| Bruce said he has been reviewing the available BCL leases for many years before finally getting the ideal property only 10 miles from his home. “It’s been great to have my own place to hunt with only 4 hunters on the property. We’ve even become friends with the golf course manager of the adjoining property.” The highlight of Bruce’s hunting career has been hunting with his son. “In Illinois this year, I had a book deer within 20 yards. I couldn’t get an arrow into him and my son got him the next day.”
Like many hunters, Bruce started hunting with his father as a young boy. “My father grew up during the depression and hunted to help support his family. He would also fish and trap. Age 14 was the legal age then and that’s when I started hunting. I could only hunt small game at the time. I’ve been hunting for 49 years.” Bruce took his first deer with an old browning and blew his hoof right off, then chased him around for 10 hours. As Bruce explained, “sites on guns were awful back then and a little off. Thank goodness they’ve improved.”
Trophy hunts other than whitetail have included getting 3 bear in Alberta, an antelope and mule deer in Wyoming, a 6×6 elk in Montana, and a South Dakota mule deer. He looks forward to seeing the young bucks age on his current lease. Next on the bucket list, “I’ve been doing pretty well on my list. Maybe a moose.” |
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