GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE - Although deer hunting has a short gun season that ends this weekend, Mike Hutchings, Airmen 1st class and hunting enthusiast, can't keep from smiling.
Hutchings, a Michigan native, says he wasn't enthused about his arrival to Grand Forks Air Force Base, but he quickly warmed up to the area because of its reputation as a prime hunting and fishing area.
"So far I've got a pretty good impression" of hunting in North Dakota, Hutchings said.
Excited to see what opening day gun season might bring, Hutchings finished work on base and headed out on Nov. 9 to a nearby spot where rumors of a large buck roams.
He got to the field and was instantly reminded of Christmas lights, because orange vests were everywhere, he said.
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Not impressed by the seemingly unsafe overcrowding, Hutchings quickly decided to move on to another field.
About four miles from base, Hutchings picked another field free of other hunters, but open to hunting. He was satisfied being alone, relaxing in the comfort of nature, not needing a "trophy" buck kill.
He walked 40 yards into the field, traveling alongside a wood and barbed wire fence. His eyes were set on a tree that would serve as coverage as he patiently waited and enjoyed the unusually warm November day.
Noticing brush that had been beaten down under the tree, likely from a deer herd, Hutchings decided not to plant himself there and chose another bundle of trees nearby.
About an hour had passed when a stout deer walked less than 50 feet from Hutchings. Placing the gun snug on his shoulder and taking a view from the scope, his eyes focused and he realized the deer was actually a buck - a 10-point buck.
"I was a little nervous; it was a nice buck, but he gave me a good shot and I took it," Hutchings said.
The buck was his first deer tagged from North Dakota as well as first buck killed with a gun.
This winter, Hutchings and his wife will enjoy a series of meals from deer meat, including stew, burgers, steaks and jerky.
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"Backstrap steak is my favorite, but I'm a big fan of it all," Hutchings said.
