I had a year off due to back surgery so I want to get out to my spots down in SE MN and find some BIG boy sheds
I public hunted ten or twelve times this year, opener to close, sweats and shivers but no back straps for yours truly. Honestly if I knew going into 2014 I'd go through all that again with the same results, I'd do it. I love the ritual of bowhunting that much That being said, I hear reports floating around about low harvest numbers and all that, I saw consistent sign all season, down in the river valley between Shakopee and Chaska, the deer had lots of pressure on them from me and others and laid low until after shooting light. I hung around one night to see and they literally waited until about an hour and a half after sundown and came into the field I hunt over(cut corn). I witnessed first hand what pressured deer learn to survive from patterning us. Had I more experience I could've/would've hunted to routes to the field and caught em there, I'm only two years in to bow/deer and prefer to hunt the field edge with my decoy, it worked for me in 2012 I'm considering this season to go with a local outfitter, probably SE Minnesota, sure Ill have to "pay to play" but going that route has its advantages, as well as disadvantages. What's up, What's up to all my fellow Mn arrow slingers, good luck to you all this season
I'm going shooting today, I just bought a new Mathews a couple weeks ago and have been getting used to it. I have got 2 out of state hunts lined up and working on a third diy for mule deer in western SD, so if anyone wants to hook up to South Dakota let me know, its my first mule deer trip so I could use all the advice I can get. I didnt even have a chance to bowhunt this year because of work and this year I guess I am going overboard having never hunted out of state but oh well. I also am going to hunt up by Osakis and hope to get to SE MN also for a couple hunts. Until then its some 3d shoots and target shoots, gotta keep busy.
Anyone in Minnesota want to buy a Lone wolf assault hand climber and I have a sit an climb upper so I have two uppers for the stand asking $360 was used one season
Will Winter ever end? I have done all the scouting I can do with Bing, Google maps, and Google earth. I need to get some boots on the ground. Is it better to tough it out and scout areas now? Or can I get away with waiting till some or all of the snow melts? I am brand new at this and I am sure I am going to need some time to get use to looking for sign and figuring out what it means. Thanks for any help you can offer.
I've been shed hunting since the middle of January. I've had zero difficulties getting around and I'm in the middle of nowhere where the wind never stops and areas of snow blowing in all the time. My advice for you is to get out there and at least try it. I love scouting this time of year because there is no undergrowth and you're not as worried about kicking deer around the property and leaving scent. Patterns change from now til hunting season but you will still get a good idea. Late season food and bedding, trails, rubs, possible trees for stands next year, creek crossings and etc.,. I always bring my handhelp GPS when I am out walking. Never know when you are going to find something worth marking. Great tool and then you can look up that coordinate on google earth. Get out there and let us know how it goes!
I guess it depends on the area and what your goals are. Where I'm at there's more than waist deep snow in the woods, so snowshoes are a must and most sheds are buried. I also don't like bumping the deer too much with the snowy conditions because they'll jump off their beaten trails and that takes a ton of energy from them. I'll be out there shed hunting as soon as I don't need the snowshoes.
Can't even get to my property to do any shed hunting... There is a "warm up" on the horizon next week!!
Yea this is brutal, I am about sick of it. I want to get out and check my cameras that I have had out, but its been to damn cold!
