2019 - Lucky vest
For Mike Hatanpa, deer hunting is about more than harvesting a buck. It is a family tradition rooted in generations of history on a farm near Lawler, where a little luck — and a special hunting vest — continues to play a role
November 19, 2019 • Voyageur Press
This season, Hatanpa's longtime companion, the aptly named “Lucky Vest,” helped him bring home another memorable buck from the family farm, which has been in the family for more than 100 years.
Now retired, Hatanpa enjoys spending time managing the property his grandfather, Sam, originally settled. The farm was later passed down to Mike's father, Arvo, and remains an important part of the family's heritage.
“I grew up on that farm,” Hatanpa said. “Now we manage it for wildlife, and my grandchildren are a fifth-generation family on the farm.”
Over the decades, Hatanpa has harvested several memorable deer. He still remembers a particularly large buck he shot 42 years ago.
“It was huge, but it was never weighed,” he recalled.
The heaviest deer he officially remembers weighing was harvested about six years ago and dressed out at 229 pounds.
This year's buck wasn't quite as large, but it added another chapter to a lifetime of hunting memories on the family property.
Hatanpa is quick to acknowledge that many hunters in the Lawler area come from long lines of experienced outdoorsmen and women. For him, however, success is measured by more than the size of a deer or the number of antler points.
“I just consider myself to be blessed and lucky to have the land and wildlife to enjoy and nurture with family and friends for all my life,” he said. “I enjoy managing the farm for deer and wildlife as much as hunting.”
For Hatanpa, caring for the land and maintaining the family tradition are just as rewarding as time spent in the deer stand.
“Call it what you want,” he concluded. “I was lucky.”