Well, how many of you are in the effected areas where rumor has it, up too 12 deer will be allowed to be harvested around the SE zones? So far it just sounds like the more Northern areas will be mandatory monitoring of all harvested deer for the first two days of the gun season, but the SE areas look bad for the deer numbers. What are you all hearing about this falls hunting?
Just because they are saying 12 deer per person doesn't mean ****. You don't have to buy the tags and they can't force you to shoot the deer. The DNR can not go on private land without permission. Most of the people who hunt down there have a different mentality than the majority of the rest of the state. There is a reason the hunters down there pushed for no party hunting and antler point restrictions. They are not going to just let all the work they did go to waste. The public land down there is fucked though and I feel sorry for those that have hunted it for years because the same people who killed as many deer as possible in other parts of the state will come down and try and kill everything they can. I think our numbers will be better than they ever have. We did not hunt any of the late seasons and looks like some that did pushed deer on our property and because we leave a lot as sanctuary they stayed. I have a number of good bucks and a couple of great bucks.
I'm glad the locals down there think differently about managing. Up North I've seen idiots fill every tag available too them... We were under intensive harvest for 2 years, and our neighbors had 5 hunters on 80 acres and they'd literally fill every tag by the end of day two... I'm not a conspiracy theory guy, but somehow I kind of speculate some form of baiting was involved if they got 25 deer in 2 days when the neighbors even with a foodplot shot/seen one or two total all season. Funny (not really funny) thing was the following year they were the ones that threw the biggest fit about there being no deer. Now 4 years later they are still struggling up there to see deer. I see more on public than they do on private. sad.
My in-laws have 80 acres right across from State land...the State land gets pillaged every year and if there is going to be a 12 bag limit that is going to blow...I find it fun to take my gear and trek into State land to hunt, this year it may not be so....I hope those are just rumors...because outside of those around this area (many people come from the cities) and I'm sure many of those who do come down will make the most of the 12 deer limit and not to mention the trespassing issues that we already have
I can bet there are more people out there that will take full advantage of the 12 deer limit than not. Maybe not the full 12 but 5+.
Not sure how you make that comment without being down there. If they want to kill a bunch of deer why would they push for the rules that are only in place in SE MN. QDMA is way more important there than anywhere else in the state and it isn't even close.
The antler point restriction over the past few years has been great but I'm assuming they will remove that given the concerns about cwd. It's be nice if they did things like a 2 buck limit with a couple does as well and then continue the APR, and if there are more positive tests then go from there. Monster raxx, do you lease land down in this area or do any public land hunts? It'd be nice to develope some hunting connections/buddies.
I have leased the same farm for 30 years now. I know that the surrounding farms are guys holding out for mature bucks so I am not too worried about too many deer around us getting shot up. It is probably over 2,000 acres between all of the farms I am worried about. I have already told my guys that no matter how many buck tags are available we are operating at a one buck per person per year. The only exception is if they get rid of the APR we have a big 6 1/2 year old 6 pointer that is a bonus for first person that gets the chance. We are also going to stick to 4 1/2 or older like we have for over 10 years...although there have been a couple mistakes
We are also going to have a maximum of one doe per person and I think most guys won't even shoot one. I would bet no more than 2 to 3 does will die on our lease. I think it is simple if others shoot a bunch of does those bucks have to find them somewhere and it might as well be at our spot.
I've heard yes and no so far. I've heard they are leaving it because it's still the biggest attractant for keeping hunters and a little bit of outside money in the area, and with less doe numbers the bucks should be more aggressive in their search for a doe; but then I also heard they are getting rid of it too lower the deer numbers to fight against CWD.... Sounds like they (DNR) don't even have it all figured out yet, but sometime in August the ful details will come out. Even when we had the intensive harvest in our area, the most I shot was two deer. Now that my kids are hunting, and my wife starting her first season this year, I'll try to have my kids and wife each shoot one for a total of 3 deer, and the only way I'll shoot one is in late season if they didn't get one themselves, OR a seriously big buck comes by. Nobody needs 12 deer. Heck most families don't need 5 deer and will waste meat every year.
This is in the StartTribune today. "A special January 2018 antlerless whitetail season might be held in three southeastern Minnesota deer permit areas with a bag limit of five animals per hunter, Department of Natural Resources officials said last week. The proposed hunts in permit areas 346, 348 and 349, which surround such towns as Caledonia, Rushford and Spring Grove, would occur simultaneously with a hunt in Deer Permit Area 603, the special zone established last year after chronic wasting disease (CWD) was discovered in wild deer near Preston and Harmony, Minn. No bag limit would be placed on hunters in area 603, because the DNR wants to significantly reduce deer numbers there to limit the further spread of CWD." So it's not 12 like earlier discussion, but the unlimited in 603 might sting a bit. http://www.startribune.com/special-...-proposed-surprises-support-groups/436046803/
That does sting...I know there are plenty of individuals (not necessarily from this area) that will come down and use this opportunities to provide meat for their families...this happens when small game season opens up as well. The part that really sucks is that for those who want an opportunity to harvest a trophy buck, if there is a no bag limit, the opportunities will be hindered greatly unless people have a ridiculous acreage of private land. I am just shaking my head over the matter...anyone know when the regs come out? I thought it was August 1...but I am not sure..I do keep checking the website almost daily though.
I heard early August, but won't hold my breath till I see it. I used to hunt public all over SE MN, but I may stay outside of those zones for a while. That's a shame. Normally I'd hardly see anyone else where I was at during bow season so that was always a blast being able to see a bunch of deer and knowing most of them would survive at least the archery season. I never gun hunted down there so I have no idea what that was like in the same areas though. Normally once gun season opens I stick close to home in the nasty floating bog and cattail swamps. I'm the only idiot that walks back there apparently lol.
Lol those secluded places where no one goes is where it is at, even if you don't see anything at least you can have some peace of mind/downtime with no one else bothering you. During archery season things usually aren't too chaotic but there are still quite a few squirrel hunters...but during firearm season things get pretty crazy. Since I have started hunting and using my in-laws property (this will be year 5) we have had trespassers every year, it never fails. Usually some jabroni who doesn't think we are around, but it is what it is.
I see the area I hunt is affected, no more minerals, which doesnt bother me anyhow anymore since they lost interest around me
I am curious with the spread and the areas where feeding is now banned what the soil type is in those areas. I would bet the areas effected have heavier soil vs sand.
