• Thursday-What'sUP November 16 - 01:26 pm

Today is opening day of firearm deer season here in the Keweenaw, but if you go hunting these guys, you'd have to answer to Santa Claus, when his team of reindeer come up short on Christmas eve. Antler Acres is home to a number of reindeer, including that baby one to the left of the photo, along with friendly chickens and ducks that are running around the grounds too. Judy Byykkonen made a visit there recently, and reports that the reindeer are gentle and come right up to the fence looking for a treat. This is a great place to take the kids this time of year... actually, any time of year.

I would love to have a few little reindeer! It would make my little herd of miniature horses complete!

I don't think those are the kind our guys are out in the woods looking for right now. Though I'm sure they wouldn't mind. Those are waiting for the sleigh to be attached to them a little later I think.

HAPPY HUNTING SEASON !!!!!! BE SAFE!!!!!!

Is that a scrape post in the background? That big boy definitely needs one?

Where is Antler Acres located? While in Alaska I visited a lady who raised reindeer. They are a very interesting animal and certainly one that all children enjoy.

Mary says: I forgot to add where it is, sorry about that. Antler Acres is located about a mile north of Calumet, behind Kearsarge. Perhaps someone can chime in with more precise directions...

We went here for the first time last Christmas season it was so awesome. Just me and my husband went it was all snowy and I fed some reindeer and took pictures, got a tree, all that good stuff. We are going back again this year..........

Hoky smokes, bullwinkle!!! Wouldn't want to get butted by one of those things!

Call Marty Olgren, the owner, at 906-337-2700 for complete directions.

I can remember a few years back when there were three reindeer in
Dollar Bay. We used to visit them periodically.

My son gets excited whenever we see reindeer, we make reindeer food to put out for Santas to have a snack when they are at our house. Just sprinkle it over the snow. Its just oatmeal and sparkles (those make them fly since we only use the magic ones). My daughters best friend asked me if you can eat it, I told her you could but probably wouldn't want to eat the sparkles. Well she tried before I finished my sentence and was spitting it all out in the garbage can. Of course, I had to laugh at her "Sparkles NOT sprinkles" and then had to call her mother (not for my concern over her wellbeing but because my friend Julie would be laughing as hard as me). She was 10 or 11 at the time and had enough of adults by the end of the evening.

We used to go to a Christmas tree place that had reindeer. You could pet the reindeer and feed them. Go cut down your tree, have hot chocolate in the warming shed by the fire, buy ornaments, etc. But then the "Yuppies" found it, and it wasn't any fun anymore.

Ki, where is this place you used to go to? Are the "Yuppies" you refer to something like the entertainers known as the "Yoopers"?

Yuppies similar to the Yoopers? Not even close!

Marsha beat me to it!

Cool reindeer pictures. Thank you, Judy B. and Mary.

Their little sign with the cute picture of a reindeer on it reminds me of one Christmas, when we made Christmas cards with a cartoonish picture of a reindeer, that said, "and all they left for... (and the inside of the card said, "you for Christmas was this tiny bag of reindeer poop. Merry Christmas" (The card had a tiny zippered bag inside of it, like a jewelry bag, with some mini chocolate chips.) Of course we only sent that to our friends and family that we knew could talk a joke. And, there is a similar variation with a Snowman, that said, "and all we got for Christmas...was this little bag of Snowman poop." (zippered bag that was filled with tiny marshmallows). I know, those jokes made the rounds a number of years ago, but it was fun making cards for those we knew would appreciate them.

The Olgren's live on Kallio Road. Just go down the hill
at the store in Kearsarge until you come to Kallio Road
and turn right. They are on the left just a mile or so
down the road. Follow the signs.

We have been going to see the reindeer just before
Christmas every year for several years now. There is
no charge to visit the reindeer, but it is nice if you give a
dollar or two to the Olgren's to help pay for feed.

Did you know that both male and female reindeer grow
antlers? The males drop theirs off before Christmas
and the females stay on awhile later. That means that
when you see pictures of Dasher, Dancer and all the
others with antlers at Christmas, they are all girls! My
wife says that it has something to do with asking
directions, but I'm not sure what she said.

In the poem, "The Night Before Christmas" there were 8
reindeer, and of course, Rudolph makes 9, but do you
know the name of the 10th reindeer?

Don't know the name of the 10th reindeer, but word has it that Santa will have one less reindeer pulling his sleigh this year......Comet has to stay home to clean the sink.

Caribou =s Reindeer. Saw herds in DeNali, Alaska. Beautiful sight!

The 10th name wouldn't be "Roast" would it?
Mr. Deb

The 10th reindeer's name is Olive.

The other reindeer. Good one Zman!!

If the Zman were in my class he would get the prize.

"Olive the other reindeer, used to laugh and call him
names" etc.

Groan. Hey, I think some of these could be on the jokes page.

Here's an informative link with a humorous twist on how/why reindeer were first introduced to Alaska:

http://www.sitnews.net/JuneAllen/Reindeer/010103_reindeer.html

According to this author, reindeer and caribou are not exactly the same, the reindeer having been domesticated for years and being smaller than its caribou cousin.

Olive is a very lucky girl, she has nine bucks to herself. :)

Olaf da udder reindeer must be someplace else playing reindeer games.
After looking at these antlers,I think I'll quit crowing about a few loose strands of hair flapping in the breeze as I mosey around the trees.

Thank you Heikki

Great Photo!!!