Minot Daily News

Ten-year old Brian Baska and his father, Bruce, Mohall, both bagged bow-and-arrow bucks within seconds of each other during a recent hunt. “It was pretty extraordinary,” said Bruce Baska, recalling the unusual evening. MOHALL – With the excited voice of his 10-year-old son crackling on his field radio, Bruce Baska knew he’d better trip the release on the arrow that he was already holding at full draw. If not, he’d miss the chance at the buck of a lifetime. The buck froze when it heard the radio. As soon as Baska’s arrow found its mark, he grabbed the radio and responded to his son’s frenzied call. “I asked what he wanted and he said, 'Come and load up my deer! It’s down and dead in front of me!' ” Baska recalled. “I told him I got mine. He was so excited about his own that I don’t even think it registered.” Brian Baska was told to use the radio only when necessary and to not leave his tree stand without the assistance of his father, whose own tree stand was a bit further up the same valley. Certainly a deer qualifies as a reason to break radio silence. Bruce Baska, whose arrowed buck had disappeared into the trees, was naturally excited for his son and went immediately to the younger Baska’s location. He knew he could return later and track down the deer that he had just shot. “I don’t know how you describe it. I was very excited,” said Baska about his arrival at his son’s tree stand. “I know it took me several hours to fall asleep that night.” Perfect shot Young Brian had made a perfect shot on a five-by-five white-tailed buck. It was his first deer with a bow and arrow and it was a genuine trophy. Indeed, Brian was so excited that he could hardly contain himself. The father and son took care of Brian’s deer before returning to look for the other buck which turned out to be a five-by-six. Both deer are estimated to be in the 130-140 class. “The rack on my son’s deer is much heavier than mine, so I guess it will score higher,” Baska said. Even Guinness doesn’t keep records on such things, but one certainly has to wonder what the odds are of a father/son combination each shooting their first bow-and-arrow buck within seconds of each other at two separate locations. “It was pretty extraordinary,” Baska marveled. “It was exceptional and, since my son is only 10-years old old, it was great!” Baska said he probably wouldn’t have been hunting if it wasn’t for the chance to spend some time with his enthusiastic son, who has a love for the outdoors. “Kids make you do things you wouldn’t do otherwise,” Baska said. “I wouldn’t even have been in a tree stand if it wasn’t for him.” The two hunters shot their deer during an evening hunt Sept. 14 in an area northwest of their hometown of Mohall.