Minnesota (more hunters than deer)?

[foggy]

My guess is that most deer hunters in Minnesota don’t see deer hunting as that important. I would be interested in seeing the average number of hours/days deer hunters spend deer hunting per year. My guess is that it’s pretty low which basically tells me deer hunting is just not that important to most Minnesotans. I would think many deer hunters hunt the first weekend of rifle and that is about it.

This would explain the complacency and why the DNR is not motivated to do anything. Bottom line is most people don’t care enough to make the effort.

What to do, buy land in an area with the best deer hunting you can afford, start COOPS, find like minded people, and advocate for change that supports your interests.

BINGO! I have gone through all the emotional issues that are being stated here. I just feel bad for public land hunters....and those in areas with "bad" managers. Those folks are really getting the shaft. I don't have great deer hunting.....but we get a fair experience each year.....considering what others are getting. This area likely will always be managed for higher deer numbers......and the predators are somewhat managed by the landowners (as compared to further north).

I think you need to choose your hunt area very wisely in MN Things aren't always what they appear.

 

[bwoods11]

I'm afraid for the deer hunters of WI that the WI DNR is starting to copy the MN DNR :eek:
At least their firearm season falls outside of the rut for the most part

No state is perfect, heck Iowa has 3 buck tags for a resident landowner??? That being said, I'd take any nearby states rules and regs right now---except Michigan

So...one of you Minnesotans explain to me why hunters in the SE are more resistant to shooting does than everywhere else in the state?

I don't know this but could be a guess? They see so many deer that they are content with shooting a buck and maybe one doe for meat. There is no urgency--let's say---to shoot the first deer in range?

 

[SD51555]

My guess is that most deer hunters in Minnesota don’t see deer hunting as that important. I would be interested in seeing the average number of hours/days deer hunters spend deer hunting per year. My guess is that it’s pretty low which basically tells me deer hunting is just not that important to most Minnesotans. I would think many deer hunters hunt the first weekend of rifle and that is about it.

This would explain the complacency and why the DNR is not motivated to do anything. Bottom line is most people don’t care enough to make the effort.

What to do, buy land in an area with the best deer hunting you can afford, start COOPS, find like minded people, and advocate for change that supports your interests.

Nail. Head. I think you got her right there.

 

[SD51555]

I think we're a lot further in the osmosis of this situation than we may believe. Foggy and a few others referenced the public land hunters. I think those unlucky souls are gonna be the first ones to hang it up, or head for the state land in zone 3 or into Wisconsin. North of Hwy 10, tens of thousands of hunters just experienced another terrible hunt. Sure there are pockets in there of good, but that aside, legions had bad hunts. Those parties probably had "that" conversation on the way home in the truck. The guy in the backseat is probably the one they are going to lose next year. "Wife wants to do _____ that weekend."

Unfortunately, this is the necessary evil market force that will begin the healing process. Many who only look at deer hunting as a few days a year and are only geared into seeing/shooting deer will fall away.

One thing I have learned about economics is that no matter how much collusion, distortion, and lying exist in a system, eventually the market will rear it's ugly head. In this situation it will be a decrease in hunters tired of the absence of deer. Good for the deer in the short run I guess, but bad for us as a group in the long run. We may be tossed so far aside that we aren't even a force worthy of consideration. We'll be the constitution party. Right now we know we still have some relevance because we're being lied to and demeaned in a variety of places. That's how you know you still matter.

 

[SD51555]

You remember the stories when the forest service sent in sharp shooters to thin animals in the national parks? I can't remember where or when, but I recall the cost of those efforts being north of $1000/animal to deal with. That'd be the day. And I'm not saying it isn't possible. Dumber things have happened in this country.

 

[Freeborn]

My fear is that this is the beginning of a slow slide towards the state becoming the entity that directly controls our deer population(think helicopters, sharpshooters, bait piles, night vision goggles)...it won't be in my lifetime, but I could certainly see it happening during the next generation's.

Sharpshooting happens already in metro areas. I live in Bloomington close to Hyland park (2600 wooded metro park) and they bait and sharpshoot deer every winter. My neighbor complained to the county about shooting does in their third trimester and their reply was thats good, we get a twofer. Thats not good behavior in my opinion. I inquired about hunting the county park and was told hunting was not allowed.

Maybe its not so far away as more people move to the metro and have no clue how things work. Hell, they probably will expand the range of wolves as that is the natural way.

 

[sandbur]

IMHO - This is what will happen. Not sure what year or what the final herd number will be. Too much revenue for the DNR to "eliminate" deer hunting.

View attachment 3278
I know, I know...too much time on my hands when I can take the time to graph my thoughts :D

Your thoughts must be showing some age.

I tell my friends that I used to think about something all of the time and now I cannot even remember what it was....

 

[OkieKubota]

I couldn't even imagine party hunting... here we kill our own...

 

[wiscwhip]

Your graph might be skewed in one aspect Fish, I think the population might be below the line already in some areas of MN.:(

 

[SD51555]

As we all should IMHO

Stories like this are far too common I think, but only a few get exposed
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/st...014/12/15/illegal-deer-hunting-iowa/20413235/

Interesting enough, if that had happened in Minnesota, the only crime would have been the tag holders not being in the party at the time of the hunt (if they had their automatic buck tags).

sigh.

 

[biglakeba$$]

Sharpshooting happens already in metro areas. I live in Bloomington close to Hyland park (2600 wooded metro park) and they bait and sharpshoot deer every winter. My neighbor complained to the county about shooting does in their third trimester and their reply was thats good, we get a twofer. Thats not good behavior in my opinion. I inquired about hunting the county park and was told hunting was not allowed.

My ole high school friend is the one that gets to sit on stand over bait and shoot those deer you speak of..... not his call to do it. He is one assigned to do it....
He does it in all the Three Rivers Parks where a public hunt is not allowed.
They are "requested" not to shoot mature bucks. Every other deer is dead on sight...

 

[SD51555]

I gotta imagine it gets hard after the first few fall. I thought the Duluth city hunt would be a cake walk. Not so.

 

[biglakeba$$]

He sent me a pic a few years back with a pickup bed piled with deer that he was bringing to the butcher. They are all donated.

He spends a lot of nights/evenings and doesnt see deer. But some nights are lucrative.

No clue on the numbers overall. He personally tested the sub sonic shotgun pellet/slugs out of the gun with a barrel that was 5+ feet long.
He was set up shooting deer within sight of houses in the park around Medicine lake and the gun made very little sound.

http://www.dillerdesign.com/quietgun/reviews.html

 

[biglakeba$$]

It sounded like a lot of fun, but after hearing about the late nights, gutting deer in mega cold temps and getting home in the early morning hours.... poaching deer at night sounded extra lame... :)

 

[Jameson]

yeah...in talking with the park wildlife managers they would much, much rather have managed hunts (gun or bow) in the park then use snipers, but some times conditions don't allow a hunt. Often times that might just be those opposing a hunt living near by.