Hunter bags mule deer near Bock

By DAWN SLADE
Mille Lacs County Times
Posted 11/27/02

Victor Hernandez had quite a surprise on the opening of deer rifle season, Nov. 9. His hunting party was driving deer for him south of Bock, when out came a buck - hopping.

"It was hopping like a rabbit," Hernandez said of the buck. "It looked like a deer, smelt like a deer, so I shot him."

A native of New Mexico, Hernandez has seen many mule deers in his life and even shot some before, but none in Minnesota.

Hernandez, who lives in Minnetonka, has several acres of land near Bock.

Besides the flopping ears, Hernandez said he noticed the buck had a longer nose than white tails. He also noted the antlers and said, "I didnít think it was a mule deer."

Missing the mule after two shots, the buck turned slightly and Hernandez was finally able to bag him on the third round.

After shooting the mule deer, Hernandez briefly wondered if maybe the deer had escaped from a petting zoo or from someone who had the deer as a pet.

Craig Carlson of Bock, who was in the deer hunting party with Hernandez, said he believes he saw the mule deer two years ago.

Carlson said the same thing about the deer, "It hops like a rabbit."

After Hernandez registered the 140-150 pound buck, he turned the head in to a veterinary clinic in the metro area, which in turn sent it to the University of Minnesota to test for chronic wasting disease (CWD).

The DNR has nearly reached its goal of collecting 5,000 samples for CWD testing.

After speaking with a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) agent, Hernandez believes itís a hybrid - a mule deer and a white tail.

Another hybrid mule deer was tagged this season in Rochester, Minn., on Nov. 4 by an archer.

Generally, mule deer herds are found out west, the closest being South Dakota. But the DNR says it does have some registered each year.

The mule deers ears are like a mule, hence the name, and the tail has a black tip.

The Carlson/Hernandez hunting party had a good harvest, tagging 15 deer in all. And Carlsonís 12-year-old son, Jacob, shot his first deer.

It was a first for Jacob and a first for Hernandez who bagged a muley in Minnesota!