Our deer camp this year will be a little different than in previous years. This year our deer camp will be 20 miles north of Bemidji. We will be joining some long time hunters from Wisconsin and Michigan to see if we can harvest a buck and put some venison in the freezer for the winter.

A retired teacher, Robert Smith, who has a passion for photography and enjoys the great outdoors, owns the deer camp. We know that we all have a lot in common, so it will be like returning home holidays.

We have been to the range and sighted in our rifles. We have our blaze orange clothes packed and we have our licenses. This year, as you might have read, the deer population is down and the DNR is not issuing a lot of doe permits. Therefore, many hunters will be looking for a measured antlered deer to fill their tags. That will also be the case for Ginny and me.

Deer hunting season is a special time in Minnesota bringing together friends and families to share in a special and long-held tradition. This popular sport is part of the fabric of our state’s culture. Half a million Minnesotans will be sharing this tradition throughout the state this November 8th.

To honor the great deer hunting tradition, educate our youth and promote ethical hunting practices, Governor Mark Dayton and the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association, in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Explore Minnesota Tourism and the Bemidji community are proud to announce the 2014 12th Annual Minnesota Governor’s Deer Hunting Opener celebration.

Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton will celebrate the state’s deer hunting tradition by hosting the 12th Annual Governor’s Deer Hunting Opener in Bemidji. On Thursday, Nov. 6, Governor Dayton will host community activities to bring attention to a pursuit that has nearly 500,000 Minnesota participants and contributes nearly $500 million to the state’s economy. Minnesota’s general firearm deer season opens Saturday, Nov. 8, and guests of the Governor’s Deer Hunting Opener will hunt in the Bemidji area.

Bemidji, the First City on the Mississippi and home to Paul Bunyan, is in the heart of Minnesota’s north woods. It is rich in beautiful scenery, abundant recreation, inspiring arts and culture.

“Bemidji is a perfect setting for bringing attention to this annual rite of autumn,” said Mark Johnson, executive director of the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association. “The Bemidji area is among the treasures of the state, set in the natural beauty of pristine lakes and forests making it popular and plentiful for hunting.”

Governor’s Deer Hunting Opener events bring positive attention to an activity that is economically important to the state and socially important at the friend, family and community level, too.

Minnesota is home to nearly a half-million deer hunters whose direct retail spending totals more than a quarter-billion dollars and supports 3,760 jobs, according to a 2011 study by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Ginny and I are hoping to enjoy the activities Bemidji has to offer, make new friends, trade hunting stories and bag a buck or two!