Are the glory days of deer hunting coming to a close?

[bwoods11]

There is an example in Iowa where the buck quality actually went down after going to one buck. Don't hold me to the details, but the Amana Colonies is roughly 26,000 acres of restricted access hunting. Around 20 years ago it was changed from 2 bucks to one buck and the buck quality has gone down. The theory is that one buck has led to more high grading because guys used to shoot the first decent buck, which was often a management buck, then hold our for a hero. Now they are waiting for a great buck, which is often a high potential 3 or 4 year old.

I believe they are going back to 2 bucks tags so it will be interesting to see if the quality returns.

I’m gonna say in some counties (1) buck would make sense, & others (2) maximum would be better… in Iowa .

In Minnesota there are counties that should be a lottery . One buck every 3-4 years. There are not many deer in SW MN period.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Aspen stands respond quickly to harvest, you'd think this would make for good habitat/stem count for food/cover even with wolves on the landscape? Especially the past few winters where the snow never got real deep.

You'd think, doesn't make good thermal cover though. The family land and surrounding public i used to hunt up there was surrounded by big recent clear cuts that are thick aspen regen. Deer were still hurting. Been a couple years since i've spent time there though.

 

[jsasker007]

I think the habitat is lacking in S.W. MN. Lots of farmland but not many trees. Up North there's lots of trees but not much for crops. Finding a good balance that deer prefer without crazy hunting pressure is a persons' best bet in Minnesota in my opinion. Glory days are gone for the most part for me. It was when we used to get together and hunt with a bunch of family members. Those are the fondest memories and the best times for me. Just memories now as most of the people who participated are gone now. Now I'm just out hunting by myself out my back door. Still love spending the time out in the woods even if it's just me. Would be nice to have someone to share it with though.

 

[sandbur]

I think the habitat is lacking in S.W. MN. Lots of farmland but not many trees. Up North there's lots of trees but not much for crops. Finding a good balance that deer prefer without crazy hunting pressure is a persons' best bet in Minnesota in my opinion. Glory days are gone for the most part for me. It was when we used to get together and hunt with a bunch of family members. Those are the fondest memories and the best times for me. Just memories now as most of the people who participated are gone now. Now I'm just out hunting by myself out my back door. Still love spending the time out in the woods even if it's just me. Would be nice to have someone to share it with though.

My daughter and her boyfriend hunted the first day and each got a deer. After that, it is just my wife and I hunting.

The other day, I was wondering if I had 5 years of hunting left.

It’s not necessarily a priority anymore to shoot a big buck but just to have an enjoyable hunt. Things change with age.

 

[Jerry-B-WI]

Seems like most of it is pulp wood. A lot of the huntable corporate timber land where I spend time is owned by Blandin Paper. Most of the harvested timber is aspen.

I used to work for a small paper company. Spent most of my years there in the pulp mill. We used balsam and aspen about a 70/30 mix for paper strength. We made copy paper and food wrap which is way different than shiny magazine pages.
I looked at Blandin's website and it looks like they use aspen and pine. Aspen regen was great for the deer when I had my land logged, but I'll agree food isn't the only thing deer need.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

We hunt a lot of weyerhaeuser paper company land in Wisconsin, but over the years most of those properties have been sold off to hunters. It is quite a loss for hunters because there were thousands of acres of private ground open to public hunting and now most of those properties are posted. Those properties typically had better than average habitat because they were logged frequently, but I expect that to change as some of the new owners may not be as interested in logging. The wolves follow the deer around in these areas with good habitat and we have found some pretty gory deer kill sites while grouse hunting those properties in winter.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

We hunt a lot of weyerhaeuser paper company land in Wisconsin, but over the years most of those properties have been sold off to hunters. It is quite a loss for hunters because there were thousands of acres of private ground open to public hunting and now most of those properties are posted. Those properties typically had better than average habitat because they were logged frequently, but I expect that to change as some of the new owners may not be as interested in logging. The wolves follow the deer around in these areas with good habitat and we have found some pretty gory deer kill sites while grouse hunting those properties in winter.

Most frustrating part of improving habitat in wolf country is that doing so congregates deer and in turn wolves to feed on them.

 

[Telemark]

Most frustrating part of improving habitat in wolf country is that doing so congregates deer and in turn wolves to feed on them.

Are you guys allowed to set snares for wolves?

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

Are you guys allowed to set snares for wolves?

No wolf killing allowed in Minnesota and there there's currently not a hunting/trapping season in Wisconsin although that may change. I'm not sure if snares were allowed in Wisconsin when wolf hunting/trapping was allowed. I know they shot the crap out of the wolves when they last had a season. Hunters have learned how to hunt wolves using hounds and it is unbelievably effective.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Are you guys allowed to set snares for wolves?

Federally listed on endangered species act, no way man. Doubt our blue controlled state would let us do it even if they were delisted. There are snare breakaway requirements for snaring coyotes that are spec'd around wolves and deer being able to break free. Would be cool though, i'm just learning to snare and got my first couple coyotes in my 6 acre yard last week!