2018 - Blaze Pink
Jan Ralidak had an unforgettable hunting experience this season with her husband, Bill
November 20, 2018 • Voyageur Press
Not only did she harvest the biggest buck in the family, but she did it while the couple was processing Bill’s deer earlier that same day.
“We were actually in our kitchen wrapping my husband’s deer when we spotted this buck walking with its nose down right into our windbreak,” Jan said. “I quickly ran out the back door, went behind our garage, and shot it in our other field.”
The nine-point buck disappeared into the woods after the shot, prompting a short wait before the couple went looking for it.
“We waited about 15 minutes and found it laying in the woods,” she said.
After a successful hunt, Jan headed off to work in Meadowlands, leaving the deer processing to her husband.
Jan and Bill have been hunting together for 25 years, along with their niece, Tara Schnurr. The Meadowlands couple estimated Jan’s buck weighed approximately 235 pounds, although they couldn't confirm its weight.
“We aren’t sure of the weight, but Bill shot an eight-pointer and it weighed 220,” Jan said. “This one was a lot bigger, but we couldn’t weigh it because we couldn’t get it high enough off the ground with our scale.”
The buck is Jan’s biggest by weight by a considerable margin. A few years ago, she harvested a 10-point buck, but it weighed only 175 pounds.
Jan also has a favorite choice when it comes to hunting apparel: blaze pink. She credits Bill for helping her embrace the color after it became a legal option for hunters in Minnesota.
“I was so excited when I found out that blaze pink was now legal!” she said. “Bill bought me the gear for Christmas and my birthday last year.”
Congratulations to Jan on an impressive buck and a memorable addition to the family’s hunting tradition!