Outdoor living

Saturday, November 15, is a date that more than 400,000 Missouri deer hunters have had marked on their calendars for some time and as it approached, they were busy getting ready for the big day.

Last weekend, two Independence hunters, Kent Sexton and Bob Martin, went out to sight-in their rifles when, on the way to the country, they saw one of the largest bucks they had ever seen.

Martin said, "We were in Ray County near Richmond when this big buck came out of the woods and stopped. We slowed down and counted the points on it's rack and we both came up with 14. It was the deer a hunter dreams of seeing on opening day in his sights. We stopped and ask the landowner if we might be able to hunt there this weekend and he said it would be fine with him and he had been seeing that buck all fall. Just thinking about it gives me chills."

With the most liberal regulations ever, Missouri firearm deer hunters should have a record season with weather playing a very big factor.

Lonnie Hansen, deer biologist, said, "Weather is the key. We know the deer are out there. The conditions determine how long the hunters will stay out. If we get good weather during the season, we are expecting another high harvest."

Larry Vanglider of the Missouri Conservation Department, said, "The deer are out there and the herd needs thinning in many areas. The regulation changes this season give hunters a powerful tool for those who use them. The liberal regulations show just how far we have come as a deer hunting state."

Back when I was in high school, if someone hit a deer and brought it into town, people would come by just to see the deer. However, today it would take a near-record deer to even raise an eyebrow.

Charlie Roberts of Warrensburg, said, "I have never seen so many deer as we have in Missouri right now. I am afraid to drive at night because I always see them along Highway 13 and my neighbor had his car totaled last week when one ran in front of him. We need to thin them out."

Tom Winston, a Kansas City hunter who hunts deer in Vernon County, said, "I have seen more deer this fall than in years. I won't be able to hunt opening day because I'll be going to the MU football game, but I'll have plenty of time to get my deer because there are so many."

Hunters have a good chance to put venison in the freezer this month.

With all the special hunts this year along with the firearm and archery seasons, the deer population should be narrowed down this year and that would make everyone happy.