Jump to content
  • GUESTS

    If You  want access  to member only forums on FM, You will need to Sign-in or  Sign-Up now .

    This box will disappear once you are signed in as a member.

Former ND Lt. Gov flames MN hunters


big drift

Recommended Posts

Found this on another site, apparently this is the whole article from Grand Forks News.

This is an article by Former ND Lt. Gov Lloyd Omdahl

LLOYD OMDAHL COLUMN: Running the orange gauntlet in Minnesota

Published Monday, November 12, 2007

If you promise not to tell our insurance company, Ruth and I will confess that we unintentionally traveled through Minnesota brush country on the first day of deer season.

When we saw the first three hunters in their bright orange vests standing by one of those “leaping deer” signs, we thought the Minnesota Highway Department had ordered its employees to work Saturdays to examine bridges before snowfall. These hunters must have been beginners from Minneapolis because experienced rifle persons - and motorists - know that deer are never found within 15 miles of deer crossing signs.

As we drove down this heavily-wooded back road, the orange thickened until there were at least six hunters for every deer - twice the number of licenses issued by the state. Apparently, no one was left in Minneapolis-St. Paul except women, children and animal rights advocates, none of whom dared leave town.

Every gun in Minnesota was being held by someone wearing orange and everything not masked in orange was considered game. For years, the game wardens have proposed that all hunters pass an alcohol test because too many hunters think that a little “snort” clears the gun scope and multiplies the deer. At least, it seems that there are more deer. And, of course, many “snorts” bring out many deer.

A count of guns indicated that it was safer in downtown Baghdad than anywhere in Minnesota on opening day of deer season. In fact, relatives of hunters should have obtained “Support Our Deer Hunters” magnetic ribbons for their cars. After all, the people out there in orange were only as safe as the most intoxicated amateur hunter suffering from an advanced case of buck fever.

Evidence of hunter optimist was everywhere. Every highway ramp was full of pickups, ATVs, trailers and Rent-all trucks. Some had campers parked in the woods so they could refresh themselves between outings.

To guarantee a successful outing, some of the wealthier hunters leased land for their exclusive use. This practice really aggravates the traditional hunters who see reserves as unethical. In fact, they are placing a measure on the North Dakota ballot to outlaw the practice. (Why not just rope the deer a few days in advance and shoot them when the season opens? What is this country coming to, anyway? What good is the right to bear arms if you don't get a fair chance to shoot something?)

As the season wears on, the only hunters in the field will be those who haven't bagged a deer. As their frustration grows, they will become more desperate, making it necessary to keep horses, cows, sheep, dogs, cats and other furry animals indoors until the shooting stops. Lacking a live target, they usually open mailbox season on the last day.

Deer hunting in North Dakota is much safer. In the first place, there is one less fatality for every 25 miles of distance from Minneapolis, making Dickinson and Williston very safe. Secondly, hunters can see for miles on our treeless plains so there is no excuse for accidents. Of course, it is true that the deer can also see for miles so they share in the safety factor.

I come from a hunting family. My brothers would go out with 30.06s, shotgun slugs and even bows on that first day. (I had seven brothers and there were never enough guns.) I lost interest in deer hunting when a hunter was shot out of a tree stand in Wisconsin by someone too drunk to drive but untested for hunting. That turned me to pheasants and then only when I find them in my backyard.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Boy, who voted this guy in? I guess, being the "Lt. Gov" he came along for the ride.

Ah, who cares what he says anyways.

Sounds like an anti in drag. You just can not tell some times.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quote:

To guarantee a successful outing, some of the wealthier hunters leased land for their exclusive use. This practice really aggravates the traditional hunters who see reserves as unethical. In fact, they are placing a measure on the North Dakota ballot to outlaw the practice. (Why not just rope the deer a few days in advance and shoot them when the season opens? What is this country coming to, anyway? What good is the right to bear arms if you don't get a fair chance to shoot something?)

Deer hunting in North Dakota is much safer. In the first place, there is one less fatality for every 25 miles of distance from Minneapolis, making Dickinson and Williston very safe. Secondly, hunters can see for miles on our treeless plains so there is no excuse for accidents. Of course, it is true that the deer can also see for miles so they share in the safety factor.


