Roller Coaster Rut Trip

In the past 5 years my interest in bow hunting has grown from “I do it because it is a part of my childhood” to now “I do it because it is in my blood!” Bow hunting turkeys has led to many spring outings in Minnesota but also a trip to Wisconsin this previous spring which was my first out of state trip in pursuit of a creature. This fall I developed the fever for an across border whitetail trip. This last second September urge had me detained to states with over the counter tags available. Friends of mine had talked of hunting Missouri and the adequate deer population, public land tracts, and chances of seeing decent caliber bucks. A $265 tag, an 8 hour drive, 7 days of vacation time taken, a loaded down jeep, and much anticipation later I had my first “rutcation” planned.

My cousin in southern Iowa learned of my intention to hunt northern Missouri and took upon himself to find some private land for me to hunt. I was not going to say no to avoiding the immense hunting pressure in early November observed on the public land sections. My cousin had notified me a couple weeks prior to departure that he had a high school classmate that farmed ground in MO, and did not care that I hunted on it. Perfect! It was coming together. I had land to hunt, time arranged to hunt it, and a newly purchased cot, sleeping bag, and pop up fish shelter that was going to be my base camp. With one week left before I blasted down interstate I35 my cousin called with somber tone. He told me that the land fell through, his friend failed to tell him the land was actively up for lease on a listing agency, and now a Texas football player had booked it. I was still going south but was uneasy about public land during the rut due to the stories I had heard from friends that had been there at that time. They described it as Black Friday deer hunting. My cousin said he would try to find another piece, but I chalked it up as a lost cause and did not raise my hopes. Within 48 hours my cousin told me he had found another piece but was waiting on details, saying it was a friend of friend’s land. Not only was there hunting land but also a place I could camp nearby. We are back on track now! Well the departure date neared and I had no idea where I was to exactly hunt, camp, or even drive towards since the chain of communication was stagnant and I did not want to prod anyone. I was nervous since I did not know what amenities would be available for my camp, and what the section looked like in order to form a game plan. It was not until the evening prior to the day I was to head south did I receive information regarding the camp address and farm location. I felt at ease and my excitement grew to the point where I ended up not going to bed instead finished packing at 11 PM and left immediately thereafter. My rutcation had begun.

I stopped at the 1,500 cow dairy near Cold Spring I am contracted to breed at and did my duties in the middle of the night, and was quickly back on my way. My mind raced from subject to subject as I drove down in the darkness having to hit the brakes on multiple occasions as bucks trailed does across the highway, which fed my excitement even more. Sleep deprived, I arrived in MO where my cousin and I scoped out the land I was to hunt and the spot available to establish camp. The land I was granted access on was a section consisting of primarily pasture with a major ditch running north to south with smaller ditches that fed in from the east and west side. We drove around to get the lay of the land and see what the neighboring sections provided in terms of food, cover, and pressure. I formulated a game plan for the first couple days’ strategy and where I was going to setup and try to witness some action. After dropping the cousin off back on the Iowa side of the line I headed back to setup camp in the dark. Base camp turned out to be a dozed in farm site on a hill overlooking a creek valley with flat bottomland. The house had caught fire and power removed from the site, which I had not known, and was relying on for that electric source to provide heat to my pop up ice fishing tent. I would have to make do without.

All the things a hunter lives for was enjoyed. The independent decision making involved with tactics and strategy to get in front of deer, solidarity, time to reflect and unwind, spending time with family, and the obsession of the pursuit. The days passed quickly as the daily routine became embedded such as waking up in the morning, wrapped in the sleeping bag on the cot, frost on the tent ceiling, trying to get dressed quickly in the 20 degree seeping cold. Rising to start the single burner stove to heat water to make coffee, a camp luxury, while using that flame to take the tingle out of my fingers. Emerging from the tent in the pitch black to momentarily pause, to look up and see the glittered sky and track an orbiting satellite until it fades into a bright cluster of stars. The howling of coyotes echoed across the hills and back as other packs respond. This is the simple continuation of the chatter that interrupted sleep though out the previous night. After driving to the section a couple miles away, parking, and crossing the perimeter fence, I began the stealthy entry to my stand. Not using a light, trying to blend in with the noises of the early morning darkness, I would maneuver my way off the hills into the low of the ravine using cattle paths to minimize disturbing the calm. Upon arrival to and ascension into my hang on stand, I hung my bow and placed my pack on the hangar, then sat in the pitch dark and calm. A calm that feels like it could be easily disturbed with the expelling of too heavy of a breath. The anticipation grows as the sky grays and blues, each minute a different shade brighter. This was the morning regiment that would begin each day and reverse itself to close it out. Some days brought sightings of deer, some turkey, and even some coyotes. Meals would be made on the single burner stove and a cast iron pan. Brats, eggs, roast beef mushroom swiss melts, and soup were all menu items and eaten on the cot and cooler that served as a booth and table. Meal time was a much looked forward to event when not in the stand. After cleaning up the dishes, which consisted of tossing the paper plate, I would retire to my sleeping bag as the evening temps dropped and a beverage with a book to both be enjoyed until drifting to sleep.

The trip back home was filled with lessons learned on the trip, podcasts about the new hunting bows released, and calls to friends planning the next trip in early December. While driving back I also thought about the conditions of bow hunting today and the different deer management philosophies based on states and how they varied greatly just by crossing a border into a neighboring state. I thought about the over the counter tags against the application necessary states and the future of both especially as outside hunting pressure grows exponentially. I am grateful to the rancher who welcomed a complete stranger to hunt on his property. Although no tag was punched the trip made memories, reinvigorated me, and gave me time to spend with family. It was more importantly a reminder of how archery is a lifestyle, not merely an activity, and how it has brought me many different places and made many new acquaintances. I hope you are to take time this fall and think about archery and its importance to you. Regain the vigor for shooting and camaraderie as we conclude the 2023 hunting season and the indoor shooting schedule develops.

Keep punching clocks and busting nocks!

About the Author

Adam Kramer

I live in Rice, MN with my wife Alexandra (married 2020) on a small farm. I grew up in Wisconsin where I found competitive archery at a young age. 4H and NFAA were my main sanctions of participation. After graduating from UW-River Falls with a meat animal science degree, I moved to the greater St. Cloud area. Since then I have begun to experience the great MN archery community and hope to contribute to its enrichment through writing and volunteering at my local club ( T.H.E Great River Archery Club). Currently, I work at Archery Country in Waite Park, and breed cows for Select Sires in central MN. My hobbies include enjoying archery with friends and family, hiking, snowshoeing, camping, raising livestock, reading, and watching MASH. Archery is life and life is good!