A Lady Huntress at 80

Celette with her son, Bill, at her Maple Lake home, taken recently before they headed up north for a deer hunting opener.

A picture of Celetee taken by the Minneapolis Star of her and her big deer resting atop of their car. The deer, the largest she has shot, still graces her family room. She went hunting with her husband, Russ, back in 1956.

When I saw this article about this lovely 80 year old lady huntress, I had to share it with you. Her name is Celetee Couette from Maple Lake, MN. She has been hunting for the past 50 years. She recently bagged her 52nd deer. She grew up in south Minneapolis, and fished with her brothers. But she didn't start hunting until she married Russ Couette in 1953. He was a lifelong hunter and catalyst for the family's love affair with hunting. She started hunting ruffed grouse.

"He taught me how to handle a gun."

A few years later, he convinced her to try deer hunting. She declined a new deer rifle, and used her .20 gauge shotgun with slugs for her first hunt in 1956. And what a first hunt. She bagged her first deer ever on opening day, and four days later shot a 10-point buck that weighed 260 pounds, field dressed.

"I got two deer and my husband never fired a shot," she said, laughing. "He was elated. He was always happy, even if he didn't get one."

I hope that I can be like her at 80 years young and be able to go to the woods to deer hunt. That would be charming, just charming!