Ripley archery hunt

[Deer Kar]

I forgot how crazy this is. I got up at 3am drove hour and half. sat in line for an hour before I got to the front gate. There are 200 rigs ahead of me parked in line till tomorrow morning at 5:45 when they let us into the hunting area(which is around 50k acres). Just to not see any deer I hope I'm wrong about the deer.

 

[MoBuckChaser]

Well, if it makes you feel good, I hear the beer drinking in the parking area is pretty fun!;)

 

[MN Slick]

The DNR has the hunting was slow due to warm weather speech cued up already! Good luck!

 

[Deer Kar]

High winds, and harvested crops are also on there list of propaganda. For this weekend Are anticipation is high but are expectations are low for this hunt. On a positive note there are a lot of really friendly archers here. The BS is already flowing. I can't believe how luck I am to be Parked next to the worlds best hunter. I just met the dud I mean dude and he must have came from the bar.

 

[Deer Kar]

I have one started. No wife or kids this weekend!!!!

 

[sandbur]

One guy hunted last week and saw 2 deer. The last afternoon he left camp and saw 9 on private land.

You are getting closer to the next great hunt, if you want to look at the bright side.

 

[bat man]

Somebody said they killed 40 deer the second weekend. That would be a total of 115.

Total was 419 last year and that was the lowest since 2004.

I think it may be time to request somebody audit the harvest data at Riply to check in on old Beau. I know a guy who sat and counted deer one day from daylight till dark who claims Beaus totals have been a lie for years.

The herd is down but 73%. ? If the numbers are true they need to be rethinking hunters choice in the area and get us into bucks only. If the numbers were fudged we need our audit and it's time to clean house in St Paul.

 

[Deer Kar]

There were 40 shot yesterday biggest weight was 200lbs. Are group saw 8. I had a Forky die right in front of me. I was sitting in my stand a smaller fork and a fawn came by at full speed later a truck stopped all 4 guys got out one with bow they started walking towards me then stop went back to truck a left. Not knowing there was a deer laying there I got down to go see what there were looking at. When I got to the deer another rig pulled up and 2 younger guys hoped out and asked if that was my deer I said no they started jumping and yelling. It was the ones deer his first bow kill. They had gone ahead with a truck while there dad track the blood trail. They didn't have his bow (it was in the other truck)so I let him use mine to take pic.

That made my hunt to see how happy that guy was with his first bow kill. That Is what hunting is all about!

 

[Deer Kar]

Another group of friends that's here drove around a bunch yesterday no deer tracks saw wolfs up north part of camp. That's two groups is two hunts that had the same story. No deer and plenty of wolfs.

 

[SD51555]

Another group of friends that's here drove around a bunch yesterday no deer tracks saw wolfs up north part of camp. That's two groups is two hunts that had the same story. No deer and plenty of wolfs.

I'll buy you a new arrow and broadhead if you "donate" one for the greater good :D.

 

[Deer Kar]

I'll buy you a new arrow and broadhead if you "donate" one for the greater good :D.

Don't ask don't tell. Might be a good policy here.

 

[sandbur]

Somebody said they killed 40 deer the second weekend. That would be a total of 115.

Total was 419 last year and that was the lowest since 2004.

I think it may be time to request somebody audit the harvest data at Riply to check in on old Beau. I know a guy who sat and counted deer one day from daylight till dark who claims Beaus totals have been a lie for years.

The herd is down but 73%. ? If the numbers are true they need to be rethinking hunters choice in the area and get us into bucks only. If the numbers were fudged we need our audit and it's time to clean house in St Paul.

AND clean house in other places.

 

[Jameson]

I read first hand reports at just after dusk that had stated 16 deer killed/registered. Makes this guy wonder how much number fudging is happening.

 

[bwoods11]

Sounds like a zoo

Not for me, but I'm glad they offer the hunt! All that commotion moves deer.

 

[McLovin]

A buddy texted me today that he watched two big bucks battle 45 yards away from him in Ripley, couldn't find a shot. His is the only positive thing I've heard yet.

 

[Jim Timber]

91% alcohol usually takes the lot numbers off the shafts. Ya know, so they slide easier through the deer. ;)

 

[Deer Kar]

Here is a pic of the line up behind me from Friday (I was around number 200). It is a zoo for sure you see people from every walk of life there. Are group saw a total of 9 deer. that was 9 more than most people saw. Harvest total was 40 on sat. and as of 6 pm sunday they had 25. The hunt was a fun one. Good company always helps. That being said it will be a few years before I will go back. But I will go back!!!!

 

[Deer Kar]

Here is a Bomber ( I think? it was a really big plain) that was practicing landing and before it stopped it would power back up and take off again. They did this for some time. Not something I was used to seeing.

 

[foggy]

^ They call those "touch and go's"....and are used for training purposes. I think that's a big ole transport plane.....but I suppose you could drop a few bombs too. Lots of that air traffic around Ripley.

Not sure I care for "regimented' hunting like this. Reminds me of getting assigned to a goose pit out in western MN hunts. Somehow....feels like a trout pond experience.

 

[bat man]

Ripleys low harvest is potentially of significance as it may indicate how tough the winter was. If the latitude sees the same decrease we will not kill 100,000 deer in mn this fall.