minnesotas own

wildfire

5 year old buck +
Todays Star trib, pheasant numbers down, grouse numbers down, duck hunting fair to poor, deer hunting down- and I do not mean south.
 
I never could figure why MN rifle season was during/so close to the rut.
 
The answer begins with the question, why don't we have a 3 month long rifle season anymore?

Way back when the firearms season was 3 months long. The hunters were told to shorten the season to a week, due to too much hunter/non-hunter conflict. The hunters chose the week with the best hunting, that had the best chance of having decent hunting weather........Well, maybe something like that.:rolleyes:
 
Somehow, none of that surprises me.:rolleyes: Your DNR should be embarrassed, but sadly they are not, because they are not held accountable by your states citizens, therefore they are not held accountable by your states leaders. I am starting to think that the citizens(and not just the hunters, at least some of them are trying to make a difference) of MN should be the ones that are embarrassed and should be shouldering much of the blame for the decline of natural resources in your state. Until you can get at least a reasonable percentage of your states residents to decide enough is enough, I fear the DNR will continue to do as little as the state of MN will let them get away with and the declines will continue. It is becoming an all to frequently shown and common trait of human nature to do as little as one can possibly do to just get by. Starting to get old on all levels. Sorry, not a very Christmas-like rant, but it is sad to think that this is what is becoming of the citizenship in this country.
 
We deserve better excuses.
 
I believe this is the short article. The writer did not say much and has no opinion on the situation but what else would you expect from the Red Star.

With hunting and fishing in Minnesota being in such poor shape I wonder if the Minnesota DNR is not just incompetent. The DNR seems to have little or no direction.

I have pheasants on my place and am working hard to improve the habitat for pheasants. However, if you drive around to the public areas set aside for pheasants the NWSG are very poor and appear to have been chosen based on cost and not what is best for Pheasants. In addition there are no food sources available. To me it appears like little effort hase been made for pheasants or any other resource.

Hard to understand, maybe the DNR just doesn't care or maybe they are just lazy?

http://www.startribune.com/sports/outdoors/286742421.html
 
Are we starting another MDDI Thread here?

I already know all aspects of hunting in this not so great state of MN........SUCK!:mad:
 
I never could figure why MN rifle season was during/so close to the rut.
It is there because many of us prefer it to be that way. I just love the rifle rut hunt and really do not want to give it up.

I used to be an avid bow hunter, but that interest has faded over the last 10 years.
 
The answer begins with the question, why don't we have a 3 month long rifle season anymore?

Way back when the firearms season was 3 months long. The hunters were told to shorten the season to a week, due to too much hunter/non-hunter conflict. The hunters chose the week with the best hunting, that had the best chance of having decent hunting weather........Well, maybe something like that.:rolleyes:

I can not remember a 3 month long rifle season. How long ago was that?

It seems like some of the tribes have a 3 month long rifle season.
 
I can not remember a 3 month long rifle season. How long ago was that?

80-90 years ago???

If today bowhunters had to vote to adjust their season from 3 months to 1 week, what week would they choose? Most likely IMO the week right before the current rifle season.
 
80-90 years ago???

If today bowhunters had to vote to adjust their season from 3 months to 1 week, what week would they choose? Most likely IMO the week right before the current rifle season.


Probably Nov 7-14

Difference is though archery hunting does not interrupt the rut and drive deer nocturnal like the gun season.

I've seen this first hand in Iowa. Bucks chasing does all day long.

In my opinion deer recognize the shots and increased traffic/activity of a gun season and they change behavior in a matter of a few hours.

That just does not happen with archery. It's not a comparison.

The survival rate of bucks and does would increase with a later gun season and this would bring our deer hunting in MN to a point of comparison to our neighboring states in 3-4 years!
 
I agree Stu.

Frustrates me to no end! Last year my neighbors had 4 hunters on 16 acres of cover near my 44 acres close to town.

Even though we hunted the edge of our property all deer activity ceased as the neighbors shots/loud talking and walking and driving around had every deer in section on edge.

Have seen few deer on camera during daylight since.
 
I think your observations of the differences between bow & gun seasons are spot on. I see the same thing here in Pa. Bow season - no shooting ( guns ), hunters on foot sneaking in & out ( no wheelers ), no drives, no orange army, scent control in effect, etc., and deer still move during daylight hours ( most years, for the most part ). Gun season - just the opposite. Sighting in guns, caravans of wheelers bringing in last-minute-Larrys to put up stands, clear trails & shooting lanes, guys riding wheelers out to the stands to HUNT, putting on drives & yelling all the way, talking amongst the drivers / watchers, etc. And to the shocked amazement and dismay of the participants - they don't see any deer. Lots of complaints that the deer are only moving long after dark. Cams don't even have any daylight pix of deer anymore. And in Pa. - all this after our BEAR season the week before !!!!!!! ............. Rocket scientist apply here.

I read what you guys are saying and I agree 100%. Bwoods and Stu - you nailed it! That's why the last 2 days of our rifle season are the best of the season, other than maybe the first day. Woods empty, hunters long gone, quiet again, no wheelers, no drives. Deer calming down & getting back to their regular schedules. Deer pattern US - and adapt accordingly.
 
I think your observations of the differences between bow & gun seasons are spot on. I see the same thing here in Pa. Bow season - no shooting ( guns ), hunters on foot sneaking in & out ( no wheelers ), no drives, no orange army, scent control in effect, etc., and deer still move during daylight hours ( most years, for the most part ). Gun season - just the opposite. Sighting in guns, caravans of wheelers bringing in last-minute-Larrys to put up stands, clear trails & shooting lanes, guys riding wheelers out to the stands to HUNT, putting on drives & yelling all the way, talking amongst the drivers / watchers, etc. And to the shocked amazement and dismay of the participants - they don't see any deer. Lots of complaints that the deer are only moving long after dark. Cams don't even have any daylight pix of deer anymore. And in Pa. - all this after our BEAR season the week before !!!!!!! ............. Rocket scientist apply here.

I read what you guys are saying and I agree 100%. Bwoods and Stu - you nailed it! That's why the last 2 days of our rifle season are the best of the season, other than maybe the first day. Woods empty, hunters long gone, quiet again, no wheelers, no drives. Deer calming down & getting back to their regular schedules. Deer pattern US - and adapt accordingly.
That sounds like a nightmare.
 
I find peace and quiet during mid-week in zone 2 and also up in zone 1 during rifle season. Perhaps moreso since there are very few deer left in my parts of zone 2. When we had deer, I can remember seeing 15 or rmore pickups go by on opening morning, after daylight, and often the same truck repeatedly.

bwoods- 4 hunters on 16 acres sound dangerous to me. I can see why you are upset. One hunter per 40 of cover is enough for me.
 
Bur - you're right, it IS a nightmare. For that reason, I have a handful of areas scouted and I hunt where people are NOT going. Most years, I make out well - or my sons do.
 
Top