2020 - 100 times better than imagined
Katy Hakala headed into the woods during the second weekend of Minnesota’s deer season with a simple plan: shoot a small buck and fill her tag
November 24, 2020 • Voyageur Press
About 25 minutes after settling into the stand with her husband, Matt, those plans quickly changed.
“I had planned on shooting a small buck, just to get one,” Katy admitted. “Matt had seen a fork and spike during the season, so I was quite surprised when this buck trotted out about 30 yards away.”
For Katy, it was what she described as an “Oh, crap!” kind of moment.
“I had a little bit of buck fever as I threw off my mittens and knocked over my binoculars,” she explained. “The buck heard the noise, and it actually slowed him down to a walk as I took my shot.”
The entire encounter happened quickly, but the excitement has stayed with her.
“I’m sure it all happened in less than a minute!” Katy said. “And my heart still gets pumping just thinking about it!”
After the shot, Matt joined Katy in tracking the deer. Having him alongside her when they found the buck made the moment even more memorable.
“It was awesome to have him there when we found it,” Katy recalled. “There were high-fives and hugs and maybe a kiss, too! It was just like those hunting shows on TV — so much excitement!”
The buck was Katy’s first and her fourth deer overall.
While it was her first time harvesting a buck, the impressive rack was already somewhat familiar. Katy had seen the deer on a game camera, and the buck had also been spotted in nearby fields during the summer.
“It is pretty awesome to have those pictures and then to actually get the buck!” she said. “I have thought about what it would be like to shoot a big buck, but this was 100 times better than I could have imagined!”
The experience soon became a family celebration.
Katy and Matt’s children, Ada, Mia and Jace, joined them in the woods to see the buck and take family photos — including one that just might be worthy of this year’s Christmas card.
“The kids are hunters in the making, and this was an awesome experience for all of us!” Katy said.
What started as a plan to simply fill her tag with a small buck turned into a hunt Katy and her family won’t soon forget — and the buck of a lifetime.