Archery Hunters what are you seeing?

[bwoods11]

I'd be curious as to what others are seeing so far this year?

Pleasantly surprised so far 5 sits, the average number of deer seen is...around 6 deer per sit.

4 bucks on a recent sit in colder weather. So far just one that is mature, but overall that is not bad for MN. Seeing quite a few does and fawns on my farms as well.

Cool weather coming and that should help. This years food plots are making a big difference as well!

 

[BJE80]

7 sits. 4 Deer Spooted. All anterless.

 

[Riggsgwp->]

Hunted twice. Saw 5 does/fawns then doe with 2 fawns.

 

[biglakeba$$]

Been up 2 weekends. Son and I have seen a doe and fawn.... the same doe and fawn walked by me across the field and into the woods by my son. Thats it.
4 cams out, 3 of them had no buck pics at all on them. the other had 2 yearling bucks. Coyote with a squirrel in its mouth, a bobcat, and some baldies.

I emailed a guy a couple properties over to see if they have been up, and he said he didnt have a deer on cam from the previous week..... Hell if I know if he meant zero deer or maybe something else. His emails are a bit cryptic at times.... I replied back to him to clarify, but he has not responded yet.

 

[Jameson]

My only sits have been this past Monday am and pm, and Tuesday am in three different stands, first time hunting each. Have seen 1 porcupine, and no deer.

 

[sandbur]

Been up 2 weekends. Son and I have seen a doe and fawn.... the same doe and fawn walked by me across the field and into the woods by my son. Thats it.
4 cams out, 3 of them had no buck pics at all on them. the other had 2 yearling bucks. Coyote with a squirrel in its mouth, a bobcat, and some baldies.

I emailed a guy a couple properties over to see if they have been up, and he said he didnt have a deer on cam from the previous week..... Hell if I know if he meant zero deer or maybe something else. His emails are a bit cryptic at times.... I replied back to him to clarify, but he has not responded yet.

I thought you were in the area with high deer numbers. Where are those million deer?

I have not been bow hunting. Plans are to hunt 4 days in Nov. before the rifle opener.

 

[bwoods11]

Been up 2 weekends. Son and I have seen a doe and fawn.... the same doe and fawn walked by me across the field and into the woods by my son. Thats it.
4 cams out, 3 of them had no buck pics at all on them. the other had 2 yearling bucks. Coyote with a squirrel in its mouth, a bobcat, and some baldies.

I emailed a guy a couple properties over to see if they have been up, and he said he didnt have a deer on cam from the previous week..... Hell if I know if he meant zero deer or maybe something else. His emails are a bit cryptic at times.... I replied back to him to clarify, but he has not responded yet.

I can't figure out why you don't have deer? I'd bet your habitat is better than most??
Good county... Strange?

 

[biglakeba$$]

Hence my continued conundrum bwoods..... If I took any of you for a land tour, I am quite certain a lot of people would finish the tour, look at me and simply say, "You must be one shitty hunter dude, cuz there is no other explanation."

As I have always said... there are deer around. I have never said there are none. We have it better than others.
But the fact I will stick with, is how the hell we dont have more deer in that terrain is just beyond frustrating. It makes absolutely no sense.

My wildlife manager insists populations today are similar to what they were in 2007(stakeholder year). I have pretty much given up talking to him because it wont do any good.
He wont answer my simple question of , "how can we be shooting nearly 40% fewer deer today than we did 7 years ago, and the populations are basically the same?"
Quote from him,,,,, "The model seems to be doing a good job of estimating the deer population."

Some days a guy just wants to throw his hands up and say uncle.....

Maybe Steve B has some thoughts.... Steve have you ever been to SE Ottertail County??

 

[sandbur]

Hence my continued conundrum bwoods..... If I took any of you for a land tour, I am quite certain a lot of people would finish the tour, look at me and simply say, "You must be one shitty hunter dude, cuz there is no other explanation."

As I have always said... there are deer around. I have never said there are none. We have it better than others.
But the fact I will stick with, is how the hell we dont have more deer in that terrain is just beyond frustrating. It makes absolutely no sense.

