So, I checked out the weather, and $$$ permitting, I am so going up there tomorrow. I have a couple WMA's that I found through the DNR website, and I want to check them out for Turkey season. I know there is a good cover on the ground now, at least a good 5" of snow. But wouldn't this be less in the tree lines? IDK. I haven't spent too much time in the woods, after it snowed. I am going to get my gear ready tonight, and then take the wifey to work. After that, I may head up for a couple of hours around noon. I just want to wander, and see what I can find for birds. So, you guys just pick up a deer trail, and follow it? Keeping a close eye, around thickets, and where they had jumped fence lines? Sounds pretty basic. What I am bringing: Backpack, TP, Camel Bak, Camera, but it broke. Knife, Aerial map of area. Mark some spots. Change of socks. Cell phone. To call for help, when I get lost. Sound about right? EDIT: by chance, if there are any MN's that have the day off tomorrow, and want to join me, PM me tonight. Weather report. http://www.accuweather.com/us/mn/princeton/55371/forecast.asp?partner=accuweather&traveler=1&zipChg=1&metric=0
Okay. I have endless opportunities now. I have been searching all over the MN DNR website for a place to go. I have narrowed it down to these few. http://maps.dnr.state.mn.us/compass/wma/framequery.html?map=/usr/local/www/docs_maps/compass/wma/view.map&mapext=444048.843200+5044645.372025+450118.938800+5048408.232975&zoomsize=2&layer=ctype_wmacpy3&layer=roads&layer=pls http://maps.dnr.state.mn.us/compass/wma/framequery.html?map=/usr/local/www/docs_maps/compass/wma/view.map&mapext=487639.734975+5023070.407925+491932.072025+5025436.143075&zoomsize=2&layer=ctype_wmacpy3&layer=roads&layer=pls I really like that second one. It looks promising for the spring hunt. I haven't been there, but if I get a tag for that area, I will definatly give it a shot. I plan on going to walk around that sometime this week. "Shed hunting." just to get away from the city for a while.
Good luck shedding!! To answer your question on the snow depth In the tree line's/tree's, there will be much more snow there then anywhere else.
It's still a good 6" to a foot around home here In central Mn In the woods. Out In the fields In the open country hardly a thing. I was just up north last week and there's all of 2 feet up there yet.
Okay, so I did go up for a little while. Judging by the map I was using. I covered a good 6 - 6.5 Miles of walking. I really was looking for signs of Turkeys in the areas. But I only found one. It was a very short set of tracks, with a j shaped poo in them. (Thats a jake or tom, right?). I happened to find some scragly corn in the middle of the woods. I thought it would be a good place to start from. Thats where I found the turkey tracks. So I searched there for about 45 minutes, walking back and forth through the rows. NOthing. Just a bunch of old corn. Then I moved on up, and noticed some standing grass, blocking the view of what appeared to be soybeans. It was. There were a lot of tracks going through that also. No turkeys, but deer were all over that place. So, I walked the field edges, until I kicked up two deer. I followed them for a bit. They kept me going further and further into the woods. Found cattails, while following deer. Cattails suck. Passed through cattails, and walked further in for a bit. Still no sheds. So, I decided to move a bit further down, and head back to the Jeep. Only to find someone's dog. It had been killed. I felt bad. He was a beagle. Very sad. It's life, I know that, but it could have been avoided. That pretty much ended the day for me. No sheds, One frickin' turkey track, someone's pup. Today sucked. On my way out, I stopped to talk to a group that was cuttin wood. The four guys cutting told me I had to talk to the "guy in the van". Okay, but if he offers me candy, I'm out of here!" :d No. It turned out that they were a working party with the DOC. The Corrections Off. talked to me for a few minutes. He told me that he hasn't seen ANY turkeys around here since the fire in 2000. :huh: He did suggest one area to me though. Another portion to the same WMA that I was in. It has two parts to it. Another couple thousand acres...Great. Another day of wandering. Maybe this weekend if the weather cooperates. IDK, It's my anniversary. 3 years!!!
Going back out tomorrow, or Sunday. Gonna take the pooch. Going to be around Stacy, at Carlos Avery, If anyone wants to join me.
