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Post by batman on Apr 6, 2020 17:20:13 GMT -6
I can bring you a half dozen guys from Houston Co, MN who will tell anyone wanting to move the early firearms season out of the rut to go fuck themselves. Why would they want to take a chance spooking a 150+ class buck, only to have him go full on nocturnal for the remainder of the season, when they can get away with minor infractions of that nature and still have the bucks moving within range in broad daylight because the does are in full on heat? They would never use those exact words, but that has a LOT to do with it. Not necessarily the careless hunting part, but the whole daylight movement thing during a firearms season is a 100% relevant point. Good point. If the fate of the herd is to be decided by the hunter (insert tragedy of the commons) then lets legalize bait, night hunting, truck shoots, helicopters and open it up 100%. Lets the hunters sort it out.
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Post by wiscwhip on Apr 6, 2020 17:31:20 GMT -6
I can bring you a half dozen guys from Houston Co, MN who will tell anyone wanting to move the early firearms season out of the rut to go fuck themselves. Why would they want to take a chance spooking a 150+ class buck, only to have him go full on nocturnal for the remainder of the season, when they can get away with minor infractions of that nature and still have the bucks moving within range in broad daylight because the does are in full on heat? They would never use those exact words, but that has a LOT to do with it. Not necessarily the careless hunting part, but the whole daylight movement thing during a firearms season is a 100% relevant point. Good point. If the fate of the herd is to be decided by the hunter (insert tragedy of the commons) then lets legalize bait, night hunting, truck shoots, helicopters and open it up 100%. Lets the hunters sort it out. Your preaching to the choir as far as that subject goes. I call them out on a regular basis about how they could possibly think a firearms season during the rut in farm country is a good, long term management practice. These guys don't set foot in their woods after mid-June and they also don't really shoot does either, thus why they have so many bucks around during rut. I've ask them many times what they would do if Earn-a-Buck were forced on them like it was in WI, and they have no comeback. Personally, I think they would all turn in to violators if it were ever to come to that and just shoot the bucks and sneak them to the house.
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Post by batman on Apr 6, 2020 17:35:24 GMT -6
Seems legit.
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Post by sd51555 on Apr 6, 2020 18:50:45 GMT -6
Since rifle hunters would be giving up the best week of hunting for the year , would bow hunters do the same? That would mean closing all deer seasons on the first Saturday of Nov . And opening firearm and bow on the second Saturday. This discussion probably is not relevant at all. It appears as APR s in this state are dead from last weeks column in Outdoor News. The DNR wants less deer, a younger herd, and less bucks. Alex area will be watched very closely with this domestic CWD deer. East central Minnesota also and now another positive wild deer. I did read something in a veterinary journal concerning at least two strains of CwD. I wonder if there is any difference in transmission or time of the Carrier state. I don't know why Rifle hunters fear bow hunters? I don't think it's got much to do with harvest. It's more a matter of molestation. "Will someone be in or near my spot, hunting, stinking it up, spooking deer out before I get to hunt it?" I used to hold firm to the belief that there was nothing as pure as opening morning of gun season. I held onto the idea that the woods had gone unmolested for weeks leading up to this, and my plan of sneaking in under the proper wind, into the proper stand, and on the proper pattern was going to yield me an awesome encounter. The thought of missing zero hour of the rut, and being kept out of the woods while an elite few were allowed in? That is too much sir. (not my beef anymore, but you get the idea)
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Post by Bwoods11 on Apr 6, 2020 20:46:08 GMT -6
I know the background of the author. Good young guy. I read his column in the Echo Press. I agree with him 100%.
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Post by biglakebass on Apr 6, 2020 20:51:11 GMT -6
He may be a good young guy, a lot of people agree with his view, a lot disagree with his view. The fact is though that the article is not going to make any waves with lawmakers or the DNR. Its just a small town guy that nobody knows, expressing his opinion.
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Post by wklman on Apr 6, 2020 21:09:41 GMT -6
It's a moot argument since it'll never happen. The rut hunt is way too popular with the average hunters and the dnr loves it for killing deer.
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Post by Sandbur on Apr 7, 2020 6:06:30 GMT -6
Over the last 15 years, I have come to realize that too many of us are concerned with big antlers. It is fun to talk about, but creates too much friction between groups of hunters and between neighbors.
The Lord provided deer for food and for an enjoyable experience for us. Antlers can be a part of the enjoyment, but should not be the only thing.
After being focused on big antlers for 20 some years, my wife pointed out that I was not a happy hunter to be around or to hunt with. And that I needed to change.
I have worked hard since to not criticize neighbors that are happy with the deer they kill.
I do get somewhat upset over excess doe harvest and that worries me more than someone shooting a yearling buck. I need to get over that since there is not a thing I can do about it.
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Post by smsmith on Apr 7, 2020 7:01:23 GMT -6
There are a number of reasons why hunters hunt. As long as those reasons aren't illegal...there is no "right" or "wrong"...just "different"
It's clear that the MNDNR has no interest in working with the hunters of this state whose main reason for hunting is a set of large antlers. They do however like working with the hunters who enjoy shooting as many deer as they are legally allowed.
I imagine what will happen here at some point is that most of the hunters who hunt for large antlers will simply stop hunting MN and spend their dollars out of state...or they'll just stop deer hunting completely.
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Post by Sandbur on Apr 7, 2020 7:12:35 GMT -6
There are a number of reasons why hunters hunt. As long as those reasons aren't illegal...there is no "right" or "wrong"...just "different" It's clear that the MNDNR has no interest in working with the hunters of this state whose main reason for hunting is a set of large antlers. They do however like working with the hunters who enjoy shooting as many deer as they are legally allowed. I imagine what will happen here at some point is that most of the hunters who hunt for large antlers will simply stop hunting MN and spend their dollars out of state...or they'll just stop deer hunting completely. With CWD increasing across the state, I imagine deer hunting will fade away. Very true, we all hunt for different reasons.
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Post by Bwoods11 on Apr 7, 2020 7:17:39 GMT -6
There are a number of reasons why hunters hunt. As long as those reasons aren't illegal...there is no "right" or "wrong"...just "different" It's clear that the MNDNR has no interest in working with the hunters of this state whose main reason for hunting is a set of large antlers. They do however like working with the hunters who enjoy shooting as many deer as they are legally allowed. I imagine what will happen here at some point is that most of the hunters who hunt for large antlers will simply stop hunting MN and spend their dollars out of state...or they'll just stop deer hunting completely. I have a couple friends that refuse to hunt MN due to the terrible season structure. I suppose MO would be on that list. A lot of Minnesota hunters leave the state to hunt states that manage the herd. It’s not enough to catch the attention of the MN DNR.
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Post by smsmith on Apr 7, 2020 7:20:45 GMT -6
There are a number of reasons why hunters hunt. As long as those reasons aren't illegal...there is no "right" or "wrong"...just "different" It's clear that the MNDNR has no interest in working with the hunters of this state whose main reason for hunting is a set of large antlers. They do however like working with the hunters who enjoy shooting as many deer as they are legally allowed. I imagine what will happen here at some point is that most of the hunters who hunt for large antlers will simply stop hunting MN and spend their dollars out of state...or they'll just stop deer hunting completely. I have a couple friends that refuse to hunt MN due to the terrible season structure. I suppose MO would be on that list. A lot of Minnesota hunters leave the state to hunt states that manage the herd. It’s not enough to catch the attention of the MN DNR. It would take a large percentage of hunters dropping out at the same time to matter to the MNDNR. Even then, they would not change management strategies for many years, if ever.
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Post by Sandbur on Apr 7, 2020 7:31:44 GMT -6
There are a number of reasons why hunters hunt. As long as those reasons aren't illegal...there is no "right" or "wrong"...just "different" It's clear that the MNDNR has no interest in working with the hunters of this state whose main reason for hunting is a set of large antlers. They do however like working with the hunters who enjoy shooting as many deer as they are legally allowed. I imagine what will happen here at some point is that most of the hunters who hunt for large antlers will simply stop hunting MN and spend their dollars out of state...or they'll just stop deer hunting completely. I have a couple friends that refuse to hunt MN due to the terrible season structure. I suppose MO would be on that list. A lot of Minnesota hunters leave the state to hunt states that manage the herd. It’s not enough to catch the attention of the MN DNR. I can see how some hunters from your area feel that way. Open ground with pockets of cover and firearms during the rut. I also see a reduced level of hunting pressure up in zone 1 as compared to 25 years ago. Less hunters and hunting with a firearm during the rut is just away to catch one of the occasional bucks that is moving around. I also think there is less emphasis on big bucks as score will seldom match that of farm country bucks. The tines are too short, the winters too tough, and the wolves are hungry. I Suspect there are less avid bow hunters up in zone 1.
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Post by Bwoods11 on Apr 7, 2020 8:04:28 GMT -6
There is no shortage of hunters in my zone/zones. This past year I passed on buying a gun tag in Mn. But I like to take a spin around the county to see what is happening, and there were hunters everywhere. It is a long ways from impacting the overall numbers.
One 80 acre public hunting area, had 6 cars and trucks parked at the gate.
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Post by smsmith on Apr 7, 2020 8:11:27 GMT -6
There is no shortage of hunters in my zone/zones. This past year I passed on buying a gun tag in Mn. But I like to take a spin around the county to see what is happening, and there were hunters everywhere. It is a long ways from impacting the overall numbers. One 80 acre public hunting area, had 6 cars and trucks parked at the gate. The last couple weekends we've been taking long drives on the gravel roads. I am constantly amazed at the number of enclosed blinds in this state. I swear there's 2-4 on every 40 acre chunk. How any buck survives to 3.5 is beyond me.
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