My wildlife manager insists populations today are similar to what they were in 2007(stakeholder year). I have pretty much given up talking to him because it wont do any good.
He wont answer my simple question of , "how can we be shooting nearly 40% fewer deer today than we did 7 years ago, and the populations are basically the same?"
Quote from him,,,,, "The model seems to be doing a good job of estimating the deer population."

Some days a guy just wants to throw his hands up and say uncle.....

Maybe Steve B has some thoughts.... Steve have you ever been to SE Ottertail County??

You sure you aren't in Morrison County? Sounds the same, here.

 

[bueller]

No bow hunting for me this year :(. Newborn baby and preparing cash and time to close on a new property has taken priority. Should make for a good gun season though as opening morning will be the first hunt of the year on the property.

 

[dipper]

I've shot 5 does already, usually see 25 a sit depending on what kind of spot I sit in. Shot my last doe 2 days ago at 11:11am. I did habitat work in the morning and got into stand at 10am. I have only seen one yearling buck so far doe factories suck

 

[foggy]

I've shot 5 does already, usually see 25 a sit depending on what kind of spot I sit in. Shot my last doe 2 days ago at 11:11am. I did habitat work in the morning and got into stand at 10am. I have only seen one yearling buck so far doe factories suck

One thing I always liked about shooting Prairie Dogs....it was all about shooting and not about skinning, gutting and butchering. :)

 

[Freeborn]

I can't figure out why you don't have deer? I'd bet your habitat is better than most??
Good county... Strange?

Over Harvest in many areas in my opinion. From the short time I have been in the county the quality deer are being harvested near the enormous swamps while the rest of the county has traditional hunting which results in over harvest in most areas. Unfortunately the DNR cares little about deer hunters.

 

[dipper]

One thing I always liked about shooting Prairie Dogs....it was all about shooting and not about skinning, gutting and butchering. :)

Practice makes perfect

 

[SD51555]

We haven't bow hunted our land this year. We've tried very hard to stay out and let it be an early season sanctuary. Our neighbors don't share our concern for the does or any other deer for that matter. That being said, we just pulled cams last weekend. We now have/had two unique bucks (depending on what got poached last week), 2-3 yearling does, one big doe, and a pair of healthy looking fawns.

 

[MoBuckChaser]

Saw 18 tonight, One 5 year old buck. Can't find him tonight, hopefully in the morning!:(

 

[Turkey Creek]

While I am not in MN or WI, I have been out 4 times. I have seen deer every sit, generally 2 or 3 does and their fawns. Tonight finally had a 4x4 buck probably 110" that gave me several shot opps. just not one that is on my hit list this year.

 

[biglakeba$$]

Dipper.... I have shot exactly 5 does in my life with my bow. 25+ years of bowhunting.
This year we are shooting no does on our farm. Except for my daughter, who is hunting deer her first time.

Sure sucks to try to limit our harvest every year in hopes we help maybe make things better the next year.... the next year is pretty typically the same thing when its all said and done.

Hearing the numbers some of you guys out of state see in a single sit, is more deer than I see in an entire season up here in MN. I simply cannot imagine.

I must always state.... We dont have the worst hunting in MN. But we sure dont have what we should/could have up there.

 

[LessRice]

BLB I have spent a lot of time bass/walleye fishing on West Battle Lake growing up and I have always envied the country out in that area, and many times have thought "man this is some prime deer habitat."

Do you have a lot of hunting pressure surrounding your property? I know there are a lot of big ridges and draws out there but could some of that outside pressure be directing deer away from your property? Could it maybe be caused by access issues? I feel your pain though, we have been very selectively harvesting deer in hopes for better years to come only to see the deer hit the back of the neighbors pickup trucks. We are finally "bucks only" this year so in a few years we may get some better opportunities. Like everyone else I am not a fan of the DNR but they need to step in at some point and limit the doe harvest. Even if they justify "bucks only" from last years winter and not the years of unlimited doe tags in our area, it's fine by me.

I have sat 7 times and seen 14 deer, 1 spike buck and the rest are all the same does/fawns that are resident on our property. In order for me to put meat in the freezer a yearling buck may have to hit the ground.

 

[sandbur]

I have hunted so many years under these conditions that a yearling buck is considered a successful season. I need to check and see if I am bucks only, up north again.