned fishing around. My buddy Brian and I caught our limit of Walleyes and Saugers by 3:00! The other ice-house came in at a close second.

I smell a Fish-Fry!

Lake of the Woods, MN

2010 produced some huge sheds — Found not too far from my house were these pair of 12-point antlers; scoring a record 91 3/8 for the right and 89 5/8 for the left! How I would love to see a deer that massive!

The video below is kinda shaky, but worth a watch…check it out!

Related Articles

• Minnesota Whitetail Deer Seasonal Patterns (fatmanslanding.com)