If you want to know how big bucks survive the 16-day firearms deer season, just ask Rich Bahle of Suttons Bay.

Bahle routinely kayaks on Sundays from his home north of the village to Bahle’s department store for a couple hours of work. About two weeks ago as he was ready to come ashore by the coal dock when he heard a commotion in the low swampy area by the water.

He had disturbed a large buck that had just survived deer season.
WHILE KAYAKING, Rich Bahle took this photo of a buck swimming toward the BayView condominiums in Suttons Bay.
“I heard it, and it startled me,” said Bahle. The deer apparently dashed out of the swamp and north along the alley behind downtown stores, then went back into the water near the public swimming area.

Bahle followed in his kayak, trying to keep the deer from swimming too far out in the bay.

“I herded it toward shore — I thought that would be better,” said Bahle.

Bahle doesn’t hunt, although his brother is a deer hunter.

“Karl suggested that I should have lassoed it,” said Bahle. who let his camera do the shooting. He took several pictures as the event unfolded.

Eventually, the deer swam to the beach area just south of the BayView condominiums, and then headed toward the hills overlooking the bay.

“This was as big a deer as I’ve ever seen. When it got out of the water, I was amazed,” said Bahle.

But he wasn’t surprised that a deer would find refuge in the village. He said deer tracks are routinely found along the bay and in a cedar area near Hansen’s Plaza.