Let the Games Begin

And so it begins.

The official start of the 2008 deer season is a few months distant but, make no mistake, the season is upon us. And what better way to officially kick off the season than with my first blog on The Rack Report? It seems only fitting that we start this deal with a proper introduction.

My name is Tony Hansen and I am a bow-carrying member of the League of Whitetail Fanatics.

I hail from the whitetail-crazed state of Michigan and the Great Lakes State is home to more than 2 million deer and 1 million deer hunters. Hunter Orange is the state's official color. Our deer hunting tradition spans more than a century and this state's love of deer hunting is something I take great pride in being a part of. But it does also present its challenges.

Throughout the course of the season, we'll share plenty of stories of the hunt and I think you'll quickly realize that much of my hunting effort will be focused on maintaining as low a profile as I possibly can in my pursuit of one of the big boys that call my region of southern Michigan home. There are some gagger bucks here. Big, massive long-tined brutes that are masters of escape. Michigan has some of the highest hunter-densities in the nation. Kill a mature buck here and you've accomplished something incredible. I have no doubt that there are plenty of League members out there who can relate.

But killing a mature buck, no matter how steep the odds, is our goal. It's a journey we look forward to taking every year.

And that's what I hope to bring to The Rack Report - a dose of real-deal hunting reality. Like many of you, I'll be hunting on property near my home that local farmers and landowners were gracious enough to grant me permission to hunt. I will be sharing the property with several other hunters and that, as you all know, adds a challenging twist.

I'm not a big-name, buck-whacking celebrity. I'm not the most talented or gifted hunter in the woods. I will screw up this year. I will have hunts messed up. I can promise you that. But I can also promise this: I'll work my tail off this season and try to use every ounce of brain power I have. Hunt hard, hunt smart. That's all I can do. And that's enough.
I'm a Yankee by region but a hard-huntin' redneck by choice.

Amen to that. Now, let's talk whitetails.

Tony Hansen, Michigan Man