Attn area 172 and surrounding hunters

[BuckSutherland]

Last night I sent off an email to our area wildlife supervisor. Here is what I Sent her:

Christine,
Area you the lead manager of the deer herd for area 172?? If you are, I hope you are getting the message loud and clear that we need/want more deer. The people I hunt with have had a self imposed NO DOE regulation for the last two years. I was quite disappointed that our area was not bucks only last fall. I encountered several groups that in the past wouldnt dream of bring a kid with that brought them in 2014, just so they could have a doe tag. Short-sighted IMHO.

I certainly hope this year that we are strongly considering bucks only. After the mild winter we had hopefully winter kill was/is almost non-existent. We should be able to get a decent year class off this year, and if we can do the same next year we will be in good shape again. At the very least permits should be considerably dropped from the 500 that were allowed last year, especially with the introduction of so many crossbows to the woods.

Mistakes where made all around with the deer herd and winters were brutal. Lets just take the short-term pain and decrease the harvest of antlerless deer so we can increase our total population to a more acceptable level a year or two from now. We have several young hunters set to hit the woods in the next couple years and I never want them to experience the pathetic hunting I have seen the past two years. I know what my area is capable of, and it looks nothing like 2014!!

Thanks for your consideration,



And here is what she sent back to me this morning.





Thanks for your input.

I am the lead wildlife manager in PA 172, but this PA does go into the Grand Rapids work area also. I haven’t heard from any other hunters from 172, but I’ve only been here for a little over a year now. To give me some perspective where do you hunt? Also you probably are aware that we are currently working on revising the deer population goals for this PA. A team of representatives has developed recommendations for each of the permit areas we are revising goals on this year and from April 2-15th we will be accepting public comment on these recommendations, so I encourage you to make a comment on these recommendations. More info. can be found on the MNDNR deer management website (http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/mammals/deer/mgmt.html). Thanks again, great to have input from hunters who use the area.


Christine



Christine Reisz

Aitkin Area Wildlife Supervisor


Its time to send her some fan mail. You can also send some to Jeff Lightfoot who is the regional manager out of the GR office. I believe he is her boss.
Emails
christine.reisz@state.mn.us
jeff.lightfoot@state.mn.us

 

[bat man]

Doug Applegren from MDHA wrote an excellent letter for the area. Contact him. He seems a go getter- send him your letter and the response you received.

 

[sandbur]

Buck-my family has owned land in 172 for 98 years. There are a few pockets of deer just like every other area.

It's a hard one to decide how many doe permits are enough.

I grouse hunted different parts of 172 and there are large areas with very little deer sign. I also know of a field or two with 40-70 deer on them at times.

I want to see more deer in 172, but also want to see a few doe permits. I suspect last year's season was about right for doe permits.

I have to agree with you about no doe tags for large parts of the area. but a few people need some tags.

 

[BuckSutherland]

All I can say is that my area of 172 is a far cry from what it was just a few years ago and it was sheer lunacy to allow any doe permits anywhere within 25 miles of where I was.
I still remember the feeling of seeing them two fawns last year. You woulda thought I just dropped a 150+. That was it for my entire season. Used to see that in the first hour of the first morning.

Last weekend some guys that hunt in the area were up and saw like 40 deer in the field across from the land. They think the problem is magically fixed. Too bad every deer for 14 sq miles is crammed onto that piece right now cause its the hot food source. Still doesnt change my overall opinion about the norther part of the zone as a whole.

 

[biglakeba$$]

It all comes back to one size doesnt fit all over an entire permit area.

That can be said about a LOT of permit areas.

 

[SD51555]

Gotta chop 172 in half along hwy 200. I think that's probably the best dividing line for our different fortunes. I saw two dinks last year while on stand and almost passed out from buck fever. I knew right away I couldn't and wouldn't shoot (even if I could) and I still got the shakes and breathing troubles because it's been so long...

 

[sandbur]

Gotta chop 172 in half along hwy 200. I think that's probably the best dividing line for our different fortunes. I saw two dinks last year while on stand and almost passed out from buck fever. I knew right away I couldn't and wouldn't shoot (even if I could) and I still got the shakes and breathing troubles because it's been so long...

At one time, 172 was much smaller and the split was about where you indicate. There is more ag in the southwest part of the area. And nearly no deer in other areas.If you look at the older DNR maps on line, you can find it.

I also tend to agree that those does can move for miles to a good field.

 

[West Branch]

Last year the first week of May we took the long way to get to Itasca Greenhouse and drove up highway 6 between permit areas 171 and 172. We probably saw 100 deer (it was a long drive) but we would go many miles without seeing any, and then when there was a field greening up we would see a pile of them. Makes it hard to convince people there is an issue when there are 15+ deer on a 20 acre field, even though there are hardly any others for a couple miles around.

SD - based on your prior posts I think we were within a mile of your place on our drive.