By Mac Arnold
MAHFS Editor

I just wanted to weigh in on the Michigan hunter, Jeff Kerr, who shot a buck that would be considered a "once-in-a-lifetime" deer for any hunter, according to a Associated Press report last week.

The 13-point buck was taken illegally because Kerr failed to get a hunting license before he went hunting the day he shot it.

In turn, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources seized the antlers and the venison, and now Kerr faces fines and a suspension of his hunting privileges.

My take is it's just plain silly for Kerr to have not gotten a license before he headed up to his grandmother's land in Lapeer County.

Everything I'm about is being ready for the moment a buck of that caliber steps out in front me -- from having the right gear to making the shot AND having the proper license.

Because I'm so grandiose, I wouldn't want to blow such an opportunity to be a star of print, stage and screen by letting it get taken away from me.

According to Kerr, the antlers would have scored a total of 182 points.

Whoa. Where's that baby in my hunting area? I do hunt Lapeer County occasionally. Maybe I need to find a better spot on private land.

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I also heard of a fistfight between hunters taking place on Oakland County public land over a hunting spot that happened in November.

It was a friend's brother-in-law.

Again, just plain idiotic.

I know we're zealots at times over taking home our prized venison and trophies but that's just taking it way too far.

And the one hunter -- the brother-in-law -- had his 12-year-old son with him. So now what will the youngster think about the hunting way of life?

To his credit, the Dad was trying to defend himself and the other guy was a frequent trespasser in getting to the spot. In addition he started swinging first. In the end the father ended up with his face blackened from a kick after he let up on the maniacal intruder, saying "it's just not worth it, let's stop." Then after he walked out with the DNR officer and left his $1,200 Mathews bow still tied to the tree in momentary lapse in judgment, he came back the next morning and found it was wrapped around the tree a few times.

I had a situation this gun season that could have set me off on St. Clair County public land while I was out with my son Zac and his friend Nash. We evidently were headed toward someone's sector and this mature person fired a warning round straight out in front of us. I just had us quickly turn on our heels and head in the opposite direction, therefore avoiding a stupid confrontation that could have turned dangerous.

And to boot, I never saw any blaze orange anywhere from the direction of the shot.

We ended up having an enjoyable afterward and that's what it's all about people.