For the first paragraph I have in quotes, I thought he was "passing through". Wow, wish I could get that kind of detail of what people do when I just pass through. To the fact that you can see for miles, yea, it's all prairie. Good luck hiding from a deer there. I'm from ND and do like the state but come on, don't you think the fewer accidents might have to do with going from 3 million plus people to 700 thousand?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sounds like the Lt. Gov. is frustrated. Maybe he didn't get his buck grin.gif Who cares what he thinks.........love the comment about the "anti" in drag grin.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have duck hunted in North Dakota for over 20 years and have seen how "they do it"

Alot of chasing deer with the truck and shooting it from the seat of the truck.

Deer drives done with the grill of a pickup truck.

Leased hunting land signs all over "his" state.

What a hypocrite.

This guy is blind to what is going on in his own backyard.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think it's hilarious.... grin.gifgrin.gifgrin.gifgrin.gif

oh,oh, what did I just do....... shocked.gifshocked.gif

Now I'm going to be like "da thurdty point buck!" ooo.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

wow. Thats actually kinda funny that he would say that when he admits to being her on the deer opener. Youd think he would avoid the area if he thought he was in real danger. North Dakota... grin.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I feel bad for the guy actually. Many Dakotans are just like him. Not used to living around other people, stores, roads, etc. They dont understand how the majority of Americans live and have a skewed view of "life outside of the prairie"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Creators

I can't stop laughing.. It wouldn't be funny if there wasn't some truth to it. BWAAHAHAHA.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was born in Wisconsin deer country. Raised in North Dakota deer country. Hunted in Colorado deer/elk country, too. Now I hunt in Minnesota deer country.

C'mon folks. This is just funny. I covered politics in N.D. for several years for a paper there (the Grand Forks Herald, not the Grand Forks News), and I know Lloyd is not serious. I've met him and talked with him several times. Don't you get it? He's writing a humorous column here, and the best humor only has a few grains of truth surrounded by a ton of bull. He's making the kind of deer camp jokes you all would laugh uncontrollably at if you were in deer camp with a couple brews in you.

Funnier than his writing is the fact that some of you actually got defensive. Sheesh, it reminds me of the movie "Fargo." The people who could laugh at themselves thought it was hilarious. The people who took themselves too seriously were outraged.

You all break your sense of humor bone today or what? Lighten up! grin.gifgrin.gifgrin.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

truth hurts.... smirk.gif

I think it's rather humorous how there are those who mock and ridicule the state of ND, yet those same people are some of the first to come barging in at the beginning of the assorted hunting seasons. Seems like the state is OK then, isn't it? smirk.gif

Before you stick your chest out and brag about the alleged great fishing in MN that all the ND people come for, don't. Aside from those in the Red River region where lakes are scarce, most don't give one thought to heading east to go fishing. Trust me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have to admit, I kind of took the whole thing as kind of a joke or neighborly slam against MN. No big deal I guess. Besides, its tough to be critical when all you have to do is drive through the eastern half of ND during their deer opener..not much different in my opinion.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thats pretty funny! My cousin in williston always gives me b.s. about stuff like this. I saw a guy huntin birds out in no. dak. in his SUV with his shotgun sticking out the drivers window. A lot of it is pretty close to the truth with the drinking and such. At least its a politician with a sense of humor

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I thought it was generaly funny. As one who has spent three years in ND I can say it is just a little bit of nieghborly ribbing. They believe all people from da Range play hockey and drink beer. (I did my best to prove them half right) My goodness they dont even case their guns in the gun racks of their trucks or combines. One of their most famous sons is Lawrence Welk. The whole state doesn't even have one Div 1AA football team... Wait niether do we. But the liqour stores stay open till 1 Am. grin.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, no doubt it is just a spoof. My father grew up with Loyd, he is a comical feller. Get over it you rabbit chokers. grin.gifgrin.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I thought it was pretty humorous. My cousin's husband is from Wyoming (state) & lived in Denver for years, both big hunting places. He couldn't believe it when he first met our family, specifically his brother-in-law to be. He's basically a professional actor/comedian anyway so it's pretty funny when he starts talking about it. Hey want to see my gun? Let me see yours. Do you want to go kill something? Want to see pics of what I killed yesterday? It's pretty hilarious. We see it as normal, but generally Minnesotans are some of the most hunting crazed folks in the country. I know I read somewhere, maybe on here, that MN has more hunters that take out of state hunting trips than any other state.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Even if the guy is just joking, i think he's an a hole and some kind of denial mode. Having worked in Nodak for nearly 30 years and living there for a few of the early ones as well as having hunted big game in 6 states, I feel confidently qulaified to declare Nodak the capital of Deer road hunting. A 12 pack of Bud, a couple rifles and lets go.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.


