Friends. There are a lot of true hunting stories I could talk about from hunting in waist deep snow back in the 1970s to bone chilling winds to rainy days to hot weather in the1980s and much more. But instead I want to share a story with you that happen to me in 2006 in a chronic wasting disease area in Kenosha County.

It was kind of a cool day but fairly mild. Not too cold at all. It was opening day of shotgun season in Kenosha County Wisconsin. Which sits not to far from the Illinois border. About a month before the 1st day of opening Bow season I had asked permission to hunt a farmers field for both archery and the shotgun season.

The field in which I decided to hunt was not far from my father's old house. It was quite windy that day. I thought to my self, this is going to be a tough hunt. Usually when it's windy like that, the deer get spooked and may lay tight because of everything moving around them. Plus it throws their senses off; like their hearing, sense of smell even what they see. Although they have a keen sense smell and sight, deer are very alert creatures. Always. They rest but they do not really sleep. Their senses are always turned on. Even if occasionally they may make a bad choice that could mean their death, they're generally very smart. And as we all know very fast. So there I was on this windy day hiking through an open field with my shotgun and outfitted in my blaze orange hunting jacket and pants heading toward a clump of trees which looked like a small forest. But I would have to hike my way there past the first tree line. When I got to the first tree line I decided to break and look for sign of these Wisconsin Whitetails in which I knew were out there because I had spotted them more then once while driving my jeep along the west frontage road. But beside that there was plenty of deer sign that they have been in the area where I was heading.

I knew with the wind and having to cross open fields that my only choice was to reach that nestle of trees, which looked like a small forest. But I felt faith was on my side. I found deer droppings, hoof prints, and bedded tall grass where they had been. If there is one thing I know, its this. When deer start to rut for the mating season, they can get careless. I wasn't sure how many deer would be in this area but I knew they were in there.

At any rate it was pretty early in the morning of the first day of the whitetail deer gun hunt here in Wisconsin. In the Southeast district of Wisconsin it's shotgun only. I had a 20-gauge auto with 2 1/2" slugs and was ready. I always keep my safety on until I reach my destination. A lot of times I'll keep my safety on after I get positioned in my area where I want to be as well.

I had a good feeling about this hunt. I was not only hunting a C.W.D. area, where they issue you extra tags to shoot up to 4 deer because of the spread of disease, but there was deer sign everywhere. I saw beds in the grass where they had been laying. I found deer droppings, tracks in the dirt in the field. I even found some buck rubs in the 1st tree line where I had stopped to ponder and plan out my hunt. The wind that was blowing out of the Southwest had changed my mind about loading my tree stand.

They were strong winds but I figured once I walked my way across the field to the next batch of trees, which looked like a small forest, I would find my luck there. Now I bow hunted that same area, so I also knew that there was a small river in there. Plus the deer could be out of the wind and have their food source and their water plus with it being heavily wooded they would feel safe there. As a general rule they are safer there then in just one thin tree line. Also I noticed that some of the deer tracks seem to have pointed that direction. So I was off to that spot.

I was a bit nervous walking across that field to get there, because I did not want to be spotted by a deer that may have been not to far inside that section of woods. As far as them winding me with their nose, I was not too concerned because the wind was blowing my scent away from the wood lot. Once I reached the edge of the woods I felt better.

I thought OK here I am. The wind is blowing; it's a little bit noisy so I can creep in a few paces, but slowly. So I did. Other then crunching leaves beneath my feet and some twigs in my way it wasn't too bad. Thank goodness for the wind. I finally stopped to begin my ground hunt for the day. This was awesome. I wasn't very far from the river and it was beautiful in there. So I waited. After about 20 minutes or so I decided to blow into my grunt call in which I had hanging around my neck. I had it set on adult buck and gave it a couple toots. I waited a few minutes and bingo. I thought I heard something moving in front of me beside the wind. It almost sounded as if something was walking through there. I couldn't see well enough to make out what it was. There was a clearing in front of me and I was camouflaged by some brush but I couldn't see any thing yet. So I waited again. A few minutes later I gave my grunt call another shot. Nothing. This bothered me. Was it a deer or not. I decided to wait it out for a while. Still nothing. It was time to move.

So as quiet as I could be I wandered a hundred yards away or so to my east and waited again. Nothing. Awhile later. Nothing. Damn it, I thought. Something must be in here. One more last move and this has got to be it. So after awhile I headed straight in front of me, where I saw a fallen tree that I sat on. So there I sat. Ok it's time to try my grunt call again. So I did. I waited. A few moments later I heard something on my left. My head was turned to the right. I had to turn slowly to see nothing again. I must be hearing something else. Maybe squirrels or something. I looked back to my right. I slowly turned back to my left. There it was a fairly good size doe slipped in on me without my knowing it. She didn't even see me or look my direction. But she was trying to creep through with caution. I think the grunt call worked. She was curious (maybe). This is it I'm taking her. When she cocked her head to the left I brought my gun up without hesitation. I aimed for her lungs and heart area to make it a fast humane kill. Boom. That was it. She was down. I waited for a few moments and then walked over to her. This would be the 1st of my deer from this C.W.D. area.

I looked down at her? Wait a minute. It's not a her .It was a he. I shot a small nub buck. Or should I say about a 140 lb deer. That works in a chronic wasting disease area. I'll have the meat tested but he looked healthy to me. I guess I made a good judgment call on that one because he did wind up in my freezer.

Dean Romano

In follow up to the article above

A friend of mine pointed out to me that he did not believe in CWD tags because of the potential of too many young bucks being killed like the one I shot mistaking it for a doe. He had a good point.

However I do believe that the deer herds here in Wisconsin are not doing too bad as far as their population growth. But I also believe that its all in management and how you think.

I do feel that less hunters are hunting these days because of inflation and the cost of living. So I think to some degree that can help a heard. Also, I think most whitetail deer hunters will not fill 4 tags that easily. However, I do agree with him to a point. So maybe from now on I will start looking for larger deer and antlers in those CWD areas

Dean Romano

PRACTICE HUNTING SAFETY

Deans Take

Gun safety is no accident. I remembered when I read those words in my Rules and Regulation booklet after purchasing my hunting license. It's so true. The biggest majority of hunting accidents are caused by carelessness. I'm not saying accidents can't happen during Bow or Gun season. I'm saying that good practice comes with good common sense. We need to be careful out there at all times. I am personally glad that hunters safety course is mandatory. When I was young it wasn't. But now that it is. I think I just may take a refresher course. It's just a plain good idea.
Dean Ramono