Jackson the Two Harbors Monster

[Nate McVey]

Many of you may have read the story a few weekends ago about Jackson the Monster buck of Two Harbors. Well, Sam Cook should have waited until AFTER deer season to publish this story. Jackson was shot on Friday.

Duluth News Tribune

By Sam Cook

Perhaps you recall the story about a whitetail buck known to Chris and Stephanie Potter of rural Two Harbors as “Jackson.”

The buck, a non-typical 17-pointer this fall, had visited their feeder for the past seven years.

The buck was shot Friday by James Klinker, 15, of Two Harbors, who lives just across the road from the Potters.

“Jackson” had been orphaned as a fawn and bottle-fed by another neighbor, Sue Radke. It was released into the wild that first fall and has been wild since.

Chris Potter wrote an essay about the buck that appeared in the News Tribune on Oct. 28. He and Stephanie had hoped the buck, with its distinctive set of antlers, would make it through another hunting season.

James Klinker shot the buck on his family’s property about 4:30 p.m. Friday, said his father, Pat Klinker.

“We weren’t hunting any particular deer, just whatever came by,” Pat Klinker said.

The buck weighed 205 pounds field-dressed. The Klinker family plans to have the deer mounted.

“Hats off to James,” said Chris Potter, who is a deer hunter himself.

“I’m saddened and disappointed,” Stephanie Potter said. “But like Chris said, he’s a wild animal, and he’s game to hunters. His offspring are hopefully out there, and they may be visiting our feeder. I’m sure his genes are out there somewhere.”

Photo of Jackson submitted to the DNT

[Steve Foss]

Dang, that's a nice deer!

[Nate McVey]

Thanks for editing Steve, that is much more user friendly

[Steve Foss]

No prob, Nate. Once an editor always an editor.

[Surface Tension]

Very Ruttafull.

[shogun]

hmmm...I wonder how the baiting rules apply here...

[Nate McVey]

I'm guessing that is an old picture as the Potter's are avid hunters (from what I've been told). I would assume they pulled it when they were supposed to.

[JustinG]

Well, I am certainly glad to hear a young kid got to enjoy a hunt like that! It will be something he will treasure for life.

Justin

[Surface Tension]

Quote:

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hmmm...I wonder how the baiting rules apply here...

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The picture was taken on Potter's land. The youngster that shot the deer was a neighbor on his families land.

[matthothand]

When that article was published I just shook my head. I think we all new the fate of that buck. I'm sure the Potter's are great people but for a couple that so "deerly" loved this buck by making the story and location of "Jackson" public...well they might've just as well have painted a bullseye on him or shined a great beacon of light into the sky similar to batman. I'm proud of the young hunter that was able to take such a magnificent buck. As far as the baiting law goes I think it's still kinda fuzzy about hunting trails leading to baited sites or those with bait removed less than ten days prior. Sounds like he was across the road and did not violate any regs. Congrats again to the hunter. I wonder if Mr. Cook will be doing a follow-up story of Jackson's demise.

[shogun]

That was Sam Cook's follow up story of Jackson's Demise.

[biff]

Well, since it was the neighbor that shot it I'm sure they already knew about the deer.

Yes, congrats to the young "hunter" for shooting his neighbors pet deer..takes a lot of skill to shoot a deer in your yard that your neighbor has been feeding all along.

[Great Outdoors]

Comon biff,

Give the kid a break, sheeeeeeesh!!

[SKIPPERS KID]

Deer are not pet's come deer season they all are far game and again to the young man that got that deer it will take some time be-for he gets one home fed but all said . I hope he will keep hunting and learn to hunt wild deer soon . I hope we all can see it is deer season and not talk bad about this young hunter and this deer . Good hunting to every one on the last week .

[Great Outdoors]

I agree.

Deer are fun to watch, but people put them in peril by feeding them within a month of deer season.

Don't attack the young hunter verbally, & don't judge him.

This deer is the thrill of a lifetime.

Leave him alone!!!!

[Surface Tension]

Jackson died of old age and they all lived happily ever after.

