Outdoor News All Bucks SE MN

[bwoods11]

Got my Outdoor News this week. There are some nice buck harvest photos in the paper. Six to be exact, all six were from SE MN.

100%

Some very happy bow hunters, including Chris Warren who shot a 240 inch 13 point non-typical in Winona County.

 

[Brush Creek]

APR obviously isn't making things better down there. Glad we don't have that anywhere else in the state. Who would want to have a reasonable chance at a nice buck?

 

[gwm]

Got my Outdoor News this week. There are some nice buck harvest photos in the paper. Six to be exact, all six were from SE MN.

100%

Some very happy bow hunters, including Chris Warren who shot a 240 inch 13 point non-typical in Winona County.

Is this the buck that was in all velvet?

 

[Jameson]

Yep, whatever happens in zone 3 doesn't make the rest of the state worse. Zone 3 has always been a big buck factory. APR's were put in to place to help control the population.

Wonder if the pro-APR guys are doing their best to advertise each big buck shot in zone 3 these days and trying to hide the big bucks shot in the rest of the state?.....would help their cause.

 

[bwoods11]

It's a great blueprint for what could happen in certain counties in MN

 

[wklman]

I know of at least one buck that came out of ottertail county that went 164". Shot second day of bow season.

 

[dipper]

Is this the buck that was in all velvet?

I saw and was told if a 231 in velvet apparently in Winona county. I think this is the first positive mn thread I've ever seen

 

[dipper]

The difference between wi and most of mn is habitat. There just isn't the cover in mn. Where wi lacks cover in more of the southern part of the state, it has nice hilly terrain. This isn't counting either of the states northern areas, which aren't trophy locals.
Wi hunters are pretty good at passing yearling bucks, but the basket racked 2.5s are mostly getting drilled. On some occasions guys are passing the 2.5s and the bucks have a chance to make it to their 3 or 4th birthday. Than they better have the skill to survive over 4 months of the masses. You are also seeing many 3.5 year olds making p&y.
It is still very difficult getting bucks to 4.5 years old with all the hunters, and holding them on small properties. If someone claims they are consistently harvesting 4.5 year old bucks they are over estimating the age or have a real special place to hunt.
Those special places are out there, the landowners are usually guys like us who are dedicated at improving their property.

 

[dipper]

A good part of me wishes we were back in those old days when everyone shot what ever. Hunting itself, was a lot more fun. Nobody cared. It brings a smile to my face cause we had some damn good times. Nothing mattered, there was no trespassing, no bs. Any 8 pointer would win the pool, we had fun.
These bigger bucks have completely changed things and it really isn't for the better.
Like anything, things change

 

[West Branch]

More hunters in mn need to see this. The area is far from SE MN and has harsh winters, bears and some wolves. No update for 2013 season but quite a few pics there.

http://www.hillviewmanagement.com/gallery.aspx

 

[bwoods11]

APRs without an increased antlerless kill could provide for some great hunting in other MN counties..no doubt. The problem is that with an increased antlerless kill, the number of animals produced goes down and therefore so do the number of mature bucks. Have you seen that the number of P&Y entries are down about 40% in SE MN over the last 5-6 years? Brooks has the numbers right from the P&Y office, he could give them to you. Shoot him a p.m. or email.

I saw a beautiful head mount tonight at the MCC MDHA banquet that came from the NY Mills area last year...don't know the score but it had to be around 160. From talking with a few guys in that area over the last year or so it sounds like many folks in that area are practicing voluntary buck management of some sort and it is having the desired effect. How to extrapolate that voluntary mindset to other areas? I have no idea...but I think long term that voluntary restrictions are better than mandatory. For "proof" of that idea just look at WI. There are no mandated buck restrictions of any kind...but they're cranking out huge numbers of book bucks. Why?

Stu--I simply don't believe that the number of 125 inch bucks (or bigger) has decreased in SE MN.
Wow, that's like saying the Broncos were better before adding Peyton Manning.

Landowners that I know say the results are amazing... Ripped up woods (scrapes/rubs) more deer, several more mature bucks. Much more daylight activity. It's night and day

APR has had a big impact!
All the guys in Outdoor News the past few years must not be registering their trophies.

 

[sandbur]

As said before, I am in favor of higher deer numbers in some areas. Higher deer numbers can give hunters a chance to make a choice.

Probably about 10 years ago I was a fan of APR's but not any more. Voluntary is great, but not mandatory.

If you have a legal tag and shooting a specific deer makes your season a success, you should be able to shoot it and do so without criticism from others, with the only exception being the landowner who deserves the right to set his own standards for those hunting on his land.

 

[bat man]

Stu--I simply don't believe that the number of 125 inch bucks (or bigger) has decreased in SE MN.
Wow, that's like saying the Broncos were better before adding Peyton Manning.

Landowners that I know say the results are amazing... Ripped up woods (scrapes/rubs) more deer, several more mature bucks. Much more daylight activity. It's night and day

APR has had a big impact!
All the guys in Outdoor News the past few years must not be registering their trophies.

Guys in SE MN are singing the praises, but fact is P&Y entries are down with consistent membership. Does not mean there are less big deer, but it seems a relevant stat.

I know hunter satisfaction with deer seen on stand has dropped under 50% in SE MN. Have not seen that anywhere in MN that I can remember-

 

[Greta&Gus]

More hunters in mn need to see this. The area is far from SE MN and has harsh winters, bears and some wolves. No update for 2013 season but quite a few pics there.

http://www.hillviewmanagement.com/gallery.aspx

That is awesome. Didn't realize there was groups doing this in MN.

 

[MoBuckChaser]

Fruck APR's! Lets build a deer herd first!

 

[bwoods11]

I can wait a season or two but we have a group interested in APR...2-3 years and we should be looking at ways to get bucks to live longer.

Shouldn't affect you county MO or Sandbur.

 

[sandbur]

I just have a soft spot for run of the mill hunters in any area. I do not feel this intense interest in antlers is good for our hunting traditions, but realize I am in the minority.

 

[Jameson]

I'll always thought that in MN the places that make the most sense to have APR is lottery areas. Don't have to worry about over-harvest of does that way.

 

[leexrayshady]

Yep I can see Apr expansion happening in select central zones but not state wide

 

[bwoods11]

How do you judge majority support? For example our group has many avid bow hunters/slug hunters that want to see more mature bucks. Many are landowners in our county, serious habitst guys.

Then we have guys that come up for one weekend from wherever, hunt public land and want to shoot whatever.

I have a pretty good idea on a majority when you talk landowners and their guests. Not sure how many public guys are out there. How much say do they have??

How do they prove they hunt here?? Are they here every year?? Should they have equal say??

Personally I think a regional area of Pope/Douglas/Todd/Ottertail would be a great area for APR in the future.