  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • Brianf.
      I'm not there, so I can't tell exactly what's going on but it looks like a large area of open water developed in the last day with all of the heavy snow on the east side of wake em up Narrows. These two photos are from my Ring Camera facing north towards Niles Point.  You can see what happened with all of snow that fell in the last three days, though the open water could have been wind driven. Hard to say. .  
    • SkunkedAgain
      Black Bay had great ice before but a few spots near rockpiles where there were spots of open water. It looks like the weight of the snow has created a little lake in the middle of the bay.  
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the south end...   Thanks to some cold spring weather, ice fishing continues strong for those still ice fishing.  The bite remains very good.  Most resorts have pulled their fish houses off for the year, however, some still have fish houses out and others are allowing ATV and side by sides.  Check social media or call ahead to your favorite resort for specifics. Reports this week for walleyes and saugers remain excellent.   A nice mix of jumbo perch, pike, eelpout, and an occasional crappie, tullibee or sturgeon being reported by anglers. Jigging one line and using a live minnow on the second line is the way to go.  Green, glow red, pink and gold were good colors this week.     Monster pike are on a tear!  Good number of pike, some reaching over 45 inches long, being caught using tip ups with live suckers or dead bait such as smelt and herring in 8 - 14' of water.   As always, work through a resort or outfitter for ice road conditions.  Safety first always. Fish houses are allowed on the ice through March 31st, the walleye / sauger season goes through April 14th and the pike season never ends. On the Rainy River...  The river is opened up along the Nelson Park boat ramp in Birchdale, the Frontier boat ramp and Vidas boat ramp.  This past week, much of the open water skimmed over with the single digit overnight temps.   Areas of the river have popped open again and with temps getting warmer, things are shaping up for the last stretch through the rest of the spring season, which continues through April 14th.   Very good numbers of walleyes are in the river.  Reports this week, even with fewer anglers, have been good.  When temps warm up and the sun shines, things will fire up again.   Jigs with brightly colored plastics or jigs with a frozen emerald shiner have been the desired bait on the river.  Don't overlook slow trolling crankbaits upstream as well.   Good reports of sturgeon being caught on the river as well.  Sturgeon put the feed bag on in the spring.  The bite has been very good.  Most are using a sturgeon rig with a circle hook loaded with crawlers or crawlers / frozen emerald shiners. Up at the NW Angle...  Ice fishing is winding down up at the Angle.  Walleyes, saugers, and a number of various species in the mix again this week.  The bite is still very good with good numbers of fish.  The one two punch of jigging one line and deadsticking the second line is working well.   Check with Angle resorts on transport options from Young's Bay.  Call ahead for ice road guidelines.  
    • CigarGuy
      With the drifting, kind of hard to tell for sure, but I'm guessing about a foot and still lightly snowing. Cook end!
    • PSU
      How much snow did you get on Vermilion? 
    • Mike89
      lake here refroze too...  started opening again yesterday with the wet snow and wind...  very little ice left today...
    • Hookmaster
      A friend who has a cabin between Alex and Fergus said the lake he's on refroze. He texted me a pic from March 12th when it was open and one from 23rd when it wasn't. 🤯
    • SkunkedAgain
      I don't think that there has been any ice melt in the past few weeks on Vermilion. Things looked like a record and then Mother Nature swept in again.   I'll give my revised guess of April 21st
    • leech~~
      As I get older it's really not just about sending bullets down range.  Some of it's just the workmanship of the gun and the wow factor. The other two guns I have really wanted which I'll never have now because of their price, is a 8mm Jap Nambu and 9mm German Luger.   Just thought they always looked cool!  
    • jim curlee
      I had a guy hit me with a lightly used 1969 BAR, he wanted $1650 with an older Leupold scope. More than I think they are worth, I made an offer, he declined end of story.   You know if you look at the old brochures, a grade II BAR sold for $250 in the late 60s, $1650 would be a good return on your investment.    Why would anybody want a 50 year old gun, they are heavy, have wood stocks, and blued metal.  I guess mainly to keep their gun safes glued to the floor. lol   You can probably buy a stainless rifle that you never have to clean, with a synthetic stock you never have to refinish, is as light as a feather, and for half as much money, perfect.   I'm too old for a youth gun, although I've shrunk enough that it would probably fit. lol   No Ruger 10/44s.   Jim      
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.