I bottle fed a 2 week old moose calf for 3 months, then he drank out of a bucket. After that we'd have to shoo him out of the cook tent. I don't think he got shot that winter, but could've, at least he had a shot at life. We called him Skeeter but he was really just a moose with no name because he wouldn't come when you called him. Well unless you were holding a pancake.

[Wanderer]

Right on, ST.

Funny thing is, I don't see anybody petting him or any fence behind him. Unless its back in those thick balsams you can't see 20 yards in. Maybe they have some better pictures from his birthdays?

All deer have histories and personalities. Its just harder for some to accept the death of the ones we know about. It looks like he lived a good life on his own.

[SkunkedAgain]

Luckily the neighbors stopped feeding me 10 days prior to opener or else I might have met the same demise as Jackson.

[Shack]

What are ya to do? I think this is the reason the law was changed this year. Last year (if feeder was out during open season), the boy would of been in violation, even not knowing of the feeder being there. It sounds like people who were feeding deer, are hunters and enjoy deer, so I am sure feeder was brought in at right time (DNR are looking for feeders/piles and blaze near by from plans).

Congrates to the youngster. I would have shot him if he came my way and on my land.

[shogun]

Well shackbash, you wouldn't have had to wait for him to come your way, once you spotted him, you would have been able to walk right up to him. That's how domesticated this deer was.

[threeball]

I would have shot that deer. Heck, I even condisdered shooting my monitor when I saw the picture.

[Shack]

It would of been hard shooting a local neighborhood pet!

I wounder how many local hunters pass this big boy up?

[Nate McVey]

No such thing as a "wild" pet.........I see does, spikes, fork-horns come into my baitpile (legal in MI) every year....I don't consider them pets, yet I feed them everyday.....this buck should not be viewed any differently. Congrats to the kid and I hope I get to see the mount someday.

[Shack]

Quote:

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It would of been hard shooting

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Hence my statement

They still have not made a good sarcastic Graemlin yet .

[shogun]

Well shiner, I think there is a difference. This buck was hand fed/nursed from a fawn with lots of human contact during his lifetime. I bet any of those deer you feed in MI wouldn't let you walk right up to them.

[Nate McVey]

Could be, but have you ever seen the videos of "trained, hand feed" wild animals that turn on their owners? it's still a wild animal and had been away from human "contact" for years. If it had been hit by a car because it saw the "owners" getting out of one everyday, would it still be so appauling?

[Steve Foss]

Quote:

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This buck was hand fed/nursed from a fawn with lots of human contact during his lifetime.

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Not to be too nitpicky but the story contradicts this. Here's what Cook wrote: “Jackson” had been orphaned as a fawn and bottle-fed by another neighbor, Sue Radke. It was released into the wild that first fall (I believe in 2000), and has been wild since.

While it's certainly possible Jackson had some residual familiarity around the woman who bottle-fed him, it's very unlikely he was anything but a wild animal, as we was released several years ago. He wasn't anyone's pet, according to the facts in the story.

[yukon]

Also the picture of him I am sure is not where he was shot. I hope the kid who shot him enjoys him, buck of a lifetime let the kid be.

[ripstick]

It may have been hand fed but its still wild. Darn good thing a kid got because he will never forget it Pumped for life.

[Bassboy1645]

Hmm im gonna have to say congrats! I saw that article and knew id shoot a deer like that if it came by!!!

If the kid was familliar with the deers habits and set up accordingly how is that any different then setting up on a corn field or a hayfield knowing the deer come there everynight?? (assuming the feed was pulled...i like to think it was but my neighbors around here make me think otherwise..seems liek everyone baits up here)

On a side note no offense but it irritates me when ppl brag about thier big bucks they killed from stands not set up by them. Grandpa might have scouted the land and set the stand and dad and then junior hunt the same stand over the years happens all the time. I feel the ppl should give credit where credit is due. Yeah I shot it out of grandpas old stand. AM I ALONE HERE?? I can count on one hand then number of people I know personally who scout areas, build or set up their own stands and shoot deer they worked for. Its much more rewarding in my opinion to kill a deer you worked for or get lucky even and kill a deer that walked by your stand. just my .02