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Post by smsmith on May 31, 2023 9:31:52 GMT -6
I kind of find the never ending internet discussions/disagreements about improving MN deer hunting amusing. I remember seeing/reading/participating in those discussions more than 20 years ago. As a then WI resident and deer hunter I found MN deer management and regulations pretty stupid. Then I moved here and found out first hand that they are pretty stupid. Most importantly, what I've also learned is that IMO, the vast majority of MN deer hunters are pretty happy with the season and rule structure. Most would disagree with any significant rule changes simply because "that's not how it used to be".
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windgypsy
Full Member
Posts: 126
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Location: Kanabec, Wright, and Itasca Counties, MN
Zone: 4A / 3B
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Post by windgypsy on May 31, 2023 10:33:29 GMT -6
I kind of find the never ending internet discussions/disagreements about improving MN deer hunting amusing. I remember seeing/reading/participating in those discussions more than 20 years ago. As a then WI resident and deer hunter I found MN deer management and regulations pretty stupid. Then I moved here and found out first hand that they are pretty stupid. Most importantly, what I've also learned is that IMO, the vast majority of MN deer hunters are pretty happy with the season and rule structure. Most would disagree with any significant rule changes simply because "that's not how it used to be". Completely agree. I was on the road for work mostly out of MN from 2010-2018. Rather than come home to hunt, i'd burn all my vacation hunting in states where the hunting was actually good or at least more interesting. Many of those places have to fight off shitty proposals annually that would degrade their quality of hunting. I still play out of state a fair bit but it's not so easy with a wife and kids now. Figured the least a guy could do is voice his opinion and hope others do as well to at least slow the further degradation of hunting quality.
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Post by Sandbur on May 31, 2023 11:06:51 GMT -6
With CWD popping up in more and more areas, hunt quality will decline. It might come from increased hunter harvest, increased sharpshooter harvest, or just from older deer getting sick.
Some pockets of private land may escape the first two of those.
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Post by Sandbur on May 31, 2023 11:23:33 GMT -6
The only answer I can see for Minnesota deer hunting is to do what has been done for over a century.
If you aren’t happy with your hunting, try some place else.
In state, out of state, guided, or not guided.
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Post by badgerfowl on May 31, 2023 11:41:32 GMT -6
With CWD popping up in more and more areas, hunt quality will decline. It might come from increased hunter harvest, increased sharpshooter harvest, or just from older deer getting sick. Some pockets of private land may escape the first two of those. Chances are it's been there for awhile. It's all over WI now. I don't think hunt quality has declined because of CWD. Might temporarily if they issue bunches of tags and want all the deer killed but fighting CWD is a losing battle. It will eventually just be BAU.
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Post by caveman on May 31, 2023 13:16:12 GMT -6
Not necessarily directed at your post. I’ve been pushing for more limited tags for years.. in counties that are mostly farm ground. There’s limited cover and it’s a miracle if a buck survives 2-3 years. North Dakota and South Dakota limit buck tags in these types of open farm country habitat . It’s pretty obvious you have to . As far as Zone 1. It’s not all wolves and weather that’s all I’m going to say ! I don't hunt there but have a fair bit in ND. I like the idea of just making it harder to kill animals before limiting buck tags. I.E. before making it so some folks cant get a tag at all i'd prefer to end party hunting, take firearm dates out of the rut, APR, no crossbows, etc. [edit to add: I'd think removing party hunting could reduce the number of deer killed in deer drives notably]I've hunted in itasca county a fair bit the last 4 years at my parents land. My general take away from what I've seen is that hunters do have an impact but not as huge as further south. Age class isn't so much an issue as is population so I'd much rather they got rid of doe take. Unfortunately they found CWD deer in town in grand rapids so it went from lottery doe to 2 deer limit last year and the damn doe take doubled. Hunter "conservationists" at work.. From my experience, a good way to greatly reduce party hunting would be to stop people from buying both an archery and firearms license. The most successful party hunters are the hardcore hunters that have archery hunted all fall, and now have the deer well figured out, who go out during firearms season with their friends to kill a bunch of deer, meanwhile never using their own buck tag and saving it for a trophy with the bow. I believe most of those hardcore hunters would choose to buy the archery license, and the gun hunters would not be as successful.
Or get rid of the two weeks of archery season prior to gun opener.
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Post by Sandbur on May 31, 2023 13:20:39 GMT -6
With CWD popping up in more and more areas, hunt quality will decline. It might come from increased hunter harvest, increased sharpshooter harvest, or just from older deer getting sick. Some pockets of private land may escape the first two of those. Chances are it's been there for awhile. It's all over WI now. I don't think hunt quality has declined because of CWD. Might temporarily if they issue bunches of tags and want all the deer killed but fighting CWD is a losing battle. It will eventually just be BAU. I pretty much agree.
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windgypsy
Full Member
Posts: 126
Likes: 162
Location: Kanabec, Wright, and Itasca Counties, MN
Zone: 4A / 3B
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Post by windgypsy on May 31, 2023 14:08:35 GMT -6
The only answer I can see for Minnesota deer hunting is to do what has been done for over a century.If you aren’t happy with your hunting, try some place else. In state, out of state, guided, or not guided. There have been some times in the last century I'd really like to avoid repeating!
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Post by caveman on May 31, 2023 15:25:41 GMT -6
Windgypsy--Do you really still see deer drives? The last one I saw was at a two day special park hunt probably 10 years ago. The last drive I saw during the normal hunting would be probably 15 years ago, or more. Seems the 9 day season and sanctuaries really brought an end to the deer drives. And not talking about when 1 person drives deer to another 1 person. More like 5 drivers lining up for another 5 shooters.
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Post by biglakebass on May 31, 2023 15:29:44 GMT -6
our neighbors drive every year on Sunday noonish of opening weekend. Drives me nuts.
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Post by badgerfowl on May 31, 2023 15:42:18 GMT -6
We see them later in the week. Never on opening weekend. And even then, it's usually not many of them. Used to happen all the time.
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windgypsy
Full Member
Posts: 126
Likes: 162
Location: Kanabec, Wright, and Itasca Counties, MN
Zone: 4A / 3B
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Post by windgypsy on May 31, 2023 15:44:25 GMT -6
Windgypsy--Do you really still see deer drives? The last one I saw was at a two day special park hunt probably 10 years ago. The last drive I saw during the normal hunting would be probably 15 years ago, or more. Seems the 9 day season and sanctuaries really brought an end to the deer drives. And not talking about when 1 person drives deer to another 1 person. More like 5 drivers lining up for another 5 shooters. I don't see em near our places in kanabec or itasca counties. I know they still happen further west and south. The guys I hunted with in Swift county still do them to the best of my knowledge.
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Post by smsmith on May 31, 2023 17:34:49 GMT -6
Plenty of deer drives around Swanville
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Post by Sandbur on May 31, 2023 18:40:43 GMT -6
Plenty of deer drives around Swanville Private land seldom sees drives here, as far as I know.
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windgypsy
Full Member
Posts: 126
Likes: 162
Location: Kanabec, Wright, and Itasca Counties, MN
Zone: 4A / 3B
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Post by windgypsy on May 31, 2023 19:58:21 GMT -6
Plenty of deer drives around Swanville My best friend's family has an incredible parcel between swanville and long prairie. They don't intend to do drives but i'm pretty sure when 12 of them roll out of camp to walk to their stands on opening morning, that's what